noble men present at this Counsell who afterwarde came to the estimation of great Captaynes Andrew de Altauilla of the noble house of Capua Hugh of Cardonna Theodore de Trivulzi and of the Spanyardes Emanuell Benauides Peter Pâ—ces Alberade and Pennalosa who being very desirous to fight prayed Gonsalues that he woulde not distrust the prowesse of the Souldyers and promising to behaue themselues valiauntly adhorted Ferdinande to commaunde the armie to issue out of the Towne Seminara standeth high and from the Towne runne there hylles along vnto a little valley the whiche sendeth forth a riuer out of a lowe botome at this vale beginne the Champeine fieldes whither the Frenchmen were now come from Terranoua Ferdinande marching thrée miles along the hilles came to the riuer and lodging his footemen on the hither banke vppon the lest hande and all hys Horsemen béeyng stretched out along like vnto a wing on the right hand looked when his enimies would passe the riuer Ouer right againste the footemen of their enimies dyd Obegny and Persiue set their Switzers being cast into one battaylion they placed the foot men of the Calabrians behinde them as it were to succoure them and deuided betwéene them the Horsemen who were little lacke of foure hundred men of armes and after the order of the Frenchmen twice as many light Horsemen and passing ouer the riuer in a square battell made towardes their enimies The Spanishe Horsemen séeing that set spurres to their Horses and chéerefully ranne foorth and when they béeyng ouermatched both in armour weapons and strength could not make the thicke battell of the men of armes to giue ground giuing a shoute began to turne their Horses and after a Spanishe kind of sight to retire vnto their fellowes with fetching a round compasse that both discouraged the heartes of the Arragonian footemen thinking theyr horsemen had bin discomfited by the enimie and so fledde backe and also encouraged the Frenchmenne couragiously to presse on them so that Obegny on the right hande and Persiue on the lefte hotely charging the battell of the footemen with theyr Horsemen disordred them before that the Switzars coulde bende their pykes towardes them and many of them being ouerthrowen quite cat-stered the whole â—attell Ferâ—â—â—â—â—sse 〈…〉 aâ—â—â—â—ting hys Souldyers to returne into the battell like a valiant Horseman ranne vppon his enimies accompanyed with certayne men of armes of his seruauntes and brake hys Launce on the brest of a Frencheman of Maâ—â—â— and anoâ—e after béeing ouerwhelmed with the multitude of his enimies was forced to â—â—ée béeing pursued of many by reason of his crost and guilt annour but ouertaken by none when sée the such his Horse foundering threw him downe headlong into a very narrowe place in a hollow way neither were the frenchmen farre off from hym béeyng encombred with hys Horse lying vpright vppon hym and hys foote â—â—taugâ—â— in the stirrops when Iohn brother vnto â—adrâ—w â—tiaâ—â—â—â— came to his helpe and of entieâ—â—mis worthy of eternall memorie offered him his owne swifte Horse to saue his life vpon whome Ferdinander as he vauâ—ted excellently well spéedely leaped although he were in heauie â—â—fâ—plete armoure and so escaped the enimie But Aâ—â—â—uilla being on foote was anâ—ne after staynâ— by the Frenchmen â—â—egry hauyng stayne a great part of the footemen lodged not farre from the place of enâ—oâ—â—tes so â—â—atâ—â— was said that he little knew how to vse the victorie bycause he neyther pursued so manye noble men among whome was the Cardinall of Arragon nor incontinently brought his victorious armye before Semiâ—â—â—â— through the whiche leysure both the noble men and the King came by dyuers wayes in safetie vntoothe Shyppes and Goâ—salues also who by valiauntly fightyng and by repayring the array in many places had doubtlesse saued many entred the Towne and carryed away the baggage and all the better part of the furniture of the Camp and then gote hym to Rezo the Frenchmen afterward pursuing him in â—â—yne The Battell of Eboli fought in the Kingdome of Naples betvveene Persiue Chiefetayne for Charles the French King and Thomas Carafa Rarie of Matalone Generall for Ferdinande the King of Naples in Anno. 1495. KIng Ferdinande and the greate Gonsalues béeing escaped as yée haue heard out of the battell of Seminara the king embarking his power that was lefte sayled 〈◊〉 the Citie of Naples where he was receyued in by the well willing Townemen and many noble men Arragonites repayring vnto hym he straightely besieged Monipensier the Frenche Viceroy and other in the Castel the which he had entrenched round And also the great Gonsalues hadde repayred hys power at Hezo out of Sicile and warred on the Calabrianâ— Monpensier signifyed vnto Obegny and Persiue that he was not able to hold out long vnlesse that ayde were spéedyly sent vnto him eyther by sea or land Vpon this they sent for the noble menne that were of the Aniou or French faction â–ª to repaire vnto theÌ„ with their hands and also gathered togither their dispersed people and then deuiding the army Obegay went against Gonsalues and Persiue with Bernardiue Sanseuerino Prince of Besignino who had brought a cornet of Horsemen and four hands of footemen hasted to Naples came to EBOLI a towne not far froÌ„ the riuer of Cochile standing vpon a very high hir and enclosed round about with a déepe valley Ferdinand hauing intelligence of the french mens comming hadde sent his Captaines power thither before to let the passage of the whose way lay by Salerne himself remained at Naples to the end he might be presente at the parle of the FrenchmeÌ„ who séemed willing to entreate of taking truce and yéelding vp the Castel The General of the kings army was Thomas Carasa Prince of Matalone a man vtterli ignoraÌ„t of forraigne warfare but thers were with him many good warrioures amoÌ„g theÌ„ Venazi D. of Camerino Lucas Sabello who knowing whiche way the Frenchmen mynded to trauayle and hauing diligently viewed their power gaue aduice with small iourneys to followe at their enimies héeles who marched directly to Salerno to cut off their victuals and not to ioyne in battell wyth them before that a place of disaduantage hadde taken and offered them to be oppressed or else which séemed to be best incontinently with all spéede to take the Towne called the little Lake and the inhabitants thereof being commaunded to abandon the Towne and to set it on fire that the enimie might not vse the victuals and bouses thereof and then to marche spéedely to Salerne before the Frenchmen But the rest of the Captaynes and Souldyers contemning the small number of their enimies dyd burne with so great desire of fight that béeing incited by a foolishe courage they cryed out that it was not for the dignitie of the King and of so great an army that the victorie which they almost held assuredly should be sought not by the right way opeÌ„ prowesse but by going about the bushe and dastardly suttletyes Moreouer
a sunder The Scottes basted with so fast a pace that it was thought of the most part of vs they were rather horsemen than footemen Our men againe were ledde the more with spéede The maister of the ordinance Sir Francis Flemming to our great aduauntage pluckt vp the hill then certaine péeces and soone after planted two or thrée Canons of them well nie vpon the top there wherby hauing so much the helpe of the hill he myght ouer our mens heades shoote nyest at the enimie My Lorde Protector whose peculiar charge of al this voyage was the conduct of the middle battell being cladde in fayre armour tooke his waye towardes the heigth of the hill accompanyed with no mo than Sir Thomas Challoner â–ª to tarie by the ordinaunce whereas he moughte both best suruey vs all and succour with ayde where moste hée sawe néede and also by his presence be a defence vnto the thing that stoode weakest in place and moste in daunger the which therby howmuch it stood in stead anon shall I shew But the Scottes in the middes of their swifte marche were all at a sodaine staye and stoode still a good while the cause whereof is vncertaine and then made hastily towardes vs againe I know not to saye the truth whether more stoutlye of courage or more strongly of order me thought then I might note both in their march But what after I learned specially touching their order their armour and their maner of fight as well in going to offende as in standing to defende I haue thought necessarie here to vtter Hackbutters had they fewe or none and appoynt their fighte moste commonlye alwayes on foote They come to the fielde well furnished with Iacke Scull Dagger Buckler and Swordes all notably broade and thinne and of excéeding good temper and vniuersally so made to slice that as I neuer saw none so good so thinke I it harde to deuise the better hereto euery man his pike a great kerchiefe wrapped twise or thrice about his neck not for cold but for entting In their aray toward the ioyning with the enimie they cling thrust so neare in the â—ore ranke shoulder to shoulder togither with their pikes in both handes streight afore them and their followers in that order so harde at their backes laying their Pykes ouer their foregâ—ers shoulders that if they doe assayle vndisseuered no force can well withstande them Standing at defence they thrust shoulders likewise so nie togither the forerankes well nie to knéeling stoupe lowe before for their fellowes behinde holding their Pykes in both handes and therewith in their lefte their Bucklers the ende of the Pyke against their righte foote the other against the enimie brest high their followers crossing their Pyke pointes with them forwarde and thus eche with other so nie as place space will suffer through the whole warde so thicke that as easily shall a bare finger péerce through the skin of an angrie Hedgehogge as anye encounter the front of their Pykes My Lorde Marshall notwithstanding whom no daunger detracted from doing of his enterprise with the company and order afore appointed came full in their faces from the hylles side with present mynde and courage continuing their course towarde the enimie And my Lordes grace also at his place furiously tempested aloft with the ordinance The enimies were in a fallowe fielde whereof the furrowes laye sideling towarde our men By the side of the same furrowes next vs and a stones cast from them was there a crossedich or slough which our men must néedes passe to come to them wherein many that could not leape ouer stacke fast to no small daunger of themselues and some disorder of their fellowes The ennimies perceyuing our men fast approch disposed themselues to abide the brunt and in this order stoode still to receyue them The Earle of Anguish next vs in the forewarde as Captaine of the same with an eight thousande and foure or fiue péeces of ordinance on his right side and foure hundreth horsemen on his left behinde him somewhat westward the Gouernour with x. M. inlande men as they call them the choysest men counted of their countrie And the Earle Huntley in the rerewarde welnie euen with the battayle on the left hande with eyght thousande also The foure thousand Irish archers as a wing vnto them both last in déede in order and first as they sayde that ranne away These battelles and rarewarde were warded also with ordinaÌ„ce according Edwarde Shelley Lieutenant vnder my Lorde Grey of his bande of Bulleners was the first on our side that was ouer this slough my Lorde Grey nexte and so then after two or thrée rankes of the former bandes But badly yet coulde they make their race by reason the furrowes laye trauerse to their course That notwithstanding and though also they were nothing likely wel to be able thus a front to come within them to hurt them as well bicause the Scottishe mens pykes were as long or longer than their staues as also for that their horses were all naked without bardes whereof thoughe there were right many among vs yet not one put on forasmuch as at our comming forth in the morning we looked for nothing lesse than for battell that daye yet did my Lorde and Shelley with the residue so valiantly and strongly giue the charge vpon them that whether it were by their prowes or power the lefte side of the enimies that his Lordshippe did set vpon though their order remained vnbroken yet was compelled to swaye a good waye backe and gyue grounde largely and all the residue of them beside to stande much amased Before this as our men were welnie at them they stoode very braue and bragging shaking their Pyke poyntes crying come here Loundes come here Tykes come here Heretikes and such like opprobrious wordes Our Captaines that were behinde perceyuing at eye that both by the vneuennesse of the grounde by the sturdie order of the enimie and for that their fellowes were so nie and streight before them they were not able to any aduauntage to maintaine this onset did therefore according to the deuise in that poynt appointed turne themselues and made a soft retire vp towarde the hill againe Howbeit to confesse the truth some of the number that knewe not the prepensed policie of the couÌ„sayle in this case made of a sober abuised retire an hastie temerarious flight My Lord Marshall Edwarde Shelley little Preston Brampton and Gerningham Bulleners Ratcliffe the Lorde Fitzwaters brother Sir Iohn Cleres sonne and heire Digges of Kent Ellerker a Pencioner Segraue Of my Lorde Protectors bande my Lorde Edwarde his Graces son Captaine of the same bande Stanley VVodhouse Conisbie Hergill Morris Dennis Arthur and Atkinson with the other in the fore ranke were not able in this earnest assault both to tende to their fight afore and to the retire behinde the Scottes agayne well considering hereby how weake they remayned â–ª ranne sharplye forwarde vpon them and
the thicke battels of theyr enimies wyth greater force than arte and in the ende with aduerse fortune On the contrary syde the Frenchemenne makyng theyr battelles thicke and close togyther and not vnaduisedly stirring out of theyr place receyued them that charged them and that done enuironed them rounde aboute and wyth theyr shorte Swordes assaying where the blade myghte best enter into the body did thrust them in and beate them downe In the meane tyme the Gréeke Horsemenne that had inuaded the fore ward béeyng repelled on all partes by the menne of armes and their hote spurre Captaynes Annonio and Busichio departed out of the battell wounded suddainely turning theyr Horses flewe togyther to rifle the baggage whiche by the counsell of Trivulzi had bin obiected vnto the enimies that they béeing occupyed about the spoyle a more readie and easie passage might be made for the king There the Lackeys drudges Women straglers and moyletters were fowly tossed among the beastes and falling packes and when they repugned or sought to saue the goodes being slayne among them almost all the baggage was taken and rifled This tumult caused all the field to ring of the dissonant outcryes of so many nations by reason whereof thither ranne al the bandes of footemen that were néere who béeyng also gréedy of pillage without shame brake their aray But then arose there a very bloudy and miserable fight among the riâ—â—ers themselues euery man pulling one from another the Kyngs baggage and the weaker still oppressed by the stronger were slayne with the pillage in theyr aâ—mes This thing by the consent of all men brought safetie vnto the frenchmen for their fore ward when the Greekes once enclined vnto the spoyle valiantly receyued the charge that the Earle of Giâ—zza gaue ouerthwart them and succoured the second battell that was in distresse and also the seconde being augmented with strength and courage repelled the Marques of Mantoa with great slaughter and ayded the third which Montoni had disordred At the last wheÌ„ the two battels of the Marshall and the Kyng vehemently pressed the Italians on both sides at one time Radulph and Ranuccio béeyng circumuented in the middes of their enimies were slayne and also almost all the whole bande of the familiars of the Marques among whome were many noble menne There fell also before the Generals eyes Caluisiano the band of an C. singular good Souldyers footemen that had bin chosen to guard the Marques were slayne and troden downe The Marques himselfe who with wonderfull prowes had pierced through the middes of the Horsemen euen vnto the ordinance and the maisters of them and the Horses by whome they were drawen being slaine had ouerwhelmed with a tempest of Horsemen a bande of Gascoignes appoynted to guarde the ordinance and also the archers of the Kings guard with much adoe got himselfe out of the middes of his enimies his Horse béeyng gréeuously wounded For all men did auye strike at and pursue him fléeyng throughout the whole battell with a spire of silk in the crest of his helmet The same fortune also felte the Italian footemen that were in the Earle of Giazza his battell for when the formost rankes of them did as the manner was then shake from the grounde theyr long forkes stayed vp with their left arme but the nexte rankes of Souldyers defensed with Targets hurled Iauelins with broade heads and the rest after them shotte quarrels out of crossebowes they were receyued of the Switzers not only without any feare but also with slaughter for they beyng verye skilfully cast into a close Esquadron dyd lightly contemne that fonde kinde of weapons and manner of fight for as soone as euer they approched almost thrée hundred extraordinarie yong men who for commendation gotten by extreame perill are called the Desperates the Forlorne hopen leaped for the from both sydes of the Esquadron and with myghty two hande swordes beganne to cut off those vnruly pykes with whose hardinesse almost all the Italians beyng feared before they expected the impression of the Esquadron turned theyr backes In that place one bande of Almaynes whiche had with great hardinesse inuaded the French Ordinance and hadde stoutely resisted was slayne by the furious charge of the Switzers And withall a very suddayne showre of rayne mixed wyth Hayle thunder and lightning did in so apt a time afflicte them béeing foyled and nowe readye to flée that God hymselfe séemed to fyghte for the Frenchmen for the Riuer of Tarro whiche a little before ranne as though it had bin dryed vp was nowe growen so greate through falles of waters from the Mountaynes and dytches that neyther they whiche reposed hope of safetie in flyghte could safely escape neyther durst the vntouched battels that longed to goe succoure their discomfited fellowes once passe the Riuer whiche with swift and violent streame caryed away menne Horses armour weapons and all Neyther in the meane time did the ordinance ceasse on eyther side although with doubtfull but vayne perill they were often shotte off euen amongst the blended battels In all this so hard state of things the Marques forsaketh not himselfe although he were attached with incredible sorrowe séeing so many valiant Gentlemen that had come thither onely for good will towardes him yea and his vncle enuironed by their enimies and no succoure to be hoped for There was on the left haÌ„d a déepe ditch of water that ranne downe to certayue corne Milles into this ditch were both footemen and Horsemen carried by hedlong flight fowly strugling and striuing togither The which wheÌ„ the Marques sawe he changing his Horse came thither and rebuking the flight and staying the ensignes of diuers troupes he gathered togither one strong band who although they were sore wéeryed by the sundry incommodities of fight flight finally of raine yet valiantly renewed the fight with slaughter repelled the FreÌ„chmen that pursued them amaine There Seigneur de Mioll and the Bastard of Burbon being wounded by Alesso Beicacuto in the neck were takeÌ„ not farre from the King diuers renowmed Horsemen of the freÌ„ch side slaine But the comming of the Erle of Penâ—a was a great stay that they which had first attached the fight were not quite destroyed for he being brought prisoner out of Naples nowe when his kéepers were busied in that daunger of the battell hadde escaped in the middes of the tumulte vnto the Venetians and what by telling that the Frenchmen were vanquished and put to flight and also by cohorting them not to let goe assured victorie out of their handes he restored vnto the fearefull and fléeyng suche courage that with the auctoritie of his name he caused all that he met with to returne into the battell But the Frenchmen pursuing the Italians being discomfited and broken by the first and second battels were empeached by the swollen riuer from winning of an entier victorie euen as a little before the rising of the riuer had bin a lette vnto the rerewardes of the
battell nor to pursue any that flieth stoode still a great part of the day fearing lest the French horsmen incited either through the policie of their Captaines or theyr owne shame would come backe againe and appresse them while they were busied in spoilyng the deade But their enimies ranne awaye wyth suche feare and pertinacie that Trivulzi galloping to fro all dustie and hoarse with crying vnto them was not able eyther by faire or foule speache or the aucthoritie of Generall to stay the ensignes or to retaine the horsemen that casting awaye their launces gallopped awaye foremost It is well knowen that Grittie the Venetian Prouiditor who being a companion of this vnluckye iourney ran awaye with them oftentimes sayde among this company of hasting horsmen Yee olde horsemen that flyng awaye so faste vppon the spurre to day bee not the men of armes of the Venetians but those noble Gentlemen of France that vsed to cal them women runaways Certes it neuer happened before that Captains at all other times inuincible and fortunate being furnished wyth so great an army were defeated by a fewe footemen fortune nowe listing to sporte a little It is reported that the French horsemen might haue bin all wholy destroyed in their flighte if Maximilian Sforza had had but two hundreth men of armes for not one of the French horsemen caried launce beyonde Sesithes so greate was their heate to escape yet a while after Siluio Sabello and Corradino Cribelly with certaine light horsmen pursued them euen to the towne of Trecato But the Contadmes or Pesantes running out of the fieldes and â—ainlets vnto the spoile cruelly slue where they sawe any bootie the dispersed and fearefull Frenchemenne wearyed and quite spente at ditches hedges and all other places that didde lette their course The same daye the Switzers gathering togither the slaine bodies of their countrymen caried them on their shoulders into the Citie that the laste honoures myght iustly be done vnto them that had singularly wel deserued of the common wealth There were slaine of them in this victory aboute a thousande three hundreth of whome they broughte into the Towne aboue seuen hundreth torne into péeces with the great ordinaunce and almoste as many were wounded But on the Frenche part were slaine to the number of eight thousande of all sortes Among the Captaines of the Switzers the almoste monstrous valor of Jordin of Vnderwalde was specially noted who by the credible report of many slewe twenty of his ennimies with his halberde carying away the iuste rewardes of assured praise But Maximilian being very ioyfull for so happy successe called the Souldiours togither and the teares trickling downe his chéeks scarfe able to speake for ioy he gaue them all harty thankes and that whych might be a gift of present pleasure hée gaue them in rewarde of their prowesse all the victualles that was taken to be deuided among them besides the ordinaunce and all the spoyle and praye that was gotten But the trenche that was taken from the enimie hee sette vppe in a publique place as a monumente of the victorye And forasmuche as wée haue seene the maner of the making thereof wee doe thinke it good to describe the same that it may be both a paterne and also profitable vnto the posteritie A square plotte of fifty paces euerye waye like vnto a small Campe being measured out foure strong postes sharped at the ende were driuen into the grounde at euery angle one standyng aboue the grounde nauell highe the sides were defenced with lesser posts or stakes a certaine space being lefte betweene post and post betweene the postes went rayles which they might take off and on they being fastened togither with yron bookes or claspes The Almaines stoode within this munition which was defenced rounde about wyth almoste an hundreth Harquebuzers a crocke Through the defence thereof Sedan had thought verily that the force of his assayling enimies woulde not only haue bene susteined but cleane dashed broken and defeated for he was of the belefe that the Switzers before they could come to vse their pikes and to hande strokes shoulde be paide for their inconsiderate inuasion It being likely that the esquadron terrible for their pikes and safe and inuincible for their strength wold defend the trench and at length opening the munition breake out vpon the disordered enimies and so obteyne an vndoubted victory But this engine inuented by a warlike witte and brought ouer the Alpes with so greate labour and charges as it did greatly delight the eyes of the beholders both for the noueltie of the fashion and the hope of victory so Fortune after hir wonted guise scorning such subtill inuentions tooke successe quite away from reason and the woorke when it shoulde haue taken moste effecte But thys deceyued the Almaines that they thought it not nedefull that day to set vppe their trenche which lay in the Wagons seeing the camp did then go backe from the enimie When wee conferred wyth Tremouille at Bolongne about these matters he did not fondly laye the faulte in Trivulzi as thoughe that hee woulde not encampe as Tremouille hadde perswaded hym on hys owne landes for destroying of the grasse that then was ready to be mowen But Trivulzi as he that had neuer bene vanquyshed before when hee declared muche of the euente of this battell did referre it wholly vnto the iniurie that was fatall vnto hys renowne for hee sayde that the skilfullest Captayne in the worlde coulde not by any me anes redresse rashe men and Souldiours made starke staring madde by degenerate feare The Battel of Ginghat fought in Picardie betvveene Henry the eight King of England and Monsieur de Piennes generall for Lewes the French king in Anno Domin 1513. WHen that HENRY the eight king of Englande besieged the Citie of Tyrwin with three camps of whom himself coÌ„ducted one the Earle of Shrewsbury an other and the Lord Herbert the third he had intelligence that Lewes the Frenche king had leuied an armie vnder the conduct of the Lord Piennes for to victual the Citie whiche was sore oppressed wyth penurie Whervpon king HENRY passed ouer the riuer with all the retinue of his owne camp his ordinance for to impeach the Frenche passage in that parte In the meane season a French man beeing taken in skirmishe in hope of pardon of his raunsome declared that the Frenche armie with their full power and strength were comming from Blangie to the number of fifteene thousande horsemen to ayde Terwyn on that side of the water And to the intent that the armie of the Earle of Shrewsbury and she Lord Herbert should not ayde the King there were appointed fiue thousand of the fifteene thousand on the other side of the water to inuade them on the other side of the water The Kyng had no sooner pitched his field and sette in order his ordinance but that he was aduertised by the Northern prickers that the Frenchemen to the number of twelue thousande
the other but if that lot had giuen that the Reisters Catholikes had charged the French men they might easily haue bene broken For the Frenchman that still followeth his point doth easily breake that ranke of the Reisters which he findeth going about to rally and recharge And through this forme of fight many Reisters Catholikes ended their dayes in this iourney and not onely by this meane but also by that which I haue before declared that is to wit the shotte of the harquebusiers on foote that were intermedled with the horsemen Such was the disposition and ordinance of the horsemen of the Protestants As for the footemen those that were in the auantgarde were inmasse or plumpe hauing the forme of one grosse battallion which the Lansquenets made vnder the charge of the Baron of Grenelesee and of Granuilliers flanked on two sides with the regiments of harquebusiers Frenchmen ledde by Piles Rouiuray Briquemaut the younger de Ambres and du Chellar Moreouer this battell was susteyned by foure troupes of horsemen as well Frenchmen as Reisters ordered as I haue shewed before The footemen of the battayle made another battallion composed of the harquebusiers of the regiments of Beaudine Mombrun Blacons Mirabel and Virieu susteyned as before And also these two bodies of footemen had their harquebusiers in their front who as Enfans perdus shoulde giue and receyue the first blowes as they were conducted by their Captaines who wente before them They had not one Pyke among them a weapon the best and most necessarie that a footeman can deuise to beare and such an one for a footman as the Launce is for an horseman as we will shewe at another time by Gods helpe The Colonels and Captaines of euery bande were a little auanced for to encourage their men all the armie was clothed in white The Protestants stoode still not mouing out of their places and it séemed that they woulde haue bene well contented to haue bene dispenced with for fighting that day the which thing some men aduised Yet many presuming that which afterward hapned vnto them sayde that a Generall which hath his troupe readie for the shocke ought not to stay for the charge and that this had alwayes bene holde for an assured Maxime among the old Fores of times past And for proofe more certaine the Confederates themselues had marked that in all fightes past they had done better when they charged first than when they expected the dismarch of the Catholikes Nowe you haue séene the estate and disposition wherein the armie of the Protestants expected that of his Excellence who by the aduise of the most olde practised warriours of his troup disposed his armie after the manner that I shall tell you He being a little aduaunced in the playne and hauing caused certayne of the principall Captaynes to come vnto him disposed his troupes after the Frenche fashion whiche is to deuide the masse of an armie into two parts which they doe call an auantgarde and a battell Diuers times if that the armie be verye great they make thrée and to these two adioyne a rerewarde for to susteyne those two foremoste troupes if they shoulde chaunce to be ouerthrowne and to succour the bands that shall haue néede and also for to reallye as well those that for long fight haue lost or stragled from their Engsines or for to staye them that flée and to constrayne them to make heade The auantgarde was composed of horsemen as well Frenchmen as Almaines and Italians Of Frenchmen were the Prince Dauphin the Duke of Guise Martigues Chauigny la Valette and many other Captaines the troupe of whome was no lesse than two or thrée thousande horsemen Of the Almaines the regimentes of the auantgarde of the Conte of VVestambourg the two other regimentes of the Reingraffe Bassompierre their troupes mounting neare to two thousande horse Of the Italians the Conte of Saint Fiora the Conte Paule Sforza the Contes Disci Santelle and many other with their troupes who amounted to few lesse thâ—Ì„ thousande horsemen almost all very good and well appointed The footemen stoode in the forme of one grosse batallion which was made by the regiment of the Switzers ledde by the Colonell Clery which should haue bene of eyght thousande but it was brought to foure through the long trauayle and wearynesse of the warres Fiue regiments of harquebusiers French men and Italians for to flanke them on two sides conducted by the Captaines la Barthè Sarlabouâ— les deux Isles and he of Onoux And bicause that the playne was faire and large the artilleriâ— was departed into two eyght péeces for the auantgarde and seauen for the battell and layde at the heade of the battallions Before these troupes of horsemen and the footemen there was aduaunced after the Frenche fashion a good number of yong men as well horsemen as footmen for to scrue for Enfans perdus and attach the fight first Ouer all these commaunded the Duke of Montpensier who made his auantgarde to kéepe this order The Switzes and their flankes of harquebusiers as men readye to come to the charge were set vpon the right hand and before them aduaunced Martigues who shoulde charge first after that the Enfans perdus of the horsemen whom he had before him had giuen their first charge Martigues was followed by the Prince Dauphin who being accompanied with Chauigny hadde on his righte hande the Conte de San Fiora Marie and Paule Sforza brothers with Charles de Birague followed by their regiments for the most part Italians Behinde the Prince for to susteyne all that were before marched the Duke of Montpensier hauing on his side two thousande Reisters conducted by the Lantgraue of Hessen the two Contes Reingraffe brothers the Conte de VVestambourg de Bassompierre and Scomberg who ledde eyghtene Cornets And bicause that the Duke of Montpensier did doubte that the Switzers who were on his right hande woulde not charge at all if that they were not flanked and susteyned by French horsemen appointed for their left side the Duke of Guise la Valette and manye other Captaynes wyth their companies who shoulde assure them against all hazarde All this masse went furiously to the charge togither as I will shewe you after that I haue represented vnto you the battell The which was composed of the Dukes de Aumalle de Longville Mareschall de Cossé Tauennes the Marques of Villars who had before receyued in gyfte of the King the state of the Admirall of Fraunce la Fayette Mern Colonell generall of the Switzers de Toré his brother sonnes of the late Constable Carpauallet la Vauguiâ—n and Villequier Vatan Vesigny de Maily Gouernour of Moutreul Greau and manye other Captaynes the companies of whome coulde amounte to no fewer than thrée thousande horse of fight Of the Almaynes were the Conte Mansfelde cousin to the Protestante who conducted and ledde fiue Cornettes of a thousande or twelue hundreth horse whome the King of Spaine had sent the Marques of Baden