plant himself behind the Bavins as before although Granuchin was something long in opening the Gate both because he would clearly see and observe whether the Priest made any sign and also for that he had a mind those of the City should see them enter when so soon as it was broad day he opened the Postern telling them that the Soldiers who came in with the Priest were laid to sleep being tir'd out with the long labour they had sustein'd the day before and so soon as they were all in the Scot suddainly clap'd to the Gate and as suddainly Captain Favas start up and fell upon them without giving them time saving a very few to give fire to their Harquebuzes as ours did who had them all ready nevertheless they defended themselves with their Swords so that six of mine were hurt and fifteen or sixteen of this Company were slain upon the place of which Corporal Ianin was one which was a very great misfortune to us together with a Brother of his the rest were led into the Cellar ty'd two and two together for there were already more prisoners in the Castle than Soldiers of our own Now this fight continuing longer than the former the Enemy in fighting stâ—ll cry'd out Imperi and ours France insomuch that their cries reach'd down into the City and especially the rattle of the Harquebuze shot so that to avoid being so soon discovered their design being to Train the Count thither for to that end tended all the Farce they all got upon the walls of the Castle and from thence cryed out Imperi and Savoy having on their red crosses as I said before Now the Country fellow that had been sent with the Letter to the Count did not return with those men up to the Castle but staid at his Master's Country house by the way wherefore he was again suddainly sent for and another Letter deliver'd to him by the hands of the Priest to carry to the said Count to Fossan wherein he gave him to understand that Corporal Ianin was so weary he could not write but that he had given him in charge to render him an account of all and that he was laid down to sleep So soon as the Count had read this Letter he put on a resolution to go not the next day which was Tuesday but the Wednesday following when God intends to punish us he deprives us of our understandings as it happened here in the case of this Gentleman The Count in the first place was reputed one of the most circumspect and as wise as valiant Leaders they had in their whole Army which notwithstanding he suffered himself to be gull'd by two Letters from this Priâ—st especially the last which he ought by no means to have relyed upon nor to have given credit to any thing without having first seen something under his Corporal 's own hand and should have consider'd whether or no it were a plausible excuse to say that the said Corporal was laid down to sleep But we are all blind when we have once set our hearts upon any thing of moment Believe me Gentlemen you that are great undertakers of Enterprizes you ought maturely to consider all things and weigh every the least circumstance for if you be subtle your Enemy may be as crafty as you A Trompeur trompeur et demy says the Proverb Harm watch harm catch And The cunning ' stsnap may meet with his match But that which most of all deceived the Count was that the Tuesday those of the Town who thought themselves to be become Imperialists and yet in some doubt by reason of the various cries they had heard during the fight had sent five or six women to the Castle under colour of selling Cakes Apples and Chesnuts to see if they could discover any thing of Treason for all those that remain'd in the Town had already taken the Red Cross whom so soon as our people saw coming up the Hill they presently suspected their business and resolving to set a good face on the matter went to let down the little draw bridge to let them in My Soldiers then fell to walking up and down the base Court with their red crosses all saving three or four that spake very good Spanish who fell to talk with the Women and bought some of their Wares taking upon them to be Spaniards insomuch that they afterwards returning to the Town assur'd the Inhabitants that there was no deceit in the business and moreover brought a Letter which la Mothe writ to a friend in the Town wherein he entreated him to go to Monsieur de Botieres and to tell him that he had never consented to Granuchin's treachery which Letter he delivered to one of the Women knowing very well that the party to whom it was directed was not there to be found but would be one of the first to run away as being a very good French man but their design was that the Letter should fall into the hands of those of the Imperial party as accordingly it did As the Count was coming on Wednesday morning our people in the Castle discover'd him marching along the plain and the people of the Town went to meet him without the Gate where being come he ask'd them if it were certainly true that the Castle was in his hands to which they made answer that they believed it so to be but that at the entrance of his men the first time there were a great many Harquebuzes shot off within and a very great noise was made and that on the Munday morning when the others entred they likewise heard a very great noise that continued longer than the former and that they once thought they heard them cry one while France and another Imperi and Duco but that notwithstanding they had yesterday sent their Wives into the Castle with Fruit Bunns and Chesnuts whom they had permitted to enter where they saw all the Soldiers with red crosses The Count hearing this commanded his Liesutenant to alight and to refresh his horses and men bidding those of the Town speedily get something ready for him to eat for so soon as he had taken order in the Castle he would come down to dinner after which he would take their Oath of Fidelity and so return back again to Fossan Now you must know it is a very steep and uneasie ascent from the Town to the Castle by reason whereof the Count alighted and walk'd it up on foot accompanied with a Nephew of his another Gentleman and his Trumpet So soon as he came to the end of the Bridge which was let down and the Gate shut but the Wicket left open so that a man might easily pass and lead his horse after him Granuchin and the Priest being above in the window saluting him desir'd him to enter to which nevertheless he made answer that he would advance no further till he had first spoken with Corporal Ianin seeing then that he refused to enter Granuchin
gave permission to go and recreate themselves three or four days at the said Perpignan At which time the said Connestable made me put my self into the habit of a Cook belonging to Monsieur de Poyet to the end that under that disguise I might discover the place and yet I once thought my self to be discovered however I found opportunity by the means of a Fleming servant to the said de Veli which he had left behind him to take an exact view of the place for he had led me quite round the Town both without and within so that I was able to make a report to the Connestable of all the strength and defects of the said City who was pleased to tell me thereupon that I had made a perfect discovery as by several others who had long been inhabitants there he had been credibly informed Now you must know this was only a pretended divertisement of Poyet and Bayard who durst by no means take the Kings Engineer in their company as the Coâ—nestable would have had them fearing he might be discovered and themselves by that means detained Prisoners neither did they fail to relate to him afterwards the fright they were in when a Spanish Captain challeng'd me by my name but I faced him out of the business counterfeiting both my Country and Language and dissembling better to understand how to handle a larding-pin than a sword and saying that I was a Cook to Monsieur le President Poyet who himself had not a word to say for the terrible fear he was in least I should be discover'd but General Bayard laugh'd the Spanish Captain out of his conceit in private telling him that he was not the first who had been so deceiv'd but that the man he took me for was one of the best Captains the King of France had At all this story the Constable did only laugh but I very seriously told him that he should never make me play the Spye again so long as he liv'd 'T is an employment of too great danger and that I have ever abhorred but so it was that at that time I plaid the cook to discover the place which I did exactly well and that is the reason why I have said that had Monsieur d' Annebaut given credit to me he had easily taken the Town but he would rather believe a suborned Gascon Mason which the Enemy had thrust out of Town on purpose and had order'd to give himself up only to amuse the Mareschal and to persuade him to assault that part which he did assault and his Engineer than any thing I could say Insomuch that we did nothing either worth writing or râ—lating which fell out so much the worse as it was the Dauphin's first tryal of Armes who had a mind to do as well as Monsieur d' Orleans his Brother who took Luxemburg but it was no fault of his Two days before the Camp dislodgâ—d the said Mareschal went round about the Town where I shew'd Monsieur d'Estree who is yet living the place where I would have had them to have made their Attaque and that very near at hand though the Canon and Harquâ—buze shot they liberally bestow'd upon us might reasonably have made us stand aloof which after he had seen he cryed out Good God what an error have we committed but it was then too late to repent for the relief was already entred in and the time of the Rains was at hand which would have damm'd up our retreat and yet we had enough to do as it was to draw off our Artillery so ill a place is that Country for an Army to move in During the time of this Siege the Company of Monsieur Boleves became vacant which Monsieur le Dauphin sent to entreat for Boqual who since is turn'd Hugonot and I also writ to Monsieur de Valence my Brother who was then at the Court at Salers where the king was so discontented by reason of the ill success of this enterprize both with the Dauphin and Monsieur de Annebaut who had also sent to sollicite it in the behalf of another that His Majesty would neither grant it to the one nor the other but was pleased to confer it upon me The Camp being raised Monsieur de Brissac had Capestaing assign ' d him for Garrison and Monsieur de I' Orge Colonel of the Legionaries Tuchant the place to which they had drawn off all the ammunitions of corn that had been left in the Camp assigned him for his Where three days after all the said Legionaries forsook him nothing but their Captains remaining behind who thereupon sent to Monsieur Brissac that if he did not come speedily to his relief he should be constrain'd to abandon the said provisions and to shift for himself which made us march with all possible diligence without being more then half a night only upon our way and found him totally left alone saving for Messieurs de Denez and Fonterailles and their servants Now there was a Castle upon the Mountain towards Perpignan about a League from Tuchant and on the left hand of Milan and the said Seigneurs de Brissac and de I Orge being gone out of the said Tuchaut to hear Mass at a little Chappel about a Cross-bow shot from thence at our coming out from Mass we heard very many Harquebuze shot at the said Castle and discover'd a great many men about it with a great smoak of Powder whereupon I ask'd Monsieur de Brissac if he were pleas'd that I should go thither with thirty or forty of my men to see what the matter was who presently gave me leave so to do wherefore without any more delay I presently sent â—a Moyâ—nne my Lieutenant to get them together and to bring me a horse which being suddainly brought I march'd directly towards the Castle Le Peloux wo was Lieutenant to Monsieur de Brissac had a desire to follow after as had also Monbasin St. Laurens a Breton and Fabrice being all Launce-passades belonging to the Company of the said Seigneur together with fifty or threescore Soldiers of the same I made very great hast when so soon as the Enemy had discovered me as I was beginning to climb the Mountain they retreated down the other side into a plain which lies below Tantavel where they clapt themselves down under the Olive trees to stay for the rest of their fellows that they had left behind them at Milaâ— The Captain of the Castle was Barennes an Archer of the Kings Guard who had been placed there by Monsieur de Montpezat and whilst the said Barennes was shewing me the Enemy appear'd Peloux with his Soldiers and with them a Gentleman called Chamant a very brave man so that although we knew the Enemy to be above four hundred men as we were also assured by Berennes we nevertheless concluded to go and fight them This place was all Rock tufted over with a little Copse thorough which we were to
success at Perpignan the King sent us orders to march straight away into Piedmont and Monsieur d' Annebaut who was Admiral went to besiege a Cony where we sped as ill as at Perpignan and were very well drub'd in giving the assault for not having well discover'd the breach and where I saw the brave and valiant Captain Santo Pedro Corso behave himself admirably well who was almost wounded to death The said Admiral having taken some few little places and seeing the winter at hand returned back into France leaving Monsieur de Boitieres in the quality of the Kings Lieutenant there whom he sent to Garrison at Gavaret and we to Savillan where Monsieur de Termes was Governor who was very glad of our coming for he stood in need of us During our abode there several attempts were made both upon Turin and upon us and we likewise attempted something upon the Enemy wherein our fortune was sometimes better and sometimes worse but there being nothing that particularly concerned me I shall pass them over and indeed should I give a relation of all the Actions wherein I have been engaged I should never have done After that the Turks were retir'd as has been said the Duke of Savoy and the Marquis de Guast laid Siege to Montdevi where the Seigneur de Dros a Piedmontois was Governor having with him four Italian Companies and two of Swisse who there behaved themselves exceedingly well though it be none of their trade to keep places and there were given two or three Scalados Monsieur de â—oitieres had no possible means to relieve it for the King had at that time very few Soldiers in Piedmont and the Swisse who had lost their Captains and Lieutenants with Canon shots began to mutiny against the Seigneur de Dros the Governor insomuch that he was constrain'd to capitulate Now you must know that the Marquess de Guast who was one of the most cautelous and subtle Captains of his time to take from him all hopes of relief had counterfeited Letters from Monsieur de Foitieres wherein he writ him word to shift the best he could for himself there being no possibility to relieve him which coming to the Governors hands and the cheat not being to be discover'd and the Swisse at the same time beginning to mutiny he surrendred the Town upon condition to march away with Bag and Baggage However the Articles to the great dishonor of the Marquis de Guast were very ill observed and the Seigneur de Dros pursued who sav'd himself upon a Spanish Horse and it was well for him that he did so for all the Gold in Europe would not have sav'd his life for the hatred the Duke of Savoy had conceived against him being that he who was his Subject had revolted to the Eenemies side 'T was said that he made his escape in the habit of a Priest by the means of an Italian Soldier who had formerly serv'd him but I believe it was after the manner I have related but this I can say without lying that he was one of the bravest men and the greatest Wits that ever came out of Piedmont and dyed afterwards very honorably at the Battel of Serizolles The same day that Montdevi was surrendred I had departed from Savillan to the great regret of Monsieur de Termes with five and twenty Foot to try if I could find means to put my self into it for with a great party it would be a matter of extraordinary difficulty and took with me a Guide who would undertake to conduct me by the deep vallies and by a River that runs by Montdevi in which we were to march a great way together the water being but knee deep and I do believe by that way I might have got in though it would have signified nothing if I had forasmuch as I must have done as the rest did considering that the strangers by their number gave the Law but they dearly paid for 't many of them being massacred at their marching out of the Town I had moreover drawn out ten Soldiers over and above my five and twenty to convoy me over the Maupas a place so call'd and within half a mile of Marennes where a man should hardly ever fail of meeting some of the Garrison of Fossan And above and on the right hand of Maupas there stood an empty Inn from whence one might discover all that came from Savillan straight to Cairas and from Cairas to the said Savillan As I descended therefore into the plain that leads directly to Maupas I was there aware of threescfore Italian Soldiers of Fossan that were scouting towards that Inn which stands upon an eminence and presently saw the Party move who made hast to gain the Maupas on that side towards Cairas to sight me in that straight which made me turn off on the right hand with intent to fall upon their Râ—ar so soon as I should arrive at the Inn when they perceiving my design endeavour'd to recover the road of Fossan to retire but I pursued them so close that I conâ—â—rain'd them to take a house which had a stable directly opposite to it to which I set fire who thereupon seeing themselves lost they began to cry out for Quarter casting themselves headlong some out of the Windows and some by the door of which my Soldiers dispatch'd some in revenge of one of their companions very much beloved by them who was kill'd and two more wounded the rest I sent back to Savillan bound together with match forasmuch as they were more in number than we that took them I went thence staight to Cairas and at the Mill below Cairas found Monsieur de Cental Governor of the said Cairas who told me that Montdevi was surrendred having yet the Letters in his hand that had been sent him to that effect I then presently turned about to recover Savillan and to carry the news to Monsieur de Termes that he might send it to Monsieur de Boitieres but as I was on this side Cairas and upon the skirts of the plain near unto some houses there called les Rodies looking behind me I saw a Troop of Horse that came fromwards Fossan along by the meadow leading towards Albe which they then held which made me to halt at those houses to see what they would do in which posture they drawing nearer discover'd me and attempted to come up to me by a little ascent there was enclosed with hedges on either side but when I saw them advanced half up the Ascent I sent out four or five Harquebusiers who firing upon them shot one of their Horses whereupon they very fairly saced about Which I seeing and concluding it was for fear advanced boldly into the plain where I had not march'd five hundred paces but I discovered them again in the said plain for they had passed a little lower out of sight being fourteen Launcers and eight Harquebusiers on
confederate himself with the King of England who was fallen off from his obedience to the holy Chair out of despite which two Princes as it was said had divided the Kingdom for so both the Marquis de Guast told Monsieur de Termes and I have since heard the same from an English Gentleman at Boulogne but however it was but disputing the bears skin France well united within it self can never be conquer'd till after the loss of a dozen Battels considering the brave Gentry whereof it is fruitful and the strong places wherewith it abounds And I conceive they are deceiv'd who say that Paris being taken France is lost It is indeed the Treasury of the Kingdom and an unexhausted Magazine where all the richest of the whole Nation unlade their Treasure and I do believe in the whole world there is not such a City for 't is an old saying that there is not a Crown in Paris but yields ten Sols revenue once a year but there are so many other Cities and strong places in the Kingdom as are sufficient to destroy thirty Armies So that it would be easie to rally together and to recover that from them again before they could conquer the rest unless the Conqueror would depopulate his own Kingdom to repeople his new Conquest I say this because the design of the King of England was to run directly up to Paris whilst the Emperor should enter into Champagne The Forces of these two Princes being join'd together consisted of fourscore thousand Foot and twenty thousand Horse with a prodigious train of Artillery by which any man may judge whether our King had not enough to do and whether it was not high time to look about him Without all doubt these poor Princes have greater care and trouble upon them than the inferior forts of men and I am of opinion the King did very well to call back his Forces out of Piedmont though some are pleased to say that the State of Millan might otherwise have been won and that the Emperor would have been necessitated to have called back his Forces out of France to defend that Dutey but all this depended upon event So it was that God would not suffer these Princes to agree betwixt themselves each of them being bent upon his own particular advantage and I have often heard and sometimes seen that when two Princes jointly undertake the Conquest of a Kingdom they never agree for each of them is always 〈◊〉 of being over reach'd by his companion and evermore jealous of one another I have not I confess much conversed with Books but I have heard say that after this manner we first lost the Kingdom of Naples and were cheated by the King of Spain This suspition and jealousie at this time preserved us as it has at other times â—one seâ—â—ral others as the Hâ—storians report For my part I should more apprehend one great single Enemy than two who would divide the Cake between them there will always be some exceptions taken and two Nations do not easily agree as you see here The English King came and sat down before Boulogne which was basely surrendred to him by the Siâ—ur de Vervin who lost his life for his labour an example that ought to be set before all such as undertake the defence of strong holds This by no means pleased the Spaniard who reap'd no advantage by it saw very well that his confederate would only intend his own business Our Colonâ—l Monsiâ—ur de Tais brought three and twenty Ensigns to the King being all the same which had been at the Battel saving one nâ—w Company but I fell sick at Troyes and came not up to the Army till they were advanc'd near to Boulogne where the said Sieur de Tais delivered me the Patent his Majesty had sent me for the Office of Camp-Master but there was nothing done worthy remembrance till the Camisado of Boulogne As we arrived near to la Marquise the Dauphin who commanded the Army had intelligence that it was three or four days since the Town had been taken though he knew it before and that the Kâ—ng of England was embarked and gone for England It is to be presumed that this Prince had made such hast away only to avoid fighting forasmuch as he had left all things in so great disorder for in the first place we found all his Artillery before the Town in a Meadow that lies upon the descent towards the Tower of Ordre secondly there was found above thirty Casks full of Corslers which he had caused to be brought out of Germany therewith to arm his Soldiers which he had left for the defence of the Town thirdly he had left all the ammunition of victual as Corn Wine and other things to eat in the lower Town insomuch that if Monsieur de Teligni be yet living as I am told he is the Father of this who is a Huguenot and who treated the peace during these troubles and was taken upon the Camisado in the lower Town where not one man but himself escap'd alive he will bear witness that there was not in the higher Town provision to serve four days for himself told it me The occasion of the Camisado was this A Son in law of the Mareschal de Bies not this fine Monsieur de Vervin but another whose name I have forgot came to Monsieur de Tais and told him that a Spy of his who came from Boulogne had assured him that as yet nothing had been remov'd to the higher Town but that all still remained below and that if they would speedily attempt to take the lower Town which might easily be done they would in eight days time have the upper come out to them with ropes about their necks and that if Monsieur de Tais so pleased he would in the morning lead him where he might himself discover all the Spy morcover affirming that as yet not one breach in the wall was repaired but that all lay open as if it were a village Upon this information Monsieur de Tais was impatient to go to take a view of all and took me along with him together with this Son in law of the Mareschal We might be about a hundred Horse drawn out of the several Troops and just at the break of day we arrived before the Town leaving the Tower of Ordre some two or three hundred paces on the right hand and saw five or six Pavillions upon the descent in the great high way leading to the Gate of the City We were no more than five or six Horse only Monsieur de Tais having left the rest behind a little Hill This Son in law of the Mareschal and I therefore went down to the first Pavillion and passed close by it into the Camp on the left hand till we came to the second from whence we discovered all their Artillery at no further distance than fourfcore paces only neiâ—her did
his name to which he made answer Io mj chiamo Marioul de Santa Fiore and I said to him Signior Capitano Io mj chiamo Montluco audiamo ensiemi Now all the Army had already heard that I was coming with the recruits so that though we had never seen one anothers faces before yet we knew one another well enough by our names I entreated him them to rally his men and give a charge upon the Enemy to beat them back again up the Hâ—ll which he did and we accordingly drave them up to the very top In the mean while the skirmish extended it self all along the ridge of a Hill and by the Vineyards directly to the Pallâ—ssot which is a little Palace behind which were the Grisons and on the back of the Mountain a little further the Artillery playd which the Marquis had brought to St. Bonde There all the Italian Captains and Signior Cornelio Bentivoglio who was there Colonel were at the corner of the Vineyards looking towards St. Bonde and St. Mark behind a little Oratory by which they were covered from the Canon shot Now betwixt la Pallassot and the little Oratory it might be about three hundred paces and Signior Marioul and I so ruffled the Enemy that we drave the skirmish all along the ridge of the Vineyards directly upon them I had brought with me Captain Charry who was my Lieutenant at Alba with thirty good Soldiers almost all Gentlemen who would by no means by left behind with my brother Monsieur de Lioux to whom the King had given the government of Alba at the humble request of Monsieur de Valence my Brother and I had preferred in his behalf About which there hapned a very great dispute for the Mareschal de Brissac deferr'd to accept him till he had first had on answer from me who so soon as he understood the King's resolution to send me to Sienna he sent me another Courier entreating me not to quit the Government of Alba and that I might name either my own Lieutenant or any other to command in the place till my return assuring me that he would accept whomsoever I should appoint and in the mean time would take care that my pay should be kept for me so that I should not lose so much as a denier advising me withal to consider that the Command the King gave me at Sienna would not be of so long continuance as that of Alba. But I most humbly besought him to approve of my Brother assâ—ring him that he would be as much his effectionate servant as I was and that if it should please God I ever return'd from Sienna I swore to come and find him out and to serve him in the condition of a private Soldier though the King should not please to conferre any command upon me that I might have the honor to be near his person Now to give you an account of the humour of the Mareschal I will say and maintain that he was one of the bravest Gentlemen and the best Masters that has been these fifty years in France for such as he knew to be zealous and affectionate to the King's service and if President Birague will lay his hand upon his heart he will swear the same He was a man that had evermore a greater regard to another man's profit than his own a man could never lose any thing by him but every man had his share both of advantage and honor and so to the rest he lov'd and honor'd a worthy man even to the meanest Soldier The best men he knew by their names and would give ear to the advice of all without relying too much upon his own head-piece as Monsieur de Lautrec was too much enclin'd to do But to return to the Skirmish I found at the Oratory Signior Corneliâ— and Colonel Charamont whom I had not before seen since my arrival Betwixt the said Oratory and la Bonde there is a great High-way and by the side of it two little houses some ten or twelve paces distant from one another In this High-way we gave the Enemy a charge and gain'd from them the two houses into one of which Captain Charry put himself and our Italians into the other they there continued about three quarters of an hour almost alwayes fighting insomuch that the Marquis sent thither all his Spanish Harquebuzeers and even the Italians who were at their Fort of St. Mark and planted six Ensigns of Spanish foot upon the great High-way to maintain the fight Now the hottest of the skirmish was on the right hand and on the left amongst the Vines so that the Cavalry could do nothing Signior Cornelio then by the advice of his Captains was about to retire when I remonstrated to him that he must by no means offer to stir till first he had some horse and also the Grisons to make good his retreat to whom I would presently go and entreat them to come up half way betwixt the Pallassot and the Oratory and would likewise go to request the same of the Count de la Miranda who was Colonel of the horse and had halted in a Valley behind a little Wood near unto la Pallassot which they approv'd of very well and so I presently ran to the Grisons entreating them to advance but two hundred paces only but the Colonel that commanded under Monsieur de Fourcavaux would by no means be perswaded to it I then spurr'd up to the Count and pray'd him to send out four Corners of horse which he presently did and they were the Count de Pontavala Cornello Ioby the Baron de Rabat and my Nephew Serillac who commanded the Company of Monsieur de Cipierre Now as the Cornets were advancing at a good round gallop I saw Signior Cornelio who at the importunity of his Captains was again begining to retire and presently ran to him remonstrating that the six Ensigns were upon their march and that they were Spaniards whose colours being so large it was a sign the Marquis was there in person with all his Army who would infallibly charge him so soon as ever he should begin to descend the Hill entreating him therefore to return back to the same place which he did being departed from it not above thirty paces I then return'd to the Corners and stopt them in the mid-way betwixt the Pallassot and the Oratory which having done I once more went to the Grisons who after I had made them sensible of the danger we were in to lose all the Officers arose and began to strike up their Drums and marcht up close by the Horse The Marquis seeing the Cavalry and the Grisons begin to appear in the field thought it now convenient to withdraw his six Ensigns out of the great High-way there was not one Officer of ours on horseback but my self and Signior Marioul who never stirred from my side so that I could plainly see all the Enemy did I then said to Signior Cornelio Look you
he had good men in his Company would have done his duty They are both of them turn'd Hugonots since So soon as the Enemy presented their Ladders by the three Courtins all his Company betook them to their heels and the Enemy consequently entred in and of the four that were in the Tower three threw themselves headlong down and the fourth beat down the barrels from the hole and drew the Enemy in This Rogue had been taken a few dayes before and had remain'd above ten dayes prisoner and I do believe it was upon his account that the Marquis resolv'd upon this Scalado for he went away with them and we never saw him after Now Signior Cornelio and the Count de Gayas were lodg'd near unto the Port Camoglia who immediately upon the Alarm ran to the Gate where they found the greatest part of the Company of the Siennois before it and the rest were firing at the Enemy who fallyed out of the Fort to fall upon them Signior Cornelio then left the Count de Gayas at the Gate and came running to give me the Alarm where he met me coming out of my lodging with two Pages each of them carrying two Torches and whom I immediately sent back bidding him both he and the Count de Gayas to go out and of all things to take care that the Siennois did not forsake their Court of Guard and to encourage them the best he could for I would presently come out after him He did as I bid him and came in so opportune a season that he found all abandoned and gave the Enemy a charge with the Siennois and beat them back into the Fort they had taken The Alarm was already throughout the whole City and some ran to the Cittadel and others to the Fort of Camoglia As I arriv'd at the Gate there came to me la Moliere and l' Espine both on horseback the one being Muster-Master and the other Treasurer whom I commanded the one to the Port St. Mark and the other to Portâ— Nuovo and that by the way as they went they should cry out victory the Enemy is repuls't Which I did fearing leâ—t some in the Town might have intelligence with the Enemy who hearing this cry would not dare to discover themselves In the mean time I was at the Gate of the City sending out the Captains and French Soâ—tâ—iers to succour Signior Cornelio and when I saw there were enow gone out I commanded the Lieutenant of Captain Lussan to stay at the Gate and to shut the Wicker so soon as ever I was out and that in case I should be beaten back he should by no means open it but rather suffer us all to be killed without and me in the first place I then went out with my four Torches and found Signior Cornelio the Count de Gayas and the other Captains I had sent out who had recovered the Rampire and had placed the Soldiers upon the little half pace upon their knees who shot at the Enemy into the Fort and they again at ours who could not put up their heads without being discovered and on the other two sides the Enemy assaulted and ours defended Now whilst I was putting the men out at the Wicket St. Auban slipt by without my seeing him The Gate into the Fort which we had lost was contrived after the manner of a hole having one step forwards and another one side waving and winding to and fro and so straight that one man only could enter a breast In this Entry I found Captain Bourg who was Ensign to Captain Charry Signior Cornelio and the Count de Gayas close by him Monsieur de Bassompierre Master of the Ordnance was always with me and one of his Canoneers I saw very well that the fight was like to continue and fearing lâ—st our powder should fail us bad Monsieur de Bassompierre dispatch away two of his Canoneers to fetch more which he did and I dare boldly say he was as much the cause of our safety as all our fighting as you shall hear Those that we fought withal were Italians for the Spaniards and Germans stormed the Cittadel I continually ran first to one and then to another crying out to them Courage friends courage camrades and presently on that side on the right hand of the Gate where the three forenamed stood I spyed St Auban to whom running to him and setting the point of my sword to his throat I said Rogue Son of a whore thou art the cause that we shall lose the City which notwithstâ—nding then shalt never live to see for I will at this instant kill thee if thou dost not immediately leap into the Fort to which sufficiently terrified he made answer Yes Sir I will leap in and then called to him Lussan Blagon and Combas who were his Companions saying to them Come on Camrades second me I pray leap in after me to which they made answer Do thou leap and we will follow whereupon I said to him Tâ—ke thâ—â— no care I will follow thee my self and we all set foot upon the half pace with him and immediately after his first step without any more delaying for if he had he had died for 't he threw himself desperately in having a Target upon his arm and his Companions also for he was no sooner in the air but the rest were also with him and so all four leapt in together and it was within two steps of the Entry that le Bourg Signior Cornelio and the Count de Gayas disputed I then immediately made fifteen or twenty Soldiers leap in after the four Captains and as all these were within le Bourg Signior Cornelio and the Count de Gayas passed and entred into the Fort. I caused the Torches to be set upon the Rampire that we might see and not kill one another and my self entred by the same way Signior Cornelio had gone before me Now neither Pikes Halberts nor Harquebuzes could serve us for any use here for we were at it with Swords and Steeletto's with which we made them leap over the Curtains by the same way they had entred excepting those who were killed within There were yet however some remaining in the Tower when Captain Charry came up to us though but eight days before he had received an Harquebuz shot in his head and such a one as that thereupon we had given him for dead notwithstanding there he was with his Sword and Target and a Morrion upon his head ever the Cap that cover'd his wound a good heart will ever manifest itself for though he was desperately hurt yet would he have his share of the fight I was at the foot of the Ladder and had sent Signior Cornelio and the Count de Gayas out of the Fort to encourage those who defended the Flanks bidding them take the one the one side and the other the other as they did and found work enough to do I then took Captain Charry by the
the head of the Captains commanding the Waggoners to take two or three sacks of Oats and to throw them upon the Punchions and a little hay Which being done I ran to my own Tents which were behind the Regiment and fell to eat taking the Captains of the seven Ensigns to dinner with me Messieurs de Tavannes de Bourdillon and d' Estree made so good haste that they found the King but newly risen out of his Bed where they presently propos'd the business to him Whereupon the King would have call'd all the Council at which Monsieur d' Estree began to curse and swear as he told me afterwards and he is as good at it as I saying Sir Montluc told us true when he said you would still delay time in debates and consultations whether it be to be done or no whereas if your Majesty had resolv'd last night the relief had by this time been ten Leagues upon their way and he says moreover that if he have not what he demands immediately sent him he will not stand to his word for the Spaniards shall not triumph over him Monsieur de Guise then prosecuted the affair with great vehemency and vigour and Messieurs de Bourdillon and de Tavannes did the same when upon the instant without further deliberation it was concluded and Monsieur de Guise sent to Monsieur de Serres immediately to send the five and twenty Mules loaden with bread The King then sent me word by Monsieur de Broilly a Gentleman belonging to the Duke of Guise that he had approv'd of my opinion saving that he could not consent I should go because he had no other person to command the Regiments in case he should be put to the necessity of a Battel for no body knew whether or no the King of Spain was not coming with a resolution to present it he making a shew of attempting great matters but that he was going to make choice of one to lead the succours and that I should make all things ready in the mean time The said Broilly return'd in all haste to the King to tell his Majesty that he had seen the seven Ensigns drawn out into the Field ready to march and that I staid for nothing but the Bread and at the same time that Broilly was return'd towards the King the Mules arriv'd and by the way he met with Captain Brueil Governor of Rue and Brother in Law to Salcede who told him that the King had made choice of him to conduct the relief to Corbie Captain Brueil staid to eat four or five bits only whilst waiting for two servants he had sent for who presently came and so they began to march I accompanied them above a long League on their way still talking to him and the rest of the Captains representing to them that God had given them a fair opportunity which also they ought to have purchas'd at the price of half their estates wherein to manifest to the King the affection they bore to his service and also to give a testimony of their own valour in the sight as it were of the King himself who would be ready to relieve them and to fight a Battel rather than suffer them to be lost I found by their answers that they went with great chearfulness which made me leave them to go through the files of the Souldiers and to remonstrate to them that it was their own faults if they did not signalize themselves for ever that the King so long as he liv'd would acknowledge their service and that I had done them a great honor in choosing out them from the rest of the Regiment entreating them not deceive the good opinion I had of them and that I would deliver to the King the names of those who should best acquit themselves of their duty in obeying what should be impos'd upon them after which I made them all lift up their hands and swear that they would march day and night which being done I return'd to the van to embrace Captain Brueil and the rest of the Captains and Lieutenants promising them immediately to go to the King and to acquaint his Majesty with the election I had made of their persons above all others of the Regiment for this service and so left both Officers and Souldiers chearful and very well resolv'd upon this long march saying to them at parting Remember Fellow Souldiers the diligences you have formerly seen me make in both Piedmont and in Italy for many of them had serv'd under me in those expeditions and believe that upon your diligence now depend both your lives and honors Now being I am not of that Countrey nor was ever there but at this time I am not able to make any judgement of their diligence but the King and all those who were acquainted with the Countrey said that never Foot before perform'd such a prodigious march neither did they ever enter into either Town or Village but when by day they met with a little River they made a halt and refresh'd themselves two hours at most taking a little nap and away again but march'd continually all night They were out but two nights and arriv'd by Sun-rise within a quarter of a League of Corbie where they met a Gentleman who was riding post to the King to give him notice that the King of Spain's Camp was just coming before the Town and who moreover told them they must run full speed if they intended to get in for that the Cavalry already began to arrive They then began to mend their pace the Gentleman returning back with them almost to the Town that he might be able to give the King an account that they were entred when so soon as they came within two or three hundred paces of the walls the Enemies Cavalry began to appear and our men run full carreer to throw themselves before the gate and upon the edges of the Graft where they made head The Enemy kill'd seven or eight Souldiers in the rear who were not able to keep pace with the rest and so all our people got safe into the City without losing any of their Mules or Waggoâ—s for they had made an end of all their bread and wine four Leagues from thence and had sent them back I had also given them one of my six Chests that I had conâ—â—â—v'd to carry powder in which was drawn by three horses and that arriv'd at the Gates as soon as the Souldiers There are yet living several Princes and Lords who were then of the Kings Council that can bear witness whether I speak the truth or no especially Messieurs de Tavannes and d' Estree who carried my deliberation to the King When ever Camrades the King or his Lieutenant shall put you upon a design that requires extraordinary diligence for the relieving of a place you ought not to lose so much as a quarter of an hour and you had much better work your body and your legs
Enterprize of Pâ—rcou and I marcht before la Roche having already notice that the Artillery was already within half a league of us which could not however arrive at la Roche till noon by â—eason of the ill way they had met withall Monsieur de la Vauguyon entred the Town for the Enemy were all retir'd into the Mills upon the Bridg his men forc'd and gain'd the Bridg and so all was wonne and in the night I made my approaches and planted my Canon in Battery At break of day Monsieur de la Roche desir'd to parley with Monsiur de Montferran who being he was his Kinsman and a young Gentleman would not let him go in again but detein'd him and the others when they saw the Artillery ready to play began to cry out that they would surrender who seeing no one give ear to them they cried out again that they would surrender to our discretion The Governor of Fronsac and even the Hugonots themselves who were of Courtras and were come along with us cried out that we should by no means receive them to mercy for that they were Libertines and men of no Religion especially one of them call'd Brusquin who had kill'd above fourscore men with his own hands the most of them Labourers and Country-men It then came to the question of marching out whereupon the said Sieur de la Roche entreated of me a certain Lacquay of his his Valet de Chambre and his Cook which I granted him and we cull'd them out from the rest Monsieur de Montferran put himself into the Castle with ten or twelve men to preserve it from being rifled and the men that came out of it I recommended to the Soldiers dispose who were handled according to the life they had lead for not one of them escap'd excepting those I have mentioned before That very Brusquin the Hugonots so exclaim'd against to have him kill'd caught hold of my leg for I was on horse-back having five or six upon him and held me in such sort that I had enough to do to disingage my self from him and narrowly escap'd being hurt my self They found in his pocket a List of a hundred and seventeen men that he had murthered he having there writ them down such a one Priest such a one Labourer such a one Monk such a one Merchant setting down after that manner of what Trade or calling every one was which was no sooner read but that the Soldiers return'd to him and gave him above two hundred cuts and thrusts although he was already dead Monsieur de la Vaâ—guyon came in just upon the execution where one of them endeavouring to fly away gave him and his horse so rude a shock as almost turn'd him out of the way but he was so close pursued that he went not far I was enform'd that these people were newly return'd from St. Aulaye and that they had spoken with Monsieur de Iarnac who had told them that Monsieur de la Noüe was retiring towards la Roche-Chalais which was the reason that we concluded Monsieur de la Vauguyon should return to the place from whence he came and that Monsieur de Montferran and I would go carry the Artillery directly to Bridoiere but before we parted I told them that although Monsieur de la Roche did properly belong to 〈◊〉 and of right was my particular prisoner I being head of the Enterprize I was nevertheless content that we should all three share in his Ransome which we did so that his Ransome being set at six thousand Crowns the Dividend came to two thousand Crowns a piece Being come to Libourne I sent the Artâ—llery up the River which went day and night for we had a great many men to draw the rope of the Bâ—at which was no sooner come to Castillon belonging to the Marquis de Villars but that there came a Messenger sent from Monsieur de Madaillan to tell me that the Enemy of Bridoire were escap'd away and â—led at which I was as much troubled as at any news almost could have been brought me for my purpose was to have dealt no better with them than I had done with the rest and so we return'd the Artillery down the River directly to Bourdeaux and leaving Captain Mabrun wiâ—h three Companies to guard it Monsieur de Monsferran and I went before to the City The next day after I came thither I went to the Palace to take my leave of the Court of Parliament being resolv'd to return to my old Quarters that I might be nearer to the Monsieur in case he should be pleas'd to send for me There Mâ—nsieur la President Rossignac in a short speech return'd me thanks in the behalf of the whole Assembly for the service I had done forasmuch as by this little war he said we had so secur'd the Rodes towards Xaintonge that every one might now safely come and go betwixt France and Bâ—urdeaâ—x That I had also secuâ—'d them on that side towards the Dordogne having reduc'd the Castle of Bridoire and on that side towards the Garonne by having taken Levignac Taillecabat and Pardaillac by reason that before neither provisions nor men could come by those wayes to Bourdeaux or by any other saving out of Gascony These were the successes of these Enterprizes perform'd in five or six dayes without putting the King to the expence of a Tâ—ston and the Parliament less and had these Messieurs of the City of Bourdeaux kept their words with me I would have laid my head that I had turn'd Blay topsyâ—turvy neither would I have askt any more than eight dayes time to do it in provided I might have had the Baron de la Garde along with me to have attaqu'd them by sea and would have engag'd to have paid them back the thirty thousand Fâ—ancs I demanded of them wherewith to pay the Foot and to defray the charge of the Artillery and Pioneers if I did not carry the place Nay seeing they would not relish that motion I offer'd to lend them twelve thousand Francs for a year without interest and Monsieur de Vaâ—ence my Brother would lend them two thousand more in short the Court of Parliament was very hot upon the Enterprize but when they saw it was requir'd that every one should lay to his helping hand there was no more talk of the business These men of the Long Robe are a dry hide-bound sort of people and still pop us in the mouth with their Priviledges I will maintain and that by the testimony of the best and honestest men of Bourdeaux that they were the cause this Enterprize was not executed for when the Citizens saw they would part with no money they would part with none neither saying that the Court of Parliament had as much or more wealth than half the City besides and twice they made me come to them assuring me that so soon as ever they should see my face all things should
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
are some who are men of very great judgment and who have no inclination to discountenance either good writings or good men that decry this Book for one of the vainest pieces that ever was writ and indeed they have reason on their side there being a continued thread of vanity and ostentation throughout the whole work ou par tout on trouvera les Gasconades a bon marché But the Author being a Gascon to which Nation bragging is as natural as bravery and the things he relates of himself being undeniably true I conceive he ought to be excus'd and the rather because it is for the most part in vindication of himself from the ill offices and slanders of those little Monsieurs of the Court of whom he so often complains and gives himself the best description a sort of vermin that in truth have evermore insinuated themselves into all Courts of Princes especially that of France where the worthiest men in all Ages have ever been subject to the clandestine malice and private calumny of such as durst not so much as have lookt on to have beheld the brave actions perform'd by those they were not afraid to traduce and bespatter at the distance of an hundred leagues and under the protection of their Master's presence and favour After all these objections which I have here set down as well to prevent others as to excuse my self I am now to tell you that had I not for all this thought this Book a very good one I should have found my self something else to do and I may venture to declare I think it so since it has had so great a reputation with almost all sorts of men that the truth of it in no one particular that I ever heard of was ever disputed by any and that it has been allowed by all to be the best Soldiers Book that is the best Book for the instruction of a Soldier that ever was writ Never certainly were Enterprizes design'd with more judgment and resolution nor ever carried on with greater bravery and conduct than all his were besides the labour hazard and diligence with which they were ever executed were such as perhaps had never been practis'd before nor for ought I ever heard or read ever imitated by any Frenchman since from whence I am apt to conclude that either Monsieur de Montluc was the greatest Soldier of a Subject that ever was in France or that the Historians of that Kingdom have not been so just to the rest as he has been to himself I cannot deny but that to an invicible spirit and an indefatigable constancy in suffering all the hardships of war the fierceness of his nature prompt and perfectly Gascon or else his zeal to Religion and the service of his Prince or both made him sometimes do things which seem'd bloody and cruel but the necessity of the time and the growing faction of the Hugon ots would have it so neither do I think I know not how discreet I am in declaring so much that Sacriledge and Rebellion can be too roughly handled and severity must needs appear a virtue where clemency would evidently have been a vice As to the rest the Reader will find his Harangues well fitted to the several occasions his Deliberations prudent and well grounded his Instructions sound his Arguments rational his Descriptions plain and intelligible and the whole well enough coucht from a hand that was better acquainted with a Sword than a Pen and by a man whose design as well as profession was rather to do things worthy to be written than to write things worthy to be read To conclude I shall beg of the Reader in the behalf of the brave Author to consider him a poor Gentleman bred up to Arms by which alone he pusht on his fortune to the highest degree of honor without any addition of Letters or other advantages of education the ordinary foundations of greatness than what he forg'd out of his own courage and form'd out of his own natural parts which were notwithstanding such as approv'd him a Captain of extraordinary valour and conduct and made him moreover allow'd to be a man of wit Characters which all the Historians do generally allow him and particularly Davila though he only here and there glances upon his name For my self I have nothing to say but this that although this be no elegant it is nevertheless if I mistake not an useful piece and though we have lost the use of Bows and Targets yet design and diligence will be in fashion so long as the Practice of Arms shall endure I expose my share of it then to every ones mercy and good nature such as will buy the Book will keep me in countenance 't is no matter whether they take the pains to read it or no for by that means my Bookseller's business will be done and as to the rest I shall not be much disappointed my design being in plain truth though I should be glad I confess and proud it might take chiefly to pass away my own time and to please my self THE French Printer TO THE NOBLESS OF GASCONY GENTLEMEN AS we see certain Countries yield particular fruits in great abundance which are elsewhere rarely to be found so it also seems that your Gascony does ordinarily produce an infinite number of great and valiant Captains as a fruit that is natural and peculiar to that Climate and that comparatively the other Provinces are in a manner barren 'T is to her Womb that the World stands oblig'd for those noble and illustrious Princes of the House of Foix Albret Armagnac Cominge Candalle and Captaux de Buch. 'T is to her that we stand indebted for Pothon and la Hire two happy Pillars and singular Ornaments of the Arms of France 'T is she who in our dayes has acquainted the remotest Nations with the names of de Termes de Bellegarde de la Vallette d'Aussun de Gondrin Terride Romegas Cossains Gohas Tilladet Sarlabous and divers other brave Gentlemen of the pure and true Soil of Gascony without mentioning those at this day living who generously enflam'd with the Trophies and Atchievments of their brave Predecessors are emulous of their glory and put fair for an equal share of renown 'T is your Gascony Gentlemen that is the Magazine of Soldiers the Nursery of Arms the Flower and choice of the most warlike Nobless of the whole Earth and the Mother of so many renowned Leaders as may dispute the precedency of valour with the most celebrated Captains of the Greeks and Romans that ever were But of all those who descended from your noble Families have adorn'd the practice of Arms no one for Prowess Experience or Resolution did ever excel this invincible Cavalier Blaize de Montluc Mareschal of France That Prerogative of Honor cannot be disputed with him no more than the gifts Heaven was pleased to conferre upon him of a prompt and marvelous vivacity of understanding of a present and nevertheless a
very reserved prudence which he discover'd upon the most sudden and surprizing occasions in the management of affairs of an admirable memory and so rich as the like is rarely to be found of a great facility of speech strong and bold and full of incitements of honor in the ardours of Battel and in affairs of State of a grave and temperate eloquence heightned and illustrated with Propositions Reasons and Arguments and all accompanied with so clear and lively a judgment that although be was destitute of Letters the beauty of his natural parts notwithstanding darkned the splendor of those who to a long experience in affairs had joyn'd a perfect and exact knowledg of the profoundest Arts and Mysteries both of books and men The greatest part of you who knew him and have often fought under his Ensign stand in need of no other testimony than your own knowledg but the younger sort who never had the good fortune to see this great man besides what they may have gather'd by report will perfectly know and understand him by his own commentaries the actions whereof you have seen him perform when living and which he dictated when sick and languishing of that great Harquebuze shot which shatter'd his face at the Siege of Rabasteins where for a farewel to Arms he serv'd his Prince in the quality of Pioneer Soldier Captain and General at once after which from his Bed to his Grave this generous soul could never find any rest which he was wont to say was his capital Enemy and gave him occasion towards his end to command this Distick to be engrav'd upon his Tomb. Cy dessous reposent les Os De MONTLUC qui n'eust onc repos Here with repose Montluc lies blest Who living never could find rest Seeing then that assisted by your valours he has so fortunately perform'd so many glorious feats of Arms I conceiv'd it but reasonable that this Dedication should address it self to you that you might enjoy the fruits and have the pleasure of reading those actions repeated in his Writings and of seeing the names of your noble Ancestors recorded to posterity in a Chronicle of Honor. And if I mistake not there will hardly be found a History more repleat with variety more grateful to the Reader and more rich in instructions for the conduct and direction both of Peace and War than this where I fancy at least the difference betwixt a History compil'd by a sedentary man bred up tenderly and deâ—icately in the dust of old Studies and old Books and one writ by an old Captain and a Soldier brought up in the dust and smoak of Armies and Battels will easily be discern'd I know not what ancient Histories have the vertue in a little spacâ— to render those who read them with the greatest diligence and observation very wise and circumspect leaders but if any such there be this above all others will easily obtein the precedence and enform you generous Nobless of all the good and evil events that attend the fortune or misfortune the valour or the cowardize the prudence or inconsideration of him who is Chief or General of an Army or who is Prince or Sovereign of a mighty Kingdom You have here wherewith to delight your fancy to discretion your valour to martialize your wisdom and to form the true honor of a School of War The Commentaries of this second Caesar will make you Doctors in Military Discipline and will serve you for Model Mirror and Exemple they have no fictitious lustre no affected artifice no foreign ornament of borrowed beauty 'T is nothing but simple Truth that is nakedly presented before you These are the conceptions of a strong sound and healthful digestion that rellish of their original and native soil bold and vigorous conceptions reteining yet the breath vigour and fierceness of the Author This is he who having the first arriv'd to the highest step of all the degrees and dignities of war has highly promoted the honor of your Country both by his Sword and his Pen and to such a degree that the name of the Montluc's shall gloriously live in the memory of a long and successful posterity manifesting without envy to succeeding Ages that your Captain and Historian as he knew how prudently to enterprize and bravely to execute what he had design'd was no less good at his Pen but equally eminent in that faculty to record with truth and judgment what he had acted before with the greatest courage and conduct On the brave Mareschal de Montluc and his Commentaries writ by his own hand MONTLVC how far I am unfit To praise thy valour or thy wit Or give my suffrage to thy fame Who have my self so little name And can so ill thy worth express I blushing modestly confess Yet when I read their better lines Who to commend thy brave designs Their Panegyricks have set forth And do consider thy great worth Though what they write may be more high They yet fall short as well as I. Whose is that Pen so well can write As thou couldst both command and fight Or whilst thou foughtst who durst look on To make a true description None but thy self had heart to view Those Acts thou hadst the heart to do Thy self must thy own deeds commend By thy own hand they must be pen'd Which skill'd alike in Pen and Sword At once must act and must record Thus Caesar in his Tent at night The Actions of the day did write And viewing what h 'ad done before Emulous of himself yet more And greater things perform'd until His arm had overdone his will So as to make him almost fit To doubt the truth of what he writ Yet what he did and writ though more Than ere was done or writ before Montluc by thee and thee alone Are parallel'd if not outdone And France in Ages yet to come Shall shew as great a man as Rome Hadst thou been living and a man When that great Ceasar overran The antient Gauls though in a time When Soldiery was in its prime When the whole world in plumes were curl'd And he the Soldier of the world His conqu'ring Legions doubtless had By thy as conqu'ring arms been stayd And his proud Eagle that did soar To dare the trembling world before Whose Quarry Crowns and Kingdoms were Had met another Eagle here As much as she disdain'd the Lure Could fly as high and stoop as sure Then to dispute the worlds Command You two had fought it hand to hand And there the Aquitanick Gaul Maintain'd one glorious day for all But for one Age 't had been too much T' have had two Leaders and two such Two for one world are sure enow And those at distant Ages too If to a Macedonian Boy One world too little seem'd t' enjoy One world for certain could not brook At once a Caesar and Montluc But must give time for either's birth Nature had suffer'd else and th' Earth That truckled under each alone Under them
both had sunk and gone Yet though their noble Names alike With wonder and with terror strike Caesar's though greater in Command Must give Montlnc's the better hand Who though a younger Son of Fame A greater has and better Name With equal courage but worse cause That trampled on his Country's Laws And like a bold but treacherous friend Enslaved those he should defend Whilst this by no ambition sway'd But what the love of glory made With equal bravery and more true Maintain'd the right that overthrew His Vict'ries as th' encreast his power Laid those for whom he fought still lower Abroad with their victorious Bands He conquer'd Provinces and Lands Whilst the world's conqu'ring Princess Rome Was her own Servants slave at home Thy courage brave Montluc we find To be of a more generous kind Thy spirit loyal as 't was brave Was evermore employ'd to save Or to enlarge thy Country's bounds Thine were the sweat the blood the wounds The toyl the danger and the pain But hers and only hers the gain His wars were to oppress and grieve Thine to defend or to relieve Yet each to glory had pretence Though such as shew'd the difference By their advantages and harms 'Twixt Infidel and Christian Arms. France Piedonont Tuscany and Rome Have each a Trophy for thy Tomb Sienna too that nature strain'd Only to honor thy command Proud of thy name will be content It self to be thy monument But thine own Guienne will deny Those noble Relicks elsewhere lye But there enshrin'd now thou art dead Where to its glory thou wert bred O fruitful Gascony whose fields Produce what ever Nature yields Fertile in valour as in fruit And more than fruitful in repute How do I honor thy great Name For all those glorious Sons of Fame Which from thy fair womb taking birth Have overspread the spacious Earth Yet stands the world oblig'd for none Nor all thy Heâ—oes more than one One brave Montluc had crown'd thee Queen Though all the rest had never been Past times admir'd this General The present do and future shall Nay whilst there shall be men to read The glorious actions of the dead Thy Book in Ages yet unborn The noblest Archives shall adorn And with his Annals equal be Who fought and writ the best but thee Charles Cotton On the Commentaries of Messire Blaize de Montluc To the Worthy Translator HE that would aptly write of Warlike Men Should make his Ink of bloud a Sword his Pen At least he must Their Memories abuse Who writes with less than Maro's mighty Muse All Sir that I could say on this great Theme The brave Montluc would lessen his esteem Whose Laurels too much native Verdure have To need the praises vulgar Chaplets crave His own bold hand what it durst write durst do Grappled with Enemies and Oblivion too Hew'd its own Monument and grav'd thereon It 's deep and durable Inscription To you Sir to whom the valiant Author owes His second Life and Conquest o're his Foes Ill natur'd Foes Time and Detraction What is a Strangers Contribution Who has not such a share of Vanity To dream that one who with such Industry Obliges all the world can be oblig'd by me Thomas Flatman On the Commentaries of Montluc translated I Never yet the French Tongue understood Which may what e're their Fashions are be good Yet such as I by your industrious hand Come now them and their State to understand This and your well-translated Espernon Make those brave Histories of France our own Sir these are noble Works and such as do Name you Translator and the Author too You are our Author and our thanks to you As yours to their Historians are due Nay ev'n the French themselves must thank you too For we and we are the major part who know Nothing of them but what is noise and shew Hard names for damn'd course Stuffs stinking Meat Adulterate Wine strange Habits Legs and Faces Might justly look on France not to speak worse To be of these the Mother or the Nurse But us you undeceive and do them right By these exact Translations which you write And we who understand no French now find You are both just to them and to us kind R. Newcourt ERRATA PAge 1. line 20. r. to justifie p. 2. l. 24. r. and yet p. 4. l. 50. r. the charge and honor p. 5 1. 7. r. not for p. 8. l. 32. r. and the. p. 11. l. 51. r. in in p. 12. l. penult r. a fugitive p. 15. l. 47. r. they p. 19. l. 4. r. dine aboard p. 22. l. 6. r. not dâ—ign p. 24. l. 17. r. by burning p. 28. l. 43. r. de Montpezat p. 29. l. 22. r. at that time l. 38. r. de Tande p. 31. l. 25. r. de Montpezat p. 32. l. 29. r. de Fonterailles p. 39. l. 23. r. and me to Savillan p. 41. l. 24. r. Monsieur d' Aussun l. 50. r. knew the. p. 42. l. 14. r. could avoid p. 45. l. 16. r. Reconis p. 51. 1. 41. r. enough to do to p. 54. l. 23. r. if they were p. 56. l. 48. r. weary p. 57. l. 11. r. fought Ib 1. 14. r. fault p. 59. l. 38. r. they advance p. 6â— l. 31. for d' Aussun r. d' Anguien p. 63. l. 10. for for now r. new p. 65. l. 49. r. the Mareschal p. 66. l. 13. r. the feast p. 67. l. 46. r. when you arose p. 68. l. 11. r. took notice p. 8â— l. 57. r. we are p. 92. l. 39. r. if they p. 126. l. 39. r. to scoure p. 130. l. 29. r. and that Captain St. Auban p. 133. l. 37. r. which was a. p. 143. l. 35. r. went about to p. 150. l. 17. r. in their p. 159. l. 12. r. inconâ—iderable p. 161. l. 20. r. hateful word p. 173. 1. 59. and 60. r. a Trooper p. 174. l. 32. r. the plain p. 175. l. 40. and 41. r. had moor'd them in the Ditch p. 176. l. 15. r. and that would make p. 177. l 19. r. stop short p. 184. l. 16. r. no body else p 193. l. 6. r. Cremona p. 197. l. 36. r. du Tillet p. 209. l. 48. r. Quails p. 213. I 56. dele all p. 232. l. 5. r. Commands p. 233. l. 2. r. to p 242. l. 25. r. deliver'd to him p. 246 l. 9 r. Coral p. 281. l. 49. r. la Masquere p. 289. l. 54. r. Cabinet l. 58. r. the Children p. 290. l. 45 r. repulst p. 312. l. 40. r. best Curtall p. 313. l. 28 dele that p. 314. l. ult r. Chalosse p. 320. l. 2. r. suffering him l. 34. r. to the friendship p. 321. l. 23. r. I here p. 322. l. 2. Commaâ— after Field l. 29 r. had told p. 323. l. 19. r. l' Isle p. 325. l. 40. r. he and p. 340. l. 48. r. we should p. 344. l. 9. r. see the wife p. 345. l. 26. r. and would never p. 348. l. 13. r. Clergy would l. 32.
some use to such as will make their advantage of it so soon as we came to the Plan St Michel I gave to Captain Belsoleil Centenier to our Company threescore men and threescore I kept for my self Monsieur de Tavannes and his followers being compriz'd in that number to whom I also deliver'd a good Guide telling him withal that he was not to come near me by a hundred paces and that we would continually march at a good round rate Which order being given and Monsieur de Tavannes and I beginning to set forward up comâ—s Monsieur de Castelpers of whose deliberation we till then knew nothing forasmuch as it had been resolved upon at the very moment of our going out at the wicket which hindred us another long half hour but in the end we agreed that he should go the Horse way and gave him another of my Guides which he mounted behind one of his men so that we had three parties and to every party a Guide At our parting I gave him instructions that so soon as he should arrive at the end of the Bourg he should draw up behind the Church for should they enter into the street the Company quarterâ—d in the Town would either kill them or their horses and that therefore he was not to appear till first he heard us engag'd We now began to set forward and marched all night where as far as Aubaigne we found the way to be exceeding good but from thence to Auriolle we were fain to crawl over the sides of Mountains where I believe never any thing but Goats had gone before by which abominable way having got within half a quarter of a league of Auriolle I made a halt bidding Monsieur de Tavannes to stay there for me for I must go speak with Belsoleil I therefore went back and met him within a hundred paces of us or less where speaking to him and his Guide I told him that when he should arrive at the Bourg he was by no means to follow me but to march directly to the Gate of the Town betwixt the Bourg and the said Town and there make a stand at the Gate it being necessary that he should gain two houses next adjoyning to the said Gate which he must suddainly break into to keep the Enemy from fallying out to disturb us and that there he was to stay and fight without taking any care to relieve us at all after which order given to him I moreover past the word from hand to hand to all the Soldiers that no one was to abandon the fight at the Gate to come to us to the Mill but that they were punctually to observe whatever Captain Belsoleil should command them Returning then back to Monsieur de Tavannes we again began to march when being come near to the Castle under which and close by the walls of the Town we were of necessity to pass their Centinels twice call'd out to us Who goes there to which we made no answer at all but still went on our way till coming close to the Bourg we left the way that Captain Belsoleil was to take and slipt behind the houses of the said Bourg when being come to the further end where the Mill stood we were to descend two or three stone steps to enter into the street where we found a Centinâ—l that never discover'd us till we were within a Pikes length of him and then he cry'd Quivive to which I made answer in Spanish Espagne wherein I was mistaken for the word was not then Espagne but Impery whereupon without more ceremony he gave fire but hit nothing The alarm being by this means given Monsieur de Tavannes and I threw our selves desperately into the street and were bravely follow'd where we found three or four of the Enemy without the door of the Mill but they immediately ran in The door of this Mill was maâ— with two folding leaves both which were to be bolted fast with a great Iron Bar on the inside one of these had a great Chest behind it and the other the foresaid Bar hâ—ld more than half shut and had these fellows behind it The Mill was full of men bod above stairs and below for there was threescore men in it with the Captain who had no dependence upon the Governor of the Town each of them having his command apart and we were one by one to enter this place Monsieur de Tavannes would very fain first have entred and press'd forward with that intent but I pulling him back by the arm withheld him and push'd in a Soldier that was behind me the Enemy made but two Harquebuze shot having leisure to do no more being all fast asleep excepting these three or four who had been placed as Centinels before the Mill door in the street So soon as the Soldier was got in I said to Monsieur de Tavannes now enter if you will which he presently did and I after him where we began to lay about us to some purpose there being no more but one light only to fight by within In this bustle the Enemy by a pair of stone stairs of indifferent wideness recover'd the upper Room where they stoutly defended the said stairs from the floor above whilst I in the mean time sent a Soldier to tell the rest that were without that they should get up upon the outside of the Mill and uncovering the roof shoot down upon their heads which was immediately perform'd so that the Enemy perceiving our men to be got upon the roof and that they already let â—ly amongst them they began to throw themselves into the water out of a window on the backside of the Mill but we nevertheless mounted the stairs and kill'd all those that remain'd the Captain excepted who with two wounds and seven others all wounded were taken prisoners Hereupon I presently sent one away to Captain Belsoleil to bid him take courage and stoutly to dispute the Gate of the Town for the Mill was our own The Alarm in the mean time in the Town was very great and those within three times attempted to Sally but our men held them so short that they durst never open their Gates I sent Captain Belsoleil moreover most of my men to assist him and in the mean time with the rest fell to burning the Mill taking away all the Iron work especially the Spindles and Rinds that it might not be repair'd again never leaving it till it was entirely burnt down to the ground and the Mill-stones rowl'd into the River Now you must know that Captain Tavannes took it a little to heart that I had pull'd him back by the arm and ask'd me afterwards upon our returne why I would not permit him to enter the first suspecting I had more mind to give the honor of it to the Soldiers to whom I made answer that I knew he was not yet so crafty to save himself as those old Soldiers were and that
Schismatick a Heretick and a Rebel A conspiracy that cannot be baptiz'd by the name of a necessary succour but an unjust wicked and detestable confederacy complotted betwixt them two to the end that they might divide betwixt them a Christian and a Chatholick Kingdom which in all times when any occasion has presented it self for the propagation of our Faith has ever shew'd it self prodigal both of its Blood and Treasure But the whole world most Serene Princes were too little to satisfie his appetite of Rule so precipitously is he hurried on by his Ambition and Revenge Would he not have been sensible of the shameful affront put upon him by the English King in the person of his Aunt had not the design to subjugate all Christendom transported him to forget that outrage How often to frustrate the Turkish attempts and to prevent the manifest ruine of Hungary and Germany have means been tryed and endeavours used to procure a peace and union amongst those Princes and still in vain Whereas now all particular animosities and private interests the respect to Religion the common desire of liberty the obligation of so many benefits anciently received from our Forefathers and of late from us laid aside and forgot they are to our great prejudice confederated and united like Herod and Pilate who from mortal Enemies that they were became friends and Associates only in order to the persecution of Iesus Christ. Shall then this Emperor most Serene Prince go about to possess himself of the Kingdom of France and to offend this King who after so many injuries receiv'd so amicably and so freely consented to the ten years Truce shall the Emperor go about to ruiâ—e this Prince who after having been so many times undeservedly invaded in his own Kingdom and as it were coming from the Obsequies of that most Illustrious and Serene Dauphin his Son so basely by the Emperors corruptions poysoned neverâ—heless with the rest of his Children and Princes of the Blood at the peril of his life went even into the Emperors own Gally by that security to manifest to him how much the peace so necessary to all Christendom was by his Majesty coveted and desired Shall the Emperor go about to ruine burn and put to spoil this Kingdom in his passage thorough which he was so welcom'd treated honored and caressed as if he had been an Angel descended from Heaven Shall â—e attempt by all undue and all violent ways to make himself Sovereign of this Kingdom wherein for fifty days together by the courtesie and bounty of the King my Lord and Master he saw himself more highly honoured and respected then their own natural Prince with a power to command all things more absolute than if he had been in his own Palace Shall the Almans go about to make Hinds and Slaves of those who for the conservation of the German liberty have so liberally exposed themselves at the vast expence and loss of their substance and the effusion of their own blood Shall the Germans and the English go about to ruine the Religion that we with our valiant Armies and by the Doctrine of an infinite number of men eminent for piety and learning have esserted and publish'd to all the world Shall the Spaniards a people whom so often and by diâ—t of Arms we have reduced to the Christian Faith go about in revenge to compel us to forsake that Religion which so long and with so great honor to the name of Christ we have maintained and upheld If it must be so that contrary to all duty and right we must be abandoned by the rest of the Christian world which God avert we who are the Subjects of the King my Lord and Master may with great reason and justice cry unto God for vengeance against them all for so foul an ingratitude These are returns by no means suitable to the merits of our Forefathers for having by the divine assistance gain'd so many signal victories for Christendom under the conduct of Charles Martel in those times when they fought with and cut pieces fifty thousand Saracens that were come into Spain These are by no means fit rewards for the desert of our Ancestors who by the favour of the Almighty acquir'd great advantages for Christendom at the time when by their Forces under the conduct of Charlemain the Infidels and Saracens were driven both out of Spain and a great part of Asia These are by no means acknowledgments proportionable to the reputation our people by the Grace of God acquir'd in the time of Urban the second who without any difficulty or the least contradiction dispased our King his Princes Nobility Gentry and generally the whole body of the Kingdom against the adversaries of our Faith insomuch that altogether and through our assistance they coquer'd the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Holy Land These are by no means fit recompences for the desert of so many expeditions against the enemies of our Faith fortunately undertaken by our Progenitors under the Reigns of Philip and Charles of Valois And when his Holiness shall see so many Nations confederated with a mischievous intent to ruine the rest of Christendom and resolved to oppress this Kingdom which of all other has best merited of the Christian Common-weal I cannot doubt but that he will lend us such succours and assistance as he shall judge necessary â—o our protection and defence And should his Holiness do otherwise he would do very much against himself and contrary to the duty of an Italian a Christian and a Prelate Of an Italian forasmuch as our Holy father does very well understand that the servitude and calamity of Italy can proceed from no other accident than from the ruine and desolation of the Kingdom of France Of a Christian forasmuch as the name of Christ having in all Ages been defended and propagated by this Kingdom and it being at this time invaded by the means and ambition of the Emperor and so many Nations strangers to our Religion it cannot in this exigency be deserted by any but such as are no very good friends to the Christian Faith Of a Prelate for asmuch as it were contrary to the duty of his Holiness being as he is thoroughly informed and very well in his own knowledg assured that the Emperor obstinate in his own will and resolute to subjugate both the French Italians and all other Christians would never hearken to any overture of accommodation that has by his Holiness been propounded to him Whereas on the contrary the King my Master equally desirous of his own and the publick quiet has often offered to submit all his interests and differences to the judgment of our Holy Father To discharge then the office of a true Prelate and a true Iudg may he not take arms against him who has not the confidence to deny but that he is the sole perturbator of the publick peace and the universal good Which though his Holiness should forbear to do
horseback with another who came after leading the wounded horse I had in all but five and twenty Soldiers of which seven were Pikes and Captain Favas and my self each of us a Halbert on our necks Their Harquebusiers came up at a good round trot to charge us firing all the way as they came as some of ours also did at them and their Launces made a shew as if they would charge in amongst us but it was very faintly for upon the firing of our Harquebusiers they made a halt and gave way at which we took heart and march'd boldly up to them with good smart claps of Harquebuze shot upon which one of their men falling dead to the ground they very fairly left him behind them and descending once more into the plain retreated directly towards Albe And thus I retir'd to Savillan it being two hours within night before I got thither which I thought sit to commit to writing to the end that other Captains may take exemple whenever Horse comes to charge the Foot never to spend more than half of their shot and reserve the other half for the last extream which being observâ—d they can very hardly be defeated without killing a great number of the Enemy who will never venture to break in whilst they see the Harquebusiers ready presented to fire upon them who being resolute men by the favour of any little bush or brake will hold the Cavalry long in play the one still firing whilst the other is charging again For our parts we were all resolv'd never to yield but rather to fight it out with the sword fearing they would revenge what we had done in the morning for the four horse that escap'd to Fossan had carried back the news of their defeat So soon as Monsieur de Termes understood that Montdevi was taken he resolved in the morning to put himself into Beme which he accordingly did where being arriv'd he there found two companiâ—s of Swisse which were there in Garrison having receiv'd also the others of Montdevi who immediately abandoned Beme and went to Cairas leaving only the Count 's own Company another of Italians and that of Captain Renovare From thence Monsicur de Termes dispatch'd away a Mâ—ssenger to me on horseback writing me word that if ever I would do the King a timely service I should immediately come away and this was the next day after the said Seigneur arrived at Beme which was Sunday and we were but just come from Mass. After therefore having eaten a snap or two I immediately put my self into the field to go thither yet could I not make so much hast but that it was above three hours within night before I got thither it being necessary for me to pass thorough uneasie valleys forasmuch as we believ'd the Town already to be besieged all the Enemies Camp being at Carru but three little miles from Beme and they having skirmish'd all the day before the Town By good fortune Monsieur de St. Iulian Colonel of the Swisse was at the said Beme it being his Garrison and Monsieur d' Aussun also who was come to give him a visit and to see what would be the issue of the Siege of Montdevi but it was impossible for the said St. Iulian to detain the Swisse for I met all the four Companies already within half a mile of Cairas I had so much honor done me that both the Count and the Countess his Mother together with several other great persons came to meet me at the Gates of the City who were very glad of my coming expecting in the morning to be besieged but two days after my arrival their Camp march'd away toward Trinitat having cast a Bridge over the River near to Fossan and the morning that the Camp remov'd five or six light horse of Monsieur de Termes and four or five Gentlemen belonging to the Count de Beme who serv'd for Guides with five or six Harquebusiers on horseback of mine went in pursuit of their Camp It was so great a mist that they could scarce see one another which was the reason that they went to the very head of their Artillery and took the Commissary whom they call the Captain of the Artillery and the day before Messieurs de Termes d' Aussun and de St. Iulian were gone away having had intelligence that the Enemy were making this Bridge whereof Monsieur de St. Iulian went straight to Cairas where the Swisse likewise would not abide but went thence to Carignan Monsieur de Termes who doubted also they might go to Savillan of which he was Governor went thither and Messieur d' Aussun went in great hast directly to Turin In short every one was in fear of his own charge The said Bridge was further advanc'd than was imagin'd for those of Fossan made it in three or four days that their Camp lay at Carrâ— and at the time that the Commisâ—ary was taken the greatest part of the Army was already pass'd over and was encamp'd towards Marennes particularly the Battaillon of the Germans who were quarter'd in the Castle and the out-houses of the Palace of Messire Phillibert Canebons a Gentleman of Savillan Monsieur de Termes had brought with him to Beme Monsieur de Caillac the Commissary of the Artillery who would needs stay with me out of respect to the great friendship betwixt us which does yet continue and we were in despair of ever getting any thing out of the said Commissary prisoner till it grew to be very late and then he told and assured us that the Army was gone to besiege Savillan At which Monsieur de Caillac and I were almost at our wits end for the said Sieur de Caillac had his residence more at the said Savillan than at any other place and I also being it was my Garrison and where I had continued for seven or eight months before In the end we both of us resolv'd to go put our selves into it at all hazards and adventures that might befall I had five and twenty Soldiers of mine own on horseback which I took together with four of five more of Monsieur de Termes which he had left at Beme to the great grief of the Count who would never be persuaded to permit Captain Favas and the rest of the Company to depart and about two hours within night we arriv'd at Cairas where we spoke with Monsieur Cental whom we found in a very great chase for that the Swisse had that day forsook him and he told us that it was very great odds we should find the Camp lodg'd in the Countrey houses belonging to Savillan the Germans excepted who were quarter'd as I have said and took up all the space betwixt that and Marennes thorough which we were to pass for my other way it was all ditches and Rivolets very troublesom to pass especially having no Guide with us which we had not provided our selves of by reason we all of
Millanese and that of Raâ—ssanne a Piedmontois who nevertheless refus'd suddainly to depart fearing we would fight them by the way and would not stir till they might have a good and strong Convoy and the Germans he had with him would not be perswaded to go by which means he was constrain'd to send to Râ—conis to the four Spanish Companies which were in Garrison there that is to say that of Don Iuan de Guebara Camp-Master of Louys de Quichadoâ— Aquilbert and Mendoza which made it two days before they durst set out to march In the mean time Monsieur de Termes was advertised by his spy that the said Italian Companies were to set forth the next morning to go put themselves into Fossan and that they were to have two Troops of Horse to conduct them but he had heard nothing that the Spaniards were to go The said Seigneur was at this time but newly recovered of his sickness who the same morning communicated the affair to me and at the very instant we concluded to draw four hundred Foot out of all our Companies all pick'd and choice men to wit two hundred Harquebusiers and as many Pikes wearing Corslets Captain Tilladet who had lost but two or three of all his Launces was not yet return'd to Savillan which was the reason that Monsieur de Termes his Company was not so strong and on the other side Monsieur de Bellegarde his Lieutenant was gone to his own house and had taken some few with him by which means Captain Mons could make but fourscore Horse in all and the Spy told us that the Italian Companies were to take the same way by which their Army had march'd when they went to Carignan which was by the Plain where we before had fought the Italians We therefore concluded to take the way of Marennes and to be there before them when as we were going out of the Town Monsieur de Cental arriv'd who came from Cental having with him fifteen Launces of Seigneur MaurYé and twenty Harquebusiers on horseback which hindred us a little forasmuch as he entreated Monsieur de Termes to give him a little time to bait his horses for he was also of necessity to pass the same way we were design'd to march to go to his Government of Cairas To whom we made answer that we would go but very softly before and stay for him at Marennes but that he should make hast for in case we should hear the Enemy was passing by we could not stay for him Monsieur de Termes had once a great mind to have gone along with us himself but we entreated him not to do it both because he had been so lately sick and also that the Town being left in a manner naked should any misfortune happen to us it would be in great danger to be lost Being come to Marennes we there made a halt staying for Monsieur Cental where we orderder'd our Battail in this manner to wit that the Captains Gabarret and Baron should lead the two hundred Corslets and I the two hundred Harquebusiers with whom I presently took the Vanne the Corslets following after me and so march'd out of the Village Captain Mons also divided his Horse into Troops but to whom he gave the first I am not able to say they being all Camrades but I do believe it was either to Masses Mousserie Ydrou or the younger Tilladet and when we had march'd a little way before we would discover our selves to the valley thorough which the Enemy was to pass we made a stand I then took a Gentleman along with me call'd la Garde he being on horseback and advanc'd a little forward to discover the valley where presently on the other side in the plain of Babe a Castle belonging to the Castellano of Savoy I discover'd the three Italian Companies and the Cavalry marching directly towards Fossan At which I was ready to run mad cursing Monsieur de Cental and the hour that ever he came thinking there had been no more than those I saw on the other side who were already got a great way before us when being about to return to tell the rest that they were already pass'd and looking down into the valley for before I had only look'd into the plain on the other side I discover'd the Spanish Foot shewing them to la Garde who before saw them no more than I having almost all of them yellow breeches and moreover saw their Arms glitter against the Sun by which we knew they were Corslets We never dream'd of meeting any more than the three Italian Copanies only so that had we not by accident made some stay in expectation of Monsieur Cental we had met the Spaniards and the Italians together and do verâ—ly belâ—eve had been dâ—feated considering what defence the Spaniards made alone I presently then went and gave the rest of the Captains an account of what I had seen advising them withal by no means as yet to discover themselves for the Spaniards had made a halt and stood still I also began to lose sight of the Italians who march'd directly to Fossan it was a very great oversight in them to separate themselves as so great a distance from one another la Garde then return'd and told me that Monsieur Cental was coming hard by bringing a Trooper along with him whom I made to stay above keeping always his eye on the Italians whilst I with la Garde went down to number their men who let fly some Harquebuze shot at me but I notwithstanding went so near that I made shift to count them to betwixt four and five hundred men at the most and presenâ—ly return'd to the top of the Hill where I saw their Cavalry returning towards them having left the Italians who were already a great way off and clean out of sight I then sent the Soldier to my Companions to bid them presently march for the Spaniards began to beat their Drums to return The Troops of Horse they had were those of the Count de Saint Martin d' Est Kinsman to the Duke of Ferrara who himself was not there but his Lieutenant only and of Rozalles a Spaniard Their Companies of Foot were those of Don Iuan de Guibara Aguillere and Mendoza with one half of that of Louys de Guichadou hâ— with the other half having put himself into the Castle of Reconis Here Monsieur de Cental and Captain Mâ—ns came up to me they two only and saw as well as I that the said Spauiards puâ— themselves into â—ile which we judg'd to be eleven or thirteen in Fâ—le and in the mean time their Cavalry came up to them Now they had already discover'd us although they had hitherto seen no more than five and I for my part was particularly known when I went down to discover by the Serjeant of Mendoza who had been taken at the defeat of the Italians and deliver'd three days after whereupon they plac'd all their Cavalry before and
entrance into the City which was no other than a Postern near to the Castle into which three or four men only could march a-breast Thus then I return'd to the end of the Bridge where I found Monsieur de Salcede all alone with ten or a dozen of the Country fellows whose turn it was to rest for the others that were in the Boats cut the Ropes and fled away with the current of the River straight to Montcallier those on the top that were cuâ—ting the traversâ— beams on that side towards the Swisse leaving their axes and hatchets upon the Bridge cast themselves into the water which was there no more than wast deep they being not yet come to the depth of the River The Swisse likewise who heard this dismal noise fell to running towards Carmagnolle having an opinion that both we and all our Camp were in a rout and taking the two Cannons along with them made all the hast they possibly could to recover Carmagnolle I sent one of my Soldiers after the run-aways to enquire news of my Lieutenant Captain Favas whom he met having rallyed thirty or forty of his men returing towards the Bridge to see what was become of me believing me to be slain who presently dispatch'd away to Boguedemar la Pallu and some other Captains who had made a halt rallying some part of their men whom he caused in all hast to march directly towards the Bridge telling them that I had beaten back the Enemy who thereupon came at a good rate to seek me Captain Favas was the fiâ—st that came all torn and tatter'd like a skare-crow forasmuch as the Soldiers in a crowd all run over his belly as he thought to have rallyed who found Monsieur de Salcede and me at the end of the Bridge consulting what we were best to do So soon as he came he gave us an account of his fortune and that of the rest of his companions when seeing him so accoutred we â—urn'd all into laughter but the hubub in our Camp continued above a long hour after The other Captains being come up to us we concluded to make an end of breaking down the Bridge or there to lose our lives whereupon I presently took fifâ—y or threescore Soldiers and Monsieur de Salcedâ— the ten or twelve Country fellows he had left giving order to Captain Favas Boguedemar and la Pallâ— to remain at the end of the Bridge and to set out Centinels almost as far as the Gates of the City I believ'd that the Italians notwithstanding the hurly-buâ—ly in our Camp were yet at their post and therefore commanded Captain Favas himself to go and see if they were there or no who at his return found that I had caused fifteen or twenty Soldiers to take up the axes the Peasants had left upon the Bridge who together with the ten or twelve Country fellows were cutting the cross beams above where he told us that he had been at the house but that he had found no body there This news put us a little to a stand what we were best to do but nevertheless we stopt not to execute our former resolution and so soon as the tumult was a little over came Messieurs de Termes and de Moneins who brought me a Command from Mr. de Boitieres immediately to retire The said Sieur de Moneins alighted from his horse for Monsieur de Termes could not for his Gout and came to me on foot where he found that since the disorder we had at two cuttings made above thirty paces of the Bridge to fall and were falling upon the third each of them being fifteen or twenty paces long who thereupon return'd to Monsieur de Boitiâ—res to acquaint him how all things had pass'd Monsieur de Salcede having lost almost all his Peasants but that our Soldiers had taken their axes with which they did wonders in cutting and that all the Captains and Soldiers Monsieur de Salcede and I were resolved to die rather than depart from thence till first the Bridge was totally broken down Monsieur de Boitieres thereupon sent him back to protest against me for any loss that might happen contrary to his command which the said Sieur de Moneins did telling us moreover that the said Sieur de Boitieres was already upon his march to return though he halted within a mile of us which I conceive he did to the end that by that means he might draw me off for he wanted no courage but he was always in fear to lose Whoever is of that humor may perhaps make a shift to save himself but shall never atchieve any great conquests Monsieur de Termes had made a stop at the end of the Bridge so soon as he had heard Monsieur de Boitiereâ— to be upon his march and return'd no more back with Monsieur de Moneins to carry my answer but presently sent orders to his Company not to stir from the place where he had left them and so we cut on all the remainder of the night 'till within an hour of day that we march'd towards the little house upon the Hill Monsieur de Moneins return'd again to us just at the instant when the last blow was given and Monsieur de Termes ran to his Company to cause them to advance a little towards us that they might favour our retreat and Monsieur de Moneins ran towards Monsieur de Boitieres whom he found expecting his return so that having deprived the Enemy of a great convenience we retir'd without any manner of impediment at all I was willing to commit this to writing not to magnifie my self for any great valour in this Action but to manifest to all the world how God has ever been pleased to conduct my fortune I was neither so great a Fop nor so fool hardy but that could I have seen the Enemy I should have retir'd and perhaps have run away as fast as the rest and it had been madness and not valour to have staid Neither is there any shame attends a rational fear when there is great occasion and I should never have been so senseless as with thirty or forty Foot only to have stood the fight Captains by this may take exemple never to run away or to put it into a better phrase to make a hasty retreat without first discovering who there is to pursue them and moreover having seen them to attempt all ways of opposition till they shall see there is no good to be done For after all the means that God has given to men have been employed and to no purpose then flight is neither shameful nor unworthy but believe me Gentlemen if you do not employ it all every one will be ready to say nay even those who have run away with you if he had done this or if he had done that the mischief had been prevented and things had fallen out better than they did and such a one vapours most and speaks highest who perhaps was
no other news but that of a great and glorious victory which if God give us the grace to obtain as I hold my self assured we shall you will so stop the Emperor and the King of England in the midst of their Carreâ—r that they shall not know which way to turn them The Dauphin still continued laughing more than before and still making signs which gave me still the greater assurance to speak All the rest then spoke every one in his turn and said that his Majesty ought by no means to rely upon my words only the Admiral said nothing but smiled and I believe he perceiv'd the signs the Dauphin made me they being almost opposite to one another But Monsieur de St. Pol reply'd again saying to the King What Sir it seems you have a mind to alter your determination and to be led away at the perswasion of this frantick fool to which the King made answer By my Faith Cozen he has given me so great reasons and so well represented to me the courage of my Sâ—â—diers that I know not what to say To which Monsieur de St. Pol reply'd Nay Sir I see you are already chang'd now he could not see the signs the Dauphin made me as the Admiral could for he had his back towards him whereupon the King directing his speech to the Admiral ask'd him what he thought of the business who again smiling return'd his Majesty this answer Sir will you confess the truth You have a great mind to give them leave to fight which if they do I dare not assure you either of victory or disgrace for God alone only knows what the issue will be but I dare pawn my life and reputation that all those he has named to you will fight like men of honor for I know their bravery very well as having had the honour to command them Do only one thing Sir for we see you are already half overcome and that you rather encline to a Battel than otherwise address your self to Almighty God and humbly beg of him in this perplexity to assist you with his Counsel what you were best to do Which having said the King throwing his Bonnet upon the Table lift up his eyes towards heaven and joining his hands said My God I beseech thee that thou wilt be pleased to direct me this day what I ought to do for the preservation of my Kingdom and let all be to thy honor and glory Which having said the Admiral ask'd him I beseech you Sir what opinion are you now of When the King after a little pause turning towards me with great vehemency cryed out Let them fight let them fight Why then says the Admiral there is no more to be said if you lose the Battel you alone are the cause and if you overcome the samâ— and alone shall enjoy the satisfaction having alone coâ—sâ—nted to it This being said the King and all the rest arose and I was ready to leap out of my skin for joy The King then â—ell to talking with the Admiral about my dispatch and to take order for our Pay which was a great deal in arrear Monsieur de St. Pol in the mean time drew near unto me and smiling said thou mad Devil thou wilt be the cause either of the greatest good or the greatest mischief that can possibly befall the King now you must know that the said Sieur de St. Pol had not spoken any thing for any ill will that he bore me for he lov'd me as well as any Captain in France and of old having known me at the time when I serv'd under Mareschal de Foix and moreover told me that it was very necessary I should speak to all the Captains and Soldiers and tell them that the confidence his Majesty repos'd in our worth and valour had made him condescend to permit us to fight and not reason considering the condition he was then in To Whom I reply'd My Lord I most humbly beseech you not to fear or so much as doubt but that we shall win the Battel and assure your self that the first news you will hear will be that we have made them all into a Fricassé and may eat them if we will The King then came to me and laid his hand upon my Shoulder saying Montluc recommend me to my Cozen d' Anguien and to all the Captains in those parts of what Nation soever and tell them that the great confidence I have in their fidelity and valour has made me condescend that they shall fight entreating them to serve me very well upon this occasion for I never think to be in so much need again as at this present that now therefore is the time wherein they are to manifest the kindness they have for me and that I will suddainly send them the money they desire To which I made answer Sir I shall obey your commands and this will be a cordial to chear them and a spur to the good disposition they already have to â—ight and I most humbly beseech your Majesty not to remain in doubt concerning the issue of our fight for that will only discompose your spirit but chear up your self in expectation of the good news you will shortly hear of us for my mind presages well and it never yet decâ—ived me and thereupon kissing his hand I took my leave of his Majesty The Admiral then bid me go and stay for him in the Wardrobe and whether it was Monsieur de Marchemont or Monsieur Bayart that went down with me I cannot tell but going out I found at the door Messieurs de Dampiâ—rre de St. André and d' Assier with three or four others who demanded of me if I carried leave to Monsieur d' Anguien to fight to whom I made answer in Gascon haresy harem aux pics patacs go in presently if you have any stomach to the entertainment before the Admiral depart from the King which they accordingly did and there was some dispute about their leave but in the end his Majesty consented they should go which nothing impair'd their feast for after them came above a hundred Gentlemen post to be present at the Battel Amongst others the Siâ—urs de Iarnac and de Chatillon since Admiral the Son of the Admiral d' Annebaut the Vidame of Chartres and several others of which not one was slain in the Battel save only Monsieur d' Assier whom I lov'd more than my own heart and Châ—mans who was wounded when I fought the Spaniards in the plain of Perpignan some others there were that were hurt but none that dyed There is not a Prince in the world who has so frank a Gentry as ours has the least smile of their King will enâ—lame the coldest constitution without any thought of fear to convert Mills and Vineyards into Horses and Arms and they go Volunteers to dye in that bed which we Soldiers call the bed of honor Being arrived soon after at
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
to the Fort of Outreau before Boulogne where Captain Ville-franche had been left with the old Companies in the quality of Camp-master he having been put into the Command that I had formerly quitted The Mareschal de Bics his Majesties Lieutenant in that Country had something to do as Monsieur de St. Germain whom the King had given him for an assistant can very well witness for all the Pioniers had forsook him and were stoln away as is usual with those rascally people if they be not narrowly look't unto and yet had he all the Courtine leading towards the Bridge of Brick to make Of which affair though there be no fighting in the case I think fit to give an accoâ—nt in this place that it may serve for an example to others in command upon the like occasion The Mareschal being frequently solicited by the King to put this fort into a posture of defence to block up Boulogne told me that there was a necessity the Soldiers should work since the Pioneers were wanting of which I accordingly carried word to the Captains and they from me to the Soldiers who all at once flatly deny'd to do it saying They were Soldiers and not Pioneers With this answer the Mareschal was highly offended and in great anxicty what to do forasmuch as the Courtine remained open and that the King of England had sent fresh supplies of men into Bullen Wherefore the Mareschal having sent throughtout all the Country for Pioneers and none being to be got I contriv'd a way to make the Soldiers work which was by giving them five pence a day the ordinary pay given to the Pioneers The Mareschal very readily consented to the motion but notwithstanding I could not find one who would once put his hand to the work Seeing therefore their refusal to invite them by my example I took my own Company that of Monsieur de Lieux my Brother with those of Captain Leberon my Brother-in-law and Captain Labit my Cousin German for those I knew durst not refuse me We wanted no tools for the Mareschal had made provision of very great store and moreover the Pioneers who were run away had left all theirs in a great Tent which the Mareschal had caused to be set up to that purpose So soon as I came to the Courtin I began my self first to break ground and after me all the Captains I had cansed a Barrel of wine to be brought to the place and with it my dinner which I had order'd to be much greater than ordinary and the Captains also had brought theirs along with them together with a Sack full of pence which I shew'd to the Soldiers and after having wrought a start every Captain din'd with his own Company and to every Soldier we gave half a loaf some wine and a little slesh of which also we were more liberal to some than to others pretending they had taken more pains than their fellows on purpose to encourage them and so soon as we had din'd we again fell to our work singing and plying our business until late in the evening insomuch that one would have thought we had never follow'd any other Trade So soon as we gave over three Treasurers of the Army paid to every man five sols and at our return to our Tents the other Soldiers by way of dirision call'd ours Pioneers and Delvers The next morning Captain Forcez came to tell me that all his men also woâ—ld come to the work and those of his Brother likewise who is also yet living all which I receiv'd and we did as the day before the third day they would all come so that in eight dayes time we had finisht the whole Courtin and all the Engeneers told Monsieur de St. Germâ—in who himself had never stirr'd from the work that my Soldiers had done more in eight dayes than four times so many Pioneers would have done in five weeks And observe that Captains Lieutenants and Ensigns stuck all the while as close to the work as the meanest Soldier did and serv'd as inciters to the rest I thought fit to commit this Exemple to writing to let the Captains see that it is not the Soldiers fault if they do not perform whatsoever you would have them do but then you must get the knack to make them do it chearfully and with a good will and not by force put your hands first to the work your selves and your Soldiers will for shame follow your exemple and do more than you would have them do But if you come to ill words and blows it must be when out of spite they refuse to do a thing to which they are no ways obliged and to that we are indeed sometimes by necessicy constrain'd O Camrades how often have I seeing the Soldier weary and ready to faint alighted â—rom my horse to walk with them on foot to encourage them to make a long march how often have I drunk water with them that they might chearfully suffer by my exemple Believe me Gentlemen that all depends upon your selves and that your Soldiers will conform themselves to your humour as it is ordinarily seen There is a mean in all things sometimes a little roughness is very requisite but then it must not be against a whole Company but some particular person who would grumble and hinder the rest that are well disposed I have ere now made some surly stubborn rascalls feel my anger of which I now repent me Sometime after the Mareschal de Biez would attempt to seize upon and lay waste the Territory of Oye having in vain tryed to tempt the English to a Battail All our new Companies therefore march't for the old stirr'd not out of the Fort but were kept there to guard it and the Marescal took six or seven pieces of great Artillery along with him so that we set out secretly in the beginning of the night and went to some little Villages that had formerly been burnt This Enterprise was taken in hand contrary to the opinion of all the Captains in the Army out of the hope the said Mareschal had to bring it to a Baâ—tail which had drawn several Princes and Lords to come from the Court Where after there was no more hopes of drawing the English into the field the Mareschal deliberated to take some Forts from them in the County of Oye Now so soon as they drew very near to one of these Forts the Mareschal Messieurs de Brisac and de Tais drew themselves apart I think Monsieur de Estre was with them being then newly come out of prison Monsieur de Bordillon and three or four others whose names I have forgot and got up to a little eminence under the shadow of a Tree from thence peeping and considering which of the said Bastions that were opposite to us they should assault and in the mean time I caus'd all our Ensigns to make a halt for the last which were yet a league behind Now you
must know I had never been there till this time neiâ—her have I ever been there since but to the best of my memory I shall describe the sâ—iâ—nation of the place I was to descend about thirty or forty paces to enter into a great Meadow where on my right hand there was one Bastion and on my left hand at the distance of a good Haâ—quebuz shot another and so consequently all along the Câ—urâ—ine leading towards Calice which Courtine was only of earth and about two fathoms high there was also two great Ditches with water middle deep and betwixt the two Ditches there was a Terrace of earth Whilst they were in cosultation under this Tree on my left hand I took Captain Favas and la Moyenne having both been my Lieutenants and about 300 Harquebuzeers to whom I gave the leading of the sust Division and I stood behind in the Rear of them There presently sallyed out of the Fort an hundred or sixscore English who came into the Meadow having planted five or six Muskeieers upon their Terrcss betwixt two Ditches and ply'd us smartly with their shot having left betwixt the said Bassions and Ditches a little path by which one man only could march a breast to enter in and fally out of their Fort confident it seems that under favour of their Muskers those of ours on the outside would not dare to charge them Our men began then to Harquebuz it at a good smart rate and they to let sly their arrows but me-thought they had still an eye towards their retreat wherefore being mounted on a little pad Nag I came up to the Captains and said these words to them Camrades these people are mainly enclin'd to retreat and I see it is out of a confidence they have in their Muskets charge then briskly through and through and I will second you I needed not to bid them twice for before I could return to the head of my men I saw them together by the ears and in a moment the English put to â—lighâ— wherefore I stopâ— my men from falling on to make sirm in case any more should sally out This little path was something narrow and adjoyning to the Bastion under which the one part of them stood sirm the rest cast themselves into the Ditches in so great hast that they had not leisure to carry off all their Muskets for our Soldiers leapt into the water as soon as they and brought away sour of them and there were four or five of the said Soldiers that pass't over the said Terrace and the other Ditch to the very foot of the Courtine who brought me word that the greatest depth of water was in the first Ditch for the other next the Courtine was not above knee deep I then presently spoke to the Captains Favas and la Moyenne that they should draw up my Division and theirs together and finding Captain Aurioqui and almost all the other Captains entreated them them to make two Divisions of theirs for that so soon as I had spoken with Monsieur de Tais I would go on to an Assault They then told me that they wanted near half of their Soldiers who were not yet come up to which I made answer that it was no matter seeing that with those we had we could do our business who thereupon without further reply began to divide themselves into two Bodies and I ran to speak with Monsieur de Tais whom I found with the Mareschal and the rest and said to him Let us go Sir let us go to the Assault for we shall carry the Courtine I have tasted them and find that they have more mind to run than fight The Mareschal then said to me What is it you say Captain Montluc would to God we were certain presently to carry it with all the Artillery we have Whereupon I answered him aloud Sir we shall have strangled them all before your Artillery can come up to us and taking Monsieur de Tais by the arm said to him Let us go Sir you have believ'd me at other times and have not repented neither shall you repent you of this I have discover'd by these approaches that these people are little worth Let us go then answered he and as we were entring into the Meadow we already found our two Divisions of Pikes and Harquebuzeers separated apart Look you Sir then said I take your choice on which hand you will fight whether on that of this Ensign over against the Bastion below or on that of the Engsin opposite to those I have fought with who thereupon said to me Fight you that Body you have already attaqu't and I will go fight the other and so we parted So soon as the Mareschal de Biez saw us begin to march he as Monsieur de Bordâ—llon told me afterwards said these words now we shall see if Tais with his Gascons be so brave as he pretends I then call'd all the Sergeanâ—s of my Division saying to them aloud at the head of our Battail You Sergeants have ever been accustomed when we go to fight to be in the Flanks behind but I will have you now fight in the first Rink Do you see that Ensign there if you do not win it as many as I shall meet slinking off in my way as I go I shall make bold to cut his hamstrings you know I am pretty dextrous that way then turning towards the Captains I said and you Camrades if I am not there as soon as they do you cut mine I then ran to Captain Favas and la Moyenne who might be at the distance of some thirty paces and said to them March and throw your selves headlong into the Ditch and in an instant return'd to my men when having kist the ground I ran straight up to the Ditches making the Sergeants still to march before and passing over the first and the second came up to the foot of the Courtin I then said to the Sergeants Help one another help one another with your Halberts to get up which they speedily did and others pasht them on behind throwing them headlong into the Fort I had also a Halbert in my hand In the mean time arriv'd all the Captains and Pikes who found me making a great shew of endeavouring to get up with my Halbert holding with my left hand by the wood when some of them not knowing who I was took me by the breech and pusht me quite over on the other side making me by that means more valiant than I intended to be for what I did was only to encourage the rest to get over but that follow whoever he was made me forget my policy and take a leap that I had no intent to have taken and indeed in my whole life I did never see people so soon get over a Câ—urtine After I had taken this leap Captain Favas and la Moyenne who were in the Ditch of the Bastion put themselves into the little
these and know well enough how to avoid them The Mareschal then withdrew with all his Army about Sebe and the next day carried away the Canon that Messieurs de Bassâ— and de Gordes had brought along with them vvhen they took it â—â—aving there three Companies two French and one Italian and so retired by Montdevi towards Turin and Quiers How Sebe was after lost I do not remember but lost it was for we return'd a year after to recover it vvhen it was much better defended and longer disputed than before as hereafter you shall hear Sometime after Don Ferrand set an Army on foot by much exceeding all the forces the Mareschal could make he having neither Swiss nor German Foot wherefore being advertized by the Signeurs Ludovico de Birague and Francisco Bernardin that this Army was design'd for the retaking of St. Martin and the other Castles we had taken before and also to take Cassal some seven leagues distant from Turin and to fortifie it to the end that Turin might receive no relief from the mountains and valleys of Lans and especially from Cassal from whence we had most of the fruit and wood that vvas brought to Turin So soon as Don Ferrand's Army was ready to march directly to St. Martin the Mareschal call'd a Council of his Officers to deliberate vvhat he should do concerning Cassal seeing it was neither fortified nor tenable who amongst them concluded to quit â—t and to dismantle it though the dismantling could signifie nothing forasmuch as Don Ferrand would soon have repair'd it again I was the same night advertized at Montcalliâ—r of this determination which was the reason that I went early the next morning to the Mareschal to Turin where I made bold to ask him if it were true that he had taken a resolution to abandon Cassal vvho told me that yes because he could find no one who would hazard his life and reputation in putting himself into it and that therefore they had concluded in the Council to put only one Company of Italian Foot into it which was to surrender the Town so soon as they should see Don Ferrand approach with an intention to attaque it I then told him that that would signifie very little for the Captain himself would however tell the Soldiers as much to make them willing to stay but that he must Garrison it in good earnest and not after this manner And who said he would you have so senseless as to undertake the defence of it to which I made answer that I would be the man He then told me that he had rather lose the best part of his estate than to suffer me to engage my self in it considering that the place could not in a years time be fortified to resist Canon To which I made answer Sir the King does entertain and pay us for three things only one to win him a Battail to the end that he may overrun a great space of ground and subdue several strong holds to his obedience another to defend a Town for no Town can be lost but a great deal of ground goes along with it and the third to take a Town for the taking of a Town brings a great number of people into subjection all the rest are only skirmishes and rencounters that signifie nothing to any body but our selves to make us known unto and esteemed of our Superiors and to acquire honor to our own particular persons for the King has by this no advantage at all nor by any other effect of war saving by the three ferementioned services wherefore before this place shall be so quitted I will lose my life in its defence The Mareschal hereupon disputed it very strongly with me to divert me from this intention but seeing me resolv'd at last gave me leave to do as I would He was a man that would be govern'd by reason without relying too much upon his own judgment as did Monsieur de Lautrec who was ever observed to be guilty of that fault as I think I have said elsevvhere Cassal is a little City enclâ—sed with a rough wall of Flints without any one Axler stone amonâ—st them a Graffe that environs it into which the water comes and goes so that the Graâ—le can neither be made deeper nor the water retain'd in any place to be much above knee deep There was no manner of Trench either within or without neither were the four Flankers fill'd at all so that the Enemy having once batter'd me a Courtain by the Canton they might afterwards batter me in the flank I demanded of the Mareschal 500 Pioneers of the Mountain which he sent presently to raise so that within four dayes they were all at Cassal I demanded likewise a great number of Instruments and iron Tools wherewith to furnish my Soldiers also for the work which he also suddenly sent me together with great store of grain bacon lead powder and match I demanded moreover the Baron de Chipy la Gard Nephew to the Baron de la Gard le Mas Martin and my own Company All these five Companies were exceeding good and their Captains also who having understood that I had made choice of them of my own accord took it for a great reputation and a high honour to them I demanded of him also le Gritti a Venetian who had a Company of Italian foot all which were granted to me In the morning then I went to put my self into it and at night all the Companies arrived Monsieur de Gye eldest Son of Monsieur de Maugiron was there in Garrison with the men at arms belonging to his Father to whom the Mareschal sent order to march away and to carry his Company to Montcallier but he writ an answer back that he had not continued so long in Garrison at Cassal to abandon it at a time when a Siege was going to be laid before it especially when so old a Captain as I had undertaken the defence thereof and that therefore he was resolv'd there to live and die with me The Mareschal would not take this answer for currant pay for the next day betimes in the morning he came himself to Cassal having Monsieur d' Aussun Monsieur de la Mothe-Gondrin and the Vicount de Gourdon in company with him I had there already assign'd all the Quarters for the Foot without dislodging the Gens d' Arms forasmuch as I saw Monsieur de Gye and all his Company obstinately resolute to stay And although the Mareschal himself was come in person yet could he never prevail with Monsieur de Gye to depart the Town who plainly told him that he if he so pleased might command his Company away from him but for what concern'd himself he was resolv'd not to stir a foot which was the reason that the Mareschal returned very much dissatisfied with himself that he had granted me leave to take upon me the defence of that place which was conceived to be so
bread eaten nor a glass of wine drunk but by weight and measure and if you will take exemple by Cassal you shall not only be able to undertake the keeping of a Town let it be as ill fortified as it will but even a Meadow enclos'd vvith no more than a contemptible ditch only provided there be unanimity amongst you as there was here for we had all one vvill one desire and one courage and the labour vvas a common delight to us all Now my good fortune was such that Don Ferrand gave to Caesar de Naples the one half of his Army almost all his Infantry vvith a part of his horse to lead them to Riverol seven little miles from Cassal Vlpian being between and the said Caesar de Naples staid two and twenty days about the taking of St. Martin and the other Castles During this time I had by my great diligence put the Town into a good posture of defence and had caused great Trenches and Rampiers to be made behind all our Cantons vvell terraâ—â—ed all the Gates and gabion'd all the upper Gabions with a doâ—ble row of Baskets vvell resolv'd to cause our selves to be soundly battered and get a brave share of honour At last Caesar having taken St. Martin and the other Castles arriv'd at Riverol vvith his Câ—mp vvhere immediatly Don Ferrand called a Council to determine vvhether he ought to attaque us or to let us alone considering the time I had had vvherein to fortifie my self and that I had finisht all the fortification I intended to make for my defence vvhere also he forgot not to put them in mind that vve vvere six Companies vvithin all resolute to fight it out to the last and that he doubted he should lose more valiant Captains Spaniards and Italians in the assault than the Town vvas vvorth giving them an account vvithal of all that I had done vvithin The Spanish and Italian Captains vvho vvere present at this Council seeing the danger vvould fall upon them caused it by their Camp master to be remonstrated that the Emperor had there the best Officers he had in all Italy and of vvhom he made greater account than of all the rest and that therefore they entreated Don Ferrand to reserve them for a Battail or some Enterprize of considerable moment and not to expose them for the gaining of so trivial a place as that of Cassal There followed therupon a great dispute and three days the Council were in debate about this very business Caesar de Naples and the Governor of Vlpian obstinately maintain'd that they ought to assault us but the Spanish Soldiers who understood what Caesar de Naples had said plainly told their Captains that they might then go on to the assault with the Italians if they so pleased for as for them they would have nothing to do in the business being resolv'd to stand to what by their Camp-master had been proposed All these disputes came to the Mareschal's knowledge after Don Ferrand was risen from before Riverol by Letters that he writ to the President of Millan which by some of Signior Ludovico de Biragu's people were intercepted and whilst they were disputing about a Town that was none of their own the Mareschal surpriz'd Alba from them by Messieurs de la Mothe-Gondrin Francisco Bernardin and de Panau the Lieutenant to his own Company and some others whom I do not remember The Mareschal by break of day had notice of the surprize for our people entred at eleven of the clock in the night who presently dispatcht a footman of his to me with a Letter which contain'd these words Monsieur de Montluc I have just now receiv'd intelligence that our design upon Alba has taken effect and our people are within is which it the reason that I am just now mounting to horse to go thither in all diligence The Footman came to me about ten of the clock and being the Governâ—r of Ulpian deâ—ein'd a Trumpet of Monsieur de Maugiron I sent thither a Drum of Captain Gritti to whom having shewed the Mareschals Letter I gave him charge to tell the Governor of Ulpian that Don Ferrand could not better revenge himself for the loss of Alba than to come and attaque us at Cassal So soon as the Drum came to the Gates of Vlpian he found that the Governor was gone by break of day to the Council to Riverol and therefore told the Soldiers at the Gate of the taking of Alba at which they were so incens'd that they would thereupon have kill'd him and in order thereunto began to pinion and bind him but the Governor in the interim arrived to whom I sent word that he should restore me my Trumpet considering that we had always made fair war and that he should take heed of beginning to shew foul play for our people also had given good quarter at Alba. The said Governor then took the Drum from the Soldiers and carried him to his lodging where he told him that if what he had said concerning Alba did not prove to be true he would hang him to which the Drum reply'd that provided he would give him but a Teston if it was true he would be content to be hang'd if it prov'd otherwise Whereupon the Governor return'd to horse and went again to Riverol where they continued all night in Council to consider whether this news could be true or no but the next day arriv'd the Captain of the Castle of Montcalvo who brought them certain intelligence from the Governor of Ast that Albâ— was certainly taken which was the reason that the next morning Don Ferrand departed in all hast and went to pass the River at the Bridg of Asture to go directly to the said Alba to try if he could not recover it before the Mareschal could have leisure to better fortifie the place So soon as I saw my self delivered from all apprehension of a Siege I immediately sent away my Pioneers to the said Alba who at that time stood the Mareschal in very great stead I did not there stay for a Command and it is often necessary to do before we are bidden provided there be no hazard in the case Monsieur de Bonnivet and Santo Pedro Corzo with seven Ensigâ—es put themselves into it Now of Don Ferrand's arrival at the Bridge at Asture and of his passing over the River there Monsieur de Salvazon who was Governor of Berüe gave me speedy notice I therefore sodainly sent away the Baron of Chipy la Garde and le Mas who were the next morning by break of day at Alba of whose coming the Mareschal was exceeding glad as also was Monsieur de Bonnivet forasmuch as they came from a place where they had undergone extraordinary labour in fortifying hoping that these would shew others the way as they also did Monsieur de Maugiron would remain at Cassal because it was a very commodious quarter for horse I there left Captain Martin with
io ho manegiato non suono quindeci die uno delle nâ—â—stri facendo d'il poltrone Io non dimando sino un puoco di prudenza con prestezza And indeed he kept his promise with me and carried himself very discreetly in the action The Captains gave him whatever he desired being glad themselves to be rid of the employment I also entreated Pied-de-fou and the rest before named that since they were resolv'd to put themselves into the Town they were to do it so as to be assisting to the conservation of the place and not to lose themselves together with all those who were within it forasmuch as the preservation of the said Town consisted only in supplying it with ammunition and that therefore it would be necessary that they should divide themselves some into the Flancks and others into the rear to the end that whilst Captaâ—â— Charry should be fighting they might encourage Pedro Antonlo 's men to go on which they accordingly did All of them therefore having received their instructions from me what every one was to do as well Italians and Peasants as my own Soldiers they all in the order prescrib'd marcht out of the Town when going out at the Gate I told Captain Charry in the hearing of all my Soldiers that I would never see him more it they did not enter or die upon the place as many as were of my Company to which he made answer that he only desir'd me to go to my rest and that I should presently hear news of him In truth he was a Soldier without fear In his Company there was a Corporal of mine called le Turk a Picard by birth who said to me What do you make a question of our entring into the Town Par la mort bien we should have spent our time and our blood very well having above an hundred times fought with you and ever remain'd victorious if we should now stand suspected to you at which I leapt about his neck and said to him these words My Turk I do assure thee upon my faith I think so worthily of you all that I am confident if any men upon earth can enter you will do it and so they departed and I went to place my self again upon the Platform where I had stood the night before and the Captain of the Watch kept me company About two hours after I heard a great alarm on that side by which our people were to enter and several volleys of Harquebuzshot but they continued but a very little while which put me into some fear that our men might be repulsed or at least that that the Peasants were run away who so soon as they were come to the enainence where the Italian Captains had told them that a Cat could not get in they made a halt There the Guides shewed them the Courts of Guard from which by reason of the excessive cold and the snow the Centinels were not twenty paces distant Capatin Charry then called Messieurs de Pied de-fou Bourg St. Romain and Pedro Antonio to whom he deliver'd two Guides reserving one for himself and said to them this is the last Court of Guard of foot for the rest are all horse which can do no great matters by reason of the snow so soon therefore as you shall see me attaque this Court of Guard run on as fast as you can and stop not for any thing you shall meet in your way but make directly to the Gate of the City who thereupon all of one accord see themselves in a posture to charge through Captain Charry then drew near to the Court of Guard which he put to rout and overturn'd upon another Court of Guard and both of them betook themselves to flight which being done he past on forward straight to the Gate of the Town where he found Pedro Antonio already arrived and where they immediately delivered their Ammunition without making any longer stay than whilst Messieurs de Chavigny and Briquemant â—mbrac't Captain Charry entreating him to tell me that since I was at la Cisterne they thought themselves certain to be reliev'd with all things they should stand in need of and that it would be very necessary to send them in some more Ammunition but whilst the Enemy busied themselves about taking th 〈…〉 hers of the Guards that were run away of which a Captain was the next day hang'd Captain Charry and Pedro Antonio with their Peasants taking them in this disorder charg'd them thorough and thorough and came clear away I there lost not so much as one Soldier either French or Italian neither was there any one hurt not so much as Peasant but all arrived safe at la Cisterne it being fair broad day where they found me still upon the Platform I hereupon immediately sent away a dispatch to the Mareschal to entreat him to send me some more powder for bullet and match they had enough already which he also speedily did from Quiers to which place he was remov'd that he might be nearer to me Behold the age a Captain ought to be of to whom you should entrust the execution of a hazardous and sudden enterprize and I can affirm with truth that these hundred years there has not died a braver nor a more prudent Captain for his years than Captain Charry was and am assur'd that Monsieur de Briquemaut will say the same though he be of the Religion of those by whom he was since assassinated at Paris The manner of his death I have nothing to do to meddle withall for the King the Queen and all the Princes of the Court knew it well enough and besides it was so foul an act that I will not blot my Paper with the relation and I am sure very unworthy a Frenchman When I lost him together with Captain Montluc my Son who was slain at the Island of Madera belonging to the King of Portugal it seemed to me that my two arms were lopt offf from my body the one being my right and the other my left He had ever bred up Captain Montluc from the age of twelve or thirteen years and vvherever he vvent had this young boy evermore hung at his Girdle Neither could I have put him to a better Tutor to teach him the trade of War and in truth he had retein'd a great deal of his precept insomuch that I may vvithout shame say although he vvas my Son that had he liv'd he vvould have made a great Soldier daring and discreet but God vvas pleased to dispose otherwise of him I shall therefore leave this discourse vvhich extracts tears from mine eyes to pursue my former subject Monsieur de Briquemant sent me word by Captain Charry that they had no Engineers within nor any one that understood where a Gabion was fifty to be placed with which he desired me to acquaint the Mareschal entreating me moreover to send back to him Captain Charry and my fifty Soldiers whom he
all means that the person he had nominated should stand for he was impatient of being controverted and more of being over-rul'd neither indeed did he ever much love me nor any of his The Cardinal of Lorrain was there present who may better remember than I who it was that the Constable nam'd but if I be not deceiv'd it was Boccal who is since turn'd Hugonot however in the end the King would carry it having Monsieur de Guise and the Mareschal de St. André on his side and dispatch't away a Courier to the Mareschal de Brissac to send me into Avignon where accordingly I staid expecting a Gentleman his Majesty sent to me who brought my dispatch to go presently away to Sienna Now the Mareschal had some dayes before given me leave to retire to my own house by reason of a sickness I was fallen into as I have said elsewhere who had no mind to do it as he himself confest to me since and has done me the honor to tell me that had he known of what importance the loss of me would have been to him he would nat have so commended me to the King as he had done and that in his life he never repented any thing so much as the letting me depart from him telling me of a great many things wherein he had not been so well served after my departure out of Piedmont Monsieur de Cossé President Birague and several others can witness how oft they have heard him lament any absâ—nce especially when matters did not succeed according to his desire And if any one will take the pains to consider what I perform'd while I was there under his Command he will find that what I say is very true and that he had some reason to regret me I was alwayes at his feet and at his head I will not say nevertheless that any thing would have been better done for my being there but however I must needs speak the truth and there are who can say more if they please He then writ a Letter to the King and another to the Constable wherein he sent his Majesty word that he had made a very ill choice of me to command in Sienna for that I was one of the most cross-grain'd chollerick fâ—llows in the whole world and such a one as that for half the time I had been with him he had been necessitated to suffer much from me knowing my imperfections That indeed I was very good for the maintaining of discipline and justice in an Army to command in the field and to make the Soldiers to fight but that the humour of the Siennois consider'd it would be fire to fire which would be the only means to lose that State which was to be preserv'd by gentleness and moderation He moreover entreated the Constable to remonstrate as much to the King and in the mean time dispatcht a Courier to me who found me very sick by whom he sent me word that the King would send me to Sienna but that as a friend of mine he advised me not to accept of that employment entreating me not to forsake him to go serve elsewhere under another and assuring me withal that if any Command hapned to be vacant in Piedmont that I had more mind to than what I alâ—eady had I should have it which were all artifices to detein me O that a wise Lieutenant of a Province ought to have an eye and to take heed of losing a man in whom he may absolutely confide and whom he knows to be a man of valour and ought to spare nothing that he may keep him for oftentimes one man alone can do much You must eat a great deal of Salt with a man before you can rightly known him and in the mean time you are depriv'd of him with whom you were throughly acquainted in whom you reposed your trust and of whose fidelity you have already had sufficient proof The said Mareschal had moreover sent word to the King that I was in Gascony very sick and in the morning as the Letters were read the Constable who was mighty well pleased with the contents said to the King Did not I tell your Majesty as much you find the Mareschal to be of the same opinion and no man living can know Montluc better than he who has so often seen him at work To which the King who naturally lov'd me and had ever done so after he had seen my behaviour at the Camisado of Bullen reply'd that although all those of his Council should speak against me yet should they prevail nothing by it for it was his nature to love me and that he would not after his election let them all say what they would Monsieur de Guise then spake and said here is a letter very full of contradictions for in the first place the Mareschal de Brissac says that Montluc is cross-gain'd and cholerick and that he will never suit with the Sieâ—nois but will ruine your service if you send him thither and on the other side commends him for qualities that are required in a man of command to whom the trust of great things is to be committed for he speaks him to be a man of an exact discipline and great justice and fit to make the Soldiers fight in great Enterprizes and Executions and who ever saw a man endued with all these good qualities that had not a mixture of Choller amongst them Such as are indifferent whether things go well or ill may indeed be without passion and as to the rest since Sir your Majesty has your self made the Election I humbly conceive you ought not revoke it The Mareschal de St. André spake next and said Sir what the Mareschal de Brissac complains of you may easily correct by writing to Montluc that your self having made choice of his person above all others for this employment he must for your sake at much at he can govern his passion having to do with such a fickleâ—headed people as those of Sienne To which the King made answer that he did not fear but that after he had writ me a letter I would do as he should command me and immediately thereupon dispatcht away a Courrie to me to my own house by whom he sent me word that although I should be sick I must nevertheless put my self upon my way to go directly to Marseilles where I should meet my dispatch and should there embark my self with the Germans that the Rhinceroc brought and ten companies of French foot to which place he would also send me money for my journey and that I must for a while leave my passion behind me in Gascony and a little accommodate my self to the humor of that people The Courrier found me at Agen very sick and under the Physicians hands notwithstanding which I told him that in eight dayes I would begin my journey which I did and verily thought I should have dyed at Tholouse from whence by the
ability and poorly experimented to know how to order what should be done for the defence of your City What do you believe the King has so little kindness for you as to send me hither had he not had a great confidence in my capacity and before hand made sufficient tryal elsewhere both what I am and what I can do I shall tell you nothing of my self it would not become me to be my own Trumpet something you have seen your selves and the rest you may have heard from others You may then well judge that the King has not singled out me amongst so many Gentlemen of his Kingdom and has not sent me to you without having well weigh'd what I am able to do by the long experience he has had not only of my Politicks in point of Gorvernment of which you may hitherto have taken some notice But moreover of my conduct in matter of Arms when an Enemy would carry a place by fine force Do you fear Gentlemen my courage will fail me in time of need what then do all those testimones I have given you since my coming hither being sick avail You have seen me sally out from the time I have been able to mount to horse to go to see the skirmishes so near that my self commanded them And have you altogether forgot the day that I entred into this City and the great skirmish I then made Your people saw it and had a share in the sight and upon Christmas Eve yet a greater where the sight lasted for fix long hours together Did I not then â—ight in my own person Did you not then see that I neither wanted judgement to command nor valour to fight I am asham'd to say so much of my self but seeing you all know it to be true I need not blush to speak it I will tell you nothing but what your selves have seen I am no bragging Spamard I am a Frenchman and moreover a Gascon the most frank and plain dealing of all that Nation Now methinks Gentlemen you have so much experience of your selves as will render you worthy of a perpetual reproach should you go less in your resolution besides the ruine it would infalliby bring upon you Methinks you ought to know me sufficiently having been so long amongst you and that I have omitted nothing of what the King propos'd to himself I should perform for his service and yours in the greatest necessity and danger All this that I have remonstrated to you as well for what concerns your own particular as what relates to my self ought to make you lay aside all apprehension and to assume the courage and magnanimity that your Predecessors and selves who are now living have ever had Wherefore I beseech you that you will unanimously take up such a resolution as valiant men such as you are ought to take that is to dye with your weapons in your hands rather than to loose your Sovereignty and the liberty you have so long exercis'd and enjoy'd And for what concerns me and these Coloness and Captains whom you see present here we swear in the presence of God that we will dye with you as at this instant we will give you assurance It is not for our benefit nor to acquire Riches neither is it for our â—afe for you see we suffer both thirst and hunger it is only in pursuance of our duty and to acquit our selves of our Oath to the end that it may one day be said and by you that it was we who defended the liberty of this City and that we may be called Conservators of the Liberty of Sienna I then rose up bidding the German Interpreter to remember well all I had said to repeat it to Rhinecroc and his Captains and then directed my speech to the Colonels and said to them Signori mi frâ—â—talli juriamo tutti promettiamo inanzi Iddio che noi moriremo tutti l'arme in mano conessi loro per adjutar lia deffendere lor sicuressa liberta ogni uno di noi â— obligi per le soi Soldati alsate tutti le vostre mani Which being said every one held up his hand and the Interpreter told it to the Rhinecroc who also held up his hand and all the Captains crying Io io buerlie and the other Oâ—y oâ—y we promise to do it every one in his own Language Whereupon the Captain of the people arose and all the Council returning me Infinite thanks and then turn'd towards the Captains whom he also very much thank'd and with great chearfulness They then entreated me that I would retire to my Lodgings till such time as they had spoken with all the Council who were in the great Hall without and given them an account of what I had remonstrated to them which I accordingly did and at my going out of the little room I there met with Missâ—r Bartolomeo Cavalcano who knew nothing of the Proposition I had made for he entred not into the Council Chamber who told me in my ear that he thought they had all taken a resolution not to endure a Battery I then carried him back with me to my Lodgings and three hours after came four of the Magistracy of which Misser Hieronimo Espano was one having in charge from all the Signeury in general to return me infinite thanks and he told me that Misser Ambrosiâ— Mitti had made a speech in the accustomed chair which is in the middle of the great Hall against the wall giving them to understand what a Remonstrance I had made to them wherein he forgot nothing for he was a man of great Eloquence and wisdom and the Oath that all the Colonels and Captains had taken finally exhorting them to resolve all to fight I do not remember whether they put it to the Balotte or if they held up their hands as we had done But they all four assur'd us that they had never seen a greater joy then what generally appear'd amongst them after the Proposition of the said Ambrosia Mitti Telling me moreover that after I had been in the said Hall and made an end of the forementioned Harangue the two Gentlemen who had deliver'd their opinions before that they ought to capiculate and come to a composition with the Enemy had requested the Senate to do them that favour as to conceal what they had said and take no notice of it but give them leave to vote anew which being accordingly done they again deliver'd their opinions that they ought to â—ight and enter into no kind of composition but rather dye with their Arms in their hands I then told Misser Hieronimo Espano that I would retire my self for all that day and for all that night to write down the order of the fight which having done I would immediately send it to the Germans in their Language and to the French in theirs Governors and Captains you ought to take some example here forasmuch as there are some who
that Quarter where their houses stood and to assist the Captains of the said Pioneers Now I had ever determin'd that if ever the Enemy should come to assault us with Artillery to entrench my self at a good distance from the Wall where theâ— Battery should be made to let them enter at pleasure and made account to shut up the two ends of the Trench and at either end to plant four or five pieces of great Canon loaden with great chains nails and pieces of iron Behâ—nd the Retirade I intended to place the Muskets together with the Harquâ—buzeers and so soon as they should be entred in to cause the Artillery and small shot to fire all at once and we at the two ends then to run in upon them with Pikes and Halâ—erts two banded Swords short Swords and Targets This I resolved upon as seeing it altogetâ—er impossible for the King to send us relief by reason that he was engaged in so many places that it would not be possible for him to set on foot Forces sufficient to raise the Siege neither by sea nor by land and Monsieur de Strozzy had no means to relieve us wherefore I would permit them to enter and make little defence at the Breach to the end that I might give them battail in the Town after they had past the fury of our Canon and smaller shot For to have defended the Breach had in my opinion been a very easie matter but then we could not have done the Enemy so much mischief as by letting them enter the breach which we would have pretended to have quit onely to draw them on to the â—ight For five or six dayes before the Artillery came I every night sent out two Peasants and a Captain or a Serjeant as Centinels perdues which is a very good thing and of great safety but take heed whom you send for he may do you a very ill turn So soon as the night came the Captain set a Peasant Centinel at some fifty or sixty paces distant from the Wall and either in a ditch or behind a hedge with instructions that so soon as he should hear any thing he should come back to the Captain at the foot of the Wall which Captain had in charge from me that immediately upon the Peasant's speaking to him they should clap down upon all four and so creep the one after the other to the place where the Peasant had heard the noise or rather fall down upon their bellies close to the earth to discover if there were not three or four who came to view that place and to observe if they did not lay their heads together to confer for this is a certain sign that they came to view that place in order to the bringing up of Artillery To do which as it ought to be done they ought to be no other than the Master of the Ordnance the Colonel or the Camp-Master of the Infantry or the Engineer the Master Carter and a Captain of Pioneers to the end that according to what shall be resolved upon by the Master of the Ordnance the Colonel and Canoncer the Master Carter may also take notice which way he may bring up Artillery to the place and the Canoneer ought to shew the Captain of the Pioneers what is to be done for the Esplanade or plaining of the way according to the determination of the rest And this is the discovery that is to be made by night after you have discover'd a little at distance by day for if those within be an Enemy of any spirit they ought either by skirmiâ—hes or by their Canon to keep you from coming to discover at hand The Captain had order to come give me a present account of what he and the Peasants had heard or seen and to leave the Peasants still upon their perdue and a Soldier in his own place till his return Three times the Enemy was discover'd after this manner and immediately upon the notice having also the List of the Eight Quarters and of the Eight of War who commanded those Quarters I suddenly acquainted Signior Cornelio who could presently tell me both the Quarter against which it was and the Gentleman of the Eight of War that commanded it I had never discover'd my intention to any one but to Signior Cornelio onely who was a man of great wisdom and valour and in whom I reposed a very great confidence who so soon as he knew that I meant to give them Battail in the City we did nothing of one whole day but walk the round both within and without taking very good observation of all the places where the Enemy could make a Battery and consequently by that knew where to make our Retirade And so soon as ever notice was given me by the Captain who stood Centinel without the City I presently advertized the Commander of that Quarter and he his Deputy and his Deputy the Captain of the Pioneers so that in an hours time you might have seen at least a thousand or twelve hundred persons beginning the Retirade Now I had order'd the City to make great provision of Torches so that those who had discover'd were hardly return'd to the Marquis but that they saw all that part within the Town cover'd with torches and people insomuch that by break of day we had very much advanc't our Trench and in the morning sent back those to rest calling in another Quarter to the work till noon and another from noon till night and consequenty others till midnight and so till break of day by which means in a little time we performed so great a work that we could by no means be surpriz'd After this manner I still turn'd the defences of the Town towards the Marquis his attempts who lodg'd at the house of Guillet the Dreamer and Signior Fernando de Sylva brother to Signior Rigomez who commanded on that side towards the little Observance with whom I had some discourse upon the publick faiâ—h the Friday before we departed out of the City betwixt their Quarters and the Fort Camoglia told me that the Marquis had some jealousie that some one of their Council betray'd to me all their deliberations seeing he had no sooner design'd to batter any part but that we alwayes fortified against that place for by night the least noise is easily heard and so great a bustle cannot be concealed and because he told me that he had compiled a Book of the particularities of the Siege of Sienna he entreated me to tell him by what means I so continually discover'd their intentions whereupon I told him the truth But to return to our subject the Marquis in the end came and planted his Artillery upon a little Hill betwixt Port Oville and the great Observance The choice of this place put me who thought my self so cunning almost to a nonplus forasmuch as at Port Oville there is a very spatious Antiport where the houses of the City do almost
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
great complaints saying that Monsiâ—ur de Strozzy reduc'd him to the greatest extremities and that it was impossible for him to get away without being defeated but that he would however speak to his Officers which he did and which begot a very great dispute amongst them At length one of them in whom he reposed the greatest confidence and who serv'd him in the quality of Camp-Master remonstrated to him that he had much better hazard with his sword in his hand to make his way through the Marâ—uis his Camp than stay to die of famine or by a Capitulation to surrender himself to the Enemies discretion which however in a few dayes he must of necessity do for there was nothing left to eat and their Soldiers began to murmur insomuch that they evermore expected when a great part of them should go give themselves up to the Enemy which made them resolve to depart The Rhinecroc was not much to be blam'd for his unwillingness it being a very perilous Journey for at the very â—allying out of the Gate he was of necessity to fight several Spanish Guards and half a mile from thence another at a Trench the Enemy had cast up near unto a certain Mill which was in his way Upon their determination to depart I gave express charge that no one living should speak of this sally causing the Gates of the City to be close shut and at the beginning of the night they all came with their Baggage to the great place before Porto Novo The Siennois who understood nothing of all this at the seeing the Germans in this marching posture began in all haste to repair to the Pallace in very great despair I then caus'd three Companies to sally out two of French and one of Italians the first whereof was led by Captain Charry the second by Captain Blacon who since dyed a Hugonot at â—â—â—tonge and the third by the Count de Gayas Captain Charry had order to fight the first Court of Guard which was in a great street of the Suburbs the second was at the Augustins in the same street and the third at S. Lazaro They had in command from me never to give over â—ill they had fought all the three Courts of Guards and the Count de Gayas took the way on the outside of the Suburbs on the right hand all along by the houses still marching softly on to rally our men together as they should be separated and scatter'd by the fight The Tertia of Sicily lay at the Charter-house consisting of very good Soldiers and the Rhinecroc at the going out of the Gate took on the right hand entring into a valley and the Count de Gayas remain'd upon the eminence moving still softly on which produc'd two effects for the relief of our people the one as has been said by gathering our squandred men together and the other to succour the Rhinecroc also if he should stand 〈◊〉 need and so we began to open the Gate it being about one of the clock in the night Captain Charry marched out first for it was he who alwayes led the dance Blacon after him the Count de Gayas next and then the Germans who in a trice put themselves into the Valley We immediately heard the fight betwixt our French and the Spaniards Captain Charry routed the two Courts of Guards the one after the other and beat them up as far as that of St. Lazaro whereupon those of the Charter-house came out to relieve their people and came to the Augustins where Blacon had made a halt expecting Captain Charry and there clapt in betwixt them Captain Charry having done his business thought to return hearing very well that they were fighting with Blacon and met the Enemy which redoubled the fight The Count de Gayas could not come to assist him by reason that I had expresly forbid him to engage in the fight till he should first be sure that the Germans were out of danger but in the end he was constrain'd to do as the rest did our two French Companies being driven upon him The Fight continued above a long hour Signior Cornelio and I were without the Gate by the Portcullis and nothing was open but the wicket and there as the Soldiers came one after another we put them in when on a sudden we heard the fight coming towards us some crying France and others Spain when at last they all came up pel mel together to the Portcullis We had torches within the Gates and through the wicket saw a little light by wich we drew the Soldiers in I must needs say there were very valiant men both on the one side and the other for not so much as either French or Italian ever once ran furiously upon us but still fac'd about at the Portcullis and never retir'd but step by step till we pull'd them in All the three Captains were wounded and we there lost what slain and wounded above forty of the best Soldiers we had both French and Italians and in the end we got in all the rest of our people And because before the Sally the Siennois were astonish'd at the departure of the Germans I made Signior Cornelio to go about to the several Guards and to the Forts to reassure our men for no one knew that the Germans were to go away and I my self went to the Palace where I found all the Senate in a very great distraction to whom I spoke as followeth I see well Gentlemen that you have here assembled your selves upon the occasion of the Germans departure and that you are enter'd into some apprehension and jealousie that by that means your City will be lost But I must tell you it is the conservation and not the loss of your City for those six Ensigns devour'd more than the twelve of the Italians and French On the other side I know you must have heard that the said Germans already began to mutiny being no longer able to endure I also discover'd well enough that even their Captains were not like to govern them themselves apprehending that they would go over to the Enemy and you your selves have for five or six days last past heard the Enemy call out to us at the very foot of our walls that we were lost and that our Germans would soon be with them Yet did not this proceed from any default in their Officers but from the impatience of the common Soldiers who were no longer able to suffer Now Gentlemen should you appear dejected upon their departure the world would say that both your courage and ours depended only upon theirs and so we should dishonor our selves to honor them to which I shall never give my consent for you knew all the great fights that have hapned in this siege have been perform'd by you and us only and they have never so much as sallied out of the Town save once only that in spite of me the Rhinecroc would send out his
ground to give the horses to â—at from Mâ—ntalsin to Sienna and from Sienna to Florence I will now give an account of my self after what manner I liv'd I had no manner of advantage no more than the meanest Soldier and my bread weighed no more than twelve ounces and of white bread there was never above seven or eight made whereof three were brought to my Quarters and the rest were saved for some Captain that was sick Neither those of the City nor we from the end of February to the 22th of April ever eat above once a day neither did I ever hear so much as any one Soldier complain and I can assure you the Remonstrances I often made to them serv'd to very good purpose for if they would have gone over to the Enemies Camp the Marquis would have created them very well for the Enemy very much esteem'd our Italian and French Soldiers and in the skirmishes that had happened betwixt us had had very sufficient tryal of their valour I had bought thirty hens and a Cock to get me eggs which Signior Cornelio the Count de Gayas and I eat for we all three constantly eat together at noon in one place and in the evening at another but towards the end of March all these were eaten the Cock and all 'T was pitty we had no more and so I remain'd without â—lesh and without eggs and had nothing to eat but my little loaf with a few pease boyl'd with a little Bacon and Mallows and that but once a day only The desire I had to acquire honor and to put this bafflle upon the Emperor so long to have held his Army in play made me find this so sweet that it was no trouble to me to fast and this pittiful supper with a bit of bread was a feast to me when returning from some skirmish I knew the Enemy to be well drub'd or that I knew them to suffer under the same necessities we did But to return to the Capitulation the Marquis sent to the Duke of Florence and Don Iuan Manricon who was Embassador from the Emperor to the Pope and resided at Florence by reason of the Siege whereupon the said Duke sending a safe conduct the Siennois also sent to the Pope which was Pope Iulio who died two or three days after from whom they received a very scurvey answer he reproaching them with their obstinacy and commanding them to submit to the Duke of Florence his mercy without any condition He was a terrible Pope but the Duke proceeded after a more modest and courteous manner as a Prince ought to do who would gain the hearts of a people and indeed he was one of the greatest Polititians of our times It behooved him so to be to establish his Principality in the time of two of the greatest and most ambitious Princes that ever were who had both of them a great mind to get footing in Italy But the Spaniard was more subtle than we and this Duke manag'd his business very well his name was Cosmo and I believe he is yet living In the mean time Commissioners for eight daies together went and came betwixt Florence and the Camp and upon Monday night the Capitulation was brought to Sienna and the morning before the Marquis had sent a Trumpet to me entreating I would send two Gentlemen out to him in whom I might confide he having something to say to them that he desired I should know and that he was come to St. Lazare to that effect I thereupon sent out to him Signior Cornelio and Captain Charry who being come to him he there acquainted them with the terms of the Capitulation which would that night be brought to the City and that amongst other things there was one Article which exprest that the Sieur de Montluc with his Italian and French Companies and all the Officers of the King should march out with Bag and Baggage Colours flying Drums beating with match lighted and Bullet in mouth but that this Article would do me no good forasmuch as we did not belong to the Siennois but to the King of France and being we did not belong to them they consequently had no power to capitulate for us that therefore I was my self to capitulate in the name of the King my Master which if I thought fit to do he assur'd me I should have what conditions soever I would demand and that his service to the Emperor excepted he would do as much for me as for the Cardinal his Brother that he and I were two poor Gentlemen who by our Arms were arrived to such degrees of honor that the greatest both of France and Italy would be glad to have our places telling them withal he would there stay to expect my answer They found me at Porto Novo walking with Messer Hieronimo Espanos where after I had received his Message I bad them go back and tell him that I very well knew he had read the Roman History wherein he might have taken notice that in the times of the antient warlike Romans they had sent one of their Colonies to inhabit Gascony near to the Pyrhenean Mountains of which Province I was a Native and that if he would not content himself that the Siennois had comprized me in their Capitulation I would at my coming out let him see that I was descended from those warlike Romans who would rather have lost a thousand lives could they have had so many to lose than an inch of their honor that I had rather the Siennois should capitulate for me than I for them and that for my part the name of Montluc should never be found subscrib'd to a Capitulation They then return'd to him to whom having repeated my answer he said to them in Italian Che vol dir questo mi pâ—re che vol jocar a la desperata Altre volte io rose due forteresse con ragione ne per questo ne sui maj represo de l'Imperatâ—re no resta sâ— Majesty a servir si di me Signior Cornelio then told him that I was positive in this determination and would rather put all to the hazard of the sword than to the hazard of a Capitulation Well then said he recommend me to him and tell him I will let him see that I am his friend and that he may march out in all assurance upon the Capitulation of the Siennois or after what manner he pleases himself and so they return'd Oh Camrades you have here a fair exemple before you when you shall find your selves in such an affair never to discover any fear for nothing in the world so much â—â—artles an Enemy as to see the Chief with whom he has to do to be undaunted in all extremities and that he gives him to understand he will rather run the hazard of a Fight than a Capitulation nothing so much puzzels him as that besides the encouragement it gives to your own people I was
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
de Porrieres arriv'd the King sent for him into his Cabinet where after he had read his letters of Credence and his other dispatches finding therein no syllable of this affair and Monsieur de Porrieres making no mention of it neither his Majesty said to him And what Monsieur de Porrieres is Montluc heard of yet he has made a pretty piece of work on 't To which he made answer that he had left me at Rome whereupon the King proceeded and said that he knew that I had lost all the Popes Cavalry and was my self run away Monsieur de Porrieres was very much astonish'd at this news and replied that if this had hapned after his departure it might be so and yet he had been no more than nine dayes in coming His Majesty then made them look how long it was since this news came which they did and found it to be four dayes at which the King said he thought it was only a lye and Banker's news enquiring of Monsieur de Porrieres what piece of folly it was I had committed who thereupon made answer as he has himself told me since Sir I will tell you and I make no doubt but your Majesty will laugh at it at much as we did after which he related to him the whole story and what I had said at my return to the Mareschal de Strozzy Cardinal Caraffa and the Duke of Paliano at which I do assure you I have been told his Majesty laughed very heartily and more than he had been seen to do of a great while before as also did the Constable and all the rest that were present insomuch that I was told the King above eight dayes after seeing Monsieur de Porrieres said to him Well Porrieres has Montluc purchased those places about Paris and never call'd the story to mind but he laughed And as to what I say in my Book that for these hundred years never any man was more fortunate in War than I have been I pray examine and see if you will not acknowledge me to be so in these three occasions which in eight or nine dayes time befell me one after another besides several others you will meet with in this life of mine to have escaped without loss three such dangers which were no little ones A few dayes after the Duke of Alva understood that Monsieur de Guise was coming into Italy to succour the Pope which made him to retire his Camp a little nearer to the sea and afterwards he came and sate down before Ostia The Mareschal then march'd out of Rome with some Ensigns of Italians two of Germans and five or six of French but the Pope would by all means that he should leave him for his defence my Son Marc Anthony and Captain Charry with their Companies The Mareschal went then and encamp'd on this side the Tyâ—er over against Ostia where he entrench'd himself The Duke of Alva before his arrival had made his bridge and erected a Fort above Ostia on the same side where the Mareschal was encamp'd I then sent to him to know if he would have me come to him with five or six Italian and French Ensigns but he would not permit me so to do for fear left the enterprize of Montalsin might not as yet be fully sifted to the bottom And because the said Mareschal with those Italian and French Companies he had with him had not been able to discover the Enemies Fort to see if there was water in the ditch or no he was in the greatest perplexity imaginable for the Duke of Alva was departed from Ostia and retir'd towards the Kingdom of Naples having left only four Italian Ensigns in the Fort and as mâ—ny in Ostia and therefore had caus'd Artillery to come from Rome to batter the said Fort and had sent to intreat the Pope that my Son and Captain Charry might come to him which the Pope also granted to my great misfortune and the ruine of my poor Son who so soon as he and Captain Charry came before the Mareschal he complain'd to them that he had not been able to discover the Fort. The next night it being mâ— Sons turn to mount the Guard he determin'd with himself to effect that wherein 〈◊〉 had faâ—l'd and communicated his design to Captain Charry and the Baron de Begnac who was also at that time upon the Guard He fail'd not accordingly to execute his resolution for the next day seeing the Enemies sally out according to their custom to fetch in Bavins he follow'd them and without fear of the Harquebuze shot puâ—sued them fighting to the very ditch of the Fort where he discovered as exactly and with as much judgement as he had been an old Captain but in his return a cursed shot hit him in the Body notwithstanding which he went upon his own feet to the said Mareschals quarters saying that before he dyed he would give an account of what he had seen The said Mareschal so soon as he arriv'd at his Tent laid him upon his own bed where the poor Boy almost expiring told him what he had seen assuring hâ—m that the ditch was dry whatever he might have been told to the contrary presently after which he gave up the Ghost The Mareschal the next day sent his body to the Cardinal of Armagnac and the Sieur de Lansac to Rome who enterr'd him as honorably â—s he had been the Son of a great Prince The Pope the Cardinals and all the people of Rome exprest great sorrow for his death Had God been pleased to have preserv'd him to me I had made him a great Souldier for besides that he was very stout I ever observ'd in him a discretion above his age Nature had done him a little wrong for he was but little but strong and well knit and as to the rest elâ—quent and desirous to learn If the Mareschal de Cosse be yet living Marc Anthony serv'd under him at Mariamburg and he if he pleases can testifie should any one contradict what I write whether I lye or no and though it does not very well become Fathers to commend their own children yet being he is dead and so many witnesses of the truth of what I deliver I shall I conceive appear excuseable and worthy to be pardon'd Now to execute the command the King had given me in Tuscany I ask'd leave of the Pope to go to Montalsin who after great importunity would permit me but for fifteen days only making me leave my great horses and all my baggage behind which Monsieur de Strozzy was fain to send out after me saying they were his own and by his own servants The Cardinal of Armagnac also sent me out my Sumpter Mules cover'd with his own Sumpter-cloths pretending to send them to the house of another Cardinal where he us'd to stay sometimes twelve or fifteen days together by which means I got all my things out of Rome During the
de Montpensier both fell upon me to perswade me to accept of this Command forasmuch as I remember the King said to me there is no more excuse for you see all the world is against you and thereupon commanded the Cardinal to order me another thousand Crowns towards my Equipage which he presently did I then return'd to Paris where I stayd but two dayes to provide my self of such things as I wanted and so went away to the Duke of Guise to Metz. I found him just mounting to horse to go to discover Thionville but he would not suffer me to go along with him by reason of my long Journey and to speak the truth I was not very well and the same night he return'd and told me that if God would permit us to take that place there was honor to be got He was alwaies wont when dispos'd to be merry to call me his heart and smiling then said to me Courage my heart I hope we shall carry it And in the morning we departed for he had all his tackle ready I must needs say one thing with truth and without flattery that he was one of the most diligent Generals that I had serv'd of eighteen under whom I had the honor to bear arms for his Majesties service and yet he had one fault which was that he would write almost every thing with his own hand and would not trust to any Secretary he had I will not say this was ill done but it rendred him a little slow and affairs of war require so prompt a diligence that a quarter of an hours delay sometimes endangers the success of the greatest Enterprize One day I came from the Trenches to demand of him four German Ensigns to reinforce our Guards for we began to approach very near to the Town and because the Artillery from the walls had forced him from his first Quarter he was lodg'd in a little low house which had one little Chamber only the window whereof was just over the door I there met with Monsieur de Bourdillon who was since Mareschal of France whom I asked where the Duke was he told me he was writing the Devil said I take all these writings for me it seems he has a mind to save his Secretaries a labour 't is pitty he was not a Clerk of the Parliament of Paris for he would have got more money than du Tillot and all the rest of them put together Monsieur Bourdiâ—â—on was ready to die with laughing because he knew which I dream't not on that the Duke heard every word I said and therefore egg'd me on still to descant more upon this Clerk when presently Monsieur de Guise came out laughing and said How now my heart what do you think I should have made a good Clerk but in my life I was never so out of countenance and was furiously angry with Monsieur de Bourdillon for having made me talk at that rate though the Duke laught at it only and gave me Count Rocquendolf with four Ensigns But to return to what I was saying of his diligence there was not any one who did not acknowledge him for one of the most vigilant and diligent Generals of our times and withal a man of so great judgment in deliberation that he having deliver'd his opinion and advice a better was not to be expected As to the rest a Prince so discreet affable and familiar that there was not a man in his Army who would not cheerfully run all hazards for the least word of his mouth so great a dexterity he had in gaining hearts Onely his dispatches took up a little too much of his time I think because he durst not trust his Secretaries a sort of men that do us a great deal of mischief and 't is very rare to find out one that is faithful He besieg'd the Town then on that side beyond the River the River being between which he caus'd to be sounded to try if it was not very deep by five or six Soldiers that I brought with me we were not above five or six with him of which number were Monsieur de Bourdillon and Monsieur de Cire and we found that some of the Soldiers had water up to the Codpiece and others to the Girdle I then told him that in case this was the weakest side he ought not to deferre making his Battery for I doubted not to make the Soldiers pass over to the assault and that I my self would lead them the way The night following we planted Gabions upon the bank of the River and in the morning by break of day the Arâ—â—llery began to thunder against the Tower which was open'd on the left hand towards a Ravelin that flanckt the said Tower as also was a little Turrer betwixt the great Tower and the Ravelin This was all that could be done at that place The Enemy planted ten or twelve great pieces of Canon just over against our Artillery and about eleven of the clock in the morning began to make a Counter-battery with which before two a clock in the afternoon they had beaten all our Gabions to pieces excepting one and the half of another behind which ten or a dozen of us that were there squat with our bellies close to the ground for all the Soldiers and Pioneers were constrain'd to quit the post and to go throw themselves behind another Trench above sixscore paces behind us so that durst the Enemy have ventur'd over the water they might have taken our Artillery and at great â—ase have thrown them into the River for the Soldiers that were retired to the other Trench could not have come up to relieve us but at the mercy of their Canon and smaller shot forasmuch as the River was not above threescore and ten paces over and ran within four foot of the Wall Monsieur le Marquis d' Elloeuf with fourteen or fifteen Gentlemen of the Dukes Train never forsook me of all the while and so we lay till dark night that we planted new Gabions and double the number but it was all to no purpose for we could do no good with our Battery against the Wall forasmuch as they had cast up great Terrasses within so broad that two or thâ—ee Coaches might have gone upon them abreast both in that place and elsewhere quite round the Town in my life I never saw a Fortress better fortified than that was Monsieur de Guise then call'd a Council where every one was of opinion that he should draw off his Artillery from that place and lodge all our Infantry and Germans on the other side the River and there to begin his Trenches as near as he could to the Wall This being resolv'd upon the said Duke caused a Bridg in extreme diligence to be presently made and we passed the River over it though the plancks were not as yet nail'd and encampt in a Village about five or six hundred paces distant from the City
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
and told me that there was no Centinel upon the Terrass so that he thought if we should throw our selves desperately upon the Terrass we should carry the Town Hearing this I caused a Court of Guard that was much stronger than the rest it being design'd to guard the Artillery to come up to me making the Soldiers to creep on their hands and knees and to put themselves into the Ditch I then made the Soldier return to the Ditch with three or four Harquebuzeers and two Captains with Targets of which Monsieur de Goas was one The night was so very dark that a man could not see a step from him and this Soldier was a Fleming He goes down into the Ditch the Captains after him and the three or four Harquebuzeers after them and so soon as they were in the Ditch they planted themselves on that side of it towards the Town and as near as they could to the steps The Enemy hearing the noise began to cry who goes there and the Soldier answer'd them in their own language a friend a friend they then demanded of him what he was to which he made answer that he was a Fleming and that being their Countryman he very much lamented their ruine for that all the Artillery Monsieur de Guise had would be planted in battery by morning and that they were not to trust to the Germans who were with them in the Town for they were assur'd to have no harm nor the least offence from our people they having already made them that promise by a German Soldier who stole out in the close of the evening to speak with us so that all the slaughter would fall upon them if they did not surrender which also would be too late after the Canon had once playd Upon this they sent immediately to the Germans Quarters and found that a Soldier of ours who spake Dutch was talking to them so that so soon as their Messenger return'd this Souldier heard them all in a hurly-burly within and began to ask them if they would make him drink to which they answered they would and bad him come up boldlâ— upon their word and faith I heard every word for I was not above six paces from the brinâ—â— of the Graffe and made the other two Captains go one after another into it and three or four Serjeants with Halberts after them The Soldier then mounted the steps till he came to the edge of the Terrass where he again spoke to them saying that Monsieur de Guise had made fair War with those of Thionville and would do the same by them still amusing them with fair speeches and they fetcht him some drink Monsieur de Goas was just behind the Soldier and three Harquebuzeers one after another for they could mount but one by one in heels of him whom this first Soldier so shaded with his body that they could not see down the steps The other Captain followed in the rear of the three Harquebuzeers and the Serjeants after him insomuch that all the steps were full from the top to the bottom which when Monsieur de Goas saw he pusht the Soldier that was before him upon the Terrass and the other Captain the other three Harquebuzeers and and then the Soldier began to cry goot Krich which is to say good Quarter good Quarter the Harquebuzeers gave fire and the Captains threw themselves upon the Counterscarp and every body after them and these poor people fled to their Quarters the Soldiers chasing them thorough the streets I then leapt into the Ditch with the rest of my men mounting the Souldiers as fast as I could one after another The Germans who saw themselves surpriz'd behind at the request of the Soldier that spoke Dutch very courteously open'd a Postern and gave themselves up to the discretion of the Soldiers wherein our men did an act worthy the highest commendation and by which they shewed themselves to be old Soldiers for there was not four men kill'd in the whole Town but on the contrary they themselves led our people to the houses where the best booty was to be had And thus the Town was taken Monsieur de Guise who had given order that no one should disturb him but let him that night sleep his fill knew nothing of all this till break of day that asking if the Artillery had begun to play they told him the Town was already taken from abouâ— midnight and the Artillery return'd back to its place which made him make the Sâ—gn of the Cross saying this is quick work when presently making himself ready and mounting to horse he came up to us Now by misfoâ—tune the fire hâ—d taken in two or three houses by reason of some powder that was found in them which in removing thence accidentally took fire and burnt four or five Soldâ—ers so that the Town being almâ—st fâ—ll of flax ready drest for spinning and the wind being very high no so good means could be us'd but that above half the Town was rednâ—'d to ashes by reason where of the Soldiers did not get so much as otherwise they had done The next day Monsieur de Guise marched away with all his Army and never staid till he came to Pierre pâ—nt where himself and all the Gentlemen of his Train lodg'd in the Town which was very large whilst 〈◊〉 encampt without on boâ—h sides the River and there it was that the Swiss came to us and Iohn William Dâ—ke of Saxony who brought a great and very brave Troop of Reiâ—rs along with him and if I mistake not a Regiment of Germans also The King himself likewise came and lay â—t Marches a house belonging to the Cardinal of Lorrain which altogether made up the greatest and the bravest Army that I thâ—nk ever King of France had for when the King would see them all drawn into Battalia they took up above a leagâ—e and a half in length and when the Van began to march to go back to the Râ—ar and to return back to the Front took up three hours time Two hours before day Messiâ—urs de Bourdillon and de Taâ—annes Mareschaux de Camp came to the place assign'd for the Rendezvouz where as we came they still drew us up and before all the Army was in Battalia it was above eight hours and was excessively hot Monsieur de Guise came himself by break of day and helped to put the Army into Battalia I with my French Foot was placed betwixt the Swiss and a Battalion of Germans where as Monsieur de Guise past by the head of our Battalion he said Would to God we had some good fellow here with a bottle of wine and a crust of bread that I might drink a glass or two for I shall not have time to go dine at Pierre-point and be back again before the King comes whereupon I said to him Sir will you please to dine with me at my Tents which was not above
to the utmost of what you are able to perform and enter into the place with safety than walking at your case to be kill'd and not to enter into it wherein your selves will be the cause of your own death and the loss of the place and where you might by your dâ—ligence gain a brave reputation you will by loytering at your ease finish your life and your 〈◊〉 together and never excuse your selves upon the Souldiers nor make the Enterprize seem difficult unto them but always easie and above all things be sure to carry provision along with you especially bread and wine wherewith to refresh them by the way for as I have said before humane bodies are not made of iron always speaking chearfully to them by the way and encouraging them to go on representing to them the great honor they will acquire to themselves and the signal service they shall perform for the King and doubt not but proceeding after that manner men will go as far and farther than horses I advise you to nothing that I have not often done my self and caus'd to be done as you will find in the reading my Book for after horses are once tir'd you shall not make them budge a step with all the spurs you have but men are supported by their courage and require not so much time for refreshing they eat as they go and chear one another upon their march It will therefore Fellow Captains stick only at you do then as I have often done forsake your horses and fairly on foot at the head of your men shew them that you will undergo the same labour they do by which means you will make them do any thing you will and your example will enflame the courages and redouble the Forces of the most tir'd and overspent of all the Company Two or three days after the King mov'd with all his Army directly towards Amiens and in his first or second days march arriv'd the Gentleman from the Governor of Corbie who found his Majesty marching his Army in the field where he brought him news that Captain Brueil was entred safe into Corbie which was a great satisfaction both to his said Majesty and the whole Army to know that this place was secured whereupon his Majesty merrily said to Monsieur de Guise Who shall be the first to tell Montluc this news for I for my part will not be he Nor I neither said Monsieur de Guise for so soon as he shall hear it he will so crow there will be no dealing with him which they said because they had all of them been of opinion that it was impossible for foot to perform so long a a journey The next day his Majesty was advertised that the King of Spain had made a halt a little League from Corbie and made no shew of having any intention to besiege that place which made the King think that by reason of the succours it had receiv'd he would make no attempt against it and thereupon it presently came into his head that he would march directly to Amiens which having no more than one or two foot Companies in Garrison he immediately sent away the Marquis de Villars who is yet living with three hundred men at arms to go in extreme diligence and put himself into it commanding me to send away other seven Ensigns to follow after him with all the haste they possibly could make which I accordingly did and gave the charge of conducting them to Captain Forces who is yet living and being the Captains and Souldiers had all heard what commendations both the King and all the Army had given Captain Brueil for the haste he had made in going to relieve Corbie they would do the same and arriv'd as soon as the said Marquis at Amiens for nothing so much excites men of our Trade as glory and the desire to do as well or better than another Two or three days before this his Majesty had sent three Companies also into Dourlans and so with all great ease provided for the safety of these three important places So soon as the King was come to Amiens the King of Spain's Army also arriv'd and encamp'd within a League the River betwixt them and there the Treaty of peace was set on foot of which the Constable and the Mareschal de S. Andre had made the first overtures during the time of their imprisonment in Spain in order to which I think there was a truce from the beginning because nothing of action past on either side at least that I remember for I fell very sick of a double Tertian Ague which I got not by excess of revelling and dancing but by passing the nights without sleep sometimes in the cold sometimes in the heat always in action and never at rest It was well for me that God gave me an able body and a strong constitution for I have put this carcass of mine as much to the proof as any Souldier whatsoever of my time After all the going to and again that lasted for above two months the peace was in the end concluded to the great misfortune principally of the King and generally of the whole Kingdom This peace being cause of the surrender of all the Countreys conquer'd and the Conquests made both by King Francis and Henry which were not so inconsiderable but that they were computed to be as much as a third part of the Kingdom of France and I have read in a Book writ in Spanish that upon this accomodation the King deliver'd up an hundred fourscore and eighteen Fortresses wherein he kept Garison by which I leave any one to judge how many more were in dependance and under the obedience of these All we who bear Arms may affirm with truth that God had given us the best King for Souldiers that ever Reign'd in this Kingdom and as for his people they were so affectionate to him that not one of them ever repin'd to lay out his substance to assist him in the carrying on of so many Wars as he had continually upon his hands I shall not condemn those who were the Authors of this peace for every one must needs believe they did â—t to good intent and that had they foreseen the mischiefs that ensu'd upon it they would never have put a hand to the work for they were so good servants of the Kings and lov'd him so well as they had good and just reason to do that they would rather have dy'd in Captivity than have done it which I say because the Constable and the Mareschal de S. Andre were the first movers and promoters of it who themselves have seen the death of the King and themselves shar'd in the mishaps that have since befallen this miserable Kingdom wherein they both dyed with their swords in their hands who otherwise might yet perhaps have been alive by which any one may conclude that they did not make this peace foreseeing the
mischiefs it has since produc'd which rightly to comprehend let us consider the happiness wherewith God was pleas'd to bless this Kingdom in giving it â—o brave and magnanimous a King his Kingdom rich and his people so affectionately obedient that they would deny him nothing to assist him in his Conquests together with so many great and brave Captains most of which had been yet alive had they not devour'd one another in these late civil Wars Oh had this good King but liv'd or this unlucky peace never been made he would have sent the Lutherans packing into Germany with a vengeance As to the rest our good Master had four Sons all Princes of great hope and singular expectation and such as from whom his Majesty in his declining years might expect the repose and comfort of his old Age and consider them â— proper instruments for the execution of his high and generous designs The other Kings his neighbours could not boast of this for the King of Spain had one Son only of which never any one conceiv'd any great hopes and he prov'd accordingly the Kingdom of England was in the Government of a Woman the Kingdom of Scotland neighbour to â—â— stood for us and was ours France having a Dolphin King by all which any one may judge that had not this unlucky peace been concluded the Father or his Sons had sway'd all Europe Piedmont the Nursery of brave men had been ours by which we had a door into Italy and perhaps a good step into it and we had seen all things turn'd topsie â—urvy Then those who have so brav'd and harassed this Kingdom durst not have shew'd their heads have stirr'd nor so much as projected or thought of what they have executed since But 't is done and past without any possible remedy and nothing remains to us but sorrow and affliction for the loss of so good and so valiant a King and to me of so gracious and liberal a Master with the mishaps that have since befallen this miserable Kingdom well may we call it so in comparison of what it was before when we stil'd it the most great and opulent Kingdom in Arms good Captains the obedience of the people and in riches that was in the whole world After this unhappy and unfortunate peace the King retir'd himself to Beauvais but Monsieur de Guise still remain'd in the Camp to dismiss the Army Before his Majesties departure I surrendred up the Commission he had made me to accept by force Neither ought it to appear strange that I disputed it so long before I would take that employment upon me for I doubted well that would befal me which afterwards did which was to incur the perpetual disgrace of the House of Montmorency more than that of Chastillon which was more nearly concern'd in the affair than the other But there is no remedy a man cannot live in this world without contracting some Enemies unless he were a God I accompanied Monsieur de Guise as far as Beauvais and from thence retir'd to Paris he having first promis'd to obtain me leave to go into Gascony and moreover to cause money to be given me to defray my journey thither for he knew very well I had not one peny Both which I am confident he would have perform'd but so soon as he came to Beauvais he found a new face of affairs others having slept in betwixt him and home and undermined him in his credit with the King Thus goes the world but it was a very sudden change and much wondred at by those who had follow'd him in the Conquests he had made he having repair'd all the disasters of others and manifested to the King of Spain that neither the loss of the Battel of S. Quintine nor that of Graveline had reduc'd the King to such a condition but that he had yet one or two Armies stronger than those having as to the rest taken almost impregnable places But let them deal it out These are things that very often fall out in the Courts of Princes and I wonder not that I have had my share since far greater than I have run the same fortune and will do for the time to come Now the King of Navarre had been driving on some enterprize or another in Bisâ—ay which in the end prov'd double and entreated the King to give me leave to go along with him for that he was resolv'd to execute it in his own person having an opinion that Monsieur de Bâ—ry had fail'd through his own default and so I went along with him without any other advantages from Court than bare promises only and the good will of the King my Master but he was diverâ—ed from his liberalities both to me and to others who deserv'd it as well and perhaps better than I. We went then to Bayonne where we found that he who was entrusted to carry on this affair and whose name was Gamure plaid double and intended to have caused the King of Navarre himself to be taken whereupon he sent back Monsieur de Duras with the Legionnaries and also the Bearnois he had caus'd to advance thither in order to his design I had brought with me three force and five Gentlemen all arm'd and bravely mounted who were come thither for the love they bore to me and being return'd home to my own house within a very few days after came the gift the King had been pleas'd to give me of the Company of Gens d' armes become vacant by the death of Monsieur de la Guiche wherein his Majesty had no little to do to be as good as his word and to disengage himself from the several Traverses and obstacles my Enemies strew'd in his way to hinder me from having that command nevertheless the King carried it against them all more by anger than otherwise he being in the end constrained to tell them that he had made me a promise of the first vacancy and would be as good as his word and that therefore no man was to speak a word more to the contrary I made my first muster at Beaumont de Loumaigne one la Peyrie being Muster-Master At this time those unhappy Marriages were solemniz'd and those unfortunate Triumphs and Tiltings held at Court The joy whereof was very short and lasted but a very little space the death of the King ensuing upon it running against that accursed Montgomery who I would to God had never been born for his whole life was nothing but mischief and he made as miserable an end Being one day at Nerac the King of Nâ—varre shew'd me a Letter that Monsieur de Guise had writ him wherein he gave him notice of the days of Tilting in which the King himself was to be in person his Majesty with the Dukes de Guise de Ferrara and de Nemours being Challengers I shall never forget a word I said to the King of Navarre which also I had often heard spoken before
and his Crown and yet some have not been asham'd to accuse me of polling from the Kings Treasury and of imposing taxes upon the Country to enrich my self God and the truth are on my side and the testimony of the Estates of Guienne who will make it known to all those who have made all these false reports of me to their Majesties that I have never done any such thing But letting this alone I will return to the Justice Monsieur de Burie and I did with our vertuous Commissioners Compain and Gerard who remain'd a long time without appearing in any place or it being so much as known where they were Which made me solicite Monsieur de Burie to let us speedily fall to our business and that since our Commissioners did not come we would make use of the Counsellors of Agen. Yet still we linger'd away the time in delays whilst I had intelligence daily brought me that the Hugonots continued their damnable Conspiracies There was at this time a Lieutenant of the Tribunal of Condom call'd du Franc a very honest man and a good servant of the Kings who was once half in mind to have gone over to this new Religion for he was not the Son of a good Mother that was not one of them this man was one day call'd to a Council in which there were some persons of very great quality and where he heard an accursed and execrable Proposition which being once propos'd he durst not when it came to his turn to deliver his opinion say 〈◊〉 than the rest had done fearing should he contradict it they would put him 〈…〉 lest he should discover their Council and was therefore constrain'd to go thorouâ—◠〈◊〉 as the rest had done I shall not say where this Council was kept much less name th◠〈◊〉 who were present at it for the Council and the Proposition signifie nothing now and there were some in the Company who are since become very honest men He sent to 〈…〉 that he might have some private conference with me betwixt Sampâ—y and Condâ—â— and appointed an hour I took no more company with me but one Footman only and he another for so we had agreed and we met in a meadow that lay under the Hâ—use of Monsieur de Sainctorens where he told me all that had been said in the Council and what had there been concluded which was such a Conspiracy as so God shall help me made my hair stand an end to hear it After he had ended his story he made me the Remonstrance of an honest man telling me that now an occasion presented it self wherein I might acquire honor to my self and those who should descend from me for ever which was with a couragious and magnanimous heart to take arms and to expose my life to all dangers for the safeguard of those poor children who were the sons of so good a King and as yet in no better an age to defend themselves that if they were in their cradles and that God would assist me seeing me take arms to protect the innocent and those who were no way able to defend themselves To this this good man added so many and so powerful Remonstrances that as I shall be sav'd the tears came into my eyes entreating me withal not to discover him for if I should he was a dead man He told me further that as to what concern'd my self they had consulted about me and determin'd to surprize me in one place or another and that if they could get me into their hands they would deal worse by me than they had done by Monsieur de Fumel Nothing of all their Conspiracies was conceal'd from the said Lieutenant because they thought him sure of their side so dexterously did he behave himself amongst them but he afterwards shew'd them the contrary several times exposing his life in the City of Condom with his Sword in his hand in defence of the Kings Authority But however it came to pass he was afterward either by poyson or some other violent means dispatch'd out of the world for this very business I thought he had never discover'd himself but to me only but I found that he had told the same thing to Monsieur de Gondrin who was a very intimate friend of his and to Monsieur de Maillac Receiver of Guienne for they were both as it were Brothers For my part I never open'd my lips concerning it to any one living but to the Queen at Tholouze by the chimney of her Chamber at which her Majesty was very much astonish'd as she had very good reason to be for more horried and Diabolical designs were never heard of and yet very great persons were of the Conspiracy Having heard all these abominable designs I retir'd to my own house at Sampoy where I concluded with my self to lay aside all manner of fear resolving to sell my skin as deaâ— as I could as knowing very well that if I once fell into their hands and was left to their mercy the greatest piece of my body would be no bigger than my little finger Moreover determining to execute all the cruelty I could and especially against those who spoke against the Royal Majesty for I saw very well that gentle ways would never reclaim those canker'd and inveâ—erate Rascals Monsieur de Burie departed from Bourdeaux sending me word of the day he intended to be at Clairac that we might there together resolve where we ought to begin our Circuit He sent me also Letters the Commissioners had writ to him wherein they appointed us to come to Cahors there to begin against the Catholicks in answer to which I writ to him back again that he should well consider the Patent and that there he wâ—uld find the Queen had commanded us to go and begin at Fumel The Letters of these two honorable Gentlemen were of so audacious and impudent a stile as that by them they gave us to understand that they were the principal Commissioners and that we had no authority saving to justifie their proceedings and to be assisting in the execution of their Decrees Now there was a Village two Leagues from Estillac call'd S. Mezard the greatest part whereof belong'd to the Sieur de Rouillac a Gentleman of eight or ten thousand Livers a year Four or five days before I came thither the Hugonots his Tenants were risen up against him because he offer'd to hinder them from breaking open the Church and taking away the Chalices and kept him four and twenty hours besieg'd in his own house so that had it not been for a Brother of his call'd Monsieur de S. Aignan and some other Gentlemen his neighbours who came in to his relief they had certainly cut his throat as also those of Ostfort would have done to the Sieurs de Cuq and de la Montjoye so that already there began to be open War against the Gentry I privately got two Hangmen which they have since
as good as my word It was not two hours before Rance the King of Navarres Secretary arriv'd and brought news to Monsieur de Burie that the Prince of Conde was in arms and had seiz'd of Orleans telling wonders of the prodigious Forces the said Prince had with him in comparison of those of the King and that the King of of Navarre the Constable Monsieur de Guise and the Mareschal de S. Andre were together who could not all raise so much as one man with a thousand other flâ—m-flam stories Whereupon the said Sieur de Burie expresly forbad him to speak a word to any one else telling him it would be as much as his life was worth should I come to hear the least whisper of it He sent also privately to the Commissioners to get away before the news should be publish'd for otherwise it would not be in his power to save them from being put to death and he was in the right for I would infallibly have done their business They needed not to be bid twice but immediately sneak'd away in great secrecy so that I know nothing of their departure till the next day and search'd very diligently for Monsieur Rance who had he fallen into my hands I think I should have taught him to carry news Upon this untoward news we were of opinion to go directly to Montauban and put our selves into the Town before it revolted for we understood that the City of Agen was revolted and had seiz'd upon their Catholick Officers Consuls and Canons and accordingly that night went to S. Anthony thinking the next day to enter into Montauban but before we were got half way we heard that the Town was revolted which made us turn directly towards Ville Neufue d' Agenois and found that all was revolted We then came to a Village call'd Gallapian near unto Port S. Marie and found that Port S. Marie was also revolted for those people had laid their design long before hand and had carried their business very close And there we concluded that Monsieur de Burie with the four Companies of Gens d' armes should go put himself into Bourdeaux and that I with that of the King of Navarre which was at Condom that of the Mareschal de Termes and my own should pass over the Garonne towards Gascony and keep my self in the open Champain towards Tholouze and Beaumont de Lomange which being resolv'd upon betwixt us and we just ready to depart there arriv'd Captain St. Geme who brought me Letters from the King the contents wheâ—eof were these Monsieur de Montluc I Entreat you if ever you desire to do me a signal piece of service that immediately and in all diligence you come away to me with the Mareschal de Termes his Company and your own and six Companies of Foot for which I send you Commissions with blanks for the Captains names for you better know who deserve to be preferr'd to these Commonds then I therefore leaving all things I entreat you to come away for we must save the body of the Tree which being preserv'd the branches will every day recover c. These were the contents of my Letter and that of Monsieur de Burie made mention of what his Majesty had written to me telling him withal that he was to take the best order he could in Guienne for his Majesty knew nothing as yet of its revolt Monsieur de Burie then took his way directly to Thoneins where he found Mâ—ssâ—eurs de Caumont and de Duras which said Sieur de Caumont had been importun'd by their Chuâ—ches to be their Head but he would never be perswaded to it no more would Monsieur de Duras though in the end he was constrain'd to take it upon him at the perswasion of a person of greater Quality than himself both which Gentlemen 〈◊〉 themselves with great civility and respect and demanded nothing of him for they still try'd to win him by obligation but he was an honest man He went then straight to Bourdeaux and the mischief on 't was that he sent away all his four Companies towards Xâ—intonge so that he remain'd naked and alone in Bourdeaux saving for five and twenty Harquâ—buzeers of his Guard And the same day that we parted I came to Quarter at the house of Monsieur de Beaumont near unto Agen and in the neighbouring Villages where I dispos'd of the six Commissions the King hâ—d sent me namely to Captain Charry two to Captain Bazordan other two one to my Nephew the Baron of Clermont and the other to Captain Arne The Sieurs de Canâ—on de Montferran and all the Catholick Gentry of Agenois were come in to me and began to murmure amongst one another in the Hall that if I left them they were all lost and their wives children and houses ruin'd and destroy'd For Lectoure another strong place was also revolted by which means the Gentry of Gascony had no place to retire unto for safety but were enforc'd to fly to me so that they concluded among themselves that in case I should resolve to go away to the King as his Majesty had commanded and offer to leave them without a Head that they must be fain to detain me in the nature of a Prisoner and not suffer me to depart In the Evening I assembled all these Gentlemen together where I remonstrated to them that it would be necessary I should send away in all diligence to the King to acquaint his Majesty with the revolt of all Guienne Tholouze and Bourdeaux excepted which also if they were not suddenly reliev'd would be in great danger to be lost as well as the rest Which they all approving I immediately dispatch'd away Captain Cossâ—il to give the King and Queen an account of all that had past which I had no sooner done but that Monsieur du Masles who dyed lately at Limoges and at that time carried the Marescal de Termes his Cornet told me before all the Company that I had done very well to take this resolution for otherwise they had determin'd amongst themselves to detain me by force In the morning we past the River at two or three Ferries with danger enough for Leyrac was revolted as also was the whole Country of Bazadois la Reolle excepted and all as far as the very Gates of Tholouze excepting Avillar and Condom where Captain Arne lay with the King of Navarres Company which also before his coming thither had twice revolted but the Lieutenant General du Franc whom I have spoke of before had taken Arms to defend the Kings Authority and got the upperhand nevereheless in the end he would not have been able to have kept it without the said Company that I sent into it I quarter'd my own Company at la Sauvetat de Gaure and Monsieur de Terride had his round about his house in his own Territories for Beaumont was also revolted Monsieur de Gondrin and I conferr'd together at
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
nothing of me I sent to the Avant-Coureurs still to go on and that I would follow after which they did and at last discover'd them half a quarter of a League from Nerac we still at a long trot following after but in vain for they got safe into the Town I had a great mind to have been fingering those arms to arm our new rais'd and naked men This was the naughty beginning of our War in Guienne wherein the Hugonots took us at unawares and unprovided so that it is a miraculous thing how this Country could save it self considering the secret intelligences the Rebels had in all the Cities of the Province but they shew'd themselves Novices and indeed they were guided by their Ministers only if before they had made so many Surprizes they had attempted Bourdeaux and Tholouze they had not fail'd of carrying the one or the other and possibly both but we were already upon our Guards and God preserv'd those two Forts the Bulwarks of Guienne to save all the râ—st I very much broke their designs by sending people every where and never resting long in a place for by so doing a Kings Lieutenant shall hold all the world in suspence because they cannot guess at his design every one imagining that he is coming upon him whereas should he always lie still in one Quarter he cannot provide against all accidents nor come in time where there is immediate and pressing need and also your being seâ—tled in one place gives a great advantage to your Enemy who by that means has his arms at liberty to do what he will but I was not only my self in continual motion but also with Letters and Messages was perpetually soliciting and employing all the Friends we had Believe me you who have the honor to be Governors of Provinces it is a very good thing and of great utility to your Prince to keep a correspondence by Letters with those you know have never so little interest in the Country and I am certain that had I not done so the greatest part would have sided with these new people who have made all this fine work in the Kingdom Soon after Captain Cosseil return'd with Letters from the King and Queen wherein they commanded me to stay in Guienne there to do them the best service I could for the conservation of the Country recommending to me the care of their affairs in more honorable expressions than I could any way deserve By which I discern'd their Majesties were in great anxiety especially the Queen who writ me a very pitiful Letter The great ones sometimes when it pleases God have need of the small they must now and then be put in mind that they are men and women as the rest of the world are for if all should go as they would have it they would not so much regard those that do them service as when they see themselves distrest but consume the time in Plays Masquerades and Triumphs which are the cause of their ruine as it hapned to my good Master who running at Tilt for his pleasure was unfortunately slain which he could not have been in war he would have been too well guarded for that 'T is an old saying that men scratch always where they â—â—ch and I also am senseable when I rub upon the old sore which is the loss of my good King whom I lament and shall do the longest day I have to live Not long after Monsieur de Duras took his way all along by the River Garonne and rendezvouz'd his Army at Clairac Toneins and Marmanda which consisted of thirteen Ensigns of Foot and seven Cornets of Horse and so soon as the Pardaillans Savignac Captain of the Guard to Monsieur de Burie Salignac and other Chiefs were ready to execute their Enterprize upon Chasteau Trompette Monsieur de Duras march'd towards Montsâ—gâ—r and the places adjacent to Cadillac with a great number of Boats wherein he had ship'd the best of his Souldiers to present themselves in the beginning of the night before Chasteau Trompette where the forenam'd Captains had thought to have been got in and by it to have given them entrance into the City But their enterprize succeeded ill for Monsieur de Vaillac the Father was circumspect and would not let le Puch de Pardaillan his Brother in Law re-enter who pretended to be in great fear saying that those of the City had a design to take him and Captain de la Salle who belong'd to Monsieur de Vaillac did also very good service upon that occasion Now this hapned at one of the clock in the night and all the City was in an alarm Monsieur de Burie was at the Maierie â—he Inhabitants betook themselves to arms and fell upon the Hugonots but the said Sieur kept himsâ—lf in the Maierie with some Gentlemen of his Guard and those but very few fâ—r most of them were of the Conspiracy whereof some escap'd over the walls and under a Palâ—â—sado that goes down towards the River They were above two or three hundred Conspirators some of which were taken and as Monsieur de Duras his people who were in the Boats were under Cadillac they met with the Count de Candalle Son to Monsieâ—â— de Candalle as he was coming from Bourdeaux to the said Cadillac whom they took Prisoner and sent him to the Queen of Navarre who was at Duras but newly come from Court and who made him promise her to take arms for their Religion upon which promise she let him go to his own house where he staid for a few dayes making shew as if he meant to go joyn with Monsieur de Duras but it was only to expect when I should draw near that he might come in to me as he did saying it was a promisâ— extorted from him by force which he was no wayes obliged to keep being no prisoner of Warre Ever since which time this Count has been a mortal Enemy to the House of Duras At this time Monsieur de Burie dispatch'd away to me Raze his Secretary post entreating me to come to his relief or that otherwise the City would be lost for he had no Forces with him and besides there was not one grain of corn in the City insomuch that he was reduc'd in a manner to Famine by reason that the Enemy vvere possest of all the Rivâ—r of Garonne and that of Dordogne vvhich are the tvvo Teats that nourish the City of Bourdeaux I immediately sent back the said Raze to assure Monsieur de Burie that I vvould soon be vvith him and in order thereunto presently dispatch'd avvay to Captain Masses to come to me vvith the Mareschal de Termes his Company and to Captain Arne to send me forâ—y Launces of the Company belonging to the King of Navarre commanding him vvithal not to stir from Condom but stay to keep the Country in avv and to take care the Tovvn did not revolt I sent likevvise to Captain Bazordan
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
la Sampoy and as far as Condom for succours to come in to besiege them which every one did so that there came in to him above two thousand men He dispatcht away a Courier to me also in all haste giving me to understand that if I would come thither with the Artillery we might take Lectoure for that all the good men that belong'd to it he kept shut up in Terraube to the number of four hundred men together with the two Begolles Nephews to Monsieur d'Aussun who were also coop't up with the rest I shewed the Letter to Monsieur de Burie and we had some dispute upon it he being unwilling to suffer me to take any of the Foot Companies but in the end he granted me the Baron of Clermont my Nephew to whom I had given a Company of recruit and Monsieur d'Ortobie and de Fredeville immediately yoked three pieces of Canon and went before to Moissac to prepare the Boats so that when the Canon came they found the Boats all ready and all night long we did nothing but pass the River I then sent a Quarter-Master from Village to Village to get Oxen ready to relieve the others which having done I gallop'd away before and found that Captain Montluc had besieg'd the Town and that the four hundred men which were in Terraube had surrendred to him upon Quarter for life Captain Mesmes advanc't as far as the River Baise within a League of the said Terraube when hearing the others were besieg'd he went back the same way he came and retir'd himself into a little Village called Roquibrune near unto Viefezensac My Nephew Monsieur de Gohas who had been Lieutenant to Monsieur de la Moth-Gondrin in Piedmont and had married his Daughter hearing of his motion had taken the Field with some Gentlemen his Neighbours and some Country-fellows whom he had call'd together by the ringing of a Bell and putting himself in his Rear had constrain'd him to take into Roquebrune for his safety where the Peasants impatient of lying all night to besiege him almost all of them stole away so that Captain Mesmes went away in the morning towards Bearn from whence he was come to tell his friends there the news of the fine frights he had been in Now Monsieur d' Ortobie made so good haste that the next morning two hours before day he was got over the River and come before Lectoure At break of day he Monsieur de Fredeville Monsieur de la Mothe-Rouge and I went to view where we should plant the Artillery and concluded to plant it on a little Hill on that side by the River where there was a Windmill to batter the Town on that side by the Fountain And here we battered it all day long and to so good effect that a Breach was made betwixt seven and eight paces wide They had entrencht themselves within and had Bastion'd the ends of the Streets with the way that went all along by the Wall and pierced two or three houses that lookt into the Breach In the interim that the Canon was batterâ—ng I was busie causing Ladders to be made wherewith to assault the Bulwark that â—lanckt the Breach to hinder those that mann'd that Bulwark from shooting into the Breach but being they had environ'd the Bulwark with Pipes and Gabions fill'd with earth and that also the Breach was not yet reasonable I would not this night do that which I did the night after The next morning I caused the Artillery to play upon these Pipes and Gabions and to widen the Breach and lay it lower and the night following we put our selves into Camisâ—do where I ordered that Captain Montluc should assault the Breach with the two Câ—mpanies of the Baron de Clermont that of the Baron de Pourdeac and such Gentlemen as would go along with him of which the Count de Candalle was one a young Lord full of noble courage who also has since lost his life in a Breach in Languedoc as I have been told and as for me I was by the Ladders to storm the Bulwark with the Sieur de Batternau's Company and another with my own Company of Gens d'arms whom I had dismounted for that purpose This order being concluded I caused them to take up the Ladders putting Captain Montluc and his men before and marching my self in their Rear to see what would be the issue of their assault and after me came the Ladders and my fellows They carried the Breach with very great boldness and bravery entred thorough it and began to dispute the Rampires they had cast up in the streets and were already almost Masters of one Now the Enemy the night before had made a Ditch betwixt the Breach and the Rampires and had put a very great train of powder into it to which they were to give fire from within a House in the Town We set up our Ladders and two Ensigns mounted up to the very top of the Bastion I was making the Soldiers still to mount and to rear the rest of the Ladders when just as our people of the Breach were as good as Masters of the Rampires some of those who came after clapping a foot into the ditch of the Train which was cover'd over with Bavins began to cry out we are in the Train and took such a fright that they overturn'd one another upon the Breach Upon this accident the formost who were diâ—puting the Rampires had no other remedy but to retire and there Captain la Rocque was hurt Lieutenant and Kinsman to the Baron de Pourdeac who died the next day one of the bravest Gentlemen that these fifty years has come out of Gascony Others also were slain there and some of those were hurt who storm'd by the Ladders when seeing those of the Breach retir'd I also drew off mine very glad to have escap'd so good cheap for had they sprung the Mine in time they had made a terrible Fricassee The next day Monsieur d' Ortobie the Governor of la Mothe-Rouge and I went to view the other side of the Town towards the little Bulwark but could find no place where we could convenienâ—ly plant any more than two pieces of Canon for this Town for a Town of War is one of the best situated in all Guienne and very strong and there also was the little Bulwark that flanckt the place where we had a mind to batter which put us to such a stand that we could not resolve what to do so that about noon Monsieur d' Ortobie return'd to batter again by the Breach at some Flankers there were because the next morning I was resolv'd to give an assault in open day where as he himself was levelling a piece of Canon he was wounded in the thigh by a Faulconet shot from the great Bulwark which went very near to my heart for he was a valiant Captain and an admirable Engineer He died two dayes after 'T is of all others
times come to it by Sea The King has set but two little value upon it 't is well if he do not one day repent it But provided these fine talking Gentlemen who prate at their ease may have their own arms at liberty they care not for any body else and when one comes to demand of them assistance of money for of every thing else we have but too much they cry let them raise it upon the Country and so the Soldier not being paid is necessitated to plunder and rob and the King's Lieutenant to endure it 'T is all one say they a Country spoiled is not lost O lewd expression and unworthy of a Counsellor of the Kings who has the management of affairs of State He has not the trouble of it nor does he bear the reproach but he who has the charge of the Province and whom the people load with continual exercations Behold then our Guienne thus lost and recover'd and since maintain'd in peace for the good of the people and to my particular and great misfortune for my Son Captain Montluc being no more able to live at rest than his Father seeing himself useless in France as being no Courtier and knowing of no forreign War wherein to employ his arms design'd an Enterprize by Sea to go to make his fortune in Affrick and to this end followed by a brave number of Gentlemen Volunteers for he had above three hundred with him and by a great many of the best Officers and Soldiers he could cull out he embarkt at Bourdeaux in a Fleet of six Men of War as well equipt as Vessels could possibly be I shall not insist upon the design of this unfortunate Expedition wherein he lost his life being slain with a Musket shot in the Island of Maderas going ashore to water and where being the Islanders would not peaceably permit him to refresh his Ships he was constrain'd to have recourse to violence to their loss and ruine but much more to mine who there lost my right hand Had it pleased God to have preserv'd him to me they had not done me those charitable Offices at Court they have since done In short I lost him in the flower of his age and then when I expected he should have been both the prop of mine and the support of his Country which has very much miss't him since I had lost the brave Mark Anthony my eldest Son at the Port of Ostia but this that died at the Maderas was of such value that there is not a Gentleman in Guienne who did not judge he would surpass his Father But I leave it to those who knew him to give an account of his valour and prudence He could not have fail'd of being a good Captain had God been pleased to preserve him but he disposes of us all as seems best to his own wisdom I think this little Montluc that he has left me will endeavour to imitate him both in valour and loyalty to his Prince which all the Montluc's have ever been eminent for and if he prove not such I disclaim him Every one knows and the Queen more than any other that I was never the Author of this unfortunate Voyage and the Admiral knows very well how much I endeavour'd to break the design not that I had a mind to keep him â—dle by the fire but out of the apprehension I had it might occasion a Breach betwixt the two Crowns of France and Spain which though I might perhaps in my own bosom desire to remove the War from our own doors I would also have wisht that some other might have been the occasion of the rupture My sons design was not to break any Truce with the Spaniard but I saw very well that it was impossible but he must do it there either with him or the King of Portugal For to hear these people talk a man would think that the Sea was their own The Admiral lov'd and esteem'd this poor Son of mine but too much having told the King that never a Prince nor Lord in France upon his own single account and without his Majesties assissâ—ance could in so short a time have made ready so great an Equipage And he said true for he won the hearts of all that knew him and that were enamour'd of the practice of arms and I was so wise as to think that fortune was oblig'd to be as favourable to him as she had been to me For an old Soldier as I am I confess I committed a great error that I did not discover the design to some other considering that the Vicount d'Vza and de Pampadour and my young Son were of the party who might have tried their fortune and pursued the Enterprize projected which nevertheless I shall not here discover because the Queen may peradventure another day again set it on foot The End of the Fifth Book THE COMMENTARIES OF Messire Blaize de Montluc MARESCHAL of FRANCE The Sixth Book FOr the space of five years France enjoyed this tranquility and repose with the two Religions that divided the Kingdom nevertheless I still doubted there was some Snake lurking in the grass though for what concern'd the Province of Guyenne I was in no great apprehension for I had evermore an eye to all things sending the Queen notice of every thing I heard with all the fidelity and care wherewith any man living could give an account of his trust The King at this time went a Progress to visit the several Provinces of his Kingdom and being come to Tholouze I went to kiss his Majesties hand who gave me a more honorable reception than I deserv'd The Hugonots faild not upon this occasion to make use of their wonted artifices and practices and made me false fire under hand for openly they durst not do it but I did not much regard their malice The Queen did me the honor to tell me all wherein she manifested the confidence she repos'd in me and I by that very well that she did not love the Hugonots One day being in her Chamber with Messieurs the Cardinalâ— of Bourbon and Guise she repeated to me all her fortune and the perplexity she had been in And amongst other things that the night news was brought her of the loss of the Battel of Dreux for some brave fellow who had not leisure to stay to see what Monsieur de Guise did after the Constable was routed and taken had given her this false Alarm she was all night in Council with the said Cardinals to consult what course she should take to save the King where in the end it was resolv'd that if in the morning the news should be confirm'd she should try to retire into Guienne though the Journey was very long accounting that she should be safer there than in any other part of the Kingdom May God for ever refuse to assist me if hearing this sad story the tears did not start into my eyes saying
occasion that now presents it self of manifesting our loyalty and courage And you ought to feel the same joy in your bosoms that I do for what greater blessing could God Almighty have conferr'd upon you than to see your selves assembled together in so brave and so spritely a body in so short a time on horse-back to go to the relief of your Prince for whose defence God has given you life and made you men and me also I say for the defence of his Person for as you very well know the Masque is now taken away and there iâ— no more question of the Mass or the Presche but it is immediately and directly against his person that this Rebellion is set on foot and those who were engag'd in the wicked Enterprize of Meaux as you your selves very well know directed the attempt immediately against his Majesties sacred person How great a good fortune is it then to see that God has reserv'd you to revenge so great an injury and to assist your King and natural Prince in so great a necessity O my Companions how much ought you to esteem your selves happy how highly ought you to be satisfied with your fortune How will the King be ravisht with joy to see such a Nobless from the extreamest part of his Kingdom in so short a time and in so brave an equipage come in to his relief He will never forget so great and so timely a service but for ever acknowledge it to you and yours Believe me Gentlemen though I am infinitely pleased to think that I have some share in this service yet I am very sensibly afflicted that I am like to have no hand in the main stroke of the business and that I cannot have the honor to lead you to this glorious work that we might go together to lay down our lives at his Majesties feet for the defence of his life and Crown May God never prosper me if I do not desire it more than ever I did any thing in this world but you see it cannot be without putting the whole Province into manifest hazard which I hope to preserve with those few Forces are left me in despite of the Enemies practices It only then Gentlemen remains that you make the haste requir'd remember what you have seen me do and how often you have heard me say that diligence is the best part of a Soldier You know not what condition the Kings affairs may be in nor how pressing his danger may be therefore do not delay time I beseech you I know there are many amongst you not only worthy to lead a Troop but to command an Army but let me inâ—reaâ— you to approve the choice I have made in the person of Monsieur de Terride for the leading of this to whom Monsieur de Gondrin shall be assisting He is the oldest Captain and of greatest experience amongst you and will I am confident acquit himself worthy of his charge and rest you assur'd that I will remember to have a care to preserve your Houses in your absence Do me the favour also to think of me when you come to the work we have often been employ'd in together and then make it known that you are Gentlemen and Gascons and that there is not a Nation in the world to be compar'd to ours for feats of arms I have been conversant with all the Soldiers of the world but have never seen the like to ours and in all engagements and exploits of war whether little or great that I have been an eye-witness of the Gascons have ever carried away the Prize Maintain I beseech you this reputation you will never have such an opportunity again wherein to manifest your valour and the zeal and affection you bear to your natural King and Soveraign They all return'd me thanks assuring me that they would not stay longer than was necessary to bait in any place till they came to the King and Monsieur de Terride made me a particular acknowledgment for the honor I had done him After they fell into consultation which way they should go where every one advised what he thought best for in matter of Counsel it has evermore been my custom to make every one deliver his opinion I have found advantages by it but after many disputes it was at last determin'd that they should take the way directly to Moulins For me Monsieur de Monsalles had like to have made me a little angry for he would needs have been going before as if he had had more desire and a greater affection than the rest but I told him that it was neither safe nor fit to leave the Party and it was after such a manner that he saw very well he had displeased me I deliver'd to him the leading of the Vant-Guard and to Monsieur de Sainctorens the Command of the Foot and before my departure from Limoges I saw them all march away I shall say nothing of this Enterprize of St. Michel it was so foul and unworthy a Frenchman and worse than the business of Amboise wherein I perfectly discern'd the effects of the League or Counter-league I had heard whisper'd at Montâ—dâ— Mâ—rsan I know not what use was made of those Succours I sent but I dare be bold to say that never any Lieutenant of Guiâ—nne drew so many Gentlemen and so great a number of Foot all on a sudden out of the Country as I did nor so many men of singular note for their parts and valour of whom I had so good an opinion that had I met the Prince of Condé without the Traitors I would not have given our Victory for his and as I return'd back I still met several parties who were coming in to joyn with the rest Neither shall I meddle to set down how these Succours behav'd themselves in the occasions presented forasmuch as the Monsieur himself was there and all the Princes and great Captains of France Now when I thought to have this great diligence of mine very kindly taken and expected to receive a return of thanks from their Majestiâ—s for so opportune a service I was quite contrary presented with a Patent that onâ— Dragon Deputy to the receiver of Guienne brought from Court and that was sent by the King to Monsieur de Candalle by virtue whereof his Majesty made the said Sieur de Candalle his Lieutenant General in the City of Bourdeaux and Bourdillois with as ample commission and full power as if I was there I was very much surpriz'd at this and knew very well that some one or another had given me a Traverse at Court and that the King and Queen would never have put such a trick upon me had it not been for some back friend of mine and thanks be to God the Kings of France have ever such kind of Vermin to spare who have evermore lent their Charities to the best and most faithful servants our Kings have had which made me not so much wonder at
de Moncalde who was there slain and the Marquis de Guast with several other great persons taken prisoners The said Count was so careful and vigilant that so much as a Cat could not enter into the City of Naples those within were reduc'd to the last extremity the Viceroy dead many of the Grandees prisoners and the rest revolted to the King it must therefore of necessity be confest that the Kingdom had been the Kings in despite of all the world when the just spite and indignation of the said Andrea Auria depriv'd him of it When the King was taken prisoner at the Battel of Pavie and that they carried him by Sea into Spain Andrea Auria went out to meet the Galleys that convoy'd him to fight them to deliver the King out of their hands which he had done and put it to hazard but the King sent to advise him not to do it for if he did he was a dead man and they had determin'd to put him to death should Andrea Auria present himself to fight them which was the reason that the said Andrea Auria returned to Genoa which at that time was the Kings See here another great misfortune and an unfortunate Traverse which brought as great an inconvenience along with it as that of Monsieur de Bourbon upon which occasion we not only lost all we had got in the Kingdom of Naples but Genoa also for all the losses as well of the Kingdom of Naples as of Genoa hapned by reason of the revolt of the said Andrea Auria who took offence at the wrong and dishonor had been done him in taking from him the Command of the Galleys to give it to another without having any way misdemean'd himself or having receiv'd any disadvantage in his Charge and also for that they would make him give up his Prisoners of war without any recompence Now the said Andrea Auria kept the sea in so great awe that the King durst never offer to pass into Itâ—ly till such time as he had won him into is own service and the Emperor having heard how he had been used sent him a Blank to write his own conditions provided he would come over to his service After which the said Andrea Auria sent to Count Philippin his Nephew to retire from before Naples and abandoning the Kings service to come to him at Gajetta which he did and before he went put all the provision he suddenly could into the City that it might not be lost and so he that had done them the mischief did them the good without which they must within eight dayes have been necessitated to capitulate O that such a man as this ought to have been husbanded for I think that he alone ruin'd the affairs of King Francis Kings and Princes ought not to use Strangers at that rate nor their own Subjects neither when they know them to be men of service and if our Master was ill advised the Emperor was very discreet to put in in time to win the said Auria over to his side that the King might not have leisure to reconcile himself to him and to reestablish him in his service Wherein Princes ought to take good example and learn to be wise at anothers expence and should have a care of disobliging a generous heart and a man of employment especially when you have no such tye upon him as upon a natural Subject of your own who has his Wife and Children and Estate at your mercy The King had none of all these ties upon Andrea Auria and it was one of the greatest incongruities I have seen in my time and also of far greater importance than that of the Duke of Bourbon I saw another done to the Prior of Capua who was one of the bravest men that these hundred years has put to sea and as much feared both by Turks and Christians whom they unjustly accus'd of Piracy so that he was constrain'd to go put himself and his two Galleys into the protection of the Malteses O how invincible a wrong did the King there do this worthy person to be so facile of belief to the prejudice of his honor how great a disadvantage was it to himself and how great a loss to the Kingdom of France for this Signior was a man of service and one that very well understood his Trade for he was a very able Seaman I saw another trick also put upon the Mareschal de Bies I dare pawn my soul that the Gentleman never thought of doing any unhandsome act against the King and yet he was highly slander'd a little after the death of King Francis the Great it being laid to his charge that he was the cause that Monsieur de Vervin his Son in Law had surrendred Bullen and one Cortel appointed to try him the most infamous Judge that ever was in France Was it ever seen or heard of that one man should be punisht for the treachery or cowardize of another When he came to his tryal they confronted him with three great Rogues who all of them depos'd that the day he had the Encounter with the English he was mounted upon a great Courser bearing a plume of white Feathers for a mark that the English might not fall upon him as if it had been an easie mark to be discern'd when men are mixt in a Battel the dust the smoak and the cries confound a man's judgment and besides 't is usual with gallant men to appear in their greatest bravery that they may be known in a day of Battel especially in a War with Strangers which is for honor and not upon the account of animosity but in a Civil War 't is not so proper Monsieur de Guise being very much endanger'd by so distinguishing his person at the Battel of Dreux Thus did they calumniate this poor Lord though he that very day defeated eight hundred English I do believe had the King sent such a Judge and that he would have hearkned to the Hugonots he would have found Witnesses enow that would have been depos'd I had promised Guienne to the King of Spain though I never lov'd that Nation nor ever shall I am too good a Frenchman for that But to return to the said Mareschal when those who had given him this Traverse saw that they could no way ensâ—are him and that he was likely to be set at liberty to the great dishonor of those who had brought this trouble upon him they then accused him that he made certain Skip-Jack hirelings pass muster in his Company of Gens-d'armes to get so many Pays which as it was said was prov'd to be true but it was to pay men withal he had in Flanders to send him continual intelligence of all that passed in the Enemies Country for we are sometimes necessitated to make use of such shifts for the Kings service but I leave any one to judg if this was sufficient to bring him upon a Scaffold and to degrade him from his
where the Enemy kept no Guard who so soon as part of them were got on shore the Enemy discovering the stratagem ran to that part and fought them but ours remain'd Masters of the place My Nephew who was one that was engag'd in the fight thereupon presently dispatcht a Skiff to the Captains and Soldiers who were aboard the greater Vessels to bid them come away which being suddenly done so soon as they were all landed they marcht directly to the great Fort by the Church a long league and a half from thence which they assaulted on two or three sides at once so that they carried the place putting all they found within it to the sword whilst the rest who guarded the landings put themselves into little boats and fled away towards Rochelle We imagin'd them to be the people inhabitants of the Island who escaped away and that our people had gotten the victory and two dayes after my said Nephew sent me an account of the whole action which sooner he could not do the wind being so contrary that they could not possibly get to Marennes where the aforesaid Sieur and I lay upon which news we call'd back my said Nephew leaving two Foot Companies in the Isle I then left Monsieur de Pons at Marennes and went away to St. Iean where Monsieur de Iarnac came to me to take order for all things necessary for me in order to the Siege I caused great provision of victuals 〈◊〉 to be made ready wherein the Providore of the late Monsieur de Burie was very 〈◊〉 to me for he was of that Country In the mean time I still expected to hear from the King but could never obtein the faâ—â—ur of one syallable neither did any of my Messengers ever return and in truth there 〈◊〉 very great danger by the way the Enemy being possest of all the great Roads by which they were to return into Xaintonge The first that came was Dragon who brought news that the Peace was as good as concluded and that the King would suddenly send me woâ—d â—hat I was to do I think that having seen the Prince and the Admiral with their Forces at the Gates of Paris ready to sight a Battel and afterwards at liberty to overâ—â—â— all France they more thought of that than they consideâ—'d the affairs of Guienne This was the success of my expedition into Xaintonge and seeing I have been reproacht that for three years I had done nothing considerable I could wish that such as propose Enterprizes to the King would be as prompt to provide things necessary for such designs as they are ready to give assignments that signifie nothing like those they sent me and then perhaps some good might be done but as they order it a man must be a God to work â—iâ—acles Oh the happy time that these men have who are about the Kings person and never come within danger of a Battel they cut out work and very good cheap for others that the King may think them wise and politick but they never care to offer his Majesty that if Montluc or another shall refuse to go upon such an Enterprize they themselves will undertake it It is enough for them that they can talk well and such perhaps there are who propound a design which they would be glad should miscarry for geneâ—ally there is nothing but dissimulation jealousie and treachery amongst them and this is to betray ones Master like a good Frenchman I am confident by the chearfulness I saw in the Gentlemen who were with me and by the astonishment I discover'd in the people we had to do withal that had I been supplied with necessaries requisite for such an Enterprize I should have set hard to have carried this City which has since so fortified it self that if the King permit them to take surer footing 't is to be fear'd they will withdraw themselves from his obedience but I was at this time so ill assisted and his Majesty so ill serv'd that I could do no more than I did A few dayes after the King sent me the Peace to cause it to be proclaim'd at Bourdeaux commanding me to disband the Foot and to dismiss them every man to his own house which I accordingly did and sent the Proclamation to the Court of Parliament and the Jurats to cause it to be publisht but for my own part I would not be present at it knowing very well that it was only a Truce to get breath and a Peace to gain time to provide themselves better for a War to come and not intended to be kept for the King who had been taken unprovided I was confident would never put up the affront had been put upon him who though he was very young was notwithstanding a Prince of great spirit and that bore this audatious Enterprize with very great impatience as I have since been told by some who were then about him He gave sufficient testimony of a generous courage and truly worthy of a King when he put himself in the head of the Swiss to escape to Paris and do you think Gentlemen you who were the Leaders of those mutinous Troops that he will ever forget that insolence you would hardly endure it from your equal what then would you do with a Servant for my part I never saw nor ever read of so strange a thing which made me alwayes think it would stick in the Kings stomack The Prince and the Admiral committed a great oversight in this Peace for they had by much the better of the Game and might doubtless have carried Chartres so that those who mediated and procur'd this accommodation perform'd a very signal service for the King and Kingdom This was all I did in the second Troubles and me thinks it was no contemptible service to send the King a recruit of eleven or twelve hundred Horse thirty Ensigns of Foot and to preserve for him the Province of Guienne conquer him the Isles and not to be wanting on my part that I did not try my fortune at Rochelle and send him all the money the Rebels had amassed together in that part of his Kingdom But I must do miracles forsooth those who are about the Kings person have ever done me one good office or another and on my conscience would his Majesty hearken to them now that I have nothing at all to do they would find out one thing or another to lay to my charge for the customs of the Court must not be lost which is to do all ill offices and invent slanders against those who have a desire to do well Was I near them I could quickly give some of them their answer but the distance is too great betwixt Gascony and Paris besides I have lost my Children and an old Beast has no resourse This accommodation of the Second Troubles concluded at Charâ—res continued but eight or niâ—e moneths at most and was therefore called the Short Peace In this
with others or fall together by the ears amongst our selves Could we always continue in peace so that every one would intend his own â—illage as the Romans did in their vacations from war I do confess it would be very well but that cannot be And therefore Sir I do say and affirm that it is a very vain opinion and fruitless to think of making peace at home if at the same time you do not meditate a War abroad You are not to renew the War of the Holy Land for we are not so devouâ— now adayes as our Religious Ancestors were in those better times it were better to do as the King of Spain does and send your men into the new discover'd worlds and so to separate those unruly Princes still sending the young ones to be brought up at the School of Malta for if they do not bustle every one will sit still But if your Mâ—jesty have a mind to quarrel your Neighbours you may renew your claim to the Dâ—tchy of Millan that of right appertains to you by descent For it is not to be found in any Records that the King of Spain has any right at all to it which by the Females you have The King of Spain holds it by no other Title but by right of Conquest and the power of the Sword Your Majesty will also find that a Duke of Anjou descended from the House of France and of your own proper Race was once King of Naples which the King of Spain has also in his pâ—ssession The King your Grandfather would never lay down this claim but seiz'd of the Territories of Monsieur de Savoy although his Uncle to have a secure passage whereby to enter into the Dutchy of Millan Your Royal Father took upon him the protection of the Duke of Parma and the Siennois to no other end but in order to a Pass for the recovery of Naples You Sir are descended from these Heroick Princes and you have their right and title if God therefore send you peace at home you may send a Tempest into the King of Spains Dominions and shall have a better account of it than you are aware of for the King of Spain is a Prince more addicted to Negotiations than to War he is not like his Father in five or six years he will be old and you in the flower of your age He will leave his Children very young and since the Father was not generous in his youth it is not to be expected he should be so in his old Age. Besides if you know how to manage the Princes of Italy you will find them all at your devotion even the Duke of Florence himself for something that I know and some reasons that I could give as having felt his pulse whilst I was the Kings Lieutenant in Tuscany The Duke himself I am confident will not say the contrary nor deny but that he is more French than Spanish England will not hinder you for that has a Woman at the Helm and Scotland a Child To be short nothing ought to deterre you but I leave this discourse to another time The death of the Prince of Condé was the occasion of my entring into it for I am a Frenchman and lament the death of those brave Princes slain by our own hands who might elsewhere be serviceable to us and help to enlarge the French Dominions But to return to my Subject I remain'd five or six weeks at the said St. Foy having yet with me six Ensigns of Foot commanded by my Nephew de Leberon Of these I sent four together with my said Nephew himself to Bergerac to dismanâ—le the Town as the King and the Monsieur had commanded me but it was ill executed Some dayes after the Monsieur drew near and came to Montmoreau where followed by a noble Train of Gentlemen of very good quality I went to kiss his hand and where his Highness receiv'd me with very great demonstrations of favour commanding me not to depart from him of which God knows if I was glad I therefore sent presently home for Wagons Tents and money as also did all the rest of the Gentlemen that came along with me making account we should no more depart from the Army as also there was not in all Guienne a man that durst so much as mutter nor a place that stood for the Hugonots but Montauban only The Monsieur departed from Mont-moreaâ— and went to Villebois He had not been above five or six dayes there all which time we spent in consultation about the means to carry on the War when there came a Gentlmen sent post from Monsieur de Montferran Governor of Bourdeaux to my said Lord the Monsieur to give him notice that a great part of the Admirals Army both Foot and Horse were come into Medoc and that two foot Companies he had planted there had been constrained to quit the Pass and to escape away by night The Monsieur was not over-hastly to believe this news for we discoursed about the Pass where I represented to him the vast breadth of the River at that place which requir'd a whole Tide and an infinite number of Boats to pass it for an Army carried a mighty Train along with it and that on the other side it was not very likely that the Admiral who was a Soldier would engage himself in the Landes a barren Country and beyond Rivers he could not well expect ever to repass The night following there came a Courrier with like intelligence from the Court of Parliament and the said Monsieur de Montferran in yet much greater heat than the former and making the number of the Enemy much greater than before It is true that he also writ to my Lord the Monsieur that he was just taking Horse himself to go and discover them And accordingly as I have heard he did go but he had no horse with him saving some few Harquebuzeers on horseback only and when he came within half a league of the Pass those he had sent before to discover came back and brought him word that already a great number of the Horse were got over and that the Foot began to follow after so that being so slenderly accompanied the said Sieur de Montferran was necessitated to retire and on the other side the people all â—led towards Bourdeaux The said Sieur de Montferran dispatcht away another Courrier to the Monsieur assuring him that the intelligence was most certainly true which was the reason that his Highness sent me back to my great misfortune for since that time I have never had any thing but trouble and vexation whereas had I still continued about his person all the mischief that has since befall'n me had never come to pass for I had either died in doing him some brave piece of service or had never been wounded as I am to live in a perpetual languishing condition without possibility of ever being cur'd All which misfortune befel me for
after I writ to the Gentlemen who had the charge of Lectoure and principally to the Chevalier de Romegas and the Chevalier my Son exhorting them to employ all they had learnt at the Siege of Malta and to do as well as they had done there for that their honour would be without comparison much greater in serving their own Prince and Country than in a forreign Soyl. I also conjuâ—'d every one to obey them considering that there was not a man in the Town that had ever been in a Siege but they two for as for my part I was resolv'd not to stir from Agen but would die in the defence thereof They were very much astonisht when they read my I 〈◊〉 which they communicated to one another and immediately return'd me another back subscrib'd by the Sieurs de Gondrin de Pangas de la Mothe Gondrin de Romegas de Maigâ—as and the Chevalier my Son wherein they writ me word That they did all very much wonder that I would so far forget my self as to engage my person in so weak a Town as Agen and so commanded by Mountains as it was That for certain the Artillery was set out from Navarreins and that the five pieces which were at Noguarol had not stirâ—'d from thence but had stayd for the coming of the rest that therefore they did beg of me to come to Lectoure and that the Chevalier de Româ—gas and my Son would go put themselves into Agen who being young and resolute if they should miscarry the loss would not be so great and that on the other side should I abandon the field all the rest of the Country would be ruin'd and lost I return'd them answer That I gave them many thanks for the admonitions they had given me which though I did acknowledge to be rational and true yet I knew very well also that they gave them out of compassion and fear I should lose my self but that I did assure them before they should hear I was lost the Enemy should have payd very dear for the taking of Agen. That if the Mareschal would come to fight them he would have a good match of it that I was determin'd not to budg from thence but let them do their duty in case the Enemy should sit down before them for as for my part I was resolute to do mine and never to let the Enemy enter but over my belly At the same time there arrived Monsieur de la Bruille Steward of the Mareschal d' Anville's Household whom the said Mareschal sent to me to know if Monsieur de Montferran was come with the thousand Harquebuzeers as I had sent him word and also with what Forces I on my part could assist him I then reckon'd to him that what from Villenufue Lectoure Agen and Florence I could make a thousand Harquebuzeers and the thousand of Monsieur de Montferran shewing him the Letters that the said Sieur de Montferran had sent me from St. Macaire He could not find in his heart to lose so much time as to bait his horses before he return'd to carry back this news to the Mareschal when being just about to take horse to return there came a letter from Monsieur de Montferran dated from Marmande conteining these words Monsieur At this instant I am setting out with my Troops which are a thousand Harquebuzeers and threescore Light-horse and shall this day pass part of my men over the River at Aguillon the rest must stay till to morrow morning but to morrow night they shall all be at Port St. Marie The said de la Bruille took a Copy of the Letter saying to me these words I am going to carry the Marâ—schal the best news can possibly be brought him and assure your self upon my life and honor that so soon as ever I shall be return'd he will begin to march and so ran to his horse At the end of three dayes the Troops being at Port St. Marie and Aguillon I had word sent me from Lectoure that the Mareschal was return'd from Grenade to Tholouze out of despite at the Letter the Gentlemen of Armagnac had written to him which I have made mention of before and that for one clause that was in it which ran thus That in case he should not please to march to come to help to re-establish thâ—m in their houses they should be constrain'd to go apply themselves to the King in their own persons humbly to beg assistance from him This was the ground of all his discontent and he discharg'd his anger upon me accusing me that I had caused the said Letter to be writ I will not deny but that the first draught was read to me as I was mounting to horse but so God help me I could not have repeated six words of it for my affection hurried me away to Agen to take care that the Town should not be forsaken and took horse that very minute it was read to me as I have said before However I leave it to any man of understanding to judg if these words were of such importance that the said Mareschal ought reasonably to have taken such offence at them It was at the King that he took offence and not at us He is the Kings Subject as well as we O! would I have taken pet after this manner how many times have I had occasion given me to quit all I have perhaps been but too passiâ—nate not as to what concern'd my self but for the Country and the People who have missed me since I quitted my Government Now when Monsieur de Montferran who staid with me threâ— dayes at Agen his men in the mean time lying at Port St. Marâ—e heard that the Mareschal was return'd in discontent to Tholouze and that he would hardly be prevail'd upon to come he told me that he would return to Bourdeaux forasmuch as he did not know but that the Princes might turn their designs that way hearing there was no body in it Which he accordingly did as there was good reason by which means I was left naked without hope of being reliev'd by any person whatsoever Thus for tâ—e misconstruction of a word for one insignificant picque the whole Country ran a dangerous fortune You Princes Mareschals and Lieutenants of Provinces who command Armies never sacrifice the publick interest to a private distaste The Mareschal ought to have consider'd that these were Gascons exil'd from their own houses who writ in passion he ought neither to have been offended at me nor them but to have excus'd their sensibility and not for such a trifle to have abandoned the Country Our Proverb says Qui perd le sien perd le sâ—ns I have often askt advice of and been my self assisting to those that I knew had no great kindness for me Never suffer your private picques and particular animosities to endanger the publick concern I have often observ'd some and those no little ones who could have eaten one
another agree â—eâ—y well for their Master's service talk and confer together like Brothers and after some handsome service or good success open their hearts to one another and become good friends I have since been told by some who had the good fortune to be there that most of the Chiefs who were at the great Battel that was obtain'd over the Turk were mortal enemies but that they agreed out of respect to the common interest and after the Battel became perfect friends Would to God the Mareschal would have left the animosity he had against me at Tholouze to have come and claw'd away Mâ—ntgommery he had acquir'd honour and the Country a singular advantage by it whereas his peevishness ruin'd all I thought I had been the most cholerick fellow in the world but he has made it appear that he is more passionate than I. Nevertheless had he been pleased to come I would have serv'd him as freely as the meanest Gentleman in the Army Having understood his resolution I sent twice to Monsieur de Fontenilles to bring his Câ—mpany and come put himself into the Town with me but he could very hardly obtein leave to come though he came at last I had the four Companies my Nephew de Leberon had brought me from Libourn three at Port St. Marie and another at Aguillon which immediately upon the departure of Monsieur de Montferran by my order came in thither and before Monsieur de Fontenilles arriv'd at Agen a Gentleman called Monsieur de Montazet came to entreat me to call away the Company that was at Aguillon and that he would undertake to defend the Town with the Inhabitants only A promise that although I knew he was not able to make good and that he only did it to spare the provisions of the Town I nevertheless granted his request fearing he would write to Monâ—ieur le Marquis de Villars that I had made him to consume the fruits of his Estate and sent the Company to Ville-neufue Wherein I committed a very great error for this place had kept the Rivers of Lot and Garonne but these bawling fellows who will spare their Masters Houses and Estates to appear good Stewards oftentimes lose very considerable places Therefore you who have the honour to command stop your ears against all complaints in such cases and so pressing necessities I had done a great deal better if upon this occasion I had practis'd the Lesson that I now teach you Now you must know I drave on an Enterprize with Monsieur de Leberon to go give a Scalado to the Captains Manciet and Chaâ—â—audy two errant Rogues who lay at Monheurt The said Sieur de Leberon was with eight or ten Harquebuzeers only at Aguillon that he might the better conceal his design Viard Muster-Master to the Mareschals Camp came at this time to Agen who was going to Court from the Mareschal and though I knew very well that the said Mareschal was very much out with me yet did I not forbear to favour and pay all respect to all that came from him being it was for his Majesties service I therefore writ to Monsieur de Leberon that he should send a Convoy with him till he was past Toneins whom he found at Aguillon in order to the Enterprize they were the next day at night to put into execution for I was sending him five or six Boats full of Soldiers from Agen and the three Companies that were at the Port were also to joyn in the business But as the fortune of war is sometimes very odd and extravagant she well appear'd to be so the day that the Muster-Master Viard passed that way for the said Sieur de Leberon giving him a certain number of Harquebuzeers for his Convoy and making account that in three hours time they would be back again whilst he waited in expectation of their return there arrived Messieurs de la Caze de la Loüe de Guytinieres de Moneins and other Captains with 7 or 8 Cornets of Horse who were come from Lauserthe which is nine long leagues and had not baited above an hour at Haute-faye to be short they had made a Cavaleade with the diligence of old Soldiers and environ'd Aguillon Monsieur de Leberon seeing himself thus trapt alone with but very few Soldiers and the Inhabitants of the Town was in a little perplexity what to do in his defence when Monsieur de Montazet presently came and told him that he was not able to defend the Town and that he would not put it to the hazard of being ruin'd and sackt and accordingly without any more ado made some conditions which was well for the said Leâ—eron for he fell into the hands of these four who were all of them my very good friends by reason that in former times I had done something for them I was the first Captain that ever shewed Captain Moneins any service and made him a Soldier and the rest were every one willing to acknowledge the several obligations they had to me and so let him go These are Civilities amongst Soldiers but my said Nephew play'd there the part of a Novice not to reserve to himself men enow for a time of need he thought the Enemy was too far off to trouble him Captains my Companions this was a ridiculous security of his he ought to have consider'd the importance of the place situated upon two Rivers and that the Enemy could not but covet so sweet a morsâ—l the vicinity of Cleirac and Toneins consider'd But I play'd the fool as well as he in drawing out the Garrison for fear of offending the Marquis So soon as ever I heard of his being taken I drew my three Companies that were at the Port into Agen. Two dayes after the Princes Army came and encampt themselves their quarters extending from Aguillon as far as within half a league of Ville-neufue and up to the great Road which leads to the said Ville-neufue all along the valleys which are in that place where there are very good Villages Now as I have already said I had divided the City into eight parts and over every division had set two good Chiefs of the Town It was a delightful thing to see the men and women all work who came to it constantly by break of day and never gave over till the night took them off they were never longer than an hour at dinner and all the head Burgers of the City were eternally solliciting them to ply their labour from which no one was exempt not even the Religious women One night a man came to tell me that a Troop of Reiters were come up within a quarter of a League of us to a Village close by Moubran which is a Castle belonging to the Bishop of Agen. In the morning therefore I mounted to horse with my Company and went close up to the Village where because two Country fellows told me that three other Cornets of Reiters were quarter'd very near
night following I brought the Artillery into the Town and began to batter some Lodgings on the left hand at the end of which was a Turret that cover'd the Draw-bridg and the Gate of the Castle and by Evening the said Buildings were opened and the Turret beaten down to the Ground In the morning by break of day we began to batter the great Tower where the Clock was which whilst we were doing our Soldiers gain'd the Gate of the Town which was within ten paces or less of that of the Castle and that lookt a little into their false-Brayes but there was a great Terrass a Pike height and as much in thickness made of Bavins after the manner of a Rampire that cover'd their Draw-bridg so that our people could not do them so mucâ— harm as they did us to remedy which inconvenience we made a Blind of some barrels and planks in that place which something secur'd our men that lay before the said Portal All day long our Artillery batter'd the face of the Tower and in the end the said Tower was opened after which I made them shoot from the other Battery which play'd into the Castle till the next day which was the third at noon but could see no issue of the business At this time Monsieur de Fontenilles and Captain Moret came with the piece of Canon and the great Culverine from Tholouze but they did us no service at all for the Culverine burst in an hundred pieces and the Canon was crackt I then caused two pieces of Canon to be remov'd to the left hand close by the Wall of the Town that pointed upon the other Face of the Castle upon the left wherein my intention was if I could to make the Tower fall on our side which if I could effect it would choak up the Ditch that was full of water and fill the false-Brayes on that side by which means we might go on to the Assault over the ruine which I made account would infallâ—bly fill the Graffe for the Tower was very high All the fourth day I batter'd the face of this Tower with these two pieces of Canon and in the end beat it down so that nothing remain'd standing but the right side and the corners I then caused them to shoot at the first Corner which lookt towards the Artillery I had first planted on the left hand and with two pieces that I was all night removing at the other Corner that look't towards the Town In ten or twelve shots the Coins was broken and the Tower fall'n on our side exactâ—y in the place where I would have it but how high or how thick soever the Tower was it did not so wholly â—ill the Graffe but that we were to descend a great way into it It is true that the ruines had drunk up the water and fill'd a good part of the Ditch but not so that we were not yet to go very low The fifth day at night the Sieur de Basillac and the Baron de St. Lary brought me fifty or threescore Pioneers for all mine were stoln away and fled and they had raised these amongst their own Tenants upon their own Estates which lay hard by I gave these fellows to Monsieur de Leberon and Captain Montaut his Brother-in-law with thirty or fourty Soldiers that the Captains l' Artigue and Solles made to take upon them the office of Pioneers their Captains themselves assisting them at the work The service they were employ'd about was to take away the Terrass that the Artillery might look into the Draw-bridg and batter the side of it and that the Ball might pass all along by the Flank and into the Courtine along the Breach within The Enemy had also made a Barricado in the Chambers above so that a man could not pâ—ssibly see any thing on one of the two sides I gave the charge of removing the two pieces of Canon to the place where Monsieur de Leberon drew away the Terrass to the Vicount d'llza and my self went to take a little repose for this was the fifth night that I had not had a whole hour of sleep By break of day I heard the two Canons play but could not believe it possible that in that one night all the Terrass could be remov'd at least all that was in our way Our Artillery began to play its feats all along this Flank and it cost us a great many shot to break this Barricado which did us infinite mischief for they shot desperately into our Canon I then made the Vicount d'Vza Monsieur de Leberon and Captain Montaut to go to rest and left Monsieur de Basillac to assist the Artillery After this we caused a hole to be made in the Wall of the Town close by our Artillery that we might come to it in security from without for from within it was impossible without being kill'd or wounded The fourth day of our Siege I had given to Captain Bahus the charge of causing Gabions to be made who had accordingly taken great pains and been very diligent in the execution of his Command but he had caused them to be made so little that the wind of the Canon had presently shaked them all to pieces an error that a man must take care to avoid Our Cavalry all this while was quarter'd in Villages a league and a half from the Leaguer where there was accommodation of Hay and Oats for the Horses with instruction and command to be every night all night long in the field to prevent any relief from getting in for the very day that we came to Rabasteins we had taken a great Packet of Letters sent by Monsieur de Montamat to the Vicount de Caumont Monsieur d' Audax and several other Gentlemen to the number of thirty or fourty Letters wherein he sollicited them if ever they desir'd to do an opportune and signal service for the Queen of Navarre and the Prince to come succour the Country of Bearn for that they were not strong enough to defend the Country if they did not come in to their relief that he had already writ to them twice or thrice but had received no answer that therefore he should send him word when they should be ready and he would in one night make so long a march as to come and joyn with them immediately to march altogether into Bearn or that otherwise he must be constrain'd to abandon the open Country waâ—ting Forces to make head against us and that he saw he had not now to do with Monsieur de Terride The reading of which Letters made us to pitch upon the following resolution First To send to the Baron de Larbous that he should bring Monsieur de Gramont's Company of Gens-d'arms from the higher Comenge to come and joyn with us that in so doing he should make a halt thereabouts where the relief was of necessity to pass and that night and day he should keep his Horse upon the
to raise them I dare be bold to affirm with truth that we were not above a quarter of an hour about this work and so soon as ever the Canon was cover'd Tibauville and the other Canoneers return'd into the Battery where they began to shoot with greater fury than of all the dayes before every clap almost overtaking another every one assisting them with great cheerfulness If Captains you shall do the same and your selves first put your hands to the work you will make every one follow your exemple very shame will push and force them on and when the service is hot in any place if the Chief do not go in person or at least some eminent man the rest will go very lamely on and murmur when a man sends them to slaughter And if you covet honor you must sometimes tempt danger as much as the meanest Soldier under your Command I will deprive no man of his due honor for I think I have assisted at as many Batteries as any man this day alive and must needs say this that I never saw Commissaries of the Artillery more diligent and adventurous than both Fredeville and Tibauville shew'd themselves during the whole five dayes that the Battery continued in my whole life for they themselves both levell'd and fir'd though they had as good Canoneers as ever I saw handle Linstock in my dayes and I dare be bold to say that of a thousand Canon shot we made against this place not ten fail'd of their effect or were spent in vain In the morning I sent for Monsieur de Gohas who was at Vic-Bigorre and the Captains who were set to have an eye to Montamat and the Succours expected by him writing to him to come away that he might be with me at the Assault by reason that Captain Paulliac Colonel of the Infantry was so dangerously wounded that we had no hopes of his life He receiv'd his shot at the time when I went over-night to carry Messieurs de Leberon and de Montaut to cut off the great Counterscarp which shot went quite through his Body My Son Fabian was also shot in the chin and two Soldiers close by my side I there committed a very great error for I went in the evening before it was dark and I believe they were aware that we intended to cut the Counterscarp for all their Harquebuzeers were run together to that place and the reason why I committed this error was that having computed with my self how many hours the night was long I found that it was not above seven hours or thereabouts and on the other side I saw that in half an hour I should lose all that I had done if the Counterscarp was not pulled down by break of day and in that case I should think fit to give an assault that day they would be so strongly rampir'd and fortified that with as many more Canon shot as I had made against the place it would be a matter of very great difficulty to enter This was the reason why I made so much haste to go and begin the work that I might have it perfected by break of day where I recommended the care of it to Messieurs de Lâ—beron and de Montaut and the two Captains upon the Guard by telling them that in their diligence our victory wholly consisted And in truth they slept not as I have already said for by break of day the Artillery began to play and the Counterscarp was wholly pulled down O Camrades you who shall go to besiege places you cannot but confess that both here and in several other places my Enterprizes and Victories have succeeded more from my vigilancy and prompt execution than my valour and I on my part am willing to confess that there was in the Camp braver men than I. But no one can be a Coward that has these three things for from these three all the Combats and Victories proceed and all valiant men choose to follow Captains that are provided with these three qualities And on the other side he cannot be call'd hardy let his heart be never so good if he be tardy backward and slow in execution for before he has fixt his resolution he has been so long deliberating about it that the Enemy is advertiz'd of what he intends to do and consequently is provided to prevent his design but if he be quick he shall even surprize himself So that there is no great confidence to be repos'd in a Chief that is not â—ndu'd with these three qualities vigilancy promptitude and valour If a man examine all the great Warriours that have ever been he will find that they had all those qualities Alexander did not in vain bear the Device I have mentioned before Examine Caesar's Commentaries and all the Authors that have writ of him you will find that in his life he fought two and fifty Battels without ever losing any saving that of Dirachium but within thirty dayes he had a sufficient revenge against Pompey for he won a great Battel and defeated him You will not find that in these two and fifty Battels he ever fought three times in his own person that is with his own hand though he was alwayes present there by which you will understand that all his Victories were the effects of his conduct for being diligent vigilant and a prompt executer of his designs But for all this these qualities are rarely found and I believe we Gascons are better provided of them than any other people of France or perhaps of Europe and many good and great Captains have gone out of it within these fifty years I shall not compare my self to them but this I will say of my self because it is true that my Master never lost any thing by my sloth or remissness The Enemy thought me a league off when I came to beat up his Quarters And if diligence be requir'd in all exploits of war it is much more in a Siege for a very little thing will serve to overthrow a great design If you press your Enemy you redouble his fear he will not know where he is nor have leisure to recollect himself Be sure to wake whilst others sleep and never leave your Enemy without something to do I shall now return to the Assault our Order being set down I went and placed my self at the Gate of the Town near unto the Breach where I had all the Gentlemen with me of which there might be six or seven score and still more came up to us for Monsieur de la Chappelle Lauzieres who came from Querâ—y brought a great Troop of Gentlemen along with him I shall here relate one thing of my own presage which is perfectly true That it was impossible for all the friends I had to dispossess me of an opinion I had that I should in this Assault be kill'd or wounded by a shot in some part of my head and out of that conceipt was once half in a
by these fine Edicts I shall not meddle with the corruption of your Courts of Judicature nor the abuses in your Treasure I only beg leave to say something concerning the ordering of your Militia for should I plunge my self further into what has caused the ruine of your Kingdom I should be forced to speak too loud and that of no little ones I know Sir very well that your Majesty will not do me the honor to read my Book you have other employment and your time is too precious to be lavisht in reading the life of a Soldier but perhaps some one who shall have read it in discourse may give your Majesty some account of what it contains For which reason I have assum'd the boldness to direct this short discourse I am about to make to your Majesties observation and I beseech you take a little notice of it forasmuch as therein are laid open the causes of those disasters I have seen happen in our Kingdom within these fifty years in the beginning of which I first took up arms in the Reign of your Grandfather King Francis of blessed memory during whose Reign a Custom was introduced which I conceive to be very prejudicial to your State Your Majesty may alter it and in so doing do a great right to your self and your Kingdom as to the concern of arms A young Prince as you are for birth the greatest and the first of Christendom ought evermore to learn of old Captains Your Majesty is naturally martial and have a generoâ—s heart and therefore will not I hope disdain the advice of an old Soldier your Subject and Servant I remember the time when your Majesty took a delight to talk with me in private then when you went your Expedition to Bayonne and then very well perceiv'd that your discourse exceeded the capacity of your age and â—o such a degree that I dare be bold to say might your Majesty have had your own way all things had succeeded a great deal better for though you had done nothing but only shewed your self and have let your people see that you was in person in your Army you had at least gain'd the hearts of many and astonisht the rest and consequently had without dispute been much better serv'd in this your Majesties maturer Age. I do believe it was one of the greatest errors they made you commit for it was not your Majesties fault that you was shut up when your Aâ—mies marcht The people of your Kingdom are a good and an affectionate people and rejoyce to see their King so that your presence would have inspir'd a great many and particularly of our Country of Guienne with wiser and more loyal Councils than some of them have since embrac 't But I proceed to my discourse Sir when your Majestie conferres the place of a President a Chancellor a Lieutenant Criminal or any other Office of Judicature upon any one it is evermore with this reservation that they shall not execute any of these Charges till first they shall be examin'd by your Parliaments which are full of wiâ—e and learned men and oftentimes your Majâ—stie gives order that they shall first be examin'd by your Chancellor before they present themselves before the Parliaments which are to determine of their Capacities and whether or no they be sufficiently read in the Law not to be in danger of erring in the Arrests and Judgments they are to make in their Administrations that so right may be done to those of your Subjects to whom it sâ—all duly appertein This Sir is a good and an equitable way of proceeding for you owe us Justice impartial and according to the weight of the Ballance 'T is a right to which we are born and the chief thing you owe indifferently to all and therefore it is admirably well done to make them pass those strict and severe Inquisitions that are requir'd in the Chambers of your Parliaments assembled Yet can it not be ordered so that Justice in all things is alwaies duly executed You ought Sir to do the same in all other Offices and Commands you confer in your Kingdom and yet I see that the first that makes suit to your Majestie for the Government of a place a Company of Gens-d'arms or of Foot or the Office of a Camp-master without considering what loss or detriment may thereby ensue either to your own person or your Kingdom you easily grant it perhaps at the recommendation of the first Lady that speaks for it and that perhaps your Majesty has danced with over night at a Ball for whatsoever affairs are on foot the Ball must trot Sir these Ladies have too much credit in your Court O how many mischiefs have and do daily arise from having so lightly conferr'd these Commands And although your Majesties proceeding be prudent and just in exposing your Officers of the long Robe to the utmost test it is not however of so great importance to your State For what loss can you sustain if they be ignorant it falls not upon you for he that gains the Tryal though contrary to Law and right pays you the same duties that he did who is nonsuited in his cause by which means you lose nothing of your Revenue it is still in the Kingdom and what imports it to you whether Iohn or Peter be Lord of such or such a Mannor so long as you have your Fee-farm rents still duly paid you We are all your Subject But the error and ignorance of Governors and Captains who obtein Places and Commands with great case at the first word of the first that asks is infinitely prejudicial to your Kingdom and herein I am very confident all the great Captains and men of honor that are zealous for your service will be of my opinion If your Majesty give the Government of a Place to a man of no experience and who has never been in such a Command before see what will follow First it is an old saying that When the eye sees what before it never saw the heart thinks that which before it never thought If therefore a Siege be clapt down before him how is it to be expected that he should disengage himself how is it possible he should understand and discover the designs of the Enemy on what part they can or will assault him which there is a way to do without a Spy as I have made it to appear by what I did at Sienna How should he know how to fortifie and secure himself and in short do a thousand and a thousand things that will be necessary to be done if he have never before been engag'd in such affairs Such as have been ten times besieg'd are apt enough to be startled at it and oftentimes so astonisht that they know not where they are Now when your Majesty hears that your place is going to be beleaguer'd you will presently fall to raising an Armie as you have good reason to do not daring to rely upon
follow after may learn how to behave themselves upon the like occasion Had I upon the instant known the man that had raised this fine report of me I doubt I should have shew'd him a scurvy trick but the Canon was carried back which they attended till they saw it lodg'd in safety and so we took leave of one another and departed every man to his own home I had not been long at my own house before I had every day very strange news brought me from Court and of great designs that were laid by the greatest men of the Kingdom but when I heard that the King of Navarre made one amongst them and was stoln away from Court without taking his leave I from that time forward concluded that Guienne was again to suffer many miseries for that he being a great Prince young and who gave visible hopes of being one day a great Captain would easily gain the hearts of the Nobless and the People and would keep the rest in awe So God help me a thousand mischiefs were eternally before my eyes so that I was often in mind to withdraw my self to avoid the affliction of hearing so continual ill news and of seeing the ruine of my native Country To which end a certain Priory was evermore running in my head that I had formerly seen situated in the mountains part in France and part in Spain call'd Sâ—rracoli to which place I had some thoughts of retiring my self out of the Tumult of the world I might there at once have seen both France and Spain and if God lend me life I know not yet what I may do The End of the Seventh and last Book of the Commentaries of Messire Blaize de Montluc Mareschal of France BLASII MONLUCI FRANCIAE MARESCHALLI TUMULUS Iliadis rursum nascatur conditor altae Hoc tumulo rursum conditur Aeacides FLOR RAEMONDVS Senat. Burdigal Quaeris qui siem MONLUCIUS Nomini meo satis est nomen Conjugi conjux P. C. MONLVCIVM haec urna tegit Cujus varios casus terra marique exhantlatos labores Gallia testabitur hostes praedicabunt posteri mirabuntur Vrbium propugnator oppugnator Hostes saepius fudi vici subegi Patriam in sua viscera versam quoties restitui Imis functus maxima consecutus Terrarum orbem fama complexus Fatis urgentibus lubens integerrima mente cessi Avo Patri Filius Nepos Blasius Monlucius P. RErum humanarum vices quis non miretur festinantibus Pater fatis tardantibus Avus in coelum receptus Ille ferro hic morbo I lle in insulis Oceani Atlantici hic in Gallia hominibus exemptus Ille me unicum vix primos edentem vagitus superstitem reliquit Hic tres liberos Gallicae florem nobilitatis tria Martis pignora vivens amisit eluxit Vtérque bellum lituos spirans At juventus patris sedatior senectus avi praefervidior Ex aeqüo tamen eadem utrique gloria Ore facundus corde catus manu promptus militibus pariter utérque gratus militarem veterum ducum adoream triumphalibus laureis utérque supergressus Avus nunquam victus pater etiam moriens hostium victor extitit Adlucete filio nepoti vestro virtutis egregiam facem sanctissimae fortissimae animae invicta avita pietatis columina me vestigia per vestra euntem ad aeternum stirpis nominisque nostri decus tot inter rerum caligines errorum flexus itinere inoffenso perducite ΕΙΣ ΓΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΟΠΚΑΙ ΤΟΠΑÎΔΡΕΙΟΤΑΤΟΠΤΩΠΚελων Βλασιον ✚ Μονλυκον Επιταφιον 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tombeau de Messire Blaise de Montluc CE Marbre icy passant le grand Montluc enserre Vn tel homme que luy dedans si peu de terre Ne peut estre compris ce tombeau labouré Clost seulement son corps dont il est honoré Mais juge par sa mort le dommage la perte Que la Gascongne a fait depuis vensue deserte Et franc de passion voy comme le laurier Ceignant soâ— front recâ—ut honneur de ce guerrier Ce grand guerrier qui fut la garde de son Prince Le soustien l'appuy de toute la province Oâ— lieutenant de Roy en guerre en paix Tesmoins de sa vertu il fit tant de boaus faits Qu'il a laisse mourant ce beau doute à tout aage Quel des deux il estoit plus vaillant ou plus sage En bataille rangée il deffit par trois fois L'ennemy de son Roy il remit sous ses loix La Guyenne revoltée aux factions civiles Par force il emporta print cinquante villes Le primier à Passaut en témoignant la foy Qu'l avoit à son Dieu qu'il avoit à son Roy. Par degrez il acquist d'une honorable peine Tous les tiltres d'honneur de soldâ—t capitaine Colonel Lieutenant Vice-Roy Mareschal Et tousiours commandant à soy tousiours esgal Dedans soy retenant sous égale balance La vaillance d' Ajax de Nestor l'eloquence De l'homme plus couard il animoit le coeur Et au plus courageux faisoit venir la peur A sa seule parole à sa seule presence Il fut chaud actif remply de vigilance En tout il se monstra par tout invaincu Et ne secut onc vainqueur que c'est d'estre vaincu Où fut-ce par la force ou par la courtoisie Tant il avoit d'honneur sa belle ame saisie L'Italie le sçait où de son brave coeur Mainte marque il laissa courtois vainqueur Et le sçait l'Anglâ—terre la France l'Espagne Et cette nation que l' onde du Rhin baigne Brave s'il eust voulu de l'invincible mort I leust encore peu faire languir l'effort Mais voyam la vertu faire place a l'envie L'honneur à la faveur il desdaigna la vie Et desira mourir au monde vitieux Pour aller immortel vivre dedans les cieux O vous de qui iamais l'amitié ne varie Pleurez-le ses amis vous mirant en sa vie Vous lasches envieux guidez d'un
at last consented unto and that he had been himself twice to speak with him in disguise having with him three Soldiers who were also of the Plot which he was to name to him a day before the said execution which also he was to execute before Don Arbro de Cenda should arive who was coming to Sienna to command the Souldiery and that if I would he would order the business so as to put them all three into my hands In conclusion we agreed it should be within four days and that he should that very night return to Sienna to conclude the business with the Cardinal de Burgos which being concluded betwixt us I put him out of the Town over the wall for the Gates were already shut and in the morning dispatch'd away a Messenger to Colonel Charemond at Grossette that he should come the next day to Pagamegura half way betwixt Grossette and Montalsin and the same day that I sent away to the Colonel I call'd in the Captains who were at Chuze Montizel and the Hospitallet by Piance whom I swore upon the Crucifix to discover nothing of the Enterprize and so sent them back to make themselves ready against I should send for them I then sent away my light horse to la Rocque de Baldoc under pretence of keeping Garrison there and the next day went to meet the Colonel at Pagamegura with whom I concluded that he should have four hundred Harquebuâ—â—â—â—s in readiness My design was that as the enemy should give the Scalado Colonel Charemond should come behind them and the Garrisons of Chuze and Montizal should step betwixt them and the Palace and my Company also and so soon as they should be repulsed I was to sally out upon them with four hundred men from the City At my return from Pagamegura I found the said Phebus return'd but he said not a word to me of all night which gave me a little suspicion of him In the morning he came to tell me that the Cardinal would not put the business in execution yet a few days and so drave me off from day to day till in the end I was advised to take him prisoner and to compel him to discover the truth he being no other than a crafty Râ—gue sent purposely to betray me which I accordingly did and clapt him into a close Dungeon of the Castle where by misfortune he found some piece of wood or iron Now because he was a Siennois I was willing to try if the Siennois themselves could win him by fair means to tell the truth which made me deferre puâ—ting him to the question but in the mean time with this piece of iron he broke through the wall and fled away to Sienna by reason of which accident I could do nothing considerable in this Enterprize He was too cunning for me I have nevertheless this obligation to him that he has taught me in an affair of this importance never to spare a Prisoner again but to squeez out the sudden truth for without doubt this fellow was a Traytor After my arrival at Montalsin I procur'd Signior Marioul de Santa Fiore to return into his Majesties service together with the Prior his Brother who thorough some disobligation had withdrawn themselves from his dependance We had been very intimate friends ever after the skiâ—mish at Sienna so thaâ— in the end I made shift to overcome him and they went to Court where the King receiv'd them with great demonstration of favour and esteem His Majesty gave him a Troop of light horse and the Prior a Pension who both of them afterwards were continually with me At this time Don Arbro de â—enda contriv'd an Enterprize to come and take Piance a little Town near unto Montizel which I had caused to be repair'd after the best manner I could and there lodg'd a Company of Italians I therefore gave to Signior Marioul my own Company and those he had gathered together of his own together with part of that of the Count de Petillano and sent him to Piance to fetch off the Italian Company I had left there and to carry them to Montizel where was Captain Bartolomeo de Pezero Some few dayes before Don Arbro came out of Sienna Captain Serres who was Lieutenant to my Company of Light-horse and my Kinsman had fought Captain Carillou Governor of Bonconvent in the fight of Montalsin who had with him ten men at arms of the Marquis of Piscara's Company and the Ensign of the Company had eight Launces of a Company of light Horse and eight Harquebuzeers on horseback who were come to vapour before Montalsin below in the Plain towards the Inn not thinking there had been any Cavalry in Montalsin for I had taken my Company along with me to Grossete and had sent Captain Serres with eighteen Launces to scoure the field on the left hand towards Sienna where they met and fought about Chuze so that mine had the better At his return Captain Serres went to repose himself a day or two at Montalsin afterwards to come and find me out at Grossette and to conduct me back to Montalsin Captain Serres then seeing himself thus brav'd by the Enemy sallied out with his eighteen Launces two Gentlemen of Sienna arm'd with Coaâ—s of Mail and two foot Soldiers that followed him When so soon as Captain Carillon saw the Launceers he would have retir'd Captain Serres always following in his Rear when as Captain Carillou would pass a narrow Rivoleâ— Captain Serres charg'd him with might and main and so close that he took them all saving one Captain who had his Company in Bonconvent These Harquebuzeers on horseback belong'd to him and he receiv'd a shot from one of the two Harquebuzeers that went out with Captain Serres quite thorough the Body but he got over the Rivolet and another with him who conveyed him to Bonconvent where he died at the very gate of the Town and â—ll the rest I kept prisoners at Montalsin Don Arbro marched directly to Piance with three pieces of Canon and two Culverins which made me suspect that he did not carry so much Artillery with him for Piance it being not so strong as to require Canon and so soon as Signior Marioul understood that he was within three mile of Piance he went out with all the horse to meet him commanding the Captain who was there before in the mean time to draw out his Foot and to make with all speed to Montizel which was no more but two miles from thence In the mean time to hold the Enemy in play he skirmish'd so briskly and engag'd so far that he could not afterwards dâ—singage himself but was charg'd by three Troops of their horse at once with so great fury that twelve or fourteen light horse of my Company were there taken of which Captain Gurgues who belong'd to the Mareschal de Strozzy was one and of those of the Count de Pâ—tillano and Signior Marioul as
many or more After this brush getting off the rest and coming to halt before Piance he found that the Captain had not as yet got so much as one man out of Town but the Enemy still press'd upon him and there again were some more Launces broken whilst the Captain in the Town was drawing out his men till in the end he was again charg'd with all their horse and constrain'd to retire to Montizel Captain Serres and the Baron de Clermon my Nephew who carried my Cornet escap'd to the little Hospital The foot Captain lost the third part of his Company of those who had been slow in getting out and he with his Ensign and the remainder of his men escap'd and made head at the pass of a little River by that means giving Captain Bartolomeo time to come in to relieve him for it was within sight of Montizel as also Signior Marioul who was yet retreating before the Enemies Horse This a man gets by skirmishing at the head of an Army as I have said before and by retreating by day in the face of an Enemy stronger than himself Don Arbro having staid three dayes at Piance he parted thence in the beginning of the night and with torches took his way thorough a valley that leads towards La Rocque de Baldoc Signior Marioul was gone post to Rome to fetch some Launceers that had been promis'd him to repair his Company but the Prior was with me the night that Don Arbro departed The Prior and I had been abroad on horseback to take the Air without the Gates of Montalsin when night coming on we turn'd about to go home discoursing by the way what Don Arbro intended to do with this great Artillery upon which discourse it presently came into my head that it was to go assault La Rocque de Baldoc in which place there was a Florentine Captain Monsieur de Soubize had placed Governor there whom I had in some suspicion forasmuch as the Gentlemen of Sienna who were with me had told me that they had heard he had sent twice to Florence So soon therefore as we came near to the Gates of Montalsin I commanded two light-horse of my Company to go and scout all along upon the Hills betwixt Piance and la Rocque and not to stir from thence till break of day unless they should discover the Enemy upon motion Now some dayes before this Monsieur de Guise who was come to Rome and was already march'd towards the Kingdom of Naples had sent to call avvay Charemon vvth his Company at the request of the Siennois vvho could not agree vvith him and had sent me Monsieur de la Molle Captain Charry and three or four other Companies in his room as also he had sent for some of mine and had given the Government of Grossette to Monsieur de la Molle I was scarce laid down in my bed when my two light horse return'd telling me that Don Arbro was marching by Torch-light along the Valley I spoke of before towards la Rocque whereuponâ— I immediately acquainted the Prior with the news and presently got to horse with all the Cavalry we could make commanding Captain Andre Casteaux Nephew to the Cardinal of Tournon to march his Company without Baggage in all haste after me and that he should march through the woods to which end I gave him two Gentlemen of Sienna to be his Guides In the mean time and an hour before day I arriv'd at la Rocque de Baldoc and by break of day came Andre Casteaux with his Company who was scarcely entred in when the Avenues were all seiz'd by the Enemy and the Guides taken who had led me the way as they were upon their return together with the Quartermaster of my Company from whom the Enemy learn't that I had put my self into it I then dispatcht away two Pesants through the woods to la Grossette by whom I writ to Monsieur de la Molle that he should with all possible speed go and put himself into Montalsin and that he should there command as the Kings Lieâ—tenant for that I was shut up in la Rocque and resolv'd to defend the place Don Arbro quarter'd his Camp at Avignon over against la Rocque and there staid three dayes debating with himself whether he should attaque me or no but in the end he resolv'd to retire knowing with whom he had to do and saying Iuro a Dios a quel Capitan tiene alguns Diabolos en su poder o ai algun tradudor tras nos otros si lo pâ—edo saber yo tengo de cortar li los brassos y los piernos this was his care but my mind was evermore at work and day and night meditating what I should do if I were in my Enemies place he has the same understanding that you have and stratagems as well as you so that meditating of what he meditates you shall often jump and by that means counterplot to what he his plotting against you whereas if you stay expecting what he will do you shall very often be surpriz'd You ought therefore to be in a perpetual jealousie of your Enemies designs and still guessing at what he intends to do whether to attaque this place or that part if I were in his stead I would do this thing or that and often consult your Captains for it may fall out that he of whom perhaps you have the least opinion may often give you the best advice But in the end Don Arbro return'd and went to quarter his Army at Altesse which is no more than three miles from Montalsin where seeing his design I return'd to my own Quarters and sent Monsieur de la Molle back to Grossette Don Arbro put three Companies into Piance two of Italians and a third half Spanish and half Italian for the Governor he had left there was a Spaniard and Signior Bartolomeo de Lestâ—pha Nephew to Signior Chiapino Vitelli who had one of the best and the strongest Companies in all Italy kept all the prisoners to the number of betwixt fifty and threescore in the Palace After a few days he retreated with his Army to Sienna all his Enterprizes vanishing into smoak The Marquis of Pescaara's Ensign went too and fro and took great pains in labouring the deliverance of their people in exchange of ours upon which Treaty Don Arbro sent me a Jear saying No sera dico que yo rendra un Frances que yo no tenga tres Espagnoles y per estas barbas yo harre l'os mios ellos non hauran los suos Cardinal Burgos was by no means pleased with this manner of proceeding and would have been glad that all the prisoners might have been set at liberty both on the one side and the other for I had the Captains Montillou and Carillou Governors of Pont-Hercole and Bonconvent and above twenty others twelve of which were natural Spaniards besides the two Governors I took
great street where they had made a Barricado which all of thâ—m could not recover for a great many were cut off by the way Now as they were making head at the Barricado Monsieur de Savignac and his people arriv'd vvho at the same instant that the last of ours vvere got up by the Ladders ran up thither mounting by the same Ladders first come first serv'd and so soon as they vvere got in all ran directly tovvards the Bridg vvhere upon his arrival one of his Captains caâ—l'd Escaâ—ours vvas slain vvho vvas one of the bravest men I ever knevv for I had long been acquainted vvith him In the end the Enemy abandoned the Barricado and put themselves into the other Tovvn by the Wicket my five Ensigns follovved them and fail'd but very little of entring pel-mel amongst them but the Enemy made shift to clap to the Wicket by vvhich means our five Ensigns vvere constrain'd to put themselves into a little house close adjoyning to the Gate of the City vvhere one of the five Captains call'd Mossaron vvas slain The Enemy shot very fast from the Tovver of the Portal and ours also from the little house threvv Fagots and Plancks before the Gate and there it vvas that Captain Mosseron vvas slain vvhere for all the infinite number of stâ—nes as well as Harquâ—buz shot that the Enemy shoured upon them they forbare not to set fire to the Gate of the said Tovvn I had as I have said seen these Ensigns as I vvas repassing the River but I thought they had been the Enemy vvhen vve vvere no sooner got over but an Harquebuzeer on horseback came full speed to tell me that our five Ensigns vvere in the Tovvn vvhereupon vvithout staying to see vvhat Monsieur de Savignac vvould do we set spurs to our horses and gallopt immediately up to the Gate for it was not above four hundred paces I there found Monsieur de Savignac's people some vvithin and some vvithout the Gate vvho had already made a hole vvide enough to pass one by one underneath We then all alighted and passed thorough this hole I had brought with me some Peasants of St. Maurice who came along with the Artillery and falling to work upon the Gate immediately forced it open but we were all got in before Our Camp-master Monsieur de Castaneuâ—l did not enter with me for I found him at the end of the Bridg in a street on the right hand where he told me that he had been to discover a house or two that looked into the other Town There was not a man that durst abide in the great street for the Tower of the Gate commanded it he carried me to the two Houses which were close by the water side and where in one of them I mounted a pair of stairs into a Chamber that looked upon the River and there caused seven or eight holes to be suddenly made thorough the Wall on the other side of the Room that looked towards the Town from whence the Enemy shot so fast which being done I descended again into the Street and went into the other House adjoyning to it and of that into a low Parlour which had a door out of it thorough which by five or six steps there was a passage down to the River The Enemy shot at this door with great fury and thorough the corner of a little Window I perceiv'd that they were filling some Barrels they had placed upon a Breach of the Wall Monsieur de Savignac Monsieur d' Andosielle his Camp-master Captain St. Aubin and another Captain of his whose name I have forgot were in the Parlour with me Monsieur de Cassaneuil was entred into another House where he found a Tanner a very tall man and brought him to me who assur'd me that the water was not above middle deep I then offer'd this fellow ten Crowns if he would lead the Soldiers the way over the River telling him moreover that I would give him a Target of proof for his defence which he undertook to do I therefore deliver'd him a Target but the Rascal presently threw it down telling me that it was too heavy and that though he was big and strong he found himself encumbred with it and therefore would venture to pass over without Monsieur de Montastruc who was Master of the Ordnance was also present with me I saw we must make haste to pass over for should the Enemy once have filled their Barrels it would be a matter of great difficulty to enter by this Breach which made me speak to Monsieur de Savignac to call in three or four of his Ensignes whereupon Monsieur d' Andosielle St. Aubin and the other Captain ran into the Street and fetcht in their Ensigns for my five were in the little House by the Gate and so soon as the three Ensigns were come into the Parlour and a great many of their Soldiers who crowded in after them I commanded the Ensigns boldly to follow this man who would lead them the way telling them that they were by no means to stop till they came to the other side of the River close up to the breach sending at the same time to the Haâ—quebuzeers who were in the Chamber that they should ply their shot to favour the passage of our men which being done I suddenly threw open the door and put out this Tanner together with a good Soldier who offered himself to go hand in hand with him and after these two the three Ensigns and the three Captains followed after I put out five or six Harquebuzeers after these and my self also with all the Gentlemen who were with me went out after them We were to go down the formention'd five or six steps and the Enemy shot with great fury on that side but my Harquebuzeers in the Chamber held them so short that they durst not shew their heads Still more Soldiers ran after down the stairs and I stood upon the brink of the River making them believe I would pass over with them when Monsieur de Montastruc seeing me in that posture ran into the Street crying out O Soldiers Monsieur de Montluc himself is passing the River at which cry the Soldiers who were busie about their plunder and those who were in the Street left all and entred in a crowd into the Parlour where such as could not come to the stairs leapt down by the sides and without any manner of regard plung'd into the River like as one forces in a flock of sheep insomuch that the River was so cover'd over with men from the one side to the other that there was no water to be seen I still stept in to the mid leg into the River making a shew as if I meant to pass it as also did Messieurs de Brassac the Chevalier de Romegas and the rest of the Gentlemen who were with me Monsieur de Savignac was there also and it was no good wading for him for the tallest
Soldier was up to the armpits and I believe had he gone in it would have taken him up to the chin for every one knows that he was not of the stature of a Giant and we were in danger to have lost a great many Soldiers who were little men but I still call'd out to them to help one another which they did and I do verily believe and have reason to believe so that had I not unbethought me to make those loop-holes in the Chamber and to have placed a good many Harquebuzeers there as I had done so that their shot continually rattled without intermission and that they had moreover open'd a window through which two or three might fire at once we had lost above a hundred men for from the Walls and from the Barrels from whence they fir'd at us it was not above six paces to the Bank of the River vvhere our people landed The Ensigns and Captains entred the Barrels which so soon as I perâ—eiv'd I immediately sent to those in the Chamber to give over shooting by reason they might as well kill our own people as the Enemy To supply which our Harquebuzeers who follovved the Ensigns shot at those vvithin as vvell as they at them and being câ—me up to the Barrels our Captains laid hold on the brims of them vvhich vvere not half full of earth the Enemy not having had time to fill them and presently I savv them all tumbled dovvn on our side and the Ensigns and Captains leapt into the Tovvn vvhereupon the Enemy vvere suddenly put to rout and fled directly to the Castle Our people pursued and kill'd a great number of them by the vvay vvhen so soon as I savv them enter'd I return'd into the Street so vveary as in my life I never felt my self in such a condition by vvhich I very vvell savv that I vvas no more to think of bearing arms for I thought above ten times that I should have fainted and falln dovvn in the street There is no remedy vve cannot be tvvice The Chevalier de Romegas and Captain Fabian my Son supported me by the arms to Ionca's House where I found his Wife who presently made me a Bed ready and put me into it I found that I had sweat through my Buffe Collar insomuch that my very arms were wet with it we had brought no Baggage with us but had left it at St. Maurice forasmuch as I my self had no very great hopes of bringing about my design neither had I any great reason to hope it wherefore my servants were fain to dry my Shirt that I had on and all my other cloaths which were almost in as bad a pickle and so soon as the Chevalier Romegas my Son and the other Gentleman had left me in the hands of my Servants they departed to go fall upon the Castle when at their going away I said to this brave Chevalier I have seen the time when for such a dayes work as this I should not have quitted either Cask or Corslet and had there been any appearance of danger I might perhaps have passed over the night in this Estate but there is no remedy you young men must do what we old men cannot Having been in bed about half an hour and all my cloaths being dry I got up again and fell to dressing my self which as I was doing there came in Monsieur de Savignac Captain Fabian and some other Gentlemen with them to tell me that those of the Castle would surrender and to know if I would consent that they should upon the Capitulation receive them to Quarter Perceiving therefore that Monsieur de Savignac and Captain Fabian had a great desire to save Favas and to give him fair quarter because he had the reputation of a good Soldier and a gallant man I told them they might grant them what conditions they should think fiâ— and that I would sign the Capitulation though inwardly I had a mind to make a dispatch which was the reason that so soon as they were gone from me I sent a Gentleman after to speak secretly to the Soldiers and some of the Captains that during the Parly they should take their opportunity to enter in on one side or another and to kill them all for that we must revenge the death of the Gentlemen who had been so barbarously massacred at Navarreins being that contrary to Article and the publick faith they had stab'd the Sieur de St. Colombe and seven or eight others who had surrendred upon conditions of Quarter at Orthez at the time when Monsieur de Terride was taken The Enemy did this execution under pretext that they were the Queen of Navarre's Subjects but if the King offer to touch any one of her Subjects they presently say he cannot do it all things must be allowed to these people and nothing to us but I hope the time will come when the Dice shall turn that we may pay them in their own Coin I could not have committed this execution to a better hand than to this Genâ—leman he being Cousin-German to the Baron de Pordeac who was one of those that were massacred and he had no sooner spoken to two or three of the Captains and to the Soldiers but that they presently ran to seek out for Ladders which clapping to a Canton of the Base-Court on the left hand by the Galleries whilst the others were capitulating at the Gate they there entred and kill'd all they found within Captain Favas who was making conditions for them only excepted whom Monsieur de Savignac and my Son Fabian so soon as they saw the disorder pulled to them which was well for him who had otherwise infallibly gon to pot with the rest Our Horse likewise who were on the right hand perceiving that our people were within the Town gallopped a little up the River where they found a Foard which though it was very deep they notwithstanding passed over and ran directly to the Castle on that side by the Religieux where coming up just at the time when five and twenty or thirty threw themselves out at the Windows they sav'd those also otherwise there had hardly been any one left to carry the news but Captain Favas only And thus the Town was taken of which I immediately sent an account to the Mareschal and in the morning went my self to vvait upon him vvhere he promised me to come up the next day vvith all the Army and I presently return'd back to Mont de Marsan Accordingly in the morning the Mareschal came at the time when I was taking the best order I could to preserve the Town from being further sackt but I could do little good in it and as I was going out at one Gate to meet him he enterd by the other for I had much ado to get out by reason all his Army were got into the Streets especially the Horse by whom I was told that he was gone directly to the place