and other munitions to passe ouer the Ice and mareshes they caused a great quantitie of Hurdels with Pease strawe to bee brought by Sea to the end that the water might not eate perce nor corrupt thē And the better to couer the Harquebusiers by reason that the sand and grauel was alreadie discouered and in view they had caused a great number of stakes and Pale-bordes of drie woode to be brought of the strongest and lightest they could choose of a mans hight and halfe a foote in thicknes couered all without three or fower fingers in thicknes with writhed paper one ouer an other so as the Harquebuse coulde not easily enter hauing a rest beneath at the foote whereof was an yron Pike of a foote and an halfe long to fasten it into the ground how hard soeuer it were behinde these blinders the Harquebusiers might shoot easily thorough a litle hole which was in the middest therof The D. of Guise seeing how greatly the breach opened and that three volleyes of Cannon might make it reasonable determined as soone as he could to giue the assaulte In the meane time to holde his enemies continually in alarums and to stoppe them from Rampiring any waies he caused Gramont at eight of the clocke at night vpon the ebbe of the Sea to passe with three hundred the best Harquebusiers of his troupes to goe to view the countenance of the besieged and with a peale of Harquebuse shot to dislodge those which should present themselues vnto them And at the same instant the Marshall Strossy with other three hundred Harquebusiers conducted by the Captaine Sarlabos and a hundred Pioners went to gaine the other end of the port to lodge himselfe in the little houses which were there and so fortefiyng himselfe with a good trench to remaine there and commaunde all the porte Notwithstanding the bullets flew so hot about their eares as after fiue or six souldiers and Pioners were slaine they were faine to retire and come backe to the Generall who was not farre off hauing already aduaunced neer vnto the port with D' Aumale and the Marquisse D' Elbuf his brethren De Montmorency and De Bouillon followed with many Gentlemen In the meane time this Prince hauing caused the breach to be thrice viewed as well by Bracasse as by others and being aduertised that it was time and that it was readie for the assaulte without any longer delay gaue the token and caused Gramont to aduance among the first with his Harquebusiers assisted with as many Corcelets conducted by the Marshall Strossy followed besides with two hundred other souldiers and himselfe on the other side hauing waded as deepe as his girdle went foremost before the rest of the troupes as farre as the foote of the breach At which the French gaue an assaulte with such an hardinesse and Impetuositie as after hauing cut a peeces such as they encountred at the first they constrained the ouerplus in a short time to quite the Castle which they cleane abandoned to retire themselues into the Towne Thus being aduantaged of this passage and first entrie within Calais the D. of Guise commaunded them to fortefie themselues and looke that they might not bee thrust out leauing D' Aumale and the Marquisse D' Elbaeuf his brethren their Captaines for the rest of the night and himselfe for that it began to flow passed ouer to the armie on the other side to the end he might send them succours by day breake and to be meete with any disorder which might chaunce to happen When the English men come againe to themselues and had gotten their wits together they greatly repenting the fault which they had cōmitted in hauing so sodenly abandoned the Castle whereby they saw a ful ouerture made for the French into their towne they returned with a farre greater hardinesse than before to recouer the peace againe iudging that those which were within could not long abide it and that they could not be succoured by reason that it was floud and the sea of a great depth Thereupon they came violently vpon the French which attended them with the lyke courage but with more aduantage In summe they found so great a resistance made as they were beaten back with a farre greater losse than before But remaining full of opinion that they might regain theyr castle they brought three peeces of artillerie vpon the other end of the bridge towardes the towne to blowe vp the gate and scoure those which should defend it and from a platforme which was vpon one of the corners of the great place they shot in an infinite number of Cannon shot so as it would haue bene thought that no man in the world durst haue shewed himselfe there and afterwardes they redoubled another assault more furious than the first Now if it were well assaulted it was better defended for hauing liuely put them backe and more than three hundred of their brauest men lying on the ground dead or hurt the French in the end shut the gates and sodainly rampired them behinde vpon which all courage and hope afterwardes fayled those which were besieged So as from thence forwardes they thought it good rather to parlie and treate of some fauourable composition than to make anie longer resistance Wherefore on the morrowe morning Wentworth who was gouernor therof sent two of the principallest men of the towne to the Duke of Guise who demanded verie great conditions for their aduantage In the end they stooped were content with these Articles That they should haue their liues saued without anie force or displeasure offered to man wife maide or child All the inhabitants of the towne should retire themselues whether they woulde either into England or into Flanders with such pasports and safe conducts as should be thought necessarie for their suretie and passage my Lord Wentworth remaining with fiftie such other prisoners of warre as the Duke of Guise woulde choose out And for the rest of the men of warre they should be bound to passe ouer into England They should leaue behinde them the artillerie pouder bullets armour ensigne and generally all kinde of munitions as well of warre as victualles within the towne without breaking burning hiding or endemnifying anie thing at all As for golde siluer monie or not monie goods moueables marchandise and horse all should remaine in the discretion of the Duke of Guise to dispose of as it shoulde seeme best vnto himselfe All which things beeing accorded on the eight of Ianuarie this Prince began to put out a great parte of the people out of the towne and the rest followed according as it was promised without hauing anie wrong or disturbance done them without anie one Englishmans remayning there But well an incredible quantity of pouder artillerie munition wolles and of all sortes of victuals which were staide and the surplussage giuen in praie to the soldiers After this manner and in lesse than seuen daies space was Calais her fortresses
the Duke of Guise that after that hee had to his best aduauntage accorded with the Pope and the Spaniardes hee shoulde bringe awaye the Armye into Fraunce with as much speede as were possible This Prince sodenlie let the Pope to vnderstand thereof and made him priuie of the necessity which called him backe into Fraunce and how his Princes affayres went Beinge the cause which made him to beseech his holines to license him and permit him to retyre after such time notwithstanding as he had compounded to his owne profit the estate of his affaires The Pope then being alredy desirous to ende this warre from which hee knewe that on the other side to bee proceeded as hee sawe it euidently and doubted least it woulde take ende with the ruine of one of these Princes and finally with his owne together with a confusion of the Ecclesiasticall estate and infinitnes of other mischeefes purposed more then before to bee agreed with Kinge Philip which wrought that ende whereof I before made mention So as the peace beinge concluded and published with all magnificence on Sonday being the 19. of that moneth the Duke of Alua entred into Rome about one of the clocke in the after noone with great apparances of ioy aswell by the salutations of the artillarie as an infinite number of squibs and other merimentes which they are accustomed to make especially in those parts at the welcome and amiable entertainement of any great Prince The Monday following they helde Consistorie where there were chosen deputed two Legates to intreate of an vniuersall peace The one which was the Cardinall of Tiuoli towardes the most Christian Kinge of France and the other which was the Cardinall Carlo Caraffe towardes the Catholique King Philip. The Duke of Guise in the meane space departed out of Italie to take his way into Fraunce and to imbarke himselfe at Ostia in the gallies french vessels which attended him with a sorte of Lordes Captaines and two thousande harquebusiers the other parte of the Armye vnder the conducte of the Duke D' Aumalle returned through the Popes lands towardes Bologne and Ferrara and so from thence they passed all for the most parte through the Grisons and Zuizers into Fraunce where the Duke of Guise beinge arriued was sodenly sent for to addresse an armie at Compienne At which place the Kinge being anone after arriued declared all such as were then in Courte beeing present howe that the Duke of Guise was come iumpe for the preseruation of his Realme and it was proposed to treate him Viceroy of Fraunce But this title beinge thought strange it was commaunded that letters shoulde bee dispatched to make him Lieuetenante Generall ouer all the Countries within his obedience The which were dispatched by Du Thier secretarie of the Commaundementes and afterwardes receyued and verified by the Parlamente of Paris and other soueraigne Courtes of the Realme whereof notwithstanding shortely after the Kinge excused himselfe towardes his Goship so he named the Constable sendinge him worde by secreate Letters that hee was constrained to doe as hee did and that hee shoulde not bee greeued for ought in that hee still reserued his place for him for he was so farre off from hauing the frendshippe which hee boare vnto him any wayes cooled through his absence and captiuitie that contrariwise it inflamed him the more so farre as that hee most diligently aduertysed him of all his secretest affayres without communicating ought gently aduertysed him of all his secretest affayres without communicating ought to any other Whereof Kinge Philip being aduertysed knew well enough how to make his profit as you shall see else where In this same tyme there happened in like sorte straunge floudes and inundations of Riuers at Rome and likewise at Florence That at Rome fell out the same day of the peace beeing the fourteenth of September Tiber one of the most renowned Riuers of Europe which some notwithstandinge number amonge the swift snowie streames being greatly swelled as though it woulde threaten Rome with great ruines encreasinge howrely for the night followinge it began to inlarge it selfe ouer all the lowe groundes of the medowes and vineyardes rounde about The next day it being encreased and broken in throughout the towne all the channels and gutters of the streetes and houses standing full the depth thereof was found in some places of the towne of the height of a man and more in the place D'Agone A la Roconde and A la Doanâ— So farre was this meruelous and dreadfull inundation from giuing leasure to the people to reioyce at this peace as that it made them more astonished and desolate then before which caused a number to thinke that it happened as a signe and aduertisement from God eyther for matters present or to come or rather to moue vs to a conuersion and amendement of our sinnes Nowe this furie of the water endured all that day and vntill foure of the clocke at night that it began a little to ebbe and decrease so as by the next morning at breake of day it was ebbed more then a shaftemente and then by little and little decreasing euery man in the afternoone might easily goe about this busines The depth of the water as some haue saide in many places exceeded the marke which was left at the other inundation in the yeare 1530. Others were of opinion that it wanted an handbredth Whereupon they alleadged many reasons among other that the Caues which were made and coured within Rome for it is augmented in buildinges a third parte had receiued and swallowed vp a great parte of the water Some iudged that the great number of newe streetes was a cause of the depth and other affirmed howe that the earth which was raysed vp since that time caused it seeme higher then it was But they which iudged it to bee the greatest say that it fell out so for that in the towne of Horta and Narin and all other places where it passed alongest it left behinde it a great abatement and ruine of houses hauing caried away halfe the bridge of Saint Marie together with the excellent chappell which Pope Iulie the thirde caused to bee builded there it vndermined and remoued certaine great peeces of marble great quarters of stone which defended the bridge of Saint Ange. It raysed and renuersed a great parte of the bulwarkes and bastions which they had caused to bee builded a yeare since ioyning to the Castle Besides that it threwe downe halfe the Temple and most parte of the buildinges of Saint Barthlemewes monasterie seated in the Ilande of Tiber. Briefely there was not within all Rome either pallace or building alongest which this furious rage of waters had passed which carried not some marke and testimonye of the wrath and violence of this angrie Element As touching that of Florence by the breaking forth of the Riuer Arno men iudged it farre greater then that at Rome and to haue
to aboue 350. crownes yearely rent to the Lord and that it was euen so in Lormarin and sundry other places of Prouence which dad beene desarts and laide open to theeues vntill such time as they came thither to inhabite They found likewise by information made in Prouence that the Merindols other of the persecuted were a peaceable people beloued of all their neighbours of faire conditions keeping their promises and paying wel their debts without sute or brabling charitable not suffring any to be in need of great almes to strangers and other poore passengers according to their power The Prouenaeals affirmed likewise that they of Merindol and the rest might very well be discerned from all other of the country of Prouence for that they could neuer be brought so much as to name the Deuill or any waies to swear if it were not in iudgement or passing of some contract A man might likewise know them for that if they were in any companye where lasciuious speeche were vsed or blasphemy against the honor of God they would incontinently depart out of the same we know not any other matter against them sauing said they of Prouence that when they go to the market or about the towne they are so seldom seene go into the Minster and if they do chance to goe in they say their praiers without regarding of either he or she Saint and that in the high way as they passe by crosses and images they vse no reuerence The Priestes being likewise hard as touching the same said that they did not cause any Masse to be saide nor Libera me nor De Profundis and that they neuer took any holy-holy-water and if any were giuen them at their houses that they would neuer say grandmercie to him that brought it and they perceiued very well that they conned him small thanks that they neuer went on pilgrimage to gaine pardons that they neuer made the signe of the crosse when it thundred but only looked vp into heauen sighing and prayed without crossing themselues or vsing any holy-water that they were neuer seene make any offring either for the liuing or for the dead In summe Langeay following his charge aduertised K. Frauncis of the whole who hauing fully vnderstoode it sent letters of grace not onely for such as were condemned vpon default and cōtumacy but also for all other within the country of Prouence who were either accused or suspected for the like case commanding expressely the parliament that from thence forward they shuld not in such a case proceed so rigorously as they had done for the past Beholde the letters FRancis by the grace of God King of Fraunce Earle of Prouence Forcalquier and countries adioyning to our welbeloued and feal the people holding our Court of Parliament in the saide Countrie of Prouence sitting at Aix health and loue As we hauing vnderstood how some swarued from the right way of faith and Christian Religion whome they call Vaudois assemble themselues in certaine places of our saide Country of Prouence where they continue in their errours through the seducing of some euill spirites whereto it were necessary to yeeld good and wholesome prouision to the ende this venome may not proceede any further we make you to know how we enclining rather to mercye and clemencye then to the rigour of iustice and willing to assaye rather by way of curtesie and perswasion to retire and redresse the saide wandred persons from the way of saluation then by rigorous punishmentes to make them fall into dispaire considering especially the great multitude of them which they say are fallen into these faults and errours and that we may hope that through the bounty of God our creator they wil rather reduce themselues to the way of saluation thē to be out of the congregation of God faithfull christians and remain continually in the feare of the rigorous iustice as well of God as man We for these considerations haue giuen do giue by these presents grace pardon and remission as much as in vs lyeth to the said Vaudois And haue acquited thē do acquit them of al paines offences and of al punishments and condemnation which might touch them either in person or goods by vertue of any iudgement giuen or to be giuen Prouided neuerthelesse that within three moneths after notise of these presents duly made vnto them they returne to God our creator and make such an abiuration and solemne recantation as is requisite for all the errors and false doctrines into which they haue heretofore fallen from whence they shall entirely depart and promise to liue Catholiquely and faithfully as it is requisite necessarie for all good Christians liuing according to the law of God and the Church And to this ende and for to vnderstand if they will accept of this our present grace and mercy we will that they shall come or send vnto vs such a number of persons as shall bee thought fit and ordained by you in full suertie as well to come remaine as returne without that during the said time any disturbance or hinderance be offred vnto them in their persons goods or manner whatsoeuer And in case they shall not accept hereof but remaine in their obstinacy you shall make such punishment thereof as you shall thinke the case deserueth and for the better accomplishing hereof we haue giuen doe giue full power authoritie commission and commandement by these presents By which wee will and command all our iustices officers and subiects bee they of warre or otherwise that to you your commissioners and deputies they lend giue all aide fauour and assistance when as often as by you and your deputies it shall be required Yeouen at Fountaine-bleau the eight of February The yere of grace 1540. and of our Raigne 24. Thus signed by the K. Earle of Prouince Bayard These letters went for a time suppressed but in the ende they were signified to certaine prisonners who were detayned in the prisons of Aix of whome it was demaunded if they would take the benefit of those letters which should bee commnicated vnto them euerie one paying one crowne of the sum for the Coppie By this meanes the prisonners were enlarged in paying their expences and promysing to appeare at the Courte when and as often as they should be demaunded Afterwards hauing obtained that they might appeare in Parliament by Proctor they tooke out a Copie of the proceedings against them which before thay had not at the request of the Kings Councell which pursued them they sent a confession of their faith to Cardinall Sadolet Bishoppe of Carpentras and other and after to King Francis the first taught vnto them said they euer since 1200. yeares after the comming of Christ as their auncients and auncestors witnessed vnto them The which his ordinarie reader Castellanus read vnto him containing the Articles of God the father creator of all thinges of the sonne aduocate and intercessor for mankinde of the
small peeces ouer which Estre was great master and chiefe gouernour a Gentleman verie watchfull and of great spirite for the first daie of this voyage the armie made no great treate incamping that night a league of Corbie in two little villages vpon a current and small riuer beeing verie commodious for the same The next morrow it followed almost the tracke and waie of the imperiall armie to lodge at Miraumont it happened that in the waie the Duke of Neuers slipped out of the armie with his regiment taking the left hand towards the woods and forrests ouer agaynst Arras where some scoutes were discouered who saued themselues by theyr swiftnesse within the thick of those forrests which beeing well looked about there was not one enimie found that made head onely a fort within a lyttle village which a lyttle after was forced by the harguebuziers and found worse prouided than they imagined The which caused him to turne to Miraumont to take his quarter The second of September the D. of Guise with two regiments of men at armes between a thousand and twelue hundred horse as well of the light cauallerie as of the nobles and ten Ensignes of French fanterie departed from the place drawing thorough the rout of those woods towards Arras to discouer and cleere the most dangerous places subdue the forces of any which should be retired thither but he found not ought which was hard vnto him hauing discouered as far as the suburbs of Arras So returning for a testimonie of this voyage fire was set on al the villages round about with a desolation and most lementable pitie Now from Miraumont there were but two good leagues to Bapaulme a strong place barren more thorough the scituation of nature than anie workemanship but much more odious and hurtful to the French bordering vpon it than euer Terroane was to the Bourgonians so as secretly the better to know the place and tempt the resolution of those that held it the thirde of September the Constable with the most parte of the Princes accompanied with fiue thousand horse as many of the French fanterie went to view this place as neere as he was able whereof Huntsimond a knight was Gouernour much esteemed of among the Bourgonians furnished with ten or twelue Ensignes of Fantassins and three or foure hundred horse who at the first fight did not any waies shew himselfe sparing of powder and bullets besides they within shewed themselues very slacke and loath to come out to the skirmishe but as farre as the Bullets of their artillerie might play they kept a loofe of and perfourmed their dutie brauely enough almost foure houres while the skirmish lasted In these light reencounters there were hurt the Captaine Breul with a Harquebuze shotte in the thigh and yong Molimont Sonne to Molimont the Gouernor of Saint Dizier and of Nogent who afterwards dyed at Peronne during the skirmish the Admiral with a smal company went round about the place and found it pregnable the rampier being of bad stuffe and the fastening wherewith it was made but a thinne crumpled sand which is no good earth But the greatest difficultie of all was the remediles necessitie of water albeit that the Constable had caused a great number of Pyoners to seeke out Conduit heads and springs but no vaines of any lasting could be found out so the determination of the siege was broke of and put ouer vntill another time during this lingering there arriued at the Court the Cardinall of Saint George being a Legate from the Pope to treate of a peace or truce betweene these two Princes At their departure hence all the Villages Abbaies and mansion places appertaining to the enemy not so much as sparing the windmilles neere to the gates of Bapaulme being partely consumed and the rest as yet of a flame and smoking the ground and waies grew so durtie and slipperie by reason of a whole day and nights raine that the Souldiers and footmen could hardly get to their other lodging named Morlincourt within two small leagues of Peronne and the waggons and baggage sustained no lesse whereof as well the garrison of Bapaulme as the rest of the Pesantes about got good booties spoyling the most scattered and worst conuoyed sorte of them the imperiall armie in the meane time coasted them within fiue or sixe leagues hauing the riuer as a barre and separation betweene them albeit it was farre lesse then the French for first euen at the nose of the imperiall Campe the French went and burned and set fire on the Villages next vnto them in respect of the fewe alarmes which they gaue vnto the French except it were sometimes vpon their vallets and fouragers the which they rather supposed grew by the spoyled and desperate Pesants then by the men of warre and lesse hurt was done to the victualers prouisions brought into their Campe all victuals being at a competent rate in the middest of an enemies Countrie where they found nought but Granges voide of Corne and fourage all sorte of victuals being already transported and withdrawne into the strong holdes The which being come vnto the Kings knowledge and sufficiently foreseeing that his enemy hoped and attended nought els then to make him temporise about some towne or other enterprise of small consequence to drawe him on vntill the season of raynes which beginneth soone enough in the colde and occidentall Countryes to the end to ruine and weaken him as well in cutting of all his victuals as by diseases and coldes afterwards to giue him battaile vpon his aduantages concluded with his Councell to giue remedy thereto The resolution then was to reduce his enemy into two extremeties the one of which he perswaded himselfe was vnpossible for him to shunne and perhaps yeeld to them both either to hold his forces close together for the meeting of a battaile or to seperate them for the defence of so many of his places vncertaine which of them all should be first attempted by the King considering the secret of his dessein and the variable turning of his army without any apparant resolution of the place whether it would turne head vpon which perswading himselfe of the aduantage of the first and that the Emperour durst not hazard a generall combate considering he had not so many men as himselfe and that they were more then halfe tired with the long time that they had remained in the fielde hee thoroughly resolued to get by force sleight or any other meane the first place hee should attempt and to sacke it and ruine the whole countrie about in the eye of the Maister and so to returne in triumph as hauing braued and caused him to refuse the day in his owne Countrie and whereof he had vaunted himselfe to be the first challenger Charles on the other side measuring his aduantage rather by the valour then number of his people supplying otherwise the long wearisomnes of these trauailes of warre by discretion
occasioned farre more incomparable and important losses as well in ouerthrowing of houses as in the destruction and perishing of golde siluer marchandises and other sortes of moueables besides which is more to bee lamented the death and suffocation of many persons It first ruined and ouerturned for the greattest parte the Conuents and monasteries of the pore maidens of Sainte Verdiane of the Kecluses and of Saint Mary Nouelle It caried cleane away the bridges of Rubaconde and La Trinite It threw downe almost the whole borough of Oquo â—anti as farre as the Medowe and on the side of Sainte Paule as it likewise did the newe market place where they exercise the Arte and occupation of skening and twisting of silke In such sorte as all the store houses and shoppes were for the most parte ruined beinge a meruellous losse The Dukes pallace was no whit exempted but was founde spoyled in a number of places As touching the region bordering rounde about the high way to Cazensin it was so deepe and ouerflowne in such a manner as it coulde very hardely bee repayred to bee made passable and in the borough there dyed seuentie and foure persons carying the houses cleane to Pontasienco and there remayned cleane sunke Pereolle and Saynte Douin with many other buildinges all alongest the floode Arno. Moreouer to speake of the depth of the water vpon the place of Saint Croix it exceeded foure good fingers in depth the inundation which happened at Florence in the yeare one thousande fiue hundred forty and seuen which made men iudge the latter to bee very great consideringe that the former was almost vncredible It was the height of one fadome and a halfe at Saynt Croix in such sorte as the losse was so great and generall as the Duke remitted to his subiectes for a certayne tyme the most parte of his taxes and subsidies which otherwise were very great At the same time there happened in like sorte on this side an other floode at the towne of Nismes in Languedoc differinge notwithstanding from the rest in that it was not by the breaking out of any floudes or riuers but by the powring downe of the cloudes and opening of the gates of heauen as the Philosophers were wonte to terme it the which accident befell the ninth of September in the same yeare together with so feareful thunderings flashes lightnings as al the people verily immagined that that wold haue been the very last day of their life this celestiall furie lastinge vntill it was past eyght of the clocke at night besides that there fell from else where so meruelous and great an aboundaunce of water as these miserable and wretched Cittizens thought that together with their whole towne they shoulde haue beene sunke and swallowed vp And albeit that it lasted not long but about some twelue or fifteene houres yet notwithstandinge it did greatly endemnifie and hurte the towne which was in very many romes and places disformed thereby and the territoryes thereaboutes greatly wasted and empouerished for that the fieldes and places of tillage were maruelously couered with stones and other ruines such as the rage of waters driueth alongest and leaueth at such time as the force and violence thereof diminisheth and the Oliue trees wherewith this Prouince much aboundeth with great care of trimming them for the great profite which is drawne thereby through the oyle were all brused and broken and the Vines clungd together and full of sande with an infinite number of other dammages and calamities Briefely many men thought that there was not almost any thing which felt not the waight of Gods wrathfull hand in this flood Hereby then were discouered sundrie antiquities hidden and buried vnder grounde at the least since the Gottes sacked and rayzed this towne a thousande yeares agonne as well appeared howe longe before vnknowne as aunciente sepulchers and Monumentes great quantity of meddalles in copper and some of golde and siluer longe pillars of one peece equally proportioned testaments Epitaphes written in harde stone and grauen in peeces after the Romanisquo There were discouered likewise fayre and rich pauementes and floors of lowe parlers chambers and shoppes wherein were founde tables of marble Porphir Iasper wrought a la Mosaque besides there were founde many fragmentes of ancient dishes and some entire of a redde earth so passing fine and sleake that it caryed his owne vernishe the which men in aunciente time caused to bee brought from farre Countries especially from Samos in Greece enriched with stories or clownes resemblances very pleasante Many other singularities were there vnterred and brought to light with great meruaile to as many as sawe them Sundrie other places of Europe were likewise touched with the same mischiefe and calamitie as numbers of celestiall signes such as the Comet of the yeare before pillars of fire and in some places hunting of dogges crying in the ayre and some men fighting and two sunnes red and inflamed such as were seene in Almaine besides many other prodigious and monstrous workes which nature brought foorth in that time vpon the earth all which signes coulde not bee adiudged to bee any other thing then threatninges and messengers of the celestiall wrath which shoulde warne vs eyther to a voluntarie acknowledginge of our sinnes and amendemente of our liues or assure vs of a vengeance at hande and punishmente of our iniquities To returne to the siege of Han it had no sooner endured twelue hundred cannon shotte together which made a reasonable breach as well at the great Tower as the Courtyne the walles being there drye without rampiers and bastions but it was yeelded and giuen ouer into the handes of Kinge Phillip the twelft daye of the moneth of September Afterwardes hee remayned there a while to aduaunce and set forwarde the fortifications which were alreadie begunne addinge thereto as much as was supposed to haue beene forgot And whilest that the Baron of Poleuille hauing beene sente by Kinge Phillip at his departure from Sauerne aduaunced forwarde to ioyne himselfe in Champaygne with twenty Ensignes of Almaines and twelue hundred horse occupyinge himselfe in the places borderinge about hee sent to sease all the stronge places remayning in the handes of the Frenche which were any wayes able to annoye the garrison Then causing a number of horsemen furnished after the French fashion to enter in hee surprised Noyon and the companies of light horse of the Baron of Clere and one of the Scottishe vpon whome they entred at fayre day the gates being open from thence they seased vpon Chauny where they placed a stronge garrison not for to fortifie it considering the imperfection of the place and howe it was to bee commaunded two seuerall wayes but onely that thereby they might the more easilie gather the Vines the vineyardes thereaboutes being very good and of great compasse Likewise to fauour the conduct of all other kinde of victualles wherewith they mente to furnishe Han Saynte Quentins and Le
beginning of the cawsie which leadeth to Pont de Nieullay he caused it to be assaulted by two thousand Harquebusiers chosen men seconded with thirtie horse with so great a furie as hauing put backe an Ensigne of those which kept it comming out to the skirmish by fauour of the Cannon and of the Marish which was couered ouer with a three-score horse hee caused them all in the end to abandon it and retire themselues to the great forte of Nieullay The which at the first bound greatly astonied the English men for they expected nothing lesse then such an encounter and no waies the French forts to bee either so great or so neere at hand And contrariwise this victorie at the first augmented the others courage and put them in a great hope of attaining their principall end when as they perceiued their enemies at the first entrie not to be able to withstand them At the same instant albeit it grew alreadie verie late the generall and de Termes went to view the port of Nieuillay and presently were the approches and trenches begon into which as soone as the Artillerie was brought it was planted with all possible diligence to begin the batterie as soone as day would appeare And for that all the fruite which they hoped of this effect did require a great promptnesse to the ende the besieged might grow astonished without any leasure to looke into themselues and to put them cleane out of hope of looking for any succour at the same time this Prince caused a parte of his armie and Artillerie to march on the left hand all along the Downes to occupie them and gaine an other forte which lyeth at the pointe of the Downes called Ricebanke the which commaunded and helde all the hauen subiecte so as no vessell of the enemie coulde enter in Likewise it was verie necessarie for the obtaining of the Towne of Calais after to sease at one blow vpon the fortes which kept the two passages whereof that Nieullay kept and defended all the causies and passages by land part of them being Mareshie to the end the Flemings might be cut off from succoring them And the other which is called Ricebank being taken woulde keepe anie succours from landing which might be sent out of England this hauen of Calais which Casar called Iccius Portus being distant from the first hauen of England which is called Douer but fiue leagues off the Seas able to bee passed ouer with a leading gale in two howers Therefore the Duke of Guise hauing all the night together with the D. D'aumalle his brother the Marshall Strossy De Termes D'Estre great master of the Artillerie De Sansac De Tauannes De Dandelot and De Senarpont reuisited and well viewed the Downes approched yet neerer to the forte of Ricebanke and all at one instant the Sea being verie low ebbed hee caused the young Alegre and an other Gentleman to bee conducted by Rendan vnto a certaine place of the porte where hee knew there was a passage for to sound it As it was done and speedily dispatched it was resolued among all the Captaines to batter and assaile these two forts together at one time In which Destree trauailed so diligently and caused the Vastadours and Cannoniers to take so extreame paines as on the next morrow being the fourth of the month his Artillerie was readie planted three howers before day against these two places and as soone as day peeped beganne to turne against the Englishmen The which amased in such sorte those which were besieged within the fort of Nieullay as at the second vollie they quitted the place and in all hast retired themselues within the Towne The Duke of Guise hauing in this sorte made the first passage open caused the French incontinentlie to enter and be lodged within where he found a great deale of Artillerie poulder and munition Afterwards to stop all other succour which might by land be brought vnto the towne he caused twentie Ensignes of the French Fanterie the Almanes of the Reingraue with eight hundred Reisters and two hundred men at armes vnder the conduct of the Prince de la Roche-sur-yon to bee lodged betweene the Towne and the Marish behinde the causees Leauing besides De Termes with other companies of Cauallerie Gendarmerie and Zuizers vpon the passage from Guines to the Downes whether this Prince with the rest of the armie went to encampe An hower after the taking of the fort of Nieullay they which were within the forte of Ricebanke yeelded themselues vnto the discretion of the Generall of whome they were verie courteouslie entreated And thus this Prince remained seased and possessed in one day of two principall places which were of so great importance vnto him and most necessarie for to enioy his ful victorie with all Wherfore pursuing at hand the occasion which so fauourably with open armes presented it selfe vnto him the fourth of that moneth he caused six Cannons and three long Culuerines to bee mounted before the water Gate and to breake the flankers and defences he caused the earth to bee remooued and filled vp baskets and Gabiannades therewith as if hee had intended to addresse his principall batterie in that place hauing with sundrie volleyes of the Cannon disarmed that port broken and rent a sunder certaine towers which might hinder him from going to the breach which he determined to goe in hand withall Holding thus them which were besieged in doubt which part they were best to defend to prouide for without doubting any whit at all of the Castle which was steepe drie and without any Rampires where all at a blow he planted fifteene Cannons in batterie charging and discharging all the day long a tempest of Artillerie with so great a furie as towards the night the breach grew verie large and apparant So as at the same instant before it grew night the D. of Guise caused D' Andelot Colonel of the Fanterie to passe with two hundred Harquebusiers and Corcelets followed with a number of Gentlemen and goe ioyne and fortefie himselfe all along the Kaye and breadth of the porte which was betweene the Downes and the Towne whether for to come he must necessarily passe ouer a little water ordaining further that as soone as euer he should become master therof euery man should be made worke to digge vp a trench and trauerse with such instruments as he had caused to be giuen to all the Souldiers the which might trauerse and answere to the Doue wall of the Dich in that place which they ment afterwards to breake vp wherby all the waters of the diches might sue into the porte and they likewise might goe in couert from the port vnto the diches Besides the courage which greatly conducted the worke of the French the commoditie to haue euerie thing readie and at hand helped them verie much for they had so long before artificiously prouided all matters necessarie for this siege as especially to cause the men
againe fiue Souldiers no lesse aduenterous then the first The which gaue verie good hope for the comming to the breach yet not trusting to al these reports for that he would not vpon too light a credite make a suddaine frycassie of so many valiant mens liues as lightly are the foremost in such an exploite he sent againe sixe score French souldiers to gaine and preoccupy with the first the top and highest part of the Parapet which was on the assaylants side that thereby they might couer and helpe vp a certaine number of Pioners which he caused to mount vp with the same tracke for to plane and make the mounting vp to the breach more easie which was as yet verie high and rough commaunding all these aduenterers notwithstanding that they shoulde not vndertake further then they had charge which they obeyed gayning with a great number of blowes and hazard of their life the toppe of the breach In the end standing assured that the way was prepared hee commanded D'Andelot generall of all the French Fanterie to be ready with his souldiers that as soone as the token should be giuen he might readely present himselfe to the assaulte And he for to view with his eye the beginning and such issue as should ensue and if it were possible to discerne within the breach behold the fashion of the men within mounted vp a little Hillocke high enough to discouer that for to sustaine and defend that breach there needed not so many men as the first thought for Wherefore all at the instant hee caused a regiment of chosen Almanes to marche straight to the breach to open the first passage thereof who with great assurance and without any feare of harme were there ouerthrowne By the like meanes he made signe to D'Andelot that he shold follow him with his troupes which he did for altogether made a maruelous stirre to enter the most part of the Souldiers plonging and entring within the water and diches of seuentie foote in depthe with such an heate and desperate hardines that they forgotte all danger albeit that the Duke of Guise had caused bridges to be builded ouerthwarte the diches with pipes and caske linked one to an other vppon which they had cast plankes and iuyce and bound them fast together All this notwithstandinge such a vehemente furye pushed them forwarde as they had no regarde neyther to bridge nor passages through the verie desire which they had to enter And yeat their impetuositie was not so greate furious but that at the first bounde they were repulsed the enemies greately helping themselues through their artificial fires fighting for their life with a strange incredible obstinacie The which the Duke of Guise perceauing came downe the litle hyll and thrusting hymselfe into the middest of them reprehended some sollicited other and preuailed so farre with the rest as he restored in such a sorte their heart into theyr bellye that turning their face and beginning a freshe they redubled with such a corage and fell to it with so greate a force as the beseaged fainted vnder the burthen being no longer able to sustaine this last charge so as being ouerthrowne they abandoned the entrie and lefte the breache to the Frenche and Almanes with the losse of more then three or fowre hundered men amonge whome there were founde neare hand fowre score Spaniardes of the brauest men and of best reputation As the rest turned their backes and were either slaine in the furie or taken prisoners the same daye the Almanes of Colonell Reicord conducted by his neuew did on the other side force two litle bulwarkes which had likewise beene battered where the breach was made so was the base courte of the castle wholie gained vpon the same day The gouernour Grey before this losse foreseeing the danger which was likely to ariue had retyred himself with a sonne of his into the olde Castle their principall forte which they called the Bulwarke or keepe as were in like sorte the principall Captaines and best soldiars And had transported in with themselues all their richest moueables All they hauing a while bethought themselues of their worke and finding themselues vnable to resist against the fury of the French determined to parley And the gouernor Grey sent the same daye two gentlemen to the Duke of Guise to declare vnto him that in defending of that place being of so great marke importance the keeping whereof had bene committed to him he ought not to finde it strange nor in euil part if as an honest man and according to his dutie he had well defended it so far as to haue endured the assault If he should haue don otherwise it had bene against his honor and faith requiring him in the ende to deliuer vnto him an honest composition This Prince hauing vnderstoode his propositions differred answere vntill the next morrowe albeit that some counselled him to take him at his worde considering that he stood as yet vppon his feete and almoste as strong as at the first hauing besides this olde Castle whole and entire of a most strong and auncient matter enuironed with most deepe dyches and full of water where they must needes make a newe batterye and where it was possible to retrenche it the place beyng spacious enoughe Besides that there rested the greate and large Bulwarke of the keepe which cōmaunded al the rest the whole being garnished with artillery mūitions and defended by the best aduised and valiantest men that were Then on the morrowe being the one twenteth of this moneth the Duke of Guise accorded this composition That the Soldiors should departe with their armes but that their enseignes should remaine in the place with all artillerye powder bulletts and all other kinde of munition as well of warre as victuals As for my Lord Grey and all the Captanes of qualitie which he had with him they should remaine prisoners of warre in the power of the King and of the Duke of Guise This capitulation being receiued approued by the besieged the day following there departed thence betweene 900. and 1000. men of warre part Englishmen part Borguignons and a number of Spaniards besides the common sort which tooke euery man such course as himselfe listed franke and free without any harme or displeasure done vnto them three or fower hundred dead and hurt remaining behinde Grey was retayned prisoner so was Mondragon a Spanish Captaine who hauing beene before prisoner in the Bastile of Paris saued himselfe and was againe committed to ward thither That done the Duke of Guise for that this place seemed verie dangerous if it should bee taken againe and greatly noysome to the high waye from Calais into France especially in being so neere vnto Ardres and that it woulde be a double expence to keepe it hauing caused all the Artillerie munition and victuals to be taken out caused it to be ruined and razed in the yeare 1351. The towne and Castle of