a sunder The Scottes basted with so fast a pace that it was thought of the most part of vs they were rather horsemen than footemen Our men againe were ledde the more with spéede The maister of the ordinance Sir Francis Flemming to our great aduauntage pluckt vp the hill then certaine péeces and soone after planted two or thrée Canons of them well nie vpon the top there wherby hauing so much the helpe of the hill he myght ouer our mens heades shoote nyest at the enimie My Lorde Protector whose peculiar charge of al this voyage was the conduct of the middle battell being cladde in fayre armour tooke his waye towardes the heigth of the hill accompanyed with no mo than Sir Thomas Challoner â–ª to tarie by the ordinaunce whereas he moughte both best suruey vs all and succour with ayde where moste hée sawe néede and also by his presence be a defence vnto the thing that stoode weakest in place and moste in daunger the which therby howmuch it stood in stead anon shall I shew But the Scottes in the middes of their swifte marche were all at a sodaine staye and stoode still a good while the cause whereof is vncertaine and then made hastily towardes vs againe I know not to saye the truth whether more stoutlye of courage or more strongly of order me thought then I might note both in their march But what after I learned specially touching their order their armour and their maner of fight as well in going to offende as in standing to defende I haue thought necessarie here to vtter Hackbutters had they fewe or none and appoynt their fighte moste commonlye alwayes on foote They come to the fielde well furnished with Iacke Scull Dagger Buckler and Swordes all notably broade and thinne and of excéeding good temper and vniuersally so made to slice that as I neuer saw none so good so thinke I it harde to deuise the better hereto euery man his pike a great kerchiefe wrapped twise or thrice about his neck not for cold but for entting In their aray toward the ioyning with the enimie they cling thrust so neare in the â—ore ranke shoulder to shoulder togither with their pikes in both handes streight afore them and their followers in that order so harde at their backes laying their Pykes ouer their foregâ—ers shoulders that if they doe assayle vndisseuered no force can well withstande them Standing at defence they thrust shoulders likewise so nie togither the forerankes well nie to knéeling stoupe lowe before for their fellowes behinde holding their Pykes in both handes and therewith in their lefte their Bucklers the ende of the Pyke against their righte foote the other against the enimie brest high their followers crossing their Pyke pointes with them forwarde and thus eche with other so nie as place space will suffer through the whole warde so thicke that as easily shall a bare finger péerce through the skin of an angrie Hedgehogge as anye encounter the front of their Pykes My Lorde Marshall notwithstanding whom no daunger detracted from doing of his enterprise with the company and order afore appointed came full in their faces from the hylles side with present mynde and courage continuing their course towarde the enimie And my Lordes grace also at his place furiously tempested aloft with the ordinance The enimies were in a fallowe fielde whereof the furrowes laye sideling towarde our men By the side of the same furrowes next vs and a stones cast from them was there a crossedich or slough which our men must néedes passe to come to them wherein many that could not leape ouer stacke fast to no small daunger of themselues and some disorder of their fellowes The ennimies perceyuing our men fast approch disposed themselues to abide the brunt and in this order stoode still to receyue them The Earle of Anguish next vs in the forewarde as Captaine of the same with an eight thousande and foure or fiue péeces of ordinance on his right side and foure hundreth horsemen on his left behinde him somewhat westward the Gouernour with x. M. inlande men as they call them the choysest men counted of their countrie And the Earle Huntley in the rerewarde welnie euen with the battayle on the left hande with eyght thousande also The foure thousand Irish archers as a wing vnto them both last in déede in order and first as they sayde that ranne away These battelles and rarewarde were warded also with ordinaÌ„ce according Edwarde Shelley Lieutenant vnder my Lorde Grey of his bande of Bulleners was the first on our side that was ouer this slough my Lorde Grey nexte and so then after two or thrée rankes of the former bandes But badly yet coulde they make their race by reason the furrowes laye trauerse to their course That notwithstanding and though also they were nothing likely wel to be able thus a front to come within them to hurt them as well bicause the Scottishe mens pykes were as long or longer than their staues as also for that their horses were all naked without bardes whereof thoughe there were right many among vs yet not one put on forasmuch as at our comming forth in the morning we looked for nothing lesse than for battell that daye yet did my Lorde and Shelley with the residue so valiantly and strongly giue the charge vpon them that whether it were by their prowes or power the lefte side of the enimies that his Lordshippe did set vpon though their order remained vnbroken yet was compelled to swaye a good waye backe and gyue grounde largely and all the residue of them beside to stande much amased Before this as our men were welnie at them they stoode very braue and bragging shaking their Pyke poyntes crying come here Loundes come here Tykes come here Heretikes and such like opprobrious wordes Our Captaines that were behinde perceyuing at eye that both by the vneuennesse of the grounde by the sturdie order of the enimie and for that their fellowes were so nie and streight before them they were not able to any aduauntage to maintaine this onset did therefore according to the deuise in that poynt appointed turne themselues and made a soft retire vp towarde the hill againe Howbeit to confesse the truth some of the number that knewe not the prepensed policie of the couÌ„sayle in this case made of a sober abuised retire an hastie temerarious flight My Lord Marshall Edwarde Shelley little Preston Brampton and Gerningham Bulleners Ratcliffe the Lorde Fitzwaters brother Sir Iohn Cleres sonne and heire Digges of Kent Ellerker a Pencioner Segraue Of my Lorde Protectors bande my Lorde Edwarde his Graces son Captaine of the same bande Stanley VVodhouse Conisbie Hergill Morris Dennis Arthur and Atkinson with the other in the fore ranke were not able in this earnest assault both to tende to their fight afore and to the retire behinde the Scottes agayne well considering hereby how weake they remayned â–ª ranne sharplye forwarde vpon them and
noble men present at this Counsell who afterwarde came to the estimation of great Captaynes Andrew de Altauilla of the noble house of Capua Hugh of Cardonna Theodore de Trivulzi and of the Spanyardes Emanuell Benauides Peter Pâ—ces Alberade and Pennalosa who being very desirous to fight prayed Gonsalues that he woulde not distrust the prowesse of the Souldyers and promising to behaue themselues valiauntly adhorted Ferdinande to commaunde the armie to issue out of the Towne Seminara standeth high and from the Towne runne there hylles along vnto a little valley the whiche sendeth forth a riuer out of a lowe botome at this vale beginne the Champeine fieldes whither the Frenchmen were now come from Terranoua Ferdinande marching thrée miles along the hilles came to the riuer and lodging his footemen on the hither banke vppon the lest hande and all hys Horsemen béeyng stretched out along like vnto a wing on the right hand looked when his enimies would passe the riuer Ouer right againste the footemen of their enimies dyd Obegny and Persiue set their Switzers being cast into one battaylion they placed the foot men of the Calabrians behinde them as it were to succoure them and deuided betwéene them the Horsemen who were little lacke of foure hundred men of armes and after the order of the Frenchmen twice as many light Horsemen and passing ouer the riuer in a square battell made towardes their enimies The Spanishe Horsemen séeing that set spurres to their Horses and chéerefully ranne foorth and when they béeyng ouermatched both in armour weapons and strength could not make the thicke battell of the men of armes to giue ground giuing a shoute began to turne their Horses and after a Spanishe kind of sight to retire vnto their fellowes with fetching a round compasse that both discouraged the heartes of the Arragonian footemen thinking theyr horsemen had bin discomfited by the enimie and so fledde backe and also encouraged the Frenchmenne couragiously to presse on them so that Obegny on the right hande and Persiue on the lefte hotely charging the battell of the footemen with theyr Horsemen disordred them before that the Switzars coulde bende their pykes towardes them and many of them being ouerthrowen quite cat-stered the whole â—attell Ferâ—â—â—â—â—sse 〈…〉 aâ—â—â—â—ting hys Souldyers to returne into the battell like a valiant Horseman ranne vppon his enimies accompanyed with certayne men of armes of his seruauntes and brake hys Launce on the brest of a Frencheman of Maâ—â—â— and anoâ—e after béeing ouerwhelmed with the multitude of his enimies was forced to â—â—ée béeing pursued of many by reason of his crost and guilt annour but ouertaken by none when sée the such his Horse foundering threw him downe headlong into a very narrowe place in a hollow way neither were the frenchmen farre off from hym béeyng encombred with hys Horse lying vpright vppon hym and hys foote â—â—taugâ—â— in the stirrops when Iohn brother vnto â—adrâ—w â—tiaâ—â—â—â— came to his helpe and of entieâ—â—mis worthy of eternall memorie offered him his owne swifte Horse to saue his life vpon whome Ferdinander as he vauâ—ted excellently well spéedely leaped although he were in heauie â—â—fâ—plete armoure and so escaped the enimie But Aâ—â—â—uilla being on foote was anâ—ne after staynâ— by the Frenchmen â—â—egry hauyng stayne a great part of the footemen lodged not farre from the place of enâ—oâ—â—tes so â—â—atâ—â— was said that he little knew how to vse the victorie bycause he neyther pursued so manye noble men among whome was the Cardinall of Arragon nor incontinently brought his victorious armye before Semiâ—â—â—â— through the whiche leysure both the noble men and the King came by dyuers wayes in safetie vntoothe Shyppes and Goâ—salues also who by valiauntly fightyng and by repayring the array in many places had doubtlesse saued many entred the Towne and carryed away the baggage and all the better part of the furniture of the Camp and then gote hym to Rezo the Frenchmen afterward pursuing him in â—â—yne The Battell of Eboli fought in the Kingdome of Naples betvveene Persiue Chiefetayne for Charles the French King and Thomas Carafa Rarie of Matalone Generall for Ferdinande the King of Naples in Anno. 1495. KIng Ferdinande and the greate Gonsalues béeing escaped as yée haue heard out of the battell of Seminara the king embarking his power that was lefte sayled 〈◊〉 the Citie of Naples where he was receyued in by the well willing Townemen and many noble men Arragonites repayring vnto hym he straightely besieged Monipensier the Frenche Viceroy and other in the Castel the which he had entrenched round And also the great Gonsalues hadde repayred hys power at Hezo out of Sicile and warred on the Calabrianâ— Monpensier signifyed vnto Obegny and Persiue that he was not able to hold out long vnlesse that ayde were spéedyly sent vnto him eyther by sea or land Vpon this they sent for the noble menne that were of the Aniou or French faction â–ª to repaire vnto theÌ„ with their hands and also gathered togither their dispersed people and then deuiding the army Obegay went against Gonsalues and Persiue with Bernardiue Sanseuerino Prince of Besignino who had brought a cornet of Horsemen and four hands of footemen hasted to Naples came to EBOLI a towne not far froÌ„ the riuer of Cochile standing vpon a very high hir and enclosed round about with a déepe valley Ferdinand hauing intelligence of the french mens comming hadde sent his Captaines power thither before to let the passage of the whose way lay by Salerne himself remained at Naples to the end he might be presente at the parle of the FrenchmeÌ„ who séemed willing to entreate of taking truce and yéelding vp the Castel The General of the kings army was Thomas Carasa Prince of Matalone a man vtterli ignoraÌ„t of forraigne warfare but thers were with him many good warrioures amoÌ„g theÌ„ Venazi D. of Camerino Lucas Sabello who knowing whiche way the Frenchmen mynded to trauayle and hauing diligently viewed their power gaue aduice with small iourneys to followe at their enimies héeles who marched directly to Salerno to cut off their victuals and not to ioyne in battell wyth them before that a place of disaduantage hadde taken and offered them to be oppressed or else which séemed to be best incontinently with all spéede to take the Towne called the little Lake and the inhabitants thereof being commaunded to abandon the Towne and to set it on fire that the enimie might not vse the victuals and bouses thereof and then to marche spéedely to Salerne before the Frenchmen But the rest of the Captaynes and Souldyers contemning the small number of their enimies dyd burne with so great desire of fight that béeing incited by a foolishe courage they cryed out that it was not for the dignitie of the King and of so great an army that the victorie which they almost held assuredly should be sought not by the right way opeÌ„ prowesse but by going about the bushe and dastardly suttletyes Moreouer
this rashnesse of many dyd the gouernement of the hastie Chiefetayne augmeÌ„t who had brought nothing into the field besides approued fidelitie and the name of his renowmed house for he reproouing those that were set to followe warie counsels and not all vpon lustinesse and honor sayde What my maisters neither are the Frenchmen now adayes those auntiente Heroes whome Fraunce for their miraculous strength of body hathe celebrated in their sabulous Poemes neyther are we altogither women armed and garnished after thys manlike guise so that we must doubt to set vpon and ouercome these Barbarians walking with drunken traine as soone as euer we sée them And immediately after he had thus said he commanded Proclamation to be made that euery man shoulde make hymselfe readie and bridle his Horse and after the third watche all the army issued out of Eboli Persiue and the Prince of Besignano hadde passed ouer the riuer of Cochile by a bridge anone after the breake of the day and marched towards Salerno but when they saw theyr enimies they retired backe aboue thrée furlongs that they myghte raunge their battels in a more indifferent place and there layde their left side close vnto a mightie woâ—â—â— that adâ—â—yneth with the open fieldes that their small army might not be enclosed round aboute by the multitude of their enimies for they were scarce one thousand Switzers who being backed with eight hundred Calabrian footemen made a square batallion and close to the side of the footemen stoode the Horsemen being of Frenchmen and Italians of all sortes a thousand But the Earle of Matalone following the olde order which hath oftentimes destroyed the Italians deuided his army into fyue battels the which were stretched forth in leÌ„gth from the middle battell with equall front like vnto direct wings In the middle battell was he himselfe and Lucas Stabello flanked on the left hand with a thousand Spanyards and on the ryght with thrée thousand Italian footemen But in the vttermost wings were on the one side Venanzi the Duke of Camerino and on the other Hierome de Tutauilla the Earle of Sarno with eyther of them their companyes of Horsemen for thys purpose that as soone as euer the Earle of Matalone shoulde charge the Switzers on the front with his footemen and the French Horsemen with his Horsemen Venanzi shoulde euen then get betwéene the Frenchmen and the wodde with his Horsemen and the Spanyardes and on that side valiantly inuade them and at the very same tyme the left wing should be ledde by Tutauilla vpon the side and backe of the enimie the reason of this deuise was not absurde if that the heartes of the Souldiers and the mouings and goings of the battels whome fortune maketh subiect vnto a thousand chaunces did fully aunswere vnto the counsels and commaundementes of the Captaynes as it then happened For besides that the Arragoman battels were vnwisely placed full against the beames of the Sunne rising whyche did very much dazell their sight yet they séemed also to be vnaduisedly raunged for that the raunges standing a small distance one from an other had neyther strength ynough to abide the shocke neyther yet had euery ranke space ynough lest to turne about their front if néede should be but that one should be encounbered and disordred by an other but that whiche was a greate detriment and iâ— warfare vtterly to be detested the Sâ—â—â—lâ—yers being ouerlustie and cranke as freshe water Souldioâ—â—s commonly are and hauyng neyther learned to be obedyent 〈◊〉 to fighte well discharged neyther duetie of discipline For as soone as euer the great ordinance was shot off farre from them certaine of the Horsemen lustie and braue Gentlemen that they mighte intercept from the rest of their fellowes the honor of approoued prowesse without commandemeÌ„t charging their staues did out of aray one after another runne their Horses vpon their enimies whose charge when the Frenche Horsemen had receiued with the strong front of their vnshaken battell many of them being broched vpoÌ„ their enimies launces cast off from their Horses were slayne all the rest incontinently ranne their Horses backe agayne amaine lighting vpoÌ„ the Spanish footemen disordred their battell and draue them vpon Venanzi his wing of Horsemen in suche sorte that they not onely brake the rankes of the Horsmen but also threw them downe to the grouÌ„d Besides at that very instant the Arragonian footemen running apace gaue with like rashnesse the onset on the Switzers for when some of them bearing Targets hadde hurled their iauelins they drewe their swordes and other bare eyther boarespeares wyth eares or rhompheyes with an hooked head of iron that would cut on both sides they coulde not come vnto the body of the Switzers squadron for their long pykes and therewithall followed suche a change of courage that they whiche euen now ranne forthe wyth singular fiercenesse and surpassing chéerefulnesse incoÌ„tinently turned fearefully backe namely when that their Horsemen ranne in among them Persiue being astonied at the miracle of so great a chaunce that he mighte not fayle vnto Fortune who vehemently fauored him contrarye to hope did valiaÌ„tly set forward couragiously running ouer the heapes of men and Horses falling downe did within the space of halfe an houre which is almost incredible quite ouerthrowe the power of his enimies and that almost without anye wounde of hys owne Souldyers welnéere all the Italian footemen were slayne by the Switzers and with them also a band whiche hadde bin leuied at Naples of the Ruffians and cutters of passing hardinesse there also perished valiauntly fyghtyng whén the rest turned their backes these stoute petito Capthynes Henry a Gentleman of Consieâ— Lewes Sqâ—arcia and Vincent Capeâ—â— The thicke woddes through the whiche the armed could 〈◊〉 easily goâ— defended the Spanyards and light and nimble fellowes withoute armoure But the Earle of Matalone and the rest of the Captaines hauing lost many of the Horsemen shamefully fledde vnto Eboli But when they were hardly receiued in at the gate and the french Horsemen pressed at their backes Venanzi a man of a constant conrage stoutely susteyning the inuasions of the enimie in the hindermost tayle and fighting valiantly was there slayne Furthermore the rest of the Horsemen being in number almost thrée hundreth fetching a compasse thorough very yll wayes came flynging vnto the foregate of the towne but the townesmeÌ„ were so amazed with feare that no maÌ„ would suffer the gate to be opened nor was moued with the daunger of their friendes holding vppe their suppliant hands vnto the walles to saue their liues But as the Frenche had become victors through the vnskilfulnesse and cowardise of theyr enimies so through their fatall slouth knewe they not how fully to vse the victory For Persiue lost the occasion offered to destroy the Horsemen perhappes bycause not surueyng round about the vtter â—iâ—châ—s the situation of the towne he brought his power only â—nto the broade gréene that lay before the towne wondering
were comming forwarde in arraye of battell Whervpon some counselled the King to take downe his tentes but the King said I wil this day that my fielde be made and sette in as royall wise as may bee and all my riche tentes sette vppe whyche was done Then the King called the Lorde Darcie and commaunded him to keepe his fielde treasure ordinaunce and other stuffe who was loath to goe from his maister but by straight commaundement Then euery man prepared hymselfe to battell resorting vnto the standard the horsemen marched before the footemen by the space of a mile still came Curriours bearing tidings that the French armye approched The King bad set forward in the name of God and S. George The Almaines that serued the King séeyng this to what purpose it was not knowen suddaynely embattayled theÌ„selues on the left hand of the King and left the front or brest of the Kings battayle bare As the King was thus marching forward towards the battaile to him came the Emperoure Maximilian with thirtie me of armes he and all his company armed in one sute with redde Crosses then by the counsayle of the Emperoure the King caused certaine fielde pieces to be layde on the toppe of a long hyll or banke for the out-scourers Thus the Kings Horsemen and a few archers on Horsebacke marched forward The Kyng woulde fayne haue bin afore with the Horsemen but his Counsayle perswaded him the contrarie and so he tarried with the footemenne accompanyed with the Emperoure The Frenchmen came on in thrée rankes sixe and thirtie mens thicknesse and well they perceyued the Kings battaile of footemen marching forward the Earle of Essex Captayne of the Horsemen and Sir Iohn Peche with the Kings Horsemen and the Burgonions to the number of eleuen hundreth stoode with banners displayde in a valley The Lorde Wallon and the Lord Ligny with bastarde Emery Burgonions and their bands to the number of foure hundred Horsemen seuered themselues and stoode asyde from the Englishmen so then the Englishmen were but seuen hundreth yet they with banner displaied remoued vp to the toppe of the hil and there they mette with Sir Henrye Guilforde with an hundreth tall Archers on Horsebacke whiche had askryed the Frenchmen Nowe on the toppe of the hill was a faire playne of good grounde on the left hand a lowe wodde and on the right hand a fallow fielde The Lord Wallon and the Burgonions kept them aloofe then appeared in sighte the Frenchmen with banners and standerdes displayed Then came to the Captaines of the Englishmen of armes an English officer of armes called Clarenseux and sayd in Gods name set forward for the victorie is youres for I sée by them that they wyll not abyde and I will goe with you in my coate of armes Then the Horsemen did set forward and the archers alighted and were et in order by an hedge all along a village called Bomy the FreÌ„chmen came on with thrée and thirtie standerdes displayed and the Archers shotte apace and galled their Horses and the Englishe Speares set on freshly crying Saint George and fought valiantly with the Frenchmen and threw downe their Standerdes the dust was great and the crie more but suddaynely the Frenchmen shocked to their Standerdes and fledde and threwe away theyr Speares Swords and Maces and cutte off the bardes of theyr Horses to runne the lighter When the hinder part saw the former part flie they fledde also but the sooner for one cause whiche was this As the Englishmen mounted vp the hyll the Horsemenne of Albany commonly called Stradiotes were commyng downewardes on the syde of the hill before the Frenche host whych suddaynely sawe the banners of the English Horsemen and the kings battayle following vpwarde thinking to them that all hadde bin Horsemen then they cast themselues about and fledde the Frenchmen were so fast in aray that the Stradiotes coulde haue no entrie and so they ranne still by the endes of the raunges of the freÌ„ch army and when they behinde sawe the fall of the Standerdes and theyr Stradiotes in whome they had greate confidence returne they whiche were farthest off fledde fyrste then vppe praunced the Burgonions and followeth the chase whyche was pursued thrée myles Thys battell was of Horsemen to Horsemen but not in equall number for the Frenchmen were tenne to one whiche had not bin séene before tâ—me that the Englishe Horsemen got the victorie of the men of armes of Fraunce The Frenchmen call thys battell The Battell of Spurres bycause they ranne away so fast on Horsebacke This Battell was fought the sixtenth of August in the whyche was taken the Duke of Longuile the Lord Cleremonde and manye other noble men to the number of twelue score and also all the standerdes and banners which with the prisoners were broughte to the Kings presence The Burgonions kepte their prisoners and brought them not to sight The same wente that Monsieur de la Palice was by them taken and let goe But the other syue thousand Horsemen that had bin appoynted to inuade the Earle of Sherewsbury came not downe but only skirmished with Sir Rice ap Thomas But the Citizens sallied and were valiauntly beaten backe by the Lorde Herbert After this victorie the Citie yéelded as also not long after dyd the famous Citie of Tournay ¶ Flodden fielde fought betweene Iames the fourth King of the Scottes and Thomas Earle of Surrey Generall for Henry the eyghte Kyng of Englande in Anno. 1513. out of Paulus Iouius WHilest Henrye the eyghte Kyng of England thus molested the Frenche Kyng in Fraunce Iames the Scottish King incited by the Frenche King and also egged on by hys owne naturall hate towarde England which he well hoped now in the absence of the Kyng greately to annoy proclaymed warres against the King of Englande and withall entred hys lande with a great armye besieged Norrham Castell tooke it and made it leuell with the grounde and from thence marched wasting wyth fire and sworde to besiege the strong towne of Berwike In the meane time the Earle of Surrey whome King Henry for his approued fidelitie and prowesse had left behinde him in Englande hys Lieutenaunt with a power to kéepe the borders towards Scotland leuying an army went against the Scotte who miserably wasted all the Countrey There were with him the Lord Dacres warden of the West marches a renowmed man for all martiall prayse Edward Stanley and Bastard Heron which Heron brought with him a strong troupe of Horsemen which he being of late banished both from England and Scotland had cunningly trained in robberies and other with aides whiche were leuyed in all partes by the Quéene for at the bruite of the newe warres not only the countreys néere vnto the Scots as lying opeÌ„ to the daunger but also the shires farre off of their owne frée willes rather for hatred than feare hasted to the Earle all men taking very vnpatiently the iniurie of violating the league lately concluded betwéene the two Kyngs Iames
had then lodged his armye on the toppe of an hill whyche the inhabitants do call Floddon in a place very strong both by arte and nature for on the left hand a great marishe and slimie gulfes ouergrowen with tuffes of Willowes did possesse all the playne vnderneath the hill On the right hande ranne the riuer of Tyl at the foote of the hill with déeper Chanell and swifter streame than coulde be passed ouer by foorde Their backes were defensed wyth stiepe hylles and very thicke woddes But at the front where nature had only left a gentle comming vp and only way vnto it king Iames had cast vp a ditche and placed all his ordinance on the inner banke thereof and so strongly defensed himselfe that to be entrenched round or assaulted from the lower ground he could not without pernicious encounter When Surrey was come thither he woÌ„dering at the iniquitie of the place thought it not good to assault the Kings Camp but sent an Harauld vnto the Scottishe King with a message the summe wherof was this That king Iames in breaking the solemne oth of peace and in polluting the rightes of most holy inuiolable kinred and affinitie by inferring warres vnto Henry when he was nowe absent by burning his Townes wasting hys Countreys and murthering hys Subiectes when they feared no such thing had done most wickedly cruelly therfore he was come with an armye to reuenge the saide iniuries King Iames himselfe should choose an indifferent place and certaine day to darreine battell for he woulde without any staying or doubting giue him battell as soone as euer he would permitte any equalitie Then Iames as he was a Prince of a stately stomacke and tryed hardinesse courteously speaking vnto the Harrolde thanked Surrey and openly commended hym that of his owne accord he desired the fielde whereas he had long feared with wofull and troubled minde that he would by all sleightes rather haue auoided the same and therefore according vnto that courage he should make readie his weapons and the thirde daye after expect the araunged battels of the Scottes in the open fields that there he woulde seuerely sette in iudgement vpon those iniuries whiche he hadde vntimely and reprochfully mentioned and at the daye prefixed make an ende by annes both of all olde and new controuersies Surrey was encamped in a playne thrée miles from the enimie and there raunged his army but Iames although he were ready to fight yet kept hymselfe within his campe and munitions bycause all the most expect of his nobilitie much misliked to ioyne in battell but aboue all other the Earle of Huntley than whome there was none in that army accompted eyther more valiaunt or more politike spake in the counsell Chamber so loude that the guard also might heare him that there was nothing more foolishe or vayne than to fight at the appoyntmente of the enimie and at his will and pleasure to aduenture the fortune of a pitched field that the King should kéepe hymselfe in that commodious place and by lingering â—lude his fierce foes considering there was in the eminies camp greate penurie of bread neyther could victuals be easily brought out of the inwarde partes of Englande the way béeyng very foule by reason of continuall raine that had fallen that the King within short time by sitting still and doing nothing rashly should not misse to fight very fortunately and giue the enimies beyng tamed by the iniquitie of the place and lacke of victuals a safe slaughter vnto his Souldyers Besides these words of HuÌ„tley many things accompted for foretokens although they were thought to be vayne and procéeding of chaunce hadde stryken Religion and new terror into the Kyngs heart for as he was sytting in counsell with the Captaynes deliberating about the manner of the battayle an Hare lept out of his tent and being stryken at with a thousand weapons escaped vntouched through the middes of the station Moreouer the Myce had grawen asunder the string and buckle of his headpéece and the report went that the vayles of his inner tent were in the morning besprinckled with a bloudy dewe When the King for these causes came not forth into the field Surrey who for sundry incoÌ„modities could no longer stay in those morish foule filthy places neither dyd think that the King would fighte vnlesse he were compelled by extreame necessitie dislodged and leauing the enimie on the left hand and passing ouer the riuer of Tyl marched vnto a better place at the ende of Barme wodde that he mighte there in a more fertile and safe place refreshe hys Souldyers whome with greate iourneys and thinne dyet all those thrée days he had sore wearyed and in the meane time expect new power and according to the mouings of the enimies who had with their multitude filled the next hylles he likewise should follow a new trade in administring the warres Nothing deuided the two Campes but only the Riuer of Tyl neyther dyd eyther partie absteyne froÌ„ tempesting with great ordinaunce and other shot But a hill at the hither side of the riuer rising vp gently a mile high serued Surrey to great vse for it defended the front of his Campe from all iniurie of the enimies ordinaunce From that hill Thomas Lord Howard Surreys son a yong Gentleman of passing prowesse surueying the hilles the lay about it vpon whome the enimie was encamped and the playne beneath sheweth his father that the Scotte might easily be excluded from Scotlande or else being gotten out of his strong lodging be brought to fighte if he woulde agayne transport hys army ouer Tyl in that place where before he had come ouer and fetching no greate compasse aboute woulde shewe hymselfe on the backe of the enimie as farre within as the streightes of the hyll woulde suffer Surrey who hadde whollye bente hys mynde to fyghte sente certayne menne verye skilfull in the Countrey and also in martiall discipline to viewe the place who vppon theyr returne when they reported vnto hym the verye same and hys sonnes counsell was confirmed by all mens opinions hée incontinently commaunded the army to dislodge and thrée miles from thence passed ouer the Riuer by two bridges in two companyes at one time But Iames coniecturing Surreys intente least by remayning still on those hylles and beeyng intercluded from Scotlande muche agaynste hys dignitie hée should léese frée libertie to forage and therewithal too whyche hée thoughte muche apperteyned to reteyne his authoritie least by detracting the fyghte and béeyng lyke vnto one besieged he should séeme to repose more trust in the place the munitions than in the prowesse valor of hys Souldyers straight way dislodged and marched directly to take the nexte hyll whereof hée greately feared hys enimie would haue preuented him but it was broughte to passe thorough hys owne celeritie and the industrie of the drudges of the armie who had at the Kyngs departure as was commaunded them fylled all the Countrey with one smoke and blacke
madnesse Drawe your swords therefore with me and cutte the throats of these freshe water Souldiours and be ashamed not to goe thither for feare of death whither ye shall see mee your Captaine leade you the way for renowne and glory The souldiours succlamed vnto the Oration of the king yet speaking with the clashing of their weapons and dissonant cries wythout any longer delay the king first sending out of sight his own horse and then al other doing the like to the end that all mens peril being made equal all hope of flight quitetaken away as it is the manner of that nation hee might shewe both his strength of bodye and valiauncie of minde diuided all his power into fiue battels for this reason that the midle battell wherin was his chiefe standerde shoulde be guarded on both sides with two battels as it were with wings In the right were the Earles of Huntley Craforde and Montrosse in the lefte the Lorde Hume and the erle of Lennox and Arguile reported to bee experte menne of warre He had ordeined a knight to be captaine of euery band and with them certaine Frenche captaines whome King Lewes had sente into Scotlande a little before to teach them the discipline of war and all the ordinaunce which coulde serue to no greate vse down the hill being bestowed in a fitte place hee himselfe stoode in the middle battell againste Surrey Nowe had Edmunde aduaunced the foremoste bandes vppe the hill when the ordinaunce on both sides being shotte off and the firste rankes disordered Hume brought downe hys speares on foote who lay wyth so furious force vppon the Englishemenue commyng vppe the hill that the valiauntest of the ring leaders being slaine and Edmunde stroken downe they had turned almost all that battell into flight And nowe was thereâ—â— hope to abide the handes being both affrighted and also defeated vnlesse that in so greate daunger on one side Bastarde Heron a renowmed man for his wonderfull strength of body and noble courage and embrued with his own and hys enimies bloud had lifted vp Edmund and from another parte Dacres beeyng intentiue to all sodayne chaunces of the battell had sente an hurlewinde of horsemen ouerthwarte the side of the enimies And therewithall the Lorde Howarde also comming after with the moste chosen men the battell was without doubt restored and courage was rendered vnto the vanquished So the fortune of the battell béeyng made equal and then mo Englishemen comming still vppe bande after bande the afflicted beyng intermedled wyth the freshe beganne wyth emulation of prowesse to aduaunce the front of the battell vp the hill Nowe when they were come vnto the strengthe of the Sedttes and bothe sydes foughte almoste wyth greater hatred than strength Montrosse and Craforde commyng into the foremost rankes to encourage the Souldiours were there slaine valiantly fighting and the esquadron of the speares on foote was broken through scattred slain and vtterly defeated by the horsmen and footmen But in the lef wyng almoste at the same tyme Stanley being ioyned in battayle hadde won the hill of the Scottes and with the multitude of his arrowes lighting thicke vppon them had brought them into that case that nowe they foughte not close togither but their rankes beeyng loosed and thynne and as menne that soughte to auoyde the shotte their ensignes beganne to sweye and shrinke hyther and thyther Whiche when Stanley perceyued he fetching aboute thrée bandes of succour vppon the open side of the enimies broughte so greate terrour that they were not able to susteine their violent charge and stande to it but incontinentely fledde and running headlong downe the hill hidde them selues in the Woddes There Arguile and Lennox reteyning wyth voyce and handes the enclined battell were slaine In the meane tyme Kyng James who hadde a little before ioyned in battell wyth Surrey as soone as he sawe that the arraye of his menne was disordered in the wings and his enimies were spreadde abroade rounde aboute hys skyrtes adhortyng the bande that was appointed for his guarde and the olde souldiours and the noble men that were aboute him that they would doe nothing vnworthye of themselues nor their auncestours broughte his battell into the middes of hys enimyes So that a newe battell arose againe afreshe and sharper than the firste bycause all this Scottishe battell being well armed had very wel susteined the arrowes of the Englishemen and certain Captaine of the foremost rankes being slaine had perced almost to the Englishe ensignes There were on both partes very tall men chosen by both Captaines for the supreame and laste chaunces of the battell and the fight as it must needes bee in such a case was diuers and doubtefull one whyle to the one and another whyle to the other prosperous and deadly The King hymselfe fighting on foote before the ensignes mayntayned the fight wyth greate pertinacie inflaming some with praise and other wyth shame finally crying out to them all with diuers encouragements that since now they had gotten their enimies they should be reuenged on them with sworde and woundes the which thing they had so greately desired and so gréedely thyrsted after On the other syde Surrey when the best of hys Souldiours were eyther slayne or wounded contended with greate valor still wythdrawyng the wounded into the hindermoste rankes very earnestly encouraged his men to bring the battell to the dint of sworde and where the enimies moste vrged there also fought he moste stoutly But whilest this hotte conflicte lasted at the ensignes with vncertaine euent the lorde Howard and Stanley who hauing defeated theyr enimies at both wings came victors vnto the middle battel turned their powers vppon the enimies charging him in two quarters and therwithall in very good tyme Dacres ranne vppon the backes of them with a very thicke troupe of horsemen so that when the Scottes were slaine on the from the sides and the back and being wearied with laboure and woundes coulde not breake through for the heaps of slaine carkasses weapons and armours they being on eche side enclosed were forced to fight in a ring But when the Kyng saw his chiefe standerd throwen downe and Adam Forman that bare it slayne before his face then doubting nothing but that he muste immediatly dye that he might deliuer his harte from imminent reproches ranne foorth vnto the thickest of his enimies and there was slaine fighting very valiauntly Nor farre from him certeyne greate men of the Church contending with equall pertinacie and prowesse were likewise slaine One Archebishoppe twoo Byshoppes and foure Abbots and of noble men and men of marke for dignitie of knighthoode and honours of warfare thirtie sixe Hume and Huntley getting horses in this tumult through the benefit of the night approching escaped into Scotland wyth the hindermoste bandes and battells whiche consisting of a very cowardly kynde of Souldiours had not stroke one stroke There were slaine that daye about eight thousand Scottes and almost so many taken but all the ensignes were
them for the fleing Almaines and least they should else haue disordered the whole battell hee also commaunded Pescara to turne heade wyth his Spanishe footemen towardes the Venetians There was with Liuiano Andrew Lauridame the Venetian Legate or Prouiditori a vehement man neyther lesse greedy of reuenge than of glory but one altogyther vnskilfull of the wars He hearing good newes from all partes of the auauntâ—urrerâ— hasted vnto the Generall as he was vehemently stirred vp with the sharpe affectes of hope and griefe and sayde vnto him Why linger you Generall the enimies escape an assured and notable victorye will slippe out of our handes it will rather be accompted falsehoode than cowardise if that you linger any longer neyther can this opinion bee taken awaye vnlesse you do incontinentlye commaunde the signall to be giuen and pursue with all your power the fleing and disordered ennimie Then Liuiano turning towardes Hugo de Pepoli and Guido de Rangoni saide let vs aduenture though rashly yet nobly the footemen of battell seeing that ouer greate power of superioritie doth ouercome reason least if I be to daye wary and considerate I shall anone after being accused before the seignory of cowardise or treason and oppressed with wrongfull hatred be putte to death by the aduerse and malicious voices of the vnskilfull as was vnlucky Carmagnola That be vttered these speches wee lerned of those that were present at thou Then causing the signall to be sounded he pursued the enimies with three battels the leading of the right and lefte wings whiche were both of light horsemen had Antonio Pio and Bagleone but the middle battell wherein were the men of armes and Sacramoro Visconti Guido de â—â—â—â—goni and Hermes Bentiuogli he himselfe conducted The battels of the footemen marching also wyth equall pâ—â—e 〈◊〉 the one and the other side of his battells the horsmen on both sides encounter very fiercely and nowe Liuiano fleing hether and thether and trying out that this day would be the ende of theyr laboures and the begynuyng of theyr dewardes hadde enkindeled his Souldioures with so greate dessce to vanquishe that many of them pierced thoroughe the thickest of their enimyes euen vnto theyr Ensignes and stryuyng to bryng them awaye and bryng strongly resisted tore thou into péetes and slew Ebrardde Cornia the enfigne bearet of Mâ—â—tiaks company a valyant olde Gentleman and his couragious sontie But whylest the horssemen thus encounter togyther in the scoute wyth equall hope and feare on bothe sydes Prospere rode vnto euery rancke encouragyng them and commaunded Pescara to aduauntee forwarde on the one syde wyth hys Spaniardes and Landaw on the other wyth his Launsqueneti and to charge the footemenne of the ennimie the whyche they did wyth suche furie that the bandes of Babo Brescehelli whome Liuiano had for the opinion of then notuble prowesse placed in the foremoste cankes scarse once attemptyng the encounter turned their backes almost before they had scene their enâ—â—â— although their Captaines men of singular dalor endeuoured by incouraging threatning beating to make them abide sought themselues very valiantly in the forfront where they were slayn also among whom were John Bernardino Alezzo Seraphino Alfonso Mâ—to Phillippe Carsoleio Aniball de Simoni and Baptista Docto who had placed aboute him a crewe of very valiaunt Souldiours choser out of diuers hands which were all staine by Pescara who there valiauntly coughte on foote before hys Spaniardes with apike in his hande Then the middle battel of the Venelian horsmen being bared on one side of their footemen began first to be driuen barke and being vrged more sharpely anone after with slaughter to bee put to flight neyther coulde the disordeted battell be repaired or made to staye when the foremost rankes were slaine although that all the valiauntest horsemen eudeuoured to their vttermoste to suâ—eine the impression of their â—minses So that when al suche as resisted were slaine the ensignes were throwen doâ—â— and namely the ensigne of 〈◊〉 the which Authony Monâ—oâ— had long time valiauntly kepte but at the last lost it togyther with hys life and at the same bruÌ„e Sacramoro and Hermes being vnhorse â—â—were slain by the Launce quenetz But Pescara Gentlmanlike saued Otho Visconis brother vnto Sacramoro althoughe there had bene before a priuate quarrell betweene them Nowe when the horsemen of the right wing sawe the middle battell wherein they reposed all their hope of victorye and that whyche they thought should beare the brunte of the battell slaine and put to flight they shamefullye burling awaye their armour and weapons ranne awaye amaine and Antonius their Capitayne appressed wyth the wayghte of hys armour was drowned in the Riuer of Becchilio The right wyng also wyth like cowardise didde the like for when Paule Baglione hadde not brought aboute speedily enoughe the right wing by reason of the moorishe and slimy grounde where vppon he had lighted by going about to enclose the enimie Liniano also had more hastily attached the battell than he had thought he would it came to passe that his souldiours seeing the slaughter and flight of other of their fellowes and also distrusting their owne strength fledde away whole and vntouched Yet in the front although that feare and flight had taken the bartes of all the souldiours many valiaunt Captains whilest for the dignitie of their martiall scruice passed they endeuoured to reteine the souldiours to keepe the array and grounde were at length fighting couragiously slaine beeyng for saken by their souldiors and enclosed by the multitude of theyr enimies But Paule Baglione hauing loste his twoo base brothers Troiano and Hierome and all his horsement seattered in vtter dyspayre fledde awaye and lightyng on a marrishe was taken by the Spanishe horsemen In the meane tyme Liuiano althoughe hee were forsaken of Fortune and lefte alone by his Souldioures still ratyng them for fleeing yet went busily about to renew the fyght but at lengthe beyng broken in hearte and spente in strengthe hee fledde and came to Padoa The reste of the Capitaynes were almoste all taken in the chase or slayne by the Almaines who spared no man and many also were drowned in the riuer of Bachillie for when they came wearye vnto the Ryuer eyther they were or owned in the streame or wer ouertaken and oppressed by the enemy as they stoode deliberating whether it were best to passe it or no. And thus they perished by diuers chaunces The Lansquenetz also the Spanishe footmen breaking theyr arraye pursued the flight slaying those that the horsmen running before had ouerthrowen or whom the throng of them that fled and the heapes of armours and weapons Wyth whom they euery where met had hindered or stopped Andrewe Lauredame Prouidirou a â—â—ant vnworthy of that calamitie if he had not bene the vnlucky authour of that vnfortunate battel was taken and albeit after he was withdrawen he promised a mighty masse of golde for hys raunsome yet was hée moste cruelly stayne by a raskall droudge
deliuered and ridde of the greatest feare and mightiest daunger and séemed to haue nobly susteined men of so greate valor yet being hofull for the feare that remayned and as it were the laste care exspected the ende of the troublesome night and vncertaine fortune Neyther did he giue greater reste vnto his bodye whiche was wearyed with the weight of his armour and was scortched for thirste and continuall toile than pulling vppe his beauer to take breath leane a little while vppon a greate péece of ordinance whilest that his horse was chaunged And then incontinently tourning to the charges of a chieftaine sent vnto Liuiano to come vnto hym wyth his armye and anone drewe in and made his Campe lesse After that the deuise hadde béene liked of the Captaynes to whome he had imparted it and bycause that the enimy professed the place where his fore warde had stoode he placed within a better defenced plot aboue sixe thousande Almaines at the banke of the ditche and commaunded them to guard the ordinance which he had commodiously planted there in greate abundaunce And in another quarter he ioyned a great number of horsemen with himselfe and willed Burbon and Alencen to admoue the firste and thirde battells vnto his side wyth equall order and front so that hée standing full butte against the enimy did as the place required stand in stéede of the fore warde and vsed the two other battells placed on his lefte and right sides as it were for wings Neyther farre from that place had Nauarro and a greate multitude of Almaines encamped pitching downe their ensignes in the grounde bycause when the battell was broken off by the going downe of the Moone they coulde learne neither the forme of the Campe nor the kings counsell and purpose The King that hée might viewe with his owne eyes howe the ditches stoode and how broade the fielde that laye betwéene them and the highe waye was roade foorth with a few horsemen within the sight of the enimy and anone the darke vanishing by little and little into the dawning the King went to encourage the Almaines whome being erected by greate promises he adhorted to finish the battell by fighting a little while and to take the rewards of victory alredy gotten He also full of assured hope and couragiousnesse vehementely enkindeled them by rehearsing the iniuries and discomfitures that the Switzers had don and giuen the Almaines rather through the benefit of fortune and the greate aduantages of times and places than by true prowesse Wherefore they shoulde persuade themselues that this was the proper and ready occasion to reuenge the Massacre of their kinsfolks and fellowe Souldiours and also the meane for to shewe by valiaunt actes that as the Almaines did excell them in nobilitie and faithfulnesse so neyther woulde they graunt vnto these clownes the martiall glory for valor and skil in armes And also vsing the like spéeche he adhorted the French horsemen not to degenerate from their forefathers who had in former ages excelled all nations for seruice on horsbacke Neyther were the batells ranged among the Switzers with lesse hope courage although the greatest parte of the souldiors as they had with diuers chaunces lodged in sundry places ye within the munitiōs of the enimy being refreshed with no succour of meate did hardly with fierce hartes susteine their fainting limmes For the victuals that by the procuremēt of Gonzaga shold be brought from Milan in so shorte time namely in the night seasō which doth cōmonly hinder hast in all doings could not bée brought vnto them timely enough made redy And also most of them when their breakefaste was offered vnto them anone after the breake of the day being called to the battell by the noise of the drummes and the roaring of the ordinance left their meate desired before and also néedefull to repaire their strength At the beginning dyuers Capitaynes assembled togyther among whom was Haisler Focte a famous mā for the honor of his age and the cognisaunces of his office and Chezze Amman who had serued in the fieldes aboue forty yeares pety Captayne ensigne bearer Captaine in chiefe and had wonne singular praise in the forefront at that famous battel at Nancey in the which the Switzers slue and destroyed Charles the Duke of Burgongne and al his power These men whether adduced by consideration of the greate losse that they had receyued or hauing intelligence of the departure of diuers of their fellows and also now séeing through the benefit of the light the greate disaduauntage of the places iudged it to be beste to abstaine from battell thinking that they had gotten estimation ynoughe by yesterdayes encounter for to breake the hauty heartes of the Frenchemen But after they had gone aboute in vaine to stay by dissuading praiers the ensignes which were now aduanced foreward and to retein them by standing against them in the way they should goe they also yéelded vnto the fate and wilfulnesse of the souldiours So Rafe Segne Visembach of Vnderwalden Vlderick Iock Zambron desperate captains of singular valour ordering among them selues how they would attache the battell made towardes the enimy in two companies or battells The formost and greatest battallion wherein was placed the ensigne of the Canton of Zurich the whyche is of highest dignitie among the Switzers hasted directly agaynste the Kings battel the which we told you stood in the mids The other company which had stoode vpon the right hand a little beneath the houses of the village that was burnt fetching a greater circuit about began to bende towardes Alencon the Captaine of the rereward for this entent that when the auaunt guarde had turned the king and the strength of the French army vpon them they might with furious charge sette vpon the side of Alencon who was entrenched with weaker munitions and defenced wyth lesse guard and his battell being broken through they myght perce into the syde of the lefte wing and the backe of the kings battell But vnto an other multitude of their fellowes who were encamped in a fielde on the lefte hande on this side the high way they appointed no certaine charge of attaching fighte bycause they were thought to consist of Cantons being of small fidelitie but did sette them thrée hundreth paces from the reste ouer right against the right wing wherein Trivulzi and Burbon gouerned When the Switzers had gone forwarde an arrowes shoote the Frenchemen in continently at one instant time shooting off all the kings ordinaunce vpon them slue so many of them with singular celeritie that they whiche hadde taken counsell of foolishe hardinesse were punished for their rashenesse before that they coulde come to hande strokes yea or approche vnto their enimies Now since this chaunce had caused an horrible wastenesse and slaughter in the middes of the Switzers so that there was no longer one body of their battallion their rankes being torne parte of them that feared the second volée began to
without any mercie slue euery man of our men that abode furthest in prease and a sixe me of Bulloners and other than I haue here named in all to the number of xxvj and most part gentlemen My Lord Grey yet and my Lord Edwarde as some grace was returned againe but neyther all in safetie nor without euident markes they had bene there for the one with a Pyke through the mouth was raced a long from the tip of the tongue thrust that way very daunger ously more than two inches within the necke my L. Edward had his horse vnder him with swords wounded sore I think to death Like as also a litle before this onset sir Thomas Darcie vpoÌ„ his approch to the enimies was stricken glauncing wise on the righte side with a bullet of one of the field péeces thereby his bodie brused with the bowing in of his harnesse his sword hilts broken and the forefinger of his right hand beaten flat euen so vpon the parting of this fray was sir Arthur slash at with swords so hurt vpon the wedding finger of his right hand also as it was counted for the first part of curing to haue it quite cut away About the same time certaine of the Scots ran out hastily to the kings Maiesties standard of the horsmen the which sir Andrew Flammake bare laying fast hold vpon the staffe therof cried a king a king that if both his strength his hart his horse had not ben good hereto somewhat aided at this pinch by sir Rafe Coppinger a Pencioner both he had bene slaine the standard lost which the Scots neuerthelesse helde so fast that they brake and bare away the nether ende of the staffe to the burrell and intended so much to the gayne of the standard that sir Andrew as happe was scaped home all safe and else without hurt At this busines also was my Lord Fitzwaters captaine of a number of demilances vnhorst but soone mounted againe scaped yet in great danger and his horse all hewen Hereat further were Cauerley the standard bearer of the men of armes and Clement Paston a pencioner thrust ech of them into the leg with pikes and Don Philip a Spaniard in the knée Diuers other mained and hurt and many horses wounded beside By this time had our fore ward accordingly gotten the full aduantage of the hils side and in respect of their march stood sidelong toward the enimie who neuerthelesse were not able in all parts to stande full square in aray by reason that at the west ende of them vpon their right hand and toward the enimie there was a square plot enclosed with turfe as their maner of fencing in those partes is one corner wherof did let the square of the same aray Our battel in good order next them but so as in continuance of aray the former part thereof stoode vpon the hilles side the tayle vpon the plaine and the rerewarde led by the Lord Dakers of the north wholy vpon the hill so that by the placing and countenaÌ„ce of our armie in this wyse we shewed our selues in a manner to compasse them in that they should no way scape vs the which by our power and number we were as well able to do as a Spiders web to catch a swarme of Bées These vndiscrete gadlings that so fondlye brake aray from the horsemen in the retire as I sayd ran so hastily through the orders and rankes of our fore ward as it stood that it both there disordred many feared manye was a great encouraging of the enimie The earle of VVarwicke who had the guyding of our fore ward right valiantly had conducted the same to their standing there did very nobly encourage and comfort them bidding them pluck vp their hearts and shew themselues meÌ„ for there was no cause of feare But to return vnto the Scots they were somwhat disordred with their coÌ„ming out about the slaughter of our meÌ„ the which they did so earnestly then entend that they tooke not one to mercy but more they were amased at this aduenturous hardy onset My Lords grace hauing before this for the causes aforesaid placed himselfe on this Fauâ—siae Bray thereby quickly perceiuing the great disorder of these stragâ—ng horsmen hemd the in froÌ„ further straying who sir â—â—se Vaâ—e sone after with great dexteritie brought in good order again therewith the rest of our strengths by the policie of my Lords grace diligence of euery captain officer beside were so aptly applied in their feate that where this repulse of the enimie retire of vs was doubted of many to turn to the danger of our lesse the same was wroughte according as it was deuised to our gayne and victorie For first at this slough where most of our horsemen had stood sir Peter Meutas captaine of all the hackbutters afoote did very valiantly conduct place a good number of his men in a maner at the faces of the enimies Wherevnto sir Peter Gamboa a Spaniarde Captaine of two C. hackbutters on horsebacke did readily bring his men also who with the hot continuance of their shot on both partes did so stoutly staye the enimies that they coulde not come further forwarde then our archers that marched in aray on the right hande of our footemen and next to the enimie prickt them sharply with arrowes as they stoode Therewith the maister of the ordinance to their great annoyance did gall them with hayleshot and other out of the great ordinaunce directlye from the hill toppe and certaine other gunners with their péeces a flanke from our rerewarde most of our artillerie and missiue engines then wholy thus at once with great puissance and vehemencie occupied about them here with the full sight of our footemen all shadowed from them before by our horsemen and duste raised whome then they were ware in such order to be so neare vpon them and to this the perfect aray of our horsemen againe comming couragiouslye to set on them a freshe The miserable men perceyuing themselues then all to late howe much too much they were misenformed began sodenly to shrinke Their gouernour that brought them firste to the bargaine like a doughtie Captaine tooke hastily his horse that he might runne foremoste away The Earle of Anguishe and other chiefe Captaines did quickly followe as their Gouernour ledde and with the foremost their Irishmen Therewith then turned all the whole route cast downe their weapons ranne out of their wardes off with their Iackes and with all that euer they might betooke them to the race that their gouernour began Our men had founde them at the first and sharply and quickly with an vniuersall outerie they flée they flée pursued after in chase amaine and thereto so egerly and with such fiercenesse that they ouertooke many and spared in déede fewe Before this at the time of our onsette came there Eastwarde fiue hundreth of their horsemen vp along thys Fauxside â—raye
fauourer of the Emperour Which caused Charles to sende the Marques of Marinian his Lieutenant in Milan with a power to besiege Sene the whiche he was forced to discontinue when Strozzi inuaded the dominions of the Florentine whome the Marques sought by all meanes to defend and made Strozzi to retire againe into Sene out of the which he came againe after that his power was so augmented that he had two thousande Gascognes and so many Switzers two thousand fiue hundreth Lansquenets sixe thousande Italians and about one thousande horsemen with intent not to refuse to ioyne in battell with the Emperials if that anye good occasion shoulde be offered althoughe that they were xiiij thousand footmen of Italians Spaniards and Almaines and one thousande fiue hundreth horsemenne partlye men of armes and partly light horsemen Betwéene these two hostes passed manye bloudie skirmishes and namely one vpon the xxviii of Iulye in the whiche continuing ten houres were one thousande and two hundreth slaine on the French side and of the Emperials aboue foure hundreth But when both armies had long lodged verye neare one vnto another they were in great distresse for water for the which they must continuallye fight when eyther men or horses néeded it Moreouer the souldiours being pinched with penurie of victuals tyred with the continuall toyle of skirmishing the armies lodging so neare togither many weried with this warfare dropped away out of the campes by little little so that both armies began therby to be much weakned Thē the Marques of Marinian made proclamation that al men that would depart from the Frenche campe shoulde haue safe passage through the Duchie of Florence and if they woulde serue the Emperour they shoulde haue better intertainment than the French king gaue them And like kind of liberall promises did Strozzi also cause to be published On the first of August they skirmished againe in the which conflict both the horsemen and the footemen of the Emperials hauing the better strake no small terror into the heartes of the Frenchmen But when Strozzi sawe that by the Italians their slyding away from him he was brought to weake for his enimie he went about by little and little to withdrawe his hoste out of daunger sending his cariages and ordinance before but yet so that he woulde not only not séeme to fléee but also of his owne accorde to offer the battell vnto his enimies the whiche yet he thought he shoulde auoyde bicause it was so neare night But his counsels being knowne of the Emperials were infringed by them for they incontinently followed him in aray of battell and light harquebusiers were sent before to haggle on the backes and tayle of the Frenchmen and to hinder their marche vntill that the Emperiall horsemen coulde ouertake them who were gone forth vnto the riuer of Thiane for water The Marques egerly pursuing and following Strozzi thus ordered his armie He did cast the Almaines into a square battell placing the Spaniardes vnder the conducte of Iohn de Luna in the left wing and the Italians in the right But the Earle of San Fioria stoode with all the Horsmen on the left side at the foote of the hill called Womens hill ouer right against the French horsemen But thus were the French battels aranged A thick battallion of Italian footemen stoode vpon the Womens hil directly against the Spaniards an other of Gascognes and Frenchmen and a thirde of Switzers the horsemen were sette opposite to the Emperiall horsemen and were guarded with seauen hundreth harquebusiers Strozzi had before him Martiano behinde him Luciano on his lefte hande Fogliano and on his right diuers other townes When both the armies stoode thus aranged in order of battell and the Marques was doubtfull whether he shoulde trye the fortune of the battell that daye or no he was impelled through many reasons and specially by the Spaniardes to determine to fighte wherefore after he had giuen the signall he gotte him vnto the rerewarde For séeing hée foughte almoste agaynste his will hée thought if that anye yll lucke happened hée woulde prouyde for hys owne safetye but if that all thinges succéeded well then he woulde encourage his souldiours to folowe the victorie As soone as the signall of the battell was giuen the Conte of San Fiora passing ouer a ditche that ranne along the playne gaue the charge on the Frenche horsemen who were all ledde by the Earle of Mirandula They fighte fiercelye on both sides but the French men being inferiour in number and also ouermatched by reason of the strength of the menne of armes althoughe they were garded with harquebusiers were put to slighte and defeated the which happened bicause that Bighet fledde with the chiefe guydon as soone as euer the enimie gaue the onsette When thys had happened sooner than coulde be credited San Fiora fearing that there was some ambushe layde woulde not at the firste suffer his horsemenne to pursue his fléeing enimies as the reason of the victorie required But afterwarde when he certainelye vnderstoode that it was a true slyght and not a feygned he graunted his horsemenne leaue to followe the enimie in chase whiche when Strozzi sawe he vtterly casting awaye all hope of the horsemenne and their repayring of the fight séeing that the pursuing of the Emperialles woulde graunte them no place to strengthen their course and to staye and stande and vnderstanding that hée shoulde be enuironed rounde aboute on all partes if he dyd come downe into the playne but on the other side if that hée stoode still on the hill he shoulde be verye greatly annoyed by the ordinaunce of the enimies and besieged he of necessitie determined to aduenture a pitched fielde And bicause the streightnesse of the place did so require he reduced his thrée battels into one battell for that at neyther side there was anye vse of harquebusiers who had in their often skirmishes spent all their pouder and emptied their flaskes The Emperials standing still expected the cōming charge of the French men and namelye séeing the Frenche footemen and Switzers came forwarde verye lustilye and couragiouslye the Emperialles vsed the benefit of a good déepe ditche that ranne crosse the playne neare vnto the banke whereof they placed their foremoste rankes for it was iudged that they which shoulde firste passe ouer the ditche woulde come into great difficulties and giue an easie victorie vnto their enimie by reason of the going downe and climbing vp againe of the ditch Now séeing that matters of verye great importance are sette before wyse Chiefetaynes as the glorie of their armies Empyre the safetie of their subiectes and all humane felicitie they oughte to be moste circumspecte in all things that doe appertayne vnto their honour and the safetie of their people and to prouyde and foresée that those things whiche are profitable and good for them if that they cannot gette themselues yet then at the least to be sure that they suffer not their ennimie to haue them
him to very seldome and also for to lodge his ordinance on the small hilles that were at the ende of the plaine he made the battell too aduaunce more on the right hand as if he woulde take towardes Eruaux whereof he gaue the charge vnto Lodowick Conte de Nassau to whome he deliuered thrée Canons and one Culuerine The auauntgarde was on the left hande drawing towardes the riuer a little lesse forwarde than the battell whereof he himselfe did take the charge and conduct hauing with him Puygressier la Noué Telignie and certaine other who had the charge of two Canons two Longues two Muschats And the Conte de Mansfelde the Chiefe of the Reysters of whome he had distributed almost the one halfe into the battell as also of Lansquenets whom Granuillrers conducted All of whome hauing kissed the grounde made protestations one vnto another for to enter-succour eche one the other and to dye in the place rather than to recule and giue backe The Admirall hath had one fashion very familiar if it be not to be called a strategemme of warre which is in generall fight and battell aranged for to enlace the footemen with the horsemen in this sort After he had chosen the best footemen for Enfans perdus he woulde set them in the heade of euerye ranke of horsemen for to shoote and that too with assurance at the horsemen that woulde come to encounter his horsemen seeing that euerye harquebusier might alwayes according vnto the place the time and the persons recharge thrée or foure tunes As also it is not possible but that the rankes of the horsemen on the other side must be well lessened and made thynner and also that their partie comming vppon the enimie to recharge them shall if they be good men haue such an hande of them as they will themselues Neyther are the footemen that begun the attache thereby in any distresse or daunger for their horsmen will defende them if anye will recharge them and in the meane time they will finde meane to saue themselues if they be alone on a plaine or else couer themselues with some baskets or trenches if the places be proper therefore Here he practised againe this forme of fight but a little altered from the former as we shall declare vnto you In disposing of his horsement he separated the Cornettes as well French as Almaines intermedling two of Reisters wyth two of French as the hindermoste rankes of the auantgarde were Those companies of his owne men of armes and of de Aâ—ier who conducted his owne in person were flanked on the right side with two Cornets of Reysters whiche were a little more aduaunced and kept still their forme of batallion On the left side of those French Cornettes was Captayne Ramiers with his company of harquebusiers for to serue for Enfans perdus and on their side fiue and twentie or thirtie harquebusiers on horsebacke of the garde of D'acier all these harquebusiers stoode a little more forwarde than the Cornettes More higher drawing alwayes towards the right hand was the domesticall Cornet of the Admirall and two or thrée other that he himselfe woulde conduct flanked on the one side with foure or fiue Cornets Almaines ouer whom Mansfelde commaunded and on the other with two companies of harquebusiers of Doge and an other captaine But foure or fiue companies shoulde fight before the Admirall who were therefore a little farther aduaunced The rest of the auantgarde still aduauncing themselues a little more forwarde in forme of batallions euen vnto Mony and la Noué who were in the heade or fronte with their regimentes were followed by the lyke number of Reysters And so likewyse was the battell aranged the which was in aray standing higher on the right hande drawing towarde Eruaux Although that all these troupes did one stande more forward than another yet this was not in right lyne and in heade but brawing towarde a directe line to the ende that the Admirall who stoode at the bottome and ende of all his troupes might sée a farre the disposition countenaunce and dismarche of the Catholikes and vppon a sodeyne puruey according to the occurrence But although that all these troupes were so varied and interlaced yet neuerthelesse they might go to the charge all togither or a part as they woulde themselues without one impeaching of the other namely séeing the Reisters had requested that they might not be any whit hindred at their first dismarch For the Reister vsing another and diuers waye and maner of fight from the Frenchman in incountring his enimie can not endure any troupe to be neare him bicause they will breake his course for the Reister fighteth in this sorte When he doth sée himselfe neare ynough vnto his enimies the firste ranke doth aduaunce vpon them and when he hath shot off his Pistolet he doth not runne still in forwarde as doth the Frenche man who doth still pursue his point but more shorte on the right hande or on the lefte according vnto the place where he is and so is also spéedilye followed by the seconde ranke that doth the verye same Then the thirde followeth the seconde to giue the charge as soone as euer he séeth him departed that stoode before him All the rankes following one another in such maner euen vnto the last the hindermoste runneth they fighting with Pistolets onely for to come vnto their fore ryders they standing all along one at anothers tayle And for as much as it is impossible but that when they doe present themselues some of them or else their horses be slaine therefore as soone as euer one of the foremost ranke is séene to fall downe he that is in the seconde ranke directlye behinde him that is departed or else disabled must take his place and he of the thirde ranke must furnishe the voyde place of the seconde and so the rest in lyke order so that they alwayes make their foremoste rankes of the most assured for in all things namely in feates of armes the beginning is of greatest moment You see the reason why the Admirall had thus disposed hys men neyther was this forme and disposition profitable onelye for this regarde but also was very auantagious for the Reisters For the French horsemen woulde impeache them that woulde come against their Reisters from ouerrunning or breaking them and also woulde giue them large libertie to recharge and returne vnto the encounter And on the other side when the French men shoulde sée that the Reisters Catholikes charged their Reysters and namely when they should turne as also the Reisters Protestants woulde doe to recharge their Pistolettes then woulde they run vpon them lustilye and breake them at their ease I say that all of them shoulde not haue leysure to recharge For séeing they haue nothing to fight with but their Pistolets when they haue discharged they are halfe deade and namely when they sée their rankes broken In this battayle the Reysters Catholikes and Protestants entercharged one
the other but if that lot had giuen that the Reisters Catholikes had charged the French men they might easily haue bene broken For the Frenchman that still followeth his point doth easily breake that ranke of the Reisters which he findeth going about to rally and recharge And through this forme of fight many Reisters Catholikes ended their dayes in this iourney and not onely by this meane but also by that which I haue before declared that is to wit the shotte of the harquebusiers on foote that were intermedled with the horsemen Such was the disposition and ordinance of the horsemen of the Protestants As for the footemen those that were in the auantgarde were inmasse or plumpe hauing the forme of one grosse battallion which the Lansquenets made vnder the charge of the Baron of Grenelesee and of Granuilliers flanked on two sides with the regiments of harquebusiers Frenchmen ledde by Piles Rouiuray Briquemaut the younger de Ambres and du Chellar Moreouer this battell was susteyned by foure troupes of horsemen as well Frenchmen as Reisters ordered as I haue shewed before The footemen of the battayle made another battallion composed of the harquebusiers of the regiments of Beaudine Mombrun Blacons Mirabel and Virieu susteyned as before And also these two bodies of footemen had their harquebusiers in their front who as Enfans perdus shoulde giue and receyue the first blowes as they were conducted by their Captaines who wente before them They had not one Pyke among them a weapon the best and most necessarie that a footeman can deuise to beare and such an one for a footman as the Launce is for an horseman as we will shewe at another time by Gods helpe The Colonels and Captaines of euery bande were a little auanced for to encourage their men all the armie was clothed in white The Protestants stoode still not mouing out of their places and it séemed that they woulde haue bene well contented to haue bene dispenced with for fighting that day the which thing some men aduised Yet many presuming that which afterward hapned vnto them sayde that a Generall which hath his troupe readie for the shocke ought not to stay for the charge and that this had alwayes bene holde for an assured Maxime among the old Fores of times past And for proofe more certaine the Confederates themselues had marked that in all fightes past they had done better when they charged first than when they expected the dismarch of the Catholikes Nowe you haue séene the estate and disposition wherein the armie of the Protestants expected that of his Excellence who by the aduise of the most olde practised warriours of his troup disposed his armie after the manner that I shall tell you He being a little aduaunced in the playne and hauing caused certayne of the principall Captaynes to come vnto him disposed his troupes after the Frenche fashion whiche is to deuide the masse of an armie into two parts which they doe call an auantgarde and a battell Diuers times if that the armie be verye great they make thrée and to these two adioyne a rerewarde for to susteyne those two foremoste troupes if they shoulde chaunce to be ouerthrowne and to succour the bands that shall haue néede and also for to reallye as well those that for long fight haue lost or stragled from their Engsines or for to staye them that flée and to constrayne them to make heade The auantgarde was composed of horsemen as well Frenchmen as Almaines and Italians Of Frenchmen were the Prince Dauphin the Duke of Guise Martigues Chauigny la Valette and many other Captaines the troupe of whome was no lesse than two or thrée thousande horsemen Of the Almaines the regimentes of the auantgarde of the Conte of VVestambourg the two other regimentes of the Reingraffe Bassompierre their troupes mounting neare to two thousande horse Of the Italians the Conte of Saint Fiora the Conte Paule Sforza the Contes Disci Santelle and many other with their troupes who amounted to few lesse thâ—Ì„ thousande horsemen almost all very good and well appointed The footemen stoode in the forme of one grosse batallion which was made by the regiment of the Switzers ledde by the Colonell Clery which should haue bene of eyght thousande but it was brought to foure through the long trauayle and wearynesse of the warres Fiue regiments of harquebusiers French men and Italians for to flanke them on two sides conducted by the Captaines la Barthè Sarlabouâ— les deux Isles and he of Onoux And bicause that the playne was faire and large the artilleriâ— was departed into two eyght péeces for the auantgarde and seauen for the battell and layde at the heade of the battallions Before these troupes of horsemen and the footemen there was aduaunced after the Frenche fashion a good number of yong men as well horsemen as footmen for to scrue for Enfans perdus and attach the fight first Ouer all these commaunded the Duke of Montpensier who made his auantgarde to kéepe this order The Switzes and their flankes of harquebusiers as men readye to come to the charge were set vpon the right hand and before them aduaunced Martigues who shoulde charge first after that the Enfans perdus of the horsemen whom he had before him had giuen their first charge Martigues was followed by the Prince Dauphin who being accompanied with Chauigny hadde on his righte hande the Conte de San Fiora Marie and Paule Sforza brothers with Charles de Birague followed by their regiments for the most part Italians Behinde the Prince for to susteyne all that were before marched the Duke of Montpensier hauing on his side two thousande Reisters conducted by the Lantgraue of Hessen the two Contes Reingraffe brothers the Conte de VVestambourg de Bassompierre and Scomberg who ledde eyghtene Cornets And bicause that the Duke of Montpensier did doubte that the Switzers who were on his right hande woulde not charge at all if that they were not flanked and susteyned by French horsemen appointed for their left side the Duke of Guise la Valette and manye other Captaynes wyth their companies who shoulde assure them against all hazarde All this masse went furiously to the charge togither as I will shewe you after that I haue represented vnto you the battell The which was composed of the Dukes de Aumalle de Longville Mareschall de Cossé Tauennes the Marques of Villars who had before receyued in gyfte of the King the state of the Admirall of Fraunce la Fayette Mern Colonell generall of the Switzers de Toré his brother sonnes of the late Constable Carpauallet la Vauguiâ—n and Villequier Vatan Vesigny de Maily Gouernour of Moutreul Greau and manye other Captaynes the companies of whome coulde amounte to no fewer than thrée thousande horse of fight Of the Almaynes were the Conte Mansfelde cousin to the Protestante who conducted and ledde fiue Cornettes of a thousande or twelue hundreth horse whome the King of Spaine had sent the Marques of Baden
who had about one thousande and certayne other particulars Likewise the battell had well neare foure thousande Reisters The footemen were in the like maner distributed as they were in the auantgarde in one battallion of Switzers whome Colonell Phiffer ledde and before him Mern Colonell generall of all the Switzers hauing on their wings the Burgonions and the Spaniardes which the Catholike king had sent vnto his Maiestie and foure regiments of Frenchmen conducted by Cossins yong Monluc Gohas and Rance who had seauen great péeces before them Ouer all these commaunded his Excellence who had a little behinde him on the right side the troupes of the Marshals of the fielde for to rally and moreouer to doe their deuoyre in that whiche shoulde be likewise thought néedefull All these battallions had their Enfans perdus in their front as I haue sayde of the auantgarde Nowe ye shall sée the order that euerye companie hath in the battell for to dismarch when that the signall of fight shall be giuen I will take my beginning at the person of his Excellence for the good lucke that he brought vnto the whole armie Monsieur woulde be betwéene the Marques of Baden and the Regiment of the Switzers And therefore when it was vppon the point of the charge he commaunded Duke du Aumalle to leade the Reisters of the Marques who were on the right hande Mareschall de Cosse with his companies and the Conte de Mansfelde with his Cornettes garded the Switzers on the left side Before his Excellence Carnauallet had fiftie Gentlemen for to charge first Behinde on the right side of his Excellence was Biron with his fellowes Mareschaux of the fielde and their troupes Such was the disposition of one and the other armie such was the araye and order which euerye companie had for to go to the charge Nowe it remaines for to declare howe the two armies began to dismarch to charge and to encounter one the other as furiously as any man hath séene who â—â—ganâ—t and howe For it is to be noted that although the bodies of the two aâ—â—nâ—â—â— were diuided into two partes that is to wit into an auaâ—â—garde and a battell according to the French fashion yet neuerthelesse they had incamped themselues in such a place and so disposed the companies of euery Captaine that they might fight all togiâ—her at one time as it also now happened for the auantgarde of his Excellence had no sooner marched but that the battell whiche Monsieur himselfe conducted began to buskle theselues to go vnto the charge as I shall tell you hereafter otherwise than the most part of the auncients haue vsed to doe whose battels did moste commonly attende the happy or vnhappye successe of the auantgarde Wherein a man may note the promptitude of the spirites and courages of this time in respect of the simplenesse and slownesse of the auncient ages It is to be noted that his Excellence had encharged Biron to make readie the battels whilest that he being accompanied with the Dukes de Aumalle Longville Cosse Tauennes Villars Fayeâ—te Carnaullet and many other mounted on an hill for to be somewhat neare to iudge of the countenance and deliberation of the Protestants But bicause he was counsayled not to go any further he retired Then Tauannes on whose iudgement he reposed himselfe for the conduct of his armie suppliantly desired him to let him alone in going further that he might be able to giue vnto him more certaine aduise He hauing ouerrun with his diligent eye the principall of the armie Protestant came to finde Monsieur and assured him of the good fortune that he shoulde haue if it woulde please him to giue battell But if sayde he we shall neglect it now another time the like will not be offred vs nor an occasion of so great aduantage Let them marche in the name of God with all diligence without breaking the order of the battels The which aduise was receyued of his Excellence giuing God prayse and with very great chearefulnesse as his face seemed to testifie and the enterprises that he tooke in hand did witnesse afterwarde vnto all those that did followe him The two armies were not so soone in a readinesse but that they discouered one the other all in grosse anon after eyght of the clock on Monday morning Then the Canon of the battell Protestant began to play shooting so right that it lost not one shoote Those of the Catholikes answered them soone inough with a far greater noyse but with lesse dommage for mostlye they shotte too lowe or too high and also the footemen and the moste part of the horsemen of the Protestantes laye so vnder the defence of the playne in the little valleys that were in that quarter that of thrée shottes the Catholikes lost one or two although they alwayes shot thrice against once of the Protestants The artillerie of the auantgarde came also at the same time to salute one another and interaunswere and debate who shoulde vomite most bloude most slaughters and most mischiefes doing equal deuoyre vnto the ordinance of the battels Whilest that the great thunder made it selfe to be hearde in all quarters many horsemen disbanded themselues out of their rankes as well of the one partie as the other some for to skirmishe other for to sée the effect of the Canon and some for to vewe more better and nearely the scite and the forme of the Campe of their aduersaries yea and there were also some that sought out their kinsefolkes and frendes and talked togither as well of the euent of this iourney as of the occasions that had moued them to followe that part which they maintained but the best aduised woulde not departe from their ensignes both bicause they woulde not put themselues in the mercie of the Canon who taking from him the féete and heade of his horse woulde make him loose the good happe to assiste so notable a battell as also for that they considered that they had alredy inough to doe for their parts and that one ought not to wearie himselfe before the time of fight and to tire his horse as Vegece mocketh pleasantly some Romaynes of his who wold come vnto the fight quite out of breath Tauannes who had learned the commoditie of all places of the fielde and the wayes of all the quarters tolde Monsieur that it was néedefull to make the battels to retire a little on the lefte hande as well to take the large and aduantagious fielde to the ende to haue greater ease and libertie to fight and to cut off the way froÌ„ the Protestants if they would retire towards their conquests as also for to saue the troupes from the furie of the artillerie the which did marueylously endammage them The which gaue occasion vnto the Admirall to chaunge the encamping of al his troupes and to stand more on the right hand vpon the waye to Moncontour and Eruaux as it were to make a barre for the Catholikes if that they would
followe them that commaunded them not and I will speake only of those that were most chafed for to fight All these fellowes being empeached by rickling one another so neare coulde not sée at all the dismarches and the cruell affronts of two thousand Reisters Catholikes and of the companies that assisted the Admirall as well Frenchmen as Almaines When these battallions sawe that they were nere to the encounters the Protestats caused their harquebusiers to auance crying vnto them that they should not shoote but at the horses but with all assurance The whiche although they did shot off at fiftie pace the foremost giuing place vnto those that folowed yet they coulde not shoote off so soone but that the Reisters were already come to the charge The foremost of whome directing their ranges to run vpon the French Protestants who were on the side of their Reisters were couragiously receiued and ouerrun at the first blowe as well bicause the nature of the Frenchman is such that if he once ioyne he will still go farther as also for that the harquebusiers had already well clered and thinned the rankes of the Reisters by slaying and hurting many before hand who were able to giue no farther forward than the place where they had bene so nearely touched The Reisters Catholykes not marching togither nor charging with one and the same trot but being distributed by regiments and susteyned by French horsemen the one companie of them attached the Admirall who was assisted by the Conte of Mansfelde and the other charged the two companies of men of armes of the Admirall and de Acier who were followed by two or thrée Cornets of Reisters These charges were hote and very furious for all men an both sides and much more cruell on the side of the Catholikes than on the other by meanes of the harquebusiers Protestants who liuely tasted the Catholikes Some died in the field other felte themselues so hurt that they were not able to go any further neyther had any strength to fight And bicause of the crie At the horses fellowes at the horses Many of the beastes were so pricked to the quicke that they coulde neuer serue afterwarde When that these footmen had giuen euery man his blow they founde the horses of the artillerie who were retired into that quarter neare vnto them I doe beléeue they were not slouthfull to vse them presaging it may be the fearefull and long flight which they were neare vnto The rest prouided and made the best shifte for themselues that they coulde At that charge the Admiral was hurt betwéene the nose and the ball of the chéeke through the fault of those companies that had bene ordeyned for to couer him and fight before him who bicause they had taken the charge sooner than they ought he founde himselfe so intermedled among the Catholikes that if the Conte de Mansfeld retaking the charge and with him foure or fiue Cornettes of Reisters had not repulsed them the Admirall had neuer got out but had come vnto the curtesie of them that loued him little This being done the one and the other retired a little for to rallye themselues vnder their ensignes and afterwarde to returne to the encounter This first rencounter was mortall vnto manye Catholikes through the meanes and occasions aforesayde so that they séemed to leaue the Confederates almost in the possession of good fortune For in doede some of them then aduancing themselues vpon the Catholikes cried out victorie victorie as though she had slipped out of the handes of his Excellence But this crye profited the Protestants nothing for it séemed that the Catholikes had no lesse assuced themselues of their forces than of the good houre that assisted them as you shall heare Yet bicause they were seene to be put to flight it made manye ensignes accompanied with a great number of Catholikes to retire whom the Protestantes rallying themselues vnder their Ensignes thought to haue charged if that a freshe râ—â—â—ment that made as though they woulde charge the Protestantes their Reisters who had now rallyed themselues had not caused them to stay But bicause ye haue your eyes so fast fixed on the slaughters of the auantgardes ye cannot sée howe the battell dismarcheth by the commaundement of his Excellence Whose great felicitie coulde not suffer so long rest although he were vncertaine of the successe of his auantgarde which was nowe come to hande strokes yet he durst to leaue his tranquilitie and abandon all his whole state vnto the greatnesse of his fortune which had alwayes vntill that day smyled full merily vpon him Séeing then that he coulde not abide to expecte vntill the footemen had begun the game he made a sodaine departure from the right side vnder the conduct of the Duke de Aumalle the Marques of Baden and with all his Reisters the which Marques ranne in so farre before the rest that he was there slayne and many other for companions of his mortall charge Yet this was a small matter but Monsieur himselfe whether his nature hote and boyling in martiall prowes did sollicite him to enter the battell or whether besire to laye the armie of the Protestantes on the grounde pricked him therevnto did no sooner sée the Confederates buskle themselues to fight but that he marched full vpon the discouert of the artillerie the which had not ceased neither did then cease to play as well in the Esquadron of Monsieur as of other and namely in that of the footemen and his Excellence aduaunced himselfe so lustilye vpon the Protestantes that the Switzers vnder Colonell Phiffer and their Generall Mern with the other battallions remayned a great way behinde him Nowe séeing that such a Seigneur went so feruently to the charge the encounter maye not bée thought to be other than furious But as I haue shewed before he founde an other order and medley of men of warre than he had thought First and foremost his Excellence was saluted by foure score or an hundreth harquebusiers on horsebacke that there discouered themselues Furthermore when that the horsemen had assured themselues that the harquebusiers had giuen a greate check to his troupe and that the Reisters had also done much more mischiefe the Frenchmen did cast themselues heade féete and handes as it were desperately into his Esquadron and breaking in euen to the Cornet made all them that had followed his Excellence to forsake the place for all the deuoyre and all the force that the Duke of Long ville Tauannes Carnauallet Villars and all those that had followed and accompanied him coulde make and all that euer they coulde doe in summe this charge was so terrible that the most assured ensignes beganne nowe to turne backe againe as if they woulde demaund succour of Mareschall de Cossé who had not yet departed one foote from the left side of the Switzers and had auaunced them forwarde apace for to be in time as he himselfe was for to succour their fellowes And to
and intents coulde not be knowne nor all the galleyes brought forth at the first But when they at length though late came vnto fight Doria fought valiantly and had with him Octauian Ganzaga Vincent Vitelli and certaine noble men of Spaine who wyth the rest bestirred themselues not lasily Whilest that this furious fight continueth Lewes de Rechezenes dealt with Don Iohn to goe out of hande for to succour the right wing bicause he had séene and marked that manye of the enimies galleyes that hadde not yet begun to fight made thither and also that sundrie of Doria his galleyes were somewhat farre off When the Admirall was come there was a fierce and bloudy fight committed There were with Don Iohn Iohn Vasques Coranade Andrada and Francis Doria who fought all verye valiantly and although that at the beginning fewe of the galleyes followed the Admirall yet they which had bene appointed to garde hir sides did neuer forsake hir But the Admirall of the Spanishe fléete chauncing to sée a galley wherein were the sonnes of the Turkishe Admirall whome they thinking to be aliue and well diligently and carefully fought for here and there made in vnto hir and they fought togither with passing prowes for in the Turkishe galley were a great number of valiant men and in the Spanishe were the son of the Constable of Castile Iohn Velasco Alexander de Torelles and many other knights of Arragon At that time also Peter Iustinian the Admirall of the fléete of the Knightes of Malta a man of verye stoute courage and greate valor being assayled by three galleyes fought so valiantlye that he boorded two of them and hadde also almoste boorded the thirde when that other thrée Turkishe galleys seeing the flagge of Saint Iohn did spéedilye inuade him on all sides and they being ioyned with the other thrée slue almost all his men among whome were fifite Knightes of the religion who had with maruellous prowes long time susteyned the violent assault of their enimies Insomuch that all men thought she had bene quite loste when beholde vpon a sodeyne and not without the instinct of God twoo galleyes of his fellowes that had fought so valiantly with other thrée of the ennimies that they had taken almoste all of them séeing Iustinian his galley in greate distresse and daunger spéedilye hasted to helpe hir whome they deliuered out of all daunger and founde the Adinirall yet aliue although he were shotte in with thrée arrowes and still fighting with vnappalled heart at the decke with those fewe souldrours that were left aliue being cast into a ring In the meane time Occhiah very hardlye pressed Doria his side on all partes with his galleyes and had nowe taken ten of our galleyes Whyle that they thus encounter with doubtfull victorie the araye was broken in the aduerse parte and certayne small vessels fledde out of the battell whome yet our men did not chase for that it séemed to be no matter of anye greate importaunce but bent their strength directlye towardes that parte which was moste oppressed by the enimie When Occhiali percepued this he leauing the galleyes whiche be had a little before taken incontinentlye made towardes the middle battell but when he sawe that the middle battell was discomfited and that Don Iohn was come thither with his galley to helpe Doria he incontinentlye beganne to thinke of flight But our menne to interelude him didde take before hande a certayne place throughe the whiche they had thought be must néedes haue passed but he to escape the daunger directed his course close vnto the shore and there landed all the menne that were in his galleyes and thus the greatest parte of them were saued by swimming But if it hadde not chaunced that the greater parte of oure Galley slaues from whome their fetters were that daye taken and libertie promised them if that they did their ducties lustilye and faithfullye hadde not taried in those galleyes of the enimie whiche had bene taken in the battell not one Turke hadde escaped But nowe manye of them were saued by flighte Don Iohn Baciano and Doria spéedilye pursued Occhial vntill that it was almoste night But he fléeing awaye in the night time wyth Sayles and Oares accompanyed with sundrye Galleyes for the number was then vncertayne some reporting moe and some fewer but yet the common fame was thirtye escaped in safetie neyther coulde it be then certainelye knowne what waye he had taken But in the meane whyle in another quarter Barbadico and Mahomet Bey foughte togither with greate ferocitie And albeit that euerye one of our menne didde his duetie and foughte verye valiantlye and couragiouslye and speciallye the leader of the battell and also Antonye Canali and Marke Quirini the Lieutenauntes yet they had receyued greate incommoditie and doubtlesse had bene in no small daunger if Aluaro Baciano that ledde the rerewarde hadde not spéedilye come wyth succour By hys comming the fighte was farre more sharplye renued and they did charge the aduerse parte with suche force and violence that they discomfited them wherein they were also holpen by a fortunate wynde whiche blewe with vs and caried the smoke of our ordinaunce vppon the ennimye and didde beate backe theirs vppon themselues whereby their sighte was muche dymmed and obscured whereas oure menne sawe them verye playnelye and perfectlye In thys conflicte and fighte were manye slayne on bothe sides But the manne of moste renoumed fame and courage was Barbadico who was shotte into the eye with an arrowe as hée foughte verye valiauntlye and lustilye at what tyme the prowes and manne hoode of the Venetian Lieutenants although it were often also séene at other times yet then certes did most specially appeare For when they sawe that Barbadico was stricken in the eye with a very grieuous wounde and that he was so impeached by the immeasurable griefe thereof although that he suppressed it with surpassing stoutenesse of heart that he coulde not anye longer execute that which he had a little before done so stoutlye and excellently they did so performe the dueties of stoute Captaines and souldiours that nothing was wanting in them But Barbadico died that euening and not without the sighing and sorowe of all good men It is sayde that before he died he asked which part had the victorie and being tolde that our men had gotten it and that Selyms nauie was part taken and part sunken and burnt he gaue immortall thankes vnto God therefore and immediately after departed most ioyfull out of this life vnto the heauenly I cannot omit one notable acte of Aluaro Baciano that happened in this battell He séeing a mightie Admirall galley of the Turkes to make in lustilye towardes our Admirall layde hir aboorde himselfe and tooke hir but not without some losse of his men and his owne target was shot in with thrée small pellets and as he fought valiantly with hir there came another ship fraught ful of noblemen of Naples for to helpe him Furthermore it chaunced that Iohn de