late Prince of Condé and Monsieur de Guise together with them I could make them confess that something else than Religion mov'd them to make three hundred thousand men cut one anothers throats and I know not if we have yet made an end for I have heard there is a Prophecy I know not whether in Nostradamus or no that their Children shall shew their Mothers as a wonder when they see a man so few shall be left having kill'd one another But let us say no more of it it goers my heart to think on 't mine who have the least interest and who am shorâ—ly going into the other world Should I repeat all the Traverses and Charities that I have read of in the Roman Histories I should never have done which Histories I have formerly delighted to read wondring why and what should be the reason that we are not as valiant as they I shall only â—eckon one or two and begin with that I have read in I know not what Book of Camillus a great Roman Captain who after he had won many Battels and enlarg'd the Roman Empire with the addition of a largâ— extent of Dominion was in the end call'd to judgment for having dedicated the spoil of his Conquests to the foundation of Temples wherein to sacrifice to their Gods of which spoil the one half belong'd of right to the Soldier but that the Gods might assist them in their Battels and Conquests he presented them this gift saying That the Soldiers stood as much in need of the assistance of the Gods as he So that upon his return to Rome for the reward of the great services he had perform'd and the famous Victories he had obtain'd for the Common-wealth they brought him to his Tryal yet did they not nevertheless put him to death but sent him into exile to a City the name whereof I do not remember for it is long ago since I read Livie not in Latin of which I have no more than my Pater Noster but in French Now when he had remain'd sometime in this City there came two or three Gaulish Kings with a mighty Army and took Rome killing almost all the Citizens saving some few who retir'd into the Capitol and there held out for some time Livie reports that one night those who were thus retir'd into the Capitol were all asleep and the Enemy had already gain'd a part of the Capitol when a Goose begining to cackle awak'd the Guards who thereupon enter'd into a combat with the Enemy and repell'd them At this time the said Camillus gathering together all the men he could took the field where the Enemy finding nothing more to plunder nor provisions to maintain their pleasures in Rome having dispersed themselves all over the Country ten or twelve leagues distant from the City he â—lew in the fields seven or eight thousand of them when I was at Rome in the time of Pope Marcellinus I caused those fields to be shew'd me taking great delight in viewing the ground where so many brave Battels had been fought for me-thought I saw before my eyes the things I had heard of and read but notwithsâ—anding I saw nothing either like or any way resembling the great Camillus The rumour of this defeat having run thorough all the neighbouring Cities caused several gallant men to repair to Camillus's Camp by which means finding himself strong enough he march'd directly to Rome possessed by an infinite number of Gauls whom he defeated and sav'd a vast summe of money which those who were retir'd into the Capitol had promised to give and was afterward call'd the second Founder of Rome The Historians can give a better account of this story than I who perhaps mistake it it being above thirty years since I have so much as taken a book in hand and much less dare to read now by reason of my ill eyes and the wound in my face In Spain the two Scipio's were defeated by Asdrubal in thirty dayes time and within thirty leagues of one another to wit Pub. Scipio the first and his Brother Cornelius Scipio afterwards and of both the one Army and the other some escap'd away who all retir'd to the Garrisons where they had lain all Winter where being come they found that all their Colonels were slain and were therefore necessitated to choose one whom they call'd the New Captain Asdrubal having intelligence that this new General had rallied the Roman Soldiers who were escap'd from the two defeats went immediately to assault them but was stoutly repus'd and constrain'd to retire himself to a certain place where this valiant Captain fell upon him by night and not only defeated the Army he had there with him but another also that lay in another place hard by insomuch that by his valour he not only sav'd those few Romans who were escaped from the two lost Battails but moreover both the Spaynes for the people of Rome which but for him had been lost to Rome for ever Now the Senate in the mean time continued a great while without hearing any news of the Scipioes or of their affaires but had at length intelligence brought of the loss of the two Scipio's together with the victories of this new Captaine I do not remember his name before he was created and call'd the new Captain the Historians will better remember it than I who have not seen the book of so many years which so soon as the Senate had notice of they sent away Scipio the younger to command the the Army I think son to the first Scipio who had been slain and withall commanded the new Captain to Rome whom so soon as he came instead of rewarding his service they call'd to judgment accusing him that he had accepted the Soldiers Election and taken upon him the command of the Army from them and not by Commission from the Senate and I think put him to death at least I find no more mention of him in Livy Oh how many other great Captains have been recompenced with such rewards in the time of the Romanâ— the Hâ—storians are full of such exemples and the Judicature of France being rul'd and govern'd by the Laws of the Romans 't is to be expected that the Kings of France shâ—uld govern themselves by their Customs Would to God the King would perpetuate his own glory and leave such a mâ—morial of his prudence as should for ever be commended that iâ— that he would burn all the Books of the Laws by which his Judicature determines of affairs and erect a new equal and upright Judicature for I dare be bold to say thâ—re is not a Monarch in Chrâ—stendom who is govern'd by his Laws the Kings of France excepted all the rest have Laws made by themselves to cut off all â—edious Suits so much as even in Bearn and Lorrain which are in two Corners of the Kingdom that no Suit might be above two years depending If his Mâ—jesty would please to do
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
Blasij Monluci Franciae Mareschall Vera Effigies THE COMMENTARIES OF Messire Blaize de Montluc MARESCHAL OF FRANCE WHEREIN ARE DESCRIB'D All the Combats Rencounters Skirmishes Battels Sieges Assaults Scalado's the Taking and Surprizes of Towns and Fortresses as also the Defences of the Assaulted and Besieg'd With several other signal and remarkable Feats of War wherein this great and renowned Warriour was personally engag'd in the space of fifty or threescore years that he bore Arms under several Kings of France TOGETHER WITH Divers Instructions that such ought not to be ignorant of as propose to themselves by the practice of Arms to arrive at any eminent degree of Honor and prudently to carry on all the Exploits of War Cicero M. Marcello Epist. 8. l. 4. Omnia sunt misera in Bellis civilibus quae Majores nostri ne semel quidem nostra aetas saepe jam sensit sed miserius nihil quam ipsa victoria quae etiamsi ad meliores venit tamen eos ipsos ferociores impotentioresque reddit ut etiamsi naturâ tales non sint necessitate esse cogantur Multa enim victori eorum arbitrio per quos vicit etiam invito facienda sunt LONDON Printed by Andrew Clark for Henry Brome at the Gun at the West End of St. Pauls MDCLXXIV Academiae Canbabrigiensis Liber To the Right Honourable PHILIP EARL of CHESTERFIELD Lord STANHOPE of Shelford c. MY LORD THough all men that know me are sufficiently enform'd of the many and great obligâ—tion your Lordship has layd upon me and that as many of them as I have discours'd withal upon that subject are able if they will do me right to bear witness with what candor and acknowledgment not perhaps without something of ostentation I have ever own'd and extol'd them yet my Lord those men are so few and the beforementioned obligations of so generous a nature that I confess I have a desire both to be more universally known your servant and that the world at the same time should take notice that though you may in my person have plac'd your favours upon an unworthy yet that they have nevertheless been conferr'd upon a grateful man Such a one my Lord I profess my self to be and having no other way to manifest that I am so have taken the liberty to dedicate this Translation of mine to your Lordships diversion and acceptance not suspecting that you who have honour'd me so many other ways should discountenance me in this but rather protect me from others as well as excuse me to your self and in truth my Lord I am so much your own that you may justifiably enough be a little partial in my favour My Lord it may perhaps be expected by those who know your Lordship for the noble person you are that I should here salute you with a finer Epistle than peradventure I can write or at least than this is either likely or in truth intended to be not that I would not present you with the best I have but knowing your Lordship aversion to such impertinencies as men sometimes stuff their Dedications withall I should not only willfully offend you but moreover step out of my own design which is very clear from the vanity of thinking to advance your Honor or Name by any testimony of mine and only intended with all submission to declare my self MY LORD Your Lordships most humble and most obedient Servant CHARLES COTTON The TRANSLATOR's PREFACE TO THE READER A Man that has had no better luck in Printing Books than I and receiv'd from the world so little thanks for his labour should one would have thought have taken some reasonable warning and in some moderate time have given over scribling but notwithstanding these disencouragements I have hitherto and do yet continue incorrigible as whoever will take the pains to read them will see by the following Commentaries and seeing I acknowledg this to be a fault and that every fault requires some excuse I think fit to give the Reader some account why I still persist so obstinate to pester the world with my writings It is not then out of any ill natur'd desire I have to be troublesome or any great ambition I have to be laught at but beeing by a perpetual confinement to the solitude of my own House put eternally upon reading that reading when I meet with any thing that pleases my own fancy inspires me with a desire to communicate such things as I conceive are worth knowing and are out of the common Road of ordinary Readers to their observation and to dedicate those hours which I my self have spent with some delight in such Translations to their vacancy and diversion This is the true and only reason why I have and sometimes do spend so much time about such things as these and it ought the less to offend the generality of men because though I only pretend by it to oblige but a few persons and those none of the most considerable yet it can be prejudicial to none the Author only excepted and he can suffer by it with none neither but such as will not take the pains to read him in his own Language for such as cannot do it ought to rest satisfied and provided the Subject be without reproach are better with an ill Translation than none at all Such a one in plain truth is this not that I am willing to confess I have much missed the sense of the Author but though elegant enough for those times 't is a knotty piece in it self and though wrapt up in very good sense yet writ by the rough hand of a Soldier and a rough one and stuft up with old musty Proverbs the mode of wit it seems at that time and such as we have not sometimes Proverbs of our own to render them by and to English a Proverb without a Proverb is to make that unpleasant and almost unintelligible in one Language that is queint and elegant in another to repair which I have in some places been necessitated almost to create Proverbs or at least to render his after a Proverbial way to make them a little like the Original But I could wish this was the worst fault the Reader will find in the Book I am afraid it is not and know also very well there are some others for which no man living could provide a remedy unless upon the Author's heads he would have made a History of his own to wit intolerable digressions and those intolerably long with so many and so long-winded Aparenthesies included within tedious periods as very much take from the grace of his Style of it self a rude one and strangely perplex the Reader for which whether I should accuse Monsieur de Montluc's want of Art which he himself confesses or the luxuriency of his fancy which often hurries him from his subject I am yet to seek I must also add That though this Treatice have generally a very good reputation in the world yet there
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
was no sooner come to my Quarters but that a Gentleman was sent from Monsieuâ— de Lautrec to bring me to him who entertained me with as much kindness and respect as he could have done any Gentleman in the Kingdom saying to me these words in Gâ—scon Montluc mon amic you aâ— oublideray jamai lou service qu'abes fait au Roy m'en seviera tant que you vivrai Which is Montluc my friend I will never forget the service you have this day performed for the King â—ut will be mindful of it so long as I live There is as much honor in an handsom retreat as there is in good fighting and this was a Lord who was not wont to caress many people a fault that I have often observ'd in him nevertheless he was pleas'd to express an extraordinary favour to me all the time we sate at supper which he also continued to me ever after insomuch that calling me to mind four or five years after he dispatch'd an express Courrier to me from Paris into Gascony with a Commission to raise a Company of Foot entreating me to bear him company in his expedition to Naples and has ever since put a greater value upon me than I deserved This was the first action I was ever in the quality of a Commander and from whence I began to derive my reputation You Captains my Camrades who shall do me the honor to read my Life take notice that the thing in the world which you ought most to desire is to meet with a fair occasion wherein to manifest your courage in the first Sally of your Arms for if in the beginning you shall prove successful you do amongst others two things First you cause your selves to be praised and esteemed by the great ones by whose report you shall be recommended to the knowledg of the King himself from whom we are to expect the recompence of all our Services and Labours And in the next place when the Soldier shall see a Captain who has behavâ—d himself well and performed any notable thing at his first trial all the valiant men will strive to be under his command believing that so auspicious a beginning cannot fail of a prosperous issue but that all things will succeed well with him and that under such a man they shall never fail to be employ'd for nothing can more spite a man of courage than to be left at home to burn his shins by the fire whilst other men are employ'd abroad in honorable action So that by this means you shall be sure always to be follow'd by brave men with which you shall continue to get more honor and proceed to greater reputation and on the contrary if you chance to be baffled in the beginning whether through your Cowardise or want of Conduct all the good men will avoid you and you will have none to lead but the Lees and Canaille of the Army with whom though you were the â—eroe of the world there will be no good to be done nor other than an ill repute to be acquir'd My Exemple upon this occasion may serve for something wherein though perhaps there were no great matters perform'd yet so it is that of little â—xploits of War great uses are sometimes to be made And remember whenever you find your selves overmatch'd with an Enemy that you can bridle and hold at bay with the loss of a few men not to fear to hazard them Fortune may be favourable to you as she was to me for I dare confidently say that had not I presented my self to lead on these hundred Foot which all play'd their parts admirably well we had certainly had all the Enemies Cavalâ—y upon our hands which had been a power too great for so few as we were to withstand The Enemies Camp soon after retir'd into Navarre whereupon Monsieur de Lautrec disbanded the one half of his Companies reserving only the two Ensigns of Monsiâ—ur de Cauna and that of the Baron Iean de Cauna consisting each of only three hundred men the first time they had ever been reduc'd to that number they having formerly consisted of five hundred or a thousand a device whereby the King's Treasury was very much relieved as it sav'd the pay of so many Lieutenants Ensigns Serjeants and other Officers but withall the command of a good number of men usually invited men of Condition and Estates into the Service who at present disdain to accept of Commissions where they see so many pitiful Captainetts who are admitted into Command without ever having strook a stroke At this time you must know Monsieur de Lautrec bestow'd my Captains Company upon me though I was then but twenty years of age and leaving four Companies in Bayonne took Post and went away to Court which departure of his encouraged the Enemy to renew his Camp and to lay Siege to Fontarabie which they also took before his return The loss of this place was occasioned either through the indiscretion or the treachery of a Nephew to the Constable of Navarre and Son to the late Mareschal de Navarre who having been banish'd from Spain for siding with Henry King of Navarre was together with a Garrison of four hundred men Exiles like himself put into this City where he was at this time so well solicited by his Uncle that he revolted to his side by which means this place was lost which otherwise had been impregnable though the Enemy had made two great breaches in it but being I was not there present and that â— will deliver nothing upon report I shall say no more but this that Captain Frangett who surrendred it up to the Spaniard and who for so doing laid the blame to the said Don Pedro was afterwards for his pains degraded at Lyons The loss of this place depriv'd us of very good footing we had in Spain It was here that some years before Monsieur de Lâ—de won immortal glory by enduring a whole years Siege in all the extremities that mankind can undergo and he for so doing carried away honor and reward but Frangett infamy and ruine thus goes the world and fortune In the mean time if any of the Princes or the Kings Lieutenants shall vouchsafe to peruse this Book of mine and perhaps they may read worse let them take notice by this exemple and others that I have seen and that I may perchance make mention of hereafter that it is very dangerous to make use of a man that has once abandon'd his own Prince and natural Soveraign not that he is to be rejected when he flies into a mans arms for refuge and protection but he ought not by any means to have a place entrusted to him with which he may at any time make his own peace and restore himself to his Princes favour Or if they shall think fit to trust him it ought not to be however till after by a long tryal he shall have so manifested his fidelity that there is no
say they have surrendred a place that the Soldiers would not defend and moreover that the Inhabitants of the Town went about to betray them and by that means compell'd them to Capitulate These are mere excuses believe me they are mere excuses The thing that compels you is your own want of experience Gentlemen and Camrades when ever you shall happen to be at such a Wedding put on your best Clothes make your selves as fine as you can wash your faces with Greek wine and rub a good colour into your checks and so march bravely thorough the streets and amongst the Soldiers with your faces erect having nothing in your months but that very soon by Gods help and the strength of your own Arms you will in despite of them have the lives of your enemies and not they yours that it is not for them to come to attaque you in your own Fort that it is the only thing you desire forasmuch as upon that depends their ruine and your deliverance And by carrying your selves after that manner the very women will take courage and much more the Souldiers But if you sneak up and down with a pale face speaking to no body sad melanchollick and pensive though all the City and all the Soldiers had the hearts of Lyâ—ns you will make them as timerous as sheep Speak often to those of the City in four or five words and likewise to the Soldiers saying to them Well friends are you not in heart I look upon the victory as our own and hold the death of our Enemies already for certain For I have I know not what Prophetick spirit which whenever it comes upon me I am always certain to overcome which I have from God and not from men Wherefore rely upon me and resolve all of you to fight and to go out of this place with honor and reputation You can dye but once and 't is a thing that is predestin'd if God has appointed it so it is in vain for you to fly Let us then dye honorably but there is no appearance of danger for us but rather for our Enemies over whom we have the greatest advantage imaginable And who Governors and Captains would you have dare to say he is afraid seeing you so bravely resolv'd Let me tell you that though they trembled before they will lay aside their fear and the most cowardly will become as bold as the most couragious of the Company The Soldier is never astonish'd so long as he sees the confidence of his Chief continue firm and unshaken As the Chief therefore carries away all the honor and the rest have nothing but what he shall give them in his report of their valour to the Prince so ought he to resolve never to discover the least shadow of fear For behaving himself after that fearless manner the Soldiers themselves will be sufficient testimonie for him so that the reputation he shall have acquir'd shall remain indisputably his own without any one being able to contradict it I do not then advise you any thing I have not first tryed my self not only here but in many other places also as you will find in this Book if you have the patience to read it Now this is the order I set down for the fight and for all the whole City all which particularities I represent to you without contenting my self to say that Sienna was besieg'd where I nine or ten months sustain'd the Seige and was at last constrain'd to Capitulatety Famine for of such a General account as that a Kings Lieutenant a Captain or a Soldier can make no benefit This is the Historians way and of these kind of Writers there are but too many I write of my self and will instruct others that come after me for to be born for a mans self only is in plain English to be born a Beast I then order'd in the first place that the City should be divided into eight parts of which the eight of the Council of War should have every one a part that every one of the Council of Eight should appoint a person for whom he should himself be responsible to take a List of the Quarter should be assign'd him how many men women and children there were in that division from twelve the males to sixty and the females to fifty years of age which were to carry Baskets Barrels Shovels Picks and Mattocks and that each one of his own Quarter should make Captains of every Trade without mixing them together that every one should be commanded upon pain of death so soon as ever their Captain should send for them to come to the place appointed immediately to haste away as also the women and children that every one should forthwith make provision of such things as were proper for his or her employment and that the Masters of Men-servants and Maids or their Mâ—stresses should be obliged speedily to take order that their Men and Maids be furnisht with tools and utensils wherewith to labour at the work for which they shall be appointed upon pain of two hundred Crowns and the City to furnish the poor who have not wherewith to buy them at the expence of the publick Treasure that the said Deputies shall make their Catalogues and shall go from house to house to Register their people and that so soon as the Captains every one in his own Quarter should cry out Force Force every one both men and women should run to their tools and present themselves at the place to which the Captain should lead or appoint them to come and that the Deputies should deliver in the Lists of all both men and women they shall have found in their respective Precincts to each of the Eight of the Council of War Quarter for Quarter that the old men and women above the forementioned Ages shall remain in their Masters houses to get meat and to look to the house That the said Deputies should take a List of all the Masons and Carpenters who should be found in their Quarter which List they should also deliver to him of the Eight of the Council of War by whom they shall be deputed And this was the order for the Laborers and Pioneers The order for those who bore arms was that the the three Standard bearers namely of St. Martin of Ciotat and of Camoglia should forthwith take a view of all the Companies which were four and twenty and examine every mans arms if they were in good order for fight and if not to make them presently to be repaired that they should reâ—ine all the Powder and cause great store of Bullet and Match to be made that the three Standard-bearers should every one keep in his own Qâ—arter without stirring thence till one of the Eight of War should come to give them order what to do that the antient Gentlmen who were not able to bear arms nor to work should present themselves to sollicit the Pioneers of
that the greatest shame can befal them is to have a Coward to their husband and thus Monsieur le Gouvernor you who have lost your place you will be in a marvellous happy condition when you shall be curss'd in your own bed But what shall we say of your Children people will not only reproach them that they are the sons of a Cowardly father but they will moreoever themselves see his name in Print and the mischiefs of which his Cowardize has been the cause For a Town is never lost let it be never so considerable that it does not draw a great deal of inconvenience along with it It brings so mighty an inconvenience upon your children that to extinguish your ill repute and to raise their own to some tollerable degree of esteem they must hazard their lives upon all occasions without either fear or wit and few escape being kill'd who by this means to wipe off the stain from their family would signalize themselves How many have I seen in my time who by endeavouring to repair some notorious fault have lost themselves and expos'd themselves to death upon the first occasion has presented it self being asham'd to live And though your children should escape these dangers yet will the King be afraid what great reputation soever they may have acquir'd to trust a Town to their custody left the Son should take after the Father as it ordinarily comes to pass Thus shall you not only ruine your selves but your whole Family To avoid and to break the neck of your ill fortune and of all these mishaps there is a good remedy which I have learn'd my self and am willing to â—each it you if you know it not already First you ought to consider all this that I have told you and set on the one side the shame and on the other the honor you will obtain if you bravely defend your place remaining victorious or at the least having done all that a man of Honour could do to come off Triumphant and like a Conqueror though you be overcome as you see I did in this Siege Imagine still that you see your Prince and Master before you and what countenance you ought to hope for if by your Cowardize you lose his place And seeing nothing ever had a beginning but that it had likewise an end consider from the beginning what the end is like to be and remember that your Master has not entrusted this place in your hands to deliver it up but to defend it that he has put you into it not to live there only but to dye there also bravely fighting if occasion be If you ask him at your going away to your Command Sir must I dye before I surrender the place you have given me in trust he will tell you that you are to fight to the last moment of your life for being you are his Subject your life is his The Seigneur de Iarnac one day told the King that it was the greatest craft and Policy that ever Kings found out to make their Subjects believe that their lives were theirs and that it was the greatest honor they could have to dye for their service but that it was a great simplicity in us to believe it and to keep such a clutter with this fine bed of honor It is nevertheless true that our lives and estates are the Kings our souls belong to God and our honour is our own for over my honor the King has no power at all To return to what I was saying before if in accepting the charge committed to you you have not this resolution within your selves you would do a great deal better to make an excuse There are ways enow to put it off and there will be enow who will be glad to accept of what you refuse If you accept it with a resolution to bring it to a handsome issue do one thing never think of dying ` T is for a Coxcomb to fear death till he see it within three inches of him and yet cannot he forbear representing it to his imagination though it be a hundred Leagues off On the contrary meditate how to kill your Enemy for if you once enter into an apprehension and fear of death you may assuredly give your place for lost for that is to take away your understanding and your judgement which is the best piece in your harness T is to much purpose to be valiant if this fail you at need which if you intend to preserve you must by no means enter into this fear of dying for fear is of it self and by the fraâ—lty of our own nature â—oo apt to intrude upon us without our needing to assist it with our own imagination If then it present it self before you you must reject it and have sudden recourse to the intention of the King and to what end he plac'd you there Think of the shame and dishonor you are running into Read often or cause to be read to you Books that speak of the honor of great Captains principally those of our own times as for example Langey and another who has writ in Italian I cannot think of his name who has writ to well since King Charles the eight I have often read him and he is a very good Author Would to God that all of us who bear arms would take up a custom to write the things we see and do for I am of opinion it would be better done by our own hands I mean as to feats of war than by those letter'd men for they too much disguise the truth and this relishes of the Clerk Read then these Books and meditate with your selves if I do like Antonio de Leva at Pavie the Sieur de Lude at Fontarabie the Signeur de Bouillon at Peronne the Signior de Sansac at Miranda and Montluc at Sienna what will they say of me what honor shall I carry back to my own house and on the contrary if I surrender what shame and infamy for me and mine Then apply your selves to Almighty God and beg of him that he will defend you from falling into these misfortunes resigning up all things into his hands After this assist your selves with all that he has put into the power of men as you see I did in this Siege and above all things be always diligent and vigilant evermore mindful of your charge if you do this forgetting withal death and danger you will find means to defend your place though it were but a Dove-Coat and though it should be lost you having perform'd your duty you must conclude it to be by the hand of God We must however always trie for I have seen a place lost that was never suspected to be in danger and such a one sav'd as has been given over for gone If you there die in your defence you will neither dishonor your selves nor your posterity but shall be laid in your grave with an immortal renown which is
be done but when I came I still found them put me off with so many delayes that I was forc'd to return as wise as I came I think they had a mind to have had me done it at my own expence and that the advantage and the profit should only have accru'd to them and in truth by the offers I made any one might plainly see I was willing to advance something of my own for I defray'd all the Gentlemen that did me the honor to go along with me at my own charge without putting the City to the expence of a Hen. This in truth was the reason why the Enterprize upon Blâ—y was not put into execution I am very sure there was nothing in Guienne could have hindred me from effecting my design At the time when Des Rois besieg'd it I had taken an exact survey of the place and it is no such choak-pear as they make it Besides at that time the Hugonots scarce shew'd their heads and Guienne was quiet enough for all those who were able to bear arms went into the main body to the Admiral who after the death of the Prince of Condé caus'd himself to be declar'd Head of the Faction the Prince serving him only for a shadow It was that nevertheless that so much upheld the said Admiral and his Party for a Prince of the Blood can do much and the Son of the said Prince of Condé though he was very young was a great support to him also for without them and their authority he had never been able to have maintain'd the War so long The End of the Sixth Book THE COMMENTARIES OF Messire Blaize de Montluc MARESCHAL of FRANCE The Seventh Book SEeing I have taken in hand to leave to posterity an account of my life and to give a true relation whether good or bad of all that ever I have done in so many years that I have born arms for the Kings my Masters I am unwilling to omit any thing of action how little and inconsiderable soever and although the last little Victories I gave an account of were neither the Conquests of Naples nor Millan I have not however thought it â—it to leave them wholly out for inconsiderable as they are such may read them as they may be useful to and Captains and Soldiers may begin their Prentice-age with such little feats of arms as those it being by such that they first take Lesson and even those who have the Government of Provinces committed to their charge may by what I have perform'd take exemple of what was well if there be any such thing and avoid the evil I had so â—lipt the wings of the Hugonots that they were capable of doing no great matters in Guienne nor of attempting any other than very slight Enterprizes neither consequently was I in any capacity of performing any notable exploits both because there was not much of that nature in the Province left to do and also by reason I had on the other side sent away most of the Forces to the Monsieurs Army and did reserve all the money for his use I have moreover another reason why I am thus particular in my writing which is to the end that if the King shall vouchsafe the pains to read my Book and I think he reads some worse his Majesty may then see how much they have spoken against the truth who have said that I had now no other care nor meditated on any other thing but how to live quietly and at ease in my own house God knows these people understood me very ill Had I had the means I desir'd and that some might have supply'd me withall and that I might have had my own swing without being curb'd by those perâ—icious Edicts I should have prevented the Hugonots from reigning in Guienne and perhaps have rooted out the whole Race But to pursue the thread of my discourse and give a trâ—e account of what has been the ruine of this poor Province I shall proceed to tell you that some time after the execution of these Enterprizes the Monsieur sent me a Letter containing these words Monsieur de Montluc Monsieur the Mareschal d' Anville has been here and is going into his Government to put some designs he has thâ—re into execution if therefore â—e shall stand in need of any thing in your Government let me entreat you to assist him the best you can This letter was delâ—ver'd to me at St. Foy and with it there came another to Monsieur de Sainctâ—rens wherein he was commanded to come and bring his Company along with him to the Army which was because his Highness had given Monsieur de Fontenilles leave to return home to refresh himself and to recruit his Company his said Highness sending me word not long after that I should keep Monsieur de Fontenilles with me without suffering them to stir out of the Country and that I should have a special regard to Bourdeaux assisting Monsieur de Terride with what I could in order to his Conquest of Bearn and that as to himself he was going down into Poictou This was heavy news to me although I was very glad of the coming of the Mareschal d'Anville and may I perish if I was not really as glad of it as if almost the Monsieur himself had come for I fancied that the Hugonots in Langutdoc and Guienne would not be able to stand two moneths before us The said Mareschal staid some dayes by the way and being arriv'd in Avergne dispatcht a Courrier to me to give me notice he was come and to tell me that he was glad of his Commission to come to make war in those parts as well for the satisfaction he should have in seeing me as out of the hopes he had we should do something to the purpose in these Countries of Languedoc and Guienne and that he was going through Albigeois directly to Tholouze I sent him back his Messenger in all haste desiring him by no means to go that way but that he would come to Rhodes and into Quercy and that I would come to meet him at Cahors for the Court de Montgomery was arriv'd about Castres where he was drawing a Party together so that he could not pass that way but he must be in danger of falling into the midst of the Enemy I had no answer from him till he came to Tholouze from whence he dispatcht a Courrier to me to advertize me of his arrival sending me word that he had past in the very beard of the Enemy but that none of them had presented themselves to oppose his way I was very glad to hear of his safe arrival and in his letter he entreaâ—ed me that we might meet and see one another to the end that being together we might take a good resolution to do the King some signal piece of service and that he would do nothing without my advice I had at that time a dâ—â—luxion fall'n
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
upon it for so great an honor that he will determine within himself if he have never so little courage rather to lose a thousand lives than be guilty of the least cowardize or commit the least offence for he will evermore think that should he misbehave himself he should do an injury to those who nam'd him for the Employment he has obtein'd and that your Majeste might justly reproach them with their oversight in that nomination by which means they will endeavour to do the best they can that they may obtein honor and that your Majestie may preferre them to a better Command knowing that they must again pass the inquisition to arrive at it and the examination of your old Captains where if they shall have behav'd themselves amiss they will evermore make a true report and will be asham'd to advise your Majestie to create such a one Maistre or Mareschal de Camp whom they have seen misdemean himself in the quality of a simple Captain The second advantage that will derive it self from this strict way of examination is that you will hereby stop the mouths of those importunate Lords and Ladies who upon so light foundations make suit to you for Commands upon which so many mischiefs depend being assur'd before hand that your Majestie will not grant them without the parties being well examin'd before your Chancellor and Doctors but will refuse them as you would do him that should ask of you the Office of a Councellor of the Parliament of Paris before he has passed the Test for the Court would not admit him I have heaâ—d that formerly your Father hearing that they had refus'd to admit one who by some Lady was recommended to them should say that one Ass might very well pass amongst so many Spanish horses but they would not believe him Sir put those by whom you desire to be serv'd to the Test. I once saw a Gentleman as I remember he was a Provenâ—â—l whose custom it was when any servant came to make him a tender of his service he would presenâ—ly put him to trial and putting a sword into his hand would command him to defend himself without permitting him nevertheless to thrust at him where if he found him a man firm and resolute he would presently entertein him if otherwise he would tell him he was not for his turn By which means he had evermore brave and resolute men about him for every one knew his custom and no one would offer himself but he was stout and hardy for he was a rude Gamester This was an Examination practis'd by a Subject of yours and a Law he establisht within himself for every man is a King in his own House as your Grandfather was answer'd by the Collier Establishing this severe Inquisition of the merits of men all Europe would presently know it and so many importunate Suitors will be astonisht at such a Law and will think of nothing but how to learn instead of courting Monsieur or Madam and you will be rid of these impertinents whom you send about their business and the other may go render themselves worthy before they offer to pretend to Employments too big for them and that till they have given a better account of themselves they cannot honestly pretend to because they do not deserve them There will also another conveniency arise from this way of proceeding which is that those you choose and honor with these Charges and Commands will hold them immediately from your self or your Doctors and not from the Ladies and the little Monsieurs of your Court who better understand how to set the â—inger of their Watches to the hour of the day than to level a piece of Canon against a Tower or so much as to discharge a Musket and yet by their haughty carriage and stately motion a man would think that all should tremble before them I once heard one of these pretty fellows talk at such a rate as if he had almost himself alone carried away the honor of the Battel of Monsieur de â—iron and that Monsieur de Tavannes nor even the Monsieur your Brother had done nothing comparable to him Now as I was saying these Gentlemen who shall have the honor to hold their Commands immediately from your self after this manner will think themselves much more highly honour'd wherefore Sir in truth these are things you ought more to desire to see regulated and to have a more especial regard unto than all the rest that concerns military discipline by how much all the Events of War whether good or evil under God depends upon the choice you shall make of men of Command I shall not here speak of Generals of Horse nor Colonels of Foot by reason those are two Employments that are only to be conferr'd upon Princes or men of very extraordinary quality who though they be young and of little experience it imports not much provided the Camp-Master be an experimented man And pursuing this method your Majesty will soon see the confusion that is crept into your Armies vanisht and gone and the ancient splendor and beauty of your Companies of Gens-d'arms restor'd One thing I perceive that we very much lose the use of our Launces either for want of good horses of which methinks the Race visibly decayes or because we are not so dextrous in that kind of fight as our Predecessors were for I see we quit them for the German pistols and indeed fighting in gross Battalions these are much more ready than Launces are for if they be not fought in file the Launceers are apt to encumber one another and also that open kind of fight is not so safe and certain as in close Bodies To return to my discourse you may please to take notice Sir that all such as desire to advance themselves by Arms will covet to be brought upon the Chequer of Examination And in my opinion it would be well and prudently done of your Majestie to keep a List of all the brave and qualified men you have in your several Provinces to the end that a vacancy of any Command falling you may think of those persons and worthily supply it by which means such as know themselves to be in your List will be highly encouraged and endeavour with all the power they have to do you some notable piece of service and such as are not in will expose themselves to a thousand dangers to be put into it This Book you should call the Book of Honor and when you hear any one highly applauded after having examin'd the particularities of his Exploits your Majestie would do well to give publick Order to have his name entred into your List. I remember I have heard when I was very young that Lewis the Twelfth did after this manner especially by those of the long Robe and that the Office of Chief Justice of Agenois a place of great profit and honor being vacant he remembred himself of a good Lawyer who
same stile make afterwards no great account of the favour If my Lords you shall not please to do as I advise you see what will follow When the Captain sees that you make no account of him nor have him not in your remembrance he will think you are satisfied with the fortune God has already bestowed upon you and that therefore he is no more to hope that you shall have any ambition to be greater than you are but that every man must think of retiring to his own house without caring any more for Arms. And after a Soldier let him have never so little a Competencie to live upon has once begun to rellish the pleasure of his own House his Wife his Hawks or his Hounds and that he is once suffer'd to take that bent it is a very hard matter to draw him out of the Chimney-corner to go again to the Wars and to perswade him to forsake his soft and warm feathers to lye abroad upon the hard and cold Turf and if you get him out with much ado it will be with a very ill will and he will be alwaies hankering homewards to see his Wife and Children He shall never hear the report of a Musket but like a Frank-Archer he will think himself slain In all these things custome is all Canon and Harquebuze-shot astonish such as are not used to them but after a man has once or twice heard them rattle about his ears he cares not so much There is nothing so prejudicial to War as to let Soldiers and Officers lye idle and rust Hang up your Headpiece or your Cuirasse against a wall and in a little space iâ— will be all rust and cobwebs it is the same with men of war if they be suffer'd to lye still and do nothing Wherefore your Highness ought to have a special care of this for keeping your Captains waking with your Letters and some little benefits from the King you will hold every one in expectation and ready to march so soon as his Majesties Summons or your Command shall be brought to them To this end give your Secretaries order to put you in mind for otherwise the Ladies or the delights of the Court will put it out of your head You are young and 't is sit you should taste the pleasures of the world it is but reasonable you should know what they are we have done it before you and those who are to follow after will do the same But go soberly to work By this Alarm you shall give your Soldiers with your Letters you will discover to all the world that you will not forget the facultie that God has given you nor suffer your Talent to lye idle and every one who has an inclination to arms will resolve to attend you to the utmost stretch of your fortune You will make it appear that since God has alreay laid his hand upon your shoulder you will trie if he will not lay it upon your head also you ought to have an opinion that he will be pleased to do it and to take the verse in the Psalm for your Motto Coelum Coeli Domino Terram autem dedit filâ—is hominum which is to say that God has reserv'd the Heavens for himself and has left the Earth for us to conquer This Verse was not made for such little Companions as I am but for Kings and such Princes as you are and yet give me leave to tell you that although I am a poor Gentleman and have not the spirit of a King yet had God pleased to preserve my Sons and have granted me a little better health I should have thought with the help of my friends provided we had been at peace at home to have got some corner of the world or another to my own share and if I could not have got a great 〈◊〉 I should at least have had a Gobbet or at the worst I should only have lost my labour and my life both which I should have thought well laid out for the purchase of honor Had my Son liv'd I do verily believe he would have brought about the design that the Admiral knows he had in his head and that he may acquaint your Highness withal You are young your Brother has the great piece you are to go seek your fortune elsewhere and instead of being a Subject make others Subjects to you Since then such a poor fellow as I am have the courage to foar so high and that the Sons of Labourers and Forge-men as I have heard have by their virtue arriv'd at Empire what are you to hope for who are the Son and Brother to the greatest King in Europe you ought to look for no less when occasion shall present it self and that you shall see your time A magnanimous Prince is never to rest contented but still to push on his fortune the world is so wide there is enough to conquer and the King your Brother has power enough to assist you You are in your age of undertaking and you are fortunate I am sorry that you have laid aside the great and brave name of Alexander who if I mistake not was the most valiant Warriour that ever bore arms His Majestie will help to set some foreign Crown upon your head If then God shall do you the grace to put an end to these miserable domestick Broils set your designs on foot and trie to immortalize your Name Employ those many Servants you have in conquering something and seeing my age and the wounds I have receiv'd will not permit me to serve you in so brave an Enterprize I shall at least humbly advise you never to stop the Career of your Arms but still to attempt greater and more difficult undertakings taking the device of the Emperor Charles who cut out so much work for your famous Ancestors In case you cannot arrive at the utmost aim of your Ambition you shall at least advance the better half way to your desires I have no hopes being a maim'd Valetudinary as I am my self to serve you in these honorable designs but I leave you three little Montlucs which I hope will not degenerate from their Grandfather and their Fathers More I have not to trouble your Highness withal and also it is time to put an end to my Book Behold here fellows in Arms you who shall read my life the end of the Wars in which I have serv'd five and fifty years together that I had the honor to be in Command for the Kings my Masters From which services that I might not forget them I brought away seven Harquebuze-shots for a Memorandum and several other wounds besides there being not a limb in all my body that has escaped my right arm only excepted But I have by those wounds purchased a renown throughout Europe and my name is known in the remotest Kingdoms which I esteem more than all the riches in the world and by the Grace of God who has
ever been assisting to me I will carry this reputation along with me to my Grave This is a marvelous contentment to me when I think upon it and call to mind how I am step by step arriv'd to this degree of honor and thorough so many dangers am come to enjoy the short repose that remains to me in this world in the calm and privacie of my own house that I may have leisure to ask God forgiveness for the sins I have committed Oh if his mercie was not infinitely great in how dangerous a condition were all those that bear arms especially that are in command for the necessity of war forces us in despite of our own inclinations to commit a thousand mischiefs and to make no more account of the lives of men than of a Chicken to which the complaints and outcries of the people whom we are constrain'd in despite of us every day to swallow up and devoure and the Widows and the Fatherless that we every day do make load us with all the curses and execrations misery and affliction can help them to invent which by importuning the Almighty and daily imploring the assistance of the Saints 't is to be fear'd lye some of them heavie upon our heads But doubtless Kings shall yet have a sadder account to make than we for they make us commit those evils as I told the King in discourse at Tholoâ—ze and there is no mischief whereof they are not the cause for seeing they will make warres they should at least pay those who venture their lives to execute their passions that they may not commit so many mischiefs as they do I think my self then exceedingly happy in that God has given me leisure to think of the sins I have committed or rather that the necessity of war has enforc'd me to commit For I am not naturally addicted to mischief above all I have ever been an enemie to the vice of impurity and a sworn adversary to all disloyalty and treason I know very well and confess that my passion has made me say and do things for which I now cry Meaculpa but 't is now too late to redress them and I have one that lies heavier upon my heart than all the rest But had I proceeded otherwise every one would have sâ—irted me on the nose and the least Consul of a Village would have clapt too his Gates against me had I not alwaies had the Canon at my heels for every one had a mind to Lord it God knows how fit I was to endure such affronts but all 's done and past my hand was ever as prompt as my tongue and it was but a word and a blow I could have wisht could I have perswaded my self to it never to have worn a sword by my side but my nature was quite otherwse which made me carry for my device Deo Duce Ferro Comite One thing I can truly say of my self that never any Kings Lieutenant had more commiseration of the ruine of the people than I in all places where ever I came But it is impossible to discharge those Commands without doing mischief unless the King had his Coffers cramm'd with Gold to pay his Armies and yet it would be much to do I know not if those that succeed me will do better but I do not believe it All the Catholicks of Guienne can witness if I did not alwaies spare the people for I appeal from the Hugonots I have done them too much mischief to give me any good testimonie and yet I have not done them enough nor so much as I would my good will was not wanting Neither do I care for their speaking ill of me for they will say as much or more of their Kings But before I put an end to this Book of mine which my name will cause to be read by many I shall desire all such as shall take the pains to read these Commentaries not to think me so ingrate that I do not acknowledg after God to hold all I have of Estate and Preferment of the Kings my Masters especially of my good Master King Henry whom God absolve And if I have in some places of my Book said that wounds were the recompence of my service it is not at all intended to reproach them with the blood I have lost in their quarrels On the contrary I think the blood of my Sons who died in their service very well employed God gave them to me and he took them from me I have lost three in their service Marc Anthony my eldest Bertrand to whom I gave the name of Peyrot which is one of our Gascon names by reason that Bertrand did not please me and Fabian Seigneur de Montesquieu God gave me also three oâ—hers For of my second Son I had Blaize and of my youngest Adrian and Blaize whom God preserve that they may be serviceable to their Kings and Country without dishonouring their Race that they may well study my Book and so imitate my life that if possible they may surpass their Grandsire and I beseech your Majestic be mindful of them I have left them amongst my Papers the Letter your Majestic was pleased to write to me from Villiers dated the 3. of December 1570 which conteins these words Assure your self that I shall ever be mindful of your many and great services for which if you shalâ— in your own person fall short of a worthy recompence your posterity shall reap the fruits of your merit as also they are such and have so well behav'd themselves in my service that they have of themselves very well deserv'd my acknowledgment and that I should do for them what I shall be very ready to do whenever an opportunity shall present it self Sir this is your Majesties promise and a King should never say or promise any thing but he will perform I do not then by any means reproach my Misters and I ought also to be satisfied though I am not rich that a poor Cadet of Gascony is arriv'd at the highest Dignities of the Kingdom I see several at this day who murmur and repine at their Majesties and for the most part those who have done little or nothing make the greatest complaints In others who have really deserv'd something it is a little more pardonable all that we have of what degree soever we are we hold it of the Kings our Masters So many great Princes Lords Captains and Soldiers both living and dead owe to the King the honors they have receiv'd and their Names shall live by the Employments they have receiv'd from the Kings they serv'd and were not only enterr'd with those honorable Titles but have moreover honour'd those who are descended of them and mention will be made of their virtue whilst any Records of honor remain in the world I have listed a good number in my Book and have my self had Soldiers under my Command who have been no better in their
four months of which I made my men live of twenty ounces of bread a day out of the profits I made of the Corn saving as much as in me lay my Masters money The other three Months I paid the Soldiers with good words and the liberality of my Bonnet as I had done at Sienna Some time after Don Francisco arriv'd who found Corn yet in the Magazine I moreover dealt with the Dutchess de Castro Wife to the Duke who was slain at Piacenza who knew Monsieur de Valence my Brother at the time when he was in the service of Pope Paul Farnese Pope Paul Caraffa had made a Prohibition that no manner of Grain should be carried out of Romania but this Dutchess under hand permitted certain Merchants to bring it by night into our Territories where our merchants met and bought it of them I carried this practice very close of which I could have made a very great advantage to my own private profit but never so much as one Liard came into my purse I could have brought the King â— Bill of two or three hundred thousand Francs debt as did Signior Iourdano Corso and others whom I shall forbear to name who were well paid I was neither so simple nor my opportunities were not so few but that I could have done it as well as any of them I have been his Majesties Lieutenant in this Province of Guienne and have been much up and down abroad in the world but never saw any Country equal to it either in Riches or Conveniencie of Living And having such an Employment I could have had intelligence with the Receiver of the Province those kind of men desire no better and have stuffâ— my own Coffers for what upon Musters Garrisons and Equipages of the Artillerie I could have made infinite advantages How many Impositions might I have laid upon the Country for the King had given me power to do it which would have turn'd to my particular benefit for although his Majesty in that Commission doubtless intended those Levies for his own service I could if I would have put the charge upon him and have converted a great part of them to my own proper use I could if I would have fir'd Towns and have sent a Will with the wisp up and down to the Towns and Villages to whisper the principal Inhabitants in the ear that they must either give me money to free them or that otherwise I would cause them to be undone and come quarter Soldiers upon them who should eat them to the very bones for they know men of our Trade are seldom weary of ill doing I could also have sent to tell the Hugonots who liv'd at home under the protection of the Edict that unless they greased me in the first I would cause them all to be ruin'd and pull'd in pieces and what would they not have given me to have secur'd their Lives and Estates for they did not greatly confide in me hearing how I had handled them before But instead of making use of such Artifices of these to enrich my self I let the Captains and Gens-d'arms and others who serv'd the King and askt it of me take all reserving very little or nothing to my own benefit And even that which I had at Clairac I took by the King's permission Let others therefore rest content If God would please to let me be once cured of this great Harquebuze-shot in my Face I think yet that should the War break out again I should be one to mount to horse and I think it is not far off for so long as there are two Religions France will evermore be in division and trouble It cannot otherwise be and the worst on 't is 't is a War that will not be ended of a long time Other quarrels are easily compos'd but that for Religion has no end And although the Martial sort of men are not very devout they however side and being once engag'd stick to their Party In the posture that affairs now stand I do not think we are at an end However I have this satisfaction in my self that I have to my utmost opposed it and done my best endeavour to settle the peace of the Kingdom Would to God that all those who have been in Command had conniv'd no more than I. But we must let God work his own will After he has sufficiently scourg'd us for our sins he will burn the Rod. And now you Lords and Captains who shall do me the honor to read my Book let me beseech you not to read it with prejudice but believe that I have deliver'd the truth without depriving any one of his due and merited honor I make no question but that some will bring some things that I have here related into dispute to see if they can catch me tripping in point of truth forasmuch as they will find that God has never more accompanied the fortune of any man for the Employments I have gone thorough than he did mine But let me assure such that I have omitted an infinite number of passages and particularities by reason that I never committed any thing to writing nor ever kept any memorial as never suspecting my self to become a Writer of Books I ever thought my self unfit for that Employment but in the time of my last hurt and during my sicknesses I have dictated this that I leave you to the end that my name may not be buried in oblivion nor so many other gallant men whom I have seen perform so many and so brave exploits for the Historians write only of Kings and Princes How many brave Gentlemen have I here set down of whom these people make no mention no more than if they had never been He who has writ the Battel of Câ—risolles though he does name me yet it is but slightly and in transitu only and yet I can honestly boast that I had a good hand in that Victory as also at Bullen and Thionville Which they take no notice of at all no more than of the valour and gallant behaviour of a great number of your Fathers and Kindred whose names you will find here Do not then think it strange if I have been so fortunate as I have written for I never minded any thing but my Command and have ever acknowledg'd that all my successes came from God into whose hands I ever resign'd my self and all my affairs although the Hugonots were pleased to report me for an Atheist They are my profest enemies and you ought not to believe them And although I have had my imperfections and my 〈◊〉 and am no more a Saint than other men they had their share too though they pretended holiness and mortification yet I have ever placed my hope in God evermore acknowledging that from him alone I was to expect my good or evil fortune attributing to his bounty and assistance all the successes of my lifâ— Neither was I ever in any action whatever wherein
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