taken an Archer of Monsieur de Randan's Company whom they led prisoner near unto this Tree and there gave him two Pâ—stol shot in cold blood and being not yet dead demanded of hiâ— who was in our Camp and who commanded in chief To which he he return'd â—hem answer that I was come to the Army and that I commanded Monsieur de Burie having referr'd all things to my conduct which he said as knowing very well that news would startle them Captain Peyralonguâ— then went to Monsieur de Duras vvho vvas under the forementioned Tree about some ten paces from the Archer who himself came to him and again demanded of him if I was in the Camp to which he answered that I was and was come thither the night before having taken Lectoure at which they were basely down in the mouth They thereupon return'd roundly to their men vvho vvere marching a foot pace only and vvere not yet got clear of the Meadow vvhere I percieved that upon their coming the Foot began to double their pace and said to Monsieur de Monferran do you see these five horse that were under the Tree they are run to make their people mend thâ—ir pace do you not see what long strides they take which having said I turn'd upon the spur to the Troop vvhere Monsieur d' Argence was and said to him these vvords O Monsieur d'Argence my Camrade see see the Enemy are in fear upon my life the day 's our own and cried out aloud O Gentlemen let us think of nothing but killing for the Enemy is afraid and will never this day make head against us Let us only go boldly to the fight they are our own I have a hundred times had experience of the same they are only endeavouring to steal off the Field I then embraced the Captains and return'd to Captain Masses and said as much to him after which I return'd to Captain Arne and the Gentlemen vvho rid under my ovvn Corneâ— being come along vvith my Company and we began to march at a false trot I then galloped towards the Enemy being my self very hot and my horse all of a foam having only Monsieur de Monferran with me vvhen being come very near them I observ'd their countenance and saw their design vvas to make all the haste they could to recover a little hill that was hard by and on the other side our own men coming on in great fury I observ'd also their Cornets of horse and saw one marching and another facing about I took notice likewise of three or four Horse amongst the Foot and perciev'd by their gesture that they vvere hasting their people forward and thereupon turn'd back to our own Horse crying out to them they are afraid they are afraid let us take them at their word Camrades let us take them at their word that they fly not back These are Poltrons they tremble at the very sight of us I then sent to Monsieur de Burie to leave the Artillery and advance to put himself into the Squadron of the three Companies of Gensâ—d'arms and vve began to march at a good round trot towards them Some there were who call'd out to me to stay for the Foot but I made answer that vve must not suffer them to recover the Mountain for they would make head against us and fight at their advantage I evermore remembred Targon where they had made head against us upon the Hill so that we were constrain'd to charge them against the ascent of the Mountain vvhere had they come down upon us we had infâ—llibly been defeated Our Foot made all the haste that Foot could possibly make and when the Enemy savv they could not recover the Mountain they rallied a thousand or twelve hundred old Soldiers they had left in the corner of the field whom Monsieur de Burie had plaid upon vvith his Artillery and so all their Forces march't side by side at a good round trot when so soon as we came vvithin two hundred paces of one another I began to cry out charge charge vvhich I had no sooner said but that we all fell in pell-mell amongst their Horse and Foot except Captain Masses who at the same time that he saw their people overthrown saw also another great party of them hard by the Hill who did not offer to move and therefore did not charge till he came up to the party and then flew in fâ—riously amâ—ngst them Monsieur de Fontenilles vvho had rallied â—ome few of our men vvas in this second charge also and there they were all defeated and their Artillery taken We pursued the Victory all along the Plain and thorough the Vineyards vvhere many of them threw themselves into a Wood on the left hand and swarm'd up the Châ—snut Trees vvhere the Spanish and Gascon Foot shot at them as they do at Rooks. It vvas vvell for me that I vvas vvell arm'd for three pikes had enclosed me amongst them and put me to my Trumps but Captain Baretnau the younger and two others had dâ—sengag'd me vvhere the said Captain Baretnau had his horse kill'd under him and mâ—ne was hurt in the nose and in the head with two thrusts of Pikes for my horse had carried me whether I would or no into their Battalion and I never knew that he had an ill mouth till then that it had like to have cost me my life the Captains Arne and Bourdillâ—n were both wounded close by me My being thus engag'd was the reason that I could not rally with the Cavalry for they vvere following the Chace on the left hand and I vvith fifteen or tâ—enty horse that vvere rallied pursued the Victory on the right hand towards a little Village vvhere thirty or forty vvere slain I there made a little halt to take breath after vvhich I returned to the Artillery vve had taken vvhere I found Monsieur de Burie and vvhere vve staid the return of our people vvho vvere yet pursuing the Chace and rallied our men We found that some of ours had followed the pursuit for above two long leagues from the Field of Battel and about two a clock in the afternoon return'd to quarter at Ver from whence vve sent Oxen to fetch in the Artillerie vve had taken and all the next day continued there The Runawayes failed but a very little of meeting vvith Monsieur de Montpensier vvho vvent to put himself into Mussidan thinking to joyn vvith us which had it pleased God that it had so fall'n out the business had been done though he had but very few Forces vvith him for men that â—ly seldom or never face about and are so afraid of every thing that they take Bushes for Squadrons Those vvho escaped of their Foot vvhich vvere very few rallied to their horse and marcht all the rest of the day and the night following towards Xaintonge to carry the good news to their Brethren Of three and twenty Ensigns that they
only twenty or five and twenty Harquebusiers at the head of them a great Company at the head of their Pikes and the remainder in the Rear in which order with Drums beating they began to march I took my Harbuebusiers which I divided into three Squadrons the first whereof I gave to Captain Lienard the second to le Pallu Lieutenant to Monsieur de Carces who had his two Companies at Savillan and I my self led the third in the Rear of them the Corslets following after where at the first coming up I had la Garde killed by my side The Enemy still held on their march without making any shew of breaking firing upon us all the way with very great fury and we also upon them so that I was constrain'd to call Captain Lienard to come and join with me forasmuch as a Squadron of Harquebusiers was drawn off from their Front to reinforce their Rear I likewise call'd up le Pallu and after this manner they march'd on till they came within sight of the Castle of St. Fré which was three miles or more continually plying us with their Harquebuze shot I had once almost put them to rout at the passing over a great ditch near to a house where was a base Court where we pursued them so close that we came to the Sword whereupon twenty of five and twenty of them leap'd into the base Court and there some of curs falling in pell-mell amongst them they were all cut to pieces whilst in the interim of that execution the rest got over the ditch Our Cavalry had thought to have charg'd them but did not being kept off by the Harquebuze shot by which many of their horses were slain and as for Captain Gabarret and Baron they committed an error who seeing us in the ditch all shuffled pell-mell together forsook their horses and took their Pikes yet could they not come up in time which if they had and that the Corslets could have march'd at the rate the Harquebusiers did they had there been infallibly defeated but it was not possible being hindred by the weight of their Arms so that the Enemy march'd on still ridding ground till being come near to a little Bridge of Brick I left our Harquebusiers still fighting and gallop'd to our Cavalry that was in three Bodies Monsieur de Cental leading his own which still keeping at distance out of the reach of the shot maâ—ch'd sometimes before and sometimes a little on one side to whom coming up to him I said Ah Monsieur de Cental Will you not charge do you not see that the Enemy will escape us if they once geâ— over that Bridg and immediately recover the wood of St. Frâ— which if they do we are never more worthy to bear Arms and for my part I will from this hâ— ur for swear them Who in a great fury made answer that it stuck not at him but that I was to speak to Captain Mons which I also did saying to him these words Hah Camrade must we this day receive so great a disgrace and lose so fair an opportunity because your 〈◊〉 will not charge Who thereupon answered What would you have us do your corslets cannot come up to the fight would you have us fight alone To which I made answer swearing for rage that I had no need of Corslets wishing they were all at Savillan since they could not come up to fight he then said to me go speak to the foremost Troop and in the mean time I will advance I then spurr'd to them where I began to remonstrate to Monsieur de Termes his Gentlemen that it was not above nine or ten days since we had fought with the Italians and beaten them and now that we should fight with the Spaniards to obtain greater honor must they escape from us Who thereupon with one voice all cryed out It does not stick at us It does not stick at us I then ask'd them if they would promise me to charge so soon as I should have made the Harquebusiers betake themselves to their Swords to run in upon them which they did assure me they would upon pain of their lives There was at that time amongst them a Nephew of mine call'd Serillac who after was Lieutenant to Monsieur de Cyplerre at Parma and there taken prisoner with him and since slain at Montepullsianne and in truth amongst these thirty Launces there were the best men that Monsieur de Termes had in all his Troop to whom I said Serillac thou art my Nephew but if thou dbst not charge in the first man amongst them I benceforth disclaim thee and thou shalt no more be any Kinsman of mine who immediately return'd me answer You shall presently see Uncle whether I will or no. Which said he clap'd down his Beaver as also did all the rest to charge I then cryed out to them to stay a little till I first got up to my men and thereupon ran to my Harquebusiers where being come I told them that it was now no longer time to shoot but that we must fall on to the Sword Captains my Camrades whenever you shall happen to be at such a feast as this press your followers speak first to one and then to another bestir your selves and doubt not but by this means you will render them valiant throughout if they but half so before They all on a suddain clap'd hands to their Swords when so soon as Captain Mons who was a little before and Monsieur de Cental who was on one side saw the first Troop shut down their Beavers and saw me run to the Harquebusiers and in an instant their Swords in their hands they knew very well that I had met with Lads of mettle and began to draw near I for my part lighted from my horse taking a Halbert in my hand which was my usual weapon in fight and all of us ran headlong to throw our selves in amongst the Enemy Serillac was as good as his word for he charg'd in the first as they all confess'd where his horse was kill'd at the head of the Enemies Harquebusiers and our own Horse with seven Harquebuze shot Tilladet Lavit Ydrou Montselier les Maurens and les Masses all Gascon Gentlemen of the same Troop and companions of the said Serillac charg'd the Horse thorough and thorough whom they overturn'd upon the head of their own Foot Monsieur de Cental also charg'd in the Flank quite thorough both Horse and Foot Captain Mons charg'd likewise on the other side so that they were all overthâ—own and routed both Horse and Foot And there we began to lay about us above fourscore or an hundred men being left dead upon the place Rozalles Captain to one of the two Troops of Light horse with four others got away as also did Don Iuan de Guibara upon a Tuâ—k with his Page only who happened to be on horseback being shot thorough the hand of which he ever after remain'd
found there not quite dead And although it was night yet the Moon shone out so clear that we might easily see from the one end to the other saving that by inâ—ervals there fell a mist which continued sometimes half an hour and sometimes less during which we could not see a yards distance from us Now either frighted at the report of the Canon or at the noise I made at the house it being not above an hundred paces distant from the Bridge the Enemy took their heels and fled away towards Carignan after whom I sent some Harquebuze shot but follow'd no further than the end of the Bridge At the same time also Monsieur de Salcede with his Boors and his Boats arriv'd underneath who at his first coming presently fastned his artificial fires to the Pillars but it was only so much time thrown away and he must of force make the fellows fall to 't with their Axes who having ty'd their Boats fast to the said Pillars began to lay on at that end where the Swisse were cutting on straight towards me who kept the other end of the Bridge towards the Enemy This fury of the Clowns lasted for four long hours continually laying on upon the Pillars insomuch that though they were rank'd four and four together and of a very great thickness yet before we had any disturbance they were all cut to the very place where I was Monsieur de Salcede ever caused one Company to rest themselves upon the Bank of the River where he had caus'd a little fire to be made and from hour to hour made them to relieve one another during which employment the Enemy sent out thirty or forty Harquebusiers to discover what we were doing just at a time when the Fog fell whom I could neither see nor hear for the noise of the axes â—till they were got within four Pikes length of me and let fly amongst us which having done they immediately retir'd yet could they not see us by reason of the mist. Messieurs de Termes then and de Monâ—ins with three or four horse came up to us to know the meaning of those Harquebuze shots and sent back to Monsieur de Boitieres to tell him that it was nothing and that for them we nothing desisted from the work themselves alone still remaining with me They had not staid an hour but that the mist again began to fall and the Enemy as soon return'd upon us that is to say six hundred Spaniards chosen men and six hundred German Pikes Pedro de Colonne as I have since understood having order'd the business thus That two hundred Harquebusiers again chosen out of the six hundred should charge full drive directly upon us the other four hundred to march at an hundred paces distance in the Rear of them and the six hundred Germans two hundred paces after all Now I had plac'd the Captains who led the Ensigns after me against a great ditch bank some two hundred paces behind me and sometimes Captain Favas my Lieutenant and sometimes Bogutdemar came to me to see what we did and again return'd back to their place On that side of the Bridge towards the Swisse we pâ—â—dvâ—â—â—ure had broken down some twenty paces having begun to cut the beams above and found that as the Bridge divided it fell down for fifteen or twenty paces together which gave us hope that we should make an end of the work In the mean time Monsieur de Sâ—lcede still made the Pillars to be cut over again yet not quite thorough but only a little more then before which was the reason that he had divided his workmen into three parts wherof one was in the Boats the other upon the Bridge cutting the Traverse beams and ten or twelve by the fiâ—e â—ide As God is pleas'd sâ—metimes to be assisting to men he this night wrought a real miracle for in the first place the two hundred Harquebusiers came up to me finding me in such a posture that scarce one Soldier had his match cock'd for they went by â—â—â—ns ten or a dozen at a time to the Country mens â—ire to warm their hands having two Centinels out a hundred paces from me upon the way towards the City and not doubting but the Italians on their side would also have the same for they were a little nearer than I but it was a little on one side How they order'd their business I cannot tell for I had no more than my two Centinels who came running in to me and as they came in with the Alarm the Spaniards also arriv'd crying out Spain Spain all the two hundred Harquebusiers firing upon us together Whereupon Messieur de Termes and de Moneins being on horseback and alone ran unto Monsieur de Boitieres who had already seen the beginning of the disorder and note that almost all the the two hundred men I had at the end of the Bridge ran away straight to the Ensigâ—s and on a suddain the Ensigns also fled and in like manner at the samâ— time the Italians who were on our left hand did the same neither once looking behind them till they came to the head of the Cavalry where Monsieur de Boitieres himself stood Our word was St. Pierre but that did me no good seeing which I began to cry out Montluc Montluc you cursed cowardly whelps will you forsake me thus By good fortune I had with me thirty or forty young Gentlemen who had never a hair on their faces the handsomest and the bravest youth that ever was seen in one little Company who thought I had run away with the rest but hearing my voice returned immediately towards me with whom without staying for any more I charg'd straight to the place from whence the shot came whizzing by our â—ars but to see one another was impossible for the mist that fell together with the thick smoak that was mixt with it and in running up to them my men discharg'd all together crying our France as they cry'd out Spain and I dare affirm that we fir'd at less than three Pikes distance by which charge their two hundred Harquebusiers were overturn'd upon the four hundred and all of them upon the six hundred Germans so that all in a rout and confusion they fled full speed towards the City for they could not discover what we were I pursu'd them about two hundred paces but my pursuit was interrupted by the great noise in our Camp I never heard the like you would have sworn they had been all stark string mad calling and bawling upon one another yet these great bawlers are none of the greatest fighters There are a sort of men who bustle up and down call command and keep a great clutter and in the mean time for one step advance retire two paces backward but this hideous noise was the reason that I could never discover the enemies disorder neither could they discover ours by reason of the great outcry they made at their
situate upon a Plain and so open that a bird could not stir without being seen and there they plyed us with their Canon till they had not left a house standing in the whole Village insomuch that we were constrain'd to secure our selves in the Cellars under ground I had pitch'd my Pavillions very cunningly betwixt two Walls but they beat down both Walls and Pavillions in my life I never saw a more furious Counter-battery The night following the Mareschal de Strozzy past the River with Monsieur de Guise and we began to cast up our Trenches along this Plain where we lay seven or eight dayes before we could approach within two hundred paces of the City by reason the nights were short and by day they did so thunder the Trenches that there was no working but by night The Mareschal never stirr'd from us unless he went sometimes to his Tents which yet remain'd on the other side of the water to shift his clothes and that not above once in three dayes He gave me leave to make the Trenches according to my own fancy for we had at first begun them a little two narrow through the wisdom of an Engineer At every twenty paces I made a back corner or return winding sometimes to the left hand and sometimes to the right which I made so large that there was room for twelve or fifteen Soldiers with their Harquebuzes and Halberts and this I did to the end that should the Enemy gain the head of the Trench and should leap into it those in the back corner might fight them they being much more Masters of the Trench than they who were in the straight line an invention that both the Mareschal and the Duke did very well approve of Monsieur de Guise then told me that I must send to discover what effect our Artillery had wrought against the Tower and that I must do it by valiant persons In order whereunto I took with me Captain Sarlabous the younger Millac St. Estephe Cipiere and Captain Montluc my Son and went So soon as we came near unto the Tower we were to pass over certain little Bridges the Enemy had made by which to pass over the Marish to the Tower and being come to the Tower we found a Pallisado of posts as thick as a man's thigh that from the Tower went seven or eight paces into the River and we were to go all along by the Pallisado in water to the end of it and afterwards on the other side of the Pallisado to return to the Tower We had made two Soldiers bring two Pikes along with us I for my part did not go into the water but all the rest past the Pallisado after this manner and one after another view'd the breach that had been made in the Tower and they put a Soldier into it by a Pike and found that within the Tower there was water up to the arm-pits and being the River made a great noise at this place by reason of the Pallisado their Centinels never heard us though the Tower was no more than four paces distant from the Wall of the Town This being done we return'd and went to give Monsieur de Guise an account of what we had seen who would not give credit to our discovery but told me he was certain there was no Pallisado and that people who came lately from thence had assur'd him to the contrary and that therefore the night following we must discover it better I was vext to the blood at this answer but said no more to him but only this that I conceiv'd the testimony of those Captains was sufficient but seeing he was not satisfied with it let some body in the name of God discover it better to which he made-answer that he did not mean I should go my self neither said I do I intend it The Mareschal knew very well that I was angry and said to the Sieur Adrian Baillon and to Count Thâ—ophile I know Montluc is angry by his answer to the Duke of Guise and you shall see if he do not go this night to discover after a terrible manner for I know the complexion of the man This night Monsieur de Guise detein'd the Mareschal with him in his Quarters and so soon as it was night I took four hundred Pikes Corslets all and four hundred Harquebuzeers and went to lay the Corslets upon their bellies upon the ground within a hundred paces of the Gate of the City and I with the four hundred Harquebuzeers marched directly to the Pallisadâ— The Captains themselves who had discover'd before vvere as angry at the answer Monsieur de Guise had given them as I and themselves first passed the Pallisado Now I believe the Enemy had in the morning perceiv'd that people had past by the end of the Pallisado for we there found a Court of Guard of twenty or five and twenty men of which the most part were kill'd and the rest escap'd into the Rampire where our people pursued and entred after them but the door of the Ravelin that went into the Town was so narrow that one man only could pass at a time which was the reason that our men stopt short for the Enemy defended the door Nevertheless they made shift to dismount and tumble a Bastard from the Ravelin on our side down to the ground and being that by the Tower our Artillery from the other side of the water had beaten down part of the Wall so that it was pretty low we with some Pikes that came along with us came to dispute it with them where the fight continued for above a long hour Monsieur de Guise who saw all from the other side of the River was stark mad at what he saw but the Marâ—sâ—hal who was with him laught with Sieur Adrian and the Count de Theophile saying did I not tell you he would make one I had made the Soldiers to carry five or six hatchets along with them with which during the time of the fight I caused all the Pallisado to be cut and pulled up so that we needed no more to wade the water at our return Captain St. Estephe was there slain with the Ensign of Cipierre and another Ensign but they had not their Colours with them for I had brought none together with ten or twelve Soldiers kill'd and wounded Captain Sarlabous is yet living and several others who can witness that had we taken with us five or six Ladders seven or eight foot high only we had entred the place for they kept very ill guard on that side and in that place relying upon the Guard they had left without so that it was a long time before they came to the defence of this Post whilst in the mean time five or six of our Soldiers helping one another mounted upon the Wall so that had we had Ladders to reach from the top of the breach in the Wall up to the Terrass I
enter at this place and now God had granted me the thing that I had ever desir'd which was to be present at an assault there to enter the first man or to lose my life I therefore threw my self headlong into the Parlour having on a Coat of Mail such as the Germans used in those days a Sword in my hand a Targuette upon my arm and a Morrion upon my head but as those who were at my heels were pressing to get in after me the Enemy pour'd the great tub of stones upon their heads and trapt them in the hole by reason whereof the could not possibly follow I therefore remainâ—d all alone within fighting at a door that went out into the street but from the roof of the Parlour which was unplank'd and laid open for that purpose they pepperâ—d me in the mean time with an infinite number of Harquebuze shot one of which pierc'd my Targuette and shot my arm quite through within four fingers of my hand and another so batter'd the bone at the knitting of my arm and shoulder that I lost all manner of feeling so that letting my Targuette fall I was constrain'd to retire towards my hole against which I was born over by those who fought at the door of the Parlour but so fortunately nevertheless for me that my Soldiers had by that means opportunity to draw me out by the legs but so leisurely withal that they very courtâ—ously made me tumble heels over head from the very top to the bottom of the Graffe wherein rowling over the ruines of the Stones I again broke my already wounded arm in two places So soon as my men had gathered me up I told them that I thought I had left my arm behind me in the Town when one of my Soldiers lifting it up from whence it hung as in a Scarf dangling upon my buttocks and laying it over the other put me into a little heart after which seeing the Soldiers of my own Company gather'd round about me Oh my Camrades said I have I always us'd you so kindly and ever loved you so well to forsake me in such a time as this which I said not knowing how they had been hindred from following me in Upon this my Liâ—utenant who had almost been stiâ—led to death in the hole call'd la Bastide Father to the Savillans now living and one of the bravest Gentlemen in our Army propos'd to two Basque Captains call'd Martin and Ramonâ—t who always quarter'd near unto my Company that if they would with Ladders storm by a Canton of the wall hard by he would undertake at the same time to enter by the hole it self and either force his entry that way or lose his life in the attempt To which I also encouraged them as much as my weakness would permit The Ladders being therefore presently brought and tyed together because they proved too short la Bastide made towards the hole having sent to the other Captains to do as much to the other but they did no great feats In the interim that la Bastide was fighting within having already gained the hole Martin and Ramonâ—t gave a brave Scalado to the Canton and with so good success that they beat the Enemy from the wall and entred the Town Of this being presently advertis'd I sent to la Bastide to conjure him to save me as many women and maids as he possibly could that they might not be violated having that in devotion for a vow I had made to our Lady of Lorâ—tta hoping that God for this good act would please to be assisting to me which he did bringing fifteen or twenty which were also all that were saved the Soldiers being so animated to revenge the wounds I had receiv'd and to express their affection to me that they killed all before them so much as to the very children and moreover set the Town on fire And although the Bishop of Ascoly this being a member of his Diocess was very importunate with Monsieur de Laâ—trec in behalf of the Town the Soldiers could notwithstanding never be made to leave it till they saw it reduced to Ashes The next day I was carryed to Ascoly where Monsieur de Lautrec sent Messiâ—urs de Gramont and de Montpezat to see how I did with whom he moreover sent two Chirurgâ—ons the King had given him at his departure the one called Master Alesme and the other Master Gâ—orge who after they had seen how miserably my arm was mangled and shatter'd positively pronounced that there was no other way to save my life but to cut it off the execution whereof was deferr'd till the next morning Monsiâ—ur de Lautrec thereupon commanded the said Sieurs de Montpezat and de Gramont to be present at the work which they promised they would but not without some difficulty out of the friendship they both had for me especially the Siâ—ur de Gramont Now you must understand that my Soldiers had a few days before taken prisoner a young man a Chirurgion who had formerly belong'd to Monsieur de Bourbon This young fellow having understood the determination to cut off my arm for I had entertain'd him into my service never ceased to importune me by no means to endure it representing to me that I was not as yet arrived to the one half of my age and that I would wish my self dead an hundred times a day when I should come to be sensible of the want of an arm The morning being come the forementioned Lords and the two Chirurgions and Physicians came into my chamber with all their instruments and plaisters without more ceremony or giving me so much as leisure to repent to cut off my arm having in command from Monsiâ—ur de Lautreâ— to tell me that I should not consider the loss of an Arm to save my life nor despair of my fortune for although his Majesty should not regard my service nor take it into consideration to settle a subsistence for me yet that nevertheless his wife and himself had forty thousand Livers a year revenue wherewith to recompence my valour and to provide that I should never want only he wished me to have patience and to manifest my courage upon this occasion Every thing being now ready and my arm going to be opened to be cut off the young Chirurgeon standing behind my bed's head never desisted preaching to me by no means to suffer it insomuch that as God would have it though I was prepared and resolved to let them do what they would with me he made me to alter my determination whereupon without doing any thing more both the Lords and the Chirurgeons return'd back to Monsieur de Lautreâ— to give him an account of the business who as they have all of them several times since assured me said these words I am glad to hear he is so resolved and should also my self have repented the causing of it to be done for had he dyed I should ever
in his hearing said to the Priest â—o get him from thence Pray Father go down and tell Corporal Janin that my Lord is at the Gate where he stays to speak with him and at the same time himself also departed from the window pretending to go down whereupon Captain Favas and his Soldiers ran to open the Gate which was only bolted and all on a suddain leap'd upon the Bridge Seeing this the Count who was one of the most active men of all Italy and who held his horse by the bridle the best one of them that ever that Country bred and which I afterwards gave to Monsieur de Tais vaulted over a little wall which was near to the Bridge drawing his horse after him with intent to have leap'd into the Saddle for there was no horse so tall provided he could lay his hand upon the Pummel but he could aâ—m'd at all pieces vault into the Seat but he was prevented by the Bastard of Bazordan call'd Ianot yet living and then of my Company who by misfortune being he either could not or would not get over the wall to lay hands upon him let fly at him an Harquebuze which taking the default of his Arms went into his belly piercing thorough his bowels almost to the other side of which shot he sunk down to the ground Captain Favas took his Nephew and another the Trumpet but the other Gentleman escap'd down the Hill crying out that the Count was either kill'd or taken whereupon the Lieutenant and all his Company skutled to horse in so great a fright that they never look'd behind them till they came to Fossan Had it so fallen out that Ianin at the second entry had not been slain they had not only snap'd the Count and by degrees all his whole Troop for they might have compell'd him to have spoke to them with a dagger at his reins ready to stab him should he make a sign but moreover might perhaps from hence have spun out some contrivance against Fossan it self for one Enterprize draws on another These things being done they in the evening dispatch'd away Captain Milhas a Gentleman of my Company to bring me the news and to relate to me from point to point how all things had passed together with a Letter from the said Count wherein he entreated me seeing he was my prisoner and that greater advantage was to be made of his life than of his death to do him the courtesie as to send him with all speed a Physician a Chirurgeon and an Apothecany Captain Milhas arriv'd just at the time that they open'd the Gates of the City so that he found me putting on my cloaths and there related to me the whole business thereby delivering me from the great anxiety and trouble wherein from Sunday till Wednesday I had continually remain'd for though I was really concerned for the place yet was I much more afflicted for the loss of my Lieutenant and my Soldiers who were most of them Gentlemen and all very brave men Immediately upon the news I ran to Monsieur de Termes his Lodgings whom I found sick a bed but I dare say that neither he nor I were ever so overjoy'd for we both very well knew that had it fallen out otherwise there were Rods in piss So soon as I departed from him I presently sent away a Phisician a Chirurgeon and an Apothecary whom I mounted upon three horses of my own for the more speed neither did they either stop or stay until they came thither but it was impossible to save him for he died about midnight and was brought to Savillan whom every one had a desire to see even Monsieur de Termes himself as sick as he was and he was very much lamented by all The next day I sent the Body to Fossan but detein'd the Nephew and Trumpet with the rest that were taken prisoners at Barges until they should send me back the Wife and Son of the said Granuchin which the next day they did and I also deliver'd up all the Prisoners I beseech you Captains you who shall see and hear this Relation to consider whether or no this was a stratagâ—m for a Merchant believe me the oldest Captain would have been puzled and have had enough to carry it on with so much dexterity and resolution as he did wherein although Captain Favas was the performer of it when it came to execution nevertheless the Merchant was not only the original contriver but also a principal Actor throughout the whole business having the heart in order to his revenge to expose his Wife and Son to the extreamest danger In reading of which fellows in Arms you may learn diligence with temper and take notice what sleights and polices were used and continued for the space of four days together such as no man either of theirs or which is more of our own could possibly discover both parties being held equally suspended The Count for a prudent Cavalier behav'd himself herein with very great levity especially upon the second Letter but he repair'd his fault when he refused to enter the Castle without first seeing his man though that caution signified nothing as it fell out Whenever therefore you design an enterprize weigh every thing and never go hand over head and without precipitating your selves or being too easie of beliefe upon light foundations judge and consider whether there be any appearance or likelyhood in the thing for I have seen more deceived than otherwise and whatever assurance is given you or whatever promises may be made be sure to raise your Counter-battery and never rely so wholly upon him who is to carry on the work but that you have still a reserve to secure your venture should his faith or conduct faâ—l It s not I confess well done to condemn him who has the management of an affair if it do not succeed for men should always be attempting how ever they speed and hit or miss 't is all one provided there be neither treason nor absurdity in the case Men must try and fail for being we are to conâ—ide in men no one can see into their hearts but however go warily to work I have ever been of opinion and do think that every good Captain ought to have the same that it is better to assault a place upon a surprize where no one is privy to the design than to have perhaps some Traytor for your Guide for as much as you are certain there can be no counter-treason against you and though you fail you retire with the less danger for your enemy can have laid no ambuscados to entrap you Caesar de Naples being this day at Carmagnolle had there news brought to him of the Count's disaster and death at which he was extremely afflicted and to secure Fâ—ssan would send thither three Companies of Italians which had formerly been in Garrison there to wit that of Blaise de Somme a Neapolitan that of Baptista a
and we began a furious skirmish which was great and obstinately fought for all our Squadrons were closed up together and it continued a long hour or more Now the Enemey had placed their Canon by the side of the little house which play'd directly into our Battaillon Monsieur de Mailly then advanc'd with ours and placing himself close by us began to shoot at those of the Enemy by the little house for there where we maintain'd the skirmish he could not do it without killing our own men when looking towards our own Battail I saw Monsieur de Tais who began to march with his Pikes charg'd directly towards the Italians whereupon I ran up to him saying Whither do you go Sir whither do you go you will lose the Battel for here are all the Germans coming to fight you and will charge into your flank The Captains were the occasion of this who ceased not to cry out to him Sir lead us on to fight for it is better for us to dye hand to hand than stand still here to be killed with the Canon 'T is that which terrifies the most of any thing and oftentimes begets more fear than it does harm but however so it was that he was pleased to be rul'd by me and I entreated him to make his men kneel on one knee with their Pikes down for I saw the Swisse behind laid at their full length squatt to to the ground so as hardly to be seen and from him I ran to the Harquebusiers The Enemies Harquebusiers by this time were beginning to retire behind the house when as I was going up to charge straight up to them I discover'd the Front of the Germans Battaillon and suddainly commanded the Captains Brueile and Gasquet to retire by degrees towards the Artillery for we were to make room for the Pikes to come up to the fight and I went to our Battel where being come I said to my men these words Oh my fellow Soldiers let us now fight bravely and if we win the Battel we get a greater renown than any of our Nation ever did It was never yet read in History that ever the Gauls fought the Germans Pike to Pike but that the Germans defeated them and to set this honorable mark upon our selves that we are better men than our Ancestors this glory ought to inspire us with a double courage to fight so as to overcome or dye and make our Enemies know what kind of men we are Remember Camerades the message the King sent to us and what a glory it will be to present â—ur selves before him after the victory Now Sir said I to Monsieur de Tais it is time to rise which he suddenly did and I began to cry out aloud Gentlemen it may be there are not many here who have ever been in a Battel before and therefore let me tell you that if we take our Pikes by the hinder end and â—ight at the length of the Pike we shall be defeated for the Germans are more dextrous at this kind of fight than we are but you must take your Pikes by the middle as the Swisâ—e do and run head-long to force and penetrate into the midst of them and you shall see how confounded they will be Monsieur de Tais then cryed out to me to go along the Battail and make them all handle their Pikes after this manner which I accordingly did and now we were all ready for the Encounter The Germans march'd at a great rate directly towards us and I ran to put my self before the Battail where I alighted from my horse for I ever had a Lacquey at the head of the Battaillon ready with my Pike and as Monsieur de Tais and the rest of the Captains saw me on foot they all cry'd out at once Get up Captain Montlâ—c get up again and you shall lead us on to the fight To whom I made answer that if it was my fate to dye that day I could not dye in a more honorable place than in their Company with my Pike in my hand I then call'd to Captain la Burre who was Serjeant Major that he should always be stirring about the Battaillon when we came to grapple and that he and the Serjeants behind and on the sides should never cease crying put home Soldiers put home to the end that they might push on one another The Germans came up to us at a very round rate insomuch that their Battail being very great they could not possibly follow so that we saw great windows in their body and several Ensigns a good way behind and all on a suddain rush'd in among them a good many of us at least for as well on their side as ours all the first Ranks either with push of Pikes or the Shock at the encounter were overturn'd neitheâ— is it possible amongst Foot to see a greater fury the second Rank and the third were the cause of our victory for the last so pushed them on that they fell in upon the heels of one another and as ours press'd in the Enemy was still driven back I was never in my life so active and light as that day and it stood me upon so to be for above three times I was beaten down to my knees The Swisse were very sly and cunning for till they saw us within ten or a dozen Pikes length of one another they never rose but then like savage Boars they â—ush'd into their slank and Monsieur de Boitieres broke in at a Canton Monsieur de Termes and Signior Francisco in the mean time charg'd Rodolpho Baglione whom they overthrew and put his Cavalry to rout The Italians who saw their Cavalry broken and the Lansquenets and Germans overthrown and routed began to take the descent of the valley and as fast as they could to make directly towards the Wood. Monsieur de Termes had his horse killed under him at the first encounter and by ill fortune his leg was so far engaged under him in the fall that it was not possible for him to rise so that he was there by the Italians taken and carried away Prisoner and to say the truth his legs were none of the best Now you are to take notice that the Marquis de Guast had composed a Battaillon of five thousand Pikes namely two thousand Spaniards and three thousand Germans out of the number of six thousand being the same tha Count Laudron had brought into Spain where he had remain'd ten years or more and who all spoke as good Spanish as natural Spaniards He had formed this Battaillon only to claw away the Gascons for he said that he feared our Battaillon moâ—e than any of the other and had an opinion that his Germans being all chosen men would beat our Swisse He had placed three hundred Harquebusiers only in the nature of a forlorn hope at the head of this Battaillon which he reserved to the forenamed
too late to say I should never have thought it You shall execute many things in your heat which if you give your selves leisure to consider of you will think of it thrice before you once attempt it Push home then venture and do not give your Enemies leisure to consult together for one will encourage another Being return'd to the Fort of Outreaâ— there was hardly a day past that the English did not come to tickle us upon the descent towards the Sea and would commonly brave our people up to our very Canon which was within ten or twelve paces of the Fort and we were all abus'd by what we had heard our Predecessors say that one English man would always beat two French men and that the English would never run away nor never yield I had retain'd something of the Camisado of Bullen and of the business of Oye and therefore said one day to Mousieur de Tais that I would discover to him the mystery of the English and wherefore they were reputed so hardy which was that they all carried arms of little reach and therefore were necessitated to come up close to us to loose their arrows which otherwise would do no execution whereas we who were accustomed to fire our Harquebuzes at a great distance seeing the Enemy use another manner of sight thought these near approaches of theirs very strange imputing their running on at this confident rate to absolute bravery but I will lay them an Ambuscado and then you shall see if I am in the right or no and whether a Gascon be not as good as an English-man In antient time their Fathers and ours were neighbours I then chose out sixscore men Harquebuzeers and Pikes with some Halberts amongst them and lodg'd them in a hollow which the water had made lying below on the right hand of the Fort and sent Captain Chaux at the time when it was low water straight to some little houses which were upon the Banks of the River almost over against the Town to skirmish with them with instructions that so soon as he should see them pass the River he should begin to retire and give them leave to make a charge Which he accordingly did but it fortun'd so that he was wounded in one of his arms with a Hurquebuz shot and the Soldiers took him and carried him back to the Fort so that the skirmish remained without a head The English were soon aware of it and gave them a very brisk charge driving them on fighting up to the very Canon Seeing then our men so ill handled I start up out of my Ambuscado sooner then I should have done running on full drive directly up to them commanding the Soldiers not to shoot till they came within the distance of their arrows They were two or three hundred men having some Italian Harquebuzeers amongst them which made me heartily repent that I had made my Ambuscado no stronger but it was now past remedy and so soon as they saw me coming towards them they left the pursuit of the others and came to charge upon me We marcht straight up to them and so soon as they were come up within arrow shot our Harquebuzeers gave their volley all at once and then clapt their hands to their swords as I had commanded and we ran on to come to blows but so soon as we came within two or three pikes length they turn'd their backs with as great facility as any Nation that ever I saw and we pursued them as far as the River close by the Town and there were four or five of our Soldiers who followed them to the other side I then made a halt at the ruins of the little houses where I rally'd my people together again some of whom were left by the way behind who were not able to run so fast as the rest Monsieur de Tais had seen all and was sally'd out of the Fort to relieve the Artillery to whom so soon as I came up to him I said Look you did I not tell you how it would be We must either conclude that the English of former times were more valiant then those of this present age or that we are better men than our forefathers I know not which of the two it is In good earnest said Monsieur de Tais these people retreat in very great hast I shall never again have so good an opinion of the English as I have had heretofore No Sir said I you must know that the English who antiently us'd to â—eat the French were half Gascons for they married into Gascony and so bred good Soldiers but now that race is worn out and they are no more the same men they were From that time forwards our people had no more the same opinion nor the same fear of the English that before Therefore Captains as much as you can keep your Soldiers from apprehending an Enemy for if they once conceive an extraordinary opinion of their valour they ever go on to fight in fear of being defeated You are neither to despise your Enemy neither should your Soldiers think them to be more valiant than themselves Ever after this charge I observ'd our men alwayes to go on more chearfully to â—â—â—aque the English and came still up closer to them and let any one remember when the Mareschal de Biez fought them betwixt the Fort of Andelot and the Town whether our people needed to be intreated to fall on The said Sieur de Biez there perform'd the part of a very valiant Gentleman for when his Cavalry were all run off the Field he came alone to put himself in the head of our Battallion and alighted taking a Pike in his hand to go on to the fight from whence he came off with very great honor I my self was not there and therefore shall say nothing of it for two or three months after our return out of the County of Oye I had askt leave of Monsieur do Tais to go to Court but the Historians in the mean time are very unjust to conceal such brave actions and that was a very remarkable one in this old Cavalier Being at Court I prevail'd so far with the Admiral that he procur'd me a dismission from the King for as much as I had reassum'd the office of Camp-Master upon no other terms but only to command in the first Expedition that the Admiral should go upon and having remain'd a month at Court attending the King in the quality of one of his Gentlemen Waiters who was now grown old and melancholic and did not caress men as he had wont to do only once he talkt with me about the Battail of Serisoles being at Fountain-Bleau I took my leave of his Majesty and never saw him after I then return'd into Gascony from whence I never stirr'd till King Henry by the death of his Father was become King having all that while been opprest with troubles and sickness And
Bonnivet and I accompanied Balazergues who drew three pieces of Canon with horses the Mareschal having provided enow to draw â—ix and went on horseback above twenty paces in the River with the Canon as also did Balazergues himself and the Carters up to the Codpiece in water we then turn'd to go down behind the Abby and so went into the Town vvhere though the Enemy shot very hard yet could they see nothing by reason of the extreme darkness of the night and therefore shot at random and the level of fortune vvhich at this time smil'd upon us yet does she not alwayes do so especially upon me there are some indeed so happy as never to be toucht as for exemple that brave Cavalier Monsieur de Sansac I do believe there are not two Gentlemen alive who have been in more engagements than he and I and yet he was never hurt that I know of excepting at the Battail of St. Denis vvherein I have not been so fortunate as he Now vvhen vve came to the place vvhere the Gentleman vvas vve â—ound the vvall already broken down and tumbled into the River and thereupon caused the Pioneers to break down two corners of houses that hindred the passage of the Canon which presently came to the Wall thorough which the horses entred the Town and by the help of the Soldiers we thrust the Canon in after them which being done Balazergues return'd to fetch the other two which also we brought after the same manner to the place where Duno had fill'd the Pipes so that two hours before day they were ready to Batter and the Soldiers lodg'd behind the rock to shoot at the Battlements The Mareschal in the interim had intelligence brought him that Don Arlro de Cende was come to St. Stephe within five miles of us and would march by night to relieve the Castle which caused the said Mareschal to send us word that he was going to possess himself of a mountain of advantage and to fight him by the way and that in the mean time we should do the best we could with the six Companies we had in the Abby and in the Town The Mareschal accordingly gain'd the said Mountain by night and set his people in order to defend the pass At the break of day when we had thought to have given fire to the Canon the Drum of the Castle began to beat a Parley There was a Spaniard Governor there whose name was Don Diego as proud a vain-glorious Coxcomb as could walk upon the earth and so he was reputed Monsieur de Bonnivet made the Capitulation for I was laid to sleep in the little house upon a Matrice the said Sieur de Bonnivet had caused to be brought thither for himself till I was call'd to sign the Capitulation for Don Diego knew me he having been Lieutenant to one of the four Spanish Companies the King had when he took the County of Oye The Mareschal in the mean time sent out a party of Horse to meet Don Arbro whom they found upon his retreat by reason he had had notice that the Mareschal had gain'd the pass so that about an hour after dinner he return'd back to us where he found that Don Diego with his three Companies one whereof was Spanish was marcht away two hours before There were several who made suit to the Mareschal for the Government of this place it being very commodiously situated for the King's service But Monsieur de Bonnivet and I agreed together to cause it to be given to Captain Richelieu who was Lieutenant to one of his Colonel Companies and accordingly at our request the Mareschal was pleased to confer it upon him and moreover writ to the King to confirm it which his Majesty did and Monsieur de Bonnivet left with him his Company for some time Are these Captains I mean the taking of Lans and that of Courteville two things fit to be omitted weigh well I beseech you all that we did both at the one place and the other and the account I gave of them both without trusting to the report of others And you Princes and his Majesties Lieutenants do not so much fear your skins that you will not search into depth of things Why have you that great authority and those noble Commands to â—it still in your Closets Observe how Monsieur de Brissac did he needed not be importun'd to go to discover but rather to be with-held he was all bravery and courage And â—ou that shall see your selves engag'd in a place learn to be wise at the expence of these Bragadochio 's who surrender at the first summons and yet pretend to be Rowlands Whoever is stout of his tongue ought to be doubly tall of his hands I am very sure that if Don Diego had so pleased he might have found us enough to do but to lose a place and to carry away no honour either alive or dead he that put you into it does you manifest wrong if he do not cut off your head Without all doubt he might have been reliev'd or at least he ought to have stood an assault for we could not have carried it at the first push but it would have cost us very dear What pitiful place soever you have to defend if you resolve to stay for the Canon after it has endured a breach it is very necessary that he who commands it for his own honor shall also abide an Assault if he be not totally unprovided of all things and have no means to make any entrenchment within A few days after the Mareschal would go take Seve and writ to me to Alba that I should makâ— my self ready and that he would pass by Alba. So soon therefore as he had given me this notice of his departure and that I should draw three Ensigns out of Alba to carry them along with me I presently made them ready and likewise two Culverines which he had writ for also Waiting then in expectation of his coming I went in the mean time to Sarvenal which is a little Town about four miles from Alba towards the Langues and two other little places upon the same Road where the Enemy had Garrisons especially at Sarvenal where there were an hundred men strangers After I had a while batter'd it by the Gate those within began to parly with me but in the mean while my people entred by another side through a Window with Ladders so that whilst their Captain was dodging with me about the Capitulation those within saw themselves taken and were therefore enforc'd to render themselves upon discretion The moments of a Parly are always dangerous and it is then that they ought the best to man their walls to avoid surprizes for betwixt the Fruit and the Cheese as the Proverb says at such an unexpected time a great mischief may be done I have seen many very foolishly surpriz'd therefore follow the Italian rule which is No te fidar no
serai inganato Do not trust and thou shalt not be deceived a lesson that ought to be very much studied by you Governors of places for when a woman once endures a Parly and has patience to hear farewel Gossip you have already one foot in the stirrup In like manner when a Town once begins to hearken to a composition you may certainly conclude it for lost It is true that you must not then give them leisure to consider better of it for there are certain Catch-dolâ—s who make a shew of parly but it is only to work their own advantage If you therefore fear a relief or that you find your selves weak take them at their word make use of your time and get Hostages betimes if you can And on the other side you who would defend a place of all things take heed you never open your mouths to parly if you have not an intention to surrender and are not necessitated so to do for your Enemy presently gets a marvelous advantage by it 'T is better the overture be made by some particular person and it is better becoming the Besiegers than the besieged though both the one and the other ought to set a good face upon the matter it will soon be seen who has the worst of the Game At these times however be sure especially to have an eye to the main chance for so soon as ever it is rumour'd that there is a surrender towards those within instead of looking after their defence think one of saving his money another his arms and so forth and those without seeing themselves defeated of all hope of Booty if the Capitulation take effect will try to shew you a slippery trick for then they approach at greater ease to the wall because of the Truce Remember then that the hour of a Parly is dangerous The other two little places surrendred upon summons and sent me their Keys and the next day after the Mareschal arrived who was very well pleased with my exploit and so we march't directly to Seve Seve is a little Town very nearly built and enclosed with a very good wall A River runs either thorough it or close under the walls I am not certain which for I was never there but when Monsieur de Bonnivet and I came to relieve the Mareschal and at this time when we retook it and then lay there but one night only for the Mareschal sent me back in the morning because Don Arbro with his forces was within five miles of us and in Alba there was only left my Lieutenant and the half of my Company Now there is above the Town a Mountain on the top of which there stands a Church and in the Rock an Hermitage the entry into which was over a planck from the Church into the said Rock and within were Altars for Mass and a Chamber for the Hermiâ—e but no light into it save only by the door where you come in which looks towards the Town and they had so order'd the matter that by pulling in to them the planck that lay over betwixt the Hermitage and the Church all the world could not take them They had also made another Fort on the right hand at the distance of some twenty paces from this which they had contriv'd after the manner of a pit and the Counterâ—carpes very high so that coming upon the Counterscarp no man could shew so much as a fingers length of his head without being discover'd and kill'd and they had moreover cast up a Trench that ran along from this Fort to the very body of the Church As Signior Francisco Bernardin and I who were for that time Mareschaux de Camp came to encamp near to this place and being about to lodge the Army there sallyed out two or three hundred men what out of the Fort the Trench and the Church and furiously charg'd upon us I had no body with me but Captain Charry with 50 Harquebuzeers and some few horse to Guard us Wherefore the Baron de Chipy Camp-Master sent to re-inforce me with 100 Harquebuzeers but I was constrain'd to send him word that he must send me more for that we were already at it and very near to one another at which instant of time Monsieur de Bonnivet return'd post from Court who hearing the skirmish without alighting said to the Baron de Chipy Halt here till the Mareschal come up and in the mean time I will go find out Monsieur de Montluc The Captains follow'd him and some Harquebuzeers on horse-back when just as we were embracing the Enemy camp up and charg'd our men seeing which I said to Monsieur de Bonnivet â—Sir for your welcome alight and let us go charge these people and beat them back into the Fort whereupon every one immediately alighted and he said to me charge you directly upon those who would recover the Fort which said he clapt a Target upon his arm and I catcht up a Halbert for I ever lov'd to play with that kind of Cudgel saying to Signior Francisco Bernardin Camrade whilst we charge do you make the Quarters to which he replyed is that all the reckoning you make of the employment the Mareschal has entrusted us withal if it be so I will be a fool for company and once play the part of a Gascon and so alighted and went on with me to the charge He was arm'd with very heavy arms and moreover age rendred him unweildy of himself which made him that he could not go so fast as I. At such kind of Banquets my body me thought did not weigh an ounce and I fancied that I did not touch the ground I had quite forgot my hip I then charg'd up straight upon those on that side by the Trench and Monsieur de Bonnivet did as much on his side so that we thundred them back with such a vengeance that I past over the Trench pell-mell amongst them and pursued them killing all the way as far as the Church I never laid so about me nor did so much execution at one time Those within the Church seeing their people in such disorder and so miserably cut to pieces quitted the place and took a little path that went all along the rock of the Mountain down into the Town where one of my men caught hold of him that carried the Ensign but he disingaged himself very bravely from him and leapt into the path making to the Town as fast as he could trip I ran after him but he was too quick for me as well he might for he had fear in his heels The Captain was kill'd whom they very much esteem'd and I believe was a man of threescore years old for he was all over white They could not all recover the path which made part of them return back into the Church where they very bravely defended themselves Thay had made a Raveline before the Gate which we gain'd from them and then they retreated into the Hermitage and drew
touch having nothing but the street between which made it impossible for me of a long time to make the necessary Retirade to do which I must be constrain'd to beat down above an hundred houses which extremely troubled me for it is to create so many enemies in our entrals the poor Citizen losing all patience to see his house pulled down before his eyes I gave to the Count de Bisque the charge of terrassing up this Gate for which use we took the earth out of the Gardens and vacant places that lie a little on the left hand O the rare exemple that is here which I will commit to writing that it may serve for a mirror to all those who would conserve their liberty All these poor Inhabitants without discovering the least distaste or sorrow for the ruine of their houses put themselves their own hands first to the work every one contending who should be most ready to pull down his own There was never less than four thousand souls at labour and I was shewed by the Gentlemen of Sienna a great number of Gentlewomen carrying of Baskets of earth upon their heads It shall never be you Ladies of Sienna that I will not immortalize your names so long as the Book of Montluc shall live for in truth you are worthy of immortal praise if ever women were At the beginning of the noble resolution these people took to defend their liberty all the Ladies of Sienna divided themselves into three Squadrons the first led by Signiora Fortaguâ—rra who was her self clad in violet as also all those of her Train her attire being cut in the fashion of a Nymph short and discovering her Buskins the second was la Signiora Picolhuomini attir'd in carnatian Sattin and her Troop in the same Livery the third was la Signiora Liviâ— Fausta apparelled all in white as also her Train with her white Ensign In their Ensigns they had very fine devices which I would give a good deal I could remember These three Squadrons consisted of three thousand Ladies Gentlewomen and Citizens their Arms were Picks Shovels Baskets and Bavins and in this Equipage they made their Muster and went to begin the Fortifications Monsieur de Termes who has often told me this story for I was not then arriv'd at Sienna has assur'd me that in his life he never saw so fine a sight I have since seen their Ensignes and they had composed a Song to the honor of France for which I wish I had given the best horse I have that I might insert it here And since I am upon the honor of these women I will that those who shall come after us admire the courage and virtue of a young Virgin of Sienna who though she was a poor mans daughter deserves notwithstanding to be rank't with those of the noblâ—st Families I had made a Decree at the time when I was Dictator that no one upon pain of severe punishment should fail to go to the Guard in his turn This young Maid seeing a Brother of hers who was concern'd to be upon duty not able to go she took his Morrion and put it upon her head his Breeches and a Collar of Buff and put them on and with his Halbert upon her neck in this equipage mounted the Guard passing when the List was read by her Brothers name and stood Centinel in turn without being discover'd till the morning that it was fair light day when she was conducted home with great honor In the afternoon Signior Cornelio shew'd her to me But to return to our subject it was not possible of all that day nor the night following for the Count to perfect his Terrass nor we our Retirade at which we wrought exceeding hard leaving about forescore paces to the Marquis if he had a mind to enter there We had made a Traverse by the Port Oville where we had plac't three great Culverins laden as I have said before at which place were Signior Cornelio the Count de Gayas and three Canâ—neers who were there left by Monsieur Bassompierre On the right hand upon an Eminence was the great Observance betwixt which and the walls we had planted five pieces of Canon ram'd with the same which the said Bassompiâ—rre commanded in his own person yet both the one and the other were so well conceal'd that the Enemy could discover nothing from the â—tâ—e hills about us Well did they perceive that above at the Observance there were people for they had evermore a clap at that but we were all behind a Trench we had cast up betwixt the Observance and the Wall of the City tapist and squat so that we could not be seen The Soldiers were all before the houses through which they had pierc't several holes to come and go under cover Behind the Retirade which was not much above the height of a man they were also sheltred from being seen Signior Corneliâ— was also under cover by reason that he lay in a low place and under the shelter of a very thick wall which join'd to Port Oville The order of the fight was thus Signior Cornelio had with him one Ensign of Germans two of French four of Italians and four of Siennois having also the Count de Gayas to assist him and with me at the Observance was the Rhinecroc with three Companies of Germans two of French two of Italians and four Ensigns of Siennois In all the two Troops both of Signior Cornelio's and mine there was not so much as one Harquebuz but Pikes Halberts and two hand-Swords and of those but few Swords and Targets all arms proper for close fight and the most furious and killing weapons of all other for to stand popping and pelting with those small shot is but so much time lost a man must close and grapple collar to collar if he mean to rid any work which the Soldier will never do so long as he has his fire arms in his hands but will be alwaies fighting at distance All the night the Enemy were placing Gabions for six and twenty or seven and twenty pieces of Ordnance and by break of day they had planted twelve as they would in that time have done all the rest had it not been that they had been necessitated to draw their Canon up to this Mountain by strength of hand The Wall is good enough which not long since by one of the two Popes Pius's who were of the house of Picolhuomini and of the Order of the people had caused to be made At break of day they began their Battery within a foot or two of the bottom of the Walls at the distance of about an hundred paces which they did to cut the Wall by the bottom making account the next day with the rest of the Artillery in a short time to beat down the whole wall but for all that the Count de Biâ—que ceassed not continually to fill the Antiport leaving us Flanckers so
touch because they shot over by reason of the height of the Gabions and in the twilight they made seven or eight shots at the Obsâ—rvance where we were and the houses adjoyning and of all night after shot no more We work't exceeding hard all night to finish our Retirade and the Count de Bisque was no less diligent at the Antiport so that two hours before day all was perfected and every one settled in his Post where he was to fight That which made us make so much haste was that we heard a great noise at their Artillery and thought they were bringing up the rest which made me put out a man to discover their Battery who brought us word that they had cut above fourscore paces of the wall within a span or two of the bottom and that he believ'd in a few hours they would have beaten it totally down which we did not much care for though they did for we hop'd to sell them their Entry very dear and about an hour before day they ceased their noise which made us think that they only expected the break of day to give fire I then mounted upon the wall having Captain Charry always with me who by main force would needs have me down when the day began to break and soon after I perceiv'd that at the Windows of the Gabions there was no Artillery and that instead of planting more they had drawn off those there were I then called out to Signior Cornelio that we were out of danger of an Assault and that the Enemy had drawn off their Canon at which news every one began to come upon the wall where the Siennois sufficiently rated the Enemy in their language saying Coioni marrani venete qua vi metteremo per terra vinti brassi di muri They were constrain'd to stay three days at the foot of the mountain to repair their Carriages which the Demy-Canon we had brought to Fort Camâ—glia had broken and spoild them Now as I have already said the Gentleman of the Emperors Bedchamber had all the while kept a great deal of clutter what Canon would do to the winning of the Town but after he had been an eye witness of all that has been related and that the Marquis had remonstrated to him that the Retirade and those other Fortifications I made within was to let him enter and to give him Battail in the City for if I knew what he did he was no less enform'd of my proceeding there being evermore one Traytor or another amongst all people he then was of the same opinion with the Marquis and the other Captains that the Town was never to be taken by force but that it was to be reduc't to famine and therefore thought it convenient that the Artillery should be sent back to Florence He then return'd back to his Master to give him an account of what he had seen and that the Marquis could do no more than what he had already done I do not know whether or no he acquainted the Emperor with the fright he had been in which the Marquis himself gave me a relation of at my going out of Sienna as he went along with me above two miles of my way where he told me that at the time when their Artillery was forsaken by reason of the Havock our Demy-Canon made amongst them he was close by the side of the little house in his Litter being then very lame of the Gout where his Litter being set down upon the ground this Gentleman of the Emperor 's was talking to him having his hands upon the Cover of the Litter and his head within it whispering with the said Marquis when our Governor seeing the Artillery abandoned and every one retyr'd under the shelter of the little house made a shot at it with which a part of the wall which was of brick fell upon the Litter so that the said Gentleman was by it beaten down upon the Marquis's Legs sc astonish't as nothing more and the Marquis swore to me that in his life he was himself nevâ—r in so much fâ—ar of being kill'd as at that time that they drew the Gentleman out from off his legs and himself after with much ado all the Litter being full of the ruine and covering of the said house And the said Marquis moreover told me that at the great fright he was in his Gout left him for the whole ruine fell at once upon him and upon the Gentleman who verify thought himself to be kill'd I have often heard that the apprehension of death has cur'd many diseases I know not if the Marquis his Gout be returned since but he assur'd me he had never had it after from that fright till the time I saw him If it be return'd or no I leave others to enquire This might be about the middle of Ianuary and not above eight dayes after we began to perceive that the Germans grew very impatient at the little bread they had having no wine which was the most insupportable of all The Rhinecroc himself who was sickly could no longer endure there being nothing to be had unless it were a little horse-â—lesh or a piece of an Ass. Signior Cornelio and I then began to contrive which way we might get these Germans out of the City and conceited that if they were gone we could yet keep the Town above two moneths longer whereas if they staid we should be necessicated to surrender we therefore concluded to send a man privately to Monsieur de Strâ—zzy to remonstrate all this to him and to entreat him to send for them after the most plausible manner he could which I also directed him how to do and sent to him Captain Cosseil who is now my Ensign very well instructed It was with exceeding great difficulty that he was to pass which that he might do we were to fight two Courts of Guard by reason that the Marquis had already cast up a great number of Trenches which came up close to the walls of the City on every side Of these Captain Charry fought the one and the Count de Gayas with a Company of Italians the other so that whilst they were fighting he got over the Trench and recovered the rear of the Camp with his Guides and two dayes after return'd in Company with an Italian Gentleman call'd Captain Flaminio who brought Letters to the Rhinecroc and to me also wherein Monsieur de Strozzy writ to me to send the Rhinecroc with his Companies out to him for that he intended to set on foot a flying Army having with him great store of Italian horse and foot and that without some of those Tramontane sinews he should never be able to relieve me and that he would protest against me if the City was lost To the Rhinâ—croc likewise he sent very obliging letters having before-hand made Captain Flaminio very perfect in his Lesson The Rhinecroc upon the receiving these orders broke out into very
them nor any means by which to bring them any from other places and that they would do well to weigh and consider of this affair for as for his part he must discharge himself upon them if any thing fell our amiss So soon then as the Duke of Florence and Don Iuan saw the Siennoiâ— resolution they dispatch'd to him le Coâ—signou the Duke's chief Secretary with a Blank to put in whatever we would demand for he stood upon thorns till he was Master of the City It was upon Wednesday morning that the Cousignou came to the Camp when the said Marquis sent for the two Deputies who had been on Tuesday night return'd into the City where they inserted in the Articles that all those who had been banish'd and Rebels of the State of the Emperor Empire and Duke of Florence should go out in all security as well as the rest and in this posture we remain'd till Sunday morning the 22 of April that we went out in the order following Before any one of us stirr'd out of the Town I restor'd the Citadel and the Fort Camoglia into the hands of the Siennois where they put an Ensign of the City into each as I also made them to place an Ensign at every Gate of the City that stood open which being done I return'd to Porto Novâ— The Marquis had planted all his Spanish foot all along the street that leads to S. Lazaro on both sides the street his Germans were drawn up in Battalia a little on the right hand in a Camp and at S. Lazaro was Signior Cabry his Nephew with fifty or threescore horse which was all they could make as I have said before and three hundred Italian Harquebuzeers which they had drawn out of the Forts of Camolia and S. Mark and was the Convoy the Marquis had appointed to conduct us Signior Cornelio then and the Coant de Gayas arm'd at all points with their Pikes shouldred went out side by side with a Company of Harquebuzeers at their heels after them went out two Captains at the head of the Pikes amongst whom were a great Company of Corsleâ—s and in the middle of the Pikes the Ensigns display'd and advanc'd and in the reer of them the rest of the Harquebuzeers with two Captains in their reer I had over-night sent to the Marquis that he would be so civil to the ancient women and children who were to go out with us as to lend them forty or fifty of his carriage Mules which he did and which before I went out I distributed amongst the Siennois who put upon them the ancient women and some children in their laps All the rest were on foot where there were above an hundred Virgins following their Fathers and Mothers and women who carried cradles with Infants in them upon their heads and you might have seen several men leading their daughter in one hand and their wife in the other and they were numbred to above eight hundred men women and children I had seen a sad parâ—ing at the turning out the useless mouths but I saw as sad a one at the separation of those who went out with us and who remain'd behind In my life I never saw so sad a farwel so that although our Soldiors had in their own persons suffer'd to the last extremes yet did they infinitely regret this woful parting and that they had not the power to defend the liberty of these people and I more than all the rest who could not without tears behold this misery and desolation of a people who had manifested themselves so devout for the conservation of their liberty and honor So soon as Signior Cornelio was gone out all the Italians follow'd and the Citizens in the rear of the Italians Then at the head of our French went out S. Auban and Lussan arm'd with pikes upon their shoulders and a Company of Harquebuzeers after them two Captains at the head of the Pikes with another company of Harquebuzeers led by Charry and Blacon having each of them a Halbert in his hand and the Ensigns in the middle of the Pikes after the same manner the Italians had past before After these I went out arm'd and Messer Hieronimo Espanos side by side with me for I was afraid they would have seiz'd upon him he having been a principal Actor in the revolt of the City He was mounted upon an old Turk and I upon another miserably lean and haggled our notwithstanding which I set a good face on the matter and made the best meen I could I left two Siennois Ensigns at the Gate entreating them to clap to the Gate immediately after me and not to open it till the Marquis himself came The said Marquis rid up and down and Signior Chiapino Vitelli with him through all the files to take care that no one meddled with the Siennois for as to our Baggage it was so little as it made no number The Spanish Camp-Masters then came to salute me and all their Captains The Camp-Masters alighted not but all the Captains did and came to embrace my knee after which they again mounted on horseback and accompanied me till we came to the Marquis and Signior Chiapino which might be about 300 paces from the Gate where we embrac'd and they plac'd me betwixt them After this manner we pass'd on discoursing all the way of the siege and the particularities had hapned upon it attributing much honor to us the Marquis particularly saying that he had great obligation to me for that besides he had learn'd several stratagems of War I was the cause be had been cur'd of his Gout telling me the fear that both he and the Emperor's Gentleman had been in which did not pass without much laughter Whereupon I told him that he had put me into a much greater fright the night of the Scalado and yet that I was not for all that cur'd of my â—eaver adding moreover that he had done very ill to come upon me as the Iews did to take our Lord for he brought along with him Lanthorns and Torches which gave me a great advantage to which he reply'd bowing his head for he was a very courteous Gentleman Signior on altrovolte sero piu savis I then told him that had he continued his Battery he would have had no very good bargain of us for the Gascons were an obstinate people but that they were â—lesh and bone as other men were and must eat With this and other discourse of the same nature we entertain'd ourselves till we were got a mile beyond S. Lazaro and there the Marquis bad Signior Chiâ—pino Vitelli go to the head of our people and speak to Signior Cabry to take care there should be no disorder and that if any one offer'd to take any thing from us he should kill all such as should attempt it and that he should give the same command to the Captain of the three hundred Harquebuzeers So soon as
out in a miserable confusion I said to him O Knight you seem to lose your self you have been brâ—d with one of the bravest men that ever went to Sea which was the Prior of Capua to which he made answer No me perde no me perde per Dio mas io gardo la mie The Enemies Gallies in the mean time came within a Harquebuz shot to enclose us and then the Knight running from Poop to Prow encouraged every one making them to row amain insomuch that when they thought to have hemm'd us in we were got above fifty paces before them and began to bestow upon them some Harquebuz shot They pursued us about half a league but by reason of our three sails together with our fear that lent us wings it seem'd as if our Galley flew before them so that they presently gave us over and tack'd about and our Seamen plyed them with their courteous kind of language every one striving who should pay them most with railing and thus by the great diligence of our Seamen we in despite of them escap'd Towards night the wind began so to slacken and change upon us that we could not get to Marseilles till Tuesday supper time where we found the Count de Tande the Countess and the Baron de la Garde at supper in the Garden of Monsieur Blancart who were all astonish'd to see me having made account that I was dead and Sienna sack'd and burnt down to the ground for they being in Corsica had heard news day by day from Romania that I was at the last extremity without any hopes of composition the Baron de la Garde had been confident in this belief all the while he was with Monsieur de Termes in Corsica and also after he was come back to Marseilles and that I would play a desperate game at my coming out in case the Marquis would not give me such conditions as I would have Others said that I had lost my understanding and that God would punish me for my great temerity and folly They were talking of me just as I entred into the Garden but they would not let me tell them any thing till I had supp'd for they had almost done I had soon dispatch'd for I was forbid to eat much after I had fasted so long which I think was the death of very many after they came out for nature must by little and little be composed and restor'd to her usual habit I afterwards gave them an account from point to point of all that I had done which they thought very strange The Baron was very much astonish'd when I told him that Prince Auria had pursued him as far as the Isles Dieres giving God thanks that he had not yielded to the importunity of those he had with him who would have perswaded him to cast Anchor at the Islands and gave Monsieur de Termes for lost or at least all his Artillery but I told him that upon my intelligence Monsicur de Molle had dispatch'd away to him in all diligence to give him notice The next day I dispatch'd away the Sieur de Lecussan to the King to give his Majesty notice of my arrival for the Count had told me that the King was very much dissatisfied with me for suffering my self to be reduc'd to the last morsel by reason whereof he could expect no other than the loss of me and the ruine of the City upon which depended all his reputation in Italy See what hazards we run to serve these Princes but there is no remedy they are born to command and we to serve and obey and God knows if I had not cause to complain to be so abandon'd and left a prey but 't is all one they think it yet too much honor for us to die in their Quarrels The Baron mightily pressed me to send thither and moreover made Lecussan promise him to ride night and day which he did I stayd with them until Friday morning that I took post and came to St. Mathurin the 9th or the 10th of May where I found the said Sieur de Lecussan who staid there to tell me the great joy the King was in when he heard the whole story his Majesty wondring at my fortune and saying to every one that he thought me the most fortunate man upon earth after such and so long a Siege and without hopes of relief to come so honorably away especially having to do not only with the Emperor but also with the Duke of Florence who desir'd to be reveng'd of the Siennois He looked also upon the escape I had by Sea out of the clutches of Prince Auria for a singular good fortune The next morning I was at the rising of Monsieur de Guise who could never have his fill of embracing me and led me to the Kings Bed-chamber who was yet in Bed but awake At his entring into the Chamber he began to cry out aloud leading me in by the hand Sir here is your lost man and I then drew near to kiss his Majestie 's hands who embrac'd me with both his arms holding my head to his bosom almost as long as one might be saying a Pater noster saying to me twice whilst he held me in this posture O Monsieru de Montluc you are infinitely welcome I never thought to have seen you more to which I made answer that God had preserv'd me to do his Majesty yet once in my life one good pâ—ece of service He said he believ'd it and was assur'd that I would not spare my life to do it whereupon he again embrac'd me and then start out of his bed I then retired my self to the appartment the Vice-Chamberlain by his Majestie 's order had appointed for me as well satisfied with the gracious countenance of my Master as if he had given me the noblest Present for I have ever been proud and 't is natural for me to be so being a Gascon This alone had been sufficient to have made me have gone through impossibilities The Cardinal of Lorrain and the Constable were at this time at Ardres treating a Peace betwixt the Emperor and the King After when his Majesty had din'd about one of the clock he retir'd into the Gallery Monsieur de Guise only being with him where he was pleased to call for me and so soon as I was enter'd Monsieur de Guise shut to the door After which his Majesty would have me to give him an account at large of all the particularities of this Siege from the first day I enter'd into Sienna to the last which made the story continue so long that the Captains who were come along with me and waited without upon the Terrals told me that they heard the clock strike five times whilst I was in the Gallery with the King He was very much delighted with the order I took about the retrenchment of the bread and the manner after which I did it together with the Remonstrances
think fortune would have smil'd upon us for they say she favours the bold In the morning I sent Captain Sarlabous to give the Duke an account of what we had seen for I would not go my self being certain he was very angry The Mareschal was still with him who laughing said would you have a Breach better discover'd than by giving an assault This was a Gascon trick you was not aware of The thing that most troubled the Duke of Guise was that word would be sent to the King that we had given an Assault and were repuls'd otherwise he had not cared so much His incredulity and my despite were the loss of a great many good men When we had brought up our Trench within fifty paces of the Tower one morning by break of day the Mareschal would retire to his Tent to shift himself and I also would do the same Now as our approaches came nearer to the Town I still made my back returns a little longer to the end that two of them might receive a whole Company I had evemore an opinion that the Enemy would make a Sally upon us but it would never sink into the Mareschal's head for he would always say Would you have them such mad men as to make a Sally to lose their Soldiers never any men of sense did such a ridiculous thing to which I made answer why should they not sally for in the first place they are able from the walls to secure their mens retreat on the other side they are in the Town twelve Ensigns of Foot four hundred Spaniards choice men pickâ— out of all the Spanish Companies and a good Chief to head them which is Joanne Gayetano a man they esteem above all the Captains they have and a hundred Horse besides and the Town would be sufficiently defended with half the forces they are within I could not for all this make him understand it I know not why for the reason of war I am sure was on my side This very morning I had plac'd Captain Lago the elder and his Company in two of the long back returns on the right hand whom I caus'd to enter before day that the Enemy might not perceive them so that it was as a man may say a kind of Ambuscado The Captains who mounted the Guard had in charge that in case the Enemy should make a salley and attaque the head of the Trenches they should put themselves into the Field and run to charge them in the Flank and those at the head of the Trench had likewise order that in case they should attaque the returns they should likewise leap out of the Trench to assault them in their flank also We had every night four German Ensigns quarter'd there where we began our Trench to assist us in time of need but what Regiment it was that was that night upon the Guard I cannot remember and before the Mareschal and I were got to the end of the Trenches it began to be fair broad day The Mareschal trifled the time a little talking with a German Captain and also to stay for a horse which I had sent for to lend him to pass over the bridge to his Tents being at a stone Cross close by the village the horse I had lent him came when as my footman was alighting on a sudden we heard a mighty noise and saw the Enemy fighting with our men at the head of the Trench and leaping headlong into the Trenches and had it not been for those back returns had doubtless gain'd them from us With them there sallied out also fifty or threescore horse Captain Lago did there approve himself to be a valiant and a prudent man for he cried to his Lieutenant in the return behind him to run with his Pikes charg'd full drive upon the horse whilst he himself ran upon the Enemies Flanck who were disputing the head of the Trenches Seeing this I mounted upon the horse whilst the Mareschal remain'd at the Cross spectator of the whole action nor ever staid till I came up to our own men who were at it pell-mell with the Enemy who so soon as Lago came up to them would have retir'd when our people leapt out of the Trenches and flew upon them and so we pursued them wounding and killing up to the very Tower on the right hand I then presently sent back the horse to the Mareschal who found Monsieur de Guise and all the Gentlemen that were quartered near him on horseback coming to relieve us but he told them there was no need for that he had seen all the fight and the victory was ours As we retir'd from the pursuit all the remainder of their Harquebuzeers were upon the Walls and fir'd so round upon our retreat that it seem'd as if it had been only a Volley in complement to us I was alone on horseback in the middle of our men and therefore let any one judge whether God did not by miracle preserve me in such a showre of Harquebuz shot considering what a fair mark they had of me The Captains cried out to me to gallop off though I would never leave them but came along with them to the edge of the Trenches where I alighted and presently deliverd the horse to my Lacquey to carry him to the Mareschal as I said before and with the rest threw my self into the Trenches where I found a Captain and a Lieutenant of ours left dead upon the place I do not remember their names for they were French and I was but lately come to command in the Army with twelve or fourteen what of theirs and ours dead in the Trenches And yet notwithstanding the brave Volley they gave us from the Walls we had not above ten men hurt and thus their sally did not so much endammage us by a great deal as it did themselves You may here Captains take a good example concerning Trenches and the order I took for the sally the Enemy might make with the advantage we had by it For never dispute it the Defendants have need of men and therefore will be loath to attempt to force your Trenches 't is true if you sleep in them you will be surpriz'd Take notice also when you make your Trenches to make them high and sloping and that they have back returns or corners capable of lodging men for they are as Forts to repel an Enemy There was now no more talk of Monsieur de Guise his being angry with me the Mareschal and he holding no other discourse all dinner time but of the fight and principally of the providence and circumspection wherewith I had proceeded saying that it would be a hard thing ever to surprize me And also in truth I walk'd whilst others slept without fearing either heat or cold I was inur'd to hardship which all young Gentlemen who will advance themselves by arms ought to study betimes and learn to suffer that when they shall wax old it may not be
prepare his party without giving any notice to those of the Town in all haste to be gone so that in the close of the Evening they began to quit the Barricadoes they had made at the corners of the streets and to steal away which our Captains perceiving began to charge them from street to street but they were hindred by the night from seeing their issue out of the Gates so that in rout and confusion they recover'd the Vines and got away but lost five of their Ensigus Now we had concluded to fight after this manner to wit that Messieurs de Terride and de Gondrin should march on without staying in the Town taking my Company and the Gentlemen Volunteers along with them and plant themselves before the Gates the Enemy were possessed of without the City and that I should alight and with Monsieur de Terâ—es his Company whom I would also cause to alight our own foot and those of the Town â—o fight on foot resolving to enter and fight by day In the morning as we began to march an hour before day there came to us a Capitoul of Tholouse called Maistre Dourdes who brought me a letter from the President and Monsieur de Bellegarde wherein they sent me word of the departure and slight of the Enemy for which I was very sorry for had they staid my coming not a Rascal of them all should have escapt and God knows whâ—ther I had not a mind to have made clean work and if I would have spared ever a mothers son Those who were come from Foix return'd towards their said Country of Foix in route and disorder for the very Peasants kill'd a great many of them and the rest â—led every one to the place from whence they came Thus was the City reliev'd where the fight â—ountiâ—ued for three days and three nights together during which above fifty houses were burnt one after another and many people on both sides slain and amongst others two Brothers of Monsieur de Saüignac de Comenge At our â—rrival we went and alighted before the Palace all arm'd as we were my Ensign and Guidon displayd and indeed for a hundred and fifty or two hundred Gentlemen there might be of us together with my Company it was a handsome appearance and a very fine sight We found all the Court assembled and any one may judge whether or no we were welcome I there in a short speech told them That although I was not the Kings Lieutenant nevertheless the service I had of old devoted to their City and particularly to that honourable Assembly was the cause that after the advertisements I had received of the danger they were in I had gathered together all the friends I could for the conservation of their City the second of France and had my self immediately come away in pâ—rson â—o their rescue but Gentlemen said I in the long time that I have born arms I have learnt that in affaiâ—s of this nature 't is better to keep without and send in continual succours knowing that such a rabble were not likely so soon to force your City who had they staid my coming should have been as well handled as ever rascals were It now remains that since God has been pleased to deliver you you do your parts and make your Cantons stink with the Carcasses of these accursed Traytors to God their King and their Counâ—â—y So soon as I had done speaking the President Mansencal made me a very honorable Remonstrance concluding with great thanks both to me and to all the Gentlemen The Capitouls thâ—n accâ—mmodated us with very handsome Lodgings and at the very same instant began to fall in hand with those of the Mutineers who remain'd in the Town and who had been taken at their going ouâ— and the next day proceeded to execution where I saw more heads â—ly than ever in one day before I in the mean time was elsewhere sufficiently employd for it fail'd but liâ—tle that the City was not sackt by our own people so asmuch as so soon as ever the neighbouring Inhabitants heard that the City was reliev'd they all came running both Peasants and others to the spoil neither would they be satisfied with plundering the houses of the Hugonots only but began to fall on upon those of the Catholicks also insomuch that the very house of President Paulo himself had like to have been sackt through a rumour that within it there was a Student a Kinsman of his who was a Hugonot though nevertheless there was no such person found so that I was forc't to run thither and to remedy the disorder to cause Monsieur de Termes his Company and my own to mount to horse the half of which continually from six hours to six hours marcht arm'd and mounted by six and six together up and down the streets of the City The third day I had word brought me that Monsieur de St. Paul of the County of Foix was upon arrival being come from the said Foix with three or four thousand men and Monsieur de Lamezan of Comenge with seven or eight hundred more who had they entred it had been impossible both for me and all the rest of us who were within to have saved the City from being sackt to prevent which I sent in all haste to the Capitoâ—ls to shut their Gates and all night long we kept continually on horse-back in the streets and had the foot Companies upon Guard at the Gates together with the whole City in arms after the same manner as before when they had been in continual fight All this while Captain Charry and Monsieur de Terrides Company never stirred from the two Villages betwixt Fronton and Tholouze Monsieur de St. Paul quarter'd himself and his people in the Suburbs and Monsieur de Lamezan also very much displeased that they might not be permitted to enter the City threatning that another time they would not come to relieve them though their relief now did more harm then good considering that they came not when they ought to have come The next day I sent out Monsieur de Bellegarde to tell them that they did but lose time in staying there for they should not enter whereupon Monsieur de St. Paul return'd with his people and Monsieur de Lamezan sent away his entring himself and his servants only After this the Capitouls and I concluded together to drive out all those who were come in from the neighbouring places and accordingly with the Trumpets of the City and our Drums Proclamation was made for all strangers to depart so that in the end we were absolute Masters of the City Nevertheless it was not possible so to govern our own people but that there was still some disorder which made me send all the horse and foot out of the City surrendring the whole power into the hands of the Magistrates I gave a Company to Captain Masses the younger to remain in the
besieg'd it on that side by the Tannery where they drest their Leather Monsieur de Burie quarter'd himself in the Houses before the Gate which looks towards la Sauvetat where there are great Towers and I hard by him Monsieur d' Ortobie and Fredeville Commissaries of the Artillery would needs go view the Town in open day where we wanted for no Harquebuz shot and after the discovery had been made we concluded to attaque it by the said Tannery There was on that side a Gate of the Town which they had lately covered with a Wall and had let down the Portcullice which the Wall cover'd and within had cast up a Rampire of earth and rubbish I made the approches by night and lodg'd Bardachins Company in the Tannery We let Monsieur de Burie take his rest and presently after midnight our Artillery was planted upon a little Emminence overagainst and within a hundred and fifty paces of the said Gate Against the opinion of the said Commissaries I would try to see what was behind this Wall that cover'd the Gate and to that end caused some Fagots to be set on fire hard by the Gate by the light whereof I caused five or six Canon shot to be made at the said Gate which beat down all this new Wall whereupon I sent Captain Bardachins Ensign all alone to discover the place The Tannery was betwixt the Artillery and the Gate and betwixt the Gate and the said Tannery there was a great Walnut Tree behind which Captain Bardachin and I planted our selves it being no more than five or six paces from the Gate where the Ensign came and brought us word that the thing we saw that lookâ— white was the Portcullice We thereupon made him to return back again and to climb up the Portcullice which he did and at his return told us that over the top of the Portcullice he had perceiv'd a Terrass within but that it was but low and a man might pass betwixt the Arch of the Gate and the Portcullice creeping upon his belly The Enemy could not see him by reason of the fire but we could who stood behind the Tree and yet they made above twenty Harquebuz shot I then sent in all haste to Captain Charry to bring all the Companies without beat of drum or making any noise whom so soon as they came I made to squat close upon their bellies behind the Artillerie bidding Monsieur d' Ortobie begin to shoot though it was not yet day and try to make a Battery hard by the Gate when so soon as he had made two volleys I sent away the said Bardachins Ensigne called Captain Vines who had a Target upon his arm a Morion upon his head and a Coat of Mail with sleeves of the same and after him two Harquebuzeers without Morions who all went creeping with their bellies almost to the ground Captain Vines began to mount the Portcullice and Bardachin and I were again advanc't behind the Tree The dawning of the day began to appear and Monsieur d' Ortobie still continued firing at the Wall and the Enemy advanced to entrench behind the Battery which was on one side of the Gate taking no heed at all to the Gate it self as not suspecting the Wall which cover'd it was beaten down So soon as Captain Vines was got to the top of the Portcullice he gave his Target to one of the Harquebuzeers and mounted upon the Rampire after which taking his Target again he drew in first one of the Harquebuzeers and then the other when seeing three to be got in taking the advantage of the Thunder of the Canon I ran to the Tannery making Bardachins Harquebuzeers one after another to march straight up to the Walnut Tree and again my self return'd immediately behind it At the next Volley I made Bardachin approach the Portcullice having a Target and a Morion and the Harquebuzeers one after another concealing their matches when so soon as Bardachin had got five or six men about him he mounted the Portcullice where at the top his Ensign drew him in and the Harquebuzeers one after another as they came and still as the Harquebuzeers came behind the Tree I made them slip in when seeing there was already twenty got into the Town I my self drew up to the Portcullice They within entred into a little Chamber of the Tower to which there was two little doors which open'd upon two pair of stone stairs on the right hand and on the left by which they went up and down on the inside of the Town to the said Tower In the mean time I still put in more men one after another till Bardachin sent me word that he began to be strong enough to be Master of the Tower and that he was not as yet discover'd Whereupon I sent to Captain Charry and the Baron of Clermont that they should rise and come running all along a high-way there was that came directly up to the Gate which they did but before they could come up Bardachin was discover'd where they began to fight and to defend the stairs Immediately upon which came the Ensigns of Captain Charry and Clermont and mounted with all their men after them The Enemy made good those stairs but our people gain'd the top of the Tower by the help of a little hand ladder they met withal and were Masters of the inside of the Gate when the Captains on the right and left ran desperately down the stairs and came to dispute it hand to hand in the Streets The Enemy once repuls'd our men but in the end being overpower'd by numbers they retir'd the Assailants falling in pell mell amongst them till they came to the Market-place where they found three hundred men in Battalia who made head and disputed it for a time but in the end were put to rout and fled every man to shift for himself I sent an account of all to Monsieur de Burie but he had heard of it before and he must needs know also by the Harquebuz shot that they were fighting whereupon he sent some Gens-d'armes about the Town but they could do nothing there I took fouâ—score or a hundred Soldiers and with them marcht round the Walls so that as many as leapt over were dispatcht The slaughter continued till ten of the clock or after because they were fain to ferret them out of the houses and there was not above fifteen or twenty taken prisoners whom we presently hang'd up and amongst the rest all the Kings Officers and the Consuls with their hoods about their necks There was no talking of Ransoms unless for the Hangmen The Captain who commanded there was called Captain Heraud who had formerly been of my Company at Montcallier as brave a Soldier as any was in Guienne and was taken alive There were many who would fain have sav'd him for his valour but I said that if he should escape here he would make head against us at every Village
worth and valour is justly grounded Our French Foot will have an eye to your behaviour they are emulous of your reputation and have an ambition to excell you therefore maintain your antient renown or you dishonor the Spanish Nation for ever The King your Master hearing how bravely you have behav'd your selves will take it better at your hands than if you had fought in his own particular concern for this is Gods quarrel against the Lutherans who will cut you into a thousand pieces if you fall into their hands a consideration that if it have not alone the power to encourage you to go bravely and cheerfully to the fight it is not to be expected that any thing in the world can excite your courages or enflame your hearts I fancy that were I fighting in Spain my arm would be as strong again and you are fellow Soldiers in France that rejoices at your coming expects great advantages by your assistance and our being thus far reconciled begets in us a hope that these two great Kingdoms will one day be united to justle the great Turk out of his Dominions Go to then fellow Soldiers betake your selves to your arms and were it not that I will not deprive Don Lewis of his due honor I would put my self in the head of your Battalion with a Pike in my hand to see how you will lay about you but I shall not be very far off that I may see how well you can imitate the actions of your fathers of which I my self have been an eye witness both in Italy and in Piedmont at Roussillion and Fontarabie Methinks I long for to Morrows light that we may send an account to both our Kings of the brave service you have perform'd against an Enemy a hundred times worse than the Moors of Barbary having broken down the Crosses and Altars and polluted the Churches of God built by our pions Ancestors Sacriledges of which I assure my self you will take an honourable and severe revenge No quieren vouestras Mercedes nos otros que seâ—mos Hermanos y Compagneros por todas las fouereas nouestras per hoara de Dios y Protection del Rey Christianissimo Hermano de l' Rey Catholico which when I had said Don Lewis making answer for them all said to me these vvords Crea vouestra merced que nos avemos bien apeâ—ear del primero asta eâ— postero y quanto averemo unu gotta di Sungre nellos cuerpos Nos tarda il Tâ—empo que non veniamos a las manos coutra los Hereges As Don Lewis had made an end of speaking I desired them all as a token of their chearfulness to hold up their hands which they did after they had first kiss'd the ground after which I return'd to the Gascons bidding Captain Charry remount to horse and go bring all the Harquebuzeers on horseback on my left hand that they might be ready to alight when I should command them which he accordingly did I then made a speech to the Gascons wherein I told them that there had been a long dispute betwixt the Spaniards and the Gascons and that they were now to end the Controversie that above fifty years agoe had been begun which was that the Spaniards pretended to be stouter than the Gascons and the Gascons on the contrary to be braver than they and that since God had done us the grace to bring us upon this occasion to fight a Battel under the same Standard the difference was to be determinately decided and the honor made clearly our own I am a Gascon said I but I will henceforth renounce my Country and never own my self to be a Gascon more if this day you do not by bravely fighting win the Prize and gain the process of your adversaries and you shall see I will be a good Advocate in this cause They are Swash-bucklers and think no people under the Sun so brave as they therefore fellow Soldiers let them see what you can do where they give one blow give you four You have more reason to fight than they for you fight for your Prince for your Altars your Fires your Wives and Children and if you be overcome besides the shame that attends your defeat your Country is lost for ever and which is worse your Religion I assure my self I shall not be put to the trouble of thrusting my Sword into the reins of such as shall shew their backs to the Enemy and that you will every one do your devoir These people are no other than a Crew of baffel'd Rascals gather'd seditiously together people inâ—r'd to be beaten and that already fancie the Hangman at their heels so highly do their own consciences accuse them It is not so with you who fight for the honor of God the service of your Prince and the conservation of your Country therefore fight like men and hold up your hands in token of your chearfulness and consent which they all did and began to cry with one voice Let us go and we will never stop till we come to grapple with them with the Sword and thereupon kiss'd the earth The Spaniards then drew up to our men and I commanded both the one and the other to move but a foot pace only that they might not put themselves out of breath which order being given I gallopt up to the Gens-d'arms entreating them to move gently forward and saying to them It is not to you Gentlemen that fine speehes are necessary to enflame your breasts I know you stand in no need of such encouragements there is not a Gentry in France equal to ours in Gascony to um then Gentlemen to um and you shall see how I will second you Monsieur de Burie then mounted upon a great horse having put on his arms behind the Artâ—llery where I told him that if he would please to march at the head of the Foot with the Artillery the three Companies of Gens-d'armes should flank him and he should make the main Battail which he instantly consenâ—ed to and in truth I never saw him so brisk nor more full of noble resolution to fight than at that time Neither did he contradict me in any thing whatever as if I had been in his place and I was told that he should say this man is fortunate let him do what he will So soon as the whole Army began to move in this order I gallopt away Monsieur de Monferran and the Sieur de Cajelles who is of the Family of Mongairel and now Knight of the Order along with me and staid not till I came within thirty or fourty paces of five or six horse who were under a Tree The Sieur de Puch de Pardaillan has since told me that these were Monsieur de Duras de Bordet and himself Captain Peyralongue and another whose name I do not remember The said Captain Peyralongue was their Camp-master of Foot and in the Charge that Captain Bordeâ— had made they had
away to their Majesties to give them an account of the answers I had receiv'd but notwithstanding did not for all that forbear to march into Xaintonge beseeching them to send me other more certain assignments or that otherwise I could not engage my self before Rochelle without losing their Majesties reputation and my own and peradventure the whole Army for to besiege a place of that importance without paying the Soldiers to keep them in their Trenches were to force them abroad to pillage and to leave my Artillery in the mean time engag'd neither was I to learn in those affairs I writ moreover to his Majesty that he would please to command the Governor of Nantes to send me the Artillery with all posâ—ible speed and cause it to be brought to Broüage hoping that I should soon gain the Isles Having sent away this dispatch I return'd into Agenois to march away twelve or thirteen Ensigns as also to take the Gentlemen of the Country along with me when being come to St. Macaire I there found Monsieur de Lauzun and the Muster-Masters who was mustring his Company whom I entreated that immediately after the Muster he would send away Monsieur de Madaillan who carried his Ensign directly to Xaintes to which Sieur de Madaillan I gave a Cornet of Argoulets belonging to the Sieur de Verduzan Seneschal of Bazadois my Kinsman together with the Companies of Mabrun Thodias and la Mothe Mongauzy giving him in charge to make extreme haste without staying till he came to Xaintes and that in case the Marennois should be at St. Seurin so soon as ever he had baited his men he should immediately go to fight them and if they got the victory be sure to ply their hands for they were only a pack of Rascals and when the others should hear of the defeat of their Companions they would take such a fright at the news that they would never make head again and that the fear would run as far as Rochelle but that he must above all things be sure to make a great slaughter to strike a terror into the whole Party I writ also to Monsieur de Pons an account of the whole design ordering him to send some of his Forces to Xaintes to the end they might jointly fall upon this execution I had already sent to the Ensigns that they should move towards Agenois and to the Gentry also and the said Seneschal de Bazadois took upon him the Charge of our Mareschal de Camp of Gens-d'armes I had no more but the Company of Monsieur de Lauzun my own and that of Monsieur de Merville Grand Seneschal of Guien for of that of Monsieur de Iarnac which the King had appointed to come to me the fourth part was not to be found most of them being with the Prince of Condé nowithstanding which I staid three daies only at Agen but return'd straight into Bourdelois with the few Forces I could get together giving the Command of the Foot to my Nephew the Sieur de Leberon In my second dayes march from Agen I receiv'd letters from Monsieur de Madaillan wherein he gave me to understand that he had made so good haste as that the third night after I departed from them they arriv'd at Xaintes where having intelligence that there were three Ensigns of Foot at St. Seurin who had there lodg'd and fortified themselves they had fallen upon them and brought away three Colours Five or six daies after I came to Marennes where I found Monsieur de Pons to whom his Majesty had written as also to Monsieur de Iarnac to come to me to the Siege of Rochelle Soon after I received a letter from the Governor of Nantes wherein he sent me word that I was not to wait in expectation of his Artillery for that he had one piece of Canon only mounted upon an old rotten Carriage and that all the rest were on ground without possibility of being made ready in less than three months time See how our Frontier Cities and places of importance were provided and fortified Rochelle was not so I then fell to spinning out the time about St. Iean and Xaintes in expectation of an answer from their Majesties and money to bring the Artillery from Bourdeaux very sorry that I had advanc'd so far Day by day I sent new dispatches to them to that effect but could never obtain any answer The last I sent to Court was Dragon who had retir'd himself to Monsieur de Pons and in the mean time Monsieur de Lude came near unto St. Iean where at a privat Gentlemans house we had some conference He there shewed me the letters the King had writ to him wherein his Majesty commanded him to joyn with me in the Enterprize of Rochelle telling me that he would as cheerfully obey me as the proper person of the King himself as being the oldest Captain in France that he would bring me six or seven Ensigns of Foot and three or four hundred horse It did not then stick at me nor at those Gentlemen the King had commanded to assist me neither at the Forces of Foot or Horse but only at the want of means to bring up the Artillery and a little money to pay the Foot that this Siege of Rochelle did not succeed I will not say I should have carried it but I should have frighted them at the least and perhaps have done them no good In this interval Monsieur de Pons had reduc'd the Isles of Oleron and Alvert for they are for the most part his own and Captain Gombaudiere was in them having his house there and commanded as well in Alvert as Oleron There only then remain'd the Isle of Ré where they had erected a Fort near unto a Church and several others at the places of landing I caused five hundred Harquebuzeers to be chosen out of all our Companies with all the Captains Lieutenants and Ensigns the one half of Mongauzy the elders Company excepted who staid ashore to command those that were left behind making my Nephew de Leberon with the said five hundred to embark at the Port of Broüage Guillet the Kings receiver in those parts took great pains to victual and prepare the Vessels whom the Queen of Navarre put to death in the late troubles but I could never learn for what I ever knew him to be a good servant of the Kings and believe his diligence upon this occasion of our mens putting to sea did him more harm than good and perhaps might be the cause of his death for the Queen of Navarre did by no menas love those people My said Nephew was a day and a night hindred by foul weather from landing as also the Enemy defended the landing places from the Forts they had made but in the end he unbethought him in the night to send away all the lesser boats he had brought along with him full of Soldiers to land amongst the Rocks on the back of the Island
up arms if occasion should so require and remember that the most valiant Captains the Romans had were men of Letters who had they not been qualified with learning would have been lookt upon as unworthy of great commands and that their knowledge ought by no means to hinder them from the use of arms and from fighting but rather encourage them to do like those antient Romans being men as well as they who had no more than two arms and one heart as they had Gentlemen said I I see by your countenances that you are not men that will suffer your selves to be beaten those who have gray beard and heads shall be for the Councel but a good number that I see here are fit to trail a pike and how much think you will it encourage the people when they shall see those who have power over their lives and estates take arms for their defence Not a man will dare to mutter and your Enemies will tremble when they shall hear that the Parliament it self is taking arms to suppress them by which they will understand you are in earnest and moreover all the young men whom I have seen enter this place and who are more fit for a Corslet than a Gown will then do the same To this end I entreated them to shut up the Palace for eight dayes that in those eight dayes time every one of them might be aquainted with the arms he intended to make use of in time of need and that they might divide themselves into two and two to stand at the Gates with their arms that in so doing the whole City would take exemple and on the other side should there be any Treason in the said City this good order would be a means to put a stop to their proceeding and put them out of hopes of executing their design wherefore seeing so great a good was to be expected from this prudent order in affairs as the preservation of their City their lives and fortunes they ought to spare nothing to that end After which I told them for the conclusion of all Gentlemen consider I beseech you what I have said to you and I make you here a tender of my own life and the lives of these Gentlemen my friends to do you service and to establish you in the peace and security you your selves desire The President Rossignac who at that time had the Chair for Monsieur de Legabaston was retir'd his service not being agreeable to this King made answer in the behalf of the whole Court giving me very many thanks for the Remonstrance I had made to them for which they would for ever be my servants and telling me withall that there was not a man amongst them young or old who would not take arms for his Majesties service in the defence of the City In earnest the King owes a great deal to this Society as also to that of Tholouze for if either the one or the other had fail'd Guienne had had much to suffer forasmuch as the loss of one of these two Cities carries a long train after it to wit the ruine of the whole Province In four dayes time I had clear'd all the jealousie and apprehension that was before in the City You Gentlemen that are Governors it is a fine thing to know the humour and complexion of the Nation over which you command and one thing I will say for this people that if their Governor have once gain'd a reputation among them and can so pertinently deliver himself as to demonstrate to them any kind of probability in the thing he would perswade he shall not only engage the Gentry the Soldiery and the Magistrates themselves but also the Monks Priests Labourers and even the very women to fight For they are a Nation that want no courage but a good Chief that knows how to command and you ought to believe that seeing the Antients made so much use of Orations before all their Battels and found so great a benefit to accrue thereby that we in these times should not lay aside that kind of encouragement They found it of so considerable advantage that they have not thought fit to omit the several Orations in their Histories and Records and we likewise ought to believe that in using the same means and in following their exemple we shall find as great advantage by it as they did and I look upon it as a great and necessary quality in a Captain to speak well I was not brought up to this and yet have ever been so happy as in Soldierlike terms to express what I had to say tollerably well though with a vehemency a little relishing of the Country from whence I came I would therefore advise all persons of condition who have the means to do it and design to advance their Children by Arms the rather to bestow some Learning upon them for if they be call'd to Commands they will often stand in need of it and will find it of infinite use to them and I believe a man who has read much and retein'd what he has read is much more capable of executing great and noble Enterprizes than another Had I made the best out of my little reading it had been much better for me and yet I have naturally enough to perswade the Soldiers to fight The fifth day then I return'd and being that Monsieur de Merville Grand Seneschal of Guienne by reason of a late sickness was not able to go carry his Company to the Army we came together as far as St. Foy where I receiv'd Letters from Monsieur de Montpensier wherein he sent me order that I should lie about the Dordogne and above all things have an eye to Beurdeaux and Libourne for that he was not yet able to guess whether the Enemy would fall back again into Guienne or continue on their march Which was the reason that I stayd about St. Foy and Monsieur de Terride at Castillonnes expecting what the Enemy would do and also further orders from Monsieur de Montpensier being certain that in two or three dayes march we should at any time be able to joyn with him from thence Soon after we heard that he was gone in all haste towards Poictiers to meet the Monsieur Brother to the King and that the Enemy marcht along the River Loire towards la Charité there to meet and joyn with the Duke of Deuxponts so that seeing it impossible to overâ—ake the Army that we might ease the Country along the Banks of the Dordogne I left two Ensigns of Foot only at Castillonnes and three at St. Foy and sent away the Sieur de Sainctorens with his Company of Gens-d'arms into Libourne and the Sieur de Leberon remain'd at St. Foy having three Companies with him with whom I left order that in case the Enemy should approach Guienne he with the said three Foot Companies should go put himself into Libourne The remainder of our Forces the Chevalier
mind not to go to the Assault knowing very well that my death would at this time be of ill consequence if not to the Enterprize in hand yet to the general design upon that Country this fancy therefore still running in my head the morning before the Assault was to be given I said to Monsieur de Las the Kings Advocate at Agen who was of our Council these words Monsieur de Las there are some who have exclaim'd and do yet cry out that I am very rich you know of all the money I have to a Denâ—â—r for by my Will to which you are a witness you are sufficiently enform'd of my Estate But seeing the world are not otherwise to be perswaded but I have a great deal of money and that consequently if by accident I should die in this Assault they would demand of my Wife four times as much as I am worth I have here brought a particular of all the money I have at this day in the whole world as well abroad at Interests as at home in the custody of my Wife The account is of my Steward Barat 's drawing and sign'd by my own hand You are my friend I beseech you therefore if I dye that you and the Councellor Monsiâ—ur de Nort will transfer your love and friendship to my Wife and my two Daughters and that you will have a care of them especially Charlotte Catherine who had the honor to be Christned by the King and the Queen his Mother Which having said I deliver'd the Scrowl into his hands and very well perceiv'd that he had much ado to refrain weeping By this you may judge if I had not the misfortune that befel me before my eyes I have no familiar spirit but few misfortunes have befall'n me in the whole course of my life that my mind has not first presag'd I still endeavour'd to put it out of my fancy resigning all things to the good will of God who disposes of us as seems best to his own wisdom neither did I ever do otherwise what ever the Hugonots my Enemies have said or written to the contrary against me So soon as two of the clock the hour prefixt for the assault was come I caused eight or ten Bottles of wine that Madam de Panjas had sent me to be brought out which I gave the Gentlemen saying Let us drink Camrades for it must now soon be seen which of us has been nurst with the best milk God grant that another day we may drink together but if our last hour be come we cannot frustrate the decrees of Fate So soon as they had all drunk and encourag'd one another I made them a short Remonstrance in these words saying Friends and Companions we are now ready to fall on to the Assault and every man is to shew the best he can do The men who are in this place are of those who with the Count de Montgommery destroyed your Churches and ruined your houses You must make them disgorge what they have swallowed of your Estates If we carry the place and put them all to the sword you will have a good bargain of the rest of Bearn Believe me they will never dare to stand against you Go on them in the name of God and I will immediately follow Which being said I caused the Assault to be sounded and the two Captains immediately fell on wheresome of their Soldiers and Ensigns did not behave themselves very well Seeing then that those were not likely to enter Monsieur de Sainctorens marcht up with four Ensigns more and brought them up to the Breach vvhich did no better than the former for they stopt four or five paces short of the Counterscarp by vvhich means our Canon vvas nothing hindred from playing into the Breach vvhich made those vvithin duck dovvn behind it I then presently perceiv'd that some body else and other kind of men than the Foot must put their hands to the work which made me presently forget the conceit I had of being kill'd or wounded and said to the Gentlemen these words Camrades no body knows how to fight but the Noblesâ— and we are to expect no victory but by our own hands let us go then I will lead you the way and let you see that a good horse will never be resty Follow boldly and go on without fear for we cannot wish for a more honourable death We deferre the time too long let us fall on I then took Monsieur de Gohas by the hand to whom I said Monsieur de Gohas I will that you and I fight together I pray therefore let us not part and if I be kill'd or wounded never take notice of me but leave me there and push forward that the Victory however may remain to the King and so we went on as cheerfully as ever I saw men go on to an Assault in my life and looking twice behind me saw that the Gentlemen almost toucht one another they came up so close There was a large Plain of an hundred and fifty paces over or more all open over which we were to march to come up to the Breach which as we passed over the Enemy fir'd with great fury upon us all the way and I had â—ix Gentlemen shot close by me One of which was the Sieur de Besoles his shot was in his arm and so great a one that he had like to have died of his wound the Vicount de Labatut was another and his was in his leg I cannot tell the names of the rest because I did not know them Monsieur de Gohas had brought seven or eight along with him and amongst the rest Captain Savaillan the elder of which three were slain and the sad Captain Savaillan wounded with a Harquebuze shot quite through the face There were also hurt one Captain du Plex another Captain la Bastide both Kinsmen of mine about Villeneufue who had alwayes serv'd under Monsieur de Brissac one Captain Rantoy of Damasan and Captain Sales of Bearn who had before been wounded with the thrust of a Pike in the Eye There were two little Chambers about a Pike height or more from the ground which Chambers the Enemy so defended both above and below that not a man of ours could put up his head without being seen however our people began to assault them with a great shower of stones which they pour'd in upon them and they also shot at us but ours throwing downwards had the advantage of this kind of â—ight Now I had caused three or four Ladders to be brought to the edge of the Graffe and I as turn'd about to call for two of them to be brought to me a Harquebuze-shot clapt into my face from the corner of a Barricado joyning to the Tower where I do not think there could be four Harquebuzeers for all the rest of the Barricado had been beaten down by our two Canon that playd upon the Flanck I was immediately
same stile make afterwards no great account of the favour If my Lords you shall not please to do as I advise you see what will follow When the Captain sees that you make no account of him nor have him not in your remembrance he will think you are satisfied with the fortune God has already bestowed upon you and that therefore he is no more to hope that you shall have any ambition to be greater than you are but that every man must think of retiring to his own house without caring any more for Arms. And after a Soldier let him have never so little a Competencie to live upon has once begun to rellish the pleasure of his own House his Wife his Hawks or his Hounds and that he is once suffer'd to take that bent it is a very hard matter to draw him out of the Chimney-corner to go again to the Wars and to perswade him to forsake his soft and warm feathers to lye abroad upon the hard and cold Turf and if you get him out with much ado it will be with a very ill will and he will be alwaies hankering homewards to see his Wife and Children He shall never hear the report of a Musket but like a Frank-Archer he will think himself slain In all these things custome is all Canon and Harquebuze-shot astonish such as are not used to them but after a man has once or twice heard them rattle about his ears he cares not so much There is nothing so prejudicial to War as to let Soldiers and Officers lye idle and rust Hang up your Headpiece or your Cuirasse against a wall and in a little space iâ— will be all rust and cobwebs it is the same with men of war if they be suffer'd to lye still and do nothing Wherefore your Highness ought to have a special care of this for keeping your Captains waking with your Letters and some little benefits from the King you will hold every one in expectation and ready to march so soon as his Majesties Summons or your Command shall be brought to them To this end give your Secretaries order to put you in mind for otherwise the Ladies or the delights of the Court will put it out of your head You are young and 't is sit you should taste the pleasures of the world it is but reasonable you should know what they are we have done it before you and those who are to follow after will do the same But go soberly to work By this Alarm you shall give your Soldiers with your Letters you will discover to all the world that you will not forget the facultie that God has given you nor suffer your Talent to lye idle and every one who has an inclination to arms will resolve to attend you to the utmost stretch of your fortune You will make it appear that since God has alreay laid his hand upon your shoulder you will trie if he will not lay it upon your head also you ought to have an opinion that he will be pleased to do it and to take the verse in the Psalm for your Motto Coelum Coeli Domino Terram autem dedit filâ—is hominum which is to say that God has reserv'd the Heavens for himself and has left the Earth for us to conquer This Verse was not made for such little Companions as I am but for Kings and such Princes as you are and yet give me leave to tell you that although I am a poor Gentleman and have not the spirit of a King yet had God pleased to preserve my Sons and have granted me a little better health I should have thought with the help of my friends provided we had been at peace at home to have got some corner of the world or another to my own share and if I could not have got a great 〈◊〉 I should at least have had a Gobbet or at the worst I should only have lost my labour and my life both which I should have thought well laid out for the purchase of honor Had my Son liv'd I do verily believe he would have brought about the design that the Admiral knows he had in his head and that he may acquaint your Highness withal You are young your Brother has the great piece you are to go seek your fortune elsewhere and instead of being a Subject make others Subjects to you Since then such a poor fellow as I am have the courage to foar so high and that the Sons of Labourers and Forge-men as I have heard have by their virtue arriv'd at Empire what are you to hope for who are the Son and Brother to the greatest King in Europe you ought to look for no less when occasion shall present it self and that you shall see your time A magnanimous Prince is never to rest contented but still to push on his fortune the world is so wide there is enough to conquer and the King your Brother has power enough to assist you You are in your age of undertaking and you are fortunate I am sorry that you have laid aside the great and brave name of Alexander who if I mistake not was the most valiant Warriour that ever bore arms His Majestie will help to set some foreign Crown upon your head If then God shall do you the grace to put an end to these miserable domestick Broils set your designs on foot and trie to immortalize your Name Employ those many Servants you have in conquering something and seeing my age and the wounds I have receiv'd will not permit me to serve you in so brave an Enterprize I shall at least humbly advise you never to stop the Career of your Arms but still to attempt greater and more difficult undertakings taking the device of the Emperor Charles who cut out so much work for your famous Ancestors In case you cannot arrive at the utmost aim of your Ambition you shall at least advance the better half way to your desires I have no hopes being a maim'd Valetudinary as I am my self to serve you in these honorable designs but I leave you three little Montlucs which I hope will not degenerate from their Grandfather and their Fathers More I have not to trouble your Highness withal and also it is time to put an end to my Book Behold here fellows in Arms you who shall read my life the end of the Wars in which I have serv'd five and fifty years together that I had the honor to be in Command for the Kings my Masters From which services that I might not forget them I brought away seven Harquebuze-shots for a Memorandum and several other wounds besides there being not a limb in all my body that has escaped my right arm only excepted But I have by those wounds purchased a renown throughout Europe and my name is known in the remotest Kingdoms which I esteem more than all the riches in the world and by the Grace of God who has