Bâ—itieres who a little before the rumor of the Battel had been recall'd from his own house and we should fight together in the Vantguard the Battel was to be conducted by Monsieur d' Anguien having under his Cornet all the young Lords that came from Court and the Rear-guard was commanded by Monsieur d' Ampierre wherein were four thousand Friâ—ourgers and three thousand Italians led by the Sieur de Dros and des Cros together with all the Guidons and Archers of Companies Now there was a little Eminence that dipt towards Cerizolles and Sommerive which was all on a little Copse but not very thick The first of the Enemy that we saw enter into the Plain to come towards us were the seven thousand Italians conducted by the Prince of Salerna and in the â—lank of them three hundred Launciers commanded by Rodolpho Baglione who belonged to the great Duke of Florence The Skirmish began by this little Hill on the descent whereof the Enemy had made a halt just over against us and so soon as the skirmish was begun I gave one Squadron to Captain Brueille being that which was nearest to me and the hindmost to Captain Gasquet about two hundred paces distant the one from the other and of my own I gave forty or fifty Harquebusiers to a Serjeant of mine called Arnaâ—t de St. Clair a valiant man and one that very well understood his business and I my self stood for a reserve Being at the foresaid little house I discover'd three or four Companies of Spanish Harquebusiers who came full drive to possess themselves of the house and in the mean time Favas and Lienard fought the Italians in the valley on the right hand The skirmish grew hot on both sides the Enemy one while beating me up to the house and I again other whiles driving them back to their own party for they had another that was come up to second the first and it seem'd as if we had been playing at Base but in the end I was constrain'd to call Captain Brueille up to me for I saw all their Foot embody tâ—gether with a Troop of Horse to sâ—ank them Now had I not so much as one horse with me notwithstanding that I had advertised Monsieur'd Anguien that their Cavalry was also with the Harquebusiers that came up to me Let it suffice that of a long time no body came insomuch that I was constrained to quit the house but not without a great dispute which continued for a very great space I then sent back Captain Brueille to his place the skirmish continued for almost four fours without intermission and never did men acquit themselves better Monsieur d' Anguien then sent Monsieur d' Aussun unto me commanding me to repossess my self of the house which was neither of advantage nor disadvantage to me to whom I made answer Go and tell Monsieur d' Anguien that he must then send me some Horse to fight these Horse that slank their Harquebusiers which he also saw as well as I for I am not to fight Horse and Foot together in the open field He then said to me It is enough for me that I have told you and so return'd to carry back my answer to Monsieur d' Anguien who thereupon sent Monsieur de Moneins to tell me that one way or another he would that I should regain it with whom also came the Seigneur Cabry Brother to Seigneur Mauré bringing with him threescore Horse all Launciers and Monsieur de Moneins might have about some five and twenty he being then but beginning to raise his Troop To whom I return'd the same answer I had given before to Monsieur d' Aussun and that I would not be cause of the loss of the Battel but that if they would go charge those Horse that slank'd the Harquebusiers I would quickly regain the house They then answer'd that I had reason and that they were ready to do it Whereupon I presently sent to Captain Brueil to come up to me and to Captain Gasquet to advance to his place and immediately Captain Brueil coming up on the right hand and the Horse in the middle we march'd at a good round â—rot directly up to them for we were not above three hundred paces distant from one another All this while the skirmish never ceased and as we drew within a hundred or six score paces off them we began to fire upon which the Cavalry fac'd about and their Foot also and I saw their Launciers turn their backs retreating to their Troops Monsieur de Moneins and Seigneur Cabry went immediately hereupon to Monsieur d' Anguien to tell him what they had seen their Cavalry do and that if he did not send me up Horse to second me I could not choose but be routed I sent back Captain Brueil and Gasquet into their places Now there was a little Marish near unto Cerizolles and a great hollow way which hindred the Enemy that they could not come up to us drawn up in Battalia and the Marquis de Guast had caused six pieces of Artillery to pass over this marish and they were already advanc'd a good way on this side when seeing their people driven back they were afraid that the whole Army followed the pursuit and that they should lose their Canon Wherefore they presently made the Germans to passover this marish and thorough the said hollow way who so soon as they came into the plain drew up again into Battalia for it was not possible for them to pass but in great disorder and in the mean time the Cavalry and Spanish Harquebusiers came up to me as before insomuch that having no Horse with me I was necessitated to quit them the place and to retire to the place from whence I came Now I had discover'd their German Foot and their Artillery and as I was retiring Monsieur de Termes and Signior Francisco â—ernardin caâ—e and plac'd themselves on the right hand of our Battaillon and upon the skirt of the Hill which was very straight and over against the Battaillon of the Italians for their Launciers were exactly opposite to our Pikes Monsieur de Boitieres with his Company and that of the Count de Tande advanc'd on the left hand of our Battail and the Swisse were three or four score paces behind us and a little on the one side In the mean time our Harquebusiers that were conducted by Lienard and Captain Favas sometimes beat back the Enemy as far as their main Battalia and sometimes the Enemy repell'd them up to ours I saw then that I must of necessity disarm our Battaillon of the Harquebusiers that made our slank on that side where Monsieur de Boitieres stood and give them to them wherewith to make a Charge which they did and with great fury beat them up to their Battail and it was high time for their Harquebusiers had almost gain'd the flank of our Horse I therefore ran up to them
must know I had never been there till this time neiâ—her have I ever been there since but to the best of my memory I shall describe the sâ—iâ—nation of the place I was to descend about thirty or forty paces to enter into a great Meadow where on my right hand there was one Bastion and on my left hand at the distance of a good Haâ—quebuz shot another and so consequently all along the Câ—urâ—ine leading towards Calice which Courtine was only of earth and about two fathoms high there was also two great Ditches with water middle deep and betwixt the two Ditches there was a Terrace of earth Whilst they were in cosultation under this Tree on my left hand I took Captain Favas and la Moyenne having both been my Lieutenants and about 300 Harquebuzeers to whom I gave the leading of the sust Division and I stood behind in the Rear of them There presently sallyed out of the Fort an hundred or sixscore English who came into the Meadow having planted five or six Muskeieers upon their Terrcss betwixt two Ditches and ply'd us smartly with their shot having left betwixt the said Bassions and Ditches a little path by which one man only could march a breast to enter in and fally out of their Fort confident it seems that under favour of their Muskers those of ours on the outside would not dare to charge them Our men began then to Harquebuz it at a good smart rate and they to let sly their arrows but me-thought they had still an eye towards their retreat wherefore being mounted on a little pad Nag I came up to the Captains and said these words to them Camrades these people are mainly enclin'd to retreat and I see it is out of a confidence they have in their Muskets charge then briskly through and through and I will second you I needed not to bid them twice for before I could return to the head of my men I saw them together by the ears and in a moment the English put to â—lighâ— wherefore I stopâ— my men from falling on to make sirm in case any more should sally out This little path was something narrow and adjoyning to the Bastion under which the one part of them stood sirm the rest cast themselves into the Ditches in so great hast that they had not leisure to carry off all their Muskets for our Soldiers leapt into the water as soon as they and brought away sour of them and there were four or five of the said Soldiers that pass't over the said Terrace and the other Ditch to the very foot of the Courtine who brought me word that the greatest depth of water was in the first Ditch for the other next the Courtine was not above knee deep I then presently spoke to the Captains Favas and la Moyenne that they should draw up my Division and theirs together and finding Captain Aurioqui and almost all the other Captains entreated them them to make two Divisions of theirs for that so soon as I had spoken with Monsieur de Tais I would go on to an Assault They then told me that they wanted near half of their Soldiers who were not yet come up to which I made answer that it was no matter seeing that with those we had we could do our business who thereupon without further reply began to divide themselves into two Bodies and I ran to speak with Monsieur de Tais whom I found with the Mareschal and the rest and said to him Let us go Sir let us go to the Assault for we shall carry the Courtine I have tasted them and find that they have more mind to run than fight The Mareschal then said to me What is it you say Captain Montluc would to God we were certain presently to carry it with all the Artillery we have Whereupon I answered him aloud Sir we shall have strangled them all before your Artillery can come up to us and taking Monsieur de Tais by the arm said to him Let us go Sir you have believ'd me at other times and have not repented neither shall you repent you of this I have discover'd by these approaches that these people are little worth Let us go then answered he and as we were entring into the Meadow we already found our two Divisions of Pikes and Harquebuzeers separated apart Look you Sir then said I take your choice on which hand you will fight whether on that of this Ensign over against the Bastion below or on that of the Engsin opposite to those I have fought with who thereupon said to me Fight you that Body you have already attaqu't and I will go fight the other and so we parted So soon as the Mareschal de Biez saw us begin to march he as Monsieur de Bordâ—llon told me afterwards said these words now we shall see if Tais with his Gascons be so brave as he pretends I then call'd all the Sergeanâ—s of my Division saying to them aloud at the head of our Battail You Sergeants have ever been accustomed when we go to fight to be in the Flanks behind but I will have you now fight in the first Rink Do you see that Ensign there if you do not win it as many as I shall meet slinking off in my way as I go I shall make bold to cut his hamstrings you know I am pretty dextrous that way then turning towards the Captains I said and you Camrades if I am not there as soon as they do you cut mine I then ran to Captain Favas and la Moyenne who might be at the distance of some thirty paces and said to them March and throw your selves headlong into the Ditch and in an instant return'd to my men when having kist the ground I ran straight up to the Ditches making the Sergeants still to march before and passing over the first and the second came up to the foot of the Courtin I then said to the Sergeants Help one another help one another with your Halberts to get up which they speedily did and others pasht them on behind throwing them headlong into the Fort I had also a Halbert in my hand In the mean time arriv'd all the Captains and Pikes who found me making a great shew of endeavouring to get up with my Halbert holding with my left hand by the wood when some of them not knowing who I was took me by the breech and pusht me quite over on the other side making me by that means more valiant than I intended to be for what I did was only to encourage the rest to get over but that follow whoever he was made me forget my policy and take a leap that I had no intent to have taken and indeed in my whole life I did never see people so soon get over a Câ—urtine After I had taken this leap Captain Favas and la Moyenne who were in the Ditch of the Bastion put themselves into the little
the Bastard of Auzan a Gentleman who has nothing blemish'd the legitimate Sons of his race though all of them men of singular bravery and remarkeable valour Now you must know that â— the Company I commanded was no other than Cross-bows for at this time the use of the Harquâ—buze had not as yet been introducâ—d amongst us only three or four days before six Gascon Harquebusiers came over to us from the Enemy which I had received into my Company having by good â—ortune been that day upon the Guard at the great Gate of the City and of those six one was a native of the Territory of Monâ—luc Would to heaven that this accursed engine had never been invented I had not then receiv'd those wounds which I now languish under neither had so many valiant men been slain for the most part by the most pitiful fellows and the greatest Cowards Poltrons that had not dar'd to look those men in the face at hand which at distance they laid dead with their confounded bullets but it was the Devil's invention to make us murther one another Being thus past the River I order'd the Bastard d' Auzâ—n not to suffer his men to shoot but only to present as if they intended to do it to the end that he might favour mine and give them time to discharge and retire again into their order Now when I was under the foot of the Hill I could not possibly see what our men did but being advanc'd a little further into the plain I saw all the Enemies three Squadrons drawn up into one body and the great party on the left hand marching upon a good round trot directly towards ours who were rallyed and stood firm without being able either to advance forwards or to retire back by reason of some great stones that lay scatter'd in their Rear Here it was that Captain Carbon who had no Arms on having before been wounded in his left arm by an Arquebuze shot seeing me so nâ—aâ— him came up to me and said Oh Montluc my dear friend charge up boldly I will never forsake thee Captain said I take you only care to save your self and your Gens-d ' Armes at the same instant crying out shoot Comrades at the head of these Horse I was not above a dozen paces distant from the Enemy when I gave them this Volley by which as it appear'd by the testimony of the Prisoners who were taken a few days after above fifty Horses were kill'd and wounded and two Troopers slain an execution that a little cool'd their courage and caus'd their Troops to make a halt In the mean time Captain Carbon had leisure with his party to retire full gallop towards the brook I had pass'd over to relieve him where such as had their horses lost taking hold of the others horse tayls sav'd themselves also and all together pass'd over the River Which hast they were necâ—ssitated to make or otherwise the great party of horse on the left hand had charg'd them in the Flank had they drawn more leisurely off In the mean time under favour of the twenty Cross-bows of d' Auzan who sustain'd us we rallied again and gave another volley So soon as Captain Carbon had passed the River with his Horse remounted Monsieur de Gramont on another horse and mounted the rest â—n Crouppe he commanded the said Siâ—ur de Gramont to ride to the top of the hill and in all hast to draw off the Ensigns both of horse and foot at a round trot directly to the other River where the bridg was that leads towards Bayonne Which order being given he suddenly turned back again towards me having in his company an Italian call'd Signior Diomedâ— and the Siâ—ur de Mainaâ—aâ—t where he found me retreating towards a ditch upon the edg of a Marish and of which I might be within some twelve or fourteen paces which not only hindred him from getting up to me but moreover gave him enough to do to save himself I notwithstanding in spite of the Enemy recovered the ditch of the Marish being still sheltred by d' Auzâ—n whom I commanded to climb over in great diligence and there to make head which he accordingly performed The Spaniards in the mean time made a shew as if they meant to charge but they durst not attempt to break into me neither were my six Harquebusiâ—rs idle all this while but did wonders with their shot when having at last retreated my men within five or six paâ—â—s of the ditch I caused them all in an instant to throw themselves into it and under favour of d' Auzan almost as suddainly to mount the ditch bank on the other side over which we all got safe and sound saving three Soldiers who were slain with Harquebuze shot for not having been so nimble as the rest and here it was that as in a little sort I made head against the Enemy Now you must know that that party of the Enemy which came up on the left hand made a halt at the bank of the River when they saw our Horse were already got half way up the hill and those who had fought and to whom I had given a stop at the ditch bank were now upon their retreat home when seeing three Squadrons of Harquebusiers coming along the plain and making towards them with all the speed they could it reviv'd their spirits and inspir'd them with new courage to face about again I in the mean time having also discover'd these fresh succours began to shift along by the ditch till being by the return of a corner of it slipt out of their sight I drew my men into a very narrow meadow from whence at full speed I gain'd the â—oot of the hill I had descended before and having repass'd the River soon recovered the top of the mountain The danger wherein I saw my self to be as well of the Horse I had pressing upon my Rear as of the Battaillon of Inâ—antry which I saw fast advancing towards me did not however make me loose my Judgment in a time of so great need nor hinder me from discerning and taking this opportunity for my retreat during which I made the little handful of men I had march very close together and by turnes encouraging and speaking to them made them often face about and salute the Cavalry who pursued me both with Cross-bow and Harquebuze shot when having gain'd the top of the hill I drew into an Orchard making fast the Gate on the inside that the Horse might not so suddainly enter and by the favour of that and several others planted with Apples still made on towards the Bridge till I came to a little Church call'd Hâ—itée from whence I perceived the great road to be all covered over with the Enemies Horse there being nevertheless a great ditch betwixt them and me from whence I bestow'd upon them some Arquebuze and Cross-bow shot which also very seldom fail'd of their effect and compell'd them seeing
ran to the end of the hollow and fell in desperately amongst them In the mean time Ydrou and Tilladet charg'd Monsieur de Trinitat and put him to rout and our Harquebusiers and theirs threw themselves altogether into the hollow but ours had the upper hand and our Pike men had thrown away their Pikes and were fallen to 't with the Sword and so couragiously fighting we came all up to the Wagons Captain Mons and all which were all overturn'd in a moment and all their men put to flight towards two houses which stood in the bottom of the plain where still pursuing our Victory and the Horse still firing amongst them very few of them reach'd the houses At the houses some particular men were taken to Quarter but of the rest very few were sav'd and those who were left alive were so grievously wounded that I do verily believe they had little benefit of their mercy Our Gens d' Armes in those days wore great cutting Fauchions wherewith to lop off armes of Male and to cleave Morions and indeed in my life I never saw such blows given As for the Cavalry they were all taken running away towards Fossan Monsieur de Trinitat excepted and five others who being better mounted than the rest escaped though young Tilladet with two others only pursu'd him within two Harquebuze shot of Fossan and took one who attended one of the Colours which the Ensign that carried it had thrown upon the neck of him who carried off his horse Presently after we began to march leading off the Wagons and Baggage which were of necessity to return by the same way they had come from Marennes forasmuch as the Carriages could pass no other way and there I saw so great a disorder amongst our people that had twenty of the Enemies horse turn'd back upon us we had certainly been defeated for all the Soldiers both Foot and Horse were so laden with Baggage and with horses they had taken that it had been impossible for Captain Mons to have rallyed so much as one Launce or I two Harquebusiers insomuch that we left all the dead unrisled and untouch'd but the Country people of Marennes came thither presently after and performed that office for them and have since several times told us that they got there above two thousand Crowns for not above three or four days before those two Captains had muster'd for three months The booty is very often the occasion of ruine wherefore Captains ought to be exceeding careful especially when they know there are enemies Garrisons near at hand that may sally out upon them though it is a very hard thing to take order in for the avarice of the Soldier is such that he oftentimes quails under his burthen and no reason will serve his turne After this defeat we return'd to Savillan where we found that two Country fellows had given an Alarm to Monsieur de Termes having brought him news that we were all defeated and indeed we found him almost at his wits end but afterwards he was the most overjoy'd man that ever he had been in his life There a man might have had flesh enough good cheap for we took above forty German Whores and more than twenty Spanish which kind of Cattel was the greatest cause of our disorder We had an intention to have shar'd all the spoil equally amongst us and found that we were but an hundred forty and five men and fifty horse but every one begg'd that he might keep what he had gotten promising upon that condition to make me a present forasmuch as I had not made it my business to look after spoyl which I consented to seeing every one was content and they gave me six hundred Crowns as also the horse presented Captain Mons but how much I am not able to say and this we did that day in the Rear of their Camp Of our people there was slain upon the place one Soldier only belonging to Captain Baron with five or six more hurt and one Corporal of mine who all recovered There are a great many both of the Horse and Foot yet living who were present at this business who when they shall read this Book I am certain will not give me the lye I cannot remember which I wonder at my self for whether Monsieur de Caillac was with us at the engagement or no or whether Monsieur de Termes did not detain him at home but I am sure that if he was not there he was in Savillan and may very well remember all this to be true Now the design of the Marquis de Guast soon discovered it self which was to put himself into Carignan and there to raise a Fort and leave in it a strong Garrison of Foot as he did and the very day that I gave them this defeat he encamp'd at a Village near Carmagnolle on the right hand of the Road from Recoins to the said Carmagnolle I have forgot the name and at midnight sent the greatest part of his Cavalry to get over the Bridge at Lombriasse over which an hour or two before there had passed two Light horse of Monsieur de Termes who had been with us at the fight and were stollen away with their booty fearing they should be made to discount who gave intelligence to Monsieur d' Aussun and Signior Francisco Bernardin who were both at Carignan sent thither by Monsieur de Boitieres on purpose to dismantle that place calling to mind that Monsieur de Termes and the said Signior Francisco had told him four months before that the Marquis would do so and possess himself of it in order to the raising of some Fortifications there which would be very prejudicial to the Kings Service I had nothing to do to write this if it were not for a caution to the young Captains who shall read this Book that they must never attempt to retreat at the head of an Army to which they are not strong enough to give Battel But as I was saying so soon as these Light horse had spoke with Monsieur d' Aussun and told him of the defeat we had given them he had a great mind as his heart was in a right place to do something also before he retir'd but the said Signior Francisco understanding by these Light horse where the Enemy was presently concluded that by break of day they would certainly be upon them which made him very importunate with Monsieur d' Aussun to retire but he would by no means hearken to him and so soon as day appear'd they saw the Marquis de Guast all the Infantry and part of the Horse marching all along the side of the River when the Marquis advancing he caus'd Monsieur d' Aussun to be talk'd withal only to hold him in play which Signior Francisco perceiving call'd out to him that the Marquis did only this to amuse him but he was deaf as before and would believe nothing a man cannot avoid his Destiny
have been executed in one night and indeed whoever will break a Peace or a Truce let him do all the execution he can and make all the noise at one clap for if he go piece by piece he is certain to lose either a leg or a wing Three dayes before the Mareschal had been in consultation about the manner how to execute this enterpize upon Quiers at which Council were assisting Messieurs de Bonivet President Birague Francisco Bernardin de Bassé and d' Aussun and I cannot certainly say whether Sieur Ludovico de Biraga was present or no but I am almost confident he was forasmuch as the Mareschal resolved upon nothing without his advice he being a man of a most approved judgment It was there concluded that we should give a Scalado on the upper side by the Vinyards upon the way from Agnasse to Quiers I had no fancy to this Scalado neither did I think it likely to take effect which made me entreat the Mareschal that seeing he was himself resolv'd to go in person upon this design and that it was the first place he had undertaken since his Lieutenancy it might be ordered so as to succeed and redound to his honour for if in his first tryal he should fail of success men commonly judging of things by the event would look upon it as an ill omen and be apt to suspect his fortune which is a very great prejudice to a man in supreme command That therefore he should with great secrecy cause four or five pieces of Canon to march all night that they might arrive at the same time that the Scalado should be given at the Port Iaune and so by one way or the other he would not fail to carry the place for since he was resolved to attempt it he was to try all ways conducing to the end proposed Now the Artillery was already mounted on carriages and fit for present service before the Castle of Turin for so soon as the Mareschal understood that his Majesty had taken upon him the protection of the Duke of Parma and that the war was already broke out in those parts he made no question but the rempest would soon fall upon him and therefore had wisely made his preparations before hand that he might not be to seek in time of need being indeed one of the most prudent and circumspect Commanders that I ever knew This advice of mine suffered a great dispute for it was objected that in one night the Artillery could not be drawn to Quiers and that all the three enterprizes would be discovered by the rattle of the Carriages and the voice of the drivers of the Artillery but in the end it was concluded that at Vespers the Gates of Turin should be shut and that Oxen should be taken about Rivolle and Veillamie and should be all brought in the Evening into the City and great Guards kept at the Gates to the end that no one living should stir our It was moreover concluded that I at the same hour should draw some Canon and the great Culverine out of the Castle of Montcallier and should take the Oxen belonging to the Gentlemen and Citizens of Montcallier which graz'd on the further side of the Bridge towards the Lodges They made account that by one of the clock at night the Artillery would be at Montcallier by the way beyond the Bridge and Monsieur de Caillac and I were to stay together to convoy the Artillery with my Company and the Mareschal Messieurs de Bonnivet and Francisco Bernardin would go the other way with all the rest of the Foor The said Mareschal also left me Monsieur de Piquigni with his Company and another who were to go before us with the Pioneers and ten Gabions that we took with us from the Castle of Montcallier in which order we arriv'd both the one and the other at the time appointed before Quiers But the Camisado vanisht into smoak for as much as all the ladders prov'd too short and â—he Graffe was much deeper than had been reported to the Mareschal which was the reason that we all turn'd to the Port Iaune where we found that they had already filled the Gabions and were ready to lodge the Canon for Battery The Mareschal's good fortune began here to discover it self for had the ladders been of a sufficient length and that we had gone on to the Afsault all the Citizens as well as the Soldiers were resolute to defend their walls to the last man so that in my opinion we should have been very well swing'd and beaten off for as much as they would neither suffer themselves to be surpriz'd by night nor taken by force and we could not carry our design so close but that they had had notice of it the day before so that it had been no hard matter for them to give us a repulse which perhaps might have discourag'd them to do as they afterward did Don Ferrand at his departure from thence had there left an Italian Governor with three Companies and had drawn out all the Spanish foot to take them along with him to Parma Our Battery having for some space play'd against the Town wrought its effect and made a breach on the left hand of the Port Iaune but there fell thereupon so violent a storm of rain as almost spoild all our work yet notwithstanding by eleven of the clock the breach was eight or ten paces wide Hereupon the Inhabitants of the Town who desired nothing more than a fair opportunity of putting themselves into the Kings obedience by reason of the ill usage they had received from the Spaniard began to ask the Governor if he thought himself sufficient with his Soldiers to withstand the Assault to whom he made answer that he was provided the Towns-men also would take arms to assist him Whereupon they plainly told him that they would not do it and moreover that they had not been so well entreated by the Spaniards that they should take arms against the French By which answer the Governor who was an understanding man perceiv'd himself to be lodg'd betwixt my Lord and my Lady and doubted that those of the Town were more likely to assault him behind than otherwise which made him say to them Have a little patience friends and I will make such a Capitulation with the Mareschal as shall preserve you from any injury and be honourable for our selves and thereupon caused a Trumpet to sound a parly sending out a man to desire the Mareschal that he would send him Signior Francisco Bernardin and the Signieur de Monbasin and in the mean time cause his Battery to cease The Mareschal immediately then sent to us to give over shooting which we accordingly did and it was thereupon agreed that the Governor should send out two or three in Hostage and that then the two forenamed should enter in to Capitulate and I think President Birague went in
them nor any means by which to bring them any from other places and that they would do well to weigh and consider of this affair for as for his part he must discharge himself upon them if any thing fell our amiss So soon then as the Duke of Florence and Don Iuan saw the Siennoiâ— resolution they dispatch'd to him le Coâ—signou the Duke's chief Secretary with a Blank to put in whatever we would demand for he stood upon thorns till he was Master of the City It was upon Wednesday morning that the Cousignou came to the Camp when the said Marquis sent for the two Deputies who had been on Tuesday night return'd into the City where they inserted in the Articles that all those who had been banish'd and Rebels of the State of the Emperor Empire and Duke of Florence should go out in all security as well as the rest and in this posture we remain'd till Sunday morning the 22 of April that we went out in the order following Before any one of us stirr'd out of the Town I restor'd the Citadel and the Fort Camoglia into the hands of the Siennois where they put an Ensign of the City into each as I also made them to place an Ensign at every Gate of the City that stood open which being done I return'd to Porto Novâ— The Marquis had planted all his Spanish foot all along the street that leads to S. Lazaro on both sides the street his Germans were drawn up in Battalia a little on the right hand in a Camp and at S. Lazaro was Signior Cabry his Nephew with fifty or threescore horse which was all they could make as I have said before and three hundred Italian Harquebuzeers which they had drawn out of the Forts of Camolia and S. Mark and was the Convoy the Marquis had appointed to conduct us Signior Cornelio then and the Coant de Gayas arm'd at all points with their Pikes shouldred went out side by side with a Company of Harquebuzeers at their heels after them went out two Captains at the head of the Pikes amongst whom were a great Company of Corsleâ—s and in the middle of the Pikes the Ensigns display'd and advanc'd and in the reer of them the rest of the Harquebuzeers with two Captains in their reer I had over-night sent to the Marquis that he would be so civil to the ancient women and children who were to go out with us as to lend them forty or fifty of his carriage Mules which he did and which before I went out I distributed amongst the Siennois who put upon them the ancient women and some children in their laps All the rest were on foot where there were above an hundred Virgins following their Fathers and Mothers and women who carried cradles with Infants in them upon their heads and you might have seen several men leading their daughter in one hand and their wife in the other and they were numbred to above eight hundred men women and children I had seen a sad parâ—ing at the turning out the useless mouths but I saw as sad a one at the separation of those who went out with us and who remain'd behind In my life I never saw so sad a farwel so that although our Soldiors had in their own persons suffer'd to the last extremes yet did they infinitely regret this woful parting and that they had not the power to defend the liberty of these people and I more than all the rest who could not without tears behold this misery and desolation of a people who had manifested themselves so devout for the conservation of their liberty and honor So soon as Signior Cornelio was gone out all the Italians follow'd and the Citizens in the rear of the Italians Then at the head of our French went out S. Auban and Lussan arm'd with pikes upon their shoulders and a Company of Harquebuzeers after them two Captains at the head of the Pikes with another company of Harquebuzeers led by Charry and Blacon having each of them a Halbert in his hand and the Ensigns in the middle of the Pikes after the same manner the Italians had past before After these I went out arm'd and Messer Hieronimo Espanos side by side with me for I was afraid they would have seiz'd upon him he having been a principal Actor in the revolt of the City He was mounted upon an old Turk and I upon another miserably lean and haggled our notwithstanding which I set a good face on the matter and made the best meen I could I left two Siennois Ensigns at the Gate entreating them to clap to the Gate immediately after me and not to open it till the Marquis himself came The said Marquis rid up and down and Signior Chiapino Vitelli with him through all the files to take care that no one meddled with the Siennois for as to our Baggage it was so little as it made no number The Spanish Camp-Masters then came to salute me and all their Captains The Camp-Masters alighted not but all the Captains did and came to embrace my knee after which they again mounted on horseback and accompanied me till we came to the Marquis and Signior Chiapino which might be about 300 paces from the Gate where we embrac'd and they plac'd me betwixt them After this manner we pass'd on discoursing all the way of the siege and the particularities had hapned upon it attributing much honor to us the Marquis particularly saying that he had great obligation to me for that besides he had learn'd several stratagems of War I was the cause be had been cur'd of his Gout telling me the fear that both he and the Emperor's Gentleman had been in which did not pass without much laughter Whereupon I told him that he had put me into a much greater fright the night of the Scalado and yet that I was not for all that cur'd of my â—eaver adding moreover that he had done very ill to come upon me as the Iews did to take our Lord for he brought along with him Lanthorns and Torches which gave me a great advantage to which he reply'd bowing his head for he was a very courteous Gentleman Signior on altrovolte sero piu savis I then told him that had he continued his Battery he would have had no very good bargain of us for the Gascons were an obstinate people but that they were â—lesh and bone as other men were and must eat With this and other discourse of the same nature we entertain'd ourselves till we were got a mile beyond S. Lazaro and there the Marquis bad Signior Chiâ—pino Vitelli go to the head of our people and speak to Signior Cabry to take care there should be no disorder and that if any one offer'd to take any thing from us he should kill all such as should attempt it and that he should give the same command to the Captain of the three hundred Harquebuzeers So soon as
in danger they being twenty for one and that therefore it was better to stay for Monsieur de Burie than commit such an error which would neither be approved of by the King nor by any other person whatever Whereupon I granted them that what they said was very true but that nevertheless we saw all the Gentry in Guienne in fear and though it be true said I that you are not here above thirty Gentlmen yet the whole Country is possest with so great a terror that they dare not rise against them to assist us which when they shall hear that we came to face them without daring to fight will be so augmented that in eight dayes time we shall have all the whole Country against us therefore fall back fall edge it is my opinion that we ought rather to hazard the losing our selves by fighting than by avoiding the Combat which is equally pernicious especially considering that all things are in the hands of God I have already tasted these people where I have had the fortune to meet them and have found them men of very little resolution believe me they will never stand us and we shall certainly rout them neither ought we to have come so near if we had not intended to fight and moreover you see that they are about to steal off and to escape away As to what concerns our overthrow should it so fall out Bourdeaux will notwithstanding be in no more danger to be lost for that Monsieur de Burie being there and a Court of Parliament to defend it Monsieur de Seignan then being the oldest in the Company answered and said that it was very true we should have all the Country infallibly upon us and therefore seeing we were reduc't to this necessity and that there was no hope of Monsieur de Burie's coming up to us we ought to fight whereupon they all in general began to cry let us fight let us fight when as we were mounting to horse the Mareschal de Termes his Quarter-master called Moncorneil came up to us and told me that their Company having been on horseback from the beginning of the night they had been necessitated to stay and bait at Seuve at which news I was almost fit to despair The two foot Companies were marching as fast as they could but it was so excessively hot that we scorcht as we stood however Moncorneil seeing us going to fight gallop't away to la Seuve to make Captain Masses mount to horse We then marcht on the left hand of the Enemy when being come within two Harquebuze shot of them I divided my horse into two Troops we might in all be betwixt a hundred and sixscore Light-horse for I had not above thirty Launces in my Company it having been that of Monsieur de la Guiche and the Soldiers being almost all gone home to their own houses excepting a very few and I could not supply their places with others The Enemy still by little and little mounted this Hill sending most of their Harquebuzâ—ers down into the Copse below which was there very thick and to come to them we were to march thorough a great high-way enclos'd on both sides with Vines I made Captain Charry follow in their Rear and gave one of my Troops to my Son Captain Montluc and Fontenilles with the Cornet of Guidons and kept to my self the other Cornet of Gens-d'armes which was carried by Monsieur de Berdusan the Seneschal of Bazadois When we came to the Vines I saw we could not pass them to come to fight and therefore took on the left hand under the Vineyards Captain Montluc was about two hundred paces before me who seeing us take on the left hand they marcht on by the higher way before us and when we were got clear of the Vines and some ditches that were there we saw Captain Montluc still making on to gain the top of the Hill to whom I then joyn'd Monsieur de Sainctorens with his Harquebuzeers on horseback and kept with me the Baron of Clermont who also had some few Now so soon as we came within betwixt twenty and thirty paces of them they began to fire and not before whereupon the Harquebuzeers of Monsieur de Sainctorens fir'd also whilst in the mean time Captain Montluc charg'd full drive into the middle of all their Horse I had an eye to him and at the same instant a little on the left hand charg'd quite thorough their Foot where we routed and put them to flight but not without having first stood our shock and maintain'd their ground Their Horse seeing their 〈◊〉 defeated fled down the Hill all along by the Wood and the Foot I enclosed in the Copse Though being we had no Foot to do execution for every one knows that Horse do not stay to kill but pursue the victory there was not many men slain yet though their loss was not very great the reputation of the Victory was of as great advantage to us as the shame of the defeat was prejudicial to them and every one on our side began to take heart as they and those of their Religion began to lose it boâ—h Gentry and Common people now taking aâ—ms and declaring for us My Son had two horses kill'd under him and was himself wounded in two places both the horses were mine and one of them was my gray Turk which next to my children I lov'd above all things in the world for he had three times saâ—'d my life or at least my liberty The Duke de Paliano had given him me at Rome I never had nor ever hope again to have so good a Horse as that was The Prince of Conde would fain have had him of me but I put him off as well as I could for I saw that such a Treasure was not every where to be found Monsieur de Seignan lost his the Vâ—count d'Vza and the Count de Candalle their 's also to be short after the charge we rallyed upon the very place where we had fought and found that in so great a necessity we could not make twenty horse to fight had the Enemy rallied upon us almost all the horses being either kill'd or shot and above the third part of our men but they had not the judgment to examine their own condition nor ours neither and I must needs say it was one of the rudâ—st and most furious charges without a Battail that ever I was in my whole life neither can it be said that they ran away for fear without being fought fâ—r they fac'd about upon us either to give or to receive the charge and in plain truth I did not expect to have found them so brave We lost upon the place but one Gentleman call'd Monsieur de Vigneaux only but two or three that were wounded died after of their wounds From the top of this Hill we discover'd the Enemy marching off as fast as they could and saw that they
ten Ensigns We attaqu'd the Castle in the Front of it for we could batter it in no other place it being very strong both in structure and situation and there we made above three hundred Canon shot They had here a great Terrass cast up within and in the Terrass had made a Trench where the Soldiers lay to defend the Breach which also was of very difficult access because we were to mount by ladders from the Breach up to the Terrass Novv vve had the first night taken the Town for Captain Charry and his Companions had set fire to the Gates which the besieged having long and bravely defended in vain they all retir'd into the Castle They might be within it about three hundred men and I went to discover the Breach by the Houses on the right hand which I caused to be pierc'd thorough passing from one to another till I came to the last which was so near to the Castle that there was no more than the way betwixt them from whence I perceived an out-jut of stone at the flanck on the right hand in the Wall and sent a Soldier creeping on all four to discover this place He went up the half-way and found that it was made as if they had purposely left steps to go up by in that place which having done he came back to me and upon his report I went immediately to Monsieur d' Ortoble where we drew a piece of Canon a little on the right hand this place We had enough to do to lodg it there by reason that it was a very great Precipice that went down to the River and from thence we shot side-wayes at this Wall which being not very strong was in four shots pierc'd quite thorough so that one might see thorough the hole into their Trenches whereupon I immediately went down and made the same Soldier climb up by those steps so far as to discover if the hole was over against the Trench bidding him in no wise to discover himself which he accordingly did and brought me word that they stood all in Battalia in the Trench and that there was a great number of Corslets as it was true I then caused the Ladders to be brought which I had made to be sought for in every place and which might be some twelve or fifteen in all Monsieur de Burie was with the Artillery whither I went to conclude the Assault before him entreating him that the Gascons might go on first and the Spaniards after but Don Lewis desir'd they might fall on together which was also granted In the mean time I made choice of four Harquebuzeers to mount these steps for more could not stand upon the top to shoot thorough the hole into the Trench when ours should give the assault to the Front of the Castle and so I committed to them the assault The Soldiers themselves took the Ladders and I went to the forementioned steps with my four Harquebuzeers when as the one were rearing their Ladders the four went up by the steps and at the same instant that the Spanish and Gascon Foot mounted the Ladder the four Harquebuzeers fir'd into the Trench They kill'd one of them who tumbled down dead at my feet and I sent up another in his room but when the Enemy saw themselves kill'd thorough this hole they retir'd into another Fortress where they defended themselves above three long hours and twice repuls'd our people to the very Breach Where I perceiv'd two things though I had very well observ'd them before the one that the Spaniards are not more valiant than the Gascons and the other that the brisk disputes are alwayes made by the Gentlemen for above five hundred Spaniards and Gascons were overturn'd either upon the Ladders or down to the ground yet must we not deprive those of their due honor who worthily atchieved it for though the Gascon Captains and the Gentlemen of their Companies all day bore the brunt of the fight I will not say but that the Spanish Captains very bravely behav'd themselves but in truth their Soldiers did very little In the end I encourag'd our people making them again to mount the Ladders encouraging some and threatning others for I had my sword drawn in my hand ready to have given them a cast of my Office had I perceived any Polâ—rons But they all now began to do better both Spaniards and Gascons insomuch that they gain'd the second Fort. The Enemy then divided themselves into two other Forts namely the great Tower and another quarter of the house on the left hand Now we were to go up a pair of stone steps into a base Court betwixt the said Tower and the other Fort so that our people were constrain'd to set fire to the Gate of the said Base-Court On the top of these steps and close by the Gate there was a corner on the left hand where fifteen oâ— sixteen men had room to stand Captain Charry and the Baron de Clermont were in this place encouraging the men to shoot thorough the Gate into the Base-Court and so soon as the Gate was burnt it fell down just in the Passage I was upon the middle of the steps when seeing the Gate fall'n down I call'd to Captain Charry that they should leap in thorough the fiâ—e which they did without disputing the business a man needed not to bid him twice he fear'd not death I pusht forwards those who were upon the steps before me whether they would or no and so we all entred in fury but found no body in the Base-Court save Women and Maids of which it was all full even to the very Stables Those of the Tower of the other Fort on the left hand shot at us in the Court and kill'd five or six Soldiers Captain Charry was there a little hurt and the Sieur de Bardachin also We made the Women go down by those stone steps where the Spaniards who were at the foot of the stairs in the great Base-Court below kill'd them saying they were Lutherans disguis'd We redoubled the assault upon this Fort on the left hand both by a door and by two windows that went into it which we carried putting all we found within it to the Sword Now we were afterwards to assault the great Tower and the Gate that was between I there left the Captains who were not hurt in this Fort on the left had and in the Stables to keep them penn'd in and as fortune would have it they had all their provisions in this Fort on the left hand and none at all in the great Tower and that was the reason that in the close of the Evening they surrendred themselves to the Captains upon Quarter for lifâ— The Spaniards were lodg'd in the Town who knew they were surrendred and that in the morning our Captains were to bring them to Monsieur de Burie and me who were quarter'd in the House of Monsieur de Cathus a Harquebuz shot from
more perfect account Whereupon Monsieur d' Alvare said you are quarter'd within four Harquebuz shot of one another excepting the Infantry which lies at Ver from whence 't is a league and a half to St. Andras where Monsieur de Duras is quarter'd and whose Quarters take up all the space betwixt St. Andras and this place Well said Monsieur de Burie I see we are engag'd to a Battel and seeing it is so we must fight it as well as we can Whereupon I saw joy sparkle in his eyes which I was exceeding glad of and taking him in my arms said to him these words Sir if we must die we cannot honor our deaths more than by dying in a Battel for the service of our Prince to which he made answer and said that is the least of my concern 't is no matter what becomes of me but I fear to loose the Country I then entreated him that by break of day every one might be on horseback and that we must say with the Italian Qui assalta vince and thereupon bad him good night and retir'd to my own Quarters leaving him very well resolv'd to fight All night we remain'd in arms and our horses sadled their Centinels and ours being so near that they could hear one another talk and by break of day we were on horseback when I sent to see if Monsieur de Burie was ready and to tell him that it was his way to pass by my Quarters He sent me word that as soon as ever the Army could be got ready to march he would immediately come away and in the mean time I marcht directly to St. Andras where I found that Monsieur de Duras was already dislodg'd and gone to Vâ—r. I then sent Monsieur de Fontenilles with five and twenty horse upon the Foâ—lorn giving him order to halt at the entrance into a little Wood there is under Ver and telling him that I would halt at a little Village four or five Harquebuz shots on this side till Monsieur de Buire should come up to me Monsieur de Duras this while made no haste at all believing that our Camp was yet upon the Vezere and that those who over-night had taken Salignac were only some Avant-Coureurs of the Army Monsieur de Fontenillâ—s sent me word that he had sent out two Light-horse to discover the Enemy who had brought word back that their Camp was drawn up in Battalia in the Meadow of Ver. Whereupon I sent to Monsieur de Burie to make haste and to hasten away four Field-pieces he brought along with him which he did when so soon as I was advertised that he was within half a mâ—le of me I marcht up to Monsieur de Fontenilles and the three Companies of Gens d'arms namely that of Monsieur de Burie and those of Messieurs de Randan and de la Vauguyon advanced to come up and joyn with me But they mist their way and went by the Chesnut Trees directly into the view of Ver thinking that I was already at Vâ—r and never perceiv'd their error till they were just upon the Enemy having with them also a Company of Light-horse which Captain Pechié of Perigort commanded So soon as I came to the Wood I commanded Monsieur de Fontenilles to advance which he did and it was well for us he did so for he came just in the nick of a charge that Captain Bordet made upon the Companies with a hundred or sixscore Horse Launceers all which so soon as Captain Pechie's Light-horse saw coming upon them they fac'd about and fled aâ—most into the three Companies The Charge was so rude that all our three Companies were once disordeâ—'d and there Monsieur d' Argence bravely signaliz'd himself but for whom as I was told they had all run away Monsieur de Fontenilles then with only five and twenty Launces that he had with him charg'd desperately in amongst the Enemy and so fortunaâ—ely that he made them retire three hundred paces where they made a halt as ours did also Upon this I came in seeing which the Enemy clos'd up with the other Troops of horse There were above twenty Launces broken in this charge and all the Enemies Camp made a halt I then took Monsieur de Montferran only and went to discover the Enemy at my ease where I saw that they began to march wiâ—h Drums beating that they had left in a corner of the field on the left hand Harquebuzeers both on foot and on horseback and in a little Wood on the right hand Harquebuzeers on foot In the mean time Monsieur de Burie arriv'd where I acquainted him with all I had seen entreating him to cause his Field-pieces to advance to the brink of a Ditch and to shoot at those people in the Corner which approving of my advice he did I then spoke to Monsieur du Masses to place himself on the right hand by the side of a little hill there was there and placed the King of Navarre's Company and my own on the left hand towards that Corner as I also did the three Companies of Messieurs de Burie de Randan and de Vauguyon in the Meadow betwixt them Monsieur de Burie then began to make his Artilleâ—y play and so soon as we had put our selves into this posture all our foot came up together the Gascons before and the Spaniards after within fourscore or a hundred paces of one another I then rid up to the Spaniards where addressing my self to Don Lewis de Carbajac and the rest I spoke to them in Spanish after the best manner I could for during the time of the War I had learn't something of their language and you Gentlemen who have Estates to allow your Children a liberal education take it from me that it is a very good thing to make them if possible acquainted with forreign Languages which will be of great use to them both upon the account of Travel Escapes and Negotiations and also to gain the hearts of Strangers I spoke to them then after this manner which I had been hammering in my head the night before and God has given me a gift though I am no great Clerk that I can express my self well enough upon occasion Remember Fellows in arms for so I may now call you since we fight together under the same Ensigns remember the great and noble reputation wherewith your Nation have at all times signaliz'd themselves throughout the whole world where they have obtein'd so many famous Victories as well over the Turks Moors and Barbarâ—ans as against those of our own Faith You have often made us feel the valour of the Spanish Infantry which throughout the Universe are allow'd to have the precedence of all others and since it has pleased God that we who not above three dayes ago were Enemies are now assembled to â—ight under one and the same Standard make it appear that the opinion we have ever had of your
was no sooner come to my Quarters but that a Gentleman was sent from Monsieuâ— de Lautrec to bring me to him who entertained me with as much kindness and respect as he could have done any Gentleman in the Kingdom saying to me these words in Gâ—scon Montluc mon amic you aâ— oublideray jamai lou service qu'abes fait au Roy m'en seviera tant que you vivrai Which is Montluc my friend I will never forget the service you have this day performed for the King â—ut will be mindful of it so long as I live There is as much honor in an handsom retreat as there is in good fighting and this was a Lord who was not wont to caress many people a fault that I have often observ'd in him nevertheless he was pleas'd to express an extraordinary favour to me all the time we sate at supper which he also continued to me ever after insomuch that calling me to mind four or five years after he dispatch'd an express Courrier to me from Paris into Gascony with a Commission to raise a Company of Foot entreating me to bear him company in his expedition to Naples and has ever since put a greater value upon me than I deserved This was the first action I was ever in the quality of a Commander and from whence I began to derive my reputation You Captains my Camrades who shall do me the honor to read my Life take notice that the thing in the world which you ought most to desire is to meet with a fair occasion wherein to manifest your courage in the first Sally of your Arms for if in the beginning you shall prove successful you do amongst others two things First you cause your selves to be praised and esteemed by the great ones by whose report you shall be recommended to the knowledg of the King himself from whom we are to expect the recompence of all our Services and Labours And in the next place when the Soldier shall see a Captain who has behavâ—d himself well and performed any notable thing at his first trial all the valiant men will strive to be under his command believing that so auspicious a beginning cannot fail of a prosperous issue but that all things will succeed well with him and that under such a man they shall never fail to be employ'd for nothing can more spite a man of courage than to be left at home to burn his shins by the fire whilst other men are employ'd abroad in honorable action So that by this means you shall be sure always to be follow'd by brave men with which you shall continue to get more honor and proceed to greater reputation and on the contrary if you chance to be baffled in the beginning whether through your Cowardise or want of Conduct all the good men will avoid you and you will have none to lead but the Lees and Canaille of the Army with whom though you were the â—eroe of the world there will be no good to be done nor other than an ill repute to be acquir'd My Exemple upon this occasion may serve for something wherein though perhaps there were no great matters perform'd yet so it is that of little â—xploits of War great uses are sometimes to be made And remember whenever you find your selves overmatch'd with an Enemy that you can bridle and hold at bay with the loss of a few men not to fear to hazard them Fortune may be favourable to you as she was to me for I dare confidently say that had not I presented my self to lead on these hundred Foot which all play'd their parts admirably well we had certainly had all the Enemies Cavalâ—y upon our hands which had been a power too great for so few as we were to withstand The Enemies Camp soon after retir'd into Navarre whereupon Monsieur de Lautrec disbanded the one half of his Companies reserving only the two Ensigns of Monsiâ—ur de Cauna and that of the Baron Iean de Cauna consisting each of only three hundred men the first time they had ever been reduc'd to that number they having formerly consisted of five hundred or a thousand a device whereby the King's Treasury was very much relieved as it sav'd the pay of so many Lieutenants Ensigns Serjeants and other Officers but withall the command of a good number of men usually invited men of Condition and Estates into the Service who at present disdain to accept of Commissions where they see so many pitiful Captainetts who are admitted into Command without ever having strook a stroke At this time you must know Monsieur de Lautrec bestow'd my Captains Company upon me though I was then but twenty years of age and leaving four Companies in Bayonne took Post and went away to Court which departure of his encouraged the Enemy to renew his Camp and to lay Siege to Fontarabie which they also took before his return The loss of this place was occasioned either through the indiscretion or the treachery of a Nephew to the Constable of Navarre and Son to the late Mareschal de Navarre who having been banish'd from Spain for siding with Henry King of Navarre was together with a Garrison of four hundred men Exiles like himself put into this City where he was at this time so well solicited by his Uncle that he revolted to his side by which means this place was lost which otherwise had been impregnable though the Enemy had made two great breaches in it but being I was not there present and that â— will deliver nothing upon report I shall say no more but this that Captain Frangett who surrendred it up to the Spaniard and who for so doing laid the blame to the said Don Pedro was afterwards for his pains degraded at Lyons The loss of this place depriv'd us of very good footing we had in Spain It was here that some years before Monsieur de Lâ—de won immortal glory by enduring a whole years Siege in all the extremities that mankind can undergo and he for so doing carried away honor and reward but Frangett infamy and ruine thus goes the world and fortune In the mean time if any of the Princes or the Kings Lieutenants shall vouchsafe to peruse this Book of mine and perhaps they may read worse let them take notice by this exemple and others that I have seen and that I may perchance make mention of hereafter that it is very dangerous to make use of a man that has once abandon'd his own Prince and natural Soveraign not that he is to be rejected when he flies into a mans arms for refuge and protection but he ought not by any means to have a place entrusted to him with which he may at any time make his own peace and restore himself to his Princes favour Or if they shall think fit to trust him it ought not to be however till after by a long tryal he shall have so manifested his fidelity that there is no
practice of Arms. A man must seek not only all occasions of presenting himself at all rencounters and Batâ—els but must moreover be curious to hear and careful to retâ—in the opinions and arguments of experiencâ—d men concerning the faults and oversights committed by Commanders and the loss or advantages to the one side and the other ensuing thereupon for it is good to learn to be wise and to become a good Master at another mans expence The Kingdom of France has long bewailed this unfortunate day with the losses we have sustain'd besides the captivity of this brave Prince who thought to have found fortune as favourable to him here as she was at his Battel with the Swisse but she play'd the baggage and turn'd her tail making him to know how inconvenient and of how dangerous consâ—quence it is to have the person of a King expos'd to the uncertain event of Battel considering that his loss brings along with it the ruine of his Kingdom Almighty God nevertheless was pleas'd to look upon this with an â—ye of pity and to preserve it for the Conquerors dazled with the rayes of victory lost their understanding and knew not how to follow their blow otherwise had Monsieur de Bourbon turn'd his Forces towards France he would have put us all to our Trumps The Munday following Monsieur de Bourbon gave order that such as were taken prisoners and had not wherewithal to pay their ransom should avoid the Camp and return home to their own houses Of which number I was one for I had no great treasure he gave us indeed a Troop of horses and a Company of Foot for our safe conduct but the Devil a penny of money or a bit of bread insomuch that not one of us had any thing but Turnips and Cabbage-stalks which we broyl'd upon the coals to â—at 'till we came to Ambrun Before our departure Monsieur le Mareschal commanded me to commend him to Captain Carbon and the rest of his friends whom he entreated not to be dejected at this misfortune but to rouse up their spirits and â—ndâ—avour to do better than ever and that they should go and joyn themselves to Monsieur de Lautrec his Brother After which he made me a very notable remonstrance which was not ended without many tears and yet deliver'd with a strong accent and an assured coâ—tenance though he was very sore wounded and so much that the Friday following he died I travell'd on foot as far as Redorte in Languedoc where his Company then lay whereof Monsieur d Lautrec after his death gave one Tertia to Captain Carbon a command that he did not long enjoy for soon after a Villain native of Montpellier who had favour'd the Camp of Monsieur de Bourbon kill'd him behind as he was riding post upon the Road near unto Lumel As great a loss as has been of any Captain who has died these hundred years and one that I do believe had he lived to the Wars that we have since seen would have performed wonders and many would have been made good Captains under his command For something was every day to be learn'd by following him he being one of the most vigilant and diligent Commanders that I ever knew a great undertaker and very râ—solute in the execution of what he undertook Another Tertia was given to Captain â— ignac of Auvergne who also did not keep it keep it long for he shortly after fâ—ll blind and died The third Tertia he gave to Monsieur de Negrepelisse the Father to him now living of which a Cosen German of mine called Captain Serillac carried the Ensign In the mean time Madame the Queen Regent Mother to the King and with her all the confederate Princes of the Crown had set several Treaties on foot and laboured on all hands the Kings deliverance with great integrity and vigour and to so good effâ—ct that in the end this mighty Emperor who in his imagination had swallow'd up the whole Kingdom of France gain'd not so much as one inch of earth by his victory and the King had the good fortune in his affliction to derive assistance even from those who at other times were his Enemies yet to whom the Emperors greatness stood highly suspected His Majesty being at last returned home and mindful of the injuries and indignities had been offer'd to him during his captivity having in vain tryed all other ways to recover his two Sons out of the Emperors hands was in the end constrain'd to have recourse to Arms and to recommence the War And then it was that the expedition of Naples was set on foot under the command of Monsieur de Lautrec who as I have already said dispatch'd a Courrier to me into Gascony to raise a Company of Foot which I also in a few days perform'd and brought him betwixt seven and eight hundred men of which four or five hundred were Harquebusiers though at that time there was but very few of them in France Of these Monsieur de Ausun entreated of me the one half for the compleating of his Company which I granted to him and we made our division near to Alexandria which at this time was surrendred to the said Monsieur de Lautrec who from thence sent Messieurs de Gramont and de Montpezat to besiege the Castle de Vigâ—â—e before which place as we were making our approaches and casting up trenches to plant the Artillery I was hurt with a Harquebuze shot in my right leg of which shot I remain'd lame a long time after insomuch that I could not be at the storming of Pavie which was carried by assault and half burnt down to the ground Nevertheless I caused my self to be carried in a Litter after the Camp and before Monsieur de Lautrec departed from Plaisance to march away to Boulongne I again began to walk Now near unto Ascoly there is a little town called Capistrano seated upon the top of a Mountain of so difficult access that the ascent is very sleep on all sides saving on those of the two Gates into which a great number of the Soldiers of the Country had withdrawn and fortified themselves The Count Pedro de Navarre who was our Collonel commanded our Gascon Companies to attaque this Post which we accordingly did and assaulted the place We caus'd some Manteletts to be made wherewith to approach the Wall in which we made two holes of capacity sufficient for a man easily to enter in about fifty or threescore paces distant the one from the other whereof I having made the one I would my self needs be the first to enter at that place The Enemy on the other side had in the mean time pull'd up the planks and removed the boards and tables from the roof of a Parlour into which this hole was made and where they had plac'd a great tub full of stones One of the Companies of Monsieur de Luppé our Lieutenant Colonel and mine prepar'd to
occasion he was not fit to have been provoked or disgusted but perhaps the King might have some other reason In the end our Gallies arriv'd and brought with them the Prince of Navarre Brother to King Henry with some few Gentlemen only of his train who lived but three weeks after for he came in the beginning of our sickness At his landing Monsiâ—ur de Laâ—trec sent Michael Aâ—tonio Marquess of Saluzzo for his Convoy for he landed a little below la Magdaleine within half a mile of Naples and with him a great part of the Geâ—s d' Armes with the black Italian Regiments which were commanded by Count Hugues de Gennes since the death of Signior Horatio Bailâ—one and had been the Companies of Signior Giovanni de Medicis Father to the Duke of Florence that now is who had been wounded in his leg with a Harquâ—buze shot before Pavie being then in the Kings Service and was thence carried to Plaisance where he had his leg cut off and thereof soon after dyed and after his death the said Signior Horatio took upon him the command of his Companies It seem'd that God would at that time some evil to the King when he lay before Pavie For in the first place some one advis'd him to send away the Grisons secondly to send Monsieur d' Albain to Rome with another part of the Army and for the sum of all misfortunes God sent this mischance to Signior Giovanni who to speak the truth understood more of the affairs of War than all the rest who were about the King having three thousand Foot under his command the best that ever were in Italy with three Cornets of horse and I do verily believe and there are several others of the same opinion that had he been well at the Battel matters had not gone so ill as they did Signior Horatio afterwards encreas'd the number a thousand men which made up four thousand foot who carried black Ensigns for the death of the said Signior Giovanni and were moreover all put into mourning from whence they deriv'd the name of the Black Regiments and afterwards associated themselves to the Marquess of Saluzzo who temporiz'd for about two years in Italy and about Florence and afterwards join'd with our Army at Troyes or else at Nocera I am not certain which for that I lay at the same time wounded at Termes on Bresse But to return to the landing of the Prince of Navarre because there was something of Action there performed wherein I had a share I shall give an account of that business Captain Artiguelaube who was Colonel of five Gascon Ensigns which were wont to be under Monsieur de Luppée and of five others commanded by the Baron de Bearn was commanded as also was Captaâ— de Buch eldest son of the Family of Candale to draw down to that place and I also poor wretch as I was was one of the number So soon as we were got down to the shore the Marquess left all our Pikes behind a great Rampire which the Count Pedro de Navarre had caused to be cast up and that extended on the right hand and on the left for about half a mile in length Close adjoyning to this was a great Portal of Stone through which ten or twelvemen might march a breast and that I do believe had been a Gate in former times for the Arch and other marks thereof were still remaining to the checks of which Portal our Rampire was brought up both on the one side and the other Our Battaillon was drawn up about an hundred paces distant from this Portal the Black Regiments some three hundred paces behind ours and the greatest part of the Horse yet further behind them Monsieur le Marquis Monsieur le Captau the Count Hugues Captain Artiguelaube and almost all the Captains as well Italians as Gascons along with them went down as well to facilitate as to be present at the Princes Landing which said Seigneur Captâ—â— had six Ensigns three of Piedmontoise and three of Gascons They were so long about their landing that they there staid three long hours for they made the Prince to stay and dine abroad before he came out of the Galley a little delay sometimes occasions a great mischief and it had been better that both he and all the company with him had made a good sober fast but the vanity of the world is such that they think themselves undervalued if they do not move in all the formalities of State and in so doing commit very often very great errors It were more convenient to move in the Equipage of a simple Gentleman only and not to Prince it at that rate but to do well than to stand upon such frivolous punctillios and be the cause of any misadventure or disorder Captain Artiguelaubâ— in the mean time had plac'd me with threâ—score or fourscore Harqucbusiers upon the cross of a high way very near to the Magdaleine which is a great Church some hundred or two hundred paces distant from the Gates of Naples and upon another cross of the high way on the left hand of me where there stood a little Oratory two or three hundred Harquâ—busiers of the black Regiments with an Ensign of Pikes In the same place also and a little on the one side was plac'd the Company of Seignâ—ur de Candale consistâ—ng of two or three hundred Harquebusiers about two hundred paces distant from and just over against the place where I stood Being thus upon my Guard I saw both horse and foot issuing out of Naples and coming full drive to gain the Magdaleine whereupon mounting a little Mule that I had I gallop'd straight down to the water side All the Lords and Gentlemen were as yet on board caressing and complementing one another to whom by certain Skippers that were plying too and again betwixt the Gallies and the Shoar I caus'd it to be cryâ—d out that the Enemy was sallying out of the Town by whole Troops to intercept them and to recover the blind of the Magdaleine and that they should think of fighting if they so pleased an intelligence at which some were basely down in the mouth for every one that sets a good face on the matter has no great stomach to fight I presently return'd back to my men and went up straight to the Magdaleine from whence I discover'd the Enemies Horse sallying out dismounted with the bridles in the one hand and their Launces in the other stooping as much as they could to avoid being seen as also did the Foot who crept on all four behind the walls that enclosed the backside of the Church I then presently gave my Mule to a Soldier bidding him ride in all hast to acquaint Monsieur de Candale and Captain Artiguelaube therewith whom he found already got on shore and who upon my first advertisement had caus'd a Galley to put out to Sea from whence they discover'd all that I had told them which being in the
Port they could not possibly do This Galley upon the sight presently began to let fly whole broad-sides of Canon at us one whereof kill'd two men of my Company close by me and so near that the brains both of the one and the other flew into my face There was very great danger in that place for all the bullets as well of this Galley as of the others which did the same play'd directly into the place where I was insomuch that seeing them still to continue their shot for those of the Gallies took us for the Enemy I was constrain'd to draw off my men into the ditches to secure them In the mean time they mounted the Prince in all hast on horseback and made him to save himself full speed towards the Camp all his Gentlemen running after on foot They had no great leisure to stay with us for I believe being so lately come they had no mind to dye Their hast was so great that they had no time to land either the Princes Baggage or his Bed and there were some who were wise enough to keep themselves aboard the Gallies But the Seigneur de Candale and Count Hugues were men of another sort of mettle and staid upon the cross high way where their men had been plac'd before and Captain Artiguelaube went to the Battaillon that was drawn up behind the Rampire The Game began with me and I do not know whether it be my good or my evil fortune but so it is that in all places where I have been that I have evermore found my self in the thickest of the blows and there where the business ever first began Now a Band of Harquebusiers came directly towards me running and that because I had placâ—d one part of my Harquebusiers behind a ditch bank that borders all along upon the high way and the rest on the right and left hand in the ditches in file which I did more for fear of the Artillery that plaid from our own Gallies than for any apprehension of the Enemy and came within twenty paces of us where we entertein'd them with a smart volly of all our shot by which five or six of their men fell dead upon the ground and the rest took their heels and fled we following after as far as the Magdaleine There they rallyâ—d and withdrew from the high way on their right hand and on that side where Monsieur de Lavall of Dauphiné stood with his Company of Gens-d ' Armes he was Nephew to Monsieur de Bayard and Father to Madame de Gordes who is at this time living and a very valiant Gentleman Monsieur de Candalle who had seen my Charge and saw that the Enemy now all discover d themselves and that both Horse and Foot drew into a great Meadow where Monsieur de Lavall stood fearing they might charge me again he sent me a supply of fifty Harquebusiers just at the time when a Battaillon of German Foot presented themselves within twenty paces on my right hand The Spanish Harquebusiers in the mean time fir'd with great fury upon our Gens-d ' Armes who began to draw off at a good round trot towards the high way possessed by Monsieur de Candalle where there was a great oversight committed which I will also give an account of that such as shall read it may make use of the exemple when the chance of War as at one time or another it may shall perhaps reduce them to the same condition Count Hugues and Monsieur de Candalle had drawn up their Pikes upon the great Road without leaving room for the Cavalry to retire and there was a necessity that Monsieur de Lavall must in spite of his heart pass that way for betwixt Monsieur de Candalle and me there was a great ditch that Horse could not possibly get over Had they left the Road open and drawn themselves up in Battalia behind the ditch they might have given a stop to the Enemies fury and by that means Monsieur de Lavall might at great ease have got off along by the high way and have made an honorable retreat So soon as the Enemy saw that Monsieur de Lavall was forced to his Trot they presently charg'd him both in flank and rear with both Horse and Foot at once when having thrown himself into the Road to get clear of this storm he encountred these Pikes upon his way where he was constrained against his will to force his way thorough and in so doing bore down and trampled under foot all that stood before him for our Pikes were drawn up so close that they had no room to open This put all into confusion and I was ready to run mad to see so great an absurdity committed yet is not the blame justly to be laid â—pon Monsieur de Candalle he being very young and having never been upon such a service before but Count Hugues is highly to be condâ—mned who was an old Soldier and understood the discipline of War yet I will not say but that he behaved himself with very great bravery in his own person but it is not enough to be bold and hardy a man must also be wise and foresee all that can happen forasmuch as oversights are irreparable in matters of Arms and smal faults are oftentimes the occasion of very great losses as it happened here to him who had not provided against all adventures For he was himself taken prisoner as also Monsieur de Candalle being wounded in his arm with a Harquebuze shot Three days after the Enemy seeing he was not likely to live sent him back to Monsieur de Lautrec who was his Kinsman and the next day he died and was buried at Bresse He was a brave and a worthy young man as ever came out of the house of Foix and would in time doubtless have been a great Soldier had he lived to hold on as he had begun I never knew man so industrious and desirous to learn the practice of arms of the old Captains as this Lord was To which effect he rendred himself as obsequious to the Count Pedro de Navarre as the meanest of his Servants He was inquisitive into the reasons of things and informed himself of all without fooling away his time about trifles that other young men covet and love and was more frequent at the Quarters of the Count Pedro de Navarre than at those of Monsieur de Lautrec insomuch that the Count would always say he was there training up a great Captain And in truth when he was brought back into the Camp the said Count kiss'd him with tears in his eyes It was a very great loss of him All who were at the same post were â—ither kill'd or taken some excepted who saved themsesves by the ditches leaping from ditch to ditch but those were very few for the Enemy pursued their victory on that side very well I on my side began to march along by the side of a hedg
with my face still towards the German Foot the lesser evil of the two and by good fortune both for me and my Company the Enemy in my rear pursued us coldly enough At my coming to the Portal I spoke of before I there found a great Troop of the Enemies Horse commanded by Don Ferdinando de Gonzaga for it was he who gave the charge so that to recover the Portal I must of necessity fight with a resolution either to pass thorough or die I made my men therefore to give them a volly of Harquebuze shot for I for my part had nothing wherewith to fight but my voice upon which volly they made me way so that having pass'd the portal I fac'd about and stood firm At which time their Harquebusiers also came up who at once altogether charged upon us with all their united power both of Horse and Foot when seeing this torrent coming upon me I recover'd the back side of the Trench with my Harquâ—busiers only who had saved themselves from the first encounter which the Marquess seeing he was in so great a perplexity that he gave us all over for lost I there disputed the portal a long half hour from the back side of the Trench for it remained free as well on their side as on ours they durst not attempt to pass neither did we dare to approach it If ever Soldiers plaid the men these did it at this time for all that I had with me could not arise to above an hundred and fifty men The Marquess then came up to Captain Arteguelaube to make him rise they being all couched upon one knee for had they stood upright the Spanish Foot had had them in their aim and cryed to him Captain Arteguelaube I beseech you rise and charge for we must of necessity pass the Portal But he returned him answer that he could not do it without losing the best of our men as it was very true for all the Spanish Foot were then come up I was close by the Portal and heard all but the Marquess not satisfied with this answer spurred up to the black Regiments commanding them to march up towards the Portal which they accordingly did I knew by the manner of their motion what command they had received which was the reason that I stept out and cried to Captain Arteguelaube Camrade you are about to be disgraced for ever for here are the Black Regiments that upon my life are making towards the Portal to carry away the honor of the service at which words he started up for the man wanted no courage and ran full drive towards the Portal when seeing him come I suddenly threw my self before the Portal and passed with all those who followed me marching straight towards the Enemy who were not above a hundred paces distant â—rom us we were immediately followed by the Foot sent by the Marquess but as we were half passed thorough the Marquess gave the word from hand to hand to make a halâ— and to advance no further The Enemy seeing us come on with such resolution and the Cavalry following in our Rear thought it the wisest course to retire I was by this time advanced where we were plying one another with good round vollies of shot at fifty paces distance and we had a good mind to fall on to the Sword when the Marquess and another Gentleman with him came himself on horseback to stay me I think he did ill in it for had we all passed thorough we had certainly pursued them fighting up to the very Gates of Naples There was in this place very many on both sides beaten to the ground that never rose again and I admire how I escaped but my hour was not come That which occasioned the Marquess to retire was the fear he had of tempting fortune a second time he was contented with what he had already lost without being willing to hazard any more so that tired out and over spent we return'd to repass the Portal that had been so long disputed where a great many good men lay dead upon the place There it was that the Gentleman who was with the Marquess when he came to command me to retire I have forgot his name said to him for I heard him very well Monsieur I now see that the antient proverb is true which says that one man is worth an hundred and an hundred are not so good as one I speak it by this Captain who has his arm in a scarf and leans to the Rampire for in truth I was quite spent for it must needs be acknowledged that he is the only cause of our preservation I heard likewise well enough though I took no notice of it the Marquess make him this answer That man will always do well wherever he is A passage that although it be to my honor and my own commendation I would however insert it here without bragging nevertheless or vain glory I have acquir'd honor enough besides but this may perhaps serve to excite the other Captains who shall read my Life to do the same upon the like occasion And I must needs confess that I was then better pleased with this Character that this Gentleman and the said Marquess were plâ—ased to give of me than if he had given me the best Mannor in his possession though I was at that time very poor This commendation made my heart to swell with courage and yet more when I was told that some one had entertained Monsieur de Lautrec and the Prince with the same discourse all the time they sate at Supper These little points of honor serve very much in matters of War and are the cause that when a man shall again happen to be in the like service he fears nothing it is very true that men are sometimes mistaken and gain nothing but blows but there is no remedy for that we must give and take You Captains and Lords who lead men on to death for War is nothing else when you shall see a brave act performed by any of your followers commâ—nd him in publick and moreover relate it to others who were not present at the service if his heart â—it in a right place he will value such a testimony more than all the treasure of the world and upon the next occasion will strive to do still better But if as too many do you shall not design to regard or to take notice of the bravest exploit can by man be performed and look upon all things with an eye of disdain you will find that you must recompence them by effects since you would not vouchsafe to do it by word of mouth I have ever treated the Captains so who have been under my command and even the meanest of my Soldiers by which they thought themselves so obliged that I could have made them run their heads against a wall and have stood firm in the most dangerous post in the world as for exâ—mple I did here This was the
first misfortune and the first disgrace that had yet befallen us in all this Expedition It seemed to all the world that the Prince of Navarre brought us all misadventure and mishap would to God he had staid in Gascony neither had it been the worse for him who came only to end his days a great way from home without doing any thing but taking a view of Naples He dyed three weeks or there abouts after his arrival and was the occasion of the death of this brave young Lord which I shall ever lament who also had the honor to be his Kinsman Yet was not this all for so soon as it was known that such a Prince was arrived every one presently concluded that he had brought some considerable succours and relief at least money for the pay of the Army but there was nothing of all this for neither he nor the Gallies brought us one man of recruit nor any other thing but his own retinue and some few Gentlemen Voluntiers which was a great discouragement to our distressed Army and the Enemy who were very well informed of all took new heart at it knowing very well by that that the Waters of France were very low when a Prince of his condition came to such a Siege as this in an equipage as if he had only come abroad to see the world but the fault ought not to lie at his door they were too blame that sent him 'T is a great fault in Kings and Princes who put men upon great attempts to take so little care of those whom they know to be engaged in an enterprize of so great importance as was this of the Sieur de Lautreâ— for the taking of Naples had very much assured the State of France which by that means would have had its arms at liberty for many years and we should have disputed it long had it once been ours for we should have been made wise by our precedent losses The King committed yet another oversight in not sending some handsom Troop of Gentlemen and some considerable Body of Foot with this young Prince the neglect of which as I have already said made our people believe either that he did not much regard us or that his hands were full and that he had elsewhere enough to do Wherein Monsieur de Lautrec was by no means to be blam'd who never ceased to send dispatch after dispatch and post after post to give his Majestie an account of all but I return to my self for as I have always declar'd I will by no means play the Historian if I should I should have enough to do and scarce know at which end to begin This was the last engagement where I had any thing to do wherein though I did not command in chief yet had I notwithstanding the command of a very good Company of Foot and had my full share of the fight that was very handsom but not for all which I have set down to acquit my self of my promise to wit that I would give a particular account of all those passages wherein I had the honor to command passing the rest lightly over as I do the remainder of this unfortunate Siege which we were at last constrained to raise Monsieur de Lautrec being dead to the great misfortune of all France which never had a Captain endowed with better qualities than he was but he was unhappy and ill assisted by the King after His Majesty had engaged him as he did first at Millan and now lastly before Naples For my part with that little that was saved which was almost nothing I return'd the greatest part of my Journey on foot with my arm in a scarf having above thirty Ells of Taffeta about me forasmuch as they had bound my arm and my body together with a cushion between wishing a thousand times rather to die than to live for I had lost all my Masters and Friends who knew and lov'd me being all dead excepting Monsieur de Montpezat the Father of this now living and poor Don Pedro our Colonel taken and carried prisoner into the Rock of Naples where they put him to death the Emperor having commanded that for the reward of his revolt they should cut off his head He was a man of great understanding in whom Monsieur de Lautrec who conâ—ided in few persons had a very great confidence I do also believe and am not single in that opinion that he counselled him ill in this War but what we only judg by Events In this handsom equipage I came home to my Fathers house where poor Gentleman I found him engag'd in too many necessities of his own to be in any capacity of much assisting me forasmuch as his Father had sold three parts of four of the Estate of the Family and had left the remainder charg'd with five children by a second venture besides us of my Fathers who were no less than ten By which any onâ— may judg in what necessities we who are come out of the Family of Montluc have been constrained to follow the fortunes of the world And yet our house was not so contemptible but that it had near upon five thousand Livers yearly revenue belonging to it before it was sold. To fit my self in all points I was constrained to stay three years at home without being able to get any cure for my arm and after I was cur'd I was to begin the world again as I did the first day I came out from a Page and as a person unknown seek my fortune in all sorts of necessiities and with extream peril of my life I praise God for all who in all the traverses of my life has ever been as â—isting to me Upon the first motions of War King Francis instituted his Legionaires which was a very fine invention had it been well pursued for a start all our Laws and Ordinances are observed and kept but after a while neglected and let down for it is the true and only way to have always a good Army on Foot as the Romans did and to train up the people to War though I know not whether that be good or evil It has been much controverted though I for my part had rather trust to my own people than to strangers Of these the King gave one thousand to the Seneschal of Thoulouse Seigneur de Faudovas who made me his Lieutenant Colonel and although it was the Languedoc Legion and that he was Colonel I nevertheless raised him all his Regiment in Guienne and appointed him all his Captains Lieutenants Ensigns Serjeants and Corporals A great rumor was at that time spread over all France that the Emperor through the great intelligences he had within was for the conquest of such and so great a Kingdom coming up with vast and invincible Forces thinking at unawares to surprize the King and in effect he did advance as far as Provence The King to oppose so mighty and so powerful
moreover that was not a place considerable enough for a man of his worth and condition to dye in but that he was to reserve himself for a noble breach and not to loose his life in a paltry Mill. Whilst these things were in doing Monsieur de Castelpers arriv'd and leaving his party behind the Church came up to us on foot and upon this the day began to appear wherefore I entreated Monsieur de Tavannes and de Castelpers to retire behind the Church for the shot flew very thick in the street where they could see any one pass telling them that I would go draw off Belsoleil whereupon they both accordingly retir'd and as I was drawing off our men one after another running down on both sides the street Monsieur de Castelpers presented himself with his twenty Horse at the end of the street by the Church wherein he did us very great service for the Enemy might otherwise have â—allyed out upon us I had only seven or eight men hurt who nevertheless were all able to march one Gentleman only excepted called Vigaux whom we set upon an Ass of those we had found in the Mill and presently began to retire towards the top of a mountain which was almost the same way by which Monsieur de Castelpers had come when the Enemy discovering us to be so few they all fallyed out in our Rear but we had already gain'd the top of the Hill when they arriv'd but at the foot of it and before they recovered the heighth we were got into the valley on the other side ready to climb another there being many little hills in that place and yet we never marched â—aster than a foot pace and so went straight on to Aubaigne I had given order to the Soldiers that went along with us that every one should take with him a loaf of Bread which they eat by the way and I also had caus'd some few to be brought which I divided amongst the Gens-d ' Armes of Monsieur de Tavannes and we our selves eat as we went which I here set down to the end that when any Captain shall go upon an Enterprize where he is to have a long march he may take exemple to cause something to be brought along to eat wherewith to refresh the Soldiers that they may be the better able to hold out for men are not made of Iron So soon as we were come to Aubaigne two leagues from Marselles where we had thought to have halted and to have taken some refreshment we heard the Artillery of the Gallies and of the Town which at that distance seem'd to be volleys of Harquebuze shot an Alarm that constrainâ—d us without further delay or taking any other refreshment than what we had brought along with us to march forwards and to enter into consultation amongst our selves what course we were best to take we already took it for granted that the Emperor was arriv'd before the Town and that he would certainly sit down before it and thence concluded it impossible for us to get in again which made us often repent and curse the enterprize that had shut us out the misfortune whereof was wholly laid to my charge as the Author of all â—n this uncertainty what course to steer Monsieur de Castelpers was once resolved to go charge desperately thorough the Enemyâ—s Camp to get into the City but when he came to acquaint us with his determination we remonstrated to him that that would be to throw himself away out of an humor and that since we had together performed so brave a service and with which the King would be so highly pleased we ought likewise together either to perish or to save our selves Captain Trebous Guidon to the Company of Monsieur de Montpezat told him the same so that we concluded in the end to leave the great high way and crossing the Mountains on the left hand to fall down behind Nostre Dame de la Garde making account that in case we could not enter into the City the Captain of the said Cittadel would receive us in there So we turn'd out of the way and it was well for us that we did so for Vignaux and les Bleres keeping on the great Road straight to Marselles had not gone on â—ive hundred paces but they met with four or five hundred Horse which the Emperor having had intelligence from those of Auriolle of what had been done had sent out to meet and fight us upon the way and had not the Emperor parted from Aix by night to go before Marselles so that the Messengers of a long time could meet with no body to whom to deliver their errand I do believe we had certainly been defeated but the Emperor knew nothing of it till break of day whereupon he presently sent out those four or five hundred Horse upon the Road to Aubaigne who did no other harm to Vignaux and those who were with him but only took away their Arms. In this manner we travail'd all day from mountain to mountain in the excessive heat without finding one drop of water insfomuch that we were all ready to dye for thirst always within sight of the Emperorâ—s Camp and ever within hearing of the Skirmishes that were made before the Town Monsieur de Castelpers and his Gens-d ' Armes marching all the way on foot as we did and leading their horses in their hands till coming near to Nostre Dame de la Garde the Captain of the Castle taking us for the Enemy let fly three or four pieces of Canon at us which forc'd us to shift behind the Rocks From thence we made signs with our hats but for all that he ceas'd not to shoot till in the end having sent out a Soldier to make a sign so soon as he understood who we were he gave over shooting and as we came before Nostre Dame de la Garde we saw the Emperor who was retiring by the way he came and Christophle Goast who had all day maintain'd the Skirmish beginning also to retreat towards the City We then began to descend the Mountain when so soon as Monsieur de Barbezieux and Monsieur de Montpezat who with some other Captains were standing without the Gates of the City had discover'd us they would have gone in again taking us for the Enemy but some body saying that then those of the Castle would have shot at us the said Sieur Montpezat presently knew Monsieur de Castelpers and we thereupon arriv'd at the Gate of the City where we were mightily caressed especially when they heard of the good success of our enterprize and they talk'd with the Captain of the Mill who was wounded in the arm and in the head and after every one retir'd to his own Quarters I made no manner of question but that Monsieur de Barbezieux so soon as the king should come to Marselles would have presented me to His Majesty and have told him that I
of the world is great Monsieur de Lieux my Brother had sent to my Lieutenant to desire him that he would loyter a while in expectation of him up and down the Country thereabouts forasmuch as he was raising a Foot Company which he intended speedily to march away under the shadow of my Commission to which my Liâ—utenant very indiscreetly consented notwithstanding the promise he had made me to march five leagues a day But as my Lieutenant had quitted the great Road and turn'd aside towards Albigeois to spin out the time he came at last to a Town call'd l'Isle where the Inhabitants shut their Gates against him which forc'd him to give an assault as he did and carried the place with so suddain an execution that although my said Brother was then within a days march of him with his Company yet would he not come up till the business was done where his Soldiers having sack'd the Town and being by that means loaden with booty they were afterwards in so great fear to march that they all disbanded and every one run home with his spoil to his own house By which you may understand that an officer ought very seldom to leave his command if not upon extraordinary occasion for the great desire I had to be one of the first made me to abandon mine which was the cause of this disorder I was therefore constrain'd to raise two other Companies in Provence wherein the Count â—avour'd me very much so that I had soon dispatch'd muster'd at Villeueufve d' Avignon and made so great hast that notwithstanding this accident I yet arriv'd at the Valleys two days sooner than Ambres and Dampons and took the Castle and the Town of Mieulan where I made a halt in expectation of Monsieur de Chavigni and the Companies of the said Ambres and Dampons who disputed the passage of Lauzet which they could never have obtained for all the people of the Country were there gather'd together to defend it but that the Spaniards who were at Barselonette and those who were gone to defend the passage hearing that I had taken Mieulan retir'd by the Mountains for I was possessed of the great Road towards Barselonette and the common people seeing the said Spaniards to retire quitted the passe by night by means whereof they entred into it We then went to besiege Barselonette before which place we lay three weeks where I receiv'd a Harquebuze shot through my left arm but it never touch'd the bone so that I was presently cured after which the King having relieved Turin His Majesty return'd and we for not having been present at the service were all three commanded back upon which order Monsieur d' Ambres went away Post to his said Majesty with whom he prevailed so far that he was pleased to leave him one of his Companies which when I understood with what difficulty he had obtain'd I carried mine back into Provence where having dismissed them I retir'd my self to my own house At which time there was also a cessation seeing no peace was to be made concluded for ten years I thought fit to commit this to writing though there be no great matter in it to let the world see that I never rested long in a place but was always ready at the first beat of Drum for the days of Peace were whole years to me so impatient I was of lying idle At the end of this War the King was pleased to honor Monsieur le Grand Maistre with the Office of Connestable of France an employment that has ever been vacant as it is at this day after the death of Monsieur de Montmorency A thing that I conceive our Kings have purposely so ordered as well to take away all occasion of Jealousie amongst the Princes as also for the danger of entrusting so great a power in one mans hands Witness St. Pol and Bourbon the last of which indeed was very faithful and dyed in his Majesties service ever approving himself a great and prudent Captain which testimony I am constrain'd by truth to give of him and by no other obligation that I have for neither he nor any of his were ever any friends of mine During the time of this Truce I tryed forsooth to be a Courtier but in vain for I was never cut out for that employment I have ever been too free and too open hearted to live at Court and I succeeded there accordingly Now after the soul and detested assassinate committed upon the persons of the Seigmeurs Fregouze and Rincon Embassadours for the King our Master his Majesty incens'd at such an outrage and for which he could obtain no manner of satisfaction he resolv'd to break the Truce and to that end set two Armies on foot one of which he gave to Monsieur le Due d' Orleans which was design'd for Luxemburg and the other to Monsieur le Dauphin who came into the County of Roussillon to reduce it to his Fathers obedience having Monsieur d' Annebaut who since was Admiral in company with him I therefore hearing that the said Mareschal was to take with him the Companies of Piedmont which were commanded by Monsieur de Brissac and also an Engineer called Hieronimo Marini reputed the greatest man of Italy for the besieging of places I had a great desire to go to the Camp to learn something of this famous Engineer Where being accordingly come I put my self under Monsieur d Assier who commanded the Artillery in the absence of his Father and who never stirr'd from the said Hieronimo Marini by which means I happened to be at the approaches that were made before the City of Perpignan to which we had laid siege but in two nights I perceiv'd that all he did signified nothing for he begun the Trenches so far off that in eight days the Canon could not be mounted as he himself declared to which I made answer that in that time the Enemy would have fortified their City four times as strong as it was on that side The King had for this Enterprize rais'd the bravest Army that ever my eyes beheld it consisted of forty thousand Foot two thousand men at Armes and two thousand Light horse with all necessary equipage for so considerabe a Body Monsieur Montpezat had been the Author of the design though not so secretly but that Spain was before hand wholly possessed with the expectation of it which notwithstanding and that the Town was excellently well fortified yet I dare boldly aâ—firm that if the Mareschal d' Annebaut would have given credit to my words he had infallibly done his business I had taken a private view of it for some years before this Monsieur le Connestable being gone to Leucate to treat a Peace with the Emperor's Deputy Granvelle had sent me with General Bayard and President Poyet who was since Chancellor to whom the Emperor's Deputy at the instance of Monsieur de Veli Embassador for the King
pass to get to them wherefore we agreed that Peloux should take a little path on the right hand and I another on the left and that the first which came up to them in the plain should fall upon them the one in the Front and the other in the Rear which we had no sooner concluded but that the Enemy rose up and we discovered them all plainly at our â—ase Monbasin Chamant St Laurens and Fabrice who were all on horseback would needs go along with me at which Peloux was a little discontented forasmuch as they all belong'd to Monsieur Brissac as he himself did excepting Chamant who belonged to Monsieur le Dauphin Artiguedieu and Barennes likewise went in my Company From the very beginning of our descâ—nt the Enemy lost sight of us and we of them by reason of the wood and of the Valley which was pretty large Le Peloux with his Guide took his way and I mine when so soon as I came into the Plain I was as good as my word for I charg'd the Enemy thorough and thorough breaking in after such a manner amongst them that above twenty of them at this encounter were left dead upon the place and we pursued them fighting as far as the bank of the River which might be some four hundred paces or more But when they saw us to be so few they rallied and as I was about to retire march'd directly up to me whereupon I made a halt as they did also at the distance of four or five Pikes length only from one another a thing that I never saw done before As for Peloux when he was got to the middle of the Mountain he began to think that I had taken the better way which made him suddainly to turn off and to follow my steps and fortune also turn'd so well for me that as we were Pike to Pike and Harquebuze to Harquebuze at the distance I have already said grinning and snarling at one another like two Mastiâ—â—s when they are going to fight Peloux and his Company appear'd in the plain which so soon as the Enemy saw they turn'd the point of their Pikes towards us and their faces towards the River and so fell to marching off whilst we pursued pricking them forward with our Pikes and pelting them with our Harquebuze shot in their Rear but they march'd so very close that we could no more break into them as before and when they came to the bank of the River they made a halt facing about and charging their Pikes against us so that although Peloux and his Company made all the hast they could to come in to our relief we were nevertheless constrain'd to retire fifteen or twenty paces from the â—nemy who immediately all on a thrump leapt into the River and through water middle deep pass'd over to the other side Moâ—basin in this engagement was hurt with a Harquebuze shot in his hand of which he remain'd lame ever after St Laurens and Fabriâ—e had their horses kill'd under them and mine was wounded with two thrusts of a Pike la Moyenne my Lieutenant was wounded with two Harquebuze shots in one arm Chamant who was lighted off his horse had three thrusts of Pikes in his two thighs and Artiguedieu one Harquebuze shot and one thrust of a Pike in one thigh to be short of betwixt thirty and five and thirty that we were there remain'd only five or six unhurt and only three dead upon the place The Enemy lost one Serjeant of great repute amongst them together with twenty or five and twenty others killâ—d and above thirty wounded as we were told the next day by two Gascon Soldiers who came over to us In the mean time Messieurs de Brissac and de I' Orge doubting it would fall out as it did mounted to horse and came so opportunely to the Castle of Tantavel that they saw all the fight and were in so great despair at the Charge I had made that they gave us twice or thrice for lost an â— very sorely rebuked Peloux for not having observ'd the agreement we had concluded amongst us which if he had done we had infallibly cut them all to pieces and brought away their two Colours yet I am apt to believe it might not be altogether his fault for he was a very brave Gentleman but his Guides that led him the worse way as Peloux himself since told me However so it fell out that the field was mine with the loss of three men only and not one of the Gentlemen dyed Soon after the Baron de la Garde came to Nice with the Turkish Army conducted by Barbarossa which consisted of an hundred or six score Gallies a thing that all the Christian Princes who took part with the Emperor made a hainous business of that the King our Master should call in the Turk to his assistance though I am of opinion that towards an Enemy all advantages are good and for my part God forgive me if I could call all the Devils in Hell to beat out the brains of an Enemy that would beat out mine I would do it with all my heart Upon this occasion Monsieur de Valence my Brother was dispatch'd away to Venice to palliate and excuse this proceeding of ours to the Republick who of all others seem'd to be most offended at it and the King would by no means lose their Alliance who made them an Oration in Italian which I have thought fit to insert here until he shall think fit to oblige us with his own History for I cannot believe that a man of so great learning as he is reputed to be will dye without writing something since I who know nothing at all take upon me to scribble The Oration was this THe Emperor having been the cause of all the ruines miseries and calamities which have befallen Christendom for these many years it is a thing most illustrious Princes which to every one ought to appear exceeding strange that his Ministers should be so impudent and frontless as to lay the blame thereof to the thrice Christian King my Lord and Master and unjustly condemn him for keeping an Ambassador resident in the Court of Constantinople â—ut I would fain ask those people whether they can imagine that the practices which have been set on foot by the Command of the Emperor and the King of the Romans with the Grand Signior for ten years past have been kept so secret that the greatest part of Christendom are not fully enformed thereof Does not every one know what Truces and what treaties of Peace 〈◊〉 general but particular have been concluded and what offers have been several times made to pay yearly a vast Tribute to the Great Turk for the kingdom of Hungary and yet he makes it a case of Conscience to endure that a little King should hold that Kingdom under the favour and protection of the Turk as a thing inconsistent with Christianity and unbeseeming a Christian Prince To which
and a Troop of Horse commanded by Monsieur de la Trinitat the said two Companies of Foot were those of the Count Pedro d' Apporta Governor of Fossan which were conducted by a Lieutenant of his call'd Captain Ascanio and the Horse were commanded by the said Seigneur de Trinitat together with the ammunition bread and a good part of the baggage of the Camp whereof a great deal belong'd to the Gormans and Spaniards and was guarded by fifty Soldiers of the one nation and as many of the other so that they might be some four hundred horses of carriage or more and fourscore and ten wagons laden with Provision and the equipage belonging to the Artillery Captain Mons thereupon went out to discover Monsieur de la Trinitat and went so near that he had his horse shot under him who presently returning back said these words to me Captain Montluc yonder is enough for us both to give and to take Whereupon I suddainly leap'd upon a little Mare of one of my Souldiers and taking one of my Serjeants with twenty Harquebusiers along with me went my self to discover the Enemy who making no reckoning of those few Horse they had seen still with Drums beating held on their March when being come pretty near I saw a multitude of men and horses marching along the plain which was the Baggage and the Waggons and afterwards upon the eminence on that side where I was perceiv'd the two Ensigns and the Horse upon their march and counted the Foot to be betwixt three and four hundred men and likewise the Horse to be betwixt thirty and five and thirty Launces which having done I presently return'd back to Captain Mons and told him that having miss'd one great good fortune we were now to attempt another to which he made answer that he was ready to do whatever I would command him Whereupon I desir'd him to stay for me whilst I went to speak to my Soldiers which he did and I spurr'd away to them Captain Gabarret was with the said Captain Mons on horseback and Captain Favas Lyenard and le Breüil conducted the Foot when coming up to them I spoke both to them and to the Soldiers telling them that as God had deprived us of one good fortune he had put another into our hands and that although the Enemy were at this time three times as many as we were yet if we refus'd to fight them upon so fair an occasion we were unworthy the name of Soldiers as well out of respect to the honor we should acquire thereby as in regard to the Riches we saw exposed before us which was no contemptible prize To which all the three Captains made answer that it was their opinion we ought to fight whereupon raising my voice I spake to the Soldiers saying Well fellow Soldiers are not you of the same opinion with these Captains I for my part have already told you mine that we ought to fight and assure your selves we shall beat them for my mind tells me so which has never fail'd me in any thing I have ever undertaken therefore I pray Gentlemen conclude them already as good as our own Now it was a custom I always had to make the Soldiers believe that I had a certain kind of presage which whenever it came upon me I was sure to overcome a thing that I only pretended to amuse the Soldiers that they might think themselves secure of the victory and have ever found an advantage by it for my confidence often emboldned the most timorous and simple fellows nay sometimes the most crafty knaves amongst them are easie to be gull'd as these were who thereupon with one voice cry'd out Let us fight Captain let us fight I then declar'd to them that I would place four of my Pikes in the Rear to keep every one from â—linching back which if any one should offer to do they should kill him with which they were very well content but I had much ado to make the said Pikes to stay behind according to that agreement so ardently forward was every one to be the first to fight though it was very necessary they should do so for that evermore disorders are most likely to happen in the Rear I then began to march when so soon as the Enemy discover'd the Foot they made a halt upon the edg of a great hollow that had in the process of time been worn by the land flouds which stretch'd it self in length till it ended under the Hill where we were I saw them in the plain with their Launces all advanc'd not offering to move and saw also Captain Ascanio upon a little gray Nag who plac'd his Pikes all in file along the hollow and then spurr'd up to the Waggons to draw them up at the end of the hollow and then to thâ— Baggage placing them behind and afterwards to the Horse by which order and diligence I knew him to be a brave man and fell to consider with my self what would be the issue of the fight of which I now began to be in some doubt thorough the good order of this Chief I nevertheless nothing alter'd my resolution but whilst Captain Ascanio was busie ordering his Battail I was as diligent to order mine giving the Harquebusiers to Captain Gabarret who was on horseback And you must take notice that the Enemies Foot was upon the top of the hollow directly over against us I took then the three Captains with the Pikes and left order with the Harquebusiers by no means to shoot till they came within the distance of four Pikes and to Captain Gabarret by all means to see this order observ'd which he also did I then desir'd Captain Mons to lend me five and twenty of his Launceers to help me to kill for they were so many that in a whole day though they had had one hand tyed behind them we should have had much ado to dispatch them and with the rest he was to fight their Cavalry though they were a great many more then ours To which he readily consented and gave five and twenty of his Launces to the younger Tilladet the same who is now call'd Monsieur de Sainctorens and moreover to Captain Ydrou some light horse of the said Company who are both of them yet living as also several others who were of the same Troop These orders being given all of us both Foot and Horse march'd directly towards the Enemy and when I expected their Harquebusiers should have thrown themselves into the hollow so soon as they should see our men come full drive upon them they quite contrary march'd straight up to our men and all at a clap gave fire within less than four Pikes length of one another Now I had given order to our men that so soon as they had powr'd in their shot without standing to charge again they should run up to them and fall to the Sword which they also did and I with the Pikes
effect and all the rest maintained the skirmish Now as he was by the little house on the same side with the Germans he saw the Fribourgers who were all arm'd in white and took them for the Gascons and thereupon said to his men Hermanos hermanos a qui estant todos Gascones sarrais á ellos They were not gone two hundred paces from him but that he perceived our Battail which start up and saw his error when it was too late to help it for we all wore black arms This Battaillon of five thousand Pikes march'd then at a good round rate directly upon the Fribourgers and they were of necessity to pass hard by Monsieur d' Anguien who by some body or other was very ill advised for as they pass'd by he charg'd with his Gens d' Armes quite thorough their Battaillon in the Flank and there were slain and wounded a great many brave and worthy men and some of very considerable quality as Monsieur d' Assier le Sieur de la Râ—chechovard with several others and yet more at the second charge there were some who pass'd and repass'd quite thorough and thorough but still they clos'd up again and in that manner came up to the Fribourgers Battalia who were soon overthrown without so much as standing one Push of Pike and there died all their Captains and Lieutenants who were in the first rank and the rest fled straight to Messieur des Cros but this Battaillon of Spaniards and Germans still at a very great rate pursued their victory and overthrew the said Sieur des Cros who there dyed and all his Captains with him neither could Monsieur d' Anguien any way relieve him forasmuch as all the horses almost of his Cavalry in these two furious but inconsiderate charges were wounded and walk'd fair and softly over the field towards the Enemy He was then in the height of despair and curst the hour that ever he was born seeing the overthrow of his Foot and that he himself had scarce an hundred Horse left to sustein the shock insomuch that Monsieur de Pignan of Montpellier a Gentleman of his assured me that he twice turn'd the point of his Sword into his Gorget to have offered violence to himself and himself told me at his return that he was then in such a condition he should have been glad any one would have run him thorough The Romans might have done so but I do not think it becomes a Christian. Every one at that time passed his censure upon it according to his own fancy For our parts we were as well as heart could wish and as much pleased as the Enemy was afflicted but let us return to the blows for there were yet both to give and to take The cowardise of the Fribourgers occasioned a great loss on that side of the field in my life I never saw such great lubbers as those were unworthy ever to bear Arms if they have not learnt more courage since They are indeed neighbours to the Swisse but there is no more comparison betwixt them than betwixt a Spanish Horse and an Asse It is not all to have a great number of men upon the list but to have those that are true bred for a hundred of them are worth a thousand of the other And a brave and valiant Captain with a thousand men that he knows he may trust to will pass over the bellies of four thousand After the same manner that Monsieur d' Anguien had seen his â—â—â—ple â—â—â—sacred before his eyes without any power to relieve them did the Marquis 〈◊〉 Guast behold his people also trampled under 〈◊〉 by an equal fortune so wantonly 〈…〉 on both hands with these two Generalâ— for as he saw Rudoâ—pho Baglione and his Germans both of them routed and overthrown he took his horse and reâ—reated towards Ast. Monsieur de Sr. Iulien who that day discharg'd the Office of Camp-Master and Colonel of the Swisse was on hoâ—sâ—back and to say the truth he was but weak of person and wanted strength to support any great burthen of arms on foot saw their Battail overthrown on the one side 〈…〉 other and before he went to Monsieur d' Anguien saw us Swisse and Gascons 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 thousand Spaniards and Germans killing on all hands And then it was that he turned back and overtook Monsieur d' Anguien near to the Wood that leads towards Carmagnoll but very poorly accompanied and cried out to him Sir Sir face about fâ—r the Battel is won the Marquis de Guast is routed and all his Italians and Germans out to pieces Now this Battaillon of the Spaniards and Germans had already made a halt giving themselves for lost when they saw neither Horse nor Foot of their own come up to them by which they very well knew that they had lost the Battel and began to take on the right hand straight towards the mountain from whence they had departed the day before I thought I had been the cunningst snap in all the whole Army having contriv'd to place a row of Harquebusiers betwixt the first and second rank to kill all the Captains fiâ—st and had said to Monsiâ—ur de Tais three or four days before that before any of ours should fall I would 〈◊〉 all their Captains in the first rank but I would not tell him the secret till he had given me the command of the Harquebusiers and then he called to him Burre the Serjeant Major bidding him presently make choice of the Harquebusiers and to place them after that manner Upon my faith I had never seen nor heard of the like before and thought my self to be the first Inventor of it but we found that they were as crafty as we for they had also done the same thing who never shot no more than ours till they came within a Pikes length and there was a very great slaughter not a shot being fir'd but it wrought its effect So soon as Monsieur d' Anguien understood the Battel to be won which before by the defeat of those on his side of the field and those cowardly Fribourgers to encourage whom he had done all that in him lay he had given over for lost he presently put himself in the Rear of those Germans and Spaniards which as he was doing several of those who had taken fright and were shifting for themselves rallyed up to him some of which now appeared wonderful eager of the pursuit who had run away but a little before and others had broke their bridles on purpose to lay the fault of their own fear upon the the poor horses who by this means were to bear mâ—re than the weight of their Masters He had a little before the Battel by good fortune sent to Sâ—villan for three Companies of very good Italian Foot to be present at the business who being as far as Reconis upon their way from thence heard the thunder of the Artillery by which being assured
that the â—attel was begun they mounted all the Harquebusiers they could on horseback and coming all the way a gallop arrived in so opâ—â—â—tune a season that they found Monsieur d' Anguien in pursuite of the Enemy not having one Harquebusier in company with him where alighting from their horses they put themselves in the Rear of them whilst the said Seigneur d' Anguien with his Cavalry one while in their Flâ—nk and another in their Front still push'd on the victory Hee then sent a Trooper to us in all hast to bid us turn that way for there was more work to do which messenger found us at the Chappel hard by the Gate of Câ—rizolles having just made an end of killing with so great fury and slaughter that not so much as one man remained alive save only a Colonel call'd Aliprando de Mandrâ—ca Brother to the Cardinal of Trent who being laid amongst the dead with seven or eight wounds upon him Caubois a light horsâ—â—â—longing to Monsieur de Termes as he came thorough the dead bodies saw him 〈◊〉 yet alive but stript stark naked spoke to him and caused him to be carried to 〈◊〉 to redeem Monsieur de Termes in case he should recover and live as he 〈◊〉 did The Swisse in killing and laying on with their two-handed Swords 〈◊〉 â—iâ—d out Montdevi Montdevi where those of their Nation had received no 〈◊〉 and in short all that made head against us on our side of the field were slam We had no sooner received the command from Monsieur d' Anguien but that immediately the Battaillon of the Swisse and ours turn'd towards him I never saw two Battaillons so soon reunited as these were for of our selves we rallyed and drew up into Battalia as we went marching all the way side by side In this posture the Enemy who went off at a great rate firing all the way and by that means keeping the horse at distance discovered us coming up to them who so soon as they saw us advanc'd within five or six paces and the Cavalry in their Front ready to charge in amongst them they threw down their Pikes surrendring themselves to the horse but here the Game began some killing and others endeavoring to save there being some who had fifteen or twenty men about him still getting as far as they could from the crowd for fear of us Foot who had a mind to have cut all their throats neither could the Cavalry so well defend them but that above half of them were slain for as many as we could lay our hands on were dispatch'd Now you shall know what became of me Monsieur de Valence my Brother had sent me a Turkish horse from Venice one of the fleerest Coursers that ever I yet saw and I had an opinion which all the world could not dispossess me of that we should win the Battel wherefore I gave my said horse to a servant I had an old Soldier in whom I reposed a very great confidence bidding him be sure always to keep behind our Battaillon of Pikes and telling him that if it pleased God I did escape from the skirmish I would then alight and engage with the Pikes and that when we came to close if he should see our Battaillon overthrown that then he might conclude me to be slain and should save himself upon the horse and on the contrary if he should see us prevail over the Enemies Battaillon that then he should still follow without offering to break in in the Rear of our Battaillon when so soon as I should be certain of the victory I would leave the execution and come to take my horse to pursue the Cavalry and try to take some prisoner of Condition I had a whimsy came into my head that I should take the Marquis de Guast or dye in the attempt trusting to the swiftness of my horse for which I had already in my imagination swallow'd a mighty ransom or at least some remarkable recompence form the King Having then a while follow'd the victory I staid behind thinking to find my man and indeed I was so weary with fighting running and moreover so spent with straining my voice to encourage the Soldiers that I was able to do no more when I was assaulted by two great mastiff Germans who had thought presently to have done my business but having rid my self of one of them the other betook him to his heels but he went not very far in truth I there saw very brave blows given I then went to seek out that Son of a whore my man but the Devil a man that I could find for as the Enemies Artillery plaid upon our Battaillon and very often shot over the shot falling behind it had remov'd my Gentleman from the place where I thought to find him who very discreetly went and put himself behind the Swisse when seeing the disorder of the Fribourgers and Provençals he very learnedly concluded us to be in the same condition and thereupon fled back as far as Carmagnolle Thus are men oftentimes deceived in their choice for I should never have suspected that this fellow would so soon have had his heart in his breeches and have run away with so little ado I then found Captain Mons having no more than one servant only with him who had done a great deal better than mine for he had kept a little pad Nag ready for him upon which he took me up behind him for I was extremely weary and so we pass'd on still seeing the Germans knock'd down all the way as we went till being sent for by Monsieur d' Anguien we both alighted and went on foot till the entire defeat of the Germans and Spaniards when presently I saw my man come back calling him a hundred Rogues and Cowards for so basely running away who replyed that he had not done it alone but in company with better men and better clad than himself and that he had only run away to bear them company by which pleasant answer my anger was appeased and upon my word he hit upon it in a lucky hour for I was very near showing him a trick of a Gascon We then rallyed together some twenty or five and twenty Horse what of those of Monsieur de Termes of Signior Francisco Bernardin and the Sieur de Mauré and rid a round gallop after the Marquis de Guast and with us moreover a Gentleman whose name I have forgot but he was one of those who came post from Court to be at the Battel and as we went we met by the way two light horse leading prisoner Signior Carlo de Gonzaga whom they had taken in the rear of the Enemies party which still more encourag'd us to spur forward So soon as we came so near to the Enemy as to discover what posture they were in we perceived that they were rallyed and closed up to the Crupper still marching on in very good order at
Andelot concluded me for dead believing that I had suffered my self to be snap'd about their Artillery or by a Ship that lay upon the Rivolet I passed over but I was no such fool for I call God to witness and let him punish me according to my perjury if of all that day I ever lost my understanding and it was a great blessing that God was pleased to preserve it to me entire for had I lost my judgment we had received a very great disgrace which we could neither have concealed nor excused and I had been in great danger never to have been a Mareschal of France We had lost all our Ensigns and those that carried them withall which nevertheless God gave me the grace to save When a man is once possessed with fear and that he loses his judgment as all men in a fright do he knows not what he does and it is the principal thing you are to beg at the hands of Almighty God to preserve your undeâ—standing entire for what danger soever there may be there is still one way or other to get off and perhaps to your honor But when fear has once possessed your judgment God ye good even you think you are flying towards the poop when you are running towards the prow and for one Enemy you think you have ten before your eyes as drunkards do who see a thousand candles at once Oh 't is a wonderful advantage to a man of our Trade when his danger does not deprive him of his sence he may then take his opportunity and avoid both shame and ruinâ— In the evening I went to the Dauphin for the Word because Monsieur de Tais himself was wounded and could not go when so soon as I came into his presence Monsieur d' Orleans who always delighted to jest with me as the Dauphin also himself sometimes would do began to sing the Camisado of Bullen and the assault of Cony for the old Soldiers of Piedmont jeering and pointing at me with his finger at which I began to be angry and fell to cursing those who had been the cause at which the Dauphin laugh'd and at last said to me Montluc Montluc in plain truth you Captains can by no means excuse it that you have not carried your selves very ill Which way Sir said I can you conceive me to be any way in fault if I knew my self to be guilty I would at this instant go and cause my self to be killed in the Town but in truth we were a company of Coxcombs to venture our lives in your service Whereupon he said No No I do not mean you for you were the last Captain that came out of the Town and above an hour after all the rest He gave me very well to understand when he came to be King that I had not fail'd of my duty by the value he was ever pleased to put upon me for when he went his expedition into Piedmont he sent an express Courrier to fetch me from my own house to which I had retired my self by reason of a certain piquâ—e that Madam d' Estampes had conceived against me about the quarrel betwixt Messieurs de Châ—staign raie and de Iarnac A man has evermore one good office or another done him at Court and the mischief on 't is the women evermore rule the rost but I shall not take upon me to be a Reformer Madam d' Estampes sent better men than my self packing from Court who have made no boasts of it but I wonder at our brave Historians that they dare not tell the â—â—uth This was the success of the Camisado of Boulogne whereas had the Camp follow'd after us they might all have quarrer'd in the Town and in four or five dayes as I have already said the higher Town had been our own Let any one ask Monsieur de Teligni if he be the man who was taken prisoner there and see whether or no I tell a lye I do not know who was the cause that the Dolphin did not march but I shall alwayes affum that he ought to have done it and know also very well that it did not stick at him but it were to enter into disputes to say any more of that businâ—ss Had they come the English would not have known which way to turn them I discover'd them to be men of very little heart and believe them to be better at Sea than by Land The Dolphin seeing the Winter draw on having left Monsieur le Mareschal de Bies at Monstrâ—uille to bâ—â—dle and keep Boulegne in aw return'd back to the King who also had concluded a Peace with the Emperor all this great preparation and those invincible forces to our great good fortune vanishing through the ill intelligence betwixt these two Princes I mean the Spaniard and the English Evil befal him that will ever love the one or the other Three months after I quitted my command of Camp-master to go to defend a little estate that had been left me by an Uncle of mine I had much ado to obtain leave of the King to go but in the end the Admiral wrought so effectually in my behalf that it was granted upon condition that I would promise him to take upon me the same employment in case the said Admiral should have the command of the Army He fail'd not of that command nor thereupon to summon me upon my promise I had made him but obtain'd a Commâ—ssion from the King which he sent me to be Camp-master to fifty or threâ—score Ensigns that his Majesty would set on foot for the English voyage I brought the men accordingly to Havre de Grace where I delivered them into the hands of Monsieur de Tais We then put to sea Our Navy consisted of above two hundred and fifty sail and the most beautiful Ships that ever eyes beheld with their Gallies The ardent desire the King had to revenge himself on the King of England made him enter into a very vast expence which in the end serv'd to very liâ—le purpose although we first landed and afterwards fought the English upon the sea where many Ships were sunk on both sides When at our setting out I saw the great Carrick which was certainly the goodliest Vâ—ssel in the world burnt down to the water I had no great opinion of our Enterprize But being that I for my particular perform'd nothing in that expedition worthy remembrance and that moreover a perfect account of that Naval Engagement has been given by others I shall let it alone to give a Narrative of the conquest of the Territory of Oye and indeed our business lies more properly by land than by water where I do not know that our Nation has ever obtain'd any great victories So soon as we were return'd from the Coast of England and disembark'â— at Havre de Grace the Admiral went to attend the King and Monsieur de Tais went along with him carrying all the Companies
too late to say I should never have thought it You shall execute many things in your heat which if you give your selves leisure to consider of you will think of it thrice before you once attempt it Push home then venture and do not give your Enemies leisure to consult together for one will encourage another Being return'd to the Fort of Outreaâ— there was hardly a day past that the English did not come to tickle us upon the descent towards the Sea and would commonly brave our people up to our very Canon which was within ten or twelve paces of the Fort and we were all abus'd by what we had heard our Predecessors say that one English man would always beat two French men and that the English would never run away nor never yield I had retain'd something of the Camisado of Bullen and of the business of Oye and therefore said one day to Mousieur de Tais that I would discover to him the mystery of the English and wherefore they were reputed so hardy which was that they all carried arms of little reach and therefore were necessitated to come up close to us to loose their arrows which otherwise would do no execution whereas we who were accustomed to fire our Harquebuzes at a great distance seeing the Enemy use another manner of sight thought these near approaches of theirs very strange imputing their running on at this confident rate to absolute bravery but I will lay them an Ambuscado and then you shall see if I am in the right or no and whether a Gascon be not as good as an English-man In antient time their Fathers and ours were neighbours I then chose out sixscore men Harquebuzeers and Pikes with some Halberts amongst them and lodg'd them in a hollow which the water had made lying below on the right hand of the Fort and sent Captain Chaux at the time when it was low water straight to some little houses which were upon the Banks of the River almost over against the Town to skirmish with them with instructions that so soon as he should see them pass the River he should begin to retire and give them leave to make a charge Which he accordingly did but it fortun'd so that he was wounded in one of his arms with a Hurquebuz shot and the Soldiers took him and carried him back to the Fort so that the skirmish remained without a head The English were soon aware of it and gave them a very brisk charge driving them on fighting up to the very Canon Seeing then our men so ill handled I start up out of my Ambuscado sooner then I should have done running on full drive directly up to them commanding the Soldiers not to shoot till they came within the distance of their arrows They were two or three hundred men having some Italian Harquebuzeers amongst them which made me heartily repent that I had made my Ambuscado no stronger but it was now past remedy and so soon as they saw me coming towards them they left the pursuit of the others and came to charge upon me We marcht straight up to them and so soon as they were come up within arrow shot our Harquebuzeers gave their volley all at once and then clapt their hands to their swords as I had commanded and we ran on to come to blows but so soon as we came within two or three pikes length they turn'd their backs with as great facility as any Nation that ever I saw and we pursued them as far as the River close by the Town and there were four or five of our Soldiers who followed them to the other side I then made a halt at the ruins of the little houses where I rally'd my people together again some of whom were left by the way behind who were not able to run so fast as the rest Monsieur de Tais had seen all and was sally'd out of the Fort to relieve the Artillery to whom so soon as I came up to him I said Look you did I not tell you how it would be We must either conclude that the English of former times were more valiant then those of this present age or that we are better men than our forefathers I know not which of the two it is In good earnest said Monsieur de Tais these people retreat in very great hast I shall never again have so good an opinion of the English as I have had heretofore No Sir said I you must know that the English who antiently us'd to â—eat the French were half Gascons for they married into Gascony and so bred good Soldiers but now that race is worn out and they are no more the same men they were From that time forwards our people had no more the same opinion nor the same fear of the English that before Therefore Captains as much as you can keep your Soldiers from apprehending an Enemy for if they once conceive an extraordinary opinion of their valour they ever go on to fight in fear of being defeated You are neither to despise your Enemy neither should your Soldiers think them to be more valiant than themselves Ever after this charge I observ'd our men alwayes to go on more chearfully to â—â—â—aque the English and came still up closer to them and let any one remember when the Mareschal de Biez fought them betwixt the Fort of Andelot and the Town whether our people needed to be intreated to fall on The said Sieur de Biez there perform'd the part of a very valiant Gentleman for when his Cavalry were all run off the Field he came alone to put himself in the head of our Battallion and alighted taking a Pike in his hand to go on to the fight from whence he came off with very great honor I my self was not there and therefore shall say nothing of it for two or three months after our return out of the County of Oye I had askt leave of Monsieur do Tais to go to Court but the Historians in the mean time are very unjust to conceal such brave actions and that was a very remarkable one in this old Cavalier Being at Court I prevail'd so far with the Admiral that he procur'd me a dismission from the King for as much as I had reassum'd the office of Camp-Master upon no other terms but only to command in the first Expedition that the Admiral should go upon and having remain'd a month at Court attending the King in the quality of one of his Gentlemen Waiters who was now grown old and melancholic and did not caress men as he had wont to do only once he talkt with me about the Battail of Serisoles being at Fountain-Bleau I took my leave of his Majesty and never saw him after I then return'd into Gascony from whence I never stirr'd till King Henry by the death of his Father was become King having all that while been opprest with troubles and sickness And
little Castle in the mid way that serv'd them for a retreat The Marescal then sent for me to Montcallier whither six weeks after my fall I had caused my self to be conveyed in a litter upon whose summons I made my self to be set upon a little Mule and with extreme pain arrived at Quiers every day striving by little and little to walk Behold these were the successes of the taking of Quiers and St. Damian and I will now give an account of the taking of Lans The Mareschal then and all the Camp wherein were all the above-named Princes and Lords march't directly to Lans and because there are some of them yet living who love me and others that have an unkindness for me I will come as near to truth as my memory will give me leave to the end that those who hate me may have no occasion to reprehend me speaking the truth and that the rest who love me may take delight in reading what I have done and call me to their remembrance for the Historians I see mince the matter The Mareschal with all the Camp went before leaving me with five Ensigns of foot and the Masters of the Ordnace Messieurs de Caillac and du Noguy who were also at the taking of Quiers to conduct the Artillery The day after he departed from Quiers he arriv'd at Lans about noon and we with the Artillery came up in the beginnging of the night The Bourg of Lans is large and enclosed with scurvey wall the Mareschal took up his quarter in another Bourge about a mile distant from the said Lans and round about him the Gens d' Arms and all the Cavalry All the Princes and Lords would be quarter'd in the Bourg of Lans with some French and Italian Companies of foot and particularly Monsieur de Bonivet with his Colonel Company At their arrival they went to the foot of the Mountain on the right hand as you come out of the Bourg The Sergeant Major had already got to the top of the said Mountain behind the Castle round about which were very great precipices and especially behind it where the Mareschal was of necessity to go to take a view of the Place There is nothing but precipice saving in the front of the Castle which looks towards the Town and there were two great Bulwarks and the Gate of the Castle between them To plant the Artillery there was only to lose so much time and to place it on that side by which we came we should be enforc't to point the Mussel of the Canon upward so that it could batter but one half of the wall and besides we were to climb above a thousand paces with the greatest difficulty imaginable before we could come to the foot of the said wall On the right hand it was the same and behind the worst of all for â—alling thence a man should tumble headlong a quarter of a mile down into the River By reason of which great difficulty of bringing up Canon behind the said Castle where there was a little even plot of some twenty or five and twenty paces broad the Enemy had made no other fortification on that side saving that they had cut a paltry Ditch of about half a pikes depth in the Rock with two Ravelins on either side that slanckt the Ditch and it had not been above three moneths before that two of the Emperors Engineers had been there and had declar'd that it was not possible for all mankind to bring up Artillery either by this side or any of the others if they did not plant it on the Town side before the Gate of the Castle which also would be so much labour lost The Mareschal at his fiâ—st arrival with all the Prince and Lords and the Engineers he had with him went to take a view of the backside of the Castle up an ascent of above 300 paces and as uneasie ones as ever they went in their lives where after they had discover'd and remain'd above two hours upon the place they all concluded it impossible to be taken At night I came with the Artillery when it was presently told me that the next day we were to return back again at which I was very much dasht but was so intolerably tormented with my hip that I presently threw my self upon a Matrice and saw not the Mareschal that night for he was gone back to his Quarters very much displeased with some who before had represented the Enterprise so easie to him and would undertake to bring it about and yet when it came to the push concluded it impossible In the morning he came again and again went to view the place but the more they lookt the worse they like't and still discovered greater difficulties than before Just as I had din'd Messieurs de Piquigny de Touchepeid and de Vinu came to seek me out and told me that the resolution was concluded to return and that I would not be unwilling to it if I had seen the place putting so many whimsies into my head that they got me upon my little Mule and carried me behind the ridge of the Mountain where Harquebuz shots were very good cheap unless a man took on the right hand towards the River and there it was hard to pass and more hard to discover any thing and both the Mareschal and all the Princes had gone up and come down at the mercy of the Eâ—emies shot Whom God defends is well defended I have seen the time when a thousand Harquebuz shot have been discharg'd within an hundred paces of me and done me no harm but we all four made such shift that at last we got up to the top and they led me the same way by which the Mareschal and all his Company had ascended and descended before I will here set down for an exemple to those that shall follow after us how I found the thing feasible and which way Canon was to be got up to this level not however without very great difficulty but how hard soever it appear'd to be we concluded to bring up the Artillery to the top of the Mountain and there to plant it in Battery In the first place to look up from the foot of the Mountain to the height of it was a perpendicular the Angels themselves would have enough to do to climb but I began to take notice that making one advance of about an hundred paces to a little place which might be some ten paces in circumference that there we might have conveniency to rest the Piece for the little place was almost even I then conceived that we might make another Stage crossing over on the left hand towards the Castle to another little even spot that was sufficient to repose the Canon and afterwards that we were to make another Stage crossing again to the right hand to another level spot and from thence indeed we had the ascent something steep to the backside of
all means that the person he had nominated should stand for he was impatient of being controverted and more of being over-rul'd neither indeed did he ever much love me nor any of his The Cardinal of Lorrain was there present who may better remember than I who it was that the Constable nam'd but if I be not deceiv'd it was Boccal who is since turn'd Hugonot however in the end the King would carry it having Monsieur de Guise and the Mareschal de St. André on his side and dispatch't away a Courier to the Mareschal de Brissac to send me into Avignon where accordingly I staid expecting a Gentleman his Majesty sent to me who brought my dispatch to go presently away to Sienna Now the Mareschal had some dayes before given me leave to retire to my own house by reason of a sickness I was fallen into as I have said elsewhere who had no mind to do it as he himself confest to me since and has done me the honor to tell me that had he known of what importance the loss of me would have been to him he would nat have so commended me to the King as he had done and that in his life he never repented any thing so much as the letting me depart from him telling me of a great many things wherein he had not been so well served after my departure out of Piedmont Monsieur de Cossé President Birague and several others can witness how oft they have heard him lament any absâ—nce especially when matters did not succeed according to his desire And if any one will take the pains to consider what I perform'd while I was there under his Command he will find that what I say is very true and that he had some reason to regret me I was alwayes at his feet and at his head I will not say nevertheless that any thing would have been better done for my being there but however I must needs speak the truth and there are who can say more if they please He then writ a Letter to the King and another to the Constable wherein he sent his Majesty word that he had made a very ill choice of me to command in Sienna for that I was one of the most cross-grain'd chollerick fâ—llows in the whole world and such a one as that for half the time I had been with him he had been necessitated to suffer much from me knowing my imperfections That indeed I was very good for the maintaining of discipline and justice in an Army to command in the field and to make the Soldiers to fight but that the humour of the Siennois consider'd it would be fire to fire which would be the only means to lose that State which was to be preserv'd by gentleness and moderation He moreover entreated the Constable to remonstrate as much to the King and in the mean time dispatcht a Courier to me who found me very sick by whom he sent me word that the King would send me to Sienna but that as a friend of mine he advised me not to accept of that employment entreating me not to forsake him to go serve elsewhere under another and assuring me withal that if any Command hapned to be vacant in Piedmont that I had more mind to than what I alâ—eady had I should have it which were all artifices to detein me O that a wise Lieutenant of a Province ought to have an eye and to take heed of losing a man in whom he may absolutely confide and whom he knows to be a man of valour and ought to spare nothing that he may keep him for oftentimes one man alone can do much You must eat a great deal of Salt with a man before you can rightly known him and in the mean time you are depriv'd of him with whom you were throughly acquainted in whom you reposed your trust and of whose fidelity you have already had sufficient proof The said Mareschal had moreover sent word to the King that I was in Gascony very sick and in the morning as the Letters were read the Constable who was mighty well pleased with the contents said to the King Did not I tell your Majesty as much you find the Mareschal to be of the same opinion and no man living can know Montluc better than he who has so often seen him at work To which the King who naturally lov'd me and had ever done so after he had seen my behaviour at the Camisado of Bullen reply'd that although all those of his Council should speak against me yet should they prevail nothing by it for it was his nature to love me and that he would not after his election let them all say what they would Monsieur de Guise then spake and said here is a letter very full of contradictions for in the first place the Mareschal de Brissac says that Montluc is cross-gain'd and cholerick and that he will never suit with the Sieâ—nois but will ruine your service if you send him thither and on the other side commends him for qualities that are required in a man of command to whom the trust of great things is to be committed for he speaks him to be a man of an exact discipline and great justice and fit to make the Soldiers fight in great Enterprizes and Executions and who ever saw a man endued with all these good qualities that had not a mixture of Choller amongst them Such as are indifferent whether things go well or ill may indeed be without passion and as to the rest since Sir your Majesty has your self made the Election I humbly conceive you ought not revoke it The Mareschal de St. André spake next and said Sir what the Mareschal de Brissac complains of you may easily correct by writing to Montluc that your self having made choice of his person above all others for this employment he must for your sake at much at he can govern his passion having to do with such a fickleâ—headed people as those of Sienne To which the King made answer that he did not fear but that after he had writ me a letter I would do as he should command me and immediately thereupon dispatcht away a Courrie to me to my own house by whom he sent me word that although I should be sick I must nevertheless put my self upon my way to go directly to Marseilles where I should meet my dispatch and should there embark my self with the Germans that the Rhinceroc brought and ten companies of French foot to which place he would also send me money for my journey and that I must for a while leave my passion behind me in Gascony and a little accommodate my self to the humor of that people The Courrier found me at Agen very sick and under the Physicians hands notwithstanding which I told him that in eight dayes I would begin my journey which I did and verily thought I should have dyed at Tholouse from whence by the
his name to which he made answer Io mj chiamo Marioul de Santa Fiore and I said to him Signior Capitano Io mj chiamo Montluco audiamo ensiemi Now all the Army had already heard that I was coming with the recruits so that though we had never seen one anothers faces before yet we knew one another well enough by our names I entreated him them to rally his men and give a charge upon the Enemy to beat them back again up the Hâ—ll which he did and we accordingly drave them up to the very top In the mean while the skirmish extended it self all along the ridge of a Hill and by the Vineyards directly to the Pallâ—ssot which is a little Palace behind which were the Grisons and on the back of the Mountain a little further the Artillery playd which the Marquis had brought to St. Bonde There all the Italian Captains and Signior Cornelio Bentivoglio who was there Colonel were at the corner of the Vineyards looking towards St. Bonde and St. Mark behind a little Oratory by which they were covered from the Canon shot Now betwixt la Pallassot and the little Oratory it might be about three hundred paces and Signior Marioul and I so ruffled the Enemy that we drave the skirmish all along the ridge of the Vineyards directly upon them I had brought with me Captain Charry who was my Lieutenant at Alba with thirty good Soldiers almost all Gentlemen who would by no means by left behind with my brother Monsieur de Lioux to whom the King had given the government of Alba at the humble request of Monsieur de Valence my Brother and I had preferred in his behalf About which there hapned a very great dispute for the Mareschal de Brissac deferr'd to accept him till he had first had on answer from me who so soon as he understood the King's resolution to send me to Sienna he sent me another Courier entreating me not to quit the Government of Alba and that I might name either my own Lieutenant or any other to command in the place till my return assuring me that he would accept whomsoever I should appoint and in the mean time would take care that my pay should be kept for me so that I should not lose so much as a denier advising me withal to consider that the Command the King gave me at Sienna would not be of so long continuance as that of Alba. But I most humbly besought him to approve of my Brother assâ—ring him that he would be as much his effectionate servant as I was and that if it should please God I ever return'd from Sienna I swore to come and find him out and to serve him in the condition of a private Soldier though the King should not please to conferre any command upon me that I might have the honor to be near his person Now to give you an account of the humour of the Mareschal I will say and maintain that he was one of the bravest Gentlemen and the best Masters that has been these fifty years in France for such as he knew to be zealous and affectionate to the King's service and if President Birague will lay his hand upon his heart he will swear the same He was a man that had evermore a greater regard to another man's profit than his own a man could never lose any thing by him but every man had his share both of advantage and honor and so to the rest he lov'd and honor'd a worthy man even to the meanest Soldier The best men he knew by their names and would give ear to the advice of all without relying too much upon his own head-piece as Monsieur de Lautrec was too much enclin'd to do But to return to the Skirmish I found at the Oratory Signior Corneliâ— and Colonel Charamont whom I had not before seen since my arrival Betwixt the said Oratory and la Bonde there is a great High-way and by the side of it two little houses some ten or twelve paces distant from one another In this High-way we gave the Enemy a charge and gain'd from them the two houses into one of which Captain Charry put himself and our Italians into the other they there continued about three quarters of an hour almost alwayes fighting insomuch that the Marquis sent thither all his Spanish Harquebuzeers and even the Italians who were at their Fort of St. Mark and planted six Ensigns of Spanish foot upon the great High-way to maintain the fight Now the hottest of the skirmish was on the right hand and on the left amongst the Vines so that the Cavalry could do nothing Signior Cornelio then by the advice of his Captains was about to retire when I remonstrated to him that he must by no means offer to stir till first he had some horse and also the Grisons to make good his retreat to whom I would presently go and entreat them to come up half way betwixt the Pallassot and the Oratory and would likewise go to request the same of the Count de la Miranda who was Colonel of the horse and had halted in a Valley behind a little Wood near unto la Pallassot which they approv'd of very well and so I presently ran to the Grisons entreating them to advance but two hundred paces only but the Colonel that commanded under Monsieur de Fourcavaux would by no means be perswaded to it I then spurr'd up to the Count and pray'd him to send out four Corners of horse which he presently did and they were the Count de Pontavala Cornello Ioby the Baron de Rabat and my Nephew Serillac who commanded the Company of Monsieur de Cipierre Now as the Cornets were advancing at a good round gallop I saw Signior Cornelio who at the importunity of his Captains was again begining to retire and presently ran to him remonstrating that the six Ensigns were upon their march and that they were Spaniards whose colours being so large it was a sign the Marquis was there in person with all his Army who would infallibly charge him so soon as ever he should begin to descend the Hill entreating him therefore to return back to the same place which he did being departed from it not above thirty paces I then return'd to the Corners and stopt them in the mid-way betwixt the Pallassot and the Oratory which having done I once more went to the Grisons who after I had made them sensible of the danger we were in to lose all the Officers arose and began to strike up their Drums and marcht up close by the Horse The Marquis seeing the Cavalry and the Grisons begin to appear in the field thought it now convenient to withdraw his six Ensigns out of the great High-way there was not one Officer of ours on horseback but my self and Signior Marioul who never stirred from my side so that I could plainly see all the Enemy did I then said to Signior Cornelio Look you
by reason of my writing my memory may not so soon perish Which is all that men who live in the world bearing arms like men of Honor and without reproach ought to desire for all the rest is nothing I do believe that so long as the world shall endure men will talk of those brave and valiant Captains Messieurs de Lautrec de Bayard de Foâ—x de Brissac de Strozzy de Guise and several others who have flourish'd since King Francis the first came to the Crown amongst whose better names that of Montluc may perhaps have some place And since God has depriv'd me of my Sons who all dyed in the service of the Kings my Masters the young Montluc's who are descended from them shall endeavour to exceed their Grandsire I will therefore write nothing of the Reign of Francis the second nor of the Factions at Court neither were they other than Sedâ—tions and Rebellions of which I know several particuâ—ars as having been very intimate with the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde but as I have already said I leave those affairs to the Historians to finish the rest of my own life wherein I shall proceed to give an account of the fights in which I have been engag'd during these Civil Wars and wherein I have been constrained contrary to my own nature to use not only severity but even sometimes to be cruel The End of the Fourth Book THE COMMENTARIES OF Messire Blaize de Montluc MARESCHAL of FRANCE The Fifth Book KIng Francis being dead at Orleans where I then was I went to wait upon the Queen Mother who although she was very ill nevertheless did me the honor to command that they should permit me to enter into her Chamber I had taken notice of the practices were set on foot which did by no means please me and especially those of the Estates then sitting by which I saw we should not long continue in peace and that was it which made me resolve to retire from Court that I might not be hook'd in either by one Faction or another especially considering that I had been made guilty that way before contrary to all truth as God be my help which was the reason that taking leave of her Majesty and not thinking it fit to trouble her with much discourse in her indisposition I said to her these words Madam I am going into Gascony with a dâ—termination to do you most humble and faithful service all the days of my life which I most humbly beseech your Majesty to believe and if any thing fall out considerable enough to engage you to call your servants about you I promise you and give you my faith I will never take other side than that of your Majesties and my Lords your Children but for that will be on horseback so soon as ever your Majesty shall please to command me The very night of the same day on which King Francis dy'd I had given her the same assurance for which she now did me the honor to return me thanks when Madam de Cursol who stood at her beds head said to her Madam you ought not to let him go your Majesty having no servants more faithful than those of the Family of Montluc To which I made answer Madam you shall never be without Montluc's for you have three yet remaining which are my two Brothers and my Son who with my self will dye at your feet for your Majesties service For which her Majesty return'd me many thanks She who had a greaâ— deal of understanding and who has given very ample testimony of it to the world saw very well that having so many affairs upon her hands during the minority of her children she should have use for all the servants she had and may her self remember what she said to me wherein if I have fail'd to execute her commands it was because I did not understand them And so I took my leave of her Majesty Madam de Cursol follow'd me to the middle of the room where she took her leave of me and Madam de Courton did the same and thus I return'd to my own house Some months after my return home I had news brought me from all sides of the strange language and most audacious speeches the Ministers of the new faith impudently utter'd even against the Royal Authority I was moreover told that they impos'd taxes upon the people made Captains and listed Souldiers keeping their Assemblies in the Houses of several Lords of the Country who were of this new Religion which was the first beginning and cause of all those Mischiefs and Massacres they have since exercâ—s'd upon one another I saw the evil daily to encrease but saw no one who appear'd on the King's behalf to oppose it I heard also that the greatest part of the Officers of the Treasury were of this Religion the nature of man being greedy of Novelty and the worst of all and from whence proceeded all the mischief was that those of the long Robe the men of Justice in the Parliaments and Senechalseys and other Judges abandoned the ancient Religion and that of the King to embrace the new one I met also with strange names of Surveiâ—â—ans Deacons Consistories Sinods and Colloquies having never before breakfasted of such viands I heard that the Surveillans had Bulls pizzlâ—s by them called Iohanots with which they misus'd and very cruelly beat the poor Peasants if they went not to their Conventicles the people being so totally abandoned by â—ustice that if any one went to complain they receiv'd nothing but injury instead of redrâ—ss and not a Serjeant that durst attempt to execute any thing in the behalf of the Catholicks but for the Hugonots only for so they were call'd though I know not why the râ—st 〈◊〉 the Judges and Officers who were Catholicks being so over-aw'd that they durst not have â—â—mmanded so much as an Information to be made for fear of their lives All these things â—â—gether were presages to me of what I have since seen come to pass and returning from another house of mine to that of Stillac I found the Town of La Plume besieg'd by three or four hundred men I had my Son Captain Montluc with me whom I sent with all sorts of fair language for I had no more than ten or twelve horse in my company to try to perswade them to desist Wherein he prevail'd so far that he overcame the Brimonts the principal heads of this Enterprize which was undertaken to rescue two prisoners of their Religion that the Magistrates of La Plume had for some disorders committed My son having promised them that if they would retire I would cause them to be deliver'd they took his word and drew off from before the Town The next day accordingly I went to speak with the Officers of the said City to whom having remonstrated that for these two Prisoners they ought not to suffer a sedition to be set on
prepare his party without giving any notice to those of the Town in all haste to be gone so that in the close of the Evening they began to quit the Barricadoes they had made at the corners of the streets and to steal away which our Captains perceiving began to charge them from street to street but they were hindred by the night from seeing their issue out of the Gates so that in rout and confusion they recover'd the Vines and got away but lost five of their Ensigus Now we had concluded to fight after this manner to wit that Messieurs de Terride and de Gondrin should march on without staying in the Town taking my Company and the Gentlemen Volunteers along with them and plant themselves before the Gates the Enemy were possessed of without the City and that I should alight and with Monsieur de Terâ—es his Company whom I would also cause to alight our own foot and those of the Town â—o fight on foot resolving to enter and fight by day In the morning as we began to march an hour before day there came to us a Capitoul of Tholouse called Maistre Dourdes who brought me a letter from the President and Monsieur de Bellegarde wherein they sent me word of the departure and slight of the Enemy for which I was very sorry for had they staid my coming not a Rascal of them all should have escapt and God knows whâ—ther I had not a mind to have made clean work and if I would have spared ever a mothers son Those who were come from Foix return'd towards their said Country of Foix in route and disorder for the very Peasants kill'd a great many of them and the rest â—led every one to the place from whence they came Thus was the City reliev'd where the fight â—ountiâ—ued for three days and three nights together during which above fifty houses were burnt one after another and many people on both sides slain and amongst others two Brothers of Monsieur de Saüignac de Comenge At our â—rrival we went and alighted before the Palace all arm'd as we were my Ensign and Guidon displayd and indeed for a hundred and fifty or two hundred Gentlemen there might be of us together with my Company it was a handsome appearance and a very fine sight We found all the Court assembled and any one may judge whether or no we were welcome I there in a short speech told them That although I was not the Kings Lieutenant nevertheless the service I had of old devoted to their City and particularly to that honourable Assembly was the cause that after the advertisements I had received of the danger they were in I had gathered together all the friends I could for the conservation of their City the second of France and had my self immediately come away in pâ—rson â—o their rescue but Gentlemen said I in the long time that I have born arms I have learnt that in affaiâ—s of this nature 't is better to keep without and send in continual succours knowing that such a rabble were not likely so soon to force your City who had they staid my coming should have been as well handled as ever rascals were It now remains that since God has been pleased to deliver you you do your parts and make your Cantons stink with the Carcasses of these accursed Traytors to God their King and their Counâ—â—y So soon as I had done speaking the President Mansencal made me a very honorable Remonstrance concluding with great thanks both to me and to all the Gentlemen The Capitouls thâ—n accâ—mmodated us with very handsome Lodgings and at the very same instant began to fall in hand with those of the Mutineers who remain'd in the Town and who had been taken at their going ouâ— and the next day proceeded to execution where I saw more heads â—ly than ever in one day before I in the mean time was elsewhere sufficiently employd for it fail'd but liâ—tle that the City was not sackt by our own people so asmuch as so soon as ever the neighbouring Inhabitants heard that the City was reliev'd they all came running both Peasants and others to the spoil neither would they be satisfied with plundering the houses of the Hugonots only but began to fall on upon those of the Catholicks also insomuch that the very house of President Paulo himself had like to have been sackt through a rumour that within it there was a Student a Kinsman of his who was a Hugonot though nevertheless there was no such person found so that I was forc't to run thither and to remedy the disorder to cause Monsieur de Termes his Company and my own to mount to horse the half of which continually from six hours to six hours marcht arm'd and mounted by six and six together up and down the streets of the City The third day I had word brought me that Monsieur de St. Paul of the County of Foix was upon arrival being come from the said Foix with three or four thousand men and Monsieur de Lamezan of Comenge with seven or eight hundred more who had they entred it had been impossible both for me and all the rest of us who were within to have saved the City from being sackt to prevent which I sent in all haste to the Capitoâ—ls to shut their Gates and all night long we kept continually on horse-back in the streets and had the foot Companies upon Guard at the Gates together with the whole City in arms after the same manner as before when they had been in continual fight All this while Captain Charry and Monsieur de Terrides Company never stirred from the two Villages betwixt Fronton and Tholouze Monsieur de St. Paul quarter'd himself and his people in the Suburbs and Monsieur de Lamezan also very much displeased that they might not be permitted to enter the City threatning that another time they would not come to relieve them though their relief now did more harm then good considering that they came not when they ought to have come The next day I sent out Monsieur de Bellegarde to tell them that they did but lose time in staying there for they should not enter whereupon Monsieur de St. Paul return'd with his people and Monsieur de Lamezan sent away his entring himself and his servants only After this the Capitouls and I concluded together to drive out all those who were come in from the neighbouring places and accordingly with the Trumpets of the City and our Drums Proclamation was made for all strangers to depart so that in the end we were absolute Masters of the City Nevertheless it was not possible so to govern our own people but that there was still some disorder which made me send all the horse and foot out of the City surrendring the whole power into the hands of the Magistrates I gave a Company to Captain Masses the younger to remain in the
worth and valour is justly grounded Our French Foot will have an eye to your behaviour they are emulous of your reputation and have an ambition to excell you therefore maintain your antient renown or you dishonor the Spanish Nation for ever The King your Master hearing how bravely you have behav'd your selves will take it better at your hands than if you had fought in his own particular concern for this is Gods quarrel against the Lutherans who will cut you into a thousand pieces if you fall into their hands a consideration that if it have not alone the power to encourage you to go bravely and cheerfully to the fight it is not to be expected that any thing in the world can excite your courages or enflame your hearts I fancy that were I fighting in Spain my arm would be as strong again and you are fellow Soldiers in France that rejoices at your coming expects great advantages by your assistance and our being thus far reconciled begets in us a hope that these two great Kingdoms will one day be united to justle the great Turk out of his Dominions Go to then fellow Soldiers betake your selves to your arms and were it not that I will not deprive Don Lewis of his due honor I would put my self in the head of your Battalion with a Pike in my hand to see how you will lay about you but I shall not be very far off that I may see how well you can imitate the actions of your fathers of which I my self have been an eye witness both in Italy and in Piedmont at Roussillion and Fontarabie Methinks I long for to Morrows light that we may send an account to both our Kings of the brave service you have perform'd against an Enemy a hundred times worse than the Moors of Barbary having broken down the Crosses and Altars and polluted the Churches of God built by our pions Ancestors Sacriledges of which I assure my self you will take an honourable and severe revenge No quieren vouestras Mercedes nos otros que seâ—mos Hermanos y Compagneros por todas las fouereas nouestras per hoara de Dios y Protection del Rey Christianissimo Hermano de l' Rey Catholico which when I had said Don Lewis making answer for them all said to me these vvords Crea vouestra merced que nos avemos bien apeâ—ear del primero asta eâ— postero y quanto averemo unu gotta di Sungre nellos cuerpos Nos tarda il Tâ—empo que non veniamos a las manos coutra los Hereges As Don Lewis had made an end of speaking I desired them all as a token of their chearfulness to hold up their hands which they did after they had first kiss'd the ground after which I return'd to the Gascons bidding Captain Charry remount to horse and go bring all the Harquebuzeers on horseback on my left hand that they might be ready to alight when I should command them which he accordingly did I then made a speech to the Gascons wherein I told them that there had been a long dispute betwixt the Spaniards and the Gascons and that they were now to end the Controversie that above fifty years agoe had been begun which was that the Spaniards pretended to be stouter than the Gascons and the Gascons on the contrary to be braver than they and that since God had done us the grace to bring us upon this occasion to fight a Battel under the same Standard the difference was to be determinately decided and the honor made clearly our own I am a Gascon said I but I will henceforth renounce my Country and never own my self to be a Gascon more if this day you do not by bravely fighting win the Prize and gain the process of your adversaries and you shall see I will be a good Advocate in this cause They are Swash-bucklers and think no people under the Sun so brave as they therefore fellow Soldiers let them see what you can do where they give one blow give you four You have more reason to fight than they for you fight for your Prince for your Altars your Fires your Wives and Children and if you be overcome besides the shame that attends your defeat your Country is lost for ever and which is worse your Religion I assure my self I shall not be put to the trouble of thrusting my Sword into the reins of such as shall shew their backs to the Enemy and that you will every one do your devoir These people are no other than a Crew of baffel'd Rascals gather'd seditiously together people inâ—r'd to be beaten and that already fancie the Hangman at their heels so highly do their own consciences accuse them It is not so with you who fight for the honor of God the service of your Prince and the conservation of your Country therefore fight like men and hold up your hands in token of your chearfulness and consent which they all did and began to cry with one voice Let us go and we will never stop till we come to grapple with them with the Sword and thereupon kiss'd the earth The Spaniards then drew up to our men and I commanded both the one and the other to move but a foot pace only that they might not put themselves out of breath which order being given I gallopt up to the Gens-d'arms entreating them to move gently forward and saying to them It is not to you Gentlemen that fine speehes are necessary to enflame your breasts I know you stand in no need of such encouragements there is not a Gentry in France equal to ours in Gascony to um then Gentlemen to um and you shall see how I will second you Monsieur de Burie then mounted upon a great horse having put on his arms behind the Artâ—llery where I told him that if he would please to march at the head of the Foot with the Artillery the three Companies of Gens-d'armes should flank him and he should make the main Battail which he instantly consenâ—ed to and in truth I never saw him so brisk nor more full of noble resolution to fight than at that time Neither did he contradict me in any thing whatever as if I had been in his place and I was told that he should say this man is fortunate let him do what he will So soon as the whole Army began to move in this order I gallopt away Monsieur de Monferran and the Sieur de Cajelles who is of the Family of Mongairel and now Knight of the Order along with me and staid not till I came within thirty or fourty paces of five or six horse who were under a Tree The Sieur de Puch de Pardaillan has since told me that these were Monsieur de Duras de Bordet and himself Captain Peyralongue and another whose name I do not remember The said Captain Peyralongue was their Camp-master of Foot and in the Charge that Captain Bordeâ— had made they had
taken an Archer of Monsieur de Randan's Company whom they led prisoner near unto this Tree and there gave him two Pâ—stol shot in cold blood and being not yet dead demanded of hiâ— who was in our Camp and who commanded in chief To which he he return'd â—hem answer that I was come to the Army and that I commanded Monsieur de Burie having referr'd all things to my conduct which he said as knowing very well that news would startle them Captain Peyralonguâ— then went to Monsieur de Duras vvho vvas under the forementioned Tree about some ten paces from the Archer who himself came to him and again demanded of him if I was in the Camp to which he answered that I was and was come thither the night before having taken Lectoure at which they were basely down in the mouth They thereupon return'd roundly to their men vvho vvere marching a foot pace only and vvere not yet got clear of the Meadow vvhere I percieved that upon their coming the Foot began to double their pace and said to Monsieur de Monferran do you see these five horse that were under the Tree they are run to make their people mend thâ—ir pace do you not see what long strides they take which having said I turn'd upon the spur to the Troop vvhere Monsieur d' Argence was and said to him these vvords O Monsieur d'Argence my Camrade see see the Enemy are in fear upon my life the day 's our own and cried out aloud O Gentlemen let us think of nothing but killing for the Enemy is afraid and will never this day make head against us Let us only go boldly to the fight they are our own I have a hundred times had experience of the same they are only endeavouring to steal off the Field I then embraced the Captains and return'd to Captain Masses and said as much to him after which I return'd to Captain Arne and the Gentlemen vvho rid under my ovvn Corneâ— being come along vvith my Company and we began to march at a false trot I then galloped towards the Enemy being my self very hot and my horse all of a foam having only Monsieur de Monferran with me vvhen being come very near them I observ'd their countenance and saw their design vvas to make all the haste they could to recover a little hill that was hard by and on the other side our own men coming on in great fury I observ'd also their Cornets of horse and saw one marching and another facing about I took notice likewise of three or four Horse amongst the Foot and perciev'd by their gesture that they vvere hasting their people forward and thereupon turn'd back to our own Horse crying out to them they are afraid they are afraid let us take them at their word Camrades let us take them at their word that they fly not back These are Poltrons they tremble at the very sight of us I then sent to Monsieur de Burie to leave the Artillery and advance to put himself into the Squadron of the three Companies of Gensâ—d'arms and vve began to march at a good round trot towards them Some there were who call'd out to me to stay for the Foot but I made answer that vve must not suffer them to recover the Mountain for they would make head against us and fight at their advantage I evermore remembred Targon where they had made head against us upon the Hill so that we were constrain'd to charge them against the ascent of the Mountain vvhere had they come down upon us we had infâ—llibly been defeated Our Foot made all the haste that Foot could possibly make and when the Enemy savv they could not recover the Mountain they rallied a thousand or twelve hundred old Soldiers they had left in the corner of the field whom Monsieur de Burie had plaid upon vvith his Artillery and so all their Forces march't side by side at a good round trot when so soon as we came vvithin two hundred paces of one another I began to cry out charge charge vvhich I had no sooner said but that we all fell in pell-mell amongst their Horse and Foot except Captain Masses who at the same time that he saw their people overthrown saw also another great party of them hard by the Hill who did not offer to move and therefore did not charge till he came up to the party and then flew in fâ—riously amâ—ngst them Monsieur de Fontenilles vvho had rallied â—ome few of our men vvas in this second charge also and there they were all defeated and their Artillery taken We pursued the Victory all along the Plain and thorough the Vineyards vvhere many of them threw themselves into a Wood on the left hand and swarm'd up the Châ—snut Trees vvhere the Spanish and Gascon Foot shot at them as they do at Rooks. It vvas vvell for me that I vvas vvell arm'd for three pikes had enclosed me amongst them and put me to my Trumps but Captain Baretnau the younger and two others had dâ—sengag'd me vvhere the said Captain Baretnau had his horse kill'd under him and mâ—ne was hurt in the nose and in the head with two thrusts of Pikes for my horse had carried me whether I would or no into their Battalion and I never knew that he had an ill mouth till then that it had like to have cost me my life the Captains Arne and Bourdillâ—n were both wounded close by me My being thus engag'd was the reason that I could not rally with the Cavalry for they vvere following the Chace on the left hand and I vvith fifteen or tâ—enty horse that vvere rallied pursued the Victory on the right hand towards a little Village vvhere thirty or forty vvere slain I there made a little halt to take breath after vvhich I returned to the Artillery vve had taken vvhere I found Monsieur de Burie and vvhere vve staid the return of our people vvho vvere yet pursuing the Chace and rallied our men We found that some of ours had followed the pursuit for above two long leagues from the Field of Battel and about two a clock in the afternoon return'd to quarter at Ver from whence vve sent Oxen to fetch in the Artillerie vve had taken and all the next day continued there The Runawayes failed but a very little of meeting vvith Monsieur de Montpensier vvho vvent to put himself into Mussidan thinking to joyn vvith us which had it pleased God that it had so fall'n out the business had been done though he had but very few Forces vvith him for men that â—ly seldom or never face about and are so afraid of every thing that they take Bushes for Squadrons Those vvho escaped of their Foot vvhich vvere very few rallied to their horse and marcht all the rest of the day and the night following towards Xaintonge to carry the good news to their Brethren Of three and twenty Ensigns that they
de Gramont's people to provide us something for dinner for Agetmau is his in right of his Daughter-in-Law d' Andois Countess of Guichen and gave the Letter the Mareschal had sent me by Captain Mausan to the said Captain Montaut to shew him I made this assignation purposely to remonstrate to him that the Mareschal would hardly be drawn so far as into Bearn by reason he was importun'd by all the Estates of Languedoc and all the Lords of that Countrey to make war in Languedoc and not in Gulenne which he must in the end be necessitated to do or they would give him no money that therefore he ought to retire to St. Sever leaving a few men in the Castle of Orthez and that when we should be all together we should make up the body of an Army entreating the Mareschal to leave us Monsieur de Bellegarde with the four Companies of Gens-d'arms which I hoped he would easily grant us he having enow besides to be Master of the Field and that in five or six dayes I doubted not but we should have a thousand Foot or more to those we already had for Monsieur de Bellegarde had two Companies with him and that Captain Mâ—usan should go into Bigorre from whence he hand his Brother would bring a considerable number of men and that the Count de Labatut would do the same This was what I had premeditated to say to him not doubting but by those arguments to overcome his Council that hindred him from retiring and besides I believ'd the Mareschal would be very glad of this resolution by which means he would be at full liberty to pursue his own designs Yet did I not do this of my own head only but communicated all to the Knights of the Order and the Captains who were with me Now when I in the morning expected he should come to Agetmau it being but two leagues only from Orthez to conclude of such things as should be most proper for his safety and honor he sent me word that he could not come to Agetmau his Council not conceiving it fit for him to go out of his Government because Agetmau was not in Bearn but that I should come to him See here the vanity of this world a man weak beaten and upon the matter defeated stands upon his punctillio's and moreover with a man who came only to save his life and who in regard to his own quality might challenge some respect For God's sake fellow Captains leave this pride behind your Beds-head when necessity shall press upon you for it is to be devoyd of all sense and understanding seeing that a man does miserably and ridiculously lose himself Had he been of greater quality than I he ought notwithstanding to have accepted my invitation and to have come so far to confer and consult with me about an affair whereupon his own safety and that of his Army wholly depended His evil Angel govern'd him He neither knew before nor after which way to go about either to escape or defend himself Yet was it not thorough any default of courage for he had ever manifested himself to be bâ—ave enough but God deprives us of our judgments when he is dispos'd to chastize us To return to our Embassies I sent him word roundly That I would not budg a fooâ— and that I would not engage my self in a place where I should be enforâ—'d to fight till I should first see his Forces and mine together to know if they were sufficient to match the Enemy that I had seen too many caught in the Trap for that that I would not buy a Pig in a Poak but would see both without and within that I was come thither to relieve him withâ—uâ— any command from any person living that it seem'd he stood upon his punctillio's of honor but that it was not time to insist upon such niceties and that he appear'd to me like a man who is in necessity and yet thinks he does the person too much honor to borrow money of him of whom he desires it All this I writ to him in my anger when I saw I could not make him come to a place where I had a mind to tell him by word of mouth what had been concluded as well by Monsieur de Bellegarde and the Captains nâ—ar unto him as by those that I had with me and when they saw that I was resolv'd not to go they sent to me Messieurs d' Audaux and de Damasan to perswade me to it The question was not whether I ought to carry the five Ensigns of Foot and my three Companies of Gens-d'arms into Orthez for they not had 3 daies provision for themselves but I must go as one neighbour goes to another's house when he makes a visit I do not use to go after that manner in a time of War especially when the Enemy is so near The said Sieurs d' Audaux and de Damasan spar'd for no arguments to induce me to it and I was not to seek for reasons and such as were much more evident than theirs as any child mâ—ght discern to excuse my self In the end seeing I would not go they told me either that Monsieur de Gramont had a picque to some of their Council or else that they had a quarrâ—l to him I know not which it was for I did not commit it to memory forasmuch as it was not their an mositiâ—s that had brought me thither and that therefore Agetmau was by no means a proper place for our meeting Whereupon we concluded that the next day about Noon we should meet at a Gentlemans House which was not in Monsieur de Gramont's Teâ—ritories though I told them withal That all animositiâ—s ought to cease where a Liâ—utenant of the Kings is in place In the close of the Evening then they all mounted to horse to return to Orthez when at their going away Monsieur de Madaillan entreated leave of me to go along with him and to stay two dayes there to try if he could not in that time find an opportunity to do something with fourty Cuirassiers of my Company whom I accordingly permitted to go and so they departed altogether About eleven of the clock at night as they were goâ— a little beyond Agetmâ—u they met with a Merchant of Orthez of their acquaintance who was running away and told them that they were all defeated and that Monsieur de Terride and some Captains with him were escap'd into the Castle which nevertheless they dâ—d not believe for our people were eighteen Ensigns of Foot and the Enemy were no more than two and twenty which made it seem impossible considering that ours had the advantage of the Town For this therefore they did not forbear to go forward and a quarter of a league further met with Captain Fleurdelis who had also escap'd away and told them the same thing that the Merchant had done before Whereupon they made a halt to rally such as
mind not to go to the Assault knowing very well that my death would at this time be of ill consequence if not to the Enterprize in hand yet to the general design upon that Country this fancy therefore still running in my head the morning before the Assault was to be given I said to Monsieur de Las the Kings Advocate at Agen who was of our Council these words Monsieur de Las there are some who have exclaim'd and do yet cry out that I am very rich you know of all the money I have to a Denâ—â—r for by my Will to which you are a witness you are sufficiently enform'd of my Estate But seeing the world are not otherwise to be perswaded but I have a great deal of money and that consequently if by accident I should die in this Assault they would demand of my Wife four times as much as I am worth I have here brought a particular of all the money I have at this day in the whole world as well abroad at Interests as at home in the custody of my Wife The account is of my Steward Barat 's drawing and sign'd by my own hand You are my friend I beseech you therefore if I dye that you and the Councellor Monsiâ—ur de Nort will transfer your love and friendship to my Wife and my two Daughters and that you will have a care of them especially Charlotte Catherine who had the honor to be Christned by the King and the Queen his Mother Which having said I deliver'd the Scrowl into his hands and very well perceiv'd that he had much ado to refrain weeping By this you may judge if I had not the misfortune that befel me before my eyes I have no familiar spirit but few misfortunes have befall'n me in the whole course of my life that my mind has not first presag'd I still endeavour'd to put it out of my fancy resigning all things to the good will of God who disposes of us as seems best to his own wisdom neither did I ever do otherwise what ever the Hugonots my Enemies have said or written to the contrary against me So soon as two of the clock the hour prefixt for the assault was come I caused eight or ten Bottles of wine that Madam de Panjas had sent me to be brought out which I gave the Gentlemen saying Let us drink Camrades for it must now soon be seen which of us has been nurst with the best milk God grant that another day we may drink together but if our last hour be come we cannot frustrate the decrees of Fate So soon as they had all drunk and encourag'd one another I made them a short Remonstrance in these words saying Friends and Companions we are now ready to fall on to the Assault and every man is to shew the best he can do The men who are in this place are of those who with the Count de Montgommery destroyed your Churches and ruined your houses You must make them disgorge what they have swallowed of your Estates If we carry the place and put them all to the sword you will have a good bargain of the rest of Bearn Believe me they will never dare to stand against you Go on them in the name of God and I will immediately follow Which being said I caused the Assault to be sounded and the two Captains immediately fell on wheresome of their Soldiers and Ensigns did not behave themselves very well Seeing then that those were not likely to enter Monsieur de Sainctorens marcht up with four Ensigns more and brought them up to the Breach vvhich did no better than the former for they stopt four or five paces short of the Counterscarp by vvhich means our Canon vvas nothing hindred from playing into the Breach vvhich made those vvithin duck dovvn behind it I then presently perceiv'd that some body else and other kind of men than the Foot must put their hands to the work which made me presently forget the conceit I had of being kill'd or wounded and said to the Gentlemen these words Camrades no body knows how to fight but the Noblesâ— and we are to expect no victory but by our own hands let us go then I will lead you the way and let you see that a good horse will never be resty Follow boldly and go on without fear for we cannot wish for a more honourable death We deferre the time too long let us fall on I then took Monsieur de Gohas by the hand to whom I said Monsieur de Gohas I will that you and I fight together I pray therefore let us not part and if I be kill'd or wounded never take notice of me but leave me there and push forward that the Victory however may remain to the King and so we went on as cheerfully as ever I saw men go on to an Assault in my life and looking twice behind me saw that the Gentlemen almost toucht one another they came up so close There was a large Plain of an hundred and fifty paces over or more all open over which we were to march to come up to the Breach which as we passed over the Enemy fir'd with great fury upon us all the way and I had â—ix Gentlemen shot close by me One of which was the Sieur de Besoles his shot was in his arm and so great a one that he had like to have died of his wound the Vicount de Labatut was another and his was in his leg I cannot tell the names of the rest because I did not know them Monsieur de Gohas had brought seven or eight along with him and amongst the rest Captain Savaillan the elder of which three were slain and the sad Captain Savaillan wounded with a Harquebuze shot quite through the face There were also hurt one Captain du Plex another Captain la Bastide both Kinsmen of mine about Villeneufue who had alwayes serv'd under Monsieur de Brissac one Captain Rantoy of Damasan and Captain Sales of Bearn who had before been wounded with the thrust of a Pike in the Eye There were two little Chambers about a Pike height or more from the ground which Chambers the Enemy so defended both above and below that not a man of ours could put up his head without being seen however our people began to assault them with a great shower of stones which they pour'd in upon them and they also shot at us but ours throwing downwards had the advantage of this kind of â—ight Now I had caused three or four Ladders to be brought to the edge of the Graffe and I as turn'd about to call for two of them to be brought to me a Harquebuze-shot clapt into my face from the corner of a Barricado joyning to the Tower where I do not think there could be four Harquebuzeers for all the rest of the Barricado had been beaten down by our two Canon that playd upon the Flanck I was immediately
all things and in case the Armâ—es lye near they are to make their discovery together for the one can do nothing without the other and together must bring you back an account of what is to be done for the ordering of the Battel both Horse and Foot after having viewed the situation of the place and the Grownd where the Horse is to be drawn up and the Foot also and being agreed together are to bring you back a report of all whereupon you shall in your Council conclude what you have to do but you are of necessity to ground your resolution upon their intelligence which if they be not men of experience O Sir how many Errors will they cause you to commit It is therefore very necessary that the men who discharge these Offices should have three qualities of which the first is a long experience for if they be men long beaten to the practice of Arms and that they have been eye-witnesses of some miscarriages in the Armies wherein they have serv'd provided they retein it that very observation will make them circumspect and careful of falling into the like error The second quality requir'd in men that are entrusted with these Offices is that they be bold and adventurous for your Mareschaux and Maisters de Camp of all others must not be Cowards or at least if they are not more valiant than ordinary for I do not desire they should be Rowlands they must not be afraid of blows for if these men be timerous you are not to expect that your Army should do any thing to purpose by reason that they will evermore quarter your Army in fear and apprehension and consequently alwaies encamp at a disadvantage by which means if your Adversary General be a man of Judgment and practis'd in such affairs he will easily discern your Armie to be in fear as I my self have often judg'd in exercising this Command by the meer observation of the Enemies manner of encamping and have seldom been dâ—ceiv'd Which is a thing of all others of the greatest danger forasmuch as nothing so much encourages both the Officers and the Soldiers of an Armie as to know that their Enemiâ— marches and encamps in fear The last qualitie requir'd in this sort of Officers is that they be circumspect and diligent which three qualities will render them perfect and compleâ—â— They must not be men that love to sleep a la Francoise nor slow dreaming people that are long and tedious in resolving they must have their feet hands and understandings prompt and quick and their eye evermore at watch for upon their vigilancie and providence depends the safety of the whole Armie It is moreâ—ver necessary that in the Election your Majesty or your Lieutenant shall make of such persons you narrowly pry and examine that there be no unkindness or dissimulation betwixt them for wheâ—e there is Enmity there is evermore envy and that being betwixt them tho one will never approve what the other shall do and they will be eternally in dispute from whence nothing but mischief can ensue There is no Trade so full of jealousie and jâ—ggling as this of ours and betwixt men that do not love one another there is nothing but contradiction whereas on the contrary if they be good friends the one will evermore supply the defects of the other and they will argue what is fittest to be done amicably and without doing one another the least â—ll Office for they are by the Rule of 〈◊〉 whether in quartering the Army or in discovering the Enemy to be alwaies together They are also before the Kings Lieutenant to dispute about the Quarters and to â—hew their reasons why they take them up in that place and are likewise to appoint to what Post the Cavalrie is to retire in case of a Charge whether to the Avant-Guard or â—o the Battel though it ought more properly to be to the Avant-Guard by reason that the Cavalrie is a member belonging to it It is also necessary that they judg well of the Enemies Avenues and accordingly where to plant the Artillery where to encamp the Battel and where the General shall take his place and in case of an Alarm where to plant the Guard and where to place the Centinels in short all things pass through their care and conduct When these together with him that commands the Army shall be perfect in all this and shall have order'd all things as they ought to be they can never be surpriz'd forasmuch as they shall so well have provided for all things necessary that not a man in the whole Army but will know what he has to do which being granted every one will confess that Army cannot possibly fall into any disorder for all the losses that such bodies usually sustein proceed only from negligence and supineness This good order in quartering ought evermore to be observ'd whether far off or near to the Enemy and also upon a March which being done the Army can never encounter any accident or novelty that can discompose it when the Enemy shall be near at hand but if they shall deferre to do it till necessity requires they will not find the Soldiers either so ready or so well dispos'd and besides it sometimes falls out that they think the Enemy at a great distance when he shall rise earlier than they and come to beat up their Quarters Moreover they ought in such a case to maintain a better intelligence betwixt themselves than upon a march and then the Master of the Ordnance is to be joyn'd with them and indeed upon these three persons next to the General the loss or gain of a Battel depends Judg you then Sir whether these Employments are to be dispos'd of with so great facility since the loss and overthrow of your Armies proceed from their insufficiency or negligence When ever your Majesty or your Lieutenants shall make Election of such persons your hearts ought to tremble with fear at so unadvised a choice And you ought to consider of it more than once You have Sir next your Captains of Foot to whom you give Commissions at the fancie of a Monsieur or a Madam who recommend them out of a desire they have to preferre their own Relations and Creatures and to oblige others From these Commands ill bestow'd almost as many mischiefs may proceed as from the former whether it be at the defence of a Breach or in leading a Foot Company in a day of Battel or in any other Enterprize of importance to your affairs for if he who takes upon him such a Command is not such as he ought to be he will be defeated through his own fault and all the men lost that are under his Command where the damage and dishonor will be yours and the foldness and courage of your Enemie will every day encrease Of which your Majestie both has seen and do now see the Experience At the time when I first entred into arms the
hapned before betwixt me and the Mareschal d' Anville Sometime after the Parliament of Bourdeaux writ me a Letter that the Hugonots were playing prancks upon the River Dordogne that some course must be taken with them and that therefore they entreated me to draw a little nearer to them that some order might be taken to prevent them from proceeding to greater mischief I hereupon accordingly caâ—e to la Reolle where President Nesmond to whom I was totally a stranger Messieurs de Merville de Monferran and de Gourgues came to meet me and there propos'd to me a great many things I was not to seek in my answer neither did I want sufficient excuses particularly that some promises that had been made me had not been made good to which I also remonstrated to them my Age and indisposition and moreover the said Sieurs de Merville and de Monâ—erran coming to my bed-side I shew'd them my wounds acquainting them withal with the Oath I had made never more to bear arms but in the end I could not deny them and they made me break my Oath They being then return'd to make preparation for the attacquing of Gensac I went thither Presently after Monsieur de Monferran brought a brave Troop of Gentlemen out of his Government as also several others â—ame in from other parts together with a considerable number of foot so that we carrâ—â—d the Suburbs and the Barricado's at the very first assault Messieurs de Duras de la Marque and de la Devese there went on in their Doublets only with their Swords in their hands up to the very Gates of the City which was very madly done of them for the Harquebuze shot flew very thick but they did it in emulation of one another and to shew that they were men without fear but as ill fortune would have it Monsieur de Monferran receiv'd a Harquebuze shot quite through the body of which he died which was great pity for he was a Gentleman of extraordinary valour and mightily belov'd of the Country which will find a great miss of him The Enemy seeing themselves coopt in after this manner and the Canon ready to play sent out a great Rogue whom they call'd Captain Tonnellier but a very good Soldier as it was said who capitulated and surrendred the place in which Monsieur de Rausan Brother to Monsieur de Duras was placed Governor I must now give an account of an accident that befel me at this Siege which had never hapned to me before After the death of Monsieur de Monferran I thought fit to dispose of the Command he had in the Army to Monsieur de Duras conceiving that he being a Gentleman of so good a Family as he was he would be very well accepted by all but every one was not well pleased with my choice From which another mischief also arose which was I was told that the Gentlemen who were come along with these Messieurs to serve me upon this occasion highly complained of some words which I had spoken of them as false as the Devil himself The words were unhandsome and dirty for which reason I will not blot my paper with them but they were all in so high a mutiny upon it that they were ready to mount to horse and leave me engag'd with the Canon I therefore sent to entreat them to do me the favour as to take the field bettimes in the morning where I had something to say to them which accordingly they did I was so early that I went by Torch-light so impatient I was to ease my heart where the Gentlemen being all drawn round about me with my hat in my hand I spake to them to this effect Gentlemen IT is now many years that many of you have known me having born arms under my Command both in our own domestick troubles of Guienne as also abroad in forreign Countries others also that are here present I make no question have heard talk of me of my chollerick disposition and hasty humour but I assure my self not one of you as many as you are ever knew or ever heard that I was of a detractive or an injurious nature and although I am not without my faults yet have I never been guilty of that How comes it then to pass that you have done me the wrong to believe that I should be so indiscreet as to speak of you with such contempt as I am told has been reported to you Believe me I am so far from being guilty of such an injury to you who are Gentlemen that I would not have spoken such a word of the meanest Soldier in the Army I have ever lov'd and honour'd the Gentry for under God it is they who have help't me to that honor and reputation I have acquir'd amongst men You know very well Gentlemen that in the quality I now stand I am out of Combat and therefore shall not give the lye to any but I do assure you it is nothing so and that I never utter'd such a syllable neither would I have done it for the world Methinks at this age and after having seen so much as I have done I should know what it is to live in the world and be careful of offending so many persons of honor and Gentlemen of good and noble Families Now Gentlemen I have understood the resolution you have taken to retire to your own houses for which I am very sorry as also that you dislike the nomination I have made of Monsieur de Duras Wherein I shall so far comply with your satisfaction as not to impose him upon you contrary to your liking and seeing you are dissatisfied with my choice shall no more name him to you His Majesty shall appoint some other in the place of the late Monsieur de Monferran whom I lament from my soul. In the mean time Gentlemen do not deny me this one favour at least to convoy the Canon to some place of safety which if you shall not think fit to do for my sake who have so many years been your Leader and Captain yet do it for the affection and service you owe to the King your Lord and Soveraign As for my own part I will also go retire to my own house for my age my wounds and other infirmities will no longer permit me to bear arms nor to undergo the labours requir'd in war Love me alwayes I beseech you and remember your old Captain and fellow-Souldier This Remonstrance of mine gave satisfaction to all insomuch that they all told me with one voice that in truth this story had given them very great offence it being reported to them by one that carried the name of a Gentleman but they now believ'd nothing of it that they were my servants and ready not only to convoy the Canon but also to follow me wherever I would please in command them I thought fit to commit this passage to writing to the end that those who