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
he neglecting his torment of the goute called for his horse rode incontinently vnto the campe the which was pitched in a coÌ„modions and well defenced place Nor long after Egmont and Binicourt came in sight with their armie aranged in order of battell with haughtie harts lodged within an harquebusse shot of the Frenchmen and with incredible ferocitie skirmished with theÌ„ in all quarters Then Termes calling the Captaines togither that same night bicause he sawe that he was farre ouermatched in number of souldiours and he was enuironed in his enimies lande as it were with an euclosure of infestuous townes that the power of the Burgonions did daily encrease he concludeth to flée back vnto Calice the next day along the sea sandes when it was low water so to escape by the benefite of nature At the which oportunitie the FrenchmeÌ„ as they had before determined came hofully vnto the mouth of the riuer of Ha where it runneth into the sea aboue Graueling nowe it being low water easily passed ouer the riuer On the other side as soone as Egmont vnderstoode of this flight of the Frenchmen hâ—spéedily passed ouer the riuer beneth the towne that he might stoppe the passage of the fléeing enimie This was done the xiij of Iuly Then he mette with the enimie on the front about Calice since and in the sight of Graueling Here when Termes sawe that he was intercluded from his intended iourney he seruing the time wholye prepared to fighte and when the broade sealaye on the one side of him but on the other a playne without any trée bushe hill or any other impediment and he coueted to haue the place of most aduantage as much as might be he aranged his hoste in this order he deflected all his armie on the right hande northward on the which quarter the sea flowed and therefore did well defence the one side but on the left hande Southwarde he did set the wagons for a trenche and his backe was garded with the riuer of Ha. So that the Frechmen being safe on all other sides laye open vnto the Burgonions onely at the fronte where before their rankes they placed all their ordinaunce which were sixe Culnerings and thrée Falcons yet so that large spaces were left betwéene for the horsemen that by this meanes both the ordinance and also the incursions of the horsemen might at once infest the enimies both sides of which horsemen were flanked with Gascons harquebusiers The rere warde and thirde battell consisted of Frenchmen and Lansquenettes who stoode at the backes of the horsemen with blended rankes Lansquenets and Frenchmen togither that they might succour their fellowes if that néede shoulde be But although that Egmont had no ordinance which had bene left behinde that they might march the more spéedily yet he not gretly forced that his enimies did therin ouermatch him for he trusted chieflye in prowes and valor He then knowing that the enimies had bewraied their feare by their premeditated flight that they ment to driue away with them a mightie bootie coÌ„municating his deuise with the captains determineth incoutineÌ„tly to fight least the Termes might else scape out of his hand by the coÌ„ming of freshe ayde nothing regarding the coÌ„mon Proue the that we must not only giue way vnto our sheing enimie but also make a want for him Egmont encouraging his souldiors to fight doth thus arange theÌ„ He deuideth al the horsemen into fiue troupes commaunding the light horsemen to ryde before in thrée troupes of whome the Earle of Ponteuaules a Flemming gouerned the right wing and Eriques a Biscaian the left but the middle battell Egmont reserued for himselfe Behinde the light horsemen followed troupe of Reysters with Pistolets and then a troupe of men of armes of the lowe Countrimen a certaine space being left betwéene eyther of the battels Then were all the footemen deuided into thrée hattels the footemen were high Almaines Nederlanders whose regiment was greatest and certaine bandes of old Spanishe footemen they were led by their Colonels Hilmaner of Mumchausen Binicourt and Caruatal The armie being thus aranged Egmont cried out with a loude voyce we haue vanquished All that haue regarde of their owne prayse or the glorie of their countrie let him followe me and setting their spurres vnto their horses runne in with me among the thickest of our enimies And sodenly as soone as he had spoken the worde be giuing the signall ran forth The prepared Frenchmen doe manfullye susteyne the charge of the Burgonions and with their ordinance commit great slaughter in the foremost rankes so that Egmonts borse fell downe vnder him But the Burgonions being nothing appalled with this chaunce valiantly insist in their enterprise are caried with all their whole strength vpon the câ—imie by the admonishment and impulsion of Egment Incontinently all the hattels on both sides joyne togither they fight with swordes launces pykes harquebusses pystolets halbards al other weapons The troupes of horsmen encouÌ„ter one the other so likewise the footemen finally they fight with handstrokes setting foote to foote whether this hapned by chauÌ„ce or whether it was prouided by the industrie of the captains certes it séemed a straunge and also a marueylous thing yea vnto those that were skilfull in martiall affaires who did plainly say that it had not happened in our age that any battell was fought with such equalitie of all rankes and orders and weapons and ioyned togither in such indifferent sort Thus they fought verye sharply a long and doubtfull battell For although the Lansquenets stoode still and fought not yet the valor of the Gascons footemen was so great that they supplied the others dastardie with their strength susteyned almost all the brunt and force of the battell for the Lansquenets standing still as it were men separated from them and left a certaine space of the Gascons flewe vppon the vrging Burgonions they resisted them and with haughtie heartes receyued their anpression The French horsemen also encountred but more slowly and dissolutely than their wont is neither as it became Gentlemen of their qualitie although that according vnto the maner of that nation they were chosen men and very well and brauely appointed with all furniturie and horses Moreouer whyle that they fought so valiantly and with so great contention of heartes that neyther partie woulde turne their fares a straunge marueylous chaunce happened for at the same time ten Englishe shippes chaunced to sayle by who descrying the encounter when they were in the maine sea made towarde them and it being full sea came neare vnto the shore and with their ordinance did beate the side of the French armie the which we solde you before lay full vpon the sea The French men being dismayed with this sodeyne chaunce began to be in greate feare distrusting that mo shippes woulde come vnto them But on the other side the Burgonions pressed the more instantly when they had defeated the horsemen anon
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
But Andrewe Gritti gotte hym to Vicenza and was there verye hardly saued for assoone as the Venetians beganne to flye the perculleis of the gate was let down which was the cause of many a mans death for they missing their hope of entring Vicenza in going backe againe met with the ennimies by whome were slayne Captaines of companies of horsemenne Charles Monrons 〈◊〉 Saxatello Constantius Pio sonne to Anthony and Meleagriâ— of Fonli but there were slaine of Captaines footemen and pety captains aboue sixe and twenty Many were saued by the Italians and Spâ—â—mardes but those whome fortune caste on the Almaines hauyng before sworne to spare no man were al slaine There dyed of the Venetian army that day being the .vij. day of October about vij M. whereof .iiij. C. were men of armes a thing that had neuer happened before in any battell There were also taken .xxiij. péeces of ordinaunce wyth all the ensignes yea and this almoste atâ—â—icued without wounde of theyr enimies for there were lost but only two men of marke they were of Mittius de Colonnd is company Eberard de Cornia his ensigne bearor and Camillo Maximo knight of Rome a yong Gentleman of rare towardenesse There was neuer armye in our age that had foughte eyther wyth more shamefull ende or was vanquished with lesse damage of the enimie in so much that the Marquesse of Pescara euen in the mids of his ioy for the victory detesting the dast arolynesse of the Venetian Souldiors openly protested that he was very hartily sory that it was his lucke to haue béen inserted by dys auncessours into the land of Italy that brought forth so feeble faint harted souldiors But after this greate ouerthrowe giuen the army of the League by reason of the approch of winter wer forced to forsake the field and to returne vnto their wintering places ¶ A Battell fought in anno 1514. at the riuer of Boristhenes betvvene Basilius the great Duke of Moscouie and Constantine Generall of Sigismunde King of Polande Out of Iouius WHen Basill the gâ—â— are Duke of Mosconie had by treason taken the strong towne of Smoleincho he sent thrée companies of horsmeÌ„ to waste Littaw Against whom Sigismunde King of Polon sent his approued Captaine Constantine with an army of 〈◊〉 thousaÌ„d Foloman mâ—â— of auntes twelue thousand Lithuamâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—bâ—oâ—â—e aâ— archers on horsebacke and three thousande footemen part harquebusierz and parte pikemen in whose puissance if they once ioyned in battel the reposed assured hope of victorye Basill who had aboue fourtse thousand horsemen doubting nothing of the euent of the 〈◊〉 battell suffred the Pâ—â—lonian power quietly to passe ouer the riuer of Boristhenes or Neptâ—â— that he might haue the more full and noble victorye and when bee vnderstoode by his espites that all the Polonians were passed ouer turning himself towardes his Captaine her spake as followeth Our eniuâ—â—â—ane passe the Riuer to late to retourne againe if ye 〈◊〉 playe the men Wherefore moste valiaunt fellowe Souldiours aâ—â—â—one as euer ye shall receyue the signall breake forth as thicke togither as ye can clustes and after ye haue once powred downe shorte of shaftes vppon your enimies battels then euery two of you encountes one enimie and persuade your selues that by this dayes victory ye shall sacke the riche Cities of vilâ—â—nd 〈◊〉 the Chiefâ— Cities of Liâ—â—â—â— and Polâ—â— When hee had thâ—â— sayde â—eechâ—se out of all the whole hoste aboute seauen thousande horseâ—â—â— whome hee commaunded to enclose the enimye behinde at the backe and when they perceyued the battell waxed hotte at the front then they shoulde wyth all their power sette vppon the ennimyes at the backe fearing no suche think for on the lefte hande was there a little valley hedged in as it were with little hilles running along and couertly clothed with very thicke buâ—yes and briers fitly seruing to hyde such an ambushe But of the reste of hys power hee made thrée battells The forewarde wherein were twelue thousande horsemenne hee placed an the right wing and made Michaell Golijza a valiaunt man Capitaine thereof the seconde hee appoynted for the lefte wing neare vnto the hilles to the ende it shoulde bee as it were a battell of succour but at the wagons cariages and baggâ—â—â—â— of the armye â–ª bee hymselfe stâ—â—de wyth the middle battell wherein were placed the strength of the army On thâ— câ—â—trary â—â—e Constantiâ—â— not being ignoraÌ„t that the vnâ—â—aned enimie wold in no respect be equall vnto hym if he could at the firste brunt susteine the multitude of their arrowes and bring the matter to hande strokes and that the battell might not altogâ—â—â—e be foughtes by thicke troâ—â—es of horsemen he placed all the men of â—â—mes in the â—roâ—â— to receyue the firste force of the â—â—â—â—wes but strengthned both wings with Lithuanians and their backes with the footemen And riding from ranke to ranke he saide vnto them we must this daye fight not for glory nor by armes to recouer Smoleâ—cho lately loste by â—râ—uds but to impeache that the perfidious and moste shamefull Moscoâ—ites maye not raigne ouer the Polonians and Lithuanians Neyther fellowe Souldiours will I enkindlâ— you vnto prowesse and vyctorie more by any adhortation than by putting you in mâ—nd that the riuer Boristhenes is at your backe which if yee beyng discomfited by the armed enimye cowardly thinke ye maye agayne passe ouer by giuing place or shamefulye fleing ye shall make it famous for a perpetuall ignominy of your Country and your notble discomfiture and â—aughter But that ye do not suffer so great dishonoâ— and soule fact to be coÌ„mitted vnder my conducte I doe beseeche and obtest thée O God moste bounteous and almightie and yee holy Ladist and Caffimire the defenders and pastrons of the Polontas Empire and I do bowe an altare and Church vnto both of you if it maye stande wyth your pleasures that the Poldnian vanquish and I discomfiring and putting to flight the annimye may bring home a speedy and entire victorye While Constaâ—â—ine was yet speaking the Moscouils founded the battell and the rewithall Michaell commaunded his horsemen to run forth fâ—ourth eâ—â—â—â—ng and to shote theyr arrowes Neyther did Constantine as hed instructed the Captains when hee arranged the battels keepe in the men of armes but they were commaunded incontinently to charge their stames but running vppon the enâ—â—â—ys spee dyly to bring the rouflices vnto the sworde And sucâ—â—e in deebe was the 〈◊〉 that being come beyond the fall of their euiâ—◠〈◊〉 they escaped the greatest part of that shoure and aâ—â— represting in with the be easts of their horses and their weapons tooke from the arhers on horâ—â— backe the vse of their bowes and their second arrowes in whom they had reposed greate consideâ—â— On the other shoe the Luâ—â—â—nians streâ—â—ving out their widge as long as they coulde possible charge the sides all the iuâ—â—â— shâ—ting innumerable arrowes vppon their thick battels where with all the Moscouites
many ditches made by the husbandmen to water their lands and Nauarro had also added new munitions in commodious places where it was thought good and néedefull and also had set vppe against the enimy mighty targets fastened in the grounde and closed togyther with greate ropes that the Gascoignes beyng defended and couered by them might shoote at the enimy more safely and ceratinly This forme of the Campe and the nature of the place had Mutius and certaine of the Capitaynes of the Switzers riding vnto the higher part of the banke for to suruey the camp incontinently marked and then had also noted that on the right hande there was a commodious place lefte for them to lodge in where was a prety low plaine enclosed almost on two sides with a small riuer that ranne downe vnto corne milles They began to counsell the Switzers to encampe in that place and their bodyes being refreshed wyth rest and meate to thinke nothing rashly of fight they also tolde them that as victory procéedeth from counsell and good aduise so vaine and sorowfull attemptes from vnaduised hardinesse and that those men do oftner féele the aduerse euentes of fight that truste to ouercome their enimyes by desperatenesse and fease than those that séek victory by profitable tariance and reason Moreouer they sayde that the enimy was prouoked againste all aboadement bycause by an olde obseruation of that nation that day of the wéeke was all the yeare after vnfortunate vpon the which Childermasse day had fallen This was the thirtéenth of September But when that fury and fatall madnesse the which had neuer hapned before vnto the Switzers in the warres had takē away obediēce frō the souldiors and authority from the captaines the busier sort ranne foorth and attached a very cruell fight with the Gascoignes and Almaines Trivulzi and Burben hauyng intelligence long beefore of the comming of the enimies had sette their men in array of battell and placed their ordinance in a fitte place but nowe being doubtlesse pressed did sette on fire all the houses of the village both to staye the fease of the enimies by the fire and also to bereaue them of the vse and munition of the houses and then reduced their men into a larger place Before the Frenche ordinaunce was there a mighty ditche which must be passed ouer with extreame peril of desperatenesse the whiche ditche was kepte by Nauarro his bands and the Launsquenetz men of passyng valour wyth their thicke rankes This ditche a bande or ring of very desperate yongmen doubted not to passe with more assured death than victorye They were very chosen felows taken out of al the Cantons men in the prime of youth and of singular forwardenesse who by a very auntient order of that Countrey that by dooyng some déede of passyng prowesse they may obtaine rare honour of warrefare before they be growen in yeares doe of themselues requeste all perillous and harde péeces of seruice and often vse wyth deadlye praise to runne vnto proposed death These men do they call of their immoderate fortitude and stoutnesse the desperats forlorne hopen and the frenchmen Enfans perdus and it is lawfull for them by the prerogatiue of their prowesse to beare an ensigne to haue conducte and double wages all their life long Neyther are the forlorne knowen from the rest by anye other marke and cognisance than the plumes of white feathers the which after the maner of Captaines they doe tourne behinde waueryng ouer theyr shoulder with a braue kynde of riot They wyth noble courage ranne full vppon the ordinaunce and after that they hadde valiauntly and long fought with greate losse in the place of great disaduauntage at length when that they woulde for no incommoditie giue ouer they driuing the Almaines out of the place and beating backe Nauarro hys bandes came ouer the heapes of the dying vnto their ordinance The which in number seuen péeces being taken they relying themselues agayne vrged their shrinking enimyes and disordered all the whole foreward In this greate daunger Trivulzi and Burbon flue hither and thither to repaire the distressed battell to the vttermost that they could do by strength or prouide by counsell sending in the horsmen in diuers places Neyther fayled Nauarro vnto his Souldiours by chydyng some and asking other whether that they hadde come from the farthest parte of the Ocean and the Mountaines Pyrenees onely for to turne their backes and moste shamefully to flye out of the fielde almoste before they had séene their enimies that they should plucke vp their heartes and make ready their harquebusses and bowes and abide so long vntil that their sides were garded with freshe succour of horsemen and thinke that they ought to wipe out by fighting that day valiantly the note of cowardise or of ill lucke that they had gotten at Rauenna by fighting ill So at one time a mighty troupe of horsemen breaking vppon them and the Gascoignes being stayed by adhortation and shamefastenesse and the Lansquenetz kéeping their place for anger and shame a cruel and variable fighte is renewed bothe sydes are inuaded wyth the horrible noise of the ordinaunce and weapons and the ensignes are torne into péeces Anone Cenry and Pelegrine are slayne fighting couragiously and Pure the Captaine of the Pretorian or guarde bande and with him foure ensigne bearers are slaine by a greate culuering shotte from the side Neither did the Switzers who fetching a longer compasse aboute had come vnto the enimies faile vnto the their distressed fellowes for they gathering thrée bandes togyther into one came in twoo companyes wyth freshe strength and courage and encountering wyth the footemen on the lefte hande slue Sciatalarde a Captaine of the Gascoignes of renoumed name and Lewes and George Earles of Hellempurg noble men of Germanye But in another parte they loosing a little their ranckes did receyue in among them the charging horsemenne where they fought long with variable and doubtfull fortune for althoughe the men of armes cruelly treading to death the dispersed and the ouerthrowen did with the force and fease of their horses breake throughe with slaughter the flight and thinne small bandes yet when they met with the thicke rankes they were eyther broched with their long pikes or else their horses being slain vnder them perished thorough the waighte of their armour There were slayne in that place very valiantly fighting these Capitaines of companies of horsmen the Erle of Sancerre the Lord Imbercourt a renoumed man for his singular prowesse and long seruice in the warres the Lorde Bussy de Ambois and Francis brother to the Duke of Burbon and Burbon himself was in the like danger of life as he himselfe said being among the thickest of that bloudye broyle But afterward I heard the contrary of the kyng hymself who affyrmed naming witnesses that Burbon durste not succour his enclosed brother and retired vntouched out of the sight of the enimies vnto the middle battell Also whilest that Trivulzi endeuoured in vaine to
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
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
banke of the Riuer of Tarro in a place verye commodious not onely to bridle the Parmesanes if they shoulde attempte to reuolte but also to be a sure guarde to the fortresses néere aboutes and finally if the Kyng woulde marche on forwarde that way to sette vppon wyth all the Venetian power in a place of greate aduauntage hys vantgarde as it came downe the hyll In thys meane tyme whylest the Frenchmen approched vnto Foronouo Gonzaga hauing intelligence by spyes of theyr comming sente the lyghte Horsemenne before the chiefest conduct of them béeyng assigned vnto Nicholas Annonio a Sclauon a verye valiaunte manne to stay the Frenchemenne by skirmishing wyth them vntyll hée were come wyth the strength of the menne of armes and the lyghte bandes of the footemen They valiauntly doe hys commaundemente and suddaynelye gyuyng a charge vppon theyr enimyes disordred them on all sydes and manye béeyng slayne and taken and also one Ensigne gotten forced them verye fearefully to turne backe before that the menne of armes and the ayde of the footemenne coulde come whych foyle happened vnto the Frenchmen bycause they were not acquaynted with their manner of fyghte for when the Frenchmen with a certaine feruour of fyghte did more egrely pursue the Gréekes at once both couragiously charging and also with great arte fléeing backe and thereby did breake their array the Gréekes did suddaynely againe returne into the fight and then many of them and light did set on the Frenchmen being dispersed one from another and laden with armour and also vnwarelye floung forward and so easely beate them down wyth their hooked and very heauie Turkish swords or mawles of yron Gonzaga séeing the Horsemen wéeried with a long and paynefull iourney reuoked them from pursuing of the enimies vnto their Campe and contented with this good successe returned vnto the army all his men being very ioyfull and manye bearing the heads of the Frenchmen vpon their Launces Among the Prisoners was there taken one Ante a Captayne of a band of Switzers a man wel knowen before time to the Earle of Giazza He politikely lying did augment the nūber of the french Horsemen and footemen that were in the auantgarde for to feare the Italians from oppressing them who had ouerboldly marched before their felowes and also falsely affirmed that the King wyth the middle battell and Seigneur de Tremouille with the rerewarde were not farre off the which lye doubtlesse saued Marshall Gien who distrusting the small number of his Souldiers and they also disordred with the skirmishe had got him into an high place that there in his camp defensed by all meanes he coulde he might stay for the King yea though he followed after slowly But when thys occasion of destroying the vaantgard did seeme vnto some to bée offered as a meane to obteyne afterwarde an absolute victorie of the King the Marques of Mantoa was of the mind that nothyng ought to bée then attempted but in any case the rest of the Kings power was to be stayed for that when the King their enimie were in sight they mighte more safely and nobly fight with hys whole power in a pitched field for the Italian army did excéede them in number and it séemed that they woulde also haue ouermatched them in the battel if that fortune had not fayled them who shamefully swarued from the discipline of their auncestours Thus the Kyng hauing gotten the space of the whole nexte daye and tymely ouertaking the vauntgard encamped at Foronouo Betwéene the two Campes ranne the riuer of Tarro whyche falling down violently frō the stiepe Appenine Moūtaynes into the enclosed valleys beneath with a rocky and vnequall Channell at length hauing gotten the open fields runneth into the Po. The Venetians encamped on the left side on the broader banke of the Riuer not farre from the Village Appiano in the lower grounde but the Frenchmen on the right hauing on their lefte hande the Towne Medesano and being on the higher hylles they myghte easely see the Camp of their enimies which by reason of the great number of tentes pitched round about gaue a shew vnto the eyes of the wondering Frenchmen of a very great army When the King saw himselfe and his army brought into suche a place as out whereof there was no hope left to escape vnlesse victorie ▪ became his guide to assay the intents and mindes of the Prouiditori he sente an Herald to request of them truce for certaine dayes For Hercules the Duke of Ferrara fauoring the engrafted lingering of the Prouiditori had a little before written for a most certaynetie thereby to stay the stomackes of the King and the French Captaynes all dismayde with that vnlooked for martiall prouision and furniture of their enimies that neyther the Prouiditori nor his sonne in lawe the Marques had any authoritie or commission from the Senate to fyghte a generall battell The Herald being brought vnto the Prouiditori and Captaines saide that his maister did greately wonder that the Venetians whome he had not prouoked by any iniurie were come with suche a power of warlike menne to impeache his returne into France that his Maiestie did request according vnto the iust lawe of nations that with truce they would help his army as it trauayled with victuals for money and suffer them with quiet iourney to passe into France if they would thus doe then his maiestie was to giue greate thankes vnto the Seigniorie of Venice and their Captaynes but if they would not then the French Souldiours would not onely open a way for themselues by true prowesse but also make a causey for theyr King wyth the slayne carcasses of the withstanders To whome aunswere was made in fewe words if that Kyng Charles woulde abandon hys counsels and purposes of conquering Italy and withdrawe his garrisons out of Ostia the Hauen of Rome and Nouara and marche without doyng of anye hurte he should haue frée passage to goe his way but if he neglected so to do then also the Venetians woulde not neglect the iniuries done vnto theyr alies and as they were bounde by the league pursue wyth sword the publike enimie of all Italy The Heralde who had curiously viewed almost all things in the Italian Camp being returned vnto the King tolde many thyngs wofully and fearefully of the scituation and munition of their Camp of the number the furniture and chéerefulnesse of the Italian Souldyers in somuch that the Kyng hymselfe and manye of the Captaynes as men attached with a supreme care séemed to doubt of the safetie of themselues and of all the armie for in discoursing and consulting some were of the minde that it were best to returne backe vnto Pisa and being ioyned with the Florentines chose the seate for the warres in Toscan Other hauing no regard of dishonor counselled spéedely to crosse the vales of the Appenine and hast to Asti leauing behinde them both cariages and ordinance the rest willed no consideration to bée hadde of the Duke of Orleans but
confesse and affirme this one thing that we shal deale with an army of fresh water Souldiers and of Omnigatherum for the greatest part of those Horsemen whom we sée glistering in their crestes and armoure haue neuer put on armour before but at a pomp when that armes were mustered and in sporting fightes and shewes nor euer heard sound of Trumpet for indéede there haue bin no warres in Italy these many yeares nor no iust and bloudy battell foughten but the footemen will not only not susteyne the force of the Almayne Esquadron but being inferiour both in armour weapons and courage will not abide so much as the sight of them comming vpon them with so great order and array Then there remayneth that we do greately feare the artes and suttle policies of some olde beaten Chiefetaine Alas what ambushe will he lay or with what array will he bring forth his army through the incommondious fordes of the rough riuer to inuade vs marching in array of battell a springall Chiefetayne that neuer sawe Campe of Souldyers besydes this of hys owne wherevnto he is preferred rather for the title of his name than for merite of tryed prowesse Therefore mine opinion is inuincible Kyng that we marche on still forwarde as we haue begun and your maiestie shall doe well if that you do adhort the Souldyers not to doubt of the euent of the battell and to contemne their enimies The baggage of the army being sente away a little distance from the armed rankes on the left hande towards the hilles woulde I purposely obiect to be ryfled by the enimie who is more gréedy of pillage than of fight On the ryghte hande towardes the ryuer let the greate ordinance be placed agaynst the enimies I with my college Gien will leade the fore warde and the way and béeyng néerest to daunger wyll valiantly endeuour that it nothing repent youre hyghnesse to haue followed this counsell the rest of the martiall charges lette the Captaynes and specially the auntient parte amongst them and lette them marche forward vnto victorie with the armye prepared for both chaunces of battell and trauayle for neyther their wonted vertue nor youre fortune shall fayle them who being made noble by perpetuall victories haue learned to fight valiantly yea and if it were but for only glory After that Trivulzi had pronounced this Oration with a countenance full of confidence no man almost séemed although in some of their heartes feare were fettled which did not chéerefully assent to his sentence and swore that they woulde not departe the fielde but victors Then Charles disposing hys Horsemen to represse from all partes the Greekes who almost euery houre with great cryes stirred vp sundry tumultes in his Camp and watching almost the whole night the next morrow as soone as it was fayre day brake his fast and commaunded the Souldyers to doe the same and to prepare both their bodyes and hartes as well to fight as to march forward and not long after he béeing cladde rather in strong than fayre armoure mounted on Horsebacke enuironed with seauen yong Gentlemen of approued fidelitie and prowes armed apointed and trimmed in all poyntes like vnto him selfe As hée set forward the Souldyers saluted him with so chéerefull voices and gesture that they interrupted him when he began to encourage theÌ„ besieching hym to haue no doubt of the victorie whiche they had now in their hands For when he was on Horsebacke he séemed to be taller and more liuely thaÌ„ he was indéede for of nature he was a very little man and by reason of his olde disease weake and not strong legged to goe on foote but then he looked lyke vnto a valiant and fearelesse Souldioure for his face eyes and specially hys hawkes beked nose There guarded him on both sides two companies of noble Horsemenne with whome were intermingled the guard of Scottes Moreouer Mathew the bastard of Burbon in whom the Kyng reposed very greate trust and Robinet Framesell the valiant conductor of the Duke of Orleans his men of armes enuironed him with theyr companyes of Horsemen one on the right side and the other on the left There followed aboute a two furlongs behinde them the thirde and the last battell the conduct whereof had Foix a noble man of Guien and Seignieur de Trimouille who afterward for his great actes became a renowmed Chiefetayne With them was a great power of excellent Horsemen But in the vantgarde were séene the Esquadrons of the Switzers and Almaynes their chiefest hope and strength and the great ordinance The Marshall Gien and Trivulzi marched before with a companie of light Horsemen to shew the way vnto them that followed An arrow shot behinde them followed the Switzers and Almaynes to whome their Colonels Gilbert of Cleue and Antony Bassey men skilfull of their tungs had promised in the Kings name treble pay if that they saued the King by their faithfull and valiant handes Wyth them on the left hand were ioyned the Gascoignes Archibalistes and almost thrée hundred archers of the guarde who thorough vnlucky counsell had sent away theyr Horses and marched on foote that they might shoote the more strongly But the greate ordinance béeyng drawen with equall pace close to the batallion of the footemen were placed againste the riuer and the battels of their enimies The drudges of the army and all the rascall rable marched with the â—uggage towards the hylles on the left hande but the Marques who hadde determined if the Frenchmen hadde bentâ— on the â—este hande towardes Medesano which was the way vnto Dertono to pursue them on the backe wyth all hys power when he sawe them come downe from Foronouo in array of battell thinking it not good any longer to stay vsing the counsell of olde Souldyers araunged his battels in this order All his whole host was deuided into nine battels the number of his meÌ„ were aboue two thousand four hundred men of armes a few lesse than two thousand lighte Horsemen and about twelue thousand footemen In the first battell was Peter Dodo a Venetian with sixe hundred Gréeke Horsemen and Alesso Beicacuto with almost so many Archers on Horsebacke who did not vse howe 's of woode as did the Frenchmen but crossebowes of yron To them it was enioyned to compasse the hylles on the backe of their enimies and to charge the left side of the vantgard and by skirmishing to stay the marching Frenchmen from their intended iourney In the seconde battell was the Earle of Giazza with the power of Milan for this consideration that as soone as Trivulzi and Gien were encountring with the lighte Horsemen he vppon the ryghte side should set vpon them being then occupyed and troubled That battell consisted of syxe hundred men of armes and thrée thousand Almaine and Italian footemen The Generall hymselfe callyng to him his Vncle Radulph and Ranuccio Farnesi with aboute fyue hundreth men of armes so many archers foure thousand footemen took vpon him the charge to
the thicke battels of theyr enimies wyth greater force than arte and in the ende with aduerse fortune On the contrary syde the Frenchemenne makyng theyr battelles thicke and close togyther and not vnaduisedly stirring out of theyr place receyued them that charged them and that done enuironed them rounde aboute and wyth theyr shorte Swordes assaying where the blade myghte best enter into the body did thrust them in and beate them downe In the meane tyme the Gréeke Horsemenne that had inuaded the fore ward béeyng repelled on all partes by the menne of armes and their hote spurre Captaynes Annonio and Busichio departed out of the battell wounded suddainely turning theyr Horses flewe togyther to rifle the baggage whiche by the counsell of Trivulzi had bin obiected vnto the enimies that they béeing occupyed about the spoyle a more readie and easie passage might be made for the king There the Lackeys drudges Women straglers and moyletters were fowly tossed among the beastes and falling packes and when they repugned or sought to saue the goodes being slayne among them almost all the baggage was taken and rifled This tumult caused all the field to ring of the dissonant outcryes of so many nations by reason whereof thither ranne al the bandes of footemen that were néere who béeyng also gréedy of pillage without shame brake their aray But then arose there a very bloudy and miserable fight among the riâ—â—ers themselues euery man pulling one from another the Kyngs baggage and the weaker still oppressed by the stronger were slayne with the pillage in theyr aâ—mes This thing by the consent of all men brought safetie vnto the frenchmen for their fore ward when the Greekes once enclined vnto the spoyle valiantly receyued the charge that the Earle of Giâ—zza gaue ouerthwart them and succoured the second battell that was in distresse and also the seconde being augmented with strength and courage repelled the Marques of Mantoa with great slaughter and ayded the third which Montoni had disordred At the last wheÌ„ the two battels of the Marshall and the Kyng vehemently pressed the Italians on both sides at one time Radulph and Ranuccio béeyng circumuented in the middes of their enimies were slayne and also almost all the whole bande of the familiars of the Marques among whome were many noble menne There fell also before the Generals eyes Caluisiano the band of an C. singular good Souldyers footemen that had bin chosen to guard the Marques were slayne and troden downe The Marques himselfe who with wonderfull prowes had pierced through the middes of the Horsemen euen vnto the ordinance and the maisters of them and the Horses by whome they were drawen being slaine had ouerwhelmed with a tempest of Horsemen a bande of Gascoignes appoynted to guarde the ordinance and also the archers of the Kings guard with much adoe got himselfe out of the middes of his enimies his Horse béeyng gréeuously wounded For all men did auye strike at and pursue him fléeyng throughout the whole battell with a spire of silk in the crest of his helmet The same fortune also felte the Italian footemen that were in the Earle of Giazza his battell for when the formost rankes of them did as the manner was then shake from the grounde theyr long forkes stayed vp with their left arme but the nexte rankes of Souldyers defensed with Targets hurled Iauelins with broade heads and the rest after them shotte quarrels out of crossebowes they were receyued of the Switzers not only without any feare but also with slaughter for they beyng verye skilfully cast into a close Esquadron dyd lightly contemne that fonde kinde of weapons and manner of fight for as soone as euer they approched almost thrée hundred extraordinarie yong men who for commendation gotten by extreame perill are called the Desperates the Forlorne hopen leaped for the from both sydes of the Esquadron and with myghty two hande swordes beganne to cut off those vnruly pykes with whose hardinesse almost all the Italians beyng feared before they expected the impression of the Esquadron turned theyr backes In that place one bande of Almaynes whiche had with great hardinesse inuaded the French Ordinance and hadde stoutely resisted was slayne by the furious charge of the Switzers And withall a very suddayne showre of rayne mixed wyth Hayle thunder and lightning did in so apt a time afflicte them béeing foyled and nowe readye to flée that God hymselfe séemed to fyghte for the Frenchmen for the Riuer of Tarro whiche a little before ranne as though it had bin dryed vp was nowe growen so greate through falles of waters from the Mountaynes and dytches that neyther they whiche reposed hope of safetie in flyghte could safely escape neyther durst the vntouched battels that longed to goe succoure their discomfited fellowes once passe the Riuer whiche with swift and violent streame caryed away menne Horses armour weapons and all Neyther in the meane time did the ordinance ceasse on eyther side although with doubtfull but vayne perill they were often shotte off euen amongst the blended battels In all this so hard state of things the Marques forsaketh not himselfe although he were attached with incredible sorrowe séeing so many valiant Gentlemen that had come thither onely for good will towardes him yea and his vncle enuironed by their enimies and no succoure to be hoped for There was on the left haÌ„d a déepe ditch of water that ranne downe to certayue corne Milles into this ditch were both footemen and Horsemen carried by hedlong flight fowly strugling and striuing togither The which wheÌ„ the Marques sawe he changing his Horse came thither and rebuking the flight and staying the ensignes of diuers troupes he gathered togither one strong band who although they were sore wéeryed by the sundry incommodities of fight flight finally of raine yet valiantly renewed the fight with slaughter repelled the FreÌ„chmen that pursued them amaine There Seigneur de Mioll and the Bastard of Burbon being wounded by Alesso Beicacuto in the neck were takeÌ„ not farre from the King diuers renowmed Horsemen of the freÌ„ch side slaine But the comming of the Erle of Penâ—a was a great stay that they which had first attached the fight were not quite destroyed for he being brought prisoner out of Naples nowe when his kéepers were busied in that daunger of the battell hadde escaped in the middes of the tumulte vnto the Venetians and what by telling that the Frenchmen were vanquished and put to flight and also by cohorting them not to let goe assured victorie out of their handes he restored vnto the fearefull and fléeyng suche courage that with the auctoritie of his name he caused all that he met with to returne into the battell But the Frenchmen pursuing the Italians being discomfited and broken by the first and second battels were empeached by the swollen riuer from winning of an entier victorie euen as a little before the rising of the riuer had bin a lette vnto the rerewardes of the
waightie considerations thoughte it best to deferre the fight vntill the next day but Monsieur Cyandey the Captayne of the Switzers and Signeur de Alegre stoutely contended that victorie whiche had alwayes luckely happened vnto the Frenchmen when they were hardie was not to be sought by flouthfull and dishonorable lingering but by spéedy and manly encounter By whiche sentence Nemoures vnderstoode that his honor and fame was greately touched for hée had heard a little before how Alegre had spread very euill words of him as though he being no greate skilfull nor valiaunte Chiefetayne was afraide to ioyne in battell with the enimie and had suffered with the foule blot of the French honor and the great empayring of their strength his army to be fléesed and pulled by the suttle enimie Whervpon he not enduring this reproche without stay said these wordes Go to then séeing it séemeth so to some that we must this day by battell make one end or other of the wars suche as Fortune will alotte certesse I will satisfye by honorable death if not the publike desire of the French King yet at the least myne owne honor and this sayd he incontinently gaue the signall of battell although the Sunne were scarce an houre and an halfe high and made towardes the enimie with thrée araunged battels not with equall front but one a little behinde another so that wheÌ„ the righte wing wherein he and Arsye were ranne forth Ciandey should shoote off the great ordinance from the middle battell wherin stoode all the footemen and shoulde followe a certaine space behinde the fore warde and in like maner Alegre should admoue the thirde battell vnto the lefte syde of the Switzers when he shoulde thinke good so that the Frenche battels by reason of their vnequall length muche resembled in the setting forth the thrée hindermost fingers of a mans hand But on the other side Gonsalues set against them sixe battels with direct front two of Horsemen were in the wings and one backed the Almaine footemeÌ„ so néere vnto whome stoode the Spanish footemen that a farre off they séemed to be both one battell but yet so that there was space ynough lefte for the Horsemen that stoode in the middes to issue out if it were néedefull But all the light Horsemen he sent forth vnder the conduct of Fabricio de Colonna and Didaco de Mendozza to stay the enimie by skirmishing whereby such a thicke cloude of dust was raised that the French vauntcurrers could not one whit sée before them and this was augmented by the smoke of the great ordinance whiche fléeing ouer both armies did hurt neyther of them But when GoÌ„salues coÌ„manded the great ordinance to be shot off againe Leonard Aleccio told him with great feare and sorrow that all the barrels of Gunpowder were there by chance or falsehood set on fire with whyche newes Gonsalues being nothing dismaide sayd I do gladly receiue this good abodemeÌ„t for what greater ioy can happen vnto vs than to haue séene the lightes of victorie comming forth neyther was his prognostication false for Nemours charging the Almaines the Horsemen of the left wing vntimely sticked fast in the ditch the Gonsalues had cast vp before his Camp in somuch that when he being repulsed turned his troupe to séeke some other way to come vnto the enimie he was slayne with an Hargubusse shot almost before Cyandey hadde giuen the onset on the Almaines And the like lucke receyued Cyandey of the same ditche for the Almaynes wyth their Pykes and the Spanyardes with their harquebuziers disordered and slewe the Switzers beyng very yll troubled with the ditche and also Cyandey hymselfe who tourned the handes and eyes of all his enimies vppon him bicause he fought on foote with a great plume of whyte feathers on his headpeece and stoutly striued to get out of the troublesom place to come to the enimie But when Nemours was slayne Arsy and Alegre fledde whome the Spanishe horssemen pursued slaying and taking many among whom was Formantes and then retourned vnto the Campe when the Sunne going downe had not giuen so muche as halfe an houre of perfect lyghte to ende the battayle whyche doubtlesse saued Alegre and Arsye There were slayne of Frenchemen foure thousand and that with so greate celeritie and felicitie that when the battayle was begonne and ended within halfe an houre there peryshed not an hundred of the Spanyardes I hearde Fabricio de Colonna saye when he tolde the successe of this battayle that the victorie was not gotten so muche eyther by valiauncie of the Souldyers or prudence of the Generall as by the small rampyre and shallowe ditche cast vppe before the Campe whyche caused the Captaynes that ranne after him to reuine the auntiente martiall discipline in fortifying their Campe. Gonsalues following the victorie expelled the Frenchmenne quite out of the Kyngdome of Naples the which he conquered for his Soueraigne the King of Spayne Thys battell was foughte the nine and twentith of Aprill seauen dayes after the battell of Gioia ¶ The Battell of Vaila or Giaradda fought in Lumbardie betvveene Levves the .xij. King of Fraunce and the Venetians in An. Domini 1509. MAximilian the emperor Lewis the FreÌ„che King Ferdinande king of Spaine Iulius bishop of Rome Alfonse the Duke of Ferrara being entred in to league againste the Venetians bicause they had eueroched vppon them all Lewes the French king marched from Milan with a great army agaynst the Venetians who hadde also a great power in the fielde beyond the riuer of Adda vnder the conducte of the earle of Petilia Generall Barthlomew de Aluian the Campe maister and George Cornarie and Andrewe Grittie Legates or Prouiditori But when the Frenche king being desirous to fight coulde get the Venetians by no prouocation out of their fortified campe he dislodged wyth entent the nexte night to lodge eyther at Vaila or Pandino where by cutting off theyr victuals that were brought from Cremona and Crema hée might force them to dislodge as in very deede it didde Now there were twoo wayes to come vnto those places one the lower and nexte to the riuer of Adda which was the longer bicause it was â—rooked the other further from the riuer which was the righter and the shorter The lower way tooke the Frenche army wherin were aboue two thousand men of armes six thousande Switzers and twelue thousand Gascoignes and Italians footmen with great furniture of ordinaunce and Pioners On the vpper way on the right hande marched the Venetian armye wherein were two thousand men of armes aboue twenty thousaÌ„d footemen and a great number of light horsemen part Italians part Grecians The Greeke horsemen were the auauÌ„tcurrers but by reason of the bushes and shrubbes that occupied all the space betwéene the twoo armies they straggled not so wide as otherwise they commonly vsed to doe and this also was a cause that one army coulde not descrye another And as they thus marched but the Venetians with swifâ—er
béeyng dismayde wyth the vnlooked for reuolting of Sacranoro Visconti who kepte aboute him at Milane a great number of desperate vnthriftes as well of the nobilitie as other ioyned with the first company of the Switzers and wente to Nouara there to exspect farre from priuie awaytes and Treason the conunyng of the rest of the Switzers The Frenche power came before the Towne of Nouara but when they had intelligence that the second companye of the Switzers were at hande and also that Altosaxe was at Galarita they withdrewe to a place called RIOTTA twentye furlongs from Nouara néere to the Riuer of Mora. But as soone as euer the seconde companye of the Switzers hadde entred the Towne and broken their fast the Captayne 's assembled togyther to consulte what was best to be done where Craffe the Haman of Zurich rising vppe sayde I besieche you inuincible bréethren suffer not the exployte that ye haue wyth valiaunte heartes determined to bée corrupted through the vntymely staying for Altosaxe and his companye for the safest and happiest way to good successe will doubtlesse fall out to be only by celeritie Neyther néede we that are rightly and valiauntly resolued ought else than spéedie execution least we may nothing couragiously fayle vnto so great occasion whych is offered vnto vs to put vs in hope of a fayre daye whyche yet may be preuented by a light momente of tyme for yee a fewe bandes of inuincible valor will be ynough to oppresse the enimies whylest they thynke we wyll attempt nothing before Altosaxe bée ioyned wyth vs let vs therefore vse their error and by an vnloked for onset bring suddayne terror not without assured slaughter and flight into the heartes of the enimie puft vp with vnaduised pride and erronious opinion doubtlesse we haue alredy vanguished if the victorie conceyued and assured by this honorable deuise and counsell be presently pursued by fearelesse heartes and valiaunt armes Craffe had no sooner ended his spéeche but all the Captaynes and ensigne bearers without stay assented vnto him and grauely consulted vppon the manner how to attache the battell wherevpon the Souldyers were commaunded to refresh their bodyes with meate and rest and to repaire vnto the ensignes after the secōd watch then the Captayns should tel thē before the dawning what they would haue done Now whilest all mens mindes were musing on the euent of the future fight the Sunne was now going downe beholde a wonderful chance hapened al the frēchmēs dogges forsaking their Camp entred Nouara in one great troupe and began to licke the handes and legges of the Switzers that warded and wagging their tayles and laying downe their eares fawned now vpon one and thē vpon another of them as though they were now become their Maisters or shortly after should But the Switzers to the end they might make a shew that they meant some other thing than that they intended indéed commaunded the Drummes to be sounded all the whole night now in this part of the Citie and nowe in that to make the espyes if there were any in the Citie to beléeue that they would issue out of the Towne and thereby kéepe their enimies who they knewe had bin in armour all the whole day on Horsebacke armed also all the night long But they commaunded all their owne men to strengthen their bodyes wyth fléepe and to stay for day that euery man might in the cléere lighte shewe his valor with a noble contention for honor For these are the most seuere lawes of the Switzers that whosoeuer shall in the sight of the armie doe things for feare whiche are shamefull and vnméete for valiaunt menne shall be incontinently slayne by their nexte fellowes so that the greater feare doth ouercome the lesse and for doubt of a shamefull death an honorable death is not feared Now a little before it was light the Captayne 's chose out of all their armie whiche was about nine thousand footemen one thousande men of approued prowesse who should haue the charge of eyghte falkons and accompany Maximilian and his Horsemen who were very fewe but of the chiefe of the nobilitie The rest dyd cast themselues into two battels and marched all whyst without sounde of Drumme towardes their enimies two diuers wayes But Triuulzi who although he were accompted a Captayne of approued and beaten wisedome yet thoughte nothing lesse than that a few and those weary footemen woulde before Altosaxe were come issue out against a very strong power or attempt any thing touching the fortune of the battell When he vnderstoode that the enimies power was in syght reyseth vp Tremouille and the rest of the Captaynes commaundeth the signals to be sounded the ordinance to be placed against the enimie and all things that he hadde learned by experience and discipline to be administred according to the necessity of the perill The shortenesse of the tyme was suche and the heartes or the enimies so ready to fighte that the Frenche horsemen had scarse tyme to bridle their horses and put on their heade peeces as they which had stoode a greate parte of the day and night in armour attending what shoulde bee commaunded them and at length thoughe very late when newes was broughte that all was quiet at Nouara had gotte them into their cabines to take their reste But the light horsemen as men sooner ready in good time enoughe ranne forth with a very long wing stretched towards the lefte hande and mette with the thousande Switzers as they were commyng who that they mighte auoide the greate ordinaunce that nowe tempested vppon them marched towardes the riuer of Mora fetching a little compasse aboute and then minded to passe ouer the riuer by a bridge and set vppon the backes and tentes of the enimies Thus the Switzers marching on towardes the bridge in a broade waye beganne to be torne in peeces with the ordinaunce whych flanked them on the side and to be vehemently pressed by the horsemen But then Mottine wyth vnappalled hearte altered hys counsell and willed Maximilian who was in great danger the Epirotes insulting roūd about him to depart out of the fight and incontinently to returne vnto the Citie that so he might keepe the heade of the warres which then laye open vnto the acerbitie of fortune for to enioye the noble hoped victory But when hee nobly refused so to doe and with constant hearte desired that he might be suffered to take the chaunce of common fortune two pety Captaines and so manye ensigne bearers tooke his horse by the bridle and pulling off the crest from his helmet and casting about hym an olde cloke to bide his coate armoure ledde him out of the field forcing him to returne vnto the citie with a troupe of horsemen that hee beyng a daungerlesse beholder of their prowesse myghte there exspecte the newes of speedy victory Mottine being thus deliuered of that wofulnesse relieth his swaying battell which had nowe lest thrée of their Falkons wythdraweth the wounded into
the middes of the battell and with greate force beates backe the insulting Epirotes and slaying Alexio Bosigno a noble Geeke their captain â—â—ite defeateth them And with the same fease is also carryed into the ennimyes Campe and there the drudges and stragglers beeing slayne and the Souldiours of the station disordered tooke the carriages and baggage But a little before these thynges were doone by Mottine an other company takyng a longer iourneye thoroughe the Corne fieldes then growen vppe and thereby receyuing small hurte by the ordinaunce had charged the syde of the enimye The Frenche power was deuided into three battailes Tremouille and De la Marche hauyng the leadyng of the wyngs and Trivulzi of the middle battayle and the Batallion of the Lancequenetz hadde gotten them within a ditche betweene the battailes of the horsemenne bycause theyr Trenche beeyng of a newe and wounderfull workemanshippe inuented by Roberte de la March for to enclose them agaynste the chaunce of battayle coulde not bee pitched and sette vp in that suddayne commyng of the ennimie Vppon this Esquadron of the Almaynes the Switzers brynging about their battell towardes the right hande courageously tourned them selues for that they vnderstoode the victorye woulde bee easely obtained after they had once defeated the chiefest force of their enimies armye The Frenche Captaynes seeyng this incontinentely commaunded the greate ordinaunce to bee shotte off vppon them the rankes to bee broken thoroughe wyth greate slaughter and anone after the menne of armes also vehemently charged them on the lefte syde In this tumulte the Amans of Berne and Zuche were slaine yet the Souldiours nothyng appalled wyth their Captaines deathes neyther with their owne perill nor the horrible slaughter of their fellowes gathering their strength togither do cast them selues into a ring and wyth greate valoure doe propell the horsmen and straightway as they had before determined passing ouer the ditche set vppon the Almaines Whervppon incontinently began a bloudye and cruell fight yea and that without either wordes or noise on eyther side sauyng onlye an horrible clashyng of armour and weapons and the softe sighes of them that fell downe deade The Almaines that they mighte reuenge the slaughter of their countreymen the laste yeare at Pauia and now by newe renowne redeme the glory of warfare lost fourteene yeares before at Bruderholtz in the confines of Basill foughte very fiercely But the Switzers that they myght yet one daye quite destroye their olde and peculiar enimies fellowes that had runne out of Germanie and serued the Frenche Kyng in reproche of the Emperour were no whitte behind either in strength or feruencie of courage But whilest the Switzers and Almaines thus fought at push of pike newes was brought vnto Trivulzi and Tremouille that the baggage was taken those that were appoynted to kéepe the Campe slayne and all places fylled full of tumulte and slaughter The fame whereof so troubled the Frenchemens myndes that a greate parte of the horsemen euery man being carefull for his bagge and baggage ranne thither without commandement to recouer the praye Also in another quarter almoste at the same instant the third companye or battell of the Switzers shewed themselues at the fronte of the Frenchemen which battell whilest the Frenchmen hadde in vayne shotte off their ordinance into the woodde that stoode béefore them by reason the Switzers to deceiue the ennimies had politikely lefte among the trees certayne vnprofitable drudges to make a shewe of armed men hadde crepte along by a syde way by little and little stoupyng and traylyng theyr pykes after them And nowe so greate was their contempt of the flying bullets and so terrible their chardge that the Frenche and Nauarrine footmen their Captaine Beamont being slayne and twoo bandes of Genouese and Salucians were quickly defeated and also their ordinaunce taken and tourned on the backs of them that fled When the reste of the horsemen sawe the greate ordinaunce gotten by the enimie in whome the Frenchemen hadde in all warres reposed more truste than in theyr armes and prowesse that the Almaines were nowe almoste quite destroyed their tents taken the enimie ouerthrowing all now large lords of the field betwene shame and feare they tourned their backes When all men were thus dismayed the Captaines themselues were fearlesse enough considering the fearefulnesse of the state and went about to rallye the rankes that were disordered and turned them selues towardes the dissonant cries of their own fellowes made them to abide and fighte encouraged the petye Capitaines and ensigne bearers to put away feare and so long to susteine a fewe pesants of weary vnarmed and nowe weakened wyth woundes vntill the lighte armed had enclosed them The Lansquenetz beare the brunt of the battell and the fight is repaired in all places But the horsemen being nothing moued wyth the wordes of the encouraging and commaunding captaines shamefullye flye For the Switzers althoughe their Captaine Mottine were slaine by a péece of ordinaunce yet hauing gotten the Campe did al bloudy fiercely inuade the lefte side of the horsemen and on the righte syde and on the back a greater power with terrible pikes did very sharply vrge the affrighted and disordered horsemen There perished in repairing the fielde Monfalcon Captaine of the Duke of Albanies companye of horsmen and Coriolano Trivulzi a yong Gentleman of singular hope But the Almaines who leesing halfe their men and two ensignes and their Generall Floranges greeuously hurte had foughte very constantly a long time Nowe when they sawe themselues to bee forsaken by the horsemen and the reste of the footemen in all quarters to be defeated and the great ordinaunce taken thinking that flight was shamefull and yet nothing safe did set the points of their weapons vpright accordyng vnto their manner and yeelded themselues seeking mercye of the victor enimys In this grieuous vproare Robert de la March Lorde of Cedan attached with impotent sorow to see his two sonnes the lords Floranges and Gemese enclosed by the enimye and almoste in desperate daunger of life burst in euen into the midst of his enimies battell wyth a troupe of horsemen and toke them vppe lying among the dead bodyes miserably berayed and embrued wyth the bloude of their woundes and being halfe dead layde them ouerthwarte the neekes of two horses like vnto twoo cloke bagges and thus wyth singular praise bothe of fatherly pitie and warlike prowesse he caried them away preseruing their liues to purchase renowne in future and more fortunate fieldes Thus the Switzers fighting in thrée companyes or battells within an houre and an halfe dyspatched and finished a famous battell and a moste weyghtye warre Neyther yet althoughe the Switzers sawe so many of their enimies lye slaine before their face canne they once to the spoyle notwithstanding that precious furniture of household and al the baggage of the riche army did allure their minds for they remembring their country discipline which doth not permitte them to take anye armed man prisoner in the
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
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
slaine or sore wounded Now vnto Selym being victor by the confessiō of the enimies came there Ambassadors from Chois and the Cities thereaboutes and also from Taruis yelding themselues vnto him who marched to Toruis mynding to winter there but he hadde not made his aboade there aboue tenne dayes but intelligence was giuen that Jsmaell hauing sent for a strong power of Jberian and Albaniā horsmen was comming towardes Taruis with the Parthian horsemen and those that had béene at the battell of Chois Then Selym callyng to minde howe hardly in the flelde he had susteyned thirty thousande Persians wyth an hundreth and fiftye thousande Turkes and had vanquished them rather by chaunce and his ordinance than by true prowesse and estimating with al the greate power of the Citizens of Taruis whose fidelity and multitude hée suspected departed thence and hasted to passe ouer Euphrates marching a longer way about for feare leaste hée shoulde méete the approching Iberians who although they passed withall possible spéede assoone as they once vnderstoode of the Turkes departure yet coulde they not ouertake them beyng posted ouer Euphrates before the Iberians could come yet when the auauntcurrers of the Iberians had gotten the sight of them they caused suche a tumult among the Turkes before theyr hyndermoste tayle coulde passe the riuer that about two thousande of them were drowned and parte of the baggage and certaine falcons were lefte in the Riuer sticking fast in the mudde whome the Sophy afterwardes weighed vp and caried away ¶ The Battell of Marignano fought not farre from the Citie of Milan betvvene Francis the French King the first of that name and the Switzers vnder the conduct of Mathew the Cardinall of Sion and Rosti but in the quarrel of Maximilian the Duke of Milan in anno 15 15. Out of Iouius FRancis the French King at the beginning of his raigne séeking to recouer the Duchye of Milan leuyed a puissannte armye of foure thousande men of armes euery one drawing wyth hym thrée or foure horses eight thousand light horsemen the Capitayne Generall of all which horsemen was Charles Duke of Burbon and highe Constable of fortie bandes and mo of Lansquenetz vnder the conduct of the Lorde Floranges and Charles Duke of Ghelders who among other brought an approued regiment of olde Souldiours called of their blacke ensignes the black regimēt and of twenty bands of Gascoignes Nauarrines and other borderers on the mountaines Pyrences vnder the conducte of Peter of Nauarre They for the greatest parte were Arcubalisters and Archers but a kinde of souldiours that would toile like horses very venterous light and nimble excellent to kéepe or assault a towne and also to skirmishe Then hadde he so greate store of greate and small artillerye as would well suffise two greate armyes and the wagons and carts that caried boullets gunpowder pikeaxes crowes of yron and all kinde of tooles and other things to make easy the troublesome wayes thorouge the rocky Alpes were almoste innumerable All this prouision was drawen by the perpetuall labour of fiue thousande mighty strong horses There also followed for desire of pillage a strong regiment of voluntarie footemen vnder certaine ensignes and Captaines and with them thrée thousande Pioners With this army whych for number and furniture passed all that anye man had séene in our dayes Francis passed the Alpes and encamped betwene the town of Marignano and the citie of Milan both aswell to interclude the armies of the Pope and the king of Spaine from the Switzers who were come to Milan to defende the Duke and to make Liuiano the Generall of the Venetians his confederate more strong by the propinquitie and nearenesse of his Campe as also to defende hym from the Spaniardes that were very neare him But whilest the king was encamped at Marignano Maximilian the Duke of Milan and Mathew the Cardinall of Sion the bringer of the Switzers into Italy called the Captaines and Lieftenauntes into the Castell to sitte in counsell howe these perillous warres should be administred There manye were of the opinion that the waye to obtayne the victorye was in no wise to ioyne in battell with the Frenchmen before they hadde vnited theyr power wyth the Popes and Spanishe armyes the one whereof consisted of fourtéene bandes of Italian footemen and thrée thousande horsemen the other of eight hundreth men of armes and a thousande light horsemen besides a regiment of olde Spanishe footemen whereof euery souldiour beyng as famous for hys valiaunt actes as riche by reason of greate spoiles didde matche bothe petye Capitaines yea and Capitaines in chiefe not onely in approued stoutenesse but also in brauery of armoure or at the leaste before they had brought the Frenche Kyng who trusted muche in hys munitions thoroughe some necessitye into a more indifferent place And it was apparant that the Switzers shold easly obtaine either the one or the other if they woulde marche vnto a place called Binasco standing in the way vnto Pauia for if the Frenche Kyng woulde for all this iourney of the Switzers persiste still in hys sure defenced lodging that then they might easely go from Binasco by the towne of Sanangelo and through a country abounding in all kinde of victuals vnto the riuer of Po wherby the bridges which were ready built the armies of the confederats might ioyne with them but if the Frenche King fearing least he shoulde bée stopped both from the Citie of Paura and also from the stone bridge ouer the riuer of Tesino where hée had lefte a small garrison wold march vnto Pauia that then eyther they myght fight wyth hym wyth more equall condition or else incontinently tourne on the lefte hande vnto Lody and there sending for and receyuing into theyr Campe the powers of the Spanishe King and the Pope they shold straight way tourne Liuiano from his purposed forney and dashe the passyng greate hope of victory that the Frenchemen had conceyued by their former fortunate successes But whē these things were declared and also plotfes and chartes were shewed wherin were described the wayes and site of the regions that the rude witted men might more certainly vnderstande and knowe those things which were counselled then diuers Captaines who induced eyther by their olde iudgement or else by French golde lately giuen by Francis had accepted conditions of peace wyth hym at a village called Galarato by their dissentyng enterlasing of vaine difficulties and affyrming that those things were to be surueyed wyth great consideration and maturity cleane ouerturned al this meane and way of wholsome and good counsell Wherefore leaste the harts of those that were faithfull might languish by tariance and the good willes of the vncertayne multitude be tourned into perfidiousnesse the Cardinall thought it beste to bring them by all sleightes to fight with the Frenchmen out of hande thinking thereby eyther to winne a notable victory or if the Switzers receyued the ouerthrowe by vnfortunate fight to some vnappesible enimitie and
detest but to restore and amend them no not the immortall Gods themselues are able Gazelles had moued manye wyth bys opportune and graue sentence but that the stouering of the Souldiours and the foolishe couragiousnesse of the Mamaluches the guarde of the Sultan were a greate empeachment vnto Campsons cares for well hearing of the truth for assoone as they hadde hearde more certayne newes of the commyng of the Turkes they leaped and skipped ouer all the Campe for incredible ioy laughed smiled and rubbed the elbow and one gratulated another that a time had come wherein they might shewe their valor and win glory And that nowe they would holde faste this so long wished for occasion thorough the which they discomfiting and slaying his enimies wold extoll their Emperour Campson aboue the title and moste renouuâ—ed fame of Caitley the great Neyther wanted there some of the chiefe who by rehersing of flattery and vaine boasting with how greate glory they had discomfited at Tarsus the mighty armye of the Turkes almoste with no laboure boldely sayde that the enimie would be easily and spéedily vanquished But specially Cayerbey the lieftenaunt of Alexo and the Prouince of Comagene hasted by speaking many high wordes of the zelous endeuour prowesse and heate of the Mamaluches to make light of those things which had héene reported of the prouision furniture and number of the enimyes and to ouerthrow the reasons of most holsome counsell The which hée did of pernicious treason as hée that had intelligence that the Sultan mentâ— to put him to death as hée had also done his brother but deferred the execution thereof bycause that hée had in the Campe a verye strong power of friendes and also was singularly wel beloued of the Citizens of that mightie Citie wherein hée possessed a veryâ— strong Castell Moued with the which perill hée had sent priuie messengers vnto Selym who shoulde in hys name offer to pleasure him priuily to the vttermost of his power and to shew vnto him all the counsells of Campson and what his power was and to aduise him to hasten to fight with the Sultan Thus Campson despising Gazelles counsell the whiche was very faithfull and wholesome and impelled by the adhortation of the traitour Cayerbey and of al the Mamaluches incontinently at the first newes of Selyms approch determined to darreyne hattell wyth hym The Sultan was encamped in a commodious place at the riuer of SINGA almost x. miles from the Citie for this reason that the souldiours might vse the nearenesse of the Riuer and bée remoued oute from the houses and delightes of the Citie and yet neuerthelesse might be easely holpen with the commodities riches and power therof The Mamaluches a kind of ordinary souldiours out of whom the Sultan was alwayes chosen were scarse twelue thousande but euery one of them according vnto the greatnesse of his wages and wealth had many seruants attendant on hym very well appointed wyth armour and horses The Mamaluches terrible men for theyr long heardes and threatning eyes mightily brawned in all partes of their bodies and very nimble do vse to fight wyth such arte that after the firste shotte of theyr Launces they with a certaine wonderfull agilitie and valor do vse nowe their arrowes casting their shielde behinde them then their mace of yron sometimes a sworde crooked like vnto a sithe as the place and encounter doe require Their horses are strong and hot and for making and swistnesse like vnto the Genets of Spaine and that which doth séeme to be beyonde the opinion of our men they doe especially excell in so greate docilitie that they haue learned by nature and vsage to reach vp vnto their riders a launce or arrowe taken vp from the ground with their téeth to knowe the ennimies and to flye on them with their téeth and beating downe all cound about them with their héeles and all this do they by signes and certaine voices vttered by their maisters Vppon these horses are séene saddles guilt bittes of siluer defences for their necks breasts of pron plates The horseman himselfe is contented wyth a shirt of maile or a coate of plate The horsmen of the fore rankes and al that are renâ—umed for riches weare helmets the reste doe thinke themselues sufficiently defenced against all blowes by the linnen couer of their hed the which is finely wretahed with many rolls but the basest forte vse red thrummed hattes that can not be cut thoroughe with the waighty stroke of asworde Campson diuided his armye into fiue battells the firste he committed to Cayerbey bycause that the battell was fought in his prouince the seconde to sibey who was furnamed â—â—lmanâ— that is to say the Tumbler for his wouderfull nimblenesse of bodye he was Prince of Daâ—iascus a man of singular fidelitie and prowesse These two battels should at one time charge the right and lefte wings of the Turkes Then did Gazelles â—olâ—we wyth the thirde battell for to succoure the one oâ— the other as the case shoulde require The fourth glisering with guilt armour Campson hymselfe ledde twelue furlongs distant from the reste as it were for a battell of succour The fifte battell was lefte to guarde the Campe. But Selym had so aranged his army that according vnto his accustomed maner he placed the horsemen of Asia in the right wing and the horsemen of Europe in the lefte but the Ianizars with the great ordinaunce in the middle battel And before the Ianizars in the front of the middle battell stoode the moste brauely appointed and valiant horsemen of the Guarde among whome Selym woulde be that daye contrary to hys wonte Is soone as the armies approched one vnto the other Cayerbey for shewe of a noble courage gaue a sharpe onset on the Europian horsmen and straight way as though he woulde haue enclosed their battell he defeated with a long circuite about on their backes where hée dysordered wyth greater terror than staughter the hindermoste taile where the drudges the baggage and innumerable Camells were that being bothe valiaunt and also traiterous he might séeme both to satisfie hys honour and also hys falshoode But in another quarter the Prince of Damascus that hée might inuade the ennimies on the open side omitting the fronte and bringing aboute hys troupes towardes the lefte hande gaue a charge ouerthwarte the enimies and the Mamaluches fought so feruently that committing a greate slaughter of the Asians they perced like vnto a moste violent streame euen vnto the ensignes which had bene placed in the middes of the battell Neyther after that the foremoste were ouerthrowen coulde Mustaphas the Bellerbech he was an Hungarian sonne in lawe vnto Baiazet and Imbracorbassa the maister of the kings horse who contended wyth great force vnto the contrarye longer slaye the horsemenue but that they fledde So the victorious Prince hauing cut into two parts the wing of the enimies was come sidelong vnto the footemeÌ„ and the backs of the horsemen of the guarde and filled
loste aboue twoo thousand horsmenne and among them some of the beste of his Capitaynes But bycause the fight had continued from noone to Sunne sette the Turkes were not able to pursue their ennimies their horses being almoste deade for thirst and they themselues fainting thoroughe lacke of meate and extreame laboure but encamped in the place where the battell was fought neare vnto the Spring afore mentioned ¶ Three battayles fought betweene Selym the great Turke and Tomumbey the Sultan of Egypt in the yeares 1516. and. 17. Out of Iouius AFter that Selym had intelligence that Synambassa had taken Gaza and discomfited Gazelles and also hée himselfe had receyued a freshe supplye of souldiours by sea from Constanethople he marched with his whole armye vnto Gaza and from thence within eighte dayes came neare vnto the chiefe seate of the Sultan called Caier Synambassa always going a days iorney before hym Six myles from the Citie is there a Village called Rhodania into the which place Temumbey the new Sultan had brought al his olde and newe prouision and furniture of great ordinance and had made ditches crosse ouer al the plain fielde and the high waye the which ditches he had couered ouer with small stickes and earth layd vpon them and he himself had stoode in an oportune place with the Mamaluches who were about xij thousand a great number of Arabian horsmen for this intent that when the hoste of the Turkes did beginne to approche they might be beaten downe by the vnthought of ordinance before that they coulde come to reache the Egyptians with theyr Harquebusses and then he hymselfe being spread rounde about them woulde incontinently fyght with them being disordered and fallen into the ambushe These things were so cunningly and prudently deuised also perfected in so good time that no man in the armie did thynk that the victorie of that day was any thing to be doubted of Doubtlesse a gret calamitie hanged ouer the Turkes if that Fortune who as she always fauored Selym so she enimy like and sharply persecuted Tomumbey had not defeated the painefull endeuors of the Mamaluches through the perfidiousnesse of a fewe persons There were in the Sultans armie foure Mamaluches Albanoyses borne who did greatly stomack it that Tomumbey was ful sore against their will aduaunced vnto the royall seate by the voices of the aduerse faction They whether impelled by lewduesse of disposition or adduced by hope of rewards and more liberall entertainment bicause they thought that nowe séeyng their owne side went to wracke it were wisedome for them to séeke new and more certaine friendes fled vnto Synambassa as vnto the chiefest Turkish captain and their countreyman By these horsemen Synambassa and incontinently after Selym vnderstood all the counsels and intents of the enimies and how great an ambushe Tomumbey had layde for them with singular suttietie and arte into whiche they must néedes fall vnlesse they did forsake the high and direct waye Whervpon they being guided by the same fugitiues dyd fetche a great compasse about on the left hand and before it was day came again into their old way and with aranged battels and produced ordināce that there might be no stay to attach the fight shewed themselfs at the backs of their enimies auoiding the front of their campe When Tomumbey sawe this he coniectured by the marche of his enimies that his Ambushe had bene disclosed thorough the treason of his owne men But although he were tormented with incomparable grief of minde for that al those thinges which he had doone with the toyle of so many men and wyth so great endeuor was quite dashed and caste awaye in one moment of tyme by spitefull Fortune yet neuerthelesse as he was a very stout man he incontinētly reuoked al his senses vnto counsel wonted valor calling vnto him al the captains spéedily told them what he wold haue to be done Tomumbey being placed in so great straight of things must doe all things at one time he must giue the signall vnto the souldiours wherby they were willed to mount on horseback to take their weapons to turn the order of his cape to arange his battels to encorage his souldiors to traduce his ordināce into contrary quarters as the case did require Al which things as one chieftain could not do alone but hardly and confusedly so were they hastyly to halfes and peruersly administred at one pushe by many But the thing that did moste hinder the spéedye dooying of all thynges was the huddlyng togyther of all menne for to remoue the ordynaunce the moste of whiche were yll fauoured and houge péeces made of yron and sette in greate stockes of wodde wyth rings of yron after the rude and nauall workemanshippe vsed in olde time they by reason of their mighty waighte coulde not be moued out of their places without the draught of many beastes and greate thrusting and heauing with yron crows and leuers and with the gréeuous laboure of men But the greate péeces that were mounted on whéeles being drawen by the witlesse hasting multitude with the great clamor of those that pulld haled and shoued throughout all partes of the Campe did with their tumultuous passage disorder those that were mounting on their horses and the Souldiours that were repairing vnto the ensignes But two things were a great help vnto those difficulties that is to wit the cherefulnesse of the souldiours and the singular constancie of them all farre greater than a man would beléeue for that they had not by any conceyued feare fallen from their hope and harts as it commonly hapneth in sodaine chaunces in whome yea the olde souldiours doe oftentymes forget their olde valor but being twice vanquished in battayle they had alwayes resumed greater confidence and courage than they had before bycause they perswaded themselues that not valour and saill in fighte but only Fortune sayled them Therfore when Tomumbey had set his men in array and the souldiors with hote desire of fight had requested the signall he commaunded all the multitude of the Arabians to fetche aboute their wings on the backe of their enimies and to attache the fight firste so that the Turkishe horsemen might be troubled and disordred with a doubtfull daunger of fight before that hée himselfe had run foorth with his induced troupes Streightwaye he cōmaunded the great ordinance which had bene now brought about and directed against the enimies to be shot off And incontinently did the Turkes the same who hadde once shot of theyr smaller greater péeces when they were a iuste distance of and quickly charging them agayne had now drawen them within an arrowes shoote of the Egyptian ordinaunce they foughte a long tyme on eyther side with only often shooting off of their ordināce whyle that the armies approched In the which cōtention almost all the Egyptian gunners were slayne and most of their artillerie his mounted from their whéeles and broken into péeces by the violence of the
assured hope of ready victory séeyng that Francis of all Kings the most liberall would requite this their singular benefite not only by frank dealing wyth them selues but also with their wines and children Surely the Captalâ—â—â— and 〈…〉 well aâ—â—ecâ—ed and very faithfull but the common sorte of the souldiours as they which were bouâ—â—â—e by no giftes did very leudly wauer but yet so that it séemes that all of them would fight valiantly if they were spéedily brought to darraine battell When Prasperâ— and Pescara vnderstoode the entent of their 〈◊〉 they staying almost neuer a whit at Milan euâ—â—â—â—â— theiâ—â—â— wer wel furnished with all things beyng fully refâ—â—ed tâ— giuer the enimy battell if that any indifferent occasion were offeâ—â—d They eueauped themselues at a village called Bicocna in a place very fafe and commondious for on the right 〈◊〉 it was enclosed with the ditche of the highway but â—â—â—the leasie and on thehâ—â—ke with two small riuers secuing to water the corne fieldes but in the front it hadde a crosse waye so broade that two waiues méeting might passe one by another the which was on bothe sides so lowe that the edges of the corne fieldes were nauell high aboâ—â— it This way for that it was very hollowe did Pescara vse for a ditche and in the front thereof plaâ—â—â— the ordmance and footemen and behinde stoode the horsemen with Prospero But Francis Forza the Duke of Milan who had brought thither bandes of the Citieof Milan and all the nobilitle of the whole duchie that he might be present at the battell encamped in the high way Now the Captaines of the Switzers being singularly addicted to the French welfare and honour and namely Albers Petra a captaine of sucpassing same in many wars who had then the chiefe authoritie among the Switzers assooâ—e as nows was brought by the horsmen that the Emperitialls were encamped middle way betwéeno Milan and Moâ—za and were in a plaine and leuell péece of ground not aboue fiue miles from them they canne vnto the French Captaines and Alberâ— spake vnto them and tolde them that the Souldioures coulde bée kepte by no meanes but that they woulde goe home vnlesse they were lidde into the fielde to fight and that hée hym selfe might satisfye the kings Maiestie who had very well deserued of hym and also the dignitie of the Switzers was fully resolued to giue hatâ—â—ll neither ought they to doubt of the victory if that the frenchmen as they were by bucâ—y bound wold wyth couragious harts folow the Switzers who would pierce euen vnto the ordinance of the enimies If that there were any that would rather linger shamefully than fight valiauntly they ought not to bée thought faithfull to the king or the commoÌ„ wealth Therfore he to shewe his fidelitie and vnfained hart vnto the Kyng would go against the enimies yea with onely the Switzers if no man else woulde follow This couragiousnesse of Albert was not displeasant vnto Lautrech as that man that had rather fight yea with doubfull eueÌ„t than to be forsaken by the Switzers for this was his opinion that their hote valor séeing that they did request the battell wyth such flaming heartes was to be vsed out of hande namely séeyng that he séemed inferiour to the enimies neyther in footemen horsmen nor yet in number for he priuily accompted it an ignomye if that now as it had happned the yeare before he should againe be driuen out of Lumbardie and neuer fight battell and namely séeyng that wheras the Switzers then specially the french horsmen had alwayes in vaine requested of hym with many prayers that they might shewe their valor in a pitched fielde which thing as it often happeneth in aduerse fortune had gotte him greate enuy among the Frenchmen But Palice both gréenously offended wyth the rashenesse and arrogancie of Albert and also moued with the nothing tymely inclination of Lautrech praysed in déede at large the good will and deuotion of the Switzers but could in no case abide to heare the counsell of assaulting the Campe as a deuice full of extreame madnesse and deadly desperatnesse often saying that he who had wared olde in the Italian warres did very wel know the valor of young Pescara who alwayes vseth to fight lustily and the artes of olde Prospero who had learned to lodge his army skilfully to the discoÌ„moditie of his enimy with his owne chiefest and highest praise He did not thinke the french state was brought vnto that despaire the as it were in extreme necessitie they shoulde rather chose to fight and be vanquished than by staying wyth very good and holesome reson moderate the violent fease of vnaduised corage Wherfore what was more safe and better thaÌ„ to get them betwene Milan the enimies camp and encamping themselues there force the enimies being intercluded from the citie and victuals either to fight with disaduantage if that they woulde assaile their Camp or certes if they would returne vnto Milan to offer them the fielde in an indifferent place In déede the Lorde Lautrech who had the supreame gouernement might fight with disaduantage both then also at al other tymes when he wold but it was the duty part of a wise Generall neuer to prouoke the enimy vnlesse he hauing before surely shifted the eueÌ„t might with firme reason assuredly promise himselfe vndoubted victorie But then thus answered the Lord Lautrech we nede not slouthful lingring in sitting still but lyuely valour in fight tore-couer the honor and Duchy lost the which doubtlesse can not be done if we do suffer the Switzers who are now going away to depart home and do no feate of prowesse Wherefore make your selues ready to fight that we may this day ende the warres one way or an other Thervnto replied Palice God assist the mad and desperate I for my part that I may not séem to haue shuÌ„ned the perill will certes fight on foote in the forewarde of the footemen yée French horsmen behaue your selues to day valiantly that in a hard case rather fortune than courage may séeme to haue fayled you So before the Sun was vp it was the .xxix. day of Aprill Albert leadeth foorth his regiments of Switzers they were about fiftene thousand with the ordinance being puffed vp with so foolish or certes fatal pride that he would not one whit be ruled in any thing by either Lautrech or Palice Captaines of greate skill but wyth barbarous statelinesse promised that hée woulde chardge the Emperialls full in the face And without stay the famous Petro de Nauarro and the renowned Captaine Biciarde being sente before to surueye the situation of the enimyes Campe Lautrech made two battells of all the french horsemen the first he committed to his brother the Lorde Lescune commaunding him to fetche a great compasse about and to inuade the enimies on the backes but he himself folowed the maine army It was enioyned vnto the Venetians who were on the left hand to back the Switzers
beyng therby quite out of daunger or certes very far from any Moreouer Iohn de Medici was commaunded to goe before all the battelles wyth hys horsemen who were verye passyng excellent consisting both of light horsemen and also men of armes and with the light bands of Italian footemen who also serued vnder him that he coursing this way and that way might take all prospecte from the enimies and not suffer their auaunt currers to take any viewe of the French power So the footemen being hidden by Medices horsemen approched wyth great pace not being séene of the enimies yet the formost of Lescunes horsmen were by reason of their glistering armour séene of the Emperials betwéene certaine trées vpon the lefte hand but they did fetch suche a greate compasse about that they séemed to be beyond the camp and to march towardes Milan In the meane time Pescara than whom no man kept a more constant iudgemeÌ„t of mind in sodaine chaunce commaunded Gastaldo to scout with a company of horsemen he had not gone far but that hée met with Medici and then their horsemen skirmished togyther very brauely now one side and then the other was driuen backe and the loose shotte came also in among them finally they were so blended togither that neither the one was suffered to haue any certaine knowledge of the approche of the Switzers nor the other of the situation and array of the enimies campe The ordinaunce as I said was opportunely placed in the front of the ditche and the footemen were cast into foure battallions but yet so with equall front that Almaines and Spaniards wer mingled together by course The captain of the Almaynes was George Frondesberg a notoriou man for hys mightie body and strength the harquebusters standyng before the pikes occupied all the whole length of the front when Pescara commanded by as new and witty as afterwarde happy deuise that they should not sette fire to their péeces before that they had séene volagues dischardge at his commaundement But he willed the foremoste rankes that after they had dischardged they shold immediatlye stoupe downe on their knées and charge agayne that the seconde rankes might incontinently discharge without daunger of the foremoste hée also commaunded the seconde and then the third and so the fourth to do the same so that when the last had discharged the firste and the sâ—â—ond rankes should quickly and readily shoote off agayne theyâ—â—â—charged péeces So that this order being repeated incessantly the footemen of the enimyes myght bée beaten down as it were wyth a continuall storme before that they could come to hand strokes Euent wanted not to Pescara his deuise For when the Switzers approched they first shooting off their great ordinaÌ„ce as also the Emperials had done ranne amaine vnto the ditche suspecting nothing of the disaduantage of the place Where all things were oportunely administred by Pescara both wyth great quietnesse and also celeritie and he did sodainely let flye a storme of small shotte which did so much mischiefe that not onely the ensignes but whole bandes fel downe at once yet Albert himselfe lustily scaling the rampire flewe vnto Frondesberg whom he knewe and callyng him by an opprobrious name did with a mightie arme thrust his pike into his side gréeuously wounding him but Albert himself was immediatly slaine being stroken at from all partes round about And also that bande of desperate fellowes that succéeded hym wyth franticke fease were easily slaine by the Almaines and Spaniardes from the vpper grounde In this encounter Alfonse the Marques of Guasto cousin germaÌ„ to Pescara was wouÌ„ded in the arme But the rest of the Switzers after they had béene a long time turmoiled and troubled among the heapes of the slain and the piles of their pikes turned their backes Also at the same time Lescune bringing aboute hys horsmen both giue a charge vpon the backes of the enimies and passyng ouer twoo ditches doth breake into the Campe. Ambrose Landriano the Captaine of the Dukes wing of horsmen is defeated and taken prisoner the tentes are caste downe the hales of Antony de Lena and the Earle of Termine and their siluer plate fall to the share of the lackeys and drudges There is a wounderfull great hurly burly raised throughout the whole Campe feare attacheth not onely the Souldiours but also the Captaines themselues yet Prosperi gets himself quickly out of the feare of this sodaine chaunce and setteth his horsmen caste into troupes against the Frenchmen Aâ—irâ—o and the Earle of Collisa valiaÌ„tly helping him 〈◊〉 Antonin de Lena râ—ning thâ—â—her formost of al. Now Lescune fought vpon the bridge with singular prowesse which if he could haue gotten the French horsmeÌ„ had doubtlesse broken into commit a great slaughter of the Emperials when sée the dukes horsmen aduauncing forwarde their guidons from the high way receiued the encounser also a bande of Italians Harquebusters spéedily ranne vnto theyr succour and also the Milanese that lay beyond the riuer in a verie safe place dyd shoote their fielde péeces ouerthwart vpon the enimies Fraunces Forza the Duke was in that quarter a continual encourager the fyght was diuers and cruell as that which was fought in a place very combersome in all partes not only for the ditches and déepe streames and small riuers but also for the ropes of the tents and many long polles that were set vp to tye the horsses vnto But there was a verye sharpe encounter at the bridge for there Lescune hymselfe being notorious for his Caparissons and plume of fethers in his crest contended with great valour to breake through whose prowesse the Monsieurs Montmorency Baiarde and Pontiremy very forwarde Capitains honorably emulated and also Fredericke de Bozolo one of the house of Mantoa had pierced into the highe waye but the iniquitie of the place did withstande the prowesse of the Frenche horsemen For neyther were they able to breake through wyth thycke troupes nor yet to defende themselues bicause they had brought no and of footmen So the FrenchmeÌ„ that fought on the bridge after that many on both parties had ben cast down hedlong into the Ryuer wyth fowle slaughter of men and horsses were at length driuen from the bridge Lescunes horse was slayne vnder hym and anone after when he had taken an other he was wounded in the mouth with a sworde whiche was thruste thorough the bener of his helmet and Mounsieur Baccalaure the Ensigne bearer of Monsieur de Brion was slayne and Hugh Earle of Pepoli had his legge shot through with an harquebusse the Frenche guidons were rafte and torne and the Harquebusters that were beyonde the ditche tourning themselues on the side of the enimies did with their often and thick shooting much endamage the men of armes and specially their horses In the meane space the battel of the Switzers being defeated the footmen freste cryed Victorie victorie this most fayful crye brought from one to another euent vnto the hindermost rankes the Frenchmens hartes
incontinently quailed but the courage of the Emperialls encreased Lescune windeth himselfe out of the fight and wyth singular constancie although he had loste many of his horsemen recouereth his brother Lautrech who when he sawe the slaughter flight of the Switzers constaÌ„tly stoode still with his whole battell But when Pescara saw the foremoste rankes disordered and the footmeÌ„ turned into flight entreated and besought Frondesberg as earnestly as he coulde for his life and adhorted the Almaines that they woulde pursue the fleing and beate the backes of the discomfited take reuenge of the nation that was the moste deadly enimye of the Almaines and finally without any danger winne an entier victory But when he coulde not obteine this of them who of insolent contumacie woulde not obey and with terrible muttering requested to haue treble pay he for to enkindle them by example sent foorth thrée bandes of Spanishe footemen But bycause they ran foorth scattered neyther wolde the Almains folow them they léesing Guinea a valiant pety Captaine were almoste enclosed partly by the Switzers that drew backe the ordinaunce and partly by Iohn de Medici who running trauerse the field guarded the backes of the departing Switzers wyth a strong troupe of footemen and horsemen yet the Emperiall horsmen when Prospero commaunded them and Pescara requested them with angry countenance to make hast pursued them and then Medici boldly turning his troupes vpon them the horsemen shirmished togyther aboue two houres for both the French and Venetian light horsmeÌ„ repaired from al parts vnto Medices standeres But at the beginning of the battell when the Switzers were ouerthrown almost all the Venetian power went away with Theodoro de Trivulzi their Captain neuer once attempting to fight There perished of the Switzers what in the fight and afterwarde of their woundes about thrée thousande among whom nexte to Albert Petra Arnolde of Vnderwalden did moste excell for authoritie and valiaunt courage But there were slaine of the Frenchmen Mounsieurs de Molans and Ghisci and two noble yong gentlemen Mounsieur de Montfort and de Turnon But of the Emperialls Peter Earle of Colisa of the house of Cardona Pescara his mothers brother being shotte into the eye as he plucked vp hys beuer with the quarel of a crosbow wherof there was but one in the whole field The nexte day after when the Emperials pursued the frenchmen they dissolued al their army the Switzers weÌ„t home the Venetians repaired vnto Bressa Lescune Medici to Cremona Bozzolo with the rest of the horsmen to Lodi and Lautrech the bastard and Palice into France Then the Emperials folowing the victorye wan Lodi Cremona finally all the dutchy except the Castells of Milan Cremona and Nuâ—ara and then also sacked the rich Citie of Genea ¶ The battell fought at Pauia in Lumbardy betvveene Frauncis the French King and Charles Duke of Burbon Charles de Lanoy viceroy of Naples the Marquesse of Pescara captains for Charles the fift Emperour on Saint Mathies day in anno .1525 written by Iouius in the life of the Marques of Pescara IN the yeare of oure Lorde .1524 the Emperiall power hauing vtterly expelled the Frenchmen out of all the duchy of Milan inuaded France besieged the strong Citie of Marsiles in Prouente but when they heard of the approch of Frances the freÌ„ch king with a puissaunt power they spéedilye brake vp the siege and hasted into Italy whome the king pursued so fast that the Emperials were no sooner entred the Citie of Milan but that he was also at the gate and tooke the citie the Emperialls for saking it and fleing with al their army vnto the Citie of Lody but that they had before placed Antony de Leua in the citie of Pauia with all their Lansquenetz being fiue thousand and fiue hundreth Spaniardes footmen two cornets of horsemen The king not staying at al at Milan but only leauing the L. Tremouille with a power to besiege the castel marched incoÌ„tineÌ„tly to Pauia came thither the 28. of Octob. which he besieged so loÌ„g that Charles the duke of Burbon who had reuolted lately vnto the Emperor and had then the gouernment of the Emperial armie in the duchie of Milan went into Germanie brought from thence George Frondesberg with twentie bands of Lansquenetz and Nicholas the erle of Salme with two thousand horsmen and Ferdinande the Archduke of Austrich sent v. C. horsemen and sixe thousand Lansquenetz As soone as all these Almayus were arriued at Lodi the Emperiall power did set foorth agaynst the French king at the earnest persuasion of the Marques of Pescara who wan both Lanoy the viceroy of Naples who being fearefull of léesyng his proper prouince would haue gone vnto Naples with the horsemen and namely the Neapolioans and all the light armed footemen of the Almayns and Spaniardes to defende the kingdome of Naples against the Duke of Albanie whome the French king had sent with ten thousand men to inuade Naples in the whiche enterprise he also shoulde be ayded by the Pope to turne and to bend al their force against the French king also had gotteÌ„ the Spanyards to go foorth to fight which they at the first refused for long lacke of pay So theyr armie being mustered wherin were founde sayth Francis Guicciardine seuen hundred men of armes and so many light horsemen and one thousand Italian horsemen and aboue sixtene thousande footemen parte Spaniardes and part Almayns but Iouius séemeth to insinuate a greater number they departed from Lodi the fiue and twentith day of Ianuary and marched towards the French king taking the town of saint Angelo by the way that they might forrage and be victualled fréely without interception The King vnderstanding of the winning of saint Angelo remoued from the west part of the town into the camp of Seigneur de la Palice who lay on the east side close vnto the wal of Pauy park He also made strong munitioÌ„s from the wal of the Parke euen vnto the riuer of Tesino and beating down a part of the Park wall in thrée places he made thrée wayes as it were thrée mightie gates that his horsmen who did almost al of them lodge in the parke on the left hande close vnto the wood side might spéedily at all times helpe the footmen and also the station that the King had lefte on the west side of the Towne But after that the Emperiall power was encamped neare vnto the Frenche there was many a sharpe shirmishe attached and also Leâ—â— incessantly sallyed out of the citie in one of these skirmishes or more truely after one of them when that he shewed vnto the lord Bonâ—uer the Admiral of France the place and maner of his fortunate skirmish Iohn de Medici was shotte into the leg out of a lowe cottage and to gréeuously hurt that as despaiâ—ing of life he obtained of the king to be caried down the riuer vnto Placenza with the incomparable incommoditie no doubt of the
night viewe and suruey all thinges it is reported that he withdrewe from nature the desires and necessaries of â—â—ats and fléepe to the gréeuous hurt of his health But sithence it was apparant that the Kings Munitions coulde not be wonne but with doubtfull euent and assured losse of souldiours he determined to enter into the Parke by breaking open the wall that fetching a little compasse about he might come to Mirabelle the which is a lodge of singular pleasure very commodions for Hanking and hunting standing almost in the midst of the Parke the which is sixtene myles about In that place the King remouing from his elde lodging â–ª had placed his horsemen and had left there a great company of marchants and straglers and men of peace Nowe was Pescara desirous to take this place speciallye for two causes for if he coulde without empechement of the enimie get Mirabella the whiche thing was first purposed in this iourney then he manifestly sawe that with his surpassing prayse and the infamie of the French men Leua were deliuered from â—â—ege and also the enimies were vtterly excluded from the Citie of Milane But if the King to impeache that iourney would nothing doubt to issue out of the munition of his campe for to fight then ability woulde be gyuen commodiously to ioyne in battayle wyth him the which thing the Emperials did so greatly desire wyth ardent heartes and in very dede were forced by necessitie to wyshe and seke it bycause they wanted money to paye the souldiours and also nowe the hearts of their olde allies were not doubtfully turned vnto the French kyng All these things as they were inuented and deuised by a saylfull and sharpe percing wyt in lyke maner did Pescara declare vnto the captaynes descrybing euery thing wyth so great efficacie and couragiousnesst that he seemed to reioyce not in the victorye surely surueyed and founde out but gotten and obteyned And also Lanoy and Burbon conceyuing greater confidence did nowe beleeue that they hadde vanquished For when that hée proued all things by most weightie arguments and graue speaches his credit and authority encreased so almoste immesurably that it was vtterly voide of obtrectation and enuie the which vice doth alwaies hurte flourishing vertue and in so much that the chiefe captains did of their owne accordes commit vnto him the supreme authoritie in wholy ordering this matter the which thing was almost more glorious vnto him than afterwarde to haue vanquished as he that hauing often at other times tamed his enimies yet had this one worke only left him to ouercome enuy by vnwonted glory and certes it séemed a wonder that Lanoy who was yea ambitiously desirous of honor and the highest authoritie and Burbon who had the chiefe charge of martiall affaires preferred him before themselues as the better warrior not only by secret but also by frée and open iudgemeÌ„t for Piscara was at that time voide of all authoritie and honor because he had before in the iorney to Marsilas giuen vp the office of gouerning the footemen vnto the Marquesse of Guasto his vncles sonne and hys owne heire apparaunt But he was so loosed of peculiar charge that he aloue almost administred all things and taking incredible toile bothe in bodye and minde was still among the footemen the horsemen â–ª the victuallers the purueyors and ordinaunce continually viewing and séeing that nothing were done ouer hastily negligently or vnskilfully So then the resolution being allowed of all the inferiour Captaines and the exploite taken vpon hym Pescara sent Arrio one that had charge of horsemen promising him greate rewardes vnto Antony Leua to tell him that he shold incontinently sally out of the Citie when he should haue intimation thereof at the tyme appoynted by the shooting off of twoo mightie greate péeces of ordinaunce Neyther didde fortune faile vnto Arrio for he setting foorth in the deade time of the nyghte came in safely with his troupe fetching a greate compasse about vnto the backe gate of the town hauing deceyued the Frenchmen that watched by an happy lye for when they asked hym for hys watch word he faining himselfe to be one of Mediceâ— companies as hée had also counterfeited their habite wyth a while crosse made his excuse that he could not tell the watch word because he had bene two dayes out of the Kings campe in a woode After the Pescara had intelligence by a fire made out of the top of the toure that Arrio was fortunately entred the towne he commaunded Salsede to breake open the wall of the Parke deliuering vnto him to doe it withall Rammes made after the auncient forme and also yron Crowes and Pickares But he commaunded Lewes Viacampe and also Hercera and Gaioses to stande with their bands in seueral places ouer right against the munitions of the enimy and make a noyse all the night long with their weapons and Drummes and by putting them in feare and prouoking them kéepe them still occupied But when they had receyued word that he was entred the Parke they shoulde incontinentlye followe with their bandes He also willed Honofito Montano to stande not farre from the Parke wall vpon an high banke ouer right against the blacke regiment of the Lansquenets and so to bestirre himselfe and his men that it might séeme that the bandes were in armes throughout all the campe as they had vsed to be many nightes before He also commaunded that all the cariages of the armie shoulde go forth into the high way towardes Lodi with a garde of a troupe of light horsemen and also commaunded an other companie of horsemen to take waye that laye vpon the left hande that if there were espies in the Campe they being distracted and deceyued by so many and diuers goings forth and so suÌ„drie preparation of all things might not be able to tell the FreÌ„ch men any thing for certaintie But Salsede who had come in the deade time of the night vnto the place before prescribed spente the night in long beating and bouncing in vaine so that the dawning was broken before that he had opened the wall in thrée places somwhat later than Pescara woulde haue had it For the wall being made of Bricke after the olde buylding was verye strong and resisted the Rammes with singular contumacie although they were driuen against it with the armes and strength of whole bandes The first man of all that was sent into the Parke by Pescara was Alphons Marques of Guasto with the valiantest of the Spanishe and Almaine footemen and thrée companies of horsemen Incontinently Greco Iustiniano a Genouese who watched in the station nexte vnto the place where the enimies brake in was chased awaye There were with Guasto about fiue thousande men vnto whome it was enioyned to marche directlye to Mirabello and to take that place without any returne When that Guasto entred the Parke Pescara sayde vnto him with seuere but yet with chearefull countenance Plucke vp a good heart vnto thée valiant
ordinance nor the force of the horsemen tooke the woode adioyning to saue themselues by the garde of the trées from the violence of the insulting horsemen So the Frenchmen quickly cutting off the legs of the drawing beastes doe get the ordinance and with the same violent pursuite doe enter the woode where being oppressed with the disaduauntage of vnaccustomed encounter Sebastian Squaccia a man of passing prowes was slayne and with him certaine stout petie Captaynes and Ensigne bearers yea and foure whole bandes This exployt being prosperously done in the sight of both armies as it did greatlye augment the courage of the King and the French men so did it strike Pescara with incredible sorowe bicause he coulde not succour them But on the other side he being gréedie of fight as soone as he sawe the Kings armie the which he did not thinke woulde haue come forth into the fielde out of their campe wonderfully reioyced as though he had conceyued the victorie Neyther stayed he but immediatlye sent Falzi an horseman of his acquaintance vnto Lanoy to admonishe him to stay his marche and all things set apart and turning the Guidons towardes the enimies incontinently to encounter them he also signifieth the same vnto Burbon and Nicolas Earle of Salern and gallopeth himselfe to call Guasto but Guasto as soone as he had séene his enimies leauing Mirabello marched backe to Vernacula and setting his men in aray of battel had turned the ensignes towardes the enimies for he did not thinke that in this moment of time he ought to obey that which had bene at the firste commaunded him but spéedily to vse the newe counsell whiche chaunce did present Then Pescara sayde this is well brother you haue done that which I woulde you should wherefore haste you on the lefte hande vnto the ennimie with spéedie pace and valiauntlye endeuour that the victorie maye moste speciallyâ— aryse at your wing When he had thus sayde he flewe vnto the Lansquenets in whose valor and strength he did foresée that the weyght of the battayle and the whole victorie did consiste In the meane time a troupe of the Emperiall light horsemen boldly charging the blacke Esquadron of Almaines were easilye repelled and thrust backe with foule disorder into the valley of Vernacula that laye vnderneath and also the Frenche ordinaunce being commodiously drawen with swift horses into all quarters with marueylous skill and celeritie did so annoye the enimies that the Spaniardes yea laying their brestes flatte vpon the grounde coulde scarse escape the fléeing pellets through the benefite of the lower greunde and Lanoy and Alarco were forced to bring their fearefull troupes of horsemen behinde a countrie Cottage which happily defended them But then the king being vohemently incited by these as it were beginnings of not doubtfull victorie and moued both by the disposition of his owne nature and also through the adhortation of his Captaines doubted nothing to giue the signall to dismarche to giue the charge The rest do the same and before all other Palice the leader of the auantgarde did in the right wing charge the Emperiall horsemen who were now lustily turned This fease and charge of the Frenchmen as it was gréeuous and terrible to Lanoy so by the opinion of many men it séemed to haue afterward not doubtfully caried away the victorie from the Frenchmen for by that headlong and spéedie departure not onely the Switzers and Almaines who coulde not followe after with equall pace were bared of the guarde of the horsemen but also the vse of the ordinaunce was for a great part taken awaye for that the Gunners were forced to cease shooting least that they shoulde strike both the sides and backes of the kings troupes who were runne forth farre before them But neuer in our age did horsemen encounter togither more couragiouslye and strongly for on both sides olde beaten Captaines and horsemen fought with burning heartes not for only glorie a thing yet that doth most sharpen the edge of true prowesse but also for the Empire of Italie The Frenchmen being gréedie of reuenge sought in all places of the encounter most narrowly for Burbon as a forsaker of the King and his countrie with the ignominie of treason and perfidiousnesse but all in vaine for Burbon that he might more safely shewe his valor had giuen his Cognizaunces vnto his familiar freude the Lord Pomperant and fought himselfe in his coate and apparailed like vnto a priuate souldiour But the King himselfe being notorious for his coate of cloth of siluer and specially for his tall stature fullye perfourmed the dutie of an encouraging Captaine and a valiant warrier he setting spurres to his horse brake throughe the enimies battayles he encountred those that he mette and namelye those that were moste of marke for veluet and golde In thys vprore Ferdinand Castriâ—ta who broughte his pedigrue from the Kings of Macedon and was also a noble Captaine was slayne by the Kynges owne hande and Hugh of Cardona the Lieutenaunt of Pescara his companye of Horsemen was also beaten downe twoo Guidons were torne into péeces and the horsemen of Baâ—ier whome Ferdinande the Emperours brother had sent lustilye attaching the encounter and most constantlye fighting were defeated so that nowe the Guidons and troupes of Lanoy and Barbon did almoste swaye and shrinke backe For the Frenche men were superiour in horsemen both for number and strength bicause the Emperiall men of armes did lacke the ayde of light horsemen for of the thrée troupes the firste had gone to Mirabello with Guasto the seconde as wée haue toldo you béeing shamefullye repulsed by the blacke Almaynes had fledde backe But the thirde beyng lefte wythoute the Parke vnder the conducte and guyding of Guy Gaino did garde the cariages and baggage of the whole armye Also that surpassyng companye of horsemen whyche consisted wholye of Italian and Spanishe Gentlemen and was the peculiar companie of the Viceroy ayded them not at all as they which were not at the battell For Lanoy had coÌ„maunded Monsieur Verereis a Fleming his cosin and Lieutenant ouer that hande to staye without the wall of the Parke nor by any meanes to stirre from thence vntil that he had receyued from him by assured messenger the token of departure and of entring the fight But when the battaile was incontinently attached and very hote and Lanoy had all his senses and memorie so vehemently occupied about the present and terrible matter that he sent no man to call his cosin the yong Gentleman thinking that he must in any case obey his vncles commaundementes and the preceptes of Martiall discipline stoode still and moued not vntill the ende of the battaile neyther could he be adduced to go forth into the field by any intreatie or chasing of the horsemen vnto Lanoy being for these causes in great distresse and hardlye susteyning the force of the Kings battayle Pescara who viewing all things and places with wonderfull and present prudence and specially with intentiue
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
not long withoute shirmish namely those that had the hill in their power for they hauing discouered howe small a power the Admirall had who was nowe retired came downe and aduaunced themselues so nere that the Protestants could not retire without fight vnlesse they would be intierly defeated So that when some and then other Catholikes came forward Puviant saw that he and his regiments Cornet was so gaged that if the Lorde Noré and the Lorde Loué to whom the retrait of the auantgarde had bene cōmaunded had not with fortie harquebusiers of the garde of de Acier deliuered and disgaged them the greatest part had remained there for a marke and signe of the victorie But when they had with al their deuoyre succoured them to their great paine they were forced to defende themselues with all their power vpō the bay of a pond where they were all charged with such force by Martigues Malicorne and other to the nūber of v. or vj. C. horse that Noué Louée were taken in the field and their companies put to slight Loué had this good hap that by saying he was la Briche ensignebearer to Martigues he escaped death the which he had bene sure of if he had bene known Vppon this Puviant after he had bene charged saw that his company was to small retired with the rest of the footmen Whyle that these charges were giuen on Noué other Catholikes passed farther gaue in euen to the village ii C. of them aduaunced yet more lustily whom the I diniral and Dandelor after they had discouered them and were ignorant of the defeate aforesaid bicause that the village was betwéene them charged Dandelot being foremost with his Cornet gaue in so furiously that he did put them to slight and hauing pursued them euen into the village In his returne be found one of their ensignes but he was no sooner out of the village but that the Catholikes reentred it more strongly than before for they were followed but a good way off by twelue hundreth harquebusters who came to seaze on the village Then he turned vpon them and made them to retire into the village where they renforced themselues with the footemen who in their fauour did so barre and fortifie themselues in that place vnto the purpose that it was made impossible afterwarde to chase them thence In the meane tyme all the troupes Catholikes began to shewe themselues and euery regiment did take his place for the battell This was done when that the Prince of Conde being aduertised by the Admirall who had sent vnto him the Baron of Montagus of the daunger that the auantgarde was in vnlesse he succoured it aduaunced himselfe with those fewe horsemen of hys battell that he had assembled tumultuouslye in that vprore bicause that his armie was distributed by quarters dispersed here and there by reason they were not then encamped Then euery man on both sides came to séeke the aduantages of place fight and many good blowes were giuen and many valiant déedes passed the which I will not set downe particularly While that these things were doue the Admirall perceyued that the armye of Monsieur was all passed and came forwarde on the lest hande as fast as they coulde the which was the verye meane for to enclose the Protestantes betwéene the riuer and the armie of the Catholikes Then he séeing no meane left for to retire without fight commaunded la Tour to make the companies of the auantgarde to aduaunce forwarde the which he did and bare himselfe so that his horse being borne vnto the grounde he was taken and being knowne for him that had slayne Captaine Charry at Paris was slayne in the fielde with many other that had no better market Nowe the armie of the Catholikes ranne ouer a great part of the fielde vpon the left hande where stoode the troupes of Soubize Lāg villier Puivant Cressonierre and many other Captains in chiefe of Poitou who thinking that they ought not any longer to expect any occasion for a better charge séeing that the Catholikes renforced themselues euery moment with the aduise of the Generall charged vpon the foremost with such furie that they made them to recule but being broken by the succours that came vnto them without cease Soubize and Long villien were taken Mesanchere and Brandaniere and many other were slaine in the fielde In the meane time his Excellence woulde come another way for being desirous to break them in many places at once he caused an other waye on the righte hande to be learned out whiche although it were harde ynough for the nature of the place yet neuerthelesse he founde it more easie on that side where he made the most part of his armie to marche by reason that the Protestantes who hitherto maintayned the acuantage of the Baye of the Poude after that they knewe his enterprice did abandon it that they themselues might retire safely Moreouer at the same instant one regiment of Reysters was commaunded to passe ouer the Bay for to strayne them on the side the which they did very lustily When all these troupes were passed for to aduance them selues the Prince of Conde with thrée or foure hundreth horsemen turned heade against them and gaue a verye hote charge being followed by the most parte of his men So that he being chased for despite to sée almost all his men fledde and that the whole armie bare it selfe no better did thrust in with such furie that he bare to the grounde and made to recule all those that durst to tarie him vntill such time as his horse being wounded he was throwne to the grounde not being able to do the deuoire that he had well desired and wished For the hindermost troupes of the Catholikes aduauncing themselues for to holde vppe the forenesse who gaue backe and being ayded by the Almaine horsemen did thruste in so furiously through the Protestantes that two thirdes of them rested vpon the place eyther deade or fore hurt Namelye the Prince of Conde was hym selfe throwen vnder his horse that hée coulde doe nothyng anye longer for the blowes that he hadde receyued so that bicause hée was not followed by his menne who shoulde haue refreshed hym with a seconde horse all succour to helpe hym to aryse sawled him béeing constrayned to giue place vnto the force and the great number of the Catholikes who came vppon him thicke and thréefolde So that hearing himselfe named and spoken vnto by de Augence and Saint lean who going to the chase of those that fled by fortune passed by before him and they hauing promised him at his request to saue his life he yeelded But yll fortune streightway followed for being knowne he was at the same instant slayne by Montesquiois as some saye who shot him into the heade with a deadly Pistolet Certaine had counselled him before the fight for to retire séeing his armie not being ioyned togither he coulde not resist the power of his Excellence But he
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
thrust in to passe further that waye Therevpon his Excellence commaunded Duke de Montpensier who ledde the auantgarde for to marche the Mareschal de Cossé who stoode on the left side of the battalion of the Switzers to make the battell drawe a little more on the left hande than it was The which they executed very readilye and knewe very well to choose a place for to aduauntage their armie Yet though this commaundement were receyued they marched not immediatly for it is to be presumed that euerye Captaine would then recognise encourage his men and open vnto them the occasions and meanes to fight fortunatly Moreouer euery companye was preached vnto by their Preachers namely for the regarde of the Protestants after that the Princes of Nauarre and Condé had adhorted them to do their deuoire to consider the consequence of such a iourney the foule ignomy or most renoumed reputation that they should get by the euent of such a battell wherin lay those things that euery man of theÌ„ did séeke that is to wit their goodes their honour their whole state their liues their consciences which is of farre greater price therfore sith by the wel or ill doing in this iourney their life or death was assured they in summe prayed them to follow their captains who would not fayle to lead theÌ„ a very good way Then after that Tauennes whome his Excellence had before sent for to learne when it was time for to go vnto the charge had reported vnto him that it was very good time and that he must presently giue in bicause the artillerie of the Protestants maruallously endaÌ„maged the Catholikes namely that of the battel which lay within an hundreth paces of the battallion of Monsieur gaue it a very shrewd check again the artillerie of the Catholikes by reason of the place as I haue said did but a litle harme vnto the Protestants for the causes before discouered Moreouer he told him how the day passed away which might empeache the obteyning of an entiere victorie and in déede the armies â—ad stoode at a stay from seuen of the clock in the morning vntill thrée in the afternoone attending whiche woulde difmarch first Whilest that the Canon thus played still as well on the one part as the other his Excellence commaunded the Duke of Montpensier to go resolutely to the charge he himselfe would also doe the same in his quarter The which was done as soone as the artillerie of the one and the other side was sodenly retired by the sides and euery companie according to the order aforesayde did put themselues in pace and at the same instant the Trumpets of the Protestants hauing sounded Dedans dedans tis tis the armie began to march séeing the Catholikes now setting forwarde for to go on to the encounter Vpon this the Duke of Montpensier commaunded Martigues for to charge the runners or Enfans perdus and so to beginne the game staying them at the first The which they did for being ioyned with the Italians certain French troupes they marched as though they woulde haue giuen vpon the Enfans perdus of the footomen of the Protestantes but they no sooner saw themselues saluted by two or thrée hundreth harquebusiers but that they turned very short on the left hande and chaunging their trot into a gallop gaue so feruently vpon Mouy and his regiment that he being abandoned and forsaken by the two Cornets of Reisters that had bene appoynted to followe them and his regiment being broken was forced to get him away and to saue the greatest part of his men among the footemen who being made mad with so piteous an accident and foreiudging a miserable ende of so vnhappy a beginning lost their harts disbending themselues by little litle in the ende ranne all away for the best game The Enfans perdus were the first who by so doing helped much to discourage the other so that they almoste altogither forsooke the Lansquenets At the same time the Duke of Guise and la Valerie being followed by many other companies aduaunced themselues lustilye and came a great trotte to charge their parrie who with the same pace hasted to attache them At the meeting many Launces flewe into shiuers many horses to the huâ—sing one of the other ranne togither iufinite Pistolets made manye to fall backwarde with their héeles higher than their heades manye horsemen were borne to the grounde that neuer spake worde after While that these troupes fought with so great pertinacie the Conte of Saint Fâ—â—ra Paule Sforza and certayne other Italians encountred Dautricourt the Marques of Renay and their companies who after they had set a broche the Italian troupes shoulde haue followed Dautricourt For this Gentleman thinking that he had the victorie in his hande aduaunced forwarde so lustily that casting himselfe into the middes of the auantgarde he sawe himselfe enclosed and assayled by a great number of horsemen who after they had pressed him to yéelde and sawe his pertinacie in fight slue him in the fielde all that had followed him And passing further gaue vpon the rest who being dispersed here and there without Captaine were not able to abide the impression of the French men of armes who bowing themselues vppon the incitation of their Launce and being borne by strong horses buried many vnder their bellies yet these encounters were not done without sending of many of the one part and the other for to take the measure of their tombe vpon the duste of that fielde and namely of the Catholikes whome the harquebusiers that were on the side of the Protestants set off at all libertie assuring themselues that after they had discharged the horsemen woulde giue the charge vpon their partes and in the meane time they shoulde haue leysure inough to prouide for their affaires Yet neuerthelesse for all this the Admirall who by reason of his great practise in armes the which the long course of his olde yeares and which is more the diligent marking of so great and so diuers euents as had runne before his eyes as he followed the warres as well abroade as at home coulde welneare certainely iudge what would be the euent of the battell counselled the Princes to retire as couertly and with as smal a trayne as they could but as in aduersitie men haue their eyes more stirring and their spirites more liuely to espie and prie on all sides the meanes and wayes howe to enfranchise themselues from an yll chaunce that approcheth them neare many horsemen followed them so that they sawe more seruitors at their tayles by one halfe than the ordinarie trayne of their houses woulde beare the whiche helped nothing to encourage them that sawe or hearde afterwarde of that retraite the which made them so much the more to suspect that some yll happe was neare as the thing had bene secret vnto them I leaue to rake after these Villiaques who did abandon their ensignes for to
and that no man should depart out of his place that euery man should put himselfe in a readinesse for to fight Moreouer euery one of them adhorted their souldiours and did to their vttermoste declare vnto them all things that might inflame their heartes and nothing was pretermitted by them which did appertayne vnto the dueties of good Captaines In the meane time euerye man made his most heartie and suppliant prayers vnto God for the good successe of the fight and then tooke a shorte breakefast and also the Mariners and rowers being refreshed with meate and drinke and anon all of them euery one of them with prompt and valiant hearts made ready themselues for to fight Two of the galeazes went before the middle battell Iohn Andrew Doria Admiral of the Genouese fléete had the leading of the right wing wherein were thréescore and foure galleyes and also two of the galeazes went before him Augustine Barbadico was Captayne of the left wing with fiftie thrée galleyes and likewise two of the Galeazes went before him But Andrew Baciano Marques of Sancrace and Admirall of the Neapolitan fléete who had the leading of the rerewarde or the battell of succour stoode with his galleyes who were in number thirtie eyght halfe a myle from the battelles But that our men might fight with happy euent it was wrought through the helpe and singular prouidence of God who made the winde which at the begynning did greatlye fauour the enimies their nauie by little and little to fall and anon there followed suche a calms that the Turkishe vessels coulde scarce be stirred out of their place in so much that their shippes were rowed forth and in the meane time more leysure and aduauntage was giuen vnto our men to sette their araye The Admirall of the Turkishe fléete Haly Bassa had before this tyme sente one Caracosse with a Brigantine to take a vewe of our nauie the whiche he reported vnto the Admirall to be farre lesse than it was in déede eyther bicause he coulde not well sée the galleyes of the lefte wing by reason of his spéedy posting or else which is more likely for the Islande that was behinde them But two other that were sent after Caracosse hauing vewed our fléete more diligently and curiously marked the kings flagges returned spéedilye and tolde that our nauie was very strong and very excellentlye well appointed and prepared to fight with their ensignes aduaunced But as soone as he hearde this he greatlye maruelled as he that had before fully persuaded himselfe and also the same had bene tolde him by Caracosse that our nauie was farre lesse thā it was in déede and therefore woulde our men go backe againe as soone as euer they sawe them comming and seeke their safetie by shamefull flight or else if that they were so foolishe hardye as to fight they woulde receyue a notable ouerthrow He is also reported to haue enquired whether that those vessels which were placed in the front were Venetian or Spanishe and when he was aunswered that the one was intermired with the other he was very pensiue and had thought at the first that it scarce could haue bene by any meanes possible At the first he had thought to haue wintered eyther in the gulfes of Cataro Corfu or Cephalenia but after that he had lerned for a certaintie that our men had rigged forth a mightie nauie he returned incōtinently into Greece where he commaunded newe bandes of souldiours to be pressed forth and they being spéedily embarked in his nauie the whiche was also againe newe furnished with victualles and other necessary things he directed his course with the rest of the Lanizars and other ordinarie souldiers that he had before leuied towards Cuzzologri which was almost midde waye betwéene Lepanto and Patras with intent to fight with our fléete and in that minde was he the more confirmed for that he had vnderstoode by Caracosses wordes that his nauie was farre the greater Wherefore at the first the Turkes began to reioyce and promised themselues assured victorie and so great a desire to fight had inflamed all of thē that euerye man coueted to go before his fellowes although it were commaunded vnder payne of death that no man should go before the Admirall galley They were like vnto a mightie thick woode and coulde scarce be restrayned from fight and when they sawe our men come forwarde to fight verye valiantly and couragiously and euery galley to followe the ensignes according to the discipline of warre and in a very goodly order with the noses of their galleys directed against the enimies they also incontinently began to set their nauie with greate arte and celeritie and they had so much the more conceyued the victorie in hope bicause the winde did at the beginning blowe very commodiouslye for them as we haue sayde before But for that the beames of the sunne which shined that day very bright were full in their eyes they coulde not so aptly and commodiously order and sette their vessels in aray Partaw the Generall of the souldiours and Haly the Admirall of the fléete whiche two did leade the middle battell had appointed Mahomet Bey to be Captaine of the righte wing with fifty galleys and with him were Sirocke the President of Alexandria Caurlaw Asiscau Dragan Agadel Bassa Vstregasa and many other men of great marke But Occhialy had charge of the left wing with almost fourescore and ten vesselles and there accompanied him Caraiolo and Arabey his sonnes and many expert souldiours and also many of the Pirates and they went directly against Doria their wing séemed to be much stronger than his and also the galleys to be farre mo in number bicause that Doria his galleys that were on the lefte hande not farre from the mayne lande coulde not at the first be séene But the principall Chiefetaines themselues who were as ye haue hearde Haly and Partaw were garded on both sides with almost as many galleys And of those noble menne that accompanied them these were part Agan the maister of the Arsenall Mustapha Celibi the Treasurer Treymontana Amath Bey with his brother and Haly his sonne Amath Aga the Captaine of Teuthrama Assis Caiga the gouernour of Gallipoli Caracosse Cambey the sonne of Barbarossa Malamur the Captaine of Mitilene Deli Solyman Gider the Captaine of Scio Cassembey the Lieutenaunt of the Rhodes Prouy Aga the Captaine of Napoli Giapar Cilibi President of Calaba Dordagnan Dondomeney Beribeuole Osman Reul Agada Ciasafer Dram Rais and many other of marke both for their riches and authoritie and also for their prowes in warrefare Thus when they sawe our men the which in déede happen vnto them otherwise than they had expected readye and couragious to fight they incontinentlye aranged their galleyes for the battell being cast into the forme of a Croisant or halfe Moone as they haue of long time accustomed The Admirall of the Turkes verye seuerelye commaunded all men and euery man in the name of Selim for to