both in peace and warre for seldome we see any goodnesse in the refusing to obey good orders And we heare ordinarily that one bad voice puts twenty out of tune and that it is the chiefe property of a good Souldier first to learne to obey well in keeping of good order and then doubtlesse in time being advanced he cannot but command well so that here in ordering of this as in all things we see vicissitudes and alterations some Regiments made up and continue in florishing order other Regiments reduced taking an end as occasion and accidents of warre doe happen Spynies Regiment was reduced and my Lord of Rhees Regiment is made up againe Where we see that as vicissitude maintaines the world even so concord is a great meanes of continuance as discord is too often of discontinuance and ruine Likewise we see that no estate is free from mutability and change which is the great Lord of the World who will be adored and followed as soone as order doth faile but where order is kept and concord as in this Regiment change hath no place to ruine though well to alter for order was so kept by this Regiment like to brave Souldiers who in a running skirmish come up discharge fall off flie and yet reinforce themselves againe having kept order in their proceedings which though now she admits of some change being reinforced againe and joyned together with the chaine of love and respect she admits of no confusion or ruine but is ready againe with her brave Souldiers being reinforced in a strong body to make head unto their enemies one day to be revenged of their former losses as God willing shall be cleered in the sequell of my discharge of dueties and observations of this new reformed body of the old Regiment My cozen Lievetenant Andrew Monro being killed in combat I have more then reason to condemne and disallow of that miserable sort of fight where oftimes the victorious puts himselfe in a worse case both of soule and body than he that is killed Yet this kinde of fighting hand to hand called Monomachia hath bin much practised both amongst Pagans and Christians even amongst all Nations as it is yet Of old it did serve for proofe of things hidden being in one rancke with the burning iron and scalding water to the end men might discerne the innocent from the guilty this kinde of violence of proofe was so common that Fronton King of Denmark made a law as reports the Saxon history that all differences whatsoever should be decided by the combat and Leoden reports that yet to this day they observe the same in Muscove But wise men finding this custome deceivable in deciding the truth and so uncertaine that many times the innocent doth succumbe and therefore it was forbidden by the civill and canon law as is evident by severall ancient constitutions inserted in the Decretalls Notwithstanding whereof amongst the Romans it became so common as to be thought but a sport which made the name of fighters esteemed of amongst the Romans as we reade in the Cod. Titulo de gladiatoribus and therefore this custome being displeasing unto the Emperour Instinian he commanded all should be subject unto the Iudge and said that valour without justice was not to be allowed of This combat betwixt those two was well fought of both in presence of many witnesses where it was thought that the Dutch-man was hard so that a sword could neither pierce him nor cut him This fashion of fighting is so common that we neede not illustrate it by examples of Histories either ancient or moderne but who so would satisfie their curiosity in this point let them but reade Preasack his Cleander 2 story well worth the reading And truely dayly experience teacheth us as in this accident that the end of combats doth shew often that he who appeales often times doth receive the reward of his temerite which might be cleâ—red by many examples amongst the ancients We have one very notable written by Quintus Curtius where Dioxippus the Athenian that brave fighter being all naked and smered over with oyle as the fashion was then with a hat of flowers on his head carrying about his left Arme a red sleeve and in the right hand a great batton of hard greene timber durst enter in combat against Horrat Macedonian carrying on his left Arme a bucler of brasse and a short pike in the right hand a jacdart-staffe as we terme it or something like it and a sword by his side at their approaching Dioxippus with a nimble slight and a pâ—etty cunning shift of his body eschewed the stabbe or thrust of the staffe and before the Macedonian could have wielded the Pike the other doth breake it in two with his cudgell and quickly closing with his adversary gives him such a knocke on the shinnes that he fell to the ground his heeles above his head tooke his sword from him and would have kill'd him with his batton had not the King saved him Thus much of combats which for my part though I cannot allow of neverthelesse I should be loath to refuse to fight in a just quarrell but would rather referre the successe to God to determine of then to let that be called in question which is dearest unto me The twenty-second Dutie discharged being the last under his Maiesties service of Denmarke of our expedition by water unto Holsten HIs Majesty being resolved in Aprill 1629 with his sword in his hand to conclude a settled and a sure peace with the Emperour or otherwise to free Holsten and Yewtland from the tyranny of the Emperiall Army and to that effect his Majesty did gather his forces together to a head in Denmark where they were to be shipp't for landing at Angle in Holsten so that orders were given to me his Majesty having provided shipping to transport our Regiment from all quarters and to meete at Angle Before our parting Captaine Forbesse of Tullough and Captaine Andrew Stewarts Companies were put on warre ships to lie before Wismar I having shipped with the rest of the Regiment we sailed unto Holâ—ten and landed at Angle where the Regiment being come together we were one thousand foure hundred strong besides Officers and having lyen at Angle till the peace was concluded his Majesty did thanke off or dismisse his Army save a few number that was kept a moneth longer till the enemy had marched out of the country we being discharged of service and having gotten our honourable passes we were directed by his Majesty to the Rex-marshall toward Fuâ—eland with orders from his Majesty that he should reckon with us and give us contentment accordingly The reckoning made we were forced to accept of two parts and to discharge the whole having made no reckoning but for us who were present leaving our Colonell being absent to make his owne reckoning thereafter with his Majesty Likewise his Majesty did give orders to the Rex-marshall to provide shipping and victuall for
Berleine fearing Generall Tillie with his Armie might come behinde us whiles we were ingaged with the Towne keeping onely of all the Cavalerie the Rhinegrave and his Regiment besides the Infanterie in case of out-falling to second us against the horsemen that were within the Towne The Cavalerie thus directed his Majestie then perceiving the feare of his enemies having voluntarily fiered their fore-Towne tooke their feare as a presage of his future victory commanded a part of the commanded Musketiers to goe in through the fore-Towne being on fire and to lodge themselves being advanced to the very port till such time as his Majestie should dispose of the rest of the Armie in directing every Briggade apart to their severall poasts The yellow and the blew Briggade were directed to lodge in the Vineyards on the side of the Towne next Castrene being commanded to advance their guards before them while as the rest of the Briggade should lodge and lie in one body at their Armes to be still in readinesse in case of an out-fall the white Briggade called Damits Briggade was appointed to lodge in the fore-Towne to guard the commanded Musketiers that lay betwixt them and the danger at the Port right under the walles Hepburne his Briggade was commanded to lie neare unto the other Port and to advance their guards also the rest of the commanded men to lie neare vnto the other Port and to advance their Guards also the rest of the commanded Musketiers being commanded by Major Iohn Sinclaire were commanded to lye on a hight neere a Church-yard that was direct before the enemies workes besides which there was a Battery made and the Artillery and Amunition of the Armie as commonly was usuall was placed behinde our Briggade and the Rhinegraves horsemen behinde us all things thus ordered and placed commanded folkes out of all Briggads were commanded out proportionally for making of Cannon Baskets and for casting of Trenches Then according to custome his Majestie himselfe and Colonell Tyvell went to Recognosâ—e neare the wall where Colonell Tyvell was shot in the left arme his Majestie then making openly great moane for him alleaging he had no helpe then but of Hepburne in the same instant my Lievetenant David Monro was shot in the legge with a Musket Bullet and my Major Iohn Sinclaire commanding the commanded Musketiers neere to his Majestie where the Battery was making the enemy hanging out a Goose in derision they presently fell out above two hundred of them upon our Guard who received them with volees of Musket and they being too strong for the guard his Majestie commanded the Major to send an Officer and fiftie Musketiers more to second the Guard Neverthelesse the enemy still pushing our guard backwards making them give ground incontinent his Majestie commanded the Major with a hundred Musketiers more to fall on and to resist the enemy in relieving the Guard which the Major suddenly obeyed making the enemy retire with greater haste than he advanced where their Lievetenant Colonell and a Captaine were taken prisoners and after the Major taking in a Church-yard that lay right before the enemyes workes and keeping his Guarde there he did keepe the enemy under awe so that we were no more troubled with their out-falling though diverse of our Officers and souldiers were hurt by them from their workes the Church-yard being no shelter for our Guard that lay just under their workes On Sunday in the morning being Palme-sunday his Maiestie with his whole Armie in their best apparell served God his Maiestie after Sermon encouraging our souldiers wished them to take their evill dayes they had then in patience and that he hoped before long to give them better dayes in making them drinke wine insteade of water they were then drinking and immediately his Maiestie gave orders unto Generall Bannier to command all the Briggads to be in readinesse with their Armes against the next orders this command given some of the commanded men that were under Sinclaire suspecting a storme provided themselves of some ladders By five of the clocke in the afternoone his Majestie comming towards our Briggade called for a Dutch Captaine under Hepburnes Regiment named Guntier and desired him to put on a light corselet with his sword drawne in his hand and to take a Sergeant and twelve other good fellowes with him and to wade through the graffe and then to ascend to the top of the wall and to see if men could be commodiously lodged betwixt the mud-wall of the towne and the stone-wall and then to retire so suddenly as they might which being done his Majestie getting resolution that there was roome betwixt the two walles to lodge men the Briggads being alreadie in battaile they fall on at a call the Captaine being retired without hurt whervpon his Majestie directed Bannier and Hepburne with our Briggad to passe the graffe and to storme And if they repulsed the enemy from the outward wall to lodge under the stone wall betwixt both the walles and if the enemy fortuned to retire to presse in with him the like orders given to the rest of the Briggads all being in readinesse his Majestie having a number of Cannon great and small charged on the batteries caused to give notice at all postes that when the Cannon had discharged the first Salve in the midst of the smoake they should advance to the storme as they did where in passing the graffe we were over the middle in water and mud and ascending to storme the walles there were strong pallessades so well fastened and fixt in the wall that if the enemy had not retired from the walles in great feare we could not but with great hazard have entred The enemy feebely retiring our Commanders and Leaders following their orders received from his Majestie we presse to follow in after the enemy at a great sallying port that was betwixt both the walles that opened with two great leaves where they entred after their Retreate they planted a flake of small shot that shot a dozen of shot at once besides which there were set two peeces of small Ordinance that guarded also the entrie and musketiâ—rs besides which made cruell and pittifull execution on our musketiers and pikemen the valorous Hepburne leading on the battaile of pikes of his owne Briggad being advanced within halfe a pikes length to the doore at the entry he was shot above the knee that he was lame oâ— before which dazling his senses with great paine forced him to retire who said to me bully Monro I am shot whereat I was wondrous sorry his Major then a resolute Cavalier advancing to enter was shot dead before the doore whereupon the Pikes falling backe and standing still Generall Banier being by and exhorting aâ—l Cavaliers to enter Colonell Lumsdell and I being both alike on the head of our owne Colours he having a Partizan in his hand and I a halfe Pike with a head-piece that covered my head commanding our Pikes to advance we lead
by Lawes and if they love and respect their Officers for feare to offend even in their Marches for their Officers credits they will march so orderly with Armes in their Rancks and Files that you would thinke a whole Regiment well disciplined as this was were all but one body and of one motion their eares obeying the command all as one their eyes turning all alike at the first signe given their hands going to execution as one hand giving one stroake yea many stroakes all alike ever readie to strike or hold up as their Commander pleaseth and thus exercised they were that their enemies in all Rancounters could not but duely praise them calling them the Invincible old Regiment which alwayes rancountred with them on all occasions so that Mac-Keyes name was very frequent through the glorious fame of this never-dying Regiment never wrong'd by Fortune in their fame though divers times by their enemies valour they sustained both losse and hurt but would to God we had alwayes met man to man or that our Army had consisted all of such men and such Officers whereof I was the unworthiest If so had beene our conquest had extended so farre as the Romanes of old did extend the limits and borders of their Empire which for my wish I would bestow on the Prince Elector Palatine borne by the Iewel of Europe the Queene of Bohemia his Royall Mother and if it were at my distribution he should have all from the River Euphrates at the East to the Ocean Sea at the West the fertillest part of Africke at the South and the Rhine and the Danube at the North and yet I durst affirme that his Grand-father King IAMES of blessed and never-dying memory might merit a farre greater possession for his Grand-childe the Illustrious Prince Elector Palatine of the Rhine and to have an Armie of such men under his command to be avenged on his enemies I would wish their cloathes nor mine owne came never off till his enemies were made his footstoole to tread on or to shew mercie at his Highnesse pleasure And for my wish his Armie should be all of Britaines Dutch and Irish such as Vegetius describeth the Romane Souldiers of old and I as one though unworthiest of a thousand Britaine Officers would undertake to make such brave lads to dwell Summer and Winter in Tents ever in readinesse to fight with our enemies and to endure all incommodities for the credit of such a Master banishing far from him with valiant hands well armed all the craft power and subtiltie that his enemies were able to devise against him And we should for his sake be contented with such allowance as the Emperiall Lawes allow a Souldier being onely so much as might maintaine life or so much as Beasts get that are put to dyet and we should be content to march with such expedition without intermission without quarter or Garrison as neede requireth never staying behinde but alwayes advancing consenting willingly to undergoe correction if we did to the contrary but to march ever orderly in Rancks as the way lay rough or even foule or faire as our Colours and Leaders went before us Never quitting our Rancks but with licence till the cause were wonne or that our Masters Throne were established And if otherwise we went astray we should be content to quit our allowance and if this discipline were not strict enough we should be content to have his Highnesse and Royall Mother restored to doe as our Fathers did coming out of Egypt marching alongst the spacious and wide Desert that our Randezvouz might be appointed and set till we arrived in Cades that is to say in the holy Land where being victorious we should bid our Master farewell and rest with our Fathers The ninth Dutie discharged of Major Dumbarre his Service at Bredenberg THis noble Cavalier of famous and worthy memory having done notable good service at Beysenburg Skonce on the River of the Elve as was formerly set downe at his retiring to Lugstad he was commanded with foure Companies of Scots and certaine Dutch the enemy having falne into Holsten his order was to beset the Castle of Bredenberg being a passe but not strong nor fortified in Forma As I was informed by a valourous little Captaine Captaine William Lumsdell who then was Ensigne to the Major who onely at that time escaped with his life from the fury of the enemy being within the house while as the rest in the fury were put to the sword This Gentleman who informed me was with the Major walking abroad neare to the house at the enemies first approaching so that the enemy unawares did come so neare that they retiring to the Castle had scarce time to draw up the draw-bridge when the enemy with his forces being as was thought ten thousand strong led by Tilley had the house environed on all quarters The enemy sends a Trumpeter summoning to render the place which was refused Whereupon they entred to approach and the Defender resists The service thus begun Comoedian-like ends very Tragically the whole Court and lodgings running with bloud with which the walles and pavement are sprinkled with our Scottish bloud to be viewed and seene to this day To be particular in the discharge of this dutie at large not having seene the service I will not lest I should erre in giving notice unto the world of things I did not know but by report which ordinarily holds not so true as things we have both knowne and seene In this house of Bredenberg there was a great number of men women and children besides the Souldiers that had taken their flight thither as to a place of refuge at the enemies first coming into the land There was also in this house great store of riches belonging to the Lord of the house and to the Fugitives that was brought from the Country The Major valourously defended the place for six dayes untill the time they had approached unto the moate and shot two severall breaches in the wall and being so neare the enemy directed a Drummer unto the Major to see if he would Parle But the Drummer returned with an answer that so long as there was bloud in Dumbarres head that house should never be given over which answer so incensed the enemy against them that they sware if they got the upper hand over them they should all die without quarters Shortly after the answer was returned the Major was shot dead in the head with a fire-lock The rest of the Officers were ashamed to Capitulate for an Accord the Major having refused immediately after Captaine Duncan Forbesse was killed and after him Lievetenant Barbour and then Captaine Carmichell who had no charge there but came by accident to visit his Cameradâ—s before the Enemies coming whose fortune was not to eschew the payment of that debt by longer continuation The Enemy then passing the Moâ—te or Fossey with a generall storme scorned all quarters and being entred cruelly put all to
have in the person of Charles called the wise who having seene France ruin'd by the former warres under his predecessors Philip and Iohn Normandie and Piccardie possessed by the English and having Edward the third to deale with the best and happiest King ever England had who defeated the French in two Battells This Prince resolved to keepe the rest finding it to be as good to governe by counsell as by force of Armes he did nothing rashly nor unfore-seene but his designs were all well premeditated and digested making choice of men wise valiant and knowing how to command in warres Edward seeing his sword thus blunted and the course of his victories by the wisdome of Charles interrupted said who did ever see one out of his chamber to give a man so much adoe without Armes Thus Charles was so wise that his enemies did make no difficulty to praise him for he not onely freed his people from misery but also gathered afterward a great treasure for his sonne being called rich as he was wise and being respected of his subjects and of his enemies as this Magnanimous King of Denmark is for his prudence after his warres is as much to be commended as his valour was in preserving his subjects Throne from his enemies being redacted to a corner and his counsell served also well for the good of his subjects the estate of his Throne and for the recovery of his losses And therefore Cicero said that counsell availed for the good of the State as well as Captaines for it is oft seene in effect that by the good advice of the one the others have happily drawne and governed their swords And in another place he saith that Agamemnon Generall of Greece did never wish for ten such great Captaines as Ajax was but rather ten wise counsâ—llours as Nestor was which made Cicero so often to proclaime the honour due to eloquence above valour saying Cedant arma togae concedat laurea linguae but joyned together as in this Magnanimous King of Denmark they worke one to anothers hands for the establishment of his Throne which I wish so long to continue as the world Here also we may learne to eschevv vice by the punishment inflicted upon this souldier for his exorbitancy in having ravish'd a virgin of her honour he was bereft himselfe of life by Gods justice punishing man for sinne examplary to others Against this sinne of ravishing Emperours ordained punâ—shment to wiâ— to lose their heads and their goods also to be confiscate but the law of the Caâ—onists treates more meekely with ravishers suffering them to marry those whom they ravished But the Lord judgeing more severely steeping his rods in viâ—iger ordaines stricter punishmeâ—t for such malefactors To eschew therefore the committing of such villanies I will here set downe some remedies to hinder man from such vices that we may eschew the like punishment The first remedy then is to abstaine from the excesse of wine and meates not to be druâ—ke with wine wherein there is dissolution The second remedy is to eschew idlenesse and too much sleeping which is enemy to travell and diligence The third to eschew the company of unclâ—ane persons whose delight is in filthy communications for he that will ouâ—h pitch must be defiled with it Evill speeches corrupt good manners and with Wolves we learne to howle and cry Dina the daughter of Iacob desiring to see what was not convenient neither for her shamefacâ—tnesse nor for the respect she ought to have carried to her fathers house was ravished viâ—lated and was the cause of greater evill The fourth remedy is to keepe both women and maides in a convenient modesty of a chast behaviour without which there is a doore opened to all villany and filthinesse which is able of vertue to make vice The other remedies are to live soberly and vertuously in our callings eschewing evill company and filthy communications loving rather to take paines in our callings remembring our duty we owe to God in not delighting in any uncleannesse that we may eschew the malâ—diction hanging over the heads of those which continue in their filthinesse without repentance abusing the long suffering and patience of the Lord our God and Father To conclude this observation there are lawes and justice observed as well among souldiers as in other governments and the strictest justice that is with least partiality our lawes are the Kings Articles we are sworne to obey our President or Iudge he amongst us present having the command to whom his Majesty joynes as assessor to the Iudge an Auditor for doing of justice our Assisers or Iury we have not to seeke viz. a competent number of thirteene of our owne Regiment Officers Captaines Lievetenants Antients Sergeants and Corporalls till our number be full our Proforce or Gavilliger brings in the complaints and desires justice in his Majesties name to the party offended and to his Master the Kings Majesty or Generall that fuers or leades the warre and every Regiment is bound to have an executioner of their owne which if the Regiment wants the Colonell is obliged to hire another to doe the execution for paiment and sometimes as the crime and the person is respected that is to suffer he is honoured to be shot by his camerades or beheaded not suffering an executioner to come neare him Other slight punishments we enjoyne for slight faults put in execution by their Camerades as the Loupegarthe when a Souldier is stripped naked above the waste and is made to runne a furlong betwixt two hundred Souldiers ranged alike opposite to others leaving a space in the midst for the Souldier to runne through where his Camerades whip him with small rods ordained and cut for the purpose by the Gavilliger and all to keepe good order and discipline for other lesser faults there is ordained slighter punishments as Irons standing at a poast his hands bound up above his head likewise sitting on a Treen or woodden Mare in some publicke place to make him ashamed of his fault As also sometimes to stand six or seaven houres longer than ordinary at the centriâ— posture as I was once made to stand in my younger yeares at the Louver gate in Paris being then in the Kings Regiment of the Guards passing my prentiship for sleeping in the morning when I ought to have beene at my excercise for punishment I was made stand from eleven before noone to eight of the Clocke in the night Centry Armed with Corslet Head-piece Bracelets being Iron to the teeth in a hot Summers day till I was weary of my life which ever after made me the more strict in punishing those under my Command The eleventh Dutie discharged of our expedition by water unto the Isle of Feamer and of the in-taking of it THE twenty-second day of March 1627. his Majestie having come in person to Lowland with two thousand five hundred foote having appointed Randezvouz at Rubie I had orders to repaire with all diligence to the
did observe the difference betwixt the King our Master and old Tilly where I did see his Majesty though younger out-shoote the elder in experience who by winning of a Dorpe which was afterwards slighted with the losse of two thousand men over and above the toyle sustained by his Army and the losse of some cannon he lost Francford on the Oder where three thousand were put to the sword in requitall of his cruelty used at Brandenburg The seventh Dutie discharged of our march to Swede and of our reformation there being made into Briggades TIllies Army being marched backe to Rapine the Felt-marshall with his Army did breake up from Freedland with Horse Foote and Artillery towards Swede to joyne with his Majesty continuing our march for three dayes to the passe at Lecknetts where we rested two dayes sundry Officers having taken Forloffes of his Excellence to goe unto Statine to provide themselves of cloaths and necessaries expecting for a long march where I went also to see my wife and Family and having stayed but one night our march continued so farre in prosecuting our victories that the enemy coming betwixt me and home I was not suffered in three yeares time to returne so long as his Majesty lived which was much to my prejudice Being arrived at Swede on the Oder and joyned with his Majesties Army after our coming being drawne out to the fields we were made into Briggades both horse and foote where Sr. Iohn Hepburne being made Colonell of the Briggad his Regiment Colonell Lumsdells Stargates and ours made up the Briggad where Lumsdell I had the Battaile Colonell Hepburne his Regiment made up the right wing and Colonell Stargates the left which on our march was changed by turnes and thereafter was still called the Scots Briggad commanded by Hepburne Sundry other Briggads were made up as the yellow or leeffe Briggad commanded by the Baron Tyvell the blew Briggad commanded by Colonell Winckle and the white Briggad called Dametts where having lien some few dayes we were preparing for our march towards Francford on the Oder The seventh Observation GEnerall Tilly was no sooner marched with his Army but incontinent the Felt-marshall did follow his example to joyne with his Majesty Where we may see that these two wise Generalls did soare in the skies with their Armies casting boards like warre ships to get advantage one of another We see here that Cavaliers though tied by Gods ordinance to live with their wives being once severed and tied to serve they cannot with credit quit their charge to come to their wives The King himselfe being once engaged in the Dutch warres was deprived for two yeares from the sweete society of his Queene which should teach women and men of meaner quality after their examples to be patient in absence for more love was never betwixt two than was betwixt his Majesty and his Queene no love could goe beyond their love each to others except the love of Christ God and man towards man For the love of this Queene to her husband the King did equall the love of the wife of Hieron whom we read of in Plutarch his Apophthegmes for her rare continence and respect carried to her husband shee never felt the breath of anothers kisse but her husbands Which in my opinion this Queene of Sweden could well for her love to her husband have done if it were possible as is reported by Plinius of Arria wife to Cecinna Paetus who being condemned to die with liberty to choose the forme of his death his wife going to visit him did exhort him to die valiantly with great courage and taking good night of her husband she strucke herselfe with a knife in the body and drawing out the knife againe presented it to Paetus her husband with these words Vulnus quod feci Paete non doleâ— sed quod tu facies as one would say the wound I gave my selfe hurts me not but the wound which you shall give grieves me We read also of Portia Cato his daughter and wife to Brutus who hearing of her husbands death in despight of all that were about her filled her mouth with hot burning coales and was suffocated for griefe We reade also a memorable story of the wives of the Menyans recorded by Plutarch in his fourth booke of Illustrious women their husbands being in prison and condemned to death for having enterprized against the King of Sparta the Lacedemonian custome being to execute their malefactors in the night these noble women under pretence to speake with their husbands being appointed to die got license of the Guards to goe within the prison and having put themselves in place of their husbands whom they made to put on their Gownes taught them to cover their faces with vailes as being extreamely sorry carrying their heads downward they escaped out of their hands Having inferred this discourse on a Queene yet wife to the best Souldier in our dayes lest Souldiers wives should be worse thought of than others having seene more love more indurance better obedience and by appearance more chastity in them to their husbands than ever I did see in any other profession I will here yet inferre a rare example of a Souldiers wife to encourage others to follow and imitate her vertues The story we reade written by Barnard Scardeon in his third booke of Padua that Blanch Rubea of Padua being retired with her Baptist de la Porte within the fortresse of Bassean pertaining to the Venetians Accâ—olen baâ—â—shed out of Padua with all his forces assailed the said place being valorously defended it was impossible to get it but by Treason Baptist not losing courage though surprised running unto the Port with his Armes in his hand but suppressed by the multitude of his enemies having gotten entry he was killed by the hand of Acciolen his wife Blanch did fight valiantly in the conflict being armed with steele and with courage farre beyond her sex The enemy being victorious she was taken perforce and brought before the Tyrant who being ravished with her beauty at first making much of her then desireth to ravish and bereave her of her honour shee defending her selfe by words and prayers of entreaty escaped his hands and finding the window open skips downe where she was found â—ore hurt and halfe dead but by the diligence of good Chirurgians she was made whole as before and was solicited by the Tyrant againe which she refusing to yeeld unto being bound was forced by the Tyrant shee keeping her griefe within herselfe gets liberty to goe see the dead body of her husband Baptist and pretending to doe some ceremonies about his Corps and having opened the Grave she crying streached herselfe in the Grave and violently with her hands pulls the stone that covered the grave over her and her head being bruised she died presently above her husband in the yeare 1253. The Ancient Germans did marry their wives on the condition they should be their companions in travells