knew the Prince of Condé and also the L. d'Argence both which promised him to saue his lyfe or to leaue theirs in the aduenture whervpon as an Archer being descended on foote to helpe to shifte the Prince from vnder his horsse and had set him vppon his feete one named Montesquion thought to be the Capteyne of the garde to the Kings brother knowing the Prince shot him thorough the head with a Pistolet the blow entring behynd and came foorth vnder his eye The Lord Steward a Scot and Chastelier Poitant after they were taken were also stabbed with daggers and murdered the sayde Chastellier by one named Cosseâ—us besydes whom were slayne in this encounter about .ij. hundreth men xi prisoners amongst others the bastard of Nauarre the Lorde de la Noue whose horse was killed at the firste charge the L. of Teligni de la Balbe de Soubize de la Loue. On y catholikes syde were slayne the Counte de la Mirande the L. de Monsalletz the Barons of Ingrande and Prunay with many other After this charge one part of the horsmen drew to S. IeaÌ„ d'Angely togither with the Admiral d'Andelot the CouÌ„te de la Rochefoucaut and d Acier with great numbers of horsmeÌ„ the rest tooke the way to Coygnac In this encouÌ„ter the Prince had no other footmeÌ„ than the L. Pluueaux regimeÌ„t heretofore mentioned all the reste of his footmen was retired by his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t to Iarnac as being not of mynd to fight y daye there was made at Iarnac a Bridge of boates to passe the Riuer Charente in tymes of need ouer which the footmen séeing the ouerthrow passed to the other syde the riuer and then brake it in pieces for feare of pursutes so retired to Coygnac where were the Princes of Nauarre and Anguyen The Artillerie led from Coygnac was brought thither again hauing made no great way The sayd Princes of Nauarre and Anguyen now Prince of Conde departed from Cognac the next morning with such horsemen as were retired to them they arriued the same day at Sainctes in Sainctonge leauing their footmen at Cognac to maynteyne head against the Catholikes who the morrowe after being the .xv. of Marche presented themselues in battaill before Cognac with horssemen and footemen making countenaunce to besiege it There was a great skirmishe on the syde of the parke by meane of a sallie made vpon them by the L. de Baudine in whiche encounter were lefte deade in the place about two hundreth bodyes and great numbers hurte whiche made the Catholykes retire the same daye returning to Jarnac In the meane whyle the Admirall vnderstanding the Princes were retired to Sainctes went thyther to them and with the horsemen of their traine he brought them to S. Iean d'Angely and from thence to Thome-Charante whether the Quéene of Nauarre came to communicate with them of their generall affaires And now albeit the vnwoorthynesâ—e of the Princes death dyd so amaze the Gentlemen and Souldiours of the armie as they séemed to wauer in varietie of doubtes yet the Admirall no lesse wyse than wel aduised knit them againe with newe persuasions of courage by all his possible meanes And sure thys death was sufficient inough to coole and qualifie such as had no other regard than to the losse of such a Gouernour of warre but considering more neare the actions of this Prince and of how long tyme he hadde bin giuen to the sincere seruice of his God King and CouÌ„trey they assured them selues more than afore They are persuaded that there nothing happened to him whiche he did not eyther foresee or foretell according to the poesie written in the enseigne of the companie of his meÌ„ of armes in these words PRO CHRISTO ET PATRIA DVLCE PERICVLVM And besides the said Prince was wont afore his death to say in his familiar talk y he attended his sepulchre in the fields in a day of battaill The end of the first Booke The second Booke of the last troubles and ciuill warres of Fraunce THE Prince of Condé thus taken away his death no small losse to them of the Religion the Kings Brother knowing the Princes of Nauarre and d'Anguyen were passed the riuer of Botoune determined to followe them and in that purpose departed from Janac came to Dampierre where he passed the Riuer he lodged his armie within half a leage of S. Iean d'Angeli of purpose to execute a certeyn enterprise within the sayd towne by meane of the Capteyn of the Castell In the meane while the Princes armie passed Charante as well at Thonye Charante as at Tallibourgh kéeping the boates alwayes on their syde The Quéene of Nauarre hauing imparted certeyn special admonitions aswel to the Prince hir sonne as other great lords personages of estate returned to Rochel The Kings brother vnderstanding the sayd armie was passed ouer Charante and also that his enterprise vpon the towne of S. Iean d'Angeli was so discouered as hée could not coÌ„mit it to safe execution returned from whence he came that is to larnac Chasteau-neuf and places about Angoulesme attending his opportunitie to effect an attempt which he had conspired vpon that towne and that by meane of the Capteyne of the Parke which was also discouered as hereafter shal follow The Princes being now on the other syde the riuer Charente began to surueye their forces viewing first their horsmen and then their footmen in order as hereafter shal be shewed All the horsemen were sent for in one day into two places The Prince of Nauarre and the L. Admirall mustred the battaile and the d Andelot with the Counte Rochefoucaut the vantgarde There were viewed and enhabled about .iiij. thousand horsmen wel mouÌ„ted and armed with valiant dispositioÌ„ to follow the cause to a good end It was openly red there to al y horsmeÌ„ y the prince of Nauar declared himselfe chief of the armie with promise not to leaue the Campe till a good and happie peace and muche lesse to spare his lyfe and goods in that behalfe This being published the horsemen likewise protested by othe not to departe the armie without his leaue nor forbeare life or liuing in the assistance of the quarell PEndureau Capteyn of a hundred light horsemen after the last conflict reuolted and tooke part with the Counte du Lude Gouernour of Poytou Hee was gréeuous after his reuolte to the protestantes in a number of heauie euils as in pilling and robbing them without respecte and also vnder shadowe of hys white Cassakyns wherwith he yet disguised his people He tooke the Castell of Mont-agu in base Poytou yéelding to the garrison no other mercie than by the edge of the sworde He made many incursions into Poytou anoyed theÌ„ with such generall perill that the Princes to ouercome him his troupes dispatched thither the Lorde de la Rocheenard with xii Cornettes of horsemen the regiments of footmen of the L. la Mousson Saint Magrin Montamma
with the losse of thrée of his people and also the Gentleman his guyde The .xxix. day of Nouember Sebastian Luxenbourg CouÌ„te de Martigue Knight of the Order Capteyne of fiftie men at armes and Lieutenaunt generall to the King in his Duchie and countrey of Britayne beyng at the batterie was stroken in the head with a harquebushot whereof he dyed to the generall griefe of the Papistes In the beginning of December about nine of the clocke in the morning the Catholykes demaunded to parley with the Lorde de Pilles whereunto he listened with lesse difficultie in respecte he was not furnished with munition of war for one assault more if it had bin offered neyther had he hope to bée so spéedily succoured as his perill required which was the cause that the .ij. of this moneth after he had established extréeme actes and prouisions for the garde of the sayd Towne he was enforced to render it vpon the couenantes following 1 That the Protestants should depart the Towne their goods saued with their horsses and armour and banner displayed 2 That they should not beare Armes for the generall cause of Religion in .iiij. monethes after 3 That their whole companies as well straungers as inhabitauntes might retire whither they would in all suretie 4 That they should bée safeconducted to their place of suretie where so euer it were by the Lord de Byron according to which composition â–ª the morrow after the iij. of this moneth S. Fean d'Angely was yielded into the handes of the Lorde de Guyâ—â—iers The Lord de Pilles departing the same daye about noone by the Port de Matta with .viij. hundreth footemen of all sortes and about C. horsemen taking hys way to wardes Angoulesme Notwithstanding the conduct and presence of the sayd Lorde de Byron the most parte of the footemen were spoyled and diuerse slayn and the baggage of the horssemen taken ageinst their promisse of fayth During this siege dyed in the towne about a hundreth souldiers certain nuÌ„bres of laborers of the catholiks side without the town dyed aswell of the hand of the enemy as by diseases aboute two thousand amongst which were many great Lordes gentlemen and Captaines slaine as the greate Maister of the artillery whose office was giuen to the said Lorde de Byron the gouernment of the towne was giuen to the Lord de Guitiniers and for the garde of it the king bestowed eight coÌ„panies of footemen The same day the King Quéene mother the Cardinall of Lorrain wyth diuerse great Lordes of the Court entred the towne and visited aswell the forte of the gaâ—e â–ª Aulnis and the Castell as the first breach of the Tower on the wall so returned to their places where they were lodged afore Certaine of the Catholickes immediately after the towne was geuen ouer went towardes the yles of Marans and Mareâ—â—â—es holden of long by them of the religion from whence they were nowe withdrawen by special commaundement from Rochell whereby the catholickes entred and seased vppon them wythout resistaunce In this time were erecuted in Fraunce certaine iudgements diffinitiue pronounced afore against those of the reformed religion whose processes were begon and pursued by the kings procurers from the beginning of the warres aswel against such as were out of the realme as those that maintained part with the Princes The first sort sorsooke the realme immediately after the second peace as being denied to enter their houses goods contrary to the couenauntes of the same and lesse able to liue without mortall perill to their persons in the townes of their propper habitation being filled with garrisons of the contrary faction as hath bene touched in the beginning of these discourses the other sorte forsed eftsoones to fall into armes were knit and tyed to the army of the Princes to resist the voluntary infringers of the peace and coniured enemies to the whole realme both the one and other were procéeded agaynste by personall adiornements in thrée short dayes and for default of apparance their goodes were seased to the Kinges vse and gouerned by speciall Commissioners of sequestration many ydle officers busied themselues to effect the execution of their goodes in many prouinces the said iudgements did suspend and hang vntill after the battell of Montgontour when they awarded generall and speedy processe against all men by defaultes proceeding to execution in Effigie and adiudication of their goodes to the King wherein suche was the liberall zeale of the Judges that they executed by Effigie such as were dead long tyme before It hath bene said before that the L. de Sansac left the siege of Vezeley by reason bys cannons miscaried and nowe hauyng gotte newe prouision of Artillery to the number of twelue or thyrtene peeces and being withall aduertised by certaine of the Towne of Vezeley that the Lorde de Traues with a great parte of the Nobilitie present at the first siege were departed and lefte the Towne came to besiege it of freshe Hée battered still the tower of the Port du Barle right against the watering place soone after he remoued his batterie to that syde of the gray Fryars following with so vehemeÌ„t an assaulte that they came to hande strokes vppon the breaches albeit he was repulsed During this siege Albert de la Chasse a Bourgeys of the Towne wrotte letters to the Catholykes reuealing the partieular state of the Towne He threw his letters ouer the wall into a fielde where the Catholykes came and found them and as he was going to the Wall with a letter readie to conueye to the enimie he was taken with the facte and charging a schoole maister as partie to hys treason were both hanged foorthwith The batterie was such as there were spent aboue thrée thousande and fyue hundreth shottes of Canon and all not able to force the Protestantes which made the Lord Sansac rayse his siege the .xvij. of December 1569. losing in this siege about .xv. hundreth men amongst whome the Lorde de Foyssy Colonell of hys footemen was hurt to death with a shot vppon the trenches Within the Towne amoÌ„gst others M. Iaques Perrin a Minister was killed with a Canon The warre dyd still aggrauate in diuerse places of the Realm contrary to the opinion of such as thought it should haue qualified and vtterly quenched by the battaill at Montgontour They of Charité wherof hath bin spoken before strengthned them selues with great numbers of men of warre comme with the Lorde de Bricquemau and Borry with their retinue they maynteyned ordinarie warre against the garrisons of the catholikes thereaboutes making many enterprises one winning of an other The L. de Lespau a gentlemaÌ„ of Berry one called la Rose sergeant maior to Sanserre atteÌ„pted an enterprise vpoÌ„ the town of Bourges in Berry by meane of intelligence with a Souldiour of the Towne called Vrsin Pallus to whom was promised a great summe of money with a bill for the assuraunce payable within two monethes after hée had satisfied
depart froÌ„ their caÌ„p with the discourse of their viage 170 Martigues death 211 N the siege raised from Nauerreis 127 Earles of Naslau â–ª Lodouic and Henry brethren 87 the Nobilitie of Daulphinois 7. excuse them selues of taking othe 7 Noutron a toune taken 85 the Lord de la Noue 60 Noyers in Burgondy 9. the same taken 185 Nyort besieged 94. giueÌ„ ouer Nimes the toune and castle taken 201 O Oisans a borough 16 Ordering of the princes army 32 Ordering of the armye at La Roche 90 OrleaÌ„s asseÌ„bly of catholiks 28 Ouerthrow of the Lorde of Mouuaus 29 Othe to the king 6 Oth of the prince of Nauar. 68 P Peace made 1 Peace more hurtful thaÌ„ war. 8 PaÌ„prow a vilage in Poitou 34 the Lord of Pardillan 59 Pope sendeth succour 88 Parley of Angoulesme 70 Pasquier a captaine 14 Paslage ouer Lot. 18 the Lorde of Pierre Gourd 15. his discomfiture 29 Peter Viret prisoner 97 Perrol a captaine slainae 93 the Lord of Pilles taketh the ile of Medoc 76 the Lord of Pluueau 59 Pluueas regimeÌ„t of fotemeÌ„ 62 the earl of Pampadon slain 73 Pons in Santonge besieged 3â— taken 34 Poitiers besieged 120. all the discourse til the raising of the siege 142 Prince of CoÌ„de disarmeth him self 1. watched by spies 8. departeth from Noyers 9. with draweth himselfe to Rochell 10. answereth a messenger seÌ„t vnto him for peace 41. hys death before Iarnac 62. his horslemen flee 63. a notable deuâ—â—e in his ensigne 65 Prince of Nauar sweareth 68 Princes depart from Nyort 55 Princes constrayned to take armes 82 Princes marche to ioyne with the Almans 84 Princes army described 88 Partenay in Poitou lost 166 Q the Queene mother at Limoges 88. encourageth the soldiors 89 the Queene of Nauarre and hir childreÌ„ arriue at the caÌ„p 20 hir coÌ„ming to Thony Charante 65 hir departure from thence 66 R RAncon an Italian Marquis taken Rapin hewn in peeces 6 Regiments of Dolphine wyth the names of their chefe captaines 13 Rutters come to ayd the kings brother 54 Remedy to conserue the kingdome 103 Reynold Cracco 87 Renell a Marquis 88 Request of those of the religion to the king 101 Roannois a Duke taken 13. after set at libertie 71 la Roche fâ—ucaut 9 â—a Roche a village in Limosin 90 Rochelle 1 the Lord of Rouray 77 Ruffeâ— a castle taken 57 Request made to the Princes by those of Daulphine and their answer 170 S SAinctes in Saintonge 37 Saint Genais a toun in Poitou taken 97 Saint Titier la Perche a toune in Limosin 99 Sanserre a toune 1 Sauigny a castle taken 44 Saulmur a toune 11 Sanzay entreth into Poitiers with bands of men 145 Succour from the duke of Aumale to late 84 the Lord of Sessac taken 52 Siege of Angouleâ—me 20. of Ponts 30. of Mirebeau 45. of Sanzarre 53 of Mucidan 72 of Bourge in Bourdelâ—â—s 76. of la Charite 83. of Nyort 94. of la Charite by Sansac 99. of Lusignan 99 of Poitiers 120. of Nauerreâ—â— 227. of Chastelleraut 140 Siege raised froÌ„ Poitiers 142. from Chastelleraut 140 the Lord of Soubize 59 the Lord Strossy taken 92 the lord steward Sâ—â—â— slain 62 Skirmishes at Iazenail 25. at Beaudo 〈…〉 on Marca 56. at Bassac 60. at Coignac 64. at Aesle in Lymosia 89. at Port de Pille 143. at Mont-gontour 154 S. Iohn d'Angely somoned to yelde with all the discourse of the siege 176 the Lord of S. Heran hurt 193 T TAllard in Daulphine takeÌ„ vnwares 11 the Parle of Tandes 53 Tanlay in Burgonie 9 the Lord of Tarrides 127. hys ouerthrow 128 the Lord of Tauanies 154 the Lorde of Teligny sent to Nyort 65. leadeth men to succour Chastellerault 142 the Temporall goodes of the church men sold 51 the Territories of the Quene mother exempt from preaching and the territories of the kings brother 5 at Tours the kings brothers assembly 28 the Third ciuill warres 2 Towns takeÌ„ by the prince 10 V VAcherie a captaine slaine 122 the Lord of Vallauoire 14 Valfreniere a captain slain 76 Villages burnt in Perigueux 32 the Lord of Villiers 98 Vill et lord of s Mary slain 71 Viret a minister enprisond 97 the Vicountes 85 Visere a riuer 28 La Viue a riuer of Montgontour 156 Wolfgange duke of Swebrug 78. the duke of Aumal writeth to him 9 Wolrard of Mansfield 87 the third ciuill Warre 2 Warle in Bearne 127 Y The Lord of Iuoye 49 ⧠FINIS ¶ A shorte Discourse of the Ciuill warres and last troubles in Fraunce vnder Charles the ninth The fyrste Booke IMmediatly vppon the peace in Marche 1568. and the same published in the Princes armie afore Chartres the sayd Prince the better to aduouch his ready obedience to the Kyng did not only disarme himself and people with present dismisse of suche strangers as were come to his succours but also disgarrysoned with a ready and dutyfull spéede euery towne and village which he eyther held or gouerned wherin he was reuerently obeyed vpon the very fyrst motion onely the towne of Rochell was exempted as in respecte of their auncient priuiledge pretendyng frée dispence that waye The townes also of Montauban Sanserre delayed their consentes as séeing matters not so surely quieted as the case required This peace gaue great hope of perpetuall benefit to suche as seeke and embrace the quiet of Fraunce albeeit it broughte foorthe a contrarie issue for as it was in some singular parte a confirmation of a former peace in the yeare 1562. So is it also the begynning and originall cause of a third ciuill warre incensed in this realme whereof we meane to giue present report Immediatly that the said towns were surrendred the Prince absolutely disarmed the gouerners of the prouinces which be all of the Romish religion seased vpon all the towns ports passages for tresses in FraÌ„ce bestowing therin huge mighty garrisons at their plesure and such as resembled themselues in condition touching the general cause quarel by which mean many of the reformed religioÌ„ abiding stil within those townes hapned into sundry heauy disquiets troubles bothe in theyr goods and prouisions for reléef descending to their enimies as praie spoiles also in their persons violentely enduring the inciuil disposition of murdrous souldiors enclined altogither to bloud wherin notwithstanding his maiestie dispatched ordinarie coÌ„mandements by letters patents and other expeditions to the gouerners people directers of his iustice aswel to suffer them of the Religion to remayn within the townes of their naturall dwelling as also to communicate in a generall vse and exercise of their religion goods honors charges and estates according to the edict of peace yet there was either nothing don at all or else to small purpose of redresse for if they suffred any to reenter the sayde townes they were such as they esteemed of least affection to the sayde religion and they bothe constrayned in the very entrie into the townes to yelde vp
sortes of diseases in diuerse souldiours on both sydes and after dyed in lamentable numbers towardes the euening the Kings Lieuetenaunt retired to Chynon albeit certeyne Captaynes of the Princes armie charging vpon their tayle discomfited aboute vij or .viij. score Suyzers and thrée enseignes of footemen sodeynly set vpon as they were refreshing them selues in the village The Princes returned to Touars and the Admirall to Monstrueit-beley to winter there leauyng the Lorde d'Yuoy brother to the Lorde de Ianlis as gouerner within the towne of Loudun and for the garde of the same the regimens of the L. of Mont-brun Mirabel with .ij. cornets of horsemen the Lorde Ianlis not long after dyed of a disease in Almayne The Lord de la Coche who as is sayd was led prisoner to Metz was this .v. of January 1569. murdered by certein garrison soldiours of the towne who taking him out of prison and bynding him with Mychallon his ensigne bearer tolde him they were commaunded from the King to leade them to the Court and so exchange them for other prisoners within the princes Campe albeit they wer no sooner cut of the town than they were stabbed with daggers and so murdered Néere vnto Saulmur is an abbey called Sainct Florent wherin were two hundred footemen as a garrison to the Catholikes who with their abbay were besieged in this moneth of January by the vauntgarde of the Princes and they after they had beateÌ„ a breach entred by force-putting al that were beseeged to the mercy of the sworde immediatly after the garrison of Saulmur recouering the sayde Abbay vsed the like execution of all that they found Whiles the princes soiorned at Towars they dispatched into Gascoyne the Lorde de Pilles aswell to leuie newe force as other matters of speciall charge At his first arriuall he toke Bergerac and Saintfoy and hauing spéedily erected certaine forces of horsmen and footmen he bestowed his footmen and drew towards Perigueux with his horsemen and passing along the place where the Lords of Mouuans and Pierregourde were discomfited hée fyred many villages and killed as many peisauntes as hée mette as a reuenge of the bloud of so manye Souldioures whiche they hadde ouercome and slayne in the same ouerthrow The Kinges armye wintred at Chynon Saulmur Poyctiers and other places thereabout the princes armie in the beginning of February departed from Towars and Monstrueu-beley discending lower intoo the countrey to fynde vittells the vauntgarde drew to Partenay and the battell to Niort harbouring in the places thereabout The thirde day of this moneth the Lord de Boursaut captayne of a hundred lyghts horsmen and his company were sodeinly set vpon within a village néere to Towars by the Counte Brissac accompanyed with vij or .viij. hundred horsmen presently issued out of Saulmur There were many of them taken and many killed and the rest as the Lord de Boursaut and others saued themselues by help of the dark night In the beginning of February y quene of Nauarre came to â—â—orâ— where shee founde the Princes wyth dyuerse other greate Lordes with whome shee entred into Counsell for the affaires and disposition of the warre There was agreed a sale of temporal goods of the Churchmen toward the mayntenaunce of the generall cause for y purpose wer drspatched preseÌ„t letters vnder the names and authoritie of the sayd Quéene Princes of Nauarre and Gonde the Lorde Admirall Dandelot Rochefoucaut with wordes of ample power giuen to their procurors and commissaries to promise and binde them for warrant requisite in suche case These comissions were published in towns holden vnder their obedience with present sale and alyenation made accordingly the same raysing great summes of money Whilest the said Quéene Princes and other stats remained in consultation with in Nyort certeine horsmen of the Lord of Verac captaine of a hundreth light horsemen making often incursion vppon the next enimies toke the Lord of Cassac lieutenant of the men at armes to the Duke of Guyse as he was bayting in an Inne whome they ledde to Niort and so to Rochell The Counte Mountgomerey lodgyng in a village called la Motte was charged vpon the sodeyn by the Counte Brissac and enforced to retyre within the Castel of the same place seruyng somewhat to hys defence so that he receyued no other losse than his yonger brother whiche was led to the Castell of Luzignan this was the xij of February The Princes now determyned to perfourme their enterprise vppon the castell of Luzignan and to take it the same mouyng as it séemed eyther by a practyse of Montgomories brother or else by some secrete intelligence they hadde with the Gouernours Lieutenaunte of the same place where they were in good order and vppon the sodayne the .xx. of February very early in the mornyng dyuers of their Captaynes and souldiours entring within albeit being discouered their further attempt was intercepted and they returned without any thing doing The Counte of Tande gouernour for the King in Prouence in the begynning of Nouember the yeare before put himselfe vppon his waye with thrée thousand footemen and certeine horsemen of that country marching intoo Fraunce as hée was coÌ„maunded and passing by Dauphiné the baron of Adretz who also had leuyed a Regyment of footemen conteyning .xvij. enseignes ioyned with him too passe also in company into Fraunce In theyr waye they came by the siege of Sanserre whiche the Counte Mertiuengo an Italyan and gouernoure of Gyran had long continued where as they spente long tyme wythout aduauncyng the ende and purpose of the siege so procuryng the siege to bée raysed the Counte â—ande drew to Poyctou to the Kyngs Campe where hée arriued aboute the ende of Februarye and the baron of Adretz marched into â—orayn to the Duke d'Aumale sent thither as you haue heard to withstande the entrie of straungers into Fraunce The Kynges brother hauing receyued these newe succours and made shewe to his men of armes of two hundred thousande frankes which the house of Parys had lent the Kyng vpon the temporal goodes of the Church men he gathered ageyn hys Campe and drewe towardes Angoulmoys Immediatly after in the same moneth arryued two thousande and fyue hundred Reistres vnder the conduct of the Counties Reyngraffe and Bassompier who béeing much harried in theyr long and paynful iorney to come into France refreshed themselues certayne tyme aboute Poyctiers afore they ioyned wyth the Kyngs Campe whoe approched still to Angoulesme and taryed them And bycause hée woulde haue the libertie of the Ryuer of Charente to passe and repasse at his pleasure he dispatched the Lorde de la Riuiere a Gentleman of Poyctou for to sease vppon the Towne and also the Castell of larnacke The Princes nowe béeing truely enfourmed what waye the Kynges Campe tooke departed from Nyort and vppon the begynning of March aryued at Sainct lean d'Angely marchyng from thence with theyr battayle to Sainctes The Admirall with the vauntegarde lodged at Coygnac and
King keepes an ordinarie dead pay of certeyn numbres of souldiers A capteyn called Colombyn borne in Grenoble vnderstaÌ„ding by certein of the borough of Oysans that most part of the sayd dead pay men were issued oute of their charge toke the sayd Castel and finding no resistance other than the very capteyne of the place who yelded beyng hurt with a shot he made him selfe lorde of it where neglecting one first and most necessarie pollicie in a victor hee rather laboured to deface the images than to furnishe the place with coÌ„uenient prouision which being not vnmarked of certein euil neigh bors purlewing vpoÌ„ the castle they forthw t enuironed him with a siege so cut off his vittell wherof they knew the castel had but slender store Their siege continuyng about xv days enforced him at last to render the place vpon composition and onely reseruation of lyfe whiche notwithstanding was not kept for that all his souldiors were cut in peeces and he only led on lyue to Grenoble After the generall view and muster of the princes footemen the Lorde de Pilles returned now from Gâ—scoygâ—e was sent to sease vpon the yle of Medoc a rich yle lying betwéene Rochell and Bordeaux conteyning in length aboute .xvj. or .xvij. leagues and .iiij. or .v. leagues in breadth he prouided necessary boates to passe the ryuer of Gironde and embarkyng him selfe with .ij. thousand footemen discended into the sayd ylâ— and tooke hauen without any let he made himselfe maister of the yle vpon the sodayne and vnlooked for fynding great foyson of riches where with he his souldiours loaded themselues plentifully By meane of this I le he besieged Bourg a town in Bordelois but being speedily called back by the Princes he raised his siege and came agayne to the Campe At this siege died of a shot in his shoulder the Lord Valpheuiere lieutenant to the late Lorde d'Andelot of his Regiment of footemen whose regimen was traÌ„slated to the Lord of Rouray gentleman of Fraunce This was vpon the ende of May. The kings brother being now returned into the contrey of Angoulmois and after he had somwhat releued his armie on that syde to Villebois sent to sommon the town of Angoulesme by a trompet wherin hae was refused so tooke way towards Berry to ioyne his force with the Duke d'Aumall beeing in the sayd contrey the Conte Mont-gomerey charged vpon the tayle of his campe and discomfited certen of them The Lady Marquise of Rottelyn vnderstaÌ„ding of the death of the prince of Conde her sonne in law put her vpon the way to come to Rochell wher was the widowprincesse her daughter she passed to Sainct Iean d'Angely and so to Thony vpon Boutonne wher the said Princesse met her and so returned into FraÌ„ce without her daughter whome she purposed to haue with her But the Princesse excused her vppon hir children which were then at Rochell whether she also returned it was thought the Lady Marquise came to entreate a peace whiche was not so bycause hir occasion was only as is asoresayd this was in the ende of May. 1569. In the first kindlyng of these warres the Princes hauing true intelligence of diuers numbres of straungers entred the Realme for the strengthe of the Catholikes determined also to fortifie their armie by the like meane And therfore knowing that the Prince Wolfgange Duke de deux Pons had erected great numbres of men of armes as well on foote as on horseback the better to defende his owne countreys sente to hym with requeste to yelde them succoures in their so vrgent and extreme necessitie bothe with his armie presently in point and also such other powers as hee might possibly leute whervnto the said duke condescended with promyse to releeue them with all his forces which albeit at that tyme were not fully assembled yet he forgat not within short tyme after to put an armie in redinesse to come into France wherof the duke d'Aumale lying in Lorayne béeing enformed by special Intelligicers dispatched forthwith a Gentleman of his by whome hée aduertised the Duke of the common brute that passed of the diligence he vsed in the leuyes of men of warre in Almayne and al to assist the conspiracies of such as arme themselues ageynst the crowne of France with displayed warre ageynst the King which for his parte as he neyther had nor woulde beleue so lookyng neerer into his magnificence and partes of a Prince hée iudged hym of no inclination to fauoure rebelles ageynst theyr soueraigne maiestie consideryng withall the ancient respect of amitte so long continued betwéene the house of the electors of the countie Palatines of Rhine the scepter of France Albeit his maiestie desiring to vnderstand an absolute truth gaue him special charge to dispatche this speciall Messanger hee also hauyng authoritie of his Maiestie to withstande the entrie of any stranger â—o releue the enterprise of the sayd rebellâ—s which hée hoped to accomplishe or else to leaue his lyfe in the charge The Duke forbare to answer spéedily vntyll his armye were fully in poynte albeeit after that hée hadde receyued hys Reistres he beganne to marche towardes the Conte of Burgogne and as he lay vppon the frontiers of Fraunce tarying for his Launceknyghtes hée aunswered the d'Aumales letter which he sent forthwith to the Kyng In the beginning hee layde afore hym how in the yeeres afore many Reistermaisters passyng thorowe his Duchy without leaue gréeued so his countrey that the continuall complaints of his people forced hym to drawe into companyes of armed men as well on horsbacke as on foote to withstande further offence to his people And that nowe in respecte his cousyns and dearely beloued Princes of Nauarre and Conde haue lamentably imparsed with hym the vniuste quarell vrged vppon them as well to enforce their lyues and goods as to depriue the exercise of their Religion contrary to the kings faith and playne protestation of his Edicts and that not onely they but all the Nobilitie and others professing the same Religion haue and doo endure myserable oppressions as estraunged from theyr owne houses thruste oute of their charges and offices theyr possessions and welthes consisked into the Kings handes lastly that there be raised huge companies of men of warre aided with sundry sortes of straungers to cut them in pieces as in other times of open hostilitie in these respectes together with their earnest motion and request for succours and lastly vpon an vpright view and consideration of their present calamitie he coulde nor ought do no lesse than ayde them And for their partes the better to auouche their integrities in refusing all attempts aspiring preiudicially to the crown of France as the d'Aumalles letters did sinisterly suggest the sayd Princes haue protested by letters which he kepeth sealed wyth their owne handes that if at his being in Fraunce he see or know any inclination in them to conspire in any sorte against the crowne that he would not only draw
away his succours but conuert thē to the enemy and cōtrary side the rather to reuenge their disloyaltie which makes him iudge of the Princes side beleue y they are not only far frō the slaundrous impositions of their enemies but also of vnfained desire rather to rest quietly in their houses than follow so harde and doubtful a warre wherunto they haue ben drawen of force as to defend the violēt oppression of their malicious enemies he alledged besides that when his Cosine the duke Casmir erected his army in Almaign in the like cause he was also vntruly informed as of purpose to draw him from succouring the Prince of Conde that it was against the maiestie royall that the said Prince did conspire which notwithstanding was founde otherwayes as appeareth by his maiesties edictes of peace both first and last approuing always the actions of the sayd Prince as done for the seruice of his maiestie And to take away all suspiciō he declared that besides that his meanyng was to succour the sayde Princes of Nauarre and Conde his enterprise in comming into Fraunce stretched also to relieue the little ones of the Religion dispersed into their seuerall miseries to whome of very duety being a Christian Prince he coulde do no lesse than offer and lende his hande to leade them to Jesus Christ And to the ende his maiestie may vnfainedly resolue in the integritie of his purpose and that he vndertakes not this iourney to spoile his subiectes or make pray of their welthes or for any other perticular profit he protested that if his maiestie would graunt them a safe vse of their religion with a frée exercise of the same without limitation and distinction of persones and places together with assuraunce of their goodes honours charges and estates hée would not onely returne and dismisse his army but also defray the whole charges of the same and the sayde Reistremaisters in their passage amountyng in all to aboue a hundred thousande crownes protesting for ende that if in refusing hys iuste and reasonable offers the Quarell doo aggrauate by his comming into Fraunce to wype hys handes in innocencie of all imputations hereafter and the fault to be layd vpon the authors and chiefe Councellers of the warre beyng about his maiestie The Duke hauing now receiued his Launceknightes entered into Fraunce and passyng by Bourgonguē came to Charyte béeyng coasted sundrye tymes both behinde and before by the armies of of the dukes d'Aumall and Nemors without attempting any thing vpon hym he arriued without let before Charyte the xvj of May which he battred so vehemētly that he enforced forthwith a breach in the meane while the lord of Mouy passing ouer Loere a little aboue the sayd towne with thrée hundred harquebusiers won the suburbes towardes the bridge the same so occupying and amazing thé that were besieged that the Duke entred the breache and put the whole garrison to the sword this towne was taken in good tyme because that if it had lingred neuer so little the Duke d'Aumalle being very nere with succours had endaungered the enterprise The towne was no sooner taken than he was discouered not farre of with xviij hundred horsemen who comming to short to withstand the dukes entrie returned in hope to hinder hym to ioyne with the princes army by meanes that hee mette and assembled wyth the kyngs brothers power who knitte together for this purpose in the countrey of Berry In the ende of May the Princes informed of the approche of the Duke de deux Pons and the taking of Charyte began to marche to ioyne with his army and leauing the Lord de la Noue to gouerne in the countreys of Poyctou and Sainctonge toke their way by Angoulmois directly to Perigueux and as they passed thorow that countrey the Lord of Chaumontes lyght horsemen with certaine companies of footemen tooke the towne of Noutron belonging to the Quéene of Nauarre wherin were killed aboute foure skore men that defended it this was the seuenth of June 1569. The morrow after the sayd Princes dispatched the Counte Montgomery into Gasoyne to commaunde ouer the army of the Uicounts who otherwayes would not agree as not acknowledging one aboue an other he tooke his way by Solliac where hee passed the riuer of Dordone and so beneath Cadenat he passed also ouer Lot and came to Montauban without any let They of the town of Perigueux fearing the comming of the princes army desired the lord Montluc to send them succours to whome he dispatched immediatly the Knight Montluc his sonne with xij ensignes of footemen with the which he entred the towne the iiij of June In this meane while the Princes army kepte the way drawing to Lymosyn the duke de deux Pons hasted by great iorneys to ioyne with them passyng the riuer of Viene two leagues aboue Lymoges The Catholikes had sent thither two C. shot to defend y passage who were all cut in pieces by the lord de Mouy the ix of this moneth on which day the princes army arriued at Chalus a town in Lymosyn departing the next day to ioyne with the army of the Duke de deux Pons in a village within two leagues of Chalus belonging to the Lord d'Escars gouernor of the said countrey The lord Admirall accompanied with two hundred horsemen went where the duke was to salute him the duke enduring certaine fittes of an ague not many days afore and not cured as yet died the xj of this month 1569. in a village thre leagues from Lymoges afore his death he called before him the chief and principals of his army with whome he communicated in many pointes but chiefly in persuasion and request to pursue the purpose of their comming into France leauing for their generall leader in his place the Counte Wolrard de Mansfeld afore his lieuetenāt generall his body was caried to the town of Angoulesme to be there buried In the army of the said late duke were xxviij cornets of horsemen conteining viij thousand and fiue hundreth Reistres whereof were Colonels Hans Boucq Reignold Grac Henry d'Estam and Hans de There 's sixe thousand Launceknights wel armed on foote and for the most part Pikemen deuided into xxvij ensignes wherof were Colonels the Lord de Grauillar and the Lord Guieryn Gansgorff baron of Grelezee besides ij M. horsmen and ten ensignes of footemen of Frenchmen wherof was Colonell touching the footemen one of the sonnes of the Lord de Bricquemau There were also in y sayd army diuers personages of high estate as the prince of Orange his sonne the Counties Lodouike Hēry de Nassau his brethern the Lord de Moruilliers the Marques of of Renel the Lordes of Mouy and Esters ney besides many others there were also xix pieces of artillerie and they either maine péeces or field pieces with others somewhat lesse wherofhe left two of the greatest at Charyte There were in the Princes army about thirtene thousand harquebusiers besydes Pikes wherof