banke of the Riuer of Tarro in a place verye commodious not onely to bridle the Parmesanes if they shoulde attempte to reuolte but also to be a sure guarde to the fortresses néere aboutes and finally if the Kyng woulde marche on forwarde that way to sette vppon wyth all the Venetian power in a place of greate aduauntage hys vantgarde as it came downe the hyll In thys meane tyme whylest the Frenchmen approched vnto Foronouo Gonzaga hauing intelligence by spyes of theyr comming sente the lyghte Horsemenne before the chiefest conduct of them béeyng assigned vnto Nicholas Annonio a Sclauon a verye valiaunte manne to stay the Frenchemenne by skirmishing wyth them vntyll hée were come wyth the strength of the menne of armes and the lyghte bandes of the footemen They valiauntly doe hys commaundemente and suddaynelye gyuyng a charge vppon theyr enimyes disordred them on all sydes and manye béeyng slayne and taken and also one Ensigne gotten forced them verye fearefully to turne backe before that the menne of armes and the ayde of the footemenne coulde come whych foyle happened vnto the Frenchmen bycause they were not acquaynted with their manner of fyghte for when the Frenchmen with a certaine feruour of fyghte did more egrely pursue the Gréekes at once both couragiously charging and also with great arte fléeing backe and thereby did breake their array the Gréekes did suddaynely againe returne into the fight and then many of them and light did set on the Frenchmen being dispersed one from another and laden with armour and also vnwarelye floung forward and so easely beate them down wyth their hooked and very heauie Turkish swords or mawles of yron Gonzaga séeing the Horsemen wéeried with a long and paynefull iourney reuoked them from pursuing of the enimies vnto their Campe and contented with this good successe returned vnto the army all his men being very ioyfull and manye bearing the heads of the Frenchmen vpon their Launces Among the Prisoners was there taken one Ante a Captayne of a band of Switzers a man wel knowen before time to the Earle of Giazza He politikely lying did augment the nūber of the french Horsemen and footemen that were in the auantgarde for to feare the Italians from oppressing them who had ouerboldly marched before their felowes and also falsely affirmed that the King wyth the middle battell and Seigneur de Tremouille with the rerewarde were not farre off the which lye doubtlesse saued Marshall Gien who distrusting the small number of his Souldiers and they also disordred with the skirmishe had got him into an high place that there in his camp defensed by all meanes he coulde he might stay for the King yea though he followed after slowly But when thys occasion of destroying the vaantgard did seeme vnto some to bée offered as a meane to obteyne afterwarde an absolute victorie of the King the Marques of Mantoa was of the mind that nothyng ought to bée then attempted but in any case the rest of the Kings power was to be stayed for that when the King their enimie were in sight they mighte more safely and nobly fight with hys whole power in a pitched field for the Italian army did excéede them in number and it séemed that they woulde also haue ouermatched them in the battel if that fortune had not fayled them who shamefully swarued from the discipline of their auncestours Thus the Kyng hauing gotten the space of the whole nexte daye and tymely ouertaking the vauntgard encamped at Foronouo Betwéene the two Campes ranne the riuer of Tarro whyche falling down violently frō the stiepe Appenine Moūtaynes into the enclosed valleys beneath with a rocky and vnequall Channell at length hauing gotten the open fields runneth into the Po. The Venetians encamped on the left side on the broader banke of the Riuer not farre from the Village Appiano in the lower grounde but the Frenchmen on the right hauing on their lefte hande the Towne Medesano and being on the higher hylles they myghte easely see the Camp of their enimies which by reason of the great number of tentes pitched round about gaue a shew vnto the eyes of the wondering Frenchmen of a very great army When the King saw himselfe and his army brought into suche a place as out whereof there was no hope left to escape vnlesse victorie ▪ became his guide to assay the intents and mindes of the Prouiditori he sente an Herald to request of them truce for certaine dayes For Hercules the Duke of Ferrara fauoring the engrafted lingering of the Prouiditori had a little before written for a most certaynetie thereby to stay the stomackes of the King and the French Captaynes all dismayde with that vnlooked for martiall prouision and furniture of their enimies that neyther the Prouiditori nor his sonne in lawe the Marques had any authoritie or commission from the Senate to fyghte a generall battell The Herald being brought vnto the Prouiditori and Captaines saide that his maister did greately wonder that the Venetians whome he had not prouoked by any iniurie were come with suche a power of warlike menne to impeache his returne into France that his Maiestie did request according vnto the iust lawe of nations that with truce they would help his army as it trauayled with victuals for money and suffer them with quiet iourney to passe into France if they would thus doe then his maiestie was to giue greate thankes vnto the Seigniorie of Venice and their Captaynes but if they would not then the French Souldiours would not onely open a way for themselues by true prowesse but also make a causey for theyr King wyth the slayne carcasses of the withstanders To whome aunswere was made in fewe words if that Kyng Charles woulde abandon hys counsels and purposes of conquering Italy and withdrawe his garrisons out of Ostia the Hauen of Rome and Nouara and marche without doyng of anye hurte he should haue frée passage to goe his way but if he neglected so to do then also the Venetians woulde not neglect the iniuries done vnto theyr alies and as they were bounde by the league pursue wyth sword the publike enimie of all Italy The Heralde who had curiously viewed almost all things in the Italian Camp being returned vnto the King tolde many thyngs wofully and fearefully of the scituation and munition of their Camp of the number the furniture and chéerefulnesse of the Italian Souldyers in somuch that the Kyng hymselfe and manye of the Captaynes as men attached with a supreme care séemed to doubt of the safetie of themselues and of all the armie for in discoursing and consulting some were of the minde that it were best to returne backe vnto Pisa and being ioyned with the Florentines chose the seate for the warres in Toscan Other hauing no regard of dishonor counselled spéedely to crosse the vales of the Appenine and hast to Asti leauing behinde them both cariages and ordinance the rest willed no consideration to bée hadde of the Duke of Orleans but
VenetiaÌ„s for following succoring their disordred formost battels But this is well knowen that the Marshall Guien although Trivulzi and Frances Sicco the Captaine of the Florentines vehemently obtesting hym not to suffer an occasion of destroying their enimie to be lost would not pursue them wheÌ„ they fledde or goe one foote forth for that he thought he ought not rashly to depart out of the sight of the Kings battell the euent of the fight being as yet vncertaine the K. being circumueÌ„ted from all partes by diuers although vtterly scattered troupes of the enimies Not long after many of the Captaines gathering togither about the King caused the retreate to be sounded that with ioyned bandes and battels agayne araunged they mighte expecte what their enimies would do for they not only sawe fresh whole battels of them on the farther banke of the riuer ready to receyue the encounter but might perceiue both their owne Horses and meÌ„ wholly wéeried and therefore thought it best rather to rest than pursue their scattered enimies as they which were contented with that victorie the which considering the perill appeared greater thaÌ„ it selfe bycause they had by armes and prowesse made themselues a way not only in spite of their enimies but also with their foyle discomfiture The Marques also after he hadde in vaine loked for ayde bycause the rest of the battel 's feared with the discomfiture of their fellowes the hardnesse of passing ouer the risen riuer had detracted to fight wound himselfe out from the hindermost tayle of the departing FrenchmeÌ„ passing ouer the riuer in a better forde returned into the Camp vnto the Prouiditori â–ª There perished in that battel of the VenetiaÌ„s Milanese aboue foure M. amoÌ„g whom were besides Radalph and Ranuccio Iohn Picinnino nephew vnto the famous Captain Nicholas Galeazo Correggi Robert Strozza and Alexander Beraldo Captaines of Cornets of Horsemen and Vincent Sorso who ledde a regimeÌ„t of footemen and Malfacto and Gabanello who being of the guard had whereas at other times theÌ„ specially in the battel gotteÌ„ the prayse of singular prowesse wheÌ„ with theyr weapoÌ„s they made a way through the mids of the enimies for the Marques to escape But on the french part beside the multitude of the rask all rable whiche made the slaughter greater and fouler there were lost about a thousande Souldioures and also Iulian and Dason Lieutenauntes of companyes of Horsemenne and Vardey the Captayne of the Archers on Horsebacke and the Captayne of the troupe that guarded the Kyng and also noble menne called by the names of theyr Townes Torsy Semple and Ambrun But the Kyng selfe in déede a notable losse wyth greate griefe when hée vnderstoode that almoste all the Archers of hys guard were slayne who as is sayd before sending away their Horses fought on foote And the reporte is that hymselfe was in no small daunger of life when the Marques breaking thorough hys battell and disordering the whole wardes he being almost lefte alone made hedde and drew his Sword and confessed that he was doubtlesse saued by the inuincible strength of his fierce fightyng Horse which was a cleane cole blacke with one eye The Frenchmen lodged that night vpon the next hyll beside Tarro hauing lost all their baggage and tentes and brought to extreame lacke of victuals who although they had vndoubtedly gotten the victorie and were very ioyfull yet did they greately feare theyr small companie and had a speciall care for the sauing and carying away of the number of the wounded whiche was thought woulde be a verye hard thing by reason of the yll and troublesome iourney that they had to goe for they sawe that their enimies had a greate number of light Horsemen thorough whose vnwéeried diligence and swiftnesse they myghte cut off victuals stoppe the wayes and by pursuing and hagling on the hindermost much endamage them and specially the heauie armed Switzers But the Captayne 's being busied with this feare and care and very wéerie the Almaynes and Switzers when the King had with liberall hand deuided among them a thousand Crownes for a rewarde tooke vppon them wyth great noyses of Drummes the charge of kéeping the Camp that night On the other side in the Venetian Camp were they diuersly affected for almost in euery cabine were some attached with sorrowe and other with ioy as euery mans happe had bin eyther to haue lost his fellow and friende or to haue gotten rich pillage for all the Kings furniture plate of siluer and golde riche apparell hangings of all sortes and sacred furniture sette with pretious stones Finally the riches of the Kings of Naples which were now in carrying into France to garnish the triumph was taken by the basest of the Souldyers and the Gréekes But when all the Captaynes with the Lieutenantes were assembled togyther euerye man spake according to his humor for some and they farre the greatest number who séemed to be oppressed with feare thoughts it good to dislodge and to saue their army in whose safetie consisted the safetie of Jtaly Other that hadde but in the battell and hadde thereby taken to them greater courage thaÌ„ they had before would haue the enimie inuaded agayne and béeyng weakened with woundes and amazed with feare vtterly destroyed saying that they had not bin ouercome by the prowesse of the Frenchmen but by the iniquitie of the place But then the Marques of Mantoâ— spake in this manner If that with equall consente we had bin all to day eyther hardie or fearefull we had not bin nowe to consulte whyther we shoulde forsake oure lodging or inuade our enimies for eyther we shoulde haue supped more mery with the epptyue King in our enimies Camp or certes haue bin held in thiâ— moste safe trench with strength and courage not lessened but whereas extreame counsels in dissenting heads doe alwayes hurt but the meane generally do good neyther will I suffer the fearefull to flée backe neither permitte that the valiant agayne hazard the fortune of fight for as though our rashnesse were not yet sufficiently chastised to set vpon oure enimies in an vnhappie place and of greate disaduantage what else is it than to téese wilde beasts and to prouoke them being made madde with the extreame danger of death for extreame necessitie turneth into rage and most times maketh them that do vtterly despaire of life of cowards most valiant men But whereas some do counsell that we remoue our Camp farther from the enimie God forbidde that men shoulde be of the mynde that the shame whiche we haue receiued to day through the cowardise and flight of a fewe we should heape vp higher by fondly dislodging as it were with vtter dishonoure For what will thys suddayne dislodging signifie vnto our néere enimies thaÌ„ a grieuous wound gotten extreame feare and finally a most shamefull flight therefore we must tarrie in this lodging and valiantly endeuoure that the incommâ—ditie that hathe bin taken may be repayred thorough my
the middes of the battell and with greate force beates backe the insulting Epirotes and slaying Alexio Bosigno a noble Geeke their captain â—â—ite defeateth them And with the same fease is also carryed into the ennimyes Campe and there the drudges and stragglers beeing slayne and the Souldiours of the station disordered tooke the carriages and baggage But a little before these thynges were doone by Mottine an other company takyng a longer iourneye thoroughe the Corne fieldes then growen vppe and thereby receyuing small hurte by the ordinaunce had charged the syde of the enimye The Frenche power was deuided into three battailes Tremouille and De la Marche hauyng the leadyng of the wyngs and Trivulzi of the middle battayle and the Batallion of the Lancequenetz hadde gotten them within a ditche betweene the battailes of the horsemenne bycause theyr Trenche beeyng of a newe and wounderfull workemanshippe inuented by Roberte de la March for to enclose them agaynste the chaunce of battayle coulde not bee pitched and sette vp in that suddayne commyng of the ennimie Vppon this Esquadron of the Almaynes the Switzers brynging about their battell towardes the right hande courageously tourned them selues for that they vnderstoode the victorye woulde bee easely obtained after they had once defeated the chiefest force of their enimies armye The Frenche Captaynes seeyng this incontinentely commaunded the greate ordinaunce to bee shotte off vppon them the rankes to bee broken thoroughe wyth greate slaughter and anone after the menne of armes also vehemently charged them on the lefte syde In this tumulte the Amans of Berne and Zuche were slaine yet the Souldiours nothyng appalled wyth their Captaines deathes neyther with their owne perill nor the horrible slaughter of their fellowes gathering their strength togither do cast them selues into a ring and wyth greate valoure doe propell the horsmen and straightway as they had before determined passing ouer the ditche set vppon the Almaines Whervppon incontinently began a bloudye and cruell fight yea and that without either wordes or noise on eyther side sauyng onlye an horrible clashyng of armour and weapons and the softe sighes of them that fell downe deade The Almaines that they mighte reuenge the slaughter of their countreymen the laste yeare at Pauia and now by newe renowne redeme the glory of warfare lost fourteene yeares before at Bruderholtz in the confines of Basill foughte very fiercely But the Switzers that they myght yet one daye quite destroye their olde and peculiar enimies fellowes that had runne out of Germanie and serued the Frenche Kyng in reproche of the Emperour were no whitte behind either in strength or feruencie of courage But whilest the Switzers and Almaines thus fought at push of pike newes was brought vnto Trivulzi and Tremouille that the baggage was taken those that were appoynted to kéepe the Campe slayne and all places fylled full of tumulte and slaughter The fame whereof so troubled the Frenchemens myndes that a greate parte of the horsemen euery man being carefull for his bagge and baggage ranne thither without commandement to recouer the praye Also in another quarter almoste at the same instant the third companye or battell of the Switzers shewed themselues at the fronte of the Frenchemen which battell whilest the Frenchmen hadde in vayne shotte off their ordinance into the woodde that stoode béefore them by reason the Switzers to deceiue the ennimies had politikely lefte among the trees certayne vnprofitable drudges to make a shewe of armed men hadde crepte along by a syde way by little and little stoupyng and traylyng theyr pykes after them And nowe so greate was their contempt of the flying bullets and so terrible their chardge that the Frenche and Nauarrine footmen their Captaine Beamont being slayne and twoo bandes of Genouese and Salucians were quickly defeated and also their ordinaunce taken and tourned on the backs of them that fled When the reste of the horsemen sawe the greate ordinaunce gotten by the enimie in whome the Frenchemen hadde in all warres reposed more truste than in theyr armes and prowesse that the Almaines were nowe almoste quite destroyed their tents taken the enimie ouerthrowing all now large lords of the field betwene shame and feare they tourned their backes When all men were thus dismayed the Captaines themselues were fearlesse enough considering the fearefulnesse of the state and went about to rallye the rankes that were disordered and turned them selues towardes the dissonant cries of their own fellowes made them to abide and fighte encouraged the petye Capitaines and ensigne bearers to put away feare and so long to susteine a fewe pesants of weary vnarmed and nowe weakened wyth woundes vntill the lighte armed had enclosed them The Lansquenetz beare the brunt of the battell and the fight is repaired in all places But the horsemen being nothing moued wyth the wordes of the encouraging and commaunding captaines shamefullye flye For the Switzers althoughe their Captaine Mottine were slaine by a péece of ordinaunce yet hauing gotten the Campe did al bloudy fiercely inuade the lefte side of the horsemen and on the righte syde and on the back a greater power with terrible pikes did very sharply vrge the affrighted and disordered horsemen There perished in repairing the fielde Monfalcon Captaine of the Duke of Albanies companye of horsmen and Coriolano Trivulzi a yong Gentleman of singular hope But the Almaines who leesing halfe their men and two ensignes and their Generall Floranges greeuously hurte had foughte very constantly a long time Nowe when they sawe themselues to bee forsaken by the horsemen and the reste of the footemen in all quarters to be defeated and the great ordinaunce taken thinking that flight was shamefull and yet nothing safe did set the points of their weapons vpright accordyng vnto their manner and yeelded themselues seeking mercye of the victor enimys In this grieuous vproare Robert de la March Lorde of Cedan attached with impotent sorow to see his two sonnes the lords Floranges and Gemese enclosed by the enimye and almoste in desperate daunger of life burst in euen into the midst of his enimies battell wyth a troupe of horsemen and toke them vppe lying among the dead bodyes miserably berayed and embrued wyth the bloude of their woundes and being halfe dead layde them ouerthwarte the neekes of two horses like vnto twoo cloke bagges and thus wyth singular praise bothe of fatherly pitie and warlike prowesse he caried them away preseruing their liues to purchase renowne in future and more fortunate fieldes Thus the Switzers fighting in thrée companyes or battells within an houre and an halfe dyspatched and finished a famous battell and a moste weyghtye warre Neyther yet althoughe the Switzers sawe so many of their enimies lye slaine before their face canne they once to the spoyle notwithstanding that precious furniture of household and al the baggage of the riche army did allure their minds for they remembring their country discipline which doth not permitte them to take anye armed man prisoner in the
greate detrimentes and notable reproches But although these were greate and very waighty matters yet did he not thinke them to be causes worthy of warres but his only request was to haue Amurathes hys brothers sonne yet his enimy and the waster of Cappadocia deliuered into his hands whom if he would according to equity friendly yéelde vp vnto him that then as the mutuall rightes betwéene Kings for the defending and strengthning of theyr Empires required he would withdraw his army and retourne into his own dominions But if the Sophy neglected thus to doe that then hée would wast Armenia and Persia with fire sword The Herald being dismissed both princes kept themselues within their camps But the nexte day Selym by the encouragement of all his Souldiours brought foorth his power into the open fielde and marched in array of battell towards the enimy who lodged two miles off thinking that Jsmaell a chieftaine of so great name would make no stay but according to hys worde incontinently ioyne in battell wyth hym But as for the number of Persians what kinde of horsemen they were what armour and weapons they bare hee coulde not lightly learne for besides the natures and wittes of that nation fraught with subtile pollicies and wisedome so greate was the loue of the souldiours and so greate their reuerence towarde Jsmaell their king that there was not one man found that fledde vnto the Turkishe Camp wheras on the other side as it was afterwarde learned by the Persian prisoners diuers dayly fled from Selym vnto Jsmaell Selym who is reported to haue had that day in the fielde foure score thousand horsmen placed in the right wing Cassembassa the Capitaine of the Europian horsmen and in the left Sinambassa an Eunuch with the horsemen of Asia the Acanzi going before or auauntcurryng whiche Acanzi are horsmen of dyuers nations that voluntarily folowe the warres being thereto excited in hope of bootie and spoile The middle battell was assigned vnto the Asappes a multitude of râ—â—â—l and half vnarmed footmen who for that they are accompted no losse at all are alwayes obiected vnto the firste encounter and brunt thereby to blunt their enimies blades Behinde the Asappes was the greate ordinaunce disposed in directe fronte guarded wyth foure thousand horsemen Hee hymselfe wyth the chosen horsemen of the guarde and all the Janizars stoode for an aide and succour in a place somwhat higher than the rest and being entrenched wyth a double circle or trench of ordinaunce and carriages rounde aboute hym had placed the sumpter Camelles according to their custome so linkyng them one to an other with long chaines going crosse their breasts that they seemed to bee a strong munition wherwith he being enclosed might aide those that hee sawe in distresse and if any harder chaunce should happen from thence as from a Castle wyth the floure of the whole army susteine all the force of the enimy Moreouer hee willed the Asappes that assoone as the ennimies horsemen began to approch that then they shoulde immediatlye seuer themselues a side into two partes therby to leaue an open gappe to shoote off the great artillery full on the ennimye On the other side Jsmaell who had certainly learned by fugitiues all the counsels of the enimy calling vnto him his Captaines tolde them that it woulde bee nothing to winne the victory if they could but escape the tempest of the ordinaunce whiche thyng hee affyrmed myght easily bee broughte to passe if the horsemen as soone as they once sawe the battel of the Asappes deuided wold also be intentiue and redy incontinently to breake their array and likewise to seuer theÌ„selues into two wings Wherefore hee caused two chiefe standardes to be borne the one was the Emperiall standarde the whiche he disposed in a certaine place where hée stoode hymselfe wyth the force and floure of the horsemen the other he assigned vnto hys approued Captain Vstaogle with the rest of the armie Jsmaell had about hym thirty thousand horsemen without any aide of footemen and of them were there aboue ten thousand men of armes very valiaunt Souldiours well practised in the warres and famous for their nobilitie They had very excellent horses barded with strong steele and theyr helmets were all crested bothe for a brauerne and also to terrifie the ennimye moreouer they bare Semiters and after our maner malles of yron also very strong Launces The rest of the horsemen being armed with open and somwhat long head peeces and curasses vsed either great bowes or else launces of Ashe after the Sparishe manner and as for guns they had none in whiche one only thing they were ouermatched by the Turkes But so greate courage and valiauncye was in the heartes of the Persians that they despysing the multitude of theyr enimies and contemning the perill of the ordinance doubted nothing to giue them battell The signall being giuen Jsmael sette forwarde with all his army adhorting all his Souldiours that they would reteine in memorie their olde martiall praise and that they woulde folowe him their chieftaine whom they hadde thoroughe many moste prosperous battells made the most mightye Kyng of all the Orient nowe marching againste the enimie that they were to encounter wyth a sorte of vnarmed Turkes vsing only a light staffe and a Target whose horses are of stature lowe weake and carreine leane and almoste starued wyth hunger that they wold neuer abide no not the first shock of the men of armes On the other side Selym seing the duste of the enimies army comming commaunded it to be proclaymed vnto all the armye by the Colonelles and capitains that the battel was at hand wherein if they fought valiauntly and vanquished the Persians the conquerours of nations they shoulde enlarge the Othomanicall Empire from the Persian Ocean vnto the mount Caucasus But if they remitted any thing of their wonted prowesse that then being in that huge wildernesse of the straunge Countrey and vnmmeasurable deserts there were no hope of escape to be looked for for eyther they should shamefully dye or else wyth euerlasting reproche be slaues vnto the Persian women since that behinde them so farre from their Country both the mightye riuer Euphrates and the monstrous mountaines of Taurus and also beside that the vnfaithfull Aladule possessing the streights hadde taken away from the vanquished all hope of returne into Cappaâ—ocia Nowe when Jsmaell approcked and the Asappes at the signall giuen opened their rankes and in the space betwéen them the Fashons were shorte off hée incontinently deducting his horsmen gaue a charge vpon the right wing of the Turkes with suche seruencye that there was a very sharpe encounter betwéene the halfe armed Turks and the complete armed Persians so that Cassembassa and the formost rankes being slayne and so shootly the other one after another discomfited defeated they propelled all that wing euen vnto the aides and succours where Selym himselfe stoode In another quarter Vstaogle receiuing no small detriment
beyng therby quite out of daunger or certes very far from any Moreouer Iohn de Medici was commaunded to goe before all the battelles wyth hys horsemen who were verye passyng excellent consisting both of light horsemen and also men of armes and with the light bands of Italian footemen who also serued vnder him that he coursing this way and that way might take all prospecte from the enimies and not suffer their auaunt currers to take any viewe of the French power So the footemen being hidden by Medices horsemen approched wyth great pace not being séene of the enimies yet the formost of Lescunes horsmen were by reason of their glistering armour séene of the Emperials betwéene certaine trées vpon the lefte hand but they did fetch suche a greate compasse about that they séemed to be beyond the camp and to march towardes Milan In the meane time Pescara than whom no man kept a more constant iudgemeÌ„t of mind in sodaine chaunce commaunded Gastaldo to scout with a company of horsemen he had not gone far but that hée met with Medici and then their horsemen skirmished togyther very brauely now one side and then the other was driuen backe and the loose shotte came also in among them finally they were so blended togither that neither the one was suffered to haue any certaine knowledge of the approche of the Switzers nor the other of the situation and array of the enimies campe The ordinaunce as I said was opportunely placed in the front of the ditche and the footemen were cast into foure battallions but yet so with equall front that Almaines and Spaniards wer mingled together by course The captain of the Almaynes was George Frondesberg a notoriou man for hys mightie body and strength the harquebusters standyng before the pikes occupied all the whole length of the front when Pescara commanded by as new and witty as afterwarde happy deuise that they should not sette fire to their péeces before that they had séene volagues dischardge at his commaundement But he willed the foremoste rankes that after they had dischardged they shold immediatlye stoupe downe on their knées and charge agayne that the seconde rankes might incontinently discharge without daunger of the foremoste hée also commaunded the seconde and then the third and so the fourth to do the same so that when the last had discharged the firste and the sâ—â—ond rankes should quickly and readily shoote off agayne theyâ—â—â—charged péeces So that this order being repeated incessantly the footemen of the enimyes myght bée beaten down as it were wyth a continuall storme before that they could come to hand strokes Euent wanted not to Pescara his deuise For when the Switzers approched they first shooting off their great ordinaÌ„ce as also the Emperials had done ranne amaine vnto the ditche suspecting nothing of the disaduantage of the place Where all things were oportunely administred by Pescara both wyth great quietnesse and also celeritie and he did sodainely let flye a storme of small shotte which did so much mischiefe that not onely the ensignes but whole bandes fel downe at once yet Albert himselfe lustily scaling the rampire flewe vnto Frondesberg whom he knewe and callyng him by an opprobrious name did with a mightie arme thrust his pike into his side gréeuously wounding him but Albert himself was immediatly slaine being stroken at from all partes round about And also that bande of desperate fellowes that succéeded hym wyth franticke fease were easily slaine by the Almaines and Spaniardes from the vpper grounde In this encounter Alfonse the Marques of Guasto cousin germaÌ„ to Pescara was wouÌ„ded in the arme But the rest of the Switzers after they had béene a long time turmoiled and troubled among the heapes of the slain and the piles of their pikes turned their backes Also at the same time Lescune bringing aboute hys horsmen both giue a charge vpon the backes of the enimies and passyng ouer twoo ditches doth breake into the Campe. Ambrose Landriano the Captaine of the Dukes wing of horsmen is defeated and taken prisoner the tentes are caste downe the hales of Antony de Lena and the Earle of Termine and their siluer plate fall to the share of the lackeys and drudges There is a wounderfull great hurly burly raised throughout the whole Campe feare attacheth not onely the Souldiours but also the Captaines themselues yet Prosperi gets himself quickly out of the feare of this sodaine chaunce and setteth his horsmen caste into troupes against the Frenchmen Aâ—irâ—o and the Earle of Collisa valiaÌ„tly helping him 〈◊〉 Antonin de Lena râ—ning thâ—â—her formost of al. Now Lescune fought vpon the bridge with singular prowesse which if he could haue gotten the French horsmeÌ„ had doubtlesse broken into commit a great slaughter of the Emperials when sée the dukes horsmen aduauncing forwarde their guidons from the high way receiued the encounser also a bande of Italians Harquebusters spéedily ranne vnto theyr succour and also the Milanese that lay beyond the riuer in a verie safe place dyd shoote their fielde péeces ouerthwart vpon the enimies Fraunces Forza the Duke was in that quarter a continual encourager the fyght was diuers and cruell as that which was fought in a place very combersome in all partes not only for the ditches and déepe streames and small riuers but also for the ropes of the tents and many long polles that were set vp to tye the horsses vnto But there was a verye sharpe encounter at the bridge for there Lescune hymselfe being notorious for his Caparissons and plume of fethers in his crest contended with great valour to breake through whose prowesse the Monsieurs Montmorency Baiarde and Pontiremy very forwarde Capitains honorably emulated and also Fredericke de Bozolo one of the house of Mantoa had pierced into the highe waye but the iniquitie of the place did withstande the prowesse of the Frenche horsemen For neyther were they able to breake through wyth thycke troupes nor yet to defende themselues bicause they had brought no and of footmen So the FrenchmeÌ„ that fought on the bridge after that many on both parties had ben cast down hedlong into the Ryuer wyth fowle slaughter of men and horsses were at length driuen from the bridge Lescunes horse was slayne vnder hym and anone after when he had taken an other he was wounded in the mouth with a sworde whiche was thruste thorough the bener of his helmet and Mounsieur Baccalaure the Ensigne bearer of Monsieur de Brion was slayne and Hugh Earle of Pepoli had his legge shot through with an harquebusse the Frenche guidons were rafte and torne and the Harquebusters that were beyonde the ditche tourning themselues on the side of the enimies did with their often and thick shooting much endamage the men of armes and specially their horses In the meane space the battel of the Switzers being defeated the footmen freste cryed Victorie victorie this most fayful crye brought from one to another euent vnto the hindermost rankes the Frenchmens hartes
brother for this day thou must endeuour to win the place but if that your handes whiche God defende shall not suffice against your so often vanquished enimies then sée that your bodyes by dying honorably do nobly pay your enimies not vnreuenged that which they doe owe vnto vnto their valiant heartes To whome Guasto aunswered with a ioyfull countenaunce I will this day manfully doe my deuoyre that I being eyther aliue or deade the honors of our house maye be augmented by heape throughe some newe and famous déede of prowes and then breaking into the Parke with square battell marched to a streame called Vernacula méeting with none of his enimies and then passing ouer the small riuer went to Mirabello where bicause of the largenesse of the house a myghtie multitude of Merchauntes straglers sicke souldiours and men of peace had settled themselues and great store of victualles and much of the Kings furniture of housholde was also layde there And there was among all other that he might lodge the more quietly and wholsomely the Popes Ambassadour Hierome Aleander a man verye excellentlye learned and of greate fame nâ—mely for his wonderfull memorie So when the ennimies had flowen thither vnlooked for all that whole companye was streightwaye oppressed and all thynges were in a trice spoyled and then Guasto gathering his bandes togither into one as Pescara had commaunded him he did set vppe the Emperiall Ensignes within the diche of the house In the meane time Pescara immediatly bringeth in the rest of the footemen Lancy and Burbon doe sende in the horsemen the artillerie is drawen into the Parke by Oxen and horses although hardlye yet at one tyme The fieldes are filled with whyte linnen battayles for all the Emperialles had by Pescara his Edicte put their waste-coates vppermost and they which lacked waste coates and speciallye the Almaines had so couered their breastes with whyte paper that by the vnwonted whyte the weapons glistering betwéene a shewe of a greater and more terrible hoste might hée presented vnto the eyes of the amazed Frenche men For nowe the dawning hadde brought in fayre broade daye light and the somewhat thicke cloude which had bene spreade ouer the fields began to vanishe awaye by little and little But the Frenche King who perpetually watched intentiue for all chaunces is nothing appalled with that noueltie and therewithall as it became eyther a King of high heart or a skilfull and stoute Chieftaine giueth signe by the Trumpetie that euery man taking his armour and weapons shoulde stande by the Ensignes hee commaundeth the great ordinance to be drawen forth by the harnessed horses and by the Captaines as néede was administreth all things spéedily but yet not without all tumult and vprore for he had learned long before by the report of Greco Iustiniano what the enimies went about by thicke thumping against the wall of the Parke and when he hearde the thundering of the enimies ordinance whoÌ„ Leua by appointmeÌ„t had answered with the like nuÌ„ber he had iudged by coniecture that it was doubtlesse a signe eyther of attaching battayle or of attempting some great exployte It is also reported that he sharply reproued certayne that of vaine flatterie tolde him that the Emperialles being oppressed with penurie and lacke of all thinges were fleeing backe againe vnto Lodi Thus when he plainely séeth that the battayles of the ennimies marche with full pace not vnto him but to Mirabello he thinking it not good to linger leadeth the Switzers and Lansquenettes out of the munitions he commaundeth the Frenche footemen to staye in the Campe with Bussie de Ambois he leaueth the Italian footemen in commodious places vnder the Castell agaynst the sallyes of Leua and marcheth himselfe vnto the ennimye in araye of battayle with thys order that on the one side the great ordinaunce and on the other wings of horsemen shoulde flanke the Switzers and march with them with equall fronte one as farre forth as another and not farre off the Lansquenets were flanked in like sort with other horsemen and ordinance They report that when the King ledde the footemen out of the campe he being very ioyfull in couÌ„tenance nor any thing fearing the malignitie of fortune sayde vnto the Captaines that stoode rounde about him that he went not rashlye forth to fight the battell neuer calling reason into counsell but with a right and noble iudgement séeing that he coulde with most equall lot wish nothing more commodious for the winning of the victorie than to get his enimies not within diches and munitions as it had often happened at other tymes but in the open and wyde fieldes and in their marche and iourney where it might be séene what the standing Esquadrons of Switzers Almaines were worth what force the most strong horsemen had what good the great ordinance flying our swift whéeles coulde doe For against the Lansquenets who onely of all other séemed most to be feared he did rightly set the Switzers as their matches indiscipline furniture strength and courage so also alwais their most bitter enimies by naturall hatred But he thought that the Spaniardes woulde not be able to abide no not the first impression of the blacke regiment of Lansquenets if that they woulde kéepe their rankes in thicke araye neyther if that they woulde fight scattered and running hither and thither that they coulde escape from being ouerrunne by the horsemen Doubtlesse these things were foreséene and prouided with very good aduise and reason if that as it most times happeneth insolent fortune being foe vnto noble deuises had not preuerted all thinges by confuse order For they ranne togither in sundrie places with so great confusion of horsemen and footemen blended togither that neuer any armies fought more confusely and scatteringly For happe came streight wayes into the place of Martiall prudence and valor was oftentimes vanquished by an vnthought of chaunce when rashnesse séemed by happye euent to vsurye the name of mature counsell and reason In the hindermost taile of the Emperialles were seuen bandes of Italian footemen and thrée of Spaniardes appointed tâ— garde fiue battering péeces of ordinance When they hardlye followed the rest of their fellowes that went before bicause that almost as soone as they had entred the Parke the whéeles sinking in the ordinance staâ—ke fast in a watrie plot it came to passe that they which were last in order were contrarie to hope the first of all that met the Frenchmen their enimies For the King séeing them separated farre from the rest of the armie did out of hande sende thither Philip Lord Brion Fredericke Earle of Bozzolo with a strong companie of men of armes with certain speedy péeces of ordinance and also certain small loose companeis of footemen were ioyned with them They doe spéedily his commaundement and doe set vpon the enimies being busied in weyghing vp the ordinance There is a cruell fight but although the Emperials fought with singular valor yet they susteyning neyther the storme of the
disordered and defeated beating them downe fiercelye with swordes and battell axes Lodron himselfe was driuen by the violence of the horsemen into a Moorish and foule dirtie hole where when he being grieuously wounded and also muche encumbred with the slipperie dirt endeuoured to shewe his supreme valor he was willed by the Barbarians rather to yéelde than to be slaine the which he did with thrée bandes of footemen who were all that were left him whom the Barbarians promised to saue as men of singular valor For nowe the vnmercifull Barbarians embrued with the abundant bloude of our men were glutted with slaughter in so much that many of their armes fainted and they turned themselues very gréedily vnto the pillage following those that being dispersed some here some there thoght to haue escaped the enimies hands by faint and fearefull pace with this successe that many were taken prisoners to be made gaues few footemen escaped and almost all the rest of the horsemen that had not 〈◊〉 we haue tolde you fled before the battell were lying slayne once all the whole fielde For this shamefull disâ—xâ—â—sâ—ture at Exech is saydâ— to passe all the lamentable ouerthro weâ— that euer were giuen to the Christians in former yeares for the floure of the horsemen and footemen were slayne and unite destroyed rather through the rashnesse and fault of the Generall than the prowes of the enimies so that it caused great lamentation almost in euery countrie of Christendome For it had neuer happened before as one might sée by the aduerse battels of Sigismunde the Emperour and king Lewes that the Barbarians were both victor and also vnbloudie so that our men which dyed at Exech vnreueÌ„ged may séeme to haue much augmented the detrimeÌ„t receyued with great ignomie But afterwarde when it was thought that â—â—dran coulde not be caried aliue vnto Constantinople by reason of his grieuoiâ—s wounds he was sayne by his kéepers his heade sent thither But Cazzianâ—r being cried out at by all men as a man vnworthie of light and life requested of the King that he might safelye come vnto Vienna to cleare and acquite himselfe but when that the King gaue him but yll countenance and comniaunâ—ing câ—rtaine to attende vpon him for fleeing awaye deferred him triall he being doubtfull of his safetie priuilye escaped and fled vnto Mahomet by whome he was put in hope to haue good intertainment of the grande Seigneuer and the whole countrie of Croatia to holde it of him by homage so that he would promise to his vttermost to annoy the Austrians But when he went about to sollicitâ— familiar freâ—â—e of his called Skrin a noble man of that Prouince to reuolte also with him vnto the Turke he was slayne by him one night in bedde and his heade sent vnto King Ferdinande ¶ The Battell of Buda or Ofen foughte in Hungarie betvveene Mahomer Bassa Generall for Solyman the greate Turke and VVilliam Earle of Rocandulphe Chiefetaine for Ferdinande the King of Hungarie in Anno. 1451. Out of Ionius WHen that in Anno 1541 a great power of King Ferdinandes vnder the conduct of the Earle of Rocandulph besieged the â—â—â—is of Buâ—â—s or offen kept by the fauourers of Steuen the â—ong sonne of Iohn the Vâ—â—â—â—de who had long contended with Ferdinande for the kingdome of Hungarie Soliman the Turke sent a great aâ—mie ledde by Mahomeâ— Iassa to succour his vassall Stephen This Turkysbe power with whome also ioyned certayne Hungarians â–ª fauourers of the pupil encamped neare vnto Râ—candulph and verye much veâ—â—d hâ—â—â— with often skirmishes in whome the Turkes had most commonly the better The Turkes and their confederate Hungarians had also brought thither a fléete by the riuer of Thonaw the which nauie lay at a finall Islande called Gapella ouer right against their armie by lande But Rocandulph had a nauie twyeâ— as great for he had xxiiij Fragates of great and small Nafades a hynde of shippes of warre vsed by the Hungarians in the riues of Thonaw about foure score and little fewes than an hundreth Hulkes Hoyes But after that many bloudy skirmishes had ben fought betwene the two armies that lodged very nere one vnto the other At last Peren the captain general of the Hungarians in Ferdinands campe was frendly aduertised by George Valentine the Generall of the Hungarians with the Turkes that Solyman himselfe approched wherefore he should prouide spéedily for the safetie of him selfe and his countriemen Wherevpon Peren resorted vnto Rocandulph and the Captaynes declared vnto them what newes he had receyued willed them spéedilye to depart thence or else he would not other wayes neglect the safetie of his countrâ—men Although that the opinions of the Captained did varie yet all were of this mynde to remoue vnto Pest by night only Rocandulph dissented and flatly affirmed that he woulde not departe from Offen withoute the commaundement of King Ferdinande Wherevpon the Earle of Sabine was sent in a swift Fragate to Vienna to bring from thence the Kinges resolution In the meant time feare urging and Peren chasing they determined to waft ouer to Pest in the right season when the Moone shined not by foure passages in the firste they embarked all their great ordinance and the Hungarians in the seconde the Almaine and Bohemian horsemen in the other two all the footemen and the bagge and baggage of the armie Batocke an Hungarian and Balthasar Pocan an Almaine had the charge committed vnto them to transporte the armie without tumulte Fortune fayled not vnto the first and seconde passage For althoughe that when the Citizens of Offen and the Turkes sawe from the high places all their enimies vesselles to be gathered togither did lightly suspect that which was in verye déede and euerye man according to his heade did adduce sundrie causes of thys newe vprore yet they had no foresighte of the sodeyne flights of their enimies but it was not long vnknowen vnto them who didde intentiuelye and diligentlye scoute and prie for two Vsarones fléeing from Peren vnto Valentine gaue him intelligence of the intent of their enimies and Mahomet being incontinently aduertised thereof by Valentine hasted wyth almost all his power to assaulte the enimies Campe. He broughte forth the fielde péeces the Fanâ—zars going foremoste and the rest of the footemen whome the yonger horsemen dismissing their horses followed on foote and with terrible howling assaulted the Campe. Then the Austrians perceyuing that their flyghte was descryed were putte oute of hearte yet the Bohemians and also those Genmaynes that warded at the Brydge of the Islande did valiauntlye and manfullye resiste There was a greate vproare and tumulte throughoute all the whole campe and namely at the banke of the riuer when euery man conceyuing feare hasted without order and without shame yea and by wounding one another to get a shippe bourde For the deade time of the night and then verye darke by cloudie weather made all things to séeme more terrible yea vnto the valiant But
fauourer of the Emperour Which caused Charles to sende the Marques of Marinian his Lieutenant in Milan with a power to besiege Sene the whiche he was forced to discontinue when Strozzi inuaded the dominions of the Florentine whome the Marques sought by all meanes to defend and made Strozzi to retire againe into Sene out of the which he came againe after that his power was so augmented that he had two thousande Gascognes and so many Switzers two thousand fiue hundreth Lansquenets sixe thousande Italians and about one thousande horsemen with intent not to refuse to ioyne in battell with the Emperials if that anye good occasion shoulde be offered althoughe that they were xiiij thousand footmen of Italians Spaniards and Almaines and one thousande fiue hundreth horsemenne partlye men of armes and partly light horsemen Betwéene these two hostes passed manye bloudie skirmishes and namely one vpon the xxviii of Iulye in the whiche continuing ten houres were one thousande and two hundreth slaine on the French side and of the Emperials aboue foure hundreth But when both armies had long lodged verye neare one vnto another they were in great distresse for water for the which they must continuallye fight when eyther men or horses néeded it Moreouer the souldiours being pinched with penurie of victuals tyred with the continuall toyle of skirmishing the armies lodging so neare togither many weried with this warfare dropped away out of the campes by little little so that both armies began therby to be much weakned Thē the Marques of Marinian made proclamation that al men that would depart from the Frenche campe shoulde haue safe passage through the Duchie of Florence and if they woulde serue the Emperour they shoulde haue better intertainment than the French king gaue them And like kind of liberall promises did Strozzi also cause to be published On the first of August they skirmished againe in the which conflict both the horsemen and the footemen of the Emperials hauing the better strake no small terror into the heartes of the Frenchmen But when Strozzi sawe that by the Italians their slyding away from him he was brought to weake for his enimie he went about by little and little to withdrawe his hoste out of daunger sending his cariages and ordinance before but yet so that he woulde not only not séeme to fléee but also of his owne accorde to offer the battell vnto his enimies the whiche yet he thought he shoulde auoyde bicause it was so neare night But his counsels being knowne of the Emperials were infringed by them for they incontinently followed him in aray of battell and light harquebusiers were sent before to haggle on the backes and tayle of the Frenchmen and to hinder their marche vntill that the Emperiall horsemen coulde ouertake them who were gone forth vnto the riuer of Thiane for water The Marques egerly pursuing and following Strozzi thus ordered his armie He did cast the Almaines into a square battell placing the Spaniardes vnder the conducte of Iohn de Luna in the left wing and the Italians in the right But the Earle of San Fioria stoode with all the Horsmen on the left side at the foote of the hill called Womens hill ouer right against the French horsemen But thus were the French battels aranged A thick battallion of Italian footemen stoode vpon the Womens hil directly against the Spaniards an other of Gascognes and Frenchmen and a thirde of Switzers the horsemen were sette opposite to the Emperiall horsemen and were guarded with seauen hundreth harquebusiers Strozzi had before him Martiano behinde him Luciano on his lefte hande Fogliano and on his right diuers other townes When both the armies stoode thus aranged in order of battell and the Marques was doubtfull whether he shoulde trye the fortune of the battell that daye or no he was impelled through many reasons and specially by the Spaniardes to determine to fighte wherefore after he had giuen the signall he gotte him vnto the rerewarde For séeing hée foughte almoste agaynste his will hée thought if that anye yll lucke happened hée woulde prouyde for hys owne safetye but if that all thinges succéeded well then he woulde encourage his souldiours to folowe the victorie As soone as the signall of the battell was giuen the Conte of San Fiora passing ouer a ditche that ranne along the playne gaue the charge on the Frenche horsemen who were all ledde by the Earle of Mirandula They fighte fiercelye on both sides but the French men being inferiour in number and also ouermatched by reason of the strength of the menne of armes althoughe they were garded with harquebusiers were put to slighte and defeated the which happened bicause that Bighet fledde with the chiefe guydon as soone as euer the enimie gaue the onsette When thys had happened sooner than coulde be credited San Fiora fearing that there was some ambushe layde woulde not at the firste suffer his horsemenne to pursue his fléeing enimies as the reason of the victorie required But afterwarde when he certainelye vnderstoode that it was a true slyght and not a feygned he graunted his horsemenne leaue to followe the enimie in chase whiche when Strozzi sawe he vtterly casting awaye all hope of the horsemenne and their repayring of the fight séeing that the pursuing of the Emperialles woulde graunte them no place to strengthen their course and to staye and stande and vnderstanding that hée shoulde be enuironed rounde aboute on all partes if he dyd come downe into the playne but on the other side if that hée stoode still on the hill he shoulde be verye greatly annoyed by the ordinaunce of the enimies and besieged he of necessitie determined to aduenture a pitched fielde And bicause the streightnesse of the place did so require he reduced his thrée battels into one battell for that at neyther side there was anye vse of harquebusiers who had in their often skirmishes spent all their pouder and emptied their flaskes The Emperials standing still expected the cōming charge of the French men and namelye séeing the Frenche footemen and Switzers came forwarde verye lustilye and couragiouslye the Emperialles vsed the benefit of a good déepe ditche that ranne crosse the playne neare vnto the banke whereof they placed their foremoste rankes for it was iudged that they which shoulde firste passe ouer the ditche woulde come into great difficulties and giue an easie victorie vnto their enimie by reason of the going downe and climbing vp againe of the ditch Now séeing that matters of verye great importance are sette before wyse Chiefetaynes as the glorie of their armies Empyre the safetie of their subiectes and all humane felicitie they oughte to be moste circumspecte in all things that doe appertayne vnto their honour and the safetie of their people and to prouyde and foresée that those things whiche are profitable and good for them if that they cannot gette themselues yet then at the least to be sure that they suffer not their ennimie to haue them
the thicke battels of theyr enimies wyth greater force than arte and in the ende with aduerse fortune On the contrary syde the Frenchemenne makyng theyr battelles thicke and close togyther and not vnaduisedly stirring out of theyr place receyued them that charged them and that done enuironed them rounde aboute and wyth theyr shorte Swordes assaying where the blade myghte best enter into the body did thrust them in and beate them downe In the meane tyme the Gréeke Horsemenne that had inuaded the fore ward béeyng repelled on all partes by the menne of armes and their hote spurre Captaynes Annonio and Busichio departed out of the battell wounded suddainely turning theyr Horses flewe togyther to rifle the baggage whiche by the counsell of Trivulzi had bin obiected vnto the enimies that they béeing occupyed about the spoyle a more readie and easie passage might be made for the king There the Lackeys drudges Women straglers and moyletters were fowly tossed among the beastes and falling packes and when they repugned or sought to saue the goodes being slayne among them almost all the baggage was taken and rifled This tumult caused all the field to ring of the dissonant outcryes of so many nations by reason whereof thither ranne al the bandes of footemen that were néere who béeyng also gréedy of pillage without shame brake their aray But then arose there a very bloudy and miserable fight among the riâ—â—ers themselues euery man pulling one from another the Kyngs baggage and the weaker still oppressed by the stronger were slayne with the pillage in theyr aâ—mes This thing by the consent of all men brought safetie vnto the frenchmen for their fore ward when the Greekes once enclined vnto the spoyle valiantly receyued the charge that the Earle of Giâ—zza gaue ouerthwart them and succoured the second battell that was in distresse and also the seconde being augmented with strength and courage repelled the Marques of Mantoa with great slaughter and ayded the third which Montoni had disordred At the last wheÌ„ the two battels of the Marshall and the Kyng vehemently pressed the Italians on both sides at one time Radulph and Ranuccio béeyng circumuented in the middes of their enimies were slayne and also almost all the whole bande of the familiars of the Marques among whome were many noble menne There fell also before the Generals eyes Caluisiano the band of an C. singular good Souldyers footemen that had bin chosen to guard the Marques were slayne and troden downe The Marques himselfe who with wonderfull prowes had pierced through the middes of the Horsemen euen vnto the ordinance and the maisters of them and the Horses by whome they were drawen being slaine had ouerwhelmed with a tempest of Horsemen a bande of Gascoignes appoynted to guarde the ordinance and also the archers of the Kings guard with much adoe got himselfe out of the middes of his enimies his Horse béeyng gréeuously wounded For all men did auye strike at and pursue him fléeyng throughout the whole battell with a spire of silk in the crest of his helmet The same fortune also felte the Italian footemen that were in the Earle of Giazza his battell for when the formost rankes of them did as the manner was then shake from the grounde theyr long forkes stayed vp with their left arme but the nexte rankes of Souldyers defensed with Targets hurled Iauelins with broade heads and the rest after them shotte quarrels out of crossebowes they were receyued of the Switzers not only without any feare but also with slaughter for they beyng verye skilfully cast into a close Esquadron dyd lightly contemne that fonde kinde of weapons and manner of fight for as soone as euer they approched almost thrée hundred extraordinarie yong men who for commendation gotten by extreame perill are called the Desperates the Forlorne hopen leaped for the from both sydes of the Esquadron and with myghty two hande swordes beganne to cut off those vnruly pykes with whose hardinesse almost all the Italians beyng feared before they expected the impression of the Esquadron turned theyr backes In that place one bande of Almaynes whiche had with great hardinesse inuaded the French Ordinance and hadde stoutely resisted was slayne by the furious charge of the Switzers And withall a very suddayne showre of rayne mixed wyth Hayle thunder and lightning did in so apt a time afflicte them béeing foyled and nowe readye to flée that God hymselfe séemed to fyghte for the Frenchmen for the Riuer of Tarro whiche a little before ranne as though it had bin dryed vp was nowe growen so greate through falles of waters from the Mountaynes and dytches that neyther they whiche reposed hope of safetie in flyghte could safely escape neyther durst the vntouched battels that longed to goe succoure their discomfited fellowes once passe the Riuer whiche with swift and violent streame caryed away menne Horses armour weapons and all Neyther in the meane time did the ordinance ceasse on eyther side although with doubtfull but vayne perill they were often shotte off euen amongst the blended battels In all this so hard state of things the Marques forsaketh not himselfe although he were attached with incredible sorrowe séeing so many valiant Gentlemen that had come thither onely for good will towardes him yea and his vncle enuironed by their enimies and no succoure to be hoped for There was on the left haÌ„d a déepe ditch of water that ranne downe to certayue corne Milles into this ditch were both footemen and Horsemen carried by hedlong flight fowly strugling and striuing togither The which wheÌ„ the Marques sawe he changing his Horse came thither and rebuking the flight and staying the ensignes of diuers troupes he gathered togither one strong band who although they were sore wéeryed by the sundry incommodities of fight flight finally of raine yet valiantly renewed the fight with slaughter repelled the FreÌ„chmen that pursued them amaine There Seigneur de Mioll and the Bastard of Burbon being wounded by Alesso Beicacuto in the neck were takeÌ„ not farre from the King diuers renowmed Horsemen of the freÌ„ch side slaine But the comming of the Erle of Penâ—a was a great stay that they which had first attached the fight were not quite destroyed for he being brought prisoner out of Naples nowe when his kéepers were busied in that daunger of the battell hadde escaped in the middes of the tumulte vnto the Venetians and what by telling that the Frenchmen were vanquished and put to flight and also by cohorting them not to let goe assured victorie out of their handes he restored vnto the fearefull and fléeyng suche courage that with the auctoritie of his name he caused all that he met with to returne into the battell But the Frenchmen pursuing the Italians being discomfited and broken by the first and second battels were empeached by the swollen riuer from winning of an entier victorie euen as a little before the rising of the riuer had bin a lette vnto the rerewardes of the
more wary counsell and youre more happie prowesse First of all we will commaund the hurt men to be carried to Parâ—â—â— and there cause them to be cured and the bandes that haue not fought shall haue the charge of the Camp that the wéeried maye take some rest I will go about the watch my selfe and will streÌ„gthen with sure garrisons all wayes and entrances and this will I to the vttermost endeuoure that we may lye in safetie from the violence of our enimies Tomorrow will more manifestly shewe vs the motion and mindes of our enimies and will open a safer way to our counsels The Prouiditori lightly assented to this opinion for although the Marques séemed to haue performed rather the duetie of a valiant Horseman than of a prudente Generall yet they were so farre from reprehending him of rashnesse for that vnluckie euent of the battell that they had him in admiration as made more renowmed through this newe glory of approued prowesse and inuincible courage for although the aged menne were of themselues men of great honor and such as had borne great dignities at home yet did they reioyce for that augmentation of martiall prayse as most honorable and dyd thinke that the most glorious triumph of almost taking so great a King prisoner and of the victorie wel néere gotten thorough the hardie attempte of the Marques was taken from them thorough the vnskilfulnesse or cowardise of a fewe The next day the Kyng sent vnto the Venetian camp for truce for thrée dayes the which was denyed and only that day graunted for to burie the slayne men on both sides The next night the Kyng about one of the clocke after midnighte causing manye fires to bée neade in the Campe to deceyue his enimies dislodged withoute Trumpet sounded or Drumme stroken in somuche that he hadde 07 marched certaine myles before his departure was knowen to the Venetians But as soone as it was light and the Marques had intelligence that the enimies were dislodged he sente the Gréeke Horsemen and also the Earle of Giazza and his brother Fracassio with the lighte Horsemenne to pursue them who although they might muche haue eâ—â—amaged the Frenchmen marâ—â—ing almost in â—â—éâ—yng manâ—â— yet they did theâ—â— no haâ—â—e whyther for â—â—â—ate good will or by the commaundemente of the Duke of Milan who feared as much the Venetians obteyning an entier victorie as the Frenchmen with their vnappayred power I leaue vnto other to iudge But after this the Duke of Milan forâ—â—â— the Duke of â—â—â—ans to surrender Nouara Of the Battell of Seminara foughte in the kingdome of Naples in Anno. 1495. betvveene Verdinande King of Naples and the great Gonsalues Captayne of the Spanyardes on the one syde and the Lordes Obegnie and Persiue for Charles the Frenche Kyng on the other ANone after the departure of Charles the french K. out of the kingdome of Naples Ferdinande the king of Naples wafted out of Sicile with about seuen C. horssemen and fiue M. Spaniardes and Sicilians sent by the K. of Spaine vnder the conduct of GoÌ„salues de Cordoua vnto Rezo in Calabria The whiche Towne and castel they tooke as also they did Saint Agatha and then all the Townes there aboutes partly for desire they had of their king and partly for the wéerinesse of the Frenchmen opened their gates vnto Ferdinande so that nowe he was come so farre into the countrey as SEMINARA WheÌ„ the K. Obegny gouornour of Calabria for the french king had intelligence hereof he sent for Seigneur Persiue out of Basilicata to bring with him all the garrysons that were in that countrey with whome he with his power méeting at Terranoua before that his enimies had knowledge of Persiues comming marched to Seminara to fight with Ferdinande out of hande or if he would holde himselfe within the walles of Seminara nor durst not commit himself to the open fielde and fight that then he woulde returne as victor making manifest vnto the world the cowardise of the enimies The which thing he thought would be of greate moment to kéepe the people in their duetie specially séeyng he did thinke that within few dayes ayde would come vnto hym out of Campagna Puglia and Abruzzo But Ferdinande who had not yet intelligence of the comming of Persiue and had bin aduertised by espyes of the power of Obegny which was very small nothing doubted to issue out of the Towne and encounter his enimies thinking that al the estimation fauoure that he had gotten a little before by bold attempting and valiantly trying of Fortune would now be lost by one infamie of being shamefully enclosed by siege and the dishonor of conceyued feare if that he should hyde himselfe without the Towne But Gonsalues in whose head was that power of exacte prudence whereby he afterwarde passed almost all the rest of the Captaynes of oure age beganne to admonishe the yong Prince gréedy both of recouering the Kingdome and of winning glory earnestly desiring him not to goe out of the Towne before the purpose and power of their enimies were more certaynely knowen that those counsels are honorable ynough which promise â—â—â—uritie to doubtfull matters but those are most shamefull and miserable whiche through rashnesse when that we vauntingly shewe a vayne vigour of hart are wont to destroy all meanes to obteyne the absolute Conquest and conceyued victorie And must we then sayde Ferdinande recouer the Kingdome with as grease cowardise as we lost it and not rather in these so prosperous beginnings proue that fortune by doing and attempting whyche we fouÌ„d aduerse by setting stil and absteyning from sight in Romagna Campagna as though the beginnings of warres haue not the gretest momeÌ„t for the successes that folow those exployts that are couragiously begun vnlesse they be valiantly prosecuted haue they not a soule and vnhappie ende Fortune will be with vs Gonsalues which hath hitherto stoode with the Frenchmen séeing that shée now smileth on our first enterprises neyther will she euer forsake them whome of hir owne accord she calleth vnto victorie vnlesse that we do shamefully forsake hir by our dishonorable lingering Let vs once sée the faces of the Frenchmen which only Fame and that to very vayne hath made terrible and let vs couragiously setting foote to foote trye both oures and their strengthes We are superiour in footemen Horsemen the good will of men and finally in the fauoure of Fortune neyther must we doubt of the prowesse of you and your regument For who is there of you that if we should fighte man to man would not gladly desire his Frenchman or Almayne to encounter withall and also woulde valiantly slay him I doubtlesse for my part will first before you all boldly charge the first braue Gentleman that I shall sée in their battell and by happie hardinesse giue you an example that yée running vppon them with like heate may through equall courage bring backe a spéedie victorie from this drunken enimie There were many
noble men present at this Counsell who afterwarde came to the estimation of great Captaynes Andrew de Altauilla of the noble house of Capua Hugh of Cardonna Theodore de Trivulzi and of the Spanyardes Emanuell Benauides Peter Pâ—ces Alberade and Pennalosa who being very desirous to fight prayed Gonsalues that he woulde not distrust the prowesse of the Souldyers and promising to behaue themselues valiauntly adhorted Ferdinande to commaunde the armie to issue out of the Towne Seminara standeth high and from the Towne runne there hylles along vnto a little valley the whiche sendeth forth a riuer out of a lowe botome at this vale beginne the Champeine fieldes whither the Frenchmen were now come from Terranoua Ferdinande marching thrée miles along the hilles came to the riuer and lodging his footemen on the hither banke vppon the lest hande and all hys Horsemen béeyng stretched out along like vnto a wing on the right hand looked when his enimies would passe the riuer Ouer right againste the footemen of their enimies dyd Obegny and Persiue set their Switzers being cast into one battaylion they placed the foot men of the Calabrians behinde them as it were to succoure them and deuided betwéene them the Horsemen who were little lacke of foure hundred men of armes and after the order of the Frenchmen twice as many light Horsemen and passing ouer the riuer in a square battell made towardes their enimies The Spanishe Horsemen séeing that set spurres to their Horses and chéerefully ranne foorth and when they béeyng ouermatched both in armour weapons and strength could not make the thicke battell of the men of armes to giue ground giuing a shoute began to turne their Horses and after a Spanishe kind of sight to retire vnto their fellowes with fetching a round compasse that both discouraged the heartes of the Arragonian footemen thinking theyr horsemen had bin discomfited by the enimie and so fledde backe and also encouraged the Frenchmenne couragiously to presse on them so that Obegny on the right hande and Persiue on the lefte hotely charging the battell of the footemen with theyr Horsemen disordred them before that the Switzars coulde bende their pykes towardes them and many of them being ouerthrowen quite cat-stered the whole â—attell Ferâ—â—â—â—â—sse 〈…〉 aâ—â—â—â—ting hys Souldyers to returne into the battell like a valiant Horseman ranne vppon his enimies accompanyed with certayne men of armes of his seruauntes and brake hys Launce on the brest of a Frencheman of Maâ—â—â— and anoâ—e after béeing ouerwhelmed with the multitude of his enimies was forced to â—â—ée béeing pursued of many by reason of his crost and guilt annour but ouertaken by none when sée the such his Horse foundering threw him downe headlong into a very narrowe place in a hollow way neither were the frenchmen farre off from hym béeyng encombred with hys Horse lying vpright vppon hym and hys foote â—â—taugâ—â— in the stirrops when Iohn brother vnto â—adrâ—w â—tiaâ—â—â—â— came to his helpe and of entieâ—â—mis worthy of eternall memorie offered him his owne swifte Horse to saue his life vpon whome Ferdinander as he vauâ—ted excellently well spéedely leaped although he were in heauie â—â—fâ—plete armoure and so escaped the enimie But Aâ—â—â—uilla being on foote was anâ—ne after staynâ— by the Frenchmen â—â—egry hauyng stayne a great part of the footemen lodged not farre from the place of enâ—oâ—â—tes so â—â—atâ—â— was said that he little knew how to vse the victorie bycause he neyther pursued so manye noble men among whome was the Cardinall of Arragon nor incontinently brought his victorious armye before Semiâ—â—â—â— through the whiche leysure both the noble men and the King came by dyuers wayes in safetie vntoothe Shyppes and Goâ—salues also who by valiauntly fightyng and by repayring the array in many places had doubtlesse saued many entred the Towne and carryed away the baggage and all the better part of the furniture of the Camp and then gote hym to Rezo the Frenchmen afterward pursuing him in â—â—yne The Battell of Eboli fought in the Kingdome of Naples betvveene Persiue Chiefetayne for Charles the French King and Thomas Carafa Rarie of Matalone Generall for Ferdinande the King of Naples in Anno. 1495. KIng Ferdinande and the greate Gonsalues béeing escaped as yée haue heard out of the battell of Seminara the king embarking his power that was lefte sayled 〈◊〉 the Citie of Naples where he was receyued in by the well willing Townemen and many noble men Arragonites repayring vnto hym he straightely besieged Monipensier the Frenche Viceroy and other in the Castel the which he had entrenched round And also the great Gonsalues hadde repayred hys power at Hezo out of Sicile and warred on the Calabrianâ— Monpensier signifyed vnto Obegny and Persiue that he was not able to hold out long vnlesse that ayde were spéedyly sent vnto him eyther by sea or land Vpon this they sent for the noble menne that were of the Aniou or French faction â–ª to repaire vnto theÌ„ with their hands and also gathered togither their dispersed people and then deuiding the army Obegay went against Gonsalues and Persiue with Bernardiue Sanseuerino Prince of Besignino who had brought a cornet of Horsemen and four hands of footemen hasted to Naples came to EBOLI a towne not far froÌ„ the riuer of Cochile standing vpon a very high hir and enclosed round about with a déepe valley Ferdinand hauing intelligence of the french mens comming hadde sent his Captaines power thither before to let the passage of the whose way lay by Salerne himself remained at Naples to the end he might be presente at the parle of the FrenchmeÌ„ who séemed willing to entreate of taking truce and yéelding vp the Castel The General of the kings army was Thomas Carasa Prince of Matalone a man vtterli ignoraÌ„t of forraigne warfare but thers were with him many good warrioures amoÌ„g theÌ„ Venazi D. of Camerino Lucas Sabello who knowing whiche way the Frenchmen mynded to trauayle and hauing diligently viewed their power gaue aduice with small iourneys to followe at their enimies héeles who marched directly to Salerno to cut off their victuals and not to ioyne in battell wyth them before that a place of disaduantage hadde taken and offered them to be oppressed or else which séemed to be best incontinently with all spéede to take the Towne called the little Lake and the inhabitants thereof being commaunded to abandon the Towne and to set it on fire that the enimie might not vse the victuals and bouses thereof and then to marche spéedely to Salerne before the Frenchmen But the rest of the Captaynes and Souldyers contemning the small number of their enimies dyd burne with so great desire of fight that béeing incited by a foolishe courage they cryed out that it was not for the dignitie of the King and of so great an army that the victorie which they almost held assuredly should be sought not by the right way opeÌ„ prowesse but by going about the bushe and dastardly suttletyes Moreouer
looking that they which had so shamefully fled should open the gates vnto the victors But not long after when he lacked ordinaÌ„ce to winne the towne and the Prince of Besignano had fallen downe ahnost dead through the stroke of a pellet of a Serpentine shot off froÌ„ the bulwarke of the towne whiche pellet had strickeÌ„ off the handle of hys sworde and battered his brest plate they retyred backe to spoyle them that were slaine after whose departure the Horsemen were deliuered of extreame feare and danger and retyred into the towne And within few houres after came the Spanyards stragling in dyâ—â—rs coÌ„panies being saued through the benefit of the wood But if â—ersiue had encamped before Eboli most men do hold that the townesmen bycause they were of the factioÌ„ of Aniou would haue opened the gate vnto theÌ„ the next day deliuered the ArragoniaÌ„ army into their haÌ„ds The hoped fruite of this battell was not receiued for before that hasting Persiue could come vnto sight MoÌ„pensier had giueÌ„ hostages for the deliuering vp of the castel within a certaine day vnlesse ther came so great a power of freÌ„chmeÌ„ the FerdinaÌ„ds army wold abaÌ„doÌ„ the field and hide themselues in Townes and also that he might be viâ—tualled had couenanted that he and his power would not stirre vntill that time Now Persiue not daring to breake thorough the inexpugnable munitions which the K. had cast vp at Caia a place not farre from the West gate of Naples whiche way the Frenchmen must néedes go to come vnto the Castell retired backe agayne into Basilicata leauing the castell to be surrendred Of the Battell of Terranoua foughte in the kingdome of Naples betvveene the Lorde Obegny Chiefetayne for Lewes the French Kyng and Hugo of Cardonna Captaine for Ferdinande the King of Spayne in Anno. 1506. WHen that Lewes the Frenche King and Ferdinande the King of Spayne coulde not agreÌ„e about the diuision of the Kingdome of Naples whereof they had spoyled Kyng Fredenke Dom Hugh de Cardonna hauing leuied in Sicile thrée thousand footemenne thrée hundred HorsemeÌ„ arriued at Rezo in Calabria and in a great skirmish distressed Iames Sanseuerino Prince of Mileto who stirred the Calabrians to reuolt and succoured Didaco de Ramires that was besieged in Terranoua and burnte and sacked the Towne and after this put to flight Martiano the Prince of Rossana When the two Sanseuerini Princes of Salerne and Besignano had intelligence of these exploites they leuying vp power in all partes and arming their tenauntes ioyned with the Lorde Obegny who hasted from Cossenza to represse Hugh There were with Obegny Monsieur de Griguines and Monsieur de Malherbe the one Captayne of the Gascoigne Archers and thrée thousande Switzers the other Griguines of all the light Horsemen but his chiefest strength was in his men of armes among whome an olde band of Scottes dyd excell whiche consisted of the familiars and faithfull friendes of Obegny Hugh lodged at that time in a playne on the South syde of Terranoua and béeyng broken with the comming of hys enimes calleth the Captaynes into Counsell and although he was encreased with a new supplye yet he thinketh it best to shunne the open fieldes and mindeth to retire backe vnto Saint Georges Castell whych standeth on the Appenine Mountaynes But the new Captaines that had lately come out of â—payne impeached the performance of this determination Among this newe supply were Emanuell Benauides and Antony de Leua who became afterwarde a renowmed Captayne and two Aluerades the father and the sonne they hadde broughte with them foure hundred men of armes and lyghte Horsemen and foure bandes of footemen They sayde it was dishonorable yea and flatte shamefull to remoue their Camp backe and to retyre before the enimie came into sighte and before they certaynely knewe what and how great their enimies power was and this reasoned they the rather bycause a Calabrian espie a man of a doubtfull fidelitie did affirme that the Frenche coulde not be there within two dayes But this opinion of the Frenchemen dyd Obegny an olde Captayne egregiously deceyue for he vsing french spéedinesse and marching all nighte through an vnused way taught him by the Calabrians shewed vnto the Spanyardes his battels raunged and commaunded the battell to be sounded The right wing did the two Sanseuerine Princes stretche forthe in forme of a croysant In the left wing was Griguines Captayn as I haue sayd of all the light Horsemen but in the middle battel stoode Obegny almost close vnto the Princes with the men of armes cast into a thicke troupe Malherb set his Switzers standing thicke togither and his Gascoignes in looser rankes that they might shoote the more commodiously close to the syde of the lighte Horsemen On the other side the Spanyardes although they were fewer in number and deceyued of their purpose yet without feare they arange theyr battels and encourage one another to fighte and withall constantly receyue the charge of the Frenchmen there was to be séene a cruell fyght neyther side hauing abilitie to shoote off their ordinance But in the heate of the fight whylest Cardonna dothe performe and that with maruellous constancie the office both of a Chiefetayne and a Souldyer Griguines fetching a compasse about with his extended wing gaue a charge ouerthwart the footemen and disordred and defeated them and immediately the Switzers and Gascoignes were also vpon the iackes of them with suche violence that the Spanish footemen béeyng broched with the pykes and shot in with the arrowes of theyr enimies fearefully fledde But in another quarter all Cardonna his Horsemen béeyng by hys commaundemente cast togither into one round troupe susteyned the Calabrian Horsemen with euened slaughter But wheÌ„ Obegny came forth with his battell neyther the Spanish nor Sicilian Souldyoures did abyde the violent charge of the Scottishe men of armes but hastily turning their backes ranne away amayne vnto the Mountaynes Cardonna rating and in vayne bidding them turne head and retire faire and softly The Horsemen béeyng thus put to flighte the footemenne were slayne and troden downe from all partes but the greatest parte of the Horsemen escaped vnto the streightes of the Mountaynes At this conflict Griguines pursuing his fléeing enimies was slayne béeing runne into the eye with a launce when he had pulled vp his beuer Neyther was Obegny in small perill of death when the Spanish Horsemen as we afterward learned of Antonino de Leua hauing enclosed and almost taken him prisoner went about to pull off his helmet and doubtlesse had slayne him if he had not bin saued by the comming of the Prince of Salernes Horsemen who casting themselues into a wedge scattered those that were clustered round about him Furthermore when that the rest of the noble mon had escaped by the Mountaynes Hugo last of all forsaking his Horse whome he had huckened bycause the enimie shoulde not enioy him créeped by the snowy Rockes vnto Bubalina Motta and then gathering
waightie considerations thoughte it best to deferre the fight vntill the next day but Monsieur Cyandey the Captayne of the Switzers and Signeur de Alegre stoutely contended that victorie whiche had alwayes luckely happened vnto the Frenchmen when they were hardie was not to be sought by flouthfull and dishonorable lingering but by spéedy and manly encounter By whiche sentence Nemoures vnderstoode that his honor and fame was greately touched for hée had heard a little before how Alegre had spread very euill words of him as though he being no greate skilfull nor valiaunte Chiefetayne was afraide to ioyne in battell with the enimie and had suffered with the foule blot of the French honor and the great empayring of their strength his army to be fléesed and pulled by the suttle enimie Whervpon he not enduring this reproche without stay said these wordes Go to then séeing it séemeth so to some that we must this day by battell make one end or other of the wars suche as Fortune will alotte certesse I will satisfye by honorable death if not the publike desire of the French King yet at the least myne owne honor and this sayd he incontinently gaue the signall of battell although the Sunne were scarce an houre and an halfe high and made towardes the enimie with thrée araunged battels not with equall front but one a little behinde another so that wheÌ„ the righte wing wherein he and Arsye were ranne forth Ciandey should shoote off the great ordinance from the middle battell wherin stoode all the footemen and shoulde followe a certaine space behinde the fore warde and in like maner Alegre should admoue the thirde battell vnto the lefte syde of the Switzers when he shoulde thinke good so that the Frenche battels by reason of their vnequall length muche resembled in the setting forth the thrée hindermost fingers of a mans hand But on the other side Gonsalues set against them sixe battels with direct front two of Horsemen were in the wings and one backed the Almaine footemeÌ„ so néere vnto whome stoode the Spanish footemen that a farre off they séemed to be both one battell but yet so that there was space ynough lefte for the Horsemen that stoode in the middes to issue out if it were néedefull But all the light Horsemen he sent forth vnder the conduct of Fabricio de Colonna and Didaco de Mendozza to stay the enimie by skirmishing whereby such a thicke cloude of dust was raised that the French vauntcurrers could not one whit sée before them and this was augmented by the smoke of the great ordinance whiche fléeing ouer both armies did hurt neyther of them But when GoÌ„salues coÌ„manded the great ordinance to be shot off againe Leonard Aleccio told him with great feare and sorrow that all the barrels of Gunpowder were there by chance or falsehood set on fire with whyche newes Gonsalues being nothing dismaide sayd I do gladly receiue this good abodemeÌ„t for what greater ioy can happen vnto vs than to haue séene the lightes of victorie comming forth neyther was his prognostication false for Nemours charging the Almaines the Horsemen of the left wing vntimely sticked fast in the ditch the Gonsalues had cast vp before his Camp in somuch that when he being repulsed turned his troupe to séeke some other way to come vnto the enimie he was slayne with an Hargubusse shot almost before Cyandey hadde giuen the onset on the Almaines And the like lucke receyued Cyandey of the same ditche for the Almaynes wyth their Pykes and the Spanyardes with their harquebuziers disordered and slewe the Switzers beyng very yll troubled with the ditche and also Cyandey hymselfe who tourned the handes and eyes of all his enimies vppon him bicause he fought on foote with a great plume of whyte feathers on his headpeece and stoutly striued to get out of the troublesom place to come to the enimie But when Nemours was slayne Arsy and Alegre fledde whome the Spanishe horssemen pursued slaying and taking many among whom was Formantes and then retourned vnto the Campe when the Sunne going downe had not giuen so muche as halfe an houre of perfect lyghte to ende the battayle whyche doubtlesse saued Alegre and Arsye There were slayne of Frenchemen foure thousand and that with so greate celeritie and felicitie that when the battayle was begonne and ended within halfe an houre there peryshed not an hundred of the Spanyardes I hearde Fabricio de Colonna saye when he tolde the successe of this battayle that the victorie was not gotten so muche eyther by valiauncie of the Souldyers or prudence of the Generall as by the small rampyre and shallowe ditche cast vppe before the Campe whyche caused the Captaynes that ranne after him to reuine the auntiente martiall discipline in fortifying their Campe. Gonsalues following the victorie expelled the Frenchmenne quite out of the Kyngdome of Naples the which he conquered for his Soueraigne the King of Spayne Thys battell was foughte the nine and twentith of Aprill seauen dayes after the battell of Gioia ¶ The Battell of Vaila or Giaradda fought in Lumbardie betvveene Levves the .xij. King of Fraunce and the Venetians in An. Domini 1509. MAximilian the emperor Lewis the FreÌ„che King Ferdinande king of Spaine Iulius bishop of Rome Alfonse the Duke of Ferrara being entred in to league againste the Venetians bicause they had eueroched vppon them all Lewes the French king marched from Milan with a great army agaynst the Venetians who hadde also a great power in the fielde beyond the riuer of Adda vnder the conducte of the earle of Petilia Generall Barthlomew de Aluian the Campe maister and George Cornarie and Andrewe Grittie Legates or Prouiditori But when the Frenche king being desirous to fight coulde get the Venetians by no prouocation out of their fortified campe he dislodged wyth entent the nexte night to lodge eyther at Vaila or Pandino where by cutting off theyr victuals that were brought from Cremona and Crema hée might force them to dislodge as in very deede it didde Now there were twoo wayes to come vnto those places one the lower and nexte to the riuer of Adda which was the longer bicause it was â—rooked the other further from the riuer which was the righter and the shorter The lower way tooke the Frenche army wherin were aboue two thousand men of armes six thousande Switzers and twelue thousand Gascoignes and Italians footmen with great furniture of ordinaunce and Pioners On the vpper way on the right hande marched the Venetian armye wherein were two thousand men of armes aboue twenty thousaÌ„d footemen and a great number of light horsemen part Italians part Grecians The Greeke horsemen were the auauÌ„tcurrers but by reason of the bushes and shrubbes that occupied all the space betwéene the twoo armies they straggled not so wide as otherwise they commonly vsed to doe and this also was a cause that one army coulde not descrye another And as they thus marched but the Venetians with swifâ—er
myste by settyng on fyre the Souldyers Cabins the strawe and al the rest of the forrage that Kyng Iames was come to hys purposed place before Surrey who was but one myle from hym eyther perceyued hys departure or coulde sée the long traine of hys marchyng armye Kyng Iames thus possessing the toppe of the hyll Surrey came wyth all hys power vnto the foote thereof and staying there a little whyle determined wyth hymselfe séeyng the hyll was neyther verye hygh nor harde to ascende to climbe it and to fyght before the enimie hadde fortifyed hys camp and then calling togyther the Souldyers he declared vnto them into what place and case they were come that on the one syde the hygh bankes of the ryuer and on the other the stiepe hylles that ranne along many myles tooke quite away from them al wayes of flight yea and all hope of lyfe vnlesse they foughte lustyly and vanquished valiauntly and therefore they shoulde couragiouslye encounter their forsworne enimyes who breaking the league thoughte thorough the occasion of the Kyngs absence to winne the Empyre of the whole Islande neyther shoulde theyr heartes be troubled with their greate multitude for it had but sufficiently tryed by the often victories of their auncestors how small strength and constancie there is in Scottes that God hymselfe woulde be with them in the fielde as he hathe alwayes héeretofore bin iustly agaynste the breakers of their faythe and the contemners of hys and mans lawes and Religion onely the Souldyers shoulde reteâ—ne styll the memorie of theyr olde prowesse for by the consente of all menne the most iust cause of warres is to propell iniuries and defende by armes theyr Houses Children Wyues and that whyche séemeth to be much more renowmed the dignitie of the Papall libertie the whyche with noble hearte and holye counsell hadde taken vpon hym to defende and so accordinglye by Goddes assistaunce hadde dryuen the vngodly oppugners of the inuiolable Maiestie béeyng discomfyted in battayle theyr Captayne 's taken prisoners and theyr strong Citie wonne into the inner partes of Fraunce and therefore they should vnder the conduct of the same God fight against men defyâ—ed with the same contagion of polluted Religion and if they made accompt of the honor of their Countrey the Kyngs estimation and finally their owne glory and safetie that they shoulde followe hym their Captayne ready eyther to vanquish gloriously or else to dye honorably The Souldyers cryed out incontinently that he should giue the signall of fight and nothing doubt to darreyne battell yea though in a place of great disaduantage for they stoutely said that they would with their wounding weapons climbe the toppe of the hill and neuer returne into the Campe but victors Then Surrey in this hope and couragiousnesse of the Souldyers deuided all his power into thrée battels The fore warde he assigned vnto the Lorde Howarde wherein he also placed Edmunde another of his sonnes to gouerne a parte thereof Hall makes it a wing He himselfe ledde the middle battell and ordeyned Sir Edward Stanley to bée Captaine of the rereward He placed the Lorde Dacres with the Horsemen for a battell of succoure and dysposed the great ordinaÌ„ce in certaine distaunces among the rankes and in the front and so with a round marche maketh towardes the enimie In the meane time when the King saw the glistering of the armoure and the seuerall battels of the enimie as he might very well from the hyll thinking that occasion of victorie was that day giuen him if he being then superioure both by the sighte the ground and also the nuÌ„ber of men did out of hand fight with the enimie he gaue the signal of battell and turning vnto the nobilitie of his Realme who stoode néere vnto him vsed such a like spéeche Séeyng most valiant compéeres in armes that we shall this day fight with better condition and more aduauntage than euer any of our auncestoures hathe héeretofore done with this enimie remember that now is the time of supreme occasion to reuenge youre iniuries whiche ye feared woulde neuer haue come and haue hitherto in vayne wished for when ye suffered all villanies and reproches of these most proude enimies but we that haue borne these things so long at home with sighing for vaine anger often crying vnto God for reuenge and at length in this most goodly occasion haue taken so iust and so needefull armes shoulde doubtlesse shew our selues very vile and abiecte persons and of all men the vainest if nowe when deedes and true prowesse are needefull and that we muste sette foote t s foote and by woundes and death seeke for glorious victory we shoulde feare the face of our enimies and wyth timorous hearte measure the perills of battells I for my parte beyng contented with the old limits of my kingdom enioyed wyth good peace could haue passed my time in reste and quietnesse and haue bene wythout the perylles and laboures that warres doe dayly bryng If without care of dishonour I had preferred mine owne priuate felicitie before both the dignitie of my countrye and your safetie But by your generall consent in that passyng great opportunitie of reuenging of your wrongs and of all other thinges when you were al of one opinion that warres were openly to be made bycause that those things which wee and our Progenitours had suffered at the handes of oure moste bitter and spitefull enimies were shamefull gréeuous and intollerable I forthwith proclaymed warres wyth greate courage and that whyche dothe make me hope of victory ye wyth greater endeuour and desire singular feruencie and incredible alacritie haue folowed the ensignes that one daye by doing some notable acte and as it were the vttermoste worke of valiauncie ye might shew the egregious fortitude of your heartes and ende those immortall controuersies by a notable victory For what may there anye doubt be had of the prosperous successe of the victory seing the armye of the enimies is in nothing to bee compared wyth ours theirs consisteth wholy of a kinde of freshe water Souldiers that will quickely runne awaye amaine beyng take vp in haste wythout regarde of prowesse and â—uenished with weapons and armour only for a shewe of Souldiours for all the olde men of warre or suche as are meet for the field indeed either for strength of youth or good personage are caâ—â—ed awaye by Kyng Henry into France And will not you then from the higher ground wyth the multitude of your weapons 〈◊〉 â—heâ—â—â—â— a sort of wretches 〈◊〉 we in number and spent with weaâ—â—nesse and famâ—â—ie assoone â—s they shall 〈◊〉 daâ—e 〈◊〉 approche you They clamber vppe the hill â—oâ— bycause they be so hardy but for that they are needy and must needes doe it that they maye at once more honestly and spéedely by death escape the pinching pains of vnwonted labour hunger after the manner of wild beasts whoÌ„ when fretting fury hath once vexed theyr heartes and famine their bellies extreame anger dryueth into raging
them for the fleing Almaines and least they should else haue disordered the whole battell hee also commaunded Pescara to turne heade wyth his Spanishe footemen towardes the Venetians There was with Liuiano Andrew Lauridame the Venetian Legate or Prouiditori a vehement man neyther lesse greedy of reuenge than of glory but one altogyther vnskilfull of the wars He hearing good newes from all partes of the auauntâ—urrerâ— hasted vnto the Generall as he was vehemently stirred vp with the sharpe affectes of hope and griefe and sayde vnto him Why linger you Generall the enimies escape an assured and notable victorye will slippe out of our handes it will rather be accompted falsehoode than cowardise if that you linger any longer neyther can this opinion bee taken awaye vnlesse you do incontinentlye commaunde the signall to be giuen and pursue with all your power the fleing and disordered ennimie Then Liuiano turning towardes Hugo de Pepoli and Guido de Rangoni saide let vs aduenture though rashly yet nobly the footemen of battell seeing that ouer greate power of superioritie doth ouercome reason least if I be to daye wary and considerate I shall anone after being accused before the seignory of cowardise or treason and oppressed with wrongfull hatred be putte to death by the aduerse and malicious voices of the vnskilfull as was vnlucky Carmagnola That be vttered these speches wee lerned of those that were present at thou Then causing the signall to be sounded he pursued the enimies with three battels the leading of the right and lefte wings whiche were both of light horsemen had Antonio Pio and Bagleone but the middle battell wherein were the men of armes and Sacramoro Visconti Guido de â—â—â—â—goni and Hermes Bentiuogli he himselfe conducted The battels of the footemen marching also wyth equall pâ—â—e 〈◊〉 the one and the other side of his battells the horsmen on both sides encounter very fiercely and nowe Liuiano fleing hether and thether and trying out that this day would be the ende of theyr laboures and the begynuyng of theyr dewardes hadde enkindeled his Souldioures with so greate dessce to vanquishe that many of them pierced thoroughe the thickest of their enimyes euen vnto theyr Ensignes and stryuyng to bryng them awaye and bryng strongly resisted tore thou into péetes and slew Ebrardde Cornia the enfigne bearet of Mâ—â—tiaks company a valyant olde Gentleman and his couragious sontie But whylest the horssemen thus encounter togyther in the scoute wyth equall hope and feare on bothe sydes Prospere rode vnto euery rancke encouragyng them and commaunded Pescara to aduauntee forwarde on the one syde wyth hys Spaniardes and Landaw on the other wyth his Launsqueneti and to charge the footemenne of the ennimie the whyche they did wyth suche furie that the bandes of Babo Brescehelli whome Liuiano had for the opinion of then notuble prowesse placed in the foremoste cankes scarse once attemptyng the encounter turned their backes almost before they had scene their enâ—â—â— although their Captaines men of singular dalor endeuoured by incouraging threatning beating to make them abide sought themselues very valiantly in the forfront where they were slayn also among whom were John Bernardino Alezzo Seraphino Alfonso Mâ—to Phillippe Carsoleio Aniball de Simoni and Baptista Docto who had placed aboute him a crewe of very valiaunt Souldiours choser out of diuers hands which were all staine by Pescara who there valiauntly coughte on foote before hys Spaniardes with apike in his hande Then the middle battel of the Venelian horsmen being bared on one side of their footemen began first to be driuen barke and being vrged more sharpely anone after with slaughter to bee put to flight neyther coulde the disordeted battell be repaired or made to staye when the foremost rankes were slaine although that all the valiauntest horsemen eudeuoured to their vttermoste to suâ—eine the impression of their â—minses So that when al suche as resisted were slaine the ensignes were throwen doâ—â— and namely the ensigne of 〈◊〉 the which Authony Monâ—oâ— had long time valiauntly kepte but at the last lost it togyther with hys life and at the same bruÌ„e Sacramoro and Hermes being vnhorse â—â—were slain by the Launce quenetz But Pescara Gentlmanlike saued Otho Visconis brother vnto Sacramoro althoughe there had bene before a priuate quarrell betweene them Nowe when the horsemen of the right wing sawe the middle battell wherein they reposed all their hope of victorye and that whyche they thought should beare the brunte of the battell slaine and put to flight they shamefullye burling awaye their armour and weapons ranne awaye amaine and Antonius their Capitayne appressed wyth the wayghte of hys armour was drowned in the Riuer of Becchilio The right wyng also wyth like cowardise didde the like for when Paule Baglione hadde not brought aboute speedily enoughe the right wing by reason of the moorishe and slimy grounde where vppon he had lighted by going about to enclose the enimie Liniano also had more hastily attached the battell than he had thought he would it came to passe that his souldiours seeing the slaughter and flight of other of their fellowes and also distrusting their owne strength fledde away whole and vntouched Yet in the front although that feare and flight had taken the bartes of all the souldiours many valiaunt Captains whilest for the dignitie of their martiall scruice passed they endeuoured to reteine the souldiours to keepe the array and grounde were at length fighting couragiously slaine beeyng for saken by their souldiors and enclosed by the multitude of theyr enimies But Paule Baglione hauing loste his twoo base brothers Troiano and Hierome and all his horsement seattered in vtter dyspayre fledde awaye and lightyng on a marrishe was taken by the Spanishe horsemen In the meane tyme Liuiano althoughe hee were forsaken of Fortune and lefte alone by his Souldioures still ratyng them for fleeing yet went busily about to renew the fyght but at lengthe beyng broken in hearte and spente in strengthe hee fledde and came to Padoa The reste of the Capitaynes were almoste all taken in the chase or slayne by the Almaines who spared no man and many also were drowned in the riuer of Bachillie for when they came wearye vnto the Ryuer eyther they were or owned in the streame or wer ouertaken and oppressed by the enemy as they stoode deliberating whether it were best to passe it or no. And thus they perished by diuers chaunces The Lansquenetz also the Spanishe footmen breaking theyr arraye pursued the flight slaying those that the horsmen running before had ouerthrowen or whom the throng of them that fled and the heapes of armours and weapons Wyth whom they euery where met had hindered or stopped Andrewe Lauredame Prouidirou a â—â—ant vnworthy of that calamitie if he had not bene the vnlucky authour of that vnfortunate battel was taken and albeit after he was withdrawen he promised a mighty masse of golde for hys raunsome yet was hée moste cruelly stayne by a raskall droudge
being opprossed when they could ueyther beack through in the front beeyng drged by the men of armes nor not giue barke their fellowed behinde thrusting them forwarde theâ— brake their arraye and flew out side long vpon both the wings of the Lithuanians and there as one tyme attached two encounters in dyuers places yea and the same tyme also the horsemen who as wee tolde you were seâ—e by Basill at the backe of the Polonians throughe the hidden valley with â—â—deous cry and great sounde of trumpets that they myght seeme the greater number iâ—uaded the Polonians on the 〈◊〉 which being once perceiued tertaine captaines valiant men amongst whom was the Palatine Polosky notwithstanding Constantine had straightly commaunded them not to stirre out of their places nor to sight without his coÌ„maundement Yet thinking that in sodaine and daungerous chaunces of sight all things are not to be done according to streight prescript but the present occasion of things muste bee encountered since they coulde not then runne to aske the Generalls counsell bycause hee fought busily aâ—me other quarter nor in any case in that shortnes of time certifye hym thereof turned the esquadron of the footemen on the enimies The esquadron beeyng by their array immoueable and strong although they hadde receyued some detriment by the arrowes yet notwithstanding discharging all their harquebusters togither at once by that tempest of pellets staying the forâ—oÌ„branks of the enimy came to their pikes and halbards and by their impulse and valoâ— repulsed the enimie When the horsemen being empeached with their multitude could not gette out to spreade abroade themselues and trauerse their grounde they â—usteyned the sight in that streight and throng wyth greats slaughter There when the sight wared hâ—t yâ—e might haue séene man and horse thâ—uâ—t thorough with a stroke other ouerthrowen and great heapes of slaine men lying euery where and all places silled with the bloud and grouings of dying mâ—n But in another quarter Constantine hauing disordered the ranks of the enimie and almoste quite destroyed Michaels horsemen was nowe come vnto the middle battel and atâ—aching a sharpe encounter had disordered the foâ—â—ndste rankes with his violente charge and slaughter When Basill distrusting of the midle battel and his own streÌ„gth gaue backe but yet turned not his face as one that expected the supreame euâ—nt thinking verily that the horsemen which he had sent before to inuâ—de the Pulâ—uiam oâ—r the backe woulde strike a soddaine and therefore the greater feare into the heartes of the Polonians neyther foreseeing nor distrusting any suche vnlooked for inuasion But the footemen that deseated them tourning their rankes and comming wyth speedy pace vppon the battell of succour brake all the reste of his hope and hearte So that Basill departing out of the battell with a troupe of noble horsemen fled amaine vppon the spurre whom that battell incontinently followed whiche we shewed you was placed at the hill for a succour being not once able to abide no not the looke of the bloudye and victorious footemen Then folowed a foule flight all the field ouer but yet the middle battell with greate constancy receiued the enimie that egrely vrged For Basil had placed al the armed and valiantest Souldiors of the whole host about the ensignes and in the front of that battell So that they fought long with variable fortune and moste egre and fierce contention on eyther side and diuers Polonian horsmen of marke and two yong noble men were there slaine as they ouer hotly ranne their horses into the thicke battell of the enimye At the length the Lithuanians and footemen after they had defeated them with whome they had encountred came also vppon them from diuers partes with furious force the Moscouits before they should be constrained to sight also behinde thought beste to prouide for themselues by speedy flight The Polonians victors winning the enimies campe got a greate and riche pray by the kings furniture and fiue thousand horses They slew aboue seuen thousand men Michaell also and certayne other famous captaines were taken whome with the ensignes that were taken King Sigismunde afterward in triumphant maner brought bounde into Vilne After this fortunate sight Constantine besieged Smolencho but not with the lyke fortune for Basil had in his flight sent thether certayne companies of horsmen and strengthned the Towne wyth a newe garrison thinkyng that if they coulde sustaine the firste assauites of the enimy that then the Polonians being excluded by the time of the yeare wold neuer once minde to besiege it for thys battell was fought the eyght day of September When Constantine perceyued that the winnyng of it was harder than he had hoped neither would the nature of the very cold countrey suffer the Souldiors to lye abroade in the field he despayring to atchieue thys enterprise reduced his army home agayne ouer the riuer of Boristhenes ¶ The Battell of Chois in Armenia the greate fought the fifte of August in anno 1514. betweene Selym the greate Turke and Ismaell the Sophy of Persiae WHen Selym the greate Turke in reuenge of the wrong done hym by Jsmaell the Sophy in marying hys daughter vnto Amurathes his enimy and the banished sonne of his brother Achomates and also in aiding hym wyth a power to inuade Cappadocia had entred Armenia the Sophy although hée nothyng at all suspecting any inuasioÌ„ of the Turke that yere had sent the greatest parte of his power against the Coraxenes â–ª yet to saue the beautifull and pleasaunt towne of Chois from sacking encamped within sight of the Turke and reposing great trust both in the hardynesse of his souldiors and also in his owne good fortune thought it beste to the end he might strike the greater terror into his enimies harts not to defer the tyme but roundly to ioyne in battell with them and incontinently sente an Heralde vnto Selym and with hym certaine men of warre who should diligently viewe what kinde and howe greate the army of the enimies was howe manye péeces of ordinance hée had and what the forme of theyr Campe was But they should do this message vnto Selym that Armenia was assuredly the Persians neither had there euer béen any contention betwene the Turkes and them for it and therfore he maruelled why he was come into that prouince with an enimious army But if perhaps be emulating the antieÌ„t prowesse of Alexander the Macedon thought that so much land of right was hys as victory and fortune by encroching armes should get him that then he should make hymselfe ready and euen the nexte daye trye what his owne and other mens power was able to do Selym answered therevnto that apparant iniuries were in freshe memory Wherfore the Othomannes might iustly take armes against the Persians both his grandfather Mahomet and Cassen his vncle in tyme paste and nowe of late his father Baiazet and hymâ—â—â— also whilest he was oppugned with the armes of his brother Achomates had receyued of the Persians both very
pellets of their enimies For the Turke had very skilfull Gunners in his campe whom he had allured by his great rewards and riche entertamment out of Italie and Germanie and specially manie oute of that filthie rable of Iewes who being expelled by the pietie of king Ferdinand out of al the Spaynes brought afterward such rare vnvsed and deadly artes into all the Orient to spite our men withall The captaine of all these Gunners was one Iames borne at Reggio in Lumbardie a man of passing skil in these artes who being enticed by the Turkishe giftes had a little before forsaken the seruice of Christ and reuolted vnto Mahomets superstition But after the fight is on both sides brought vnto handestrokes the Mamaluches raise a cruell and horrible cry and in thrée quarters charge the Turkes with great valor for Selym kéeping his olde order so marched that he approched in the forme of a croysant The Captain of the Asians in the right wyng was Mustaphas and Innubassa of the Europeans in the left but he himself gouerned the middle battell wherein was the Esquadron of the Ianizars with a great multitude of ordinance But Synambassa being made generall of the fielde had chosen for himselfe a certayne battell or bande of the moste valiantest horsmen taken and picked out of all the companies for to serue for al vncertain euents of the battell Vnto whom he added out of Selyms esquadron fiue hundred footmen of passyng prowesse and swiftnesse that he being reâ—â—â—e in all places of the battell for all chaunces were they neuer so suddain might succour that parte of his fellowes whiche was most pressed by his enimie So that when almost at one time Tomumbey had stoode in the middle battell against Selym and the wings of the Mamaluches had encountred the Turkishe with equall fronte and the Arabians had fought valiantly at their backes as they had bene commaunded foure fights were holty attached at one tyme in diuers places They that were present at this battell do report that through the cry of the Souldiors the noise of the drummes and trumpets the thundring of the artillerie the cloude of the dust and the clashing of the weapons all mens mindes were so amazed and confounded that they beeing all on bothe sydes alyke blynded with furye they rushed foorthe wyth madde desperaetnesse in suche sorte that neyther coulde the voyces and watche woordes bée discerned and knowne one from an other nor the ensignes séene nor the commaundements of the captains heard they by mutual error slew a great number both of their owne felowes and also their enimies without all regard for neuer before that daye had any armies encountred togyther inflamed with greater hatred neuer had two most mightie Emperors more constantly and feruently shewed their valor of bodie and hart with lesse care of life and safetie For when both of them manifestly perceiued sawe that with like daunger of themselues and their armies they had set their liues and empires at sixe and seuen they also vnderstode that there woulde be no other hope left vnto eyther of them but that which the victorie it selfe would bring Now Gazelles enkindeled with desyre of honour and reuenge that he myghte repaye vnto the Europeans a foyle equal vnto that whiche he had receyued at Gaza charging Innubassa with greate violence had ouerrunne the formost the resisting troupes had throwne downe the Guidons and the Arabians preassing on the victors at their backs had made the vanquishing companies of al warres where the strength of the Thracians the Thessalians and the Macedons were to turne their backes whiche neuer any enimye had séene before Then Synambassa being redy and intentife both with mynde and strength for al occasion of victory flew vpon the side of the enimies with a fresh and strong companie of his men and repaired the battaile which was inclined and fouly scattered But anone after Synambassa who had discontinued the manyfest victorie of the enimies by exercising a supreme déede of prowesse was slayn verie valiantly fighting before his men after that thâ— Mamaluches vnder their fierce captain Bido had turned themselues on their new enimie And also his horsemen endeuoring to takâ— vp from the ground their dead captain and to saue him were foâ— a great part slain put to flight by Gazelles who did spread abrodâ— his troupes that they hauing more roone might more fréely vsâ— their swords in which kind of fight the Mamaluches do most excell and also that noble hand of Ianizars being enclosed were ouerrun and flain after that they being forsakeÌ„ of the horsmen had long time very valiantly resisted But in another quarter Mustaphas giuing a vehement charge with all his horsemen vppon the left wing of the Egyptians wherin coÌ„maunded the most renoumed captaines Neylius Diadarius and Giapal Oreemas very sharply vrged theÌ„ They had a little before receyued a notable detriment by the ordinance which was by chaunce shot from Selymb middle battell trauers the fielde Mustaphas perceyuing it and being very desirous to abolish olde ignominy very sharply vrged theÌ„ being once disordered and bringing in his troupes by wedges brake thorough ouer ranne and beate them downe and being notorious all the battell ouer for his voice and armour adhorted the Asians to thinke that they must now recouer eyther by passing prowesse or honorable death their auntient martiall honor the whiche they had lately loste at the battell of Alepo Also at the same time Tomumbey hauyng broken through the middle battell of the horsmen was come vnto the footmen and as he was a mightie man both in body and strength did many notable actes with his semitarre and also the Arabians enclosed the outer wings of the Turkes and forced them in many places to fight with double front when Selym aduaunced forward his esquadron of footemen the whych was hys onely and assured helpe in this extreamitie whose charge neyther coulde the fierce and harded horses nor the victors men abide for part of his souldiours being harquebusierz did much muschiefe when they were impaled with pikes whose immoueable force beyng closed togyther into the array of one body bare downe all that they encountred Yet they fought with variable euent on both sides from the fourth houre of the day vntill Sunne sette neyther was there any part of the armies which suffered not sundry alterations fortune being now prosperous then aduerse for both the vanquished the victors being made mad with mutuall and implacable rage fought with obstinate harts the Mamaluches disdaining that the victory shold be taken from them by those men of whome they had slaine so many but the Turkes chafing that they whome they had before vanquished in two battells did so loÌ„g time resist them in so much that yet the languishing armes and the bodies wearyed and tyred with woundes which were held vp by only wrath and pertinacie of heart might féeme would haue bin able to haue continued an other day in murdering if that
the very nighte had not brought an ende vnto so great a slaughter Tomumbey who no doubt was vanquished distrusting the entier losse of the fielde first commanded the retreate to be founded that his men who now could not matche the esquadron myghte séeme not to haue bene beaten back but ledde backe The which thing he thought was of very great moment to establish the harts of his souldiors and also to reteyn his owne authoritie for that same dame Fortune who had deceyued his first hope did séeme to promise vnto him who hoped as meÌ„ in miserie do for better lot prosperous euents of things if that his heart quayled not and he sauyng that power whiche was yet lefte woulde repaire the warres The battell being broken off by the commyng of the night the Turkes who were victors and had gained the ordinance and tentes of the enimies pursued vntill it was late nights the Mamaluches that marched to Caire almost in fléeing manner In the flight were taken Biadarius who could make no spéede by reason of his gréeuous wounds and with him Bidon who had one of his knées broken with the shotte of a falcon whiche dyd also kill his horse The next day Selym commaunded both of them to be slayne either bycause they coulde not be healed or for that it was decent that he myght with so worthie sacrifices appease the spirite of Synambassa for whom he singularly lamented Although the Turks had nobly vanquished yet was their power vehemently decayed yea through these fortunate battells The fourth parts of them was quite spent with sicknesse and woundes and also a great number of their horsses were brought weake through the toyle of the long fourney and specially by the wearinesse of this day For the which causes Selym was constrained to renut somewhat of his olde manner in hasting for he knewe not as yet the myndes and deuotion of the Aegiptians that inhabited Cair neyther did he yet vnderstande by fame in what place Tomumbey soforned and what he intended to dâ— But before he had maturely and diligently learned out all these things hée in no case minded to commit the safety of his owne person and of his whole armye vnto the innumerable Citizens the greatest Citie of the whole worlde Wherefore staying foure dayes in his olde Campe at Rhodania he caused the wounded to be cured and the bodies of hys slaine souldiors to be buryed in the ground but lefte the carkasses of the enimies to be torne into péeces by byrdes and beastes And then hée dislodged and marching towarde Caire encâ—mped in a plaine betwéene olde Caire and Bulach for the Citie of Caire is diulded into thrée townes olde Caire new Caire and Bulach that they might be the more commodiously serued of water The Battell at Caire IN the meane tyme Tomumbey beyng nothyng broken with so many and so lamentable vnfortunate successes of things but gathering togyther the Mamaluches from all partes had pitched his campe in a commodious place betwéene newe Caire and the riuer of Nilus had armed an eight thousande Aethiopian bondmen the whyche kind of meÌ„ he had not vsed before by reason of the memorie of an olde rebellion Morcouer he opening the olde armoury had deliuered armour and weapons vnto the sonnes of the Mamaluches and the Moores their reteyners the Iewes and the Arabians with all diligence had prepared greater and more cruell wars against the Turkes than he had made before But after warde when his deuise to giue a camisado vnto the Turkishe campe had béene disclosed vnto the Turkes who beyng prepared therefore had with losse repelled his foremoste rankes hée by the adhortation of all hys captains entred the citie of Caire for the Mamaluches being vanquished in all battells thought that they muste take another way in administring the warres and therefore counselled him to strengthen the Citie by placing his army in guarde in the most commodious places thereof and to impeache the enimy from entring the towne for in this lamentable state seeing that they must néedes fight for their houses wiues children they thought it honorable correspoÌ„dent to the glory of their antient valor to dye fighting in the sight of them before the dores of their houses So euery horseman or Mamaluch going to his owne house furnished all his houshould and the toppe of his house with all kinde of weapons and euerye one suppliauntlye desired the Aegyptians of hys streate and warde that they woulde take armes against the common and cruell enimies nor suffer them selues to be slayne and their wiues and children to bée carried away for slaues for if the sauage and moste couetous enimy should win the victory which God forbidde they woulde not spare no not them yea though they woulde beare them selues indifferent and healye neyther the one parte nor the other bycause that victory being fraught ful of licentiousnesse and insolencie will knowe no man but hym that without staggering and doubting what to do did helpe with goodes and hand the fortune of their parte while that the warres were of vncertaine euent Moste of the richer sorte of the Aegiptians as they did foresée that the alteration of the state and of the Empire would be very hurteful and bring greate losse and hinderaunce vnto their traffique and wealth so in deuotion and healpe they failed not vnto the Mamaluchs Contrariwise moste of the meane sorte of the Citizens and a mightye multitude of the worser who being voide of danger do always gain by other mens losses remembring all the villanies and extreame oppressions that they hadde suffered almoste thrée hundreth yeares vnder the Mamaluches in wailefull and wretched slauery kept themselues within the dores waiting for the euent of the supreame fight and reioyced in their sléeues that not without the care of almighty God a time had come when their wicked and outragious lords shold be punished for so many heynours facts yea and the reuenge shold be sought by the bloud of strangers whereby it wold come to passe that they shold anone fully satisfy their eyes with a most desired and wished spectacle and sight In the meane tyme Tomumbey with most intentise labor and trauell fortified the gates and all the wayes into the Citie appointed Capitaines ouer euerye streate made adhortatorie orations in euery court market place and assemble of people suffered not any light loytering to be vsed in the works and finally whiche is thought to be the moste hardest thing in calamitie and danger shewed a surpassing great hope and a renued and singular valor in his vnappalled face and countenaunce But the Mamaluches ouer and aboue necessitie the whiche doe vse in extremities to enkindle and to make mad and desperate yea the very cowards being stirred vp by emulation did spéedily and couragiously execute the duties and offices of Captaines for euery one of them as his witte inuention and industrie did bear made ditches crosse the most notorious streats and also laid mighty greate péeces of
Frenchmen for he was so couragious vigilant and expert a Capitaine that there was no souâ—â—ior so verye a cowarde and faint harted that woulde not chéerefully folowe his ensignes and would not desire to be séene in the â—â—elde with hym Also about the same time as though that fortune being sore displeased wyth the Frenchmen would bring all incommodities vppon them in one daye the handes of the Grisons who were sixe thousand being reuoked by domesticall warres began sodainely to aduance their ensignes to departe home for Iames de Medici a Milâ—â—esse afterwarde created Marques of â—â—drinian had at the commâ—indement of Francis Fâ—rza and the earnest requeste of Pescara inuaded the Grisons vpon a sodaine and wonne the town and castell of Clauenna and thereby brought greate terror vnto all the whole nation The which daunger being certified by the magistrats vnto the Grisons that were in the french campe they could not be caused to tary by any entreatie although they were offered double wages which did augment the incoÌ„moditie also diuers ensignes also of those Switzers that were their confederates folowed them although that Marshall Lescune openly reuiled with reproches of auarice perfidiousnes their Colonell Then when that be obstinately persisted in his purpose to be gone chalenged him vnto the combat Nowe had the armies lyen many days almost close one vnto an other with so nere front a thing that had neuer happened in our age that it was wonder that the souldiors would so long abide the incommodities either of perpetuall labor or most harde winter and woulde â—â—ertâ—se their bodies with continuall watchings and shirmishes neither a thing seldome séene although all things in all partes were beaten with the great ordinance yet would they not ioyne in battel fortune inclining â–ª neyther to the one side nor the other But hope of guerdon and praise the noble stirrers vp of meÌ„s harts and feare of dishonor which is a very sharpe pricke yea vnto dastards did wonderfully susteine and holde them vp who contended with equall power as though they must vanquish not by force but by sufferance for the french king being of an high minde thought it for his dignitie rather to suffer all hardnesse than not to maintaine the fame of egregious constancie the which vertue séemed to be straunge to the French mens nature for as they hadde gotten all the victories of former times rather by hot courage and swift fease than long perseueraunce so in déede they being tired by the long lingering of the Emperiall Captaines and broken by tediousnes of long warres had lost the name of their auntient glory He also knewe that the besieged were distressed wyth incredible penurie almoste of all things and namely of wine the which by long custome and vsage is the thing that holds vp the bodies of the Almains makes theâ—â—â— chearefull and couragious to sight he also vnderstoods that those meÌ„ which had arriued lately out of Germany also the spaniardes Italians could not be loÌ„g kept togither without wages séeing that the moneth was now almost out the which they had promised at Pescara his â—ntecaty to serue without money finally seing that his campe was fortified in all places with so greate rampires munitions he did not thinke that the enimies were soâ—nuche to bée feared that he ought to leaue his enterprise with ignominie séeing that they which had proudly come with so greate fease violence boasting to assault his campe séemed by dishonorable lying before it xx days with frustrate atteÌ„pt to haue spent not only their victuals prouision and mony but also that terrible fame of fiersnesse Yet neuerthelesse not being ignorant how much his power was diminished he very earnestlye endeuoured to augment his army with newe supplies yet doeth Guicciardin write that hée had in his campe 1300. men of armes 10000. Switzers so many Lansquenetz 50000. french footmen 7000 Italians although that through the sâ—aud of the captains the negligence of his officers the nuÌ„ber of the footmeÌ„ was far lesse thaÌ„ be payd wages for But first of al other things the king made truce with the Genouese the 4000 Italians might be incoÌ„ttueÌ„tly brought into his camp froÌ„ Sauâ—na by the Marques of â—alures but Gaspar Mayno a Milanese sodainly setting vpoÌ„ this power with certaine bands of Sforzans as they passed â—uer the riuer of Burnta did so defeate theÌ„ that he brought the captains prisoners almost all the ensigns vnto Alessandtia Thus the K. hauing lost the hope of aid froÌ„ Sauana sent for Tremouille froÌ„ Milan with a company of horsmeÌ„ for the greatest part of the footmen the besieged the castel of Milan Now there were at Milan by Guiceâ—ardins report 300. men of armes 6000. footemen of Grisons VValisse land men .iij. thousand French footmen Tremouille carried with him to the kyng all the footmen except .ij. M. The K. also commaunded Momorentey who was captain of the third freÌ„ch campe which lay in the small Island that the riuer of Tesino maketh before the citie of Pauia to bring all the most chosen horsmen footmeÌ„ into the greater campe leaue the erle of Claramont with a certayn to kepe the Isle The sum of all the kings entent purpose was this to sende foorth a part of his horsmen vnto S. Columbano that they fleing about and remaining at the backs of the â—nimies might take away froÌ„ theÌ„ al abilitie to be victualed to forage fréely at their pleasure in the meane time he wold kepe himselfe within the munitions coÌ„tinue stil the siege expect intentiue and ready with what eueÌ„t Albany did enter the kingdome of Naples and what the Pope the Venetians his confederates would attempt yet there wanted not men of great qualitie for their long seruice in the warâ— who with frée speach did discoÌ„mend these counsels which were fraughtful of supreme peril endeuoured to pluck out of the kings minde that determinatioÌ„ of fatall seÌ„teÌ„ce specially aboue other Tremouille Galeazo Sanseuerino Palisse Theodoro Trivulzi for they saide the both the honors and dishonours of warrefare are defined by none other estimation than the supreame victory whervnto a prudent and graue Chieftaine would reuoke al his cogitations for what maye séeme vnto men skilfull in martiall matters to be more foolishe and shameful than being not forced by necessitye to bring the kings person into that perill whereby the whole Realme of Fraunce shoulde endaunger both their diguitie and safetyeâ— finally what could be moro estraunged froÌ„ reason thaÌ„ with lesse nuÌ„ber of Souldtors and wyth lesse reward of victorye to fight a doubtfull battell wyth theyr moste valiaunt and desperate ennimyes For aâ— their aduersaries their hope was reposed in hasting 〈◊〉 tâ— leâ—itie that before they were vahquished by difficulties of all things they might fight with more indifferent conditions while that they are yet strong by great and freshe power What saide Palice do not our
turning on one side did cast him into a Marishe where he was drowned Then the Turke prosecuting the victorie tooke Ofen the chiefe Citie of Hungarie where he didde no more harme but only tooke out of the castell thrée goodlye statues of brasse set vp by the samous King Marthie and then returned to Constantinople leauing Hungarie to be almost quite destroyed by ciuill dissention ¶ A Battell foughte on the sea in Anno domini 1528. at the Cape of Orso in the kingdome of Naples betvvene Vgo de Moncada and other Imperialles and Philippine Doria for the French King Frauncu the strf◠THen the Lorde Lautrech Generall for the French King had driuen the acmie of the Emperials out of the citie of Rome whiche they had sacked into the Citie of Naples he sent for Philippine Doria Viceadmiral vnto Andrew Doria the French Kings high Admiral in Italie to besiege the citie by sea By whose cōming with viij galle is he thought al hope of victuals by water would be cut away so much the rather bicause the newes was that the Venetian fléete their confederates of twentie galleys woulde shortly passe the Faro of Messina to annoy and kéepe the sea coast of the kingdome of Naples The Emperiall Captaines being moued with the report of these newes thought it for their safetie to fight with the Genowayes before that the Venetians were passed the Faro The Emperials had onely sixe galeyes and two foystes but trusting to the valoor of their souldiours and to foure long boates of great shippes whome they had fraught with Harquehusiers and other small vessels whome they call Fragates they nothing doubted to fight with the Genouese for the floure of al the Spanish souldiors was embarked with the marques of Guasto the generall of all the Italian Spanish footemē who had gone aborde the Admiral galley with Vgode Moncada the viceroy of Naples For Dorbine the master of the campe had diligently chosen man by man the most valiant souldiours and those that had bene accustomed vnto the Spanishe seas and among them the most forwarde petie Captaines and Ensigne bearers whome he knewe coulde brooke the lothsomnesse and tossing of the sea There also went aboorde Ascanirde Colonna the Lorde high Constable of the kingdome of Naples and many other noblemen of their owne frée will as doubting nothing of the victorie And least that the Almaynes shoulde giue place in prowes vnto the Spaniardes about two hundreth of them vnder the conduct of Conradine Glorne had filled two galleys and with great cherefulnes rowed vnto the Isle of Crapy and there at a pleasant spring long and sumptuously banketted yea and heard Barecta a Portugall who had built him a Cottage or Cell in those solitarie rocks preach vnto thē he vehemētly adhorted thē to vse their ancient valor being mindeful of the pietie that they ought to beare towards their countrie to reuenge those cruel Geneuoyes and by valiant victorie to deliuer out of miserable and infamous bondage so many valiant Spaniardes whome the mercilesse Genoueyes kept tied with chaines for galley slaues afflicting them with continuall stripes and reproches While that Barecta preached in this maner both long and hotely Biardo Agnesi a Neapolitan not so much addicted vnto the French faction as offended with the arrogancie of the Spaniardes tooke a small swifte Boate and flewe vnto Doria giuing him intelligence of the number furniture and Captaynes of the Emperiall fléete Nor long after the Emperial nauie departing from the Isle with manye flagges hanged cut came into sight of Doria who was then about a small furlong called by the Mariners the Cape of the Beare or Orso not farre from the famous promontorie nowe called Campanella and in ancient time Atheneus This braue shew of the enimies their fléete séemed not a little to haue moued the Geneuoyes at the first sight but anon after the skilfull sea men did centemne them and not fondly bicause they had not according to the discipline of the sea places on the tops of their Mastes for men to stande in and fight But then Philippino assembling togither all the Captaines and Maisters in the Admirall galley spake almost these words vnto them shewing with his finger the fléete of his enimies comming towards them Valiant fellowes sayd he and good countrymen of inuincible prowes a great honor is set before vs as I sée by almost a certaine victorie sithe that we doe surpasse in number of galleyes and all Martiall furniture yea and courage of hearte and skill in sea fight Let our enimies in Gods name be as they doe boaste of themselues noble warriours by lande doubtlesse they will not be able in conflicte by sea eyther readily to trauerse their grounde or yet to caste themselues into rings séeing that they shall fight among the benches of the rowe slaues and on the streight hatches and must receyue the pellets of the Gunnes as chaunce shall bring them no place being left eyther to retire or to leape aside namely the great number of the rowers empeaching them So that they lying open vnto strokes and being terrified with their daunger will not be in any wise able eyther to stande stoutly or to chaunge their place politikely Therefore séeing that we must not once thinke of retiring backe and least we doe incurre dishonor must néedes fight with our offered enimies persuade your selues that the glorie of our auncestors gotten by so many prosperous conflictes by sea is reposed in your valiant handes and skill This glorie as I thinke ought euerye good Citizen not only to conserue but also to augment least that otherwise we may be thought both of our fellowes and also of our enimies to be degenerates and men forgetfull of our discipline But thinke that Andrew Doria our Admirall is present will be a witnesse of prowes cowardise for to giue rewards vnto the valiant or by equal right ignomie vnto the cowardes The Captaynes and Maisters gaue such a shoute as the cherefull and gréedy of fight doe vse and in fewe wordes setting order howe to receyue and inuade the enimie returned vnto their galleyes that they might aptly make readye all things whiche shoulde be néedefull for the instant fight The summe of their spéedie decrée was this that Philippino should directly go against the enimie with his fiue galleyes but Nicolas Lomellino rowing into the mayne sea with his thrée galleys shoulde fetch a compasse about and after the conflicte was begon in commodious time couragiously runne vpon the deckes and sides of the enimies their gallyes and chiefly of the Admirall Philippino launching forth from the forelande into the open sea offered himself vnto the conflict neyther did Vgo refuse it and the rather for that he beléeued that these thrée galleys of Lomellino whom we spake of had fled away for feare and did thinke that the fiue of Philippino should fight with him much ouermatched When they drewe neare and bothe the Admirall galleyes directed their stemmes for
shoulde go backe vnto Cassiano vpon Adda and suffer nothing to be brought into the Citie out of the moste fertile Countrie of Martia but in another quarter S. Poule should lie at Abiato and cut off all victuals that might be brought vnto Milan by an arme of the riuer of Tesino For they did hope that their enimies which coulde not be subdued by force woulde not be able to abide the incommodities of a long siege This being determined at a village called Landriano ten myles from Milan Vrbine dislodging marched vnto Cassiano admonishing S. Poule with equall digresse to bende his iourney to Abbiato But the day being well spent S. Poule sayde that he woulde not remooue that daye but woulde go the next morowe vnto Pauia and leaue there certaine great ordinance and other weightie cariages But Leua who most diligently watched for all occasion to hurt his enimies vnderstanding that Vrbine was departed from S. Poule and coniecturing that the French men would not spéedily set forward called togither all the Captaines and commaunded them to be in a readinesse with all their souldiours to go forth with him about one of the clocke in the morning cohorting them to go this iourney chearefully and promised to giue them for a bootie the vanquished French men before the sunne arose But if sayd he they do more hastily flée as surely I do not thinke but they will yet the tayle of them will fall vnto vs for an assured bootie The souldiours crying out answered that he shoulde procéede to conceiue in his mightie minde valiant actes correspondent to his former victories for they woulde with chearefull and fearelesse heartes take vpon them this daungerous iourney and doubtfull hasarde that he had commaunded them And without stay he putting on his glittering armour althoughe he were tormented with the payne of the goute almost in euery ioynt sent the horsemen before and he himselfe with two battels on ech side the Almaines on the one side and on the other the Spaniardes flanking the Italians that were appointel to the garde of the great ordinance hasted to the enimies whome he founde not yet remoued and busied about dispatching away of their baggage S. Poule who had thought nothing lesse than that Leua woulde come vpon him with all his power aranged in battell when he was preparing to dislodge séeing the sunne was nowe risen the battels of his enimies with shirtes ouer their armour after the manner of them that giue a Camisado in the night was astomed and as it doth commonly happen vnto those that are so caught vnwares was attached with great feare and not without cause namely for that he had commaunded the Conte Guido de Rangoni to go before with the auantgarde vnto Pauia and there to prouide lodging for him and the rest of the armie Thus he being vnprepared and vnreadie and also disioyned farre from the forewarde was circumuented with so greate perturbation of the middle battell and rerewarde that he was forced with wonderfull vprore and tumultuously to set his men in araye and in vayne to repugne being quite put out of heart by the violence and celeritie of hys vrging enimie Fortune also gaue Leua space to winne the victorie by an vnlooked for chaunce For when one of the great péeces had broken his whéele and fallen in the middes of a dirtie waye it was a great discommoditie vnto them for the French horsemen yea and the best of them were lighted on foote to lifte vp and amende it For by an olde vsage of theirs they doe accounte it a great dishonor to leaue any of their ordinaunce behinde them as they march to be gotten by the enimie Through this staying both Rangoni was gotten so farre before that he coulde neyther be called backe nor in time tolde of the sodaine comming of the enimie and also Leua had time to bring forwarde his footemen who being aduaunced forth and the horsemen fighting very couragiously the middle battell of the Conte S. Poule with whom the rerewarde had also ioyned began in a moment of time both to turne their backes When that Antonie de Leua cladde in glysteting armour and adorned with a braue crest commaundeth him self to be brought into the forefront borne â—y force of me noâ— with terrible voice adhorteth his souldiors and terrifieth the Frenche men with his fierce looke and fierie eyes In the meane time the Almaines that serued the French king a thing which had almost neuer happened at other times shamefully turned their backes as they that were of the omnigatherum that had in former time serued the French King or else had bene taken vp in the region which is on this side the Rhein and doth abutte vpon Lâ—râ—iâ—â— who haue no greate estination for Almaine valor and discipline The Almeynes and the French footemen and after them also the Italian bandes followed without any care had of dishonor and small was the slaughter bicause that neyther the harquebusiers coulde shoote among the confounded and blended rankes nor the great ordinance be discharged without equall perill The Conte S. Poule assaying daungerously to take a dich with his horse was taken by the horsemen nor far froÌ„ him the valiant Claude de Rangoni the Captaine of the rerewarde had the like lucke but Sâ—â—phan de Colonna escaped although he had bene cast by his horse headlong into a diche Leua hauing gotten all the Ensignes and ordinance and taken the Generall prisoner wanne great estimation in the worlde But the French men openly complayned of Guido de Rangoni whome they sayde had left them to the spoyle through his ouer hastie pasting but Guido defended his honor by alledging the commaundement of his Generall chalenging all his obtrectors to the combat But afterwarde in familiar talkâ— the Duke of Vrbine decided this controuersie both Leua and the Marques of Guasto assenting vnto him who gaue iudgement that they had both with almost equall error swarued from the discipline of warre the which doth will that in marching the Captaines that leade distict and seuerall bandes doe with mutuall diligence by horsemen ryding to fro measure the march nor suffer the Ensignes to go any thing out of sight the auantgard to obserue with what pace the middle battell marcheth and so likewise the middle battayle the rerewarde that euerye battayle mayâ— be readis at hande for al sodeyne incursions of the enimie and to succour that battayle which is circumuented and finally to sight with all their power vuited into one This victorie vtterly destroyed the French power in Milan and made Francis Sfuza whome the French King maintayned to come in and suppliantly yéelde himselfe vnto the Emperour ¶ The Battell of Frumentaria fought on the sea by Rodoricke Portundo Admirall vnto Charles the fift and Aidin and other miscreant Pirates in Anno Domini 1529. AFter that Rhedoricke Portundo had brought Charles the Emperour out of Spayne into Italie to be crowned He in his returne hearing that fiftéene vessels
also adioyned Theodore Bischeimiâ— the Captayne of the Epyrote horsemen vnto Rasciâ— his wing of horsemen After them sold wed a regiment of olde Lansquenets and also he himselfe with all the light horsemen and also the men of armes marching towardes Pistoia He traualling all night â—aâ—ue vnto a place called Lagoni almost and waye betwéene Pistâ—ia and a towne named Gabiniano where he stayed to refreshe the horsen with a little rest and the souldiours with a light breakefast Whyle that he thus rested there came a priest vnto him running who tolde that Fernaâ—â— was at hande and had entred sacked burnt the towne of S. Marcelles out of she which he had bardly escaped and moreouer that the Emperials were at the héeles of them the which was knowen by the often crackes of the harquebusses Then the Prince commaunded Francis de Pratey and Rossales Spaniardes and zucers an Epirote to go before with all the light horsemen to whome he added for a garde Pompeio Farino with thrée hundred harquebusiers and admonished them that still as they went wheresoeuer they founde the way narrowe so that the horses coulde not well passe that they shoulde place vpon commedious hilles certaine bandes of Harquebusters for this purpose that if the horsemen after they were come into the sight of their enimies chaunced to be pressed then they might retire fayze and foftlye vnto those sure gardes but if that they mette with anye leuell grounde the which they sawe was commodious for horsemen they shoulde stay the enimie so long by flowe skirmishing vntill that he were come with the men of armes When the horsemen were come vnto Gabiniano and coulde not be suffered to enter the towne they turning about rode vnder the wall of the towne towardes S. Marcelles and began to skirmish with the auaÌ„tecurrers of the enimie For Fernaio was minded to come vnto Gabiniano thinking that his enimies woulde not haue mette him with so greate spéede Yet there had bene some who being skillfull of the countrie and hauing receyued more certain intelligence of the comming of their enimies had counsayled him to climbe the high mountaynes besides Saint Marcelles and so safely come downe agayne at Scarparia the enimies not being able to pursue him in that very strayte and troublesome way To the which aduise inclined the valiant Captayne Paâ—lo de Cere who accounted the losse of the baggage but small so that escaping their enimies they might come in safetie to Florence But Farnaiâ— with a loftie minde detesting that aduise whith might giue some signe of feare and flight marched still forwarde the horsemen going before with their Captaines Charles the Earle of Ciuirilla and Arsiolas And whereas Gabinâ—ano is two myles from S. Mâ—railler â–ª the auantâ—arde which â—arnarde Strozzi surnâ—â—â—d Capâ—â—unzo ledde was come vnto the gate of Gabiniâ—no when the Ensignes of the reâ—einarde were yet at Saint M'arcelles gate The waye is not very yll but that they must go a little downe the hill for Saint Marcellea which standeth in a low bottome enclosed counde about with mountains Nowe the Emperials who as we haue elphe you were sents before molested the hindermost of the enimies For Refeâ—â— had brought a bande of Harquebusiers with him euerys horseman taking an harquebuster behinde him who with their shot much vexed the enimies But when Maramaldo sawe that the enimies bended towardes Gabiniano from Camalenbo where they lodged the might before be crossing ouer the mountaines and woodes was come to Gabiniano And also Vitelli by another shorter waye but verye yll was encamped not farre from the towne In the meane tyme Fernaio tyding on a whyte horse wyth his sworde drawen adhorted his men kéeping their araye to haste to take the towne first the whiche was then in sight and to propell the vrging borsemen of their enimies for the Earle of Ciuitella and Atsula fighting with singular vallor did not only susteyne their enimies but also the charge being on both sides often renued along the sheluing bankes forced their enimies to retyre with turned backes Whyle that they thus soughte with great tumult and noyse for that certayne bandes of Harquebusiers had bene sent forth out of Fernaio his battell and also the shotte of Pompey who as we haue shewed you had bene sent to be a garde vnto the horsemen had intermedled themselues in the conflicte of the horsemen and nowe manye men had bene slain on hoth sides when Maramaldo got into the town at the farther gate and at a part of the wall which was easilye throwne downe at the verye same time that Fernaio entred in at the foregate Ind thus a cruell and bloudie fight was committed along the towne so that they fought with great contention in the middes of the Market place for Fernaio leaping off from his horse and taking a footemans Pyke layde about him lustilye Neyther fayled Maramaldo vnto his men but casting them into the forme of a wedge fought fiercely to wynne the whole stréete In the meane tune part of Fernaio his battell following their Captaine fought valiantly in the towne but part defleeting along the towne wall and hauing gotten a commodious place among the Chestnut trées to defende themselues against the insulting horsemen ouerwhelmed their enimies with a great tempest of small shatte By them as it was afterwarde knowne who were in number almost fiue hundreth was the Prince of Orange slayne when he hastred with the men of armes to be present at the fight Neyther was he streyght way known being spéedily spoyled of his coate of cloth of siluer and his guilte armour They saye that before he was wounded he foughte or horsebacke hande to bande with Nicolas Masio the Gréeke who battered his heade péece with a Mall of pron and Orange often assayed to thruste him through with his sworde But Masio fearing the shocke of the men of armes fledde backe vnto the Chestnut trées but the Prince pressing forth ouer hardily receyued two deadlye woundes by barquebusse Almoste at the verye same time Vitelli charging ouerthwarte the rerewarde which Paolo de Cere ledde did so breake their araye and scatter them almoste at the first encounter that hée gotte all their ensignes although that Paule himselfe valiantly resisted and lighting on foote repayred the araye of his men and also renuing the fight brake throughe vnto the towne to ayde Fernaio But when it was bruted abroade that the Prince was stayne and the troupe of the men of armes a thinge shamefull to sée and incredible to hée reported was fledde backe headlong Fernaio crying victorie victorie gathered the Florentines close togither and beganne to presse on the appalled Emperialles And if that the Lansquenettes who had not yet stirred but kept in araye not farre from the towne their Esquadron as it were a Castell to receyue their fellowes marching forwarde had not repressed the tumultuous procursions of their enimies doubtlesse not one of the horsemen had made curtesie to flée séeing that many of them before
footemen to garde the great ordinance and this Esquadron was guarded with a wing of Reystres Thus Conde went towardes the enimie in aray somewhat broade déepe But his enimies were redy aranged in this order the Duke of Guise led the one wing of the auantgarde with a strong troupe of horsemen nere vnto whoÌ„ stoode two Esquadrons of Spaniardes footemen and of Frenche footemen olde souldiours with fouretene péeces of ordinance and the Marshall of Saint Andrewes guided the other wing with a strong troupe of horsemen and was garded on the one side with a battallion of Lansquenets and on the other with a battallion of horsemen Of the maine battell the Constable led one wing with a strong troupe of horsemen neare to whome were placed a battallion of seuentene ensignes of French footemen whome there followed xxij ensignes of Switzers with eyghtene péeces of greate ordinance the other wing his soune Danuille ledde with a strong troupe of horsemen Thus stoode the battels of the Catholikes in grat length on a row here footemen and there horsemen being still interserted The Admirall stoode ouer right against the Constable and Conde against Danuille and the Switzers but no bodie againste Guise and the Marshall of Saint Andrewes who were in the auantgarde Conde first gaue commaundement that the souldiours shoulde be present at diuine seruice and that being ended he ryding about vnto the rankes abhorted them to constancie and confidence and hauing thus prepared their heartes he gaue the signall and he himselfe Curey going before with the light horsmen charged vpon the Switzers in that part where he sawe they were bared of horsemen and strongly brake thorowe them Rochfocault in the meane time standing still The Switzers at the first stoutly susteyned the charge partly through the power of their ordinaunce and also the strengthe of their owne weapons but yet through the thicke hayle of the shotte they began to giue grounde and anon after not being able to beare the force of the horsemen their Launces brake their aray and forsooke the great ordinance and were scattered the Condeans raging with great slaughter And almost at the same momeÌ„t the Admirall charged the Constable and in the meane time the vpper troupes of the Reysters ryding vnto Danuils troupes skirmished with their pistolets WheÌ„ Conde had with great slaughter defeated and put to flight the Switzers he gaue a charge on the next battallion of French footemen and breaking throughe their rankes discomfited and put them to flighte But there was a furious fighte betwéene the Admirall and the Constable but at length the Constable his men begaune to shrinke backe and after that the Constable being wounded in the face with a Curtelace and sore bruised with small shot of pistolets was taken they fledde the Admirall and Conde pursuing them But whyle that Conde his horsemen were busied in pursuing of the enimie the French and Almaine footemen were left naked which Danuill espying charged vpon the Almaine footmen who fledde at the first sight of the enimye towardes a village called Blinuill Then a strong troupe of Guises horsemen gaue a charge on the French footemen and brake their araye and quyte defeated them at the first shocke taking the ordinaunce and committing great slaughter yet when that diuers of the Frenche footemen fought couragiouslye manye of the Guisian horsemen were slayne Moreouer Danuill séeing Conde his horsemen to be disordered and dispersed by pursuing the Switzers and the Constables troupes charged vpon them wounding the Conde with a Pistolet and vnhorsing him did take him prisoner When the Admirall sawe his fellowes fléeing in all places and also the Reysters giuing backe vnto a woode in a thicke troupe after their guyse that when they had recharged their Pistolets they might lustily altogither recharge the ennimie the which vsage of theirs being vnknowen vnto manye did put them in greate feare they suspecting them to flée and finally when he perceyued that all the Condeans were nowe in dispayre bicause that Conde was taken prisoner he was verye pensife namely when he saw thrée mightie troupes of horsmen of the auantgard of the enimie wysely reserued by Guise for the last brunt to make towardes him In these troupes were the Marshall of Saint Andrewe the Dukes Daumall and of Neuers and other noble men but they saye that the Duke of Guise stoode still with other bandes that had not yet foughte for to beholde the ende of the battell then the Idmirall spéedilye relying all the Frenche and Almaine horsemen that he was able to make and also by the returne of those Reisters that I sayde went aside vnto the woode their heartes being confirmed stoutlye susteyned the charge of their enimies Then there beganne a sharpe encounter bothe sides fighting full suriouslye their heartes being constantlye sette to murther one another with almoste equall fortune yet the Guisians gaue grounde and by little and little drewe backe and more grieuous had bene the fighte namelye the souldiours of Conde being chased if that the nighte had not parted them who were wearied with long labour of fighte Both partes caused the retire to be sounded and returned vnto their Campes The Admirall for lacke of horses lefte foure fielde péeces behinde him In this laste encounter were slayne the Marshall of Saint Andrewes with a Pistolet after he was taken Monbrun the Constables sonne the Lorde Piennes the grand Prior one of the Guises two Brosseys Giures Anneboult and a greate number of other of the Nobilitie Daumâ—ll was grieuouslye hurte and also Neuers who died thereof and manye other and an hundreth of the nobler sorte were taken prisoners and also certaine of the order as Beauâ—ayâ— Roâ—â—fort â—t Of the faithfull or Protestantes Mouy and diuers other noble men and Captaynes were eyther taken or slayne God so mode rated the euent of so great a battell that neither part coulde be sayde eyther to haue wonne or to haue lost the fielde for on the part of the faithfull was Conde the patron of the cause taken and on the Catholikes their side the Constable was taken and the Marshall of Sains Andrewes slayne And as the faythfull flewe a greate number of the Catholikes their footemen so did the Catholikes of the faithfull their footemen but mo horsemen were slayne on the Catholikes part and also footemen for of the xxij ensignes of the Switzers few were saued but Conde his losse was more difficill to be borne and repaired but Guise being better furnished for the warres had great incommoditie by the losse of so many great Captaines and noblemen as were there slayne taken This battel was fought the xix of December The Admirall gathering togither his power returned vnto Orleans and the Guise vnto Paris eyther of them to repayre their sore weakened armies ¶ The Battell foughte at Saint Dennis neare to Paris in France betvvene Levves of Burbon Prince of Conde and Annas Montmorencie Constable of France in Anno. 1567. Taken out of the booke intituled
fight without feare and valiantly against their enimies their nauie If that anye man did forsake the battell eyther for slouth feare or anye other cause he and his vessell and all that were with him should be incontinently consumed with fire In the meane time he commaunded as our men did that euerye man shoulde repayre incontinently vnto his ranke and order and kéepe it ordeining a grieuous payne for all them that shuld doe otherwise Moreouer he assembling his men togither adhorted them to be myndefull of their wonted prowes through the which they had so often hitherto put to flight this same enimie and reduced into their memorie all the noble actes that they had done in former yeares agaynst Charles the fift and his sonne Philip during the reygne of Solyman Moreouer he briefelye repeated all that they had at sundrye times done agaynste the Venetians and what they had of late gotten by warres and armes that is to wit howe they had augmented the Turkishe dominions with the kingdome of Cyprus Wherefore they ought to remember that they were also nowe to fight wyth those men whome they had so often discomfited and that they shoulde make a waye and entrie not onely into Italie but also shortlye vnto the possession of all Europe and therefore they shoulde fight valiantly assuredly trust that God and Mahomet through whose helpe their auncestours had subdued so manye kingdomes and Prouinces and had broughte backe from the vanquished enimye so manye renowmed victories woulde also be with and assiste them in this battell These things and manye suche lyke did he set before his souldiours with an oration no lesse graue than eloquent that thereby his souldiours although he sawe them of their owne accorde to be sharply inkindled to fight might yet be through these adhortations the more and more accensed Nowe was all the daye almoste spente when that the nauies on both sides were made readie to fight The ennimies fléete was sette in almoste the same araye that oures was For the middle battell came against our middle battell and their wings against ours Our sixe greate galleyes or Galeazes as I haue tolde you wente before of whome two stoode before eyther wyng as a moste sure Bulwarke and the rest wente before the myddle battell These greate Galleyes charging the leaders of the Turkishe battelles against them did beate the ennemie on all sides with their ordinaunce and committed horrible slaughter But althoughe the Turkes had receyued manye greate losses by them and sawe that their orders and rankes were scattered yet they being passed by them did wyth a certayne marueylous pertinacie and stoutenesse of heart gette them incontinentlye vnto the Ensignes So anon the two fléetes ioyned togither in battell and the highe Admirall galleyes of bothe fléetes vsing the surpassing chearefulnesse of the Mariners and Rowers ranne togither with so greate force and violence that their beakes on bothe sides were strycken off They foughte valiantlye and variablye for the space of an whole houre the victorie enclyning vnto neither parte fortune giuing ioyfull hope of prosperous euente nowe vnto oure men and then vnto the aduersaries And nowe they began to fighte no longer with Arrowes Dartes and Gunnes but encountered close togither with their Swordes But when our menne had twyce boorded the Turkishe Admirall and had gotten vnto the Maste and séemed to be maisters of hir they were twyce repulsed thence and not withoute a notable losse by newe succoure that ranne thither Whyle that these thynges are in doing Bernardine de Cardona séeing that Lewes de Figaroa the Captayne of the stemme of the highe Admirall had manye of his menne wounded and slayne came spéedilye to relieue and succoure him wyth Michael de Moncada to whome also that charge had bene enioyned But whylest that Bernardine foughte valiantlye at the stemme with his sworde and target he being shot in with thrée pellets fell downe and dyed the next morning And in that place were also Peter Zaputha Lewes de Ferez Pliege the father Federick de Benauides Gusman Philip de Rhodes Ruide de Mendozza Iohn de Sâ—to and Lewes de Rochenes who was sometime at the standard and sometimes with Dom Iohn and all these noble gentlemen fought against the enimie with great and incredible valor At length our men still vrging with sharpe sight and hauing gotten a fauourable aspect of victorie did after an houre and an halfes fight discomfite the middle battell and boorded and tooke the Admirall galley in whome were about fiue hundreth of the noblemen slayne and mo taken and wounded the Admirall himselfe while that he encourageth his men he erecteth those that doe faynt and be fearefull he confirmeth the couragious he extolleth to the heauens those that fight valiantly and promiseth them great rewardes finally whilest that he executeth no lesse the charge of an excellent Chiefetaine than of a stout souldiour is slayne with a small shot that hit him in the heade the whiche being streightway cut off from his necke was brought by a Spaniard vnto Dom Iohn who as soone as he saw it coÌ„manded it to be set on the poynt of a speare for a space held it aloft with his own hande as it were a trophey and to strike terror into the heartes of the rest of his enimies who fought yet very valiantly anon were all the Turkish flagges pulled downe and one of the crosse hanged out in their place But although that a principall galley of the enimies sodenly inuaded the Admirall when that she had almost vanquished hir enimies yet she had the same euent that the rest had While that the high Admirals doe most fiercely encounter eche other Partaw and Colonna encountred togither and euery one of Colonna his galleys with the Turkishe some with two and some with thrée as Colonna himselfe and the Admirall of the Venetians had done equall almost was the prowes of the souldiours on both sides At the beginning of the encouÌ„ter many were slayne but most on the enimies part by reason that our men had in euery galley thrée hundreth skilfull verye well practised harquebusiers and on the other side the enimye had verye fewe although in steade of them there were innumerable archers and among them some on horsebacke who deadly wounded manye of our menne But in the meane time the Galleye slaues also brought no small helpe to the obteyning of the victorie by hurling of Dartes and stones vpon the enimie While that the chief Captaynes of the fléetes encounter one the other with so bloudy and cruell fight all vessels of both nauies doe also in all partes furiously fight one against the other and Doria and Occhiali runne togither But here was the fight most troublesome and hardest bicause that Doria had ioined with so suttle an enimie and an old beaten Captaine and one whome he sawe did recule backe that he might choose that which he iudged woulde be most for his aduauntage This was a great impediment that his counsels
and intents coulde not be knowne nor all the galleyes brought forth at the first But when they at length though late came vnto fight Doria fought valiantly and had with him Octauian Ganzaga Vincent Vitelli and certaine noble men of Spaine who wyth the rest bestirred themselues not lasily Whilest that this furious fight continueth Lewes de Rechezenes dealt with Don Iohn to goe out of hande for to succour the right wing bicause he had séene and marked that manye of the enimies galleyes that hadde not yet begun to fight made thither and also that sundrie of Doria his galleyes were somewhat farre off When the Admirall was come there was a fierce and bloudy fight committed There were with Don Iohn Iohn Vasques Coranade Andrada and Francis Doria who fought all verye valiantly and although that at the beginning fewe of the galleyes followed the Admirall yet they which had bene appointed to garde hir sides did neuer forsake hir But the Admirall of the Spanishe fléete chauncing to sée a galley wherein were the sonnes of the Turkishe Admirall whome they thinking to be aliue and well diligently and carefully fought for here and there made in vnto hir and they fought togither with passing prowes for in the Turkishe galley were a great number of valiant men and in the Spanishe were the son of the Constable of Castile Iohn Velasco Alexander de Torelles and many other knights of Arragon At that time also Peter Iustinian the Admirall of the fléete of the Knightes of Malta a man of verye stoute courage and greate valor being assayled by three galleyes fought so valiantlye that he boorded two of them and hadde also almoste boorded the thirde when that other thrée Turkishe galleys seeing the flagge of Saint Iohn did spéedilye inuade him on all sides and they being ioyned with the other thrée slue almost all his men among whome were fifite Knightes of the religion who had with maruellous prowes long time susteyned the violent assault of their enimies Insomuch that all men thought she had bene quite loste when beholde vpon a sodeyne and not without the instinct of God twoo galleyes of his fellowes that had fought so valiantly with other thrée of the ennimies that they had taken almoste all of them séeing Iustinian his galley in greate distresse and daunger spéedilye hasted to helpe hir whome they deliuered out of all daunger and founde the Adinirall yet aliue although he were shotte in with thrée arrowes and still fighting with vnappalled heart at the decke with those fewe souldrours that were left aliue being cast into a ring In the meane time Occhiah very hardlye pressed Doria his side on all partes with his galleyes and had nowe taken ten of our galleyes Whyle that they thus encounter with doubtfull victorie the araye was broken in the aduerse parte and certayne small vessels fledde out of the battell whome yet our men did not chase for that it séemed to be no matter of anye greate importaunce but bent their strength directlye towardes that parte which was moste oppressed by the enimie When Occhiali percepued this he leauing the galleyes whiche be had a little before taken incontinentlye made towardes the middle battell but when he sawe that the middle battell was discomfited and that Don Iohn was come thither with his galley to helpe Doria he incontinentlye beganne to thinke of flight But our menne to interelude him didde take before hande a certayne place throughe the whiche they had thought be must néedes haue passed but he to escape the daunger directed his course close vnto the shore and there landed all the menne that were in his galleyes and thus the greatest parte of them were saued by swimming But if it hadde not chaunced that the greater parte of oure Galley slaues from whome their fetters were that daye taken and libertie promised them if that they did their ducties lustilye and faithfullye hadde not taried in those galleyes of the enimie whiche had bene taken in the battell not one Turke hadde escaped But nowe manye of them were saued by flighte Don Iohn Baciano and Doria spéedilye pursued Occhial vntill that it was almoste night But he fléeing awaye in the night time wyth Sayles and Oares accompanyed with sundrye Galleyes for the number was then vncertayne some reporting moe and some fewer but yet the common fame was thirtye escaped in safetie neyther coulde it be then certainelye knowne what waye he had taken But in the meane whyle in another quarter Barbadico and Mahomet Bey foughte togither with greate ferocitie And albeit that euerye one of our menne didde his duetie and foughte verye valiantlye and couragiouslye and speciallye the leader of the battell and also Antonye Canali and Marke Quirini the Lieutenauntes yet they had receyued greate incommoditie and doubtlesse had bene in no small daunger if Aluaro Baciano that ledde the rerewarde hadde not spéedilye come wyth succour By hys comming the fighte was farre more sharplye renued and they did charge the aduerse parte with suche force and violence that they discomfited them wherein they were also holpen by a fortunate wynde whiche blewe with vs and caried the smoke of our ordinaunce vppon the ennimye and didde beate backe theirs vppon themselues whereby their sighte was muche dymmed and obscured whereas oure menne sawe them verye playnelye and perfectlye In thys conflicte and fighte were manye slayne on bothe sides But the manne of moste renoumed fame and courage was Barbadico who was shotte into the eye with an arrowe as hée foughte verye valiauntlye and lustilye at what tyme the prowes and manne hoode of the Venetian Lieutenants although it were often also séene at other times yet then certes did most specially appeare For when they sawe that Barbadico was stricken in the eye with a very grieuous wounde and that he was so impeached by the immeasurable griefe thereof although that he suppressed it with surpassing stoutenesse of heart that he coulde not anye longer execute that which he had a little before done so stoutlye and excellently they did so performe the dueties of stoute Captaines and souldiours that nothing was wanting in them But Barbadico died that euening and not without the sighing and sorowe of all good men It is sayde that before he died he asked which part had the victorie and being tolde that our men had gotten it and that Selyms nauie was part taken and part sunken and burnt he gaue immortall thankes vnto God therefore and immediately after departed most ioyfull out of this life vnto the heauenly I cannot omit one notable acte of Aluaro Baciano that happened in this battell He séeing a mightie Admirall galley of the Turkes to make in lustilye towardes our Admirall layde hir aboorde himselfe and tooke hir but not without some losse of his men and his owne target was shot in with thrée small pellets and as he fought valiantly with hir there came another ship fraught ful of noblemen of Naples for to helpe him Furthermore it chaunced that Iohn de
the King to compounde with the enimie who dyd ouermatche them in all thyngs so that they myghte thereby assuredly prouide for the safetie of the Kyng and hys whole army Finally there were fewe who thought that the life and libertie of the King was rashly to be putte into the daunger of vnequall fyghte when there was no man founde that béeyng more wofull for the Kings safetie than for his owne was not of the opinion that the euent of the battell woulde bée farre worse than all other things in somuch that they séemed vnable eyther to fynde ende to theyr aduices or assured meane to saue the armye in that daunger But then they reporte that Trivulzi on whome specially all mens eyes were cast dyd wyth the great expectation of all menne speake in this manner They that doe consulte of the doubtfull chaunces of warfare at suche tyme as perill is present ought to fetche that one way and meane both of safetie and also of victorie which is only lest from stoutenesse of courage fearelesse hearte for when force doth most vrge in a matter and there is most néede both of stoute aduice and couragious aduenture there a man to abate his stomacke dismisse his minde and to be attainted wyth feare is both shameful and also most times pernicious but yet the same séemeth to be muche more dishonorable vntimely when that by ouer wofully weighing and pondering the perils we do make and imagine them to be greater worse thā they are indéede Diuers that haue spoken before me graue men and whych byndeth greater credite vnto their words very couragious and valiaunt warriours haue doubted and that too very vehemently of the safetie of you most inuincible Soueraigne and of your whole army that is to witte by rehearsing what penurie of thyngs and famine do hang ouer both men and Horses what asperities of places what streightes doe hinder our iourney and pull from valiant mē the vse of prowesse and finally what kinde and how great an armye of oure enimies do foreshutte and stoppe the wayes agaynste vs béeyng fewe in number and wéeryed with the toyle of so great a iourney that we may not by any meanes escape so that it is better to trye all other wayes than wyth despayred victorie by contending with force to hazard the whole as though as it liketh some that to the ende we may escape vnto the safe Alpes the most noble and alwayes victorious King should take a most dishonorable and lamentable iourney ouer the Mountaynes of Liguria all the baggage of the army and the great ordinance being by secrete and shamefull flighte lest behinde for oure enimies or else that we turne oure backes towards thē and returne againe vnto Pisa that anone after our enimies enuironing vs both by sea land we being tamed by famine and yéelded may be a laughing stocke vnto that whole world Neither also do I like of the aduice that your Maiestie should by a shamefull cōpositiō obteine of your armed enimies a safe returne into France For by what other faith shall we assure ourselues all things to be peaceable thā by the selfesame whereby euen now they so impudētly brake the late leagues But in this let vs credite the perfidious for they also do somtime vse to kéepe their faith giuē that they may afterward deceiue more timely with greater gaine By this vnhappie couenanting are not so many valiaunt men that do nobly defende the kingdome of Naples beyng destitute of all hope of help forsaken and also betrayed vnto their most cruell enimies and if the garrison be withdrawen out of Nouara shal not the course that is begun to a more ample victorie be vtterly interrupted and cut off Doubtlesse I see that the same one only counsell is both safe and honorable whiche dothe séeme vnto other most hard and daungerous namely that abandoning all thought of peace or flighte wée make vs a way with our swords Neither bycause that I do promise that in the successe all things will be easie for you nor do despaire of the victorie would I séeme to foresée in mind more than the rest and more arrogantly to forefeele the whole euent of thys instante matter for this may be graunted not vnto my witte but vnto my practise in warfare and experience of Italian affayres sith that for the space of these many yeares I haue bin presente in all the warres of Italy whereby it was not hard for me aboundantly to learne the counsels mindes artes and the verye discipline both of the Princes and also the Captaines and souldyers thereof all which things haue at the length with my often not obscure perils so taught and instructed me that they haue made mée neyther foolishe-hardie nor altogither fearefull First of all wyll not I beléeue that whiche doth so vehemently feare their hartes that are moued with the greatenesse of the daunger that is that the Venetians will of their owne accorde bidde vs battell for besides that ye vnderstand by the letters of certaine that the Lieutenantes and Captaynes haue no commission from the Senate to fight who will beléeue that a people of nature giuen long to linger and draw forth warres will for an other mans cause without any their necessitie hazard all their power in a pitched fielde for it is too too foolishe for a common wealth that doth flourish in euerlasting wyse Counsellours and ryches that cannot bee consumed to couet gay triumphes by a doubtfull and bloudy battell when they may and not rashly looke for the mature and certayn victorie of the vniuersall warres that are not feared with the great charges of them Neyther indéede do I thinke that Lewes Sforza a man of nature fearefull suspitious and very wary dothe earnestly labour by his secret counsel to haue the french power quite destroyed by the Venetians For what other ende will there come of that victorie which God forfende than that the Duchie of Milan become a bootie vnto the Venetian victor which they by inuading and tearing with impotent armes haue alwayes with singular couetousnesse desired But admitte that Lewes will do nothing to day as a wise and wary man and that the Venetians by a new and suddayne coūsell wil committe the Empire of Italy to the arbitrement of doubtfull Mars is there any doubt therefore couragious Soueraigne Charles to be made of the victorie let vayne feares departe from valiant heartes séeyng that all things that euery good Chiefetaine doth wish to haue when he shall fight do promise vnto vs vndoubted hope of good successe Firste of all a cause passing good faithfull and olde Souldyers greate store of ordinance a very indifferents place and finally regarde of none other thing but common safetie and glory The prowesse of the Italian Souldyers héere to day neyther do I debase nor extoll for I should do foudly or impudently if I should vtter my iudgement thereof so that kéeping still my shamefastnesse vnuiolated I doubt not to
encounter the midle battel wherin was the Kyng But the fourth battell to charge the rerewarde was assigned vnto Fortebraccio de Montoni Also thrée battels of succoure were appoynted with very good order indéede but with a very shamefull euent so that Antonie de Feltri the bastard of Vrbine should timely ayde the Generall when the signall shoulde bée giuen Aniball Bentiuogli Galeazzo Pallaâ—icini when néede required should follow the Earle of Giazza and finally Lewes Aduocato and Fraunces Gambara Bressâ—ns and Soneino Beazono a Gremenese should attend vpon Montoni The reason why these battels of succour were ordeined was this that when euery battell of the Frenchmen béeing entangled with their owne peril could not succour the nexte being in distresse they shoulde all of them be at one time beaten downe almost from all partes The eyght and ninth battell were placed a little father off for as ayde against all vncertaine chances But Taliano Pio Charles Meliteo were left with the rest of the armye to guard the Campe. Moreouer the maisters of the great ordinance were commaunded to plant their ordinance in a long ranke on the banke of the Riuer of Tarro in as commodious places as coulde be prouided by martiall arte When the battels were thus sette in aray the Marques returned vnto the Prouiditori who albeit they being suspended with very weightie care iudged it contrarie vnto the reason and trade of their common wealth to dareyne battell yet suche was the chéerefulnesse of the host singularly well arraunged and appoynted to fighte that nowe it repented them of their ouerwary counsell and were throughly filled both with ioy and assured hope of victorie Neither was ther any man honourable either for his age or martiall dignitie that then durst consult with cunctation and suspense whether the battell were to be aduentured or openly to make any doubt of obteyning the victorie for most of the fresh water Souldiers béeyng lifted vp by a certaine hote desire to fight and a trust reposed in their strength were so lustie that if they hearde anye men speake somewhat warely or considerately in that daunger of the whole state they openly rayled vppon him with manye reprochful wordes and called them drawe backes and feareful dastardes And it happened that wheÌ„ Radulph Gonzago sayd that hée thought the place would be incommodious for them to fighte in and therefore would haue had it first made euen and leuell he was streight wayes malapertly scoffed at by Mario Caluisano a goodlye lustie youth and one in greate fauoure with the Marques for hée tolde him with vnreuerend spéeche that they which were so greatly afrayde of their skinne might do well immediately to get them thence and shrowde themselues warely within the walles of Parma I pray God quoth Radulph then that these foolishe hardie kilâ—owe princoxes do valiantly follow me piercing into the middes of the enimies for they shall receyue the strokes not of painted and trilling vain stanes as they do at games but féele of the stroÌ„g and sturdy stéele God graunte we maye embrue these braue casâ—â—â—kes and coates rather with our enimies than with oure owne bloud Radulph indéede was the true and the best Iudge and valure of forraigne warfare for from his childhoode he had bin one of the Henchmen of Charles the Duke of Burgoigne and was present at those thrée last battels in whiche he béeyng at length vanquished lost hys martiall power whyche before was feared of all men and hys Duchie togyther wyth hys life In the meane tyme when the Frenchmen now drewe néere and the Souldyers were excited vnto the battell by the often thunder of the great ordinance the Marques turning hymselfe vnto the Lieutenantes sayde If you thynke it for the behoofe of the common weale that we doe valiantly bridle the foolishe hardinesse of the Frenchmenne whiche wyth barbarous vanitie doe promise themselues the Empyre of all Italy we must not long consulte but nowe when the Fyffe and Trumpettes of oure enimies do call vs we must out of hande bende oure heartes to fyghte for if by lingering we shall lette oure enimies escape out of our handes wée shall not fynde héereafter so good an occasion to oppresse him and shall in vayne pursue hym béeyng lyght and vncumbred and wyth wasting all the Countrey hasting through the paineful and blinde pathes to succoure his people at Nouara I for my part if yée shall commaunde it will lette the Seigniorie of Venice to vnderstande my seruice and will stretche all my strength of body and minde to shewe that the auntient honor is not takeÌ„ from the Italian Souldiour by forraigne nations and that thorough oure valiaunce a most renowmed victorie may be gotten of the prowde enimie for you Venetians the true and assured setters at libertie of the dignitie of Italy Therevnto hys college also assentyng thus aunswered Triuisano Go to most valiant Generall séeyng that you doe testifye wyth surpassing courage so singular a good wyll towardes the Venetian name and that the honor of sauing Italy doth instantie you to winne the fruite of euerlasting prayse commaunde the battell to be sounded the whyche I pray God may bée good and fortunate vnto the Seigniorie of Venice and their confederated felowes turne the araunged battels against the enimies and endeuour by vanquishing valiauntly that youre house renowned for the perpetuall glistering of auntiente glorye maye bée made to shyne 〈◊〉 brighte through the honorable title of a newe victorie And without anye more tarriance at one tyme the Drummes Trumpettes and greate ordinance beganne to sounde and the battel 's arraunged in suche order as we haue declared made towarde the enimie thorough the Riuer in thrée places but they ranne foorth so rashly and vnluckily that they who were carried wyth so greate couragiousnesse were troubled and halfe ouercome by the greate iniquitie of the places before they coulde come vnto theyr enimies for the Chanell of Tarro was very yll to passe ouer full of turnings and windings and verye muche cumbered wyth Willowes growyng therein and also the brimmes of both the bankes were very hard both to goe vp and downe And moreouer manye quagge myres and blinde gulfes were made by the greate rayne that fell the daye before And finally the Fordes of the Ryuer were euery where stony and vncertayne through whyche difficultyes as it must néedes happen the course and force of the passengeâ—s was greately hyndered And albeit they were sore annoyed with these incommodityes and the greatest parte of them coulde hardly gette out themselues nor ouertake them whyche marched before yet they valiantly charged their enimyes and ranne togyther with Speares and Swordes and in thrée places attached a hote and variable fight nowe fortunate to one and now to the other The Frenchmenne hadde stoode still in a place very safe the whyche on that syde whyche the Italians came was very vneuen and cumbered wyth many trées so that when the Italians clambered vppe the hyll they foughte dispersed with
pace it â—â—â—â—ed that the foreward of the Frenchmen wherein were v. C. men of armes and the regiments of the Switzers vnder the coÌ„ducte of Charles de Amboise and Iohn Iames de Triulzi were vppon a sodaine gotten very neare vnto the rerewarde of the Venetians ledde by Barthlomew de AluiaÌ„ wherein were eight hundred men of armes and almost all the beste footemen of the whole army but in no very good array bycause AluiaÌ„ did not thinke that day to fight But when he sawe his ennimies so neare vnto him whether incited by his wonted heate or for that he was broughte into that state that he muste needes fight incontinently signifyed vnto the Earle of Petilia who marched before with the vauntgarde either his necessitie or purpose requesting hym to come to his aide to whome the earle answered that he should marche on and shunne the conflicte for so both the reason of the warre required and so the Senate of Venice also willed But in the mean tyme Aluian placing his footemen with fixe great peeces on a little bay made to let the course of a certaine brooke then dry which ran betwene the two armies gaue a chardge at his enimies wyth suche violence and valor that he disordered them being holpen herein bicause the fight was begunne among certayne Vineyardes where the FrenchmeÌ„ could not for the vines redily vse their horse but this perill caused the king to come forward with the strength of the army and thervpon the auauntgarde and the middle battell charged on the souldiours of Aluian who hauyng conceyued greate hope of victory through the happy beginning flewe about hether and thether in kindling and inciting his souldiours wyth most vehemeÌ„t words and very fiersly fought they on both sides the Frenchmen taking againe heart of grasse through the succour of their fellows and also the battell being broughte into an open place where they might freely vse their horses wherein they did farre ouermatche besides they were not a little inflamed by the presence of the King who taking no more care of himselfe than if he had bin a priuate souldiour lay open to the daunger of the ordinaunce and cessed not where need was to commaund encourage and threaten his souldiors On the other side the Italians being made hardy by the first successe fought with incredible valiancie neither failed Aluian in doing in any â—â—nction of a very excellent souldiour and chieftaine At length when they had fought about iij. hours with singular valiaÌ„cy the Venetian power hauing receiued in the plaine and champaine field a great flaughter and discomfiture by the horsemen and also the ground being made so slippery by a great shoure of raine which fel whilest they fought that the footmen coulde â—et no fast footing especially being destitute of the succor of their felows began to fight with great incoÌ„moditie yet neuerthelesse wheÌ„ they fought with passing prowes although now hope of victory was lost rather for glory thaÌ„ for safety made the victory bloudy for a time doubtfull but at the laste their strength being rather loste than their courage auailed they neuer turning their backs were slaine where they stoode among whom Peter one of the house of the Marquesses of Monte Sanmaria in Tofcan a captain of a regiment of footemen was much coÌ„mended This so stout valor of but one only part of the army bred a constant opinion in many mens minds that if the whole army of the Venetians had entred the battell they had horne away the victory But the erle whether bicause as he stayed himself wheÌ„ he turned about to fight he was impeched by the fleing battel of Aluian or as the reporte went for that he had no hope of victory and was very angry that Aluian durst fight contrary to his coÌ„maundement and had thought it better to haue that part of the army to be conserued than the whole loste through anothers rashnesse he kepte the greatest parte of the army from fighting In this battell were few horsemen loste the greatest flaughter lighted on the footemen of the Venetians wherof some say there were viij M. slaine other but only vj. M. on both sides Bartholmewe Daluian was broughts prisoner vnto the kings Tente with one of his eyes and his face sore brused and made blacke and blewe twenty péeces of great ordinaunce were taken the rest of the army escaped no man pursuing them In the place where this battell was fought the French king built a Chappell which he called Sancta Maria victoria After this ouerthrowe the Venetians were easily spoyled of almost all the Cities that they possessed in the maine land of Italy ¶ The Battell of Rauenna fought in Italy betvvene Gascon of Foix Duke of Nemours generall for the Frenche king Lewes the twelfth and Reymund de Cardonna viceroy of Naples general for the king of Spayn and Iulius the Pope Anno. 1512. GAscon of Foix Generall of the armye in Italy of Lewes the French King against the Pope hauyng intelligence that the power of the Spaniardes and the Pope were coÌ„ming accordyng vnto their promise to succour Marke Anthony de Colonâ—a besieged by hym in Rauenna fearyng the irruption of Marke Anthony brake vp the siege and withdrewe thrée miles froÌ„ the town towards the army of the league and that night making a bridge ouer the riuer of Ronco digging downe leuell the bankes of the Riuer that the souldiours might in all places passe ouer more easily the eleuenth day of Aprill being Ester day the Almaine footemen passed ouer the Riuer by the bridge but all the souldiers of the forewarde and middle battell thorough the Forde the rerewarde ledde by the Lord Iuo de Alegres in the whiche were foure hundreth men of armes remayned on the banke of the Riuer towardes Rauenna that if needs should be they might aide the army or else bridle the garrison and townsmen of Rauenna if they hapned to sally out but to kepe the bridge which had before ben built vpon Montone he left Paris Scot wyth one thousand footemen which being done thus he aranged his battels the vauntguarde before whome went the great ordinaunce consisting of seuen hundred men of armes and Almaine footemen vnder the leading of the Duke of Ferrara and the Seneschall of Normandie was placed on the banke of the riuer which was on their right hand so that the footemen did flanke the lefts wing of the horsemen Nere to the footemen of the auauntgard were set the footmen of the mindâ—le â—â—â—tâ—ll all being right thousand parte Gascoignes and parte of other Countreys of Fraunce the captaine of this battel was Alegres Then further from the banks of the riuer stoode the rerewarde who were Italian footemen in number v. thousand conducted by Federicke de Bozzolo This battell was flanked by all the Archers on horsebacke and the light horsemen beeing in number thrée thousande Behynde all these battailes which stoode not directly one before another but embowed like vnto a Croisaunt or
de Medici Moreouer along the same banke of the riuer stoode the rerewarde conducted by Caruaiall a Spaniarde in that battell were foure hundreth men of armes and foure thousande footemen all the light horsemen whose Generall was Daualos Marquesse of Pescara a verye young Gentleman but of passyng greate hope guarded the right syde of the footemen behinde that they might succour that part that fainted the great ordinance was placed in the front of the men of armes and Peter de Nauarro the Generall of the Spanishe footemen accompanied with fiue hundreth horsemen had tyed hymselfe tone certain place but had sette at the ditche in the front of the footemen thirtye Wagons lyke vnto the hooked Chariotes vsed in auntient time Wherevpon he had placed fielde peeces and very long boare spears to sustain the more easely the furious fease and chardge of the Frenchemen in which order they expected the impression and chardge of their ennemies strong armye wythin the munition of the ditche the which counsell as in the ende it profited nothing so did it appeare at the beginning to be pernicious for it was the minde of Fabricio de Coloma to inuade the enemies assoone as they beganne to passe ouer the riuer thinking it more commodious to encounter with one only parte of the ennimies than to abide in the camp defenced with a single ditch but when Peter de Nauarro whose counsell the Viceroy dyd folowe as oracles repugned it was decreed thoughe nothing prudently that they should be suffered to passe ouer the riuer Now the Frenchmen beingcome within 〈◊〉 hundreth paâ—en of the ditche stayed when they saw their enimies kept theÌ„selues within their Campe not stirring one foote least that otherwise they should giue their enimie that aduantage whiche themselues desyred to haue so both armies stoode stone still aboue two houres but innumerable pellets were in the meane time shot out of the great ordinance on eyther syde by whome the Frenche footemen suffered not a little detriment for Nauarro had planted his ordinance in suche a place as he might muche hurt them but the Duke of Ferrara with great celeritie brought a part of the great ordinance behinde the army vnto another wing of the Frenchmen where the archers on Horsebacke stoode which wing bycause the army was of the forme of a croysant was almost on the backe of the enimies from whence he began cruelly to flanke their sydes with very great detriment and namely of the Horsemen for the Spanish footemen being brought by Nauarro into a lowe place along the rampyre of the riuer and by his commaundement layde flat on the ground could not be hit Fabricio called out with a loude voice and vrged the Viceroy with chicke sending of messengers to begin the battell before they were absumed by the fury of the great ordinance but Nauarro being led by peruerse ambition would not assent for synce he had promised himselfe victorie thorough the valor of the Spanish footemen yea though all the rest of the armye were slayne he thought that hys glory would be the more augmented the more the detrimentes of the rest of the army were heaped But now the men of armes and light Horsemen had susteyned so greate slaughter that it coulde be no longer borne and with a miserable spectacle mingled with horrible cryes nowe Horsemen now Horses fell downe dead nowe heads and armes torne off from the rest of the bodye were séene fléeyng in the aire whereat Fabricio exelayming And must we all quoth he shamfully dye through the wilfulnesse and peruersenesse of one Maran and must this armie be vtterly all loste not one enimie slayne by vs Where be our so many tropheys of the FreÌ„chmen must the honour of Spayne and Jtaly perish for the pleasure of only Nauarro and when he had spoken these wordes no longer staying eyther for the signall or commaundement of the Viceroy he draue his Horsemen ouer the ditche whome when the rest of the Horsemen followed Nauarro was forced presently to giue the signall vnto his Regiment who rising vp with great ferocitie encountred the Almaines which had now approched them so all the battels on both sydes being mixed a maruellous mightie battell was begun and the greatest without doubt that Jtaly had séene in many yeares for that at Tarro was scarce any thing else but a strong encounter of Horsemen and the battels in the Kingdome of Naples were rather disorderings of array or rash attemptes thaÌ„ battels and at Giaradaedda the smallest part of the Venetian power had fought but héere all of both sydes béeyng mixed togyther in a playne without impedimente of waters or munitions two mightie armies fought with hartes firmely fastned eyther to vanquish or dye being inflamed not only by perill glory and hope but also with the mutuall hatred that the nations bare euery one to other In the encounter of the Almayne footemenne with the Spanyardes two Colonels of greate fame named Iacob Emser an Almayne and Zamude a Spanyard fought as it were by challenge before the frontes of the battels in whiche fighte the Spanyarde slaying his enimie became victor The Horsemen of the confederates were not comparable vnto the French Horsemen besydes they had bin that day so endamaged and torne by the ordinaunce that they were made farre inferioure so that after they had awhyle susteyned the force of their enimies rather by stoutenesse of hart than strength of body and Alegies sending for Palice wyth the rereward and also the thousande footemen which had bin lefte at Montone had charged them on the syde and Fabricio de Colonnae fyghting very valiauntly had bin taken by the Souldyers of the Duke of Ferrara they séeyng themselues no longer able to beare the force of their enimies and also taught by the examples of theyr chiefetaynes turned theyr backes For the Viceroy and Caruaiall neuer tarrying the vttermost triall of the valour of the Souldyers fledde leading away with them the rerewarde almost whole and vntouched wyth whome also fledde Antony de Leâ—a a man then of low state but one that afterwarde being exercised by the space of many yeares in all degrées of martiall seruice became a verye famouâ—â—enerall Nowe all the lyghte Horsemenne were ouerthrowen and Pescara theyr Captayne wette wyth bloud and woundes was taken with hym and also the Marquesse of Palude who hadde broughte into the fyghte the seconde battell through a fielde full of ditches bushes and bryers whyche muche disordred the aray and besydes that the grounde was nowe couered ouer wyth the carkasses of Horses and men slayne whyche was no small hynderaunce vnto them But yet the Spanishe footemen béeyng forsaken of the Horsemenne foughte with incredible fiercenesse who although they hadde bin a little driuen backe at the fyrste encounter wyth the Almaynes by reason of the strong rankes of theyr pykes yet after they came within the length of theyr Swordes and manye of the Spanyardes béeyng couered wyth Targettes hadde gotte betwéene the legges of the
battell nor to pursue any that flieth stoode still a great part of the day fearing lest the French horsmen incited either through the policie of their Captaines or theyr owne shame would come backe againe and appresse them while they were busied in spoilyng the deade But their enimies ranne awaye wyth suche feare and pertinacie that Trivulzi galloping to fro all dustie and hoarse with crying vnto them was not able eyther by faire or foule speache or the aucthoritie of Generall to stay the ensignes or to retaine the horsemen that casting awaye their launces gallopped awaye foremost It is well knowen that Grittie the Venetian Prouiditor who being a companion of this vnluckye iourney ran awaye with them oftentimes sayde among this company of hasting horsmen Yee olde horsemen that flyng awaye so faste vppon the spurre to day bee not the men of armes of the Venetians but those noble Gentlemen of France that vsed to cal them women runaways Certes it neuer happened before that Captains at all other times inuincible and fortunate being furnished wyth so great an army were defeated by a fewe footemen fortune nowe listing to sporte a little It is reported that the French horsemen might haue bin all wholy destroyed in their flighte if Maximilian Sforza had had but two hundreth men of armes for not one of the French horsemen caried launce beyonde Sesithes so greate was their heate to escape yet a while after Siluio Sabello and Corradino Cribelly with certaine light horsmen pursued them euen to the towne of Trecato But the Contadmes or Pesantes running out of the fieldes and â—ainlets vnto the spoile cruelly slue where they sawe any bootie the dispersed and fearefull Frenchemenne wearyed and quite spente at ditches hedges and all other places that didde lette their course The same daye the Switzers gathering togither the slaine bodies of their countrymen caried them on their shoulders into the Citie that the laste honoures myght iustly be done vnto them that had singularly wel deserued of the common wealth There were slaine of them in this victory aboute a thousande three hundreth of whome they broughte into the Towne aboue seuen hundreth torne into péeces with the great ordinaunce and almoste as many were wounded But on the Frenche part were slaine to the number of eight thousande of all sortes Among the Captaines of the Switzers the almoste monstrous valor of Jordin of Vnderwalde was specially noted who by the credible report of many slewe twenty of his ennimies with his halberde carying away the iuste rewardes of assured praise But Maximilian being very ioyfull for so happy successe called the Souldiours togither and the teares trickling downe his chéeks scarfe able to speake for ioy he gaue them all harty thankes and that whych might be a gift of present pleasure hée gaue them in rewarde of their prowesse all the victualles that was taken to be deuided among them besides the ordinaunce and all the spoyle and praye that was gotten But the trenche that was taken from the enimie hee sette vppe in a publique place as a monumente of the victorye And forasmuche as wée haue seene the maner of the making thereof wee doe thinke it good to describe the same that it may be both a paterne and also profitable vnto the posteritie A square plotte of fifty paces euerye waye like vnto a small Campe being measured out foure strong postes sharped at the ende were driuen into the grounde at euery angle one standyng aboue the grounde nauell highe the sides were defenced with lesser posts or stakes a certaine space being lefte betweene post and post betweene the postes went rayles which they might take off and on they being fastened togither with yron bookes or claspes The Almaines stoode within this munition which was defenced rounde about wyth almoste an hundreth Harquebuzers a crocke Through the defence thereof Sedan had thought verily that the force of his assayling enimies woulde not only haue bene susteined but cleane dashed broken and defeated for he was of the belefe that the Switzers before they could come to vse their pikes and to hande strokes shoulde be paide for their inconsiderate inuasion It being likely that the esquadron terrible for their pikes and safe and inuincible for their strength wold defend the trench and at length opening the munition breake out vpon the disordered enimies and so obteyne an vndoubted victory But this engine inuented by a warlike witte and brought ouer the Alpes with so greate labour and charges as it did greatly delight the eyes of the beholders both for the noueltie of the fashion and the hope of victory so Fortune after hir wonted guise scorning such subtill inuentions tooke successe quite away from reason and the woorke when it shoulde haue taken moste effecte But thys deceyued the Almaines that they thought it not nedefull that day to set vppe their trenche which lay in the Wagons seeing the camp did then go backe from the enimie When wee conferred wyth Tremouille at Bolongne about these matters he did not fondly laye the faulte in Trivulzi as thoughe that hee woulde not encampe as Tremouille hadde perswaded hym on hys owne landes for destroying of the grasse that then was ready to be mowen But Trivulzi as he that had neuer bene vanquyshed before when hee declared muche of the euente of this battell did referre it wholly vnto the iniurie that was fatall vnto hys renowne for hee sayde that the skilfullest Captayne in the worlde coulde not by any me anes redresse rashe men and Souldiours made starke staring madde by degenerate feare The Battel of Ginghat fought in Picardie betvveene Henry the eight King of England and Monsieur de Piennes generall for Lewes the French king in Anno Domin 1513. WHen that HENRY the eight king of Englande besieged the Citie of Tyrwin with three camps of whom himself coÌ„ducted one the Earle of Shrewsbury an other and the Lord Herbert the third he had intelligence that Lewes the Frenche king had leuied an armie vnder the conduct of the Lord Piennes for to victual the Citie whiche was sore oppressed wyth penurie Whervpon king HENRY passed ouer the riuer with all the retinue of his owne camp his ordinance for to impeach the Frenche passage in that parte In the meane season a French man beeing taken in skirmishe in hope of pardon of his raunsome declared that the Frenche armie with their full power and strength were comming from Blangie to the number of fifteene thousande horsemen to ayde Terwyn on that side of the water And to the intent that the armie of the Earle of Shrewsbury and she Lord Herbert should not ayde the King there were appointed fiue thousand of the fifteene thousand on the other side of the water to inuade them on the other side of the water The Kyng had no sooner pitched his field and sette in order his ordinance but that he was aduertised by the Northern prickers that the Frenchemen to the number of twelue thousande
gotten and two and twentye peeces of ordinance among whom were seuen culuerings of greate hugenesse whom the king for their likenesse one vnto another hadde named the seauen sisters The Scottishe Campe was with the same fease wonne and spoyled the kyngs body was founde the nexte daye by Dacres and brought to Berwicke and there a long time lay vnburyed for the Englishemen thought hym vnworthy of the holy honor of buriall and graue among Christians after death for that he had in lyfe time fauoured and mayntained the Frenchmen and Schifmatickes ¶ The Battell of Vlmo fought in Venegia betvvene Raimonde of Cardona Generall of the armie of the league made by Maximilian the Emperour Ferdinande the King of Spaine and Bartholmewe de la Aluiano or Liuiano Generall for the Venetians in Anno. 1513. Oute of Iouius ANno Domini 1513. Raimond de Cardonna captaine of the army of the league againste the French King inuaded Venegia with fifteene bandes of Spanishe footemen vnder the conducte of Ferdinande Marquesse of Pescara euerye bande conteyning three hundreth Souldiors and seuen bands of Lansquenetz ledde by James Landawe euerye bande consysting of fiue hundreth Souldiours both the Spaniardes and the Almaines were olde Souldiours and hadde foughte verye valiauntlye of late at Rauenna wyth seauen hundreth men of armes of Kyng Ferdinandes olde companies and also one hundreth and fiftie Almaine men of armes vnder the conducte of Rician and Celemberg the Emperours Captaines and also a companye of light horsemen whose Capitayne was Succaro Heduo and besydes two companies of men of armes of the Popes power ledde by Troilo Sabelli and Mutio Colonna and a company of light horse vnder the gouernement of Vrsino Mognani finallye wyth sixe hundreth Spanishe horsemen seruing vnder Peter de Castro among whome many were archers With thys power and .xij. falcons he inuaded Venecia bicause the Venetians hadde that same Sommer ioyned wyth the Frenche power in Milan againste the Duke when that Trivulzi was discomfited by the Switzers But when he sawe that he coulde not gette out the Venetian power to fight with him neither coulde he winne eyther Padoa or Treuiso where they kepte themselues hee passed ouer the riuer of Brenta where after they had wyth fyre and sword wasted all that countrey beeyng of singular fertilitie hee encamped at a village on the Sea coaste called Maestre from whence as the nearest place of the mayne lande vnto Venice hee holdyng the stately seate of the enimie commaunded the ordinaunce to be layde vppon the nearest parte of the shoare and to bee shotte off in reproche and spite of the proude Citie as thoughe hee hadde layde hys batterie againste thē Citie as in deede some pellettes lighted in it The whiche spitefull parte bredde suche indignation in the heartes of the angred Seignorye who not wythout teares behelde theyr princely Mannour houses burning in all partes of the Countrey that they wrote vnto Liuiano their Generall who was at Padoa with a power to represse the insultyng insolencie of their enimyes wyth armes and whensoeuer he shuld get opportunity of tyme and place to gyue them battell Liuiano gathered togither almost seuen hundreth men of arms and few lesse than two thousand light horsemen seuen thousande footemen and greate store of fielde péeces wyth hym also ioyned Sacramoro Visconti being excluded out of Milan wyth aboute seauen hundreth horsemen very well appointed Moreouer this barbarous burning hadde excited a great number of Contadines or pesants vnto whome Liuiano had before sent Paulo Manfrony an experte Captaine to rule and guide with reason and counsell the rude multitude commaunding hym to permit no occasion of inuading the enimies on the backe whensoeuer hee shold see them either troubled with the woddes or riuers or busied with battell The newes of the approch of Liuiano made the army of the league to cease their wasting and to seeke to passe ouer the riuer of Brenta the which they politikly did in the night time deceiuing Liuiano who being driuen from his first councel marched to a place called Vlmo thrée miles from Vicenza to take the streightes of the next hilles which way the Leagers muste needes passe to go vnto Verona which the Emperour then possessed But Liuiano stopped the passage of the streights with castyng by of ditches trenches and rampires wherein he had placed hys great ordinance so that it was not possible for the enimie to passe that waye wythout assured destruction and agayne to take an other way aboute by the mightye Mountaynes and the thicks Woods of Basiano seemed to be worse than an aduerse battell the Pesantes cruelly pursuing them that had loste their baggage as men vtterly vanquished and turned out of their auntient honour Nowe was the armie of the League come wythin sight of the enimie and were encamped so neare vnto the Venetians that they hearde the neighing of their horses and the noise of their camp and were wonderfully annoyed by Liuiano from the higher ground with the greate ordinaunce so that the horsemen were forced to seeke low places and great trees to defend them selues and the footemen to lye flatte vppon the grounde But when night was come proclamation was made that al the fires throughout the camp shuld be put out that the enimies might haue no marke to direct their shot more certainlye and also thoroughe the persuasion of Prospero de Colonna who ruled all the armye although Raimonde was Generall al the Wagons and bootie that they had gotten was burnt that they might more speedyly marche the nexte daye before it was light towardes Basiano hoping assuredly of victory if they coulde gette the enimie out of the strong place of aduauntage for to folow them It was somewhat late ere Liuiano vnderstoode of the departure of the enimies by reason of a thicke miste that arose as it commonly doeth in such moorish countreys but assoone as hée perceyued that they were gone he sent Bernardine Antiniola his sisters sonne a valiaunt yong Gentleman with the light horsmen and three Falkons to endamage the taile of them and to view whether they wente for his minde was not to ioyne with them in battell wythout greate aduauntage knowyng hys footemen not able to match the old Spaniardes Lancequenetz but determined only to vex annoy and stay them wyth often skirmishes as they marched thorough troublesome and yll wayes that he might deliuer them being wearied with trauel watching and famine into the hands of the Pesantes swarming aboute them so to be destroyed But Antiniola very hotly vrging on the tayle of the ennimies attached a very sharpe encounter wyth the Almaine horsemen in the whiche he beyng repulsed had forsaken his ordinaunce but after that other troupes of horsmen succoured hym the fight was againe so furiously renewed that not only the three péeces of ordinance were recouered but also the Almains put to flight in such sort that Prospero commaunded al the horsemen to open their troupes and to make way through the middes of
But Andrewe Gritti gotte hym to Vicenza and was there verye hardly saued for assoone as the Venetians beganne to flye the perculleis of the gate was let down which was the cause of many a mans death for they missing their hope of entring Vicenza in going backe againe met with the ennimies by whome were slayne Captaines of companies of horsemenne Charles Monrons 〈◊〉 Saxatello Constantius Pio sonne to Anthony and Meleagriâ— of Fonli but there were slaine of Captaines footemen and pety captains aboue sixe and twenty Many were saued by the Italians and Spâ—â—mardes but those whome fortune caste on the Almaines hauyng before sworne to spare no man were al slaine There dyed of the Venetian army that day being the .vij. day of October about vij M. whereof .iiij. C. were men of armes a thing that had neuer happened before in any battell There were also taken .xxiij. péeces of ordinaunce wyth all the ensignes yea and this almoste atâ—â—icued without wounde of theyr enimies for there were lost but only two men of marke they were of Mittius de Colonnd is company Eberard de Cornia his ensigne bearor and Camillo Maximo knight of Rome a yong Gentleman of rare towardenesse There was neuer armye in our age that had foughte eyther wyth more shamefull ende or was vanquished with lesse damage of the enimie in so much that the Marquesse of Pescara euen in the mids of his ioy for the victory detesting the dast arolynesse of the Venetian Souldiors openly protested that he was very hartily sory that it was his lucke to haue béen inserted by dys auncessours into the land of Italy that brought forth so feeble faint harted souldiors But after this greate ouerthrowe giuen the army of the League by reason of the approch of winter wer forced to forsake the field and to returne vnto their wintering places ¶ A Battell fought in anno 1514. at the riuer of Boristhenes betvvene Basilius the great Duke of Moscouie and Constantine Generall of Sigismunde King of Polande Out of Iouius WHen Basill the gâ—â— are Duke of Mosconie had by treason taken the strong towne of Smoleincho he sent thrée companies of horsmeÌ„ to waste Littaw Against whom Sigismunde King of Polon sent his approued Captaine Constantine with an army of 〈◊〉 thousaÌ„d Foloman mâ—â— of auntes twelue thousand Lithuamâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—bâ—oâ—â—e aâ— archers on horsebacke and three thousande footemen part harquebusierz and parte pikemen in whose puissance if they once ioyned in battel the reposed assured hope of victorye Basill who had aboue fourtse thousand horsemen doubting nothing of the euent of the 〈◊〉 battell suffred the Pâ—â—lonian power quietly to passe ouer the riuer of Boristhenes or Neptâ—â— that he might haue the more full and noble victorye and when bee vnderstoode by his espites that all the Polonians were passed ouer turning himself towardes his Captaine her spake as followeth Our eniuâ—â—â—ane passe the Riuer to late to retourne againe if ye 〈◊〉 playe the men Wherefore moste valiaunt fellowe Souldiours aâ—â—â—one as euer ye shall receyue the signall breake forth as thicke togither as ye can clustes and after ye haue once powred downe shorte of shaftes vppon your enimies battels then euery two of you encountes one enimie and persuade your selues that by this dayes victory ye shall sacke the riche Cities of vilâ—â—nd 〈◊〉 the Chiefâ— Cities of Liâ—â—â—â— and Polâ—â— When hee had thâ—â— sayde â—eechâ—se out of all the whole hoste aboute seauen thousande horseâ—â—â— whome hee commaunded to enclose the enimye behinde at the backe and when they perceyued the battell waxed hotte at the front then they shoulde wyth all their power sette vppon the ennimyes at the backe fearing no suche think for on the lefte hande was there a little valley hedged in as it were with little hilles running along and couertly clothed with very thicke buâ—yes and briers fitly seruing to hyde such an ambushe But of the reste of hys power hee made thrée battells The forewarde wherein were twelue thousande horsemenne hee placed an the right wing and made Michaell Golijza a valiaunt man Capitaine thereof the seconde hee appoynted for the lefte wing neare vnto the hilles to the ende it shoulde bee as it were a battell of succour but at the wagons cariages and baggâ—â—â—â— of the armye â–ª bee hymselfe stâ—â—de wyth the middle battell wherein were placed the strength of the army On thâ— câ—â—trary â—â—e Constantiâ—â— not being ignoraÌ„t that the vnâ—â—aned enimie wold in no respect be equall vnto hym if he could at the firste brunt susteine the multitude of their arrowes and bring the matter to hande strokes and that the battell might not altogâ—â—â—e be foughtes by thicke troâ—â—es of horsemen he placed all the men of â—â—mes in the â—roâ—â— to receyue the firste force of the â—â—â—â—wes but strengthned both wings with Lithuanians and their backes with the footemen And riding from ranke to ranke he saide vnto them we must this daye fight not for glory nor by armes to recouer Smoleâ—cho lately loste by â—râ—uds but to impeache that the perfidious and moste shamefull Moscoâ—ites maye not raigne ouer the Polonians and Lithuanians Neyther fellowe Souldiours will I enkindlâ— you vnto prowesse and vyctorie more by any adhortation than by putting you in mâ—nd that the riuer Boristhenes is at your backe which if yee beyng discomfited by the armed enimye cowardly thinke ye maye agayne passe ouer by giuing place or shamefulye fleing ye shall make it famous for a perpetuall ignominy of your Country and your notble discomfiture and â—aughter But that ye do not suffer so great dishonoâ— and soule fact to be coÌ„mitted vnder my conducte I doe beseeche and obtest thée O God moste bounteous and almightie and yee holy Ladist and Caffimire the defenders and pastrons of the Polontas Empire and I do bowe an altare and Church vnto both of you if it maye stande wyth your pleasures that the Poldnian vanquish and I discomfiring and putting to flight the annimye may bring home a speedy and entire victorye While Constaâ—â—ine was yet speaking the Moscouils founded the battell and the rewithall Michaell commaunded his horsemen to run forth fâ—ourth eâ—â—â—â—ng and to shote theyr arrowes Neyther did Constantine as hed instructed the Captains when hee arranged the battels keepe in the men of armes but they were commaunded incontinently to charge their stames but running vppon the enâ—â—â—ys spee dyly to bring the rouflices vnto the sworde And sucâ—â—e in deebe was the 〈◊〉 that being come beyond the fall of their euiâ—◠〈◊〉 they escaped the greatest part of that shoure and aâ—â— represting in with the be easts of their horses and their weapons tooke from the arhers on horâ—â— backe the vse of their bowes and their second arrowes in whom they had reposed greate consideâ—â— On the other shoe the Luâ—â—â—nians streâ—â—ving out their widge as long as they coulde possible charge the sides all the iuâ—â—â— shâ—ting innumerable arrowes vppon their thick battels where with all the Moscouites
turne their backes and to retire but parte despising the ordinance againe gaue a chardge vppon the enimies and with more constant valor and desperatenesse than euer they they had vsed before giuing and takyng many woundes passed the ditch and encountering with the Lansquenetz and the kings horsemen did many actes of sauadge prowesse for when Trivulzi and Burbon stretching out in length their wing and fetching a compasse about with their horsmen had charged their lefte side they were forced to fight with double front But the Launsquenetz who had in this moste sharpe encounter loste their stoutest Capitaines Iames Condey Henry Ricurt and Saxey beying madâ—â— for anger and griefe did valiauntly sette forwarde and repressed their violence and with the shotte of their harquesses tumbled from his horse Pontinâ—r one of greate renowne among the Capitaines of the Switzers for the tallenesse of his stature and the valiauntnesse of his harte as he roade vnto the rankes and encouraged his souldiours with a loude voice and vsed reprochfull wordes againste the Almaines who in the fight of the Switzers annointed their bloudy pikes in the tallow grease of his mighty and fatte body that ranne out at his wide woundes which thing is accompted among the Barbarians in deadly hatreds for a verye graue ceremony of reuengefully acquited There also Zambron and Anty Eucher menne of strong courage and terrible stature while that they guided wyth singular skill mightye twoo hand-swordes in the middes of the Almaine batallion cutting off a greate number of these pikes and slaying many of their enimies were at the laste oppressed when all the whole battell turned vppon them Then also was Chezze Amman slaine hys horse being firste killed and hâ—â—â— himselfe also shotte in with thrée arrowes a man who being of that yeares had by encouraging and fighting many houres coÌ„mitted the duty neyther of a very good capitayn nor a moste valiant souldiour where as the rest of the Captaines that I spake of had died before that they came to fight with the enimy being for he into péeces with the ordinaunce And when Iohn Berre the ensigne bearer of the Baâ—â—lians being wearied wyth many woundes was not able any longer to kéepe the ensigne hée pulled it off from the â—â—aâ—â—e and tore it into very smal péeces that hys enimies might not gaine it and then dyed Moreouer in the meane â—â—â—e the seconde battell whiche wée tolde you deâ—â—ected vnto Alencon inferred so greate â—â—rror vnto the rerewarde that the horsemen for a greate parte Monsieur Beaument their ensigne bearer being slaine at the firste méeting toâ—rned their backes and fledde a maine on the spurre towardes Ledy which caused the Pesants and many espies that were in the fields seing the French horsemen fleing among the cariages to write vnto all partes of Italy that the Frenche King was discomfited and the Switzers had gotten the victory And doubtlesse the FrenchmeÌ„ in the quarter had â—en brought into very great danger if that Emar Prieus and the Lord Obegney capitaines of singular experience who were wyth Alencon raryng them that fledde rolying the ensignes and casting the Souldiours into a ring had not borne the â—runt of the fight with surpassing paine and toile And also Liuiano was a greate succoure vnto the disordered who with a company of noble men of armes came before the reste of his power whiche folowed after And as hée was a man gready of fight and to doe some feare encoraging his horsemen to folow him without doubting or staying so he gaue a charge ouerthwart the side of his enimyes whom two bandes of Switzers turning their ensignes receyued very couragiously and wounding many and slaying Capino the sonne of the Earle of Petilia a yong Gentleman of passyng towardlinesse did repell farre from them the hotely vrging horsemen Yet that company of Switzers bring more terrified by hys comming than hys power for that they thought all the whole power of the Venetians who were indeede neare were already come beganne to prouide for their safety for some of them being quite speÌ„t with werinesse woundes thirste and sweate gotte them into the Gardens that neare adioyned where a greate parte of them were slayne when that the horsmen were sent ofter them yea from the kings battell other retiring into the nexte village after they had long time defended themselues at the gate walls vnder the conduct of Tuler Cefuse a very valiant captain at the last being won and vanquished with the ordinance and fire most cruelly perished but other being despersed and fleing backe vnto the greatest companye or battell of their fellows the horsemen chasing them in those very large and open fieldes had ben wholy destroyed if that by the aduise and valor of certayne olde souldiors who in that frowning of fortune being mindefull of discipline neuer failed vnto themselues and their fellowes they had not retired vnto their fellows that were on this side the ditches and high way in a thicke Esquadron Almoste at the very same time the thirde battell of the Switzers the which we shewed you had stoode ouer right against Trivulzo and Burbon eyther bycause they sawe the iniquitie and disaduauntage of the battell or else were adduced by detestable counsell for that they had rather satisfy their faction and hatred than publike necessity in being beholders of the slaughter and prowesse of othermen beganne to retire wyth their ensignes towardes Milan neyther woulde they as men thoroughly attached with feare once come into the battell to fight the whych yet they were almoste forced to do seing that they had all the lyght horsmen in sight were often shot at with the great ordinaÌ„ce which beyng politikely hidden behinde the horsemen were at the laste when the troupes had opened at the sounde of the trumpet often shotte off in the voide spaces Therefore when the reste of the Switzers whome wee lefte fyghtyng at the Kyngs battell inflamed with fury and wrath kepte their grounde rather by obstinacy of hearte than strength and sawe other freshe regimentes of Launsquenetz to whom the light hadde not yet come ready to come vppon them they despairing of the victory sounÌ„ded the retreite for a little before they had receyued a greate detriment at the ditch being maruellously endomaged from the higher ground by an innumerable multitude of arrowes shotte by the Gascoignes Arcubalisters who being placed harde by the harquebusters that the one might haue time to chardge their harquebusses and the other to bende their crosse bowes did so shoot off one after another by hundrethes with mutuall running backe that the battell of the Switzers being ouerwhelmed with the continuall haile of the shotte were without reuenge beaten down they in vaine séeking succour of prowesse and valor The battell being thus broken off when that Rosty Ronne Anglarde and the other Capitaynes coulde not succour so greate and so drsordered a multitude by admonishment and commaunding them what they should doe nor easily doe the dueties of captains the
souldiors themselues yea although they were quite spoyled by so many incommodities did in that iniquitie of things prescribe vnto themselues wyth meruelous constancie and singular skill what was to bée done that they might not séeme to flie For hauing a care of the wounded two souldiours did with singular pittie cary on their armes and shoulders one man weakened with woundes and bringing backe euery one of the péeces of ordinance that they had brought from Milan strengthned the hyndermost taile with a guarde of the fresher Souldiours But they marched with so staied a part that their departure séemed to haue no similitude of flight neyther indéede coulde they be easely inuaded bicause they were defenced on both sides of the highe way wyth very déepe and continuall ditches The Frenchmen who had stoode armed in the battell twenty houres togither and the moste part of the time with doubtfull victory and their limmes nowe slowed with sweate and theyr horses fainted for wearinesse and had almoste loste the sense of their eyes and eares with the thicke miste of the raised duste and the incessant and horrible thundering of the ordinance made an end of pursuing yet hauing so gotten the victory that they rather vanquished them by fighting valiauntly than taught that by all mens opinion it is impossible to ouercome them again by any power The Switzers being very courteously and liberally receyued and entertained in their olde lodgings at Milan did put in the publicke hospitalles those that were greuously wounded and then gaue the reste of the daye and the night folowing to recreate their bodies The nexte daye they filled the broade streate that lyeth before the Castell with so greate a number that by the estimation of all men they séemed to haue riceyued almoste no losse at all There they holding a counsell requested thrée moneths pay and vnlesse that it were presently payed they said they wold go home But when Maximilian could not perfourme it bycause he hadde not so muche ready money they incontinently aduaunced theyr ensignes at the gate that leadeth to Como and went home When a viewe was taken of them that were slaine the Frenchmen contended that of the fiue and twenty thousande Switzers that had come foorth into the fielde scarce the one halfe of them returned and that of their men there were not aboue thrée thousand slaine But the Switzers did verye muche augment the number of the Frenchmen that they slue and holding a muster at home in theyr countrey confessed that they had loste in that voiage to the number of fiue thousand very valiaunt men Among the carkasses of the enimies Claude Duke of Guise brother vnto Antony Duke of Loraine was found drawing onwarde to death but yet was saued This yong Gentleman of singular towardlinesse was Capitayn of the Lansquenetz and had fought so valiantly in the fore ward that béeyng sore wounded and at lengthe the whole battallion of the Switzers lying vppon hym hée was beaten downe among the deade of his owne men and hys enimyes After the departure of the Switzers the Kyng had the whole Duchye of Milan yéelded vnto hym wyth the Duke and also Placontia and Parma by the Pope ¶ The Battell at Synga fought in Syria betvvene Selym the great Turke and Campson the Sult an of AEgipt in anno 15 16. Out of Iouius SElym the greate Turke intending a seconde voyage againste the Sophy sente Legates vnto Campson the Sultan of Aegypt whome dée vnderstoode had lately entred into league wyth the Sophy that he might without any displeasure or impeachmeÌ„t of his pursue the Sophy with warres who hadde brought so many and so greace calamities into Asia and by inducing of newe superstitions vehemently laboured to depraue and defare the most certaine lawes of the Mahumetane religion But when Campson had aunswered that he woulde haue no peace with him vnlesse that he woulde abstaine from molesting the dominions of the Sophy and also restore Aladine the expulsed sonne of the King of the Aladoles vnto hys fathers kingdome Selym changed his purpose and striking downe from the Mountayne Taurus into Comagene came with aboue an hundreth thousande armed men and a great number of fielde péeces within two days iourney of Alepâ— where the Sultan was with a small power before that proude Campson who had thought to terrifâ—e Selym with his only auctoritie and the greatenesse of his name coulde be persuaded that hée hadde passed the mountaynes But when hée was thus caught vnprouided and was forced to consulte in the midâ— of his daunger what was to he done he began to wauer and to be tossed to and fro wyth feare and shame not being able to be redily resolued whether be should with stout stomack abide by it and try the fortune of battell with greate disaduauntage or warily gius place vnto the imminent deadly storme and retire backe into more safer places vntill that hée had leuied a greater power There were some of the Captaines that preferred safe aduises before glorious and aboue all other one Iamburd surnamed Gazelles a man brought vppe by the great Caitbey and a valiaunt man and famous for martiall prudence and also Captaine of Amanus and Apamia who as hée thought it woulde bring greate calamity to encounter in battell the mighty and olde army of the enimies with so small power so he said that it was best to retire backe with spéedse marche and to choose the seate for the warres at Damascus the which might very safely and easily be done bycause the Turkishe armye hauyng many footemen and also being combred with wagons was flowe to pursue them In the meane time all the rest of the Mamaluches which were in garrison in Iudea and Aegypt being sent for and also the Arabians their neighbors hyred to serue them the warres might be prolonged vntill that the enimy might be easily ouercome thorough lacke of victualles Neyther woulde Alepo if that it were strengthned but only with a small garrison straight way yéelde vnto the Turkes séeing they had no other ordinance wyth them than fielde péeces and by this tyme to there woulde 〈◊〉 aide of Persians out of Mesopotamia and also the Sophy hymselfe vnderst anding of the Turkes voiage woulde breake foorth into Asia the lesser neyther woulde the Christians if they were requested by legates faile to supply greate ordinance against the common enimy out of the Isles of Cyprus and Rhodes Which beyng gotten and their power made match vnto the Turkishe then he might if he thought it to be so glorious a thing to aduenture the battel not rashely descende into the fielde But verye grieuous and waighty warres whych haue at the fyrste vehement and sodaine violent braides and forces doe commonly languishe in time thorough the prudent lingering of theyr aduersaries Therefore hee shoulde not haste to make proofe of fortune séeing that the errors and escapes of warres which oftenest proceede from the vnskilfulnesse and rashnesse of the chieftayne all good men may bewayle and hartily
detest but to restore and amend them no not the immortall Gods themselues are able Gazelles had moued manye wyth bys opportune and graue sentence but that the stouering of the Souldiours and the foolishe couragiousnesse of the Mamaluches the guarde of the Sultan were a greate empeachment vnto Campsons cares for well hearing of the truth for assoone as they hadde hearde more certayne newes of the commyng of the Turkes they leaped and skipped ouer all the Campe for incredible ioy laughed smiled and rubbed the elbow and one gratulated another that a time had come wherein they might shewe their valor and win glory And that nowe they would holde faste this so long wished for occasion thorough the which they discomfiting and slaying his enimies wold extoll their Emperour Campson aboue the title and moste renouuâ—ed fame of Caitley the great Neyther wanted there some of the chiefe who by rehersing of flattery and vaine boasting with how greate glory they had discomfited at Tarsus the mighty armye of the Turkes almoste with no laboure boldely sayde that the enimie would be easily and spéedily vanquished But specially Cayerbey the lieftenaunt of Alexo and the Prouince of Comagene hasted by speaking many high wordes of the zelous endeuour prowesse and heate of the Mamaluches to make light of those things which had héene reported of the prouision furniture and number of the enimyes and to ouerthrow the reasons of most holsome counsell The which hée did of pernicious treason as hée that had intelligence that the Sultan mentâ— to put him to death as hée had also done his brother but deferred the execution thereof bycause that hée had in the Campe a verye strong power of friendes and also was singularly wel beloued of the Citizens of that mightie Citie wherein hée possessed a veryâ— strong Castell Moued with the which perill hée had sent priuie messengers vnto Selym who shoulde in hys name offer to pleasure him priuily to the vttermost of his power and to shew vnto him all the counsells of Campson and what his power was and to aduise him to hasten to fight with the Sultan Thus Campson despising Gazelles counsell the whiche was very faithfull and wholesome and impelled by the adhortation of the traitour Cayerbey and of al the Mamaluches incontinently at the first newes of Selyms approch determined to darreyne hattell wyth hym The Sultan was encamped in a commodious place at the riuer of SINGA almost x. miles from the Citie for this reason that the souldiours might vse the nearenesse of the Riuer and bée remoued oute from the houses and delightes of the Citie and yet neuerthelesse might be easely holpen with the commodities riches and power therof The Mamaluches a kind of ordinary souldiours out of whom the Sultan was alwayes chosen were scarse twelue thousande but euery one of them according vnto the greatnesse of his wages and wealth had many seruants attendant on hym very well appointed wyth armour and horses The Mamaluches terrible men for theyr long heardes and threatning eyes mightily brawned in all partes of their bodies and very nimble do vse to fight wyth such arte that after the firste shotte of theyr Launces they with a certaine wonderfull agilitie and valor do vse nowe their arrowes casting their shielde behinde them then their mace of yron sometimes a sworde crooked like vnto a sithe as the place and encounter doe require Their horses are strong and hot and for making and swistnesse like vnto the Genets of Spaine and that which doth séeme to be beyonde the opinion of our men they doe especially excell in so greate docilitie that they haue learned by nature and vsage to reach vp vnto their riders a launce or arrowe taken vp from the ground with their téeth to knowe the ennimies and to flye on them with their téeth and beating downe all cound about them with their héeles and all this do they by signes and certaine voices vttered by their maisters Vppon these horses are séene saddles guilt bittes of siluer defences for their necks breasts of pron plates The horseman himselfe is contented wyth a shirt of maile or a coate of plate The horsmen of the fore rankes and al that are renâ—umed for riches weare helmets the reste doe thinke themselues sufficiently defenced against all blowes by the linnen couer of their hed the which is finely wretahed with many rolls but the basest forte vse red thrummed hattes that can not be cut thoroughe with the waighty stroke of asworde Campson diuided his armye into fiue battells the firste he committed to Cayerbey bycause that the battell was fought in his prouince the seconde to sibey who was furnamed â—â—lmanâ— that is to say the Tumbler for his wouderfull nimblenesse of bodye he was Prince of Daâ—iascus a man of singular fidelitie and prowesse These two battels should at one time charge the right and lefte wings of the Turkes Then did Gazelles â—olâ—we wyth the thirde battell for to succoure the one oâ— the other as the case shoulde require The fourth glisering with guilt armour Campson hymselfe ledde twelue furlongs distant from the reste as it were for a battell of succour The fifte battell was lefte to guarde the Campe. But Selym had so aranged his army that according vnto his accustomed maner he placed the horsemen of Asia in the right wing and the horsemen of Europe in the lefte but the Ianizars with the great ordinaunce in the middle battel And before the Ianizars in the front of the middle battell stoode the moste brauely appointed and valiant horsemen of the Guarde among whome Selym woulde be that daye contrary to hys wonte Is soone as the armies approched one vnto the other Cayerbey for shewe of a noble courage gaue a sharpe onset on the Europian horsmen and straight way as though he woulde haue enclosed their battell he defeated with a long circuite about on their backes where hée dysordered wyth greater terror than staughter the hindermoste taile where the drudges the baggage and innumerable Camells were that being bothe valiaunt and also traiterous he might séeme both to satisfie hys honour and also hys falshoode But in another quarter the Prince of Damascus that hée might inuade the ennimies on the open side omitting the fronte and bringing aboute hys troupes towardes the lefte hande gaue a charge ouerthwarte the enimies and the Mamaluches fought so feruently that committing a greate slaughter of the Asians they perced like vnto a moste violent streame euen vnto the ensignes which had bene placed in the middes of the battell Neyther after that the foremoste were ouerthrowen coulde Mustaphas the Bellerbech he was an Hungarian sonne in lawe vnto Baiazet and Imbracorbassa the maister of the kings horse who contended wyth great force vnto the contrarye longer slaye the horsemenue but that they fledde So the victorious Prince hauing cut into two parts the wing of the enimies was come sidelong vnto the footemeÌ„ and the backs of the horsemen of the guarde and filled
surney all that region and to open the way vnto Gaza the which was combersome and troublesome by reason of the Arabians That Citie standeth on the Sea coaste and in the fines of Aegipt neare vnto the sandy desertes throughe whome they muste go with a harde and painfull iorney that will tranaile vnto the farther Aâ—gipt and vnto the Citie of Caire The Citizens of Gaza bycause they had no garrison of souldiors at the very first receyued Synambassa and subtilly thanked hym for that hée hadde vouchesafed to deliuer them out of the intollerable slauerye of the Mamaluches for the memorie of the which benefit they promised to be and remaine true and faithfull vnto Selym and his successors for euer But whilest that Synambassa expected in Campe wythin an arrowe shoote of the Citie the comming of Selym learning out diligently in the meane time the region that they must passe thoroughe to goe into Aegipt and endeuouring to winne the friendshippe of the Arabian Capitaines and suborning espies to goe vnto Caire to learne the counselles of the Mamaluches and Tomumbey whom they had chosen after the death of Campson to be Sultan the Citizens of Gaza who by nature were extreame enimies vnto the Turkes and nowe began to féele dayly great dammage through the present Turkishe army certified Tomumbey of the comming of Synambassa and also gaue hym to vnderstand that the same power of the Turkes might be easyly oppressed and destroyed before that Selym were come if that a strong crue of Mamaluches with skilfull Capitaines were sent vnto them for whilest the Mamalâ—ches did in the deade time of the nighte at a time agréed vppon betwéene the Citizens and them inuade the fléeping Tuâ—kes they would also at the selfe same momeÌ„t sally out of the Citiz and disorder and deface the enimies campe with fire and swood Temumbey and the Mamaluches doe incontinently like the deuise and sende Gazelles with sire thousande horsemen or Mamaluches and a greate multitude of Arabians But he was scarse departed from Caire but Synambassa had intelligence thereof by Syrian espies and howe they hasting without any cariages would be there within two daies The whiche newes as it saued the Turkishe army to also was it of greate moment to the obtayning of the entire victorye of the whole warres But althoughe Synambassa had no intelligence at all of the falshoode of the Gazans yet bycause he did suspecte as he was a man of a prouident and wise head that the like might happen vnto hym determined lefte that hée might haue to doe wyth twoo enimies at once to méete the Mamaluches by the waye and to trye the fortune of fight Therefore dislodging after the seconde watche hée wyth greate silence departed out of the sight of the Citie and marched fiftéene miles in the way towardes Caire Nowe hée was come neare vnto a small village where all trâ—uailers doe commonly vse to ledge by reason of the commoditie of a plentifull Spring that riseth in that place It fortuned that Synambassa was minded to stay in that village and also Gazelles had likewise thought to rest there certaine hours and refreshe his men and horses that he might fiye to Gaza in the night time on hys refreshed and â—ayted horses when almoste at one time it was tolde the Chieftaines on both sides by the auant-currers that there was a mighty duste raised and that the enimies approched Gazelles being vehemently troubled in mind with this vnlooked for chaunce for that he perceyued hée shoulde misse of hys purpose and entent and be vnable to matche the enimye if he wold encounter hym speciall ye séeing hyâ— dâ—oses were weary yet for all thys hâ—â— hearts fayleth hym not althought hée wors forced presently vppon a sodaine to deuise what was to bée done for the common safety of the whole armie and adhorteth his souldiours to make ready their weapons and to thinke that the thing whiche they coulde not doe by ambushe and stealth as they hadde ment they must now dispats he openly by true valor On the other side Synumbassa hauing his men farre sooner sette in array than Gazelles coulde bycause he had tolde them long before at leysure what he woulde haue to be done if they shoulde happen to sight vsed â—â—â—ng and chearefull spéeches vnto all the rankes of his souldiours but the ende of his oration was that they should quite forget all fleing away séeing that all places round about them wold do shal and â—â—â—urions to them vnlesse they were victors and speriasly that they shoulde fully persuade themselues this one thing that nouman shoulde perish that day but he whom God almighty had prodestinated to death by the most certaine lawes of fate and that with equall perill the valiant should finde safety in the minds of the â—â—â—â—nses sâ—â—ordes and also the fearefull death in their most safest â—â—ight throught the power of â—oauâ—â—â—â—ble lâ—t The harquebusâ—â—â— were in the wings the which were stretched foorth in leÌ„gth with a single array and one man not standing very nere vnto another that they mighte be able to vse their harquebusses more foâ—â—ly and compasse he theâ—â—nimy but the pike men were placed in the 〈◊〉 for to susteine the impression of the Mamaluches But Gazelles approching sent the troupes of the Arabians before for to disturbe the wings and he himselfe with a square battell charged the middle battell of the Turks The fight was very cruel a long time doubtful for that the Turks yea though superior in number wer not able is abide the foâ—ce of the armed horsmen now being beaten 〈…〉 ground and dispensed some one way and some an other by the Mamaluches that brake in among them looked rounde about for flight both with eyes and hearâ—es when by Synambassas coÌ„mandement the harquebusserâ— who had with the first storm of their shoâ—◠〈◊〉 a way the Arabians reducing their wings enelosed all the whoâ—â— battell of the enimies Then both men and horsmen were a fair◠〈◊〉 shenk endedâ— with mortall yellets whiche were shot by 〈…〉 and no place for prowesse was lefte vnto the enclosed for when that any troupe of Mamaluluches did run their horses violently vpon the Turkes they by reason of their lightnesse and nimblenesse being accustomed to giue grounde did very swiftlye flye backe and in all places this was their endeuour not to encounter them wyth their horses but to vse only their harquebusses When Gazelles sawe that his horses were tyred with extreame wearinesse and that nowe many of his stoutest men were eyther slaine or hurt and he himselfe was gréeuously wounded in thenecke hée wyth the reste makyng themselues away wyth their weapons fledde vnto Caire thoroughe those wildernesses that hée came losing all hys Ensignes There perished in this battell the Captaine of Alexandria and Orcomas the Gouernour of Caire men of greate accompt and besides them a greate number of Arabians and almoste a thousande horsemen of marke Neyther did Synambassa winne a ioyfull and vnbloudy victory for hée
loste aboue twoo thousand horsmenne and among them some of the beste of his Capitaynes But bycause the fight had continued from noone to Sunne sette the Turkes were not able to pursue their ennimies their horses being almoste deade for thirst and they themselues fainting thoroughe lacke of meate and extreame laboure but encamped in the place where the battell was fought neare vnto the Spring afore mentioned ¶ Three battayles fought betweene Selym the great Turke and Tomumbey the Sultan of Egypt in the yeares 1516. and. 17. Out of Iouius AFter that Selym had intelligence that Synambassa had taken Gaza and discomfited Gazelles and also hée himselfe had receyued a freshe supplye of souldiours by sea from Constanethople he marched with his whole armye vnto Gaza and from thence within eighte dayes came neare vnto the chiefe seate of the Sultan called Caier Synambassa always going a days iorney before hym Six myles from the Citie is there a Village called Rhodania into the which place Temumbey the new Sultan had brought al his olde and newe prouision and furniture of great ordinance and had made ditches crosse ouer al the plain fielde and the high waye the which ditches he had couered ouer with small stickes and earth layd vpon them and he himself had stoode in an oportune place with the Mamaluches who were about xij thousand a great number of Arabian horsmen for this intent that when the hoste of the Turkes did beginne to approche they might be beaten downe by the vnthought of ordinance before that they coulde come to reache the Egyptians with theyr Harquebusses and then he hymselfe being spread rounde about them woulde incontinently fyght with them being disordered and fallen into the ambushe These things were so cunningly and prudently deuised also perfected in so good time that no man in the armie did thynk that the victorie of that day was any thing to be doubted of Doubtlesse a gret calamitie hanged ouer the Turkes if that Fortune who as she always fauored Selym so she enimy like and sharply persecuted Tomumbey had not defeated the painefull endeuors of the Mamaluches through the perfidiousnesse of a fewe persons There were in the Sultans armie foure Mamaluches Albanoyses borne who did greatly stomack it that Tomumbey was ful sore against their will aduaunced vnto the royall seate by the voices of the aduerse faction They whether impelled by lewduesse of disposition or adduced by hope of rewards and more liberall entertainment bicause they thought that nowe séeyng their owne side went to wracke it were wisedome for them to séeke new and more certaine friendes fled vnto Synambassa as vnto the chiefest Turkish captain and their countreyman By these horsemen Synambassa and incontinently after Selym vnderstood all the counsels and intents of the enimies and how great an ambushe Tomumbey had layde for them with singular suttietie and arte into whiche they must néedes fall vnlesse they did forsake the high and direct waye Whervpon they being guided by the same fugitiues dyd fetche a great compasse about on the left hand and before it was day came again into their old way and with aranged battels and produced ordināce that there might be no stay to attach the fight shewed themselfs at the backs of their enimies auoiding the front of their campe When Tomumbey sawe this he coniectured by the marche of his enimies that his Ambushe had bene disclosed thorough the treason of his owne men But although he were tormented with incomparable grief of minde for that al those thinges which he had doone with the toyle of so many men and wyth so great endeuor was quite dashed and caste awaye in one moment of tyme by spitefull Fortune yet neuerthelesse as he was a very stout man he incontinētly reuoked al his senses vnto counsel wonted valor calling vnto him al the captains spéedily told them what he wold haue to be done Tomumbey being placed in so great straight of things must doe all things at one time he must giue the signall vnto the souldiours wherby they were willed to mount on horseback to take their weapons to turn the order of his cape to arange his battels to encorage his souldiors to traduce his ordināce into contrary quarters as the case did require Al which things as one chieftain could not do alone but hardly and confusedly so were they hastyly to halfes and peruersly administred at one pushe by many But the thing that did moste hinder the spéedye dooying of all thynges was the huddlyng togyther of all menne for to remoue the ordynaunce the moste of whiche were yll fauoured and houge péeces made of yron and sette in greate stockes of wodde wyth rings of yron after the rude and nauall workemanshippe vsed in olde time they by reason of their mighty waighte coulde not be moued out of their places without the draught of many beastes and greate thrusting and heauing with yron crows and leuers and with the gréeuous laboure of men But the greate péeces that were mounted on whéeles being drawen by the witlesse hasting multitude with the great clamor of those that pulld haled and shoued throughout all partes of the Campe did with their tumultuous passage disorder those that were mounting on their horses and the Souldiours that were repairing vnto the ensignes But two things were a great help vnto those difficulties that is to wit the cherefulnesse of the souldiours and the singular constancie of them all farre greater than a man would beléeue for that they had not by any conceyued feare fallen from their hope and harts as it commonly hapneth in sodaine chaunces in whome yea the olde souldiours doe oftentymes forget their olde valor but being twice vanquished in battayle they had alwayes resumed greater confidence and courage than they had before bycause they perswaded themselues that not valour and saill in fighte but only Fortune sayled them Therfore when Tomumbey had set his men in array and the souldiors with hote desire of fight had requested the signall he commaunded all the multitude of the Arabians to fetche aboute their wings on the backe of their enimies and to attache the fight firste so that the Turkishe horsemen might be troubled and disordred with a doubtfull daunger of fight before that hée himselfe had run foorth with his induced troupes Streightwaye he cōmaunded the great ordinance which had bene now brought about and directed against the enimies to be shot off And incontinently did the Turkes the same who hadde once shot of theyr smaller greater péeces when they were a iuste distance of and quickly charging them agayne had now drawen them within an arrowes shoote of the Egyptian ordinaunce they foughte a long tyme on eyther side with only often shooting off of their ordināce whyle that the armies approched In the which cōtention almost all the Egyptian gunners were slayne and most of their artillerie his mounted from their whéeles and broken into péeces by the violence of the
assured hope of ready victory séeyng that Francis of all Kings the most liberall would requite this their singular benefite not only by frank dealing wyth them selues but also with their wines and children Surely the Captalâ—â—â— and 〈…〉 well aâ—â—ecâ—ed and very faithfull but the common sorte of the souldiours as they which were bouâ—â—â—e by no giftes did very leudly wauer but yet so that it séemes that all of them would fight valiantly if they were spéedily brought to darraine battell When Prasperâ— and Pescara vnderstoode the entent of their 〈◊〉 they staying almost neuer a whit at Milan euâ—â—â—â—â— theiâ—â—â— wer wel furnished with all things beyng fully refâ—â—ed tâ— giuer the enimy battell if that any indifferent occasion were offeâ—â—d They eueauped themselues at a village called Bicocna in a place very fafe and commondious for on the right 〈◊〉 it was enclosed with the ditche of the highway but â—â—â—the leasie and on thehâ—â—ke with two small riuers secuing to water the corne fieldes but in the front it hadde a crosse waye so broade that two waiues méeting might passe one by another the which was on bothe sides so lowe that the edges of the corne fieldes were nauell high aboâ—â— it This way for that it was very hollowe did Pescara vse for a ditche and in the front thereof plaâ—â—â— the ordmance and footemen and behinde stoode the horsemen with Prospero But Francis Forza the Duke of Milan who had brought thither bandes of the Citieof Milan and all the nobilitle of the whole duchie that he might be present at the battell encamped in the high way Now the Captaines of the Switzers being singularly addicted to the French welfare and honour and namely Albers Petra a captaine of sucpassing same in many wars who had then the chiefe authoritie among the Switzers assooâ—e as nows was brought by the horsmen that the Emperitialls were encamped middle way betwéeno Milan and Moâ—za and were in a plaine and leuell péece of ground not aboue fiue miles from them they canne vnto the French Captaines and Alberâ— spake vnto them and tolde them that the Souldioures coulde bée kepte by no meanes but that they woulde goe home vnlesse they were lidde into the fielde to fight and that hée hym selfe might satisfye the kings Maiestie who had very well deserued of hym and also the dignitie of the Switzers was fully resolued to giue hatâ—â—ll neither ought they to doubt of the victory if that the frenchmen as they were by bucâ—y bound wold wyth couragious harts folow the Switzers who would pierce euen vnto the ordinance of the enimies If that there were any that would rather linger shamefully than fight valiauntly they ought not to bée thought faithfull to the king or the commoÌ„ wealth Therfore he to shewe his fidelitie and vnfained hart vnto the Kyng would go against the enimies yea with onely the Switzers if no man else woulde follow This couragiousnesse of Albert was not displeasant vnto Lautrech as that man that had rather fight yea with doubfull eueÌ„t than to be forsaken by the Switzers for this was his opinion that their hote valor séeing that they did request the battell wyth such flaming heartes was to be vsed out of hande namely séeyng that he séemed inferiour to the enimies neyther in footemen horsmen nor yet in number for he priuily accompted it an ignomye if that now as it had happned the yeare before he should againe be driuen out of Lumbardie and neuer fight battell and namely séeyng that wheras the Switzers then specially the french horsmen had alwayes in vaine requested of hym with many prayers that they might shewe their valor in a pitched fielde which thing as it often happeneth in aduerse fortune had gotte him greate enuy among the Frenchmen But Palice both gréenously offended wyth the rashenesse and arrogancie of Albert and also moued with the nothing tymely inclination of Lautrech praysed in déede at large the good will and deuotion of the Switzers but could in no case abide to heare the counsell of assaulting the Campe as a deuice full of extreame madnesse and deadly desperatnesse often saying that he who had wared olde in the Italian warres did very wel know the valor of young Pescara who alwayes vseth to fight lustily and the artes of olde Prospero who had learned to lodge his army skilfully to the discoÌ„moditie of his enimy with his owne chiefest and highest praise He did not thinke the french state was brought vnto that despaire the as it were in extreme necessitie they shoulde rather chose to fight and be vanquished than by staying wyth very good and holesome reson moderate the violent fease of vnaduised corage Wherfore what was more safe and better thaÌ„ to get them betwene Milan the enimies camp and encamping themselues there force the enimies being intercluded from the citie and victuals either to fight with disaduantage if that they woulde assaile their Camp or certes if they would returne vnto Milan to offer them the fielde in an indifferent place In déede the Lorde Lautrech who had the supreame gouernement might fight with disaduantage both then also at al other tymes when he wold but it was the duty part of a wise Generall neuer to prouoke the enimy vnlesse he hauing before surely shifted the eueÌ„t might with firme reason assuredly promise himselfe vndoubted victorie But then thus answered the Lord Lautrech we nede not slouthful lingring in sitting still but lyuely valour in fight tore-couer the honor and Duchy lost the which doubtlesse can not be done if we do suffer the Switzers who are now going away to depart home and do no feate of prowesse Wherefore make your selues ready to fight that we may this day ende the warres one way or an other Thervnto replied Palice God assist the mad and desperate I for my part that I may not séem to haue shuÌ„ned the perill will certes fight on foote in the forewarde of the footemen yée French horsmen behaue your selues to day valiantly that in a hard case rather fortune than courage may séeme to haue fayled you So before the Sun was vp it was the .xxix. day of Aprill Albert leadeth foorth his regiments of Switzers they were about fiftene thousand with the ordinance being puffed vp with so foolish or certes fatal pride that he would not one whit be ruled in any thing by either Lautrech or Palice Captaines of greate skill but wyth barbarous statelinesse promised that hée woulde chardge the Emperialls full in the face And without stay the famous Petro de Nauarro and the renowned Captaine Biciarde being sente before to surueye the situation of the enimyes Campe Lautrech made two battells of all the french horsemen the first he committed to his brother the Lorde Lescune commaunding him to fetche a great compasse about and to inuade the enimies on the backes but he himself folowed the maine army It was enioyned vnto the Venetians who were on the left hand to back the Switzers
sharpâ— witted â—nimies most manifestly sée that by stay and tariance our power groweth stronger and strongâ—t and contrariwise that theirs is greatly lessened and also their deuises and endeuours do waxe weake and will be turned into an vncertainty séeing that within these fewe dayes their mony and victuals prouision and the good willes and aides of all men will quite and vtterly faile them Al things surely if we play the wise men wil spéedily fall out fortunate for vs and aduerse for them so that we get vs out of this poundâ— and encampe our selues at large at Binasco that the battell being auoided we may by continuall lingering frustrate the rage and violent fease of these wilde beastes thereby to obtaine assured victory for the Almaines vnlesse I be deceyued will assoone as euer they come out of Pauia demaunde their due wages of the â—eâ—y Captaines as poore men that are almost starued vp for lacke of meate and also wanting all other necessary things neyther will gay glosing and large promises nowe any longer serue their tourne to appease and please their souldiors but present and greate store of gold for ouer and aboue their ferocitie naturally ingrafted their valiaunt seruice wyll not without iuste cause make them insolent and thus they being defrauded and deluded wil either raise vp some sedition or else being contented with the glory of constancie will incontineÌ„tly returne home in so much that I do not despaire but that the reste of them as then which haue nowe deliuered their kinsemen from siege â–ª wil returne into Germany when that no present mony shal be paid them In the meanetime both that priuers that are our friendes wil with more open end euour helpe vs and also Fraunce at hand wil commodiously and abundantly supply al things that the warres shal require Surely your Maiestie hath vanquished if that you will vaÌ„quish by newe and holsome reason your mind which is induced with the vaine praise of perseuerance For it séemeth not to be the part of a wise and good chieftain to séeke glory by 〈◊〉 that may bring dishonor 〈…〉 assured destruction vnder a certaine false or shadowed name of constancie These things were true and so much the greater aucthoritie was in Palice his wordes as he was accompted to by more forward to fighte and more feruent than the rest of the Captains For it did appeare that he had bin adduced not by some doubtful but a most certayne reason for to forsake hys olde wonte and hys naturall iudgement sith that he had before time deserued the name rather of an effectuall and valiant than a lingering doubtful and wary Captaine And also vnto this effect which séemed to be sente out of Clemente the Popes mouth did Albert Pio Erle of Carpi the kings Ambassadour write vnto him from Rome and very diligently and earnestly admonished and counselled him to shun the hazard of vniuersall sight by remouing his campe backe vnto Binasco bycause it séemed that the fease and violence of the freshe and fierce Almain enimie was not to be broken by force but by timely and commodious staying and lingering This also very wel liked Renee of Sauey the kings vncle who as one hofull for the kings safetie had condemned al hazarde of battell But one aboue al other Bioâ—niuet the Admirall who had through his sine wit great arte vigilancie and seruisablenesse gotten hym a most sure and firme place of fauour with the king spake against them that counselled the breaking vp of the siege in company modestly but in priuate and withdrawen talke when hée was alone with the king very vehemently What saith he shall a King of so passing courage and instructed with the surpassing precepts and experimentes of martiall discipline as your Maiestie is be with this roote of dishonor and infamy ruled by Tremouille a man very extreame olde or Galeaze al the sense of bothe whiche mens liuely and spedy vigour and lusty courage thrée score and ten years haue dulled and blunted What and hath not that noble order of fight wherein of late Palice most surmounted now waxed through colde in him by encroching age It is so in very déede in so much that me thought he plaieth to daye the very fond man in counselling that thyng olde man like wherein he himselfe was neuer good nor doth not nowe lende vs the helpe of valiaunt hand the which we do to day néede and he hath bin always â—â—â—â—â—t to 〈…〉 also â—â—sely therein excell among the stoutests But as for Theodoer it is méete that he folow the inclination of his age nature and disposition seyng that he had rather by suspectyng doubtyng and prouydyng that euery thyng whych is far off fall not warely to saue himselfe and your royall army than by fightyng valyauntly and byentryng into the chaunces of wars with not most certaine and infallible euent séeke for and get yea almost an assured victorye What then doth empeach but that I may set against these worne olde men fire hundreth others that haue for valor of courage and their noble actes deserued the name of captains Generall whose noble harts fear neuer entred for it is the vsage maner of French men to vanquish famously when their king is present doth giue them the signall of battell doth encourage them and fight hymself as we haue learned to â—â—ght valiantly fortunately at Tarro vnder the conduct of king Charles at Adda vnder king Lewes and vnder your Maiestie with so great commeÌ„dation at Milan Surely we are not the same men that we haue alwayes béene that is valiant desirous of honour if we do once thinke that we ought to feare least these mighty high rampires these strongly entrenched campes may be expugned and scaled one night as it wer by théeues and cut throate robbers But for Gods sake lette not this dismaiall of a fewe bloudlesse men redounde vnto the ignominie of the Switzers and Almaines that serue your highnesse and the old horsemen who whereas they do vtterly despise and contemne yea in an indifferent field this armie of the enimies leuied vp by sodeyne and hasty musters and choyse and hyred for smal wages do also repose in the fortune name of your roial person who laying apart Maiestie will fight most valiantly of all other the moment of most assured victorie But although the king being suspended with a very sharpe care did very diligently weigh in equall ballance the wordes of his Captaynes yet fortune inclining he followed those counsels which séemed most honourable and most méete for his hie heart But this habite of heartes was among Themperials that not only euery Captaine but also euerye common souldiour did thinke that the victorie was certainely theirs if that they coulâ—e ioyne in battell with the king by anye indifferent means before that he got him thence On the which only occasion of fight among other Pescara was so vehemently bent that whilest he with incredible patience and desire did both daye and
night viewe and suruey all thinges it is reported that he withdrewe from nature the desires and necessaries of â—â—ats and fléepe to the gréeuous hurt of his health But sithence it was apparant that the Kings Munitions coulde not be wonne but with doubtfull euent and assured losse of souldiours he determined to enter into the Parke by breaking open the wall that fetching a little compasse about he might come to Mirabelle the which is a lodge of singular pleasure very commodions for Hanking and hunting standing almost in the midst of the Parke the which is sixtene myles about In that place the King remouing from his elde lodging â–ª had placed his horsemen and had left there a great company of marchants and straglers and men of peace Nowe was Pescara desirous to take this place speciallye for two causes for if he coulde without empechement of the enimie get Mirabella the whiche thing was first purposed in this iourney then he manifestly sawe that with his surpassing prayse and the infamie of the French men Leua were deliuered from â—â—ege and also the enimies were vtterly excluded from the Citie of Milane But if the King to impeache that iourney would nothing doubt to issue out of the munition of his campe for to fight then ability woulde be gyuen commodiously to ioyne in battayle wyth him the which thing the Emperials did so greatly desire wyth ardent heartes and in very dede were forced by necessitie to wyshe and seke it bycause they wanted money to paye the souldiours and also nowe the hearts of their olde allies were not doubtfully turned vnto the French kyng All these things as they were inuented and deuised by a saylfull and sharpe percing wyt in lyke maner did Pescara declare vnto the captaynes descrybing euery thing wyth so great efficacie and couragiousnesst that he seemed to reioyce not in the victorye surely surueyed and founde out but gotten and obteyned And also Lanoy and Burbon conceyuing greater confidence did nowe beleeue that they hadde vanquished For when that hée proued all things by most weightie arguments and graue speaches his credit and authority encreased so almoste immesurably that it was vtterly voide of obtrectation and enuie the which vice doth alwaies hurte flourishing vertue and in so much that the chiefe captains did of their owne accordes commit vnto him the supreme authoritie in wholy ordering this matter the which thing was almost more glorious vnto him than afterwarde to haue vanquished as he that hauing often at other times tamed his enimies yet had this one worke only left him to ouercome enuy by vnwonted glory and certes it séemed a wonder that Lanoy who was yea ambitiously desirous of honor and the highest authoritie and Burbon who had the chiefe charge of martiall affaires preferred him before themselues as the better warrior not only by secret but also by frée and open iudgemeÌ„t for Piscara was at that time voide of all authoritie and honor because he had before in the iorney to Marsilas giuen vp the office of gouerning the footemen vnto the Marquesse of Guasto his vncles sonne and hys owne heire apparaunt But he was so loosed of peculiar charge that he aloue almost administred all things and taking incredible toile bothe in bodye and minde was still among the footemen the horsemen â–ª the victuallers the purueyors and ordinaunce continually viewing and séeing that nothing were done ouer hastily negligently or vnskilfully So then the resolution being allowed of all the inferiour Captaines and the exploite taken vpon hym Pescara sent Arrio one that had charge of horsemen promising him greate rewardes vnto Antony Leua to tell him that he shold incontinently sally out of the Citie when he should haue intimation thereof at the tyme appoynted by the shooting off of twoo mightie greate péeces of ordinaunce Neyther didde fortune faile vnto Arrio for he setting foorth in the deade time of the nyghte came in safely with his troupe fetching a greate compasse about vnto the backe gate of the town hauing deceyued the Frenchmen that watched by an happy lye for when they asked hym for hys watch word he faining himselfe to be one of Mediceâ— companies as hée had also counterfeited their habite wyth a while crosse made his excuse that he could not tell the watch word because he had bene two dayes out of the Kings campe in a woode After the Pescara had intelligence by a fire made out of the top of the toure that Arrio was fortunately entred the towne he commaunded Salsede to breake open the wall of the Parke deliuering vnto him to doe it withall Rammes made after the auncient forme and also yron Crowes and Pickares But he commaunded Lewes Viacampe and also Hercera and Gaioses to stande with their bands in seueral places ouer right against the munitions of the enimy and make a noyse all the night long with their weapons and Drummes and by putting them in feare and prouoking them kéepe them still occupied But when they had receyued word that he was entred the Parke they shoulde incontinentlye followe with their bandes He also willed Honofito Montano to stande not farre from the Parke wall vpon an high banke ouer right against the blacke regiment of the Lansquenets and so to bestirre himselfe and his men that it might séeme that the bandes were in armes throughout all the campe as they had vsed to be many nightes before He also commaunded that all the cariages of the armie shoulde go forth into the high way towardes Lodi with a garde of a troupe of light horsemen and also commaunded an other companie of horsemen to take waye that laye vpon the left hande that if there were espies in the Campe they being distracted and deceyued by so many and diuers goings forth and so suÌ„drie preparation of all things might not be able to tell the FreÌ„ch men any thing for certaintie But Salsede who had come in the deade time of the night vnto the place before prescribed spente the night in long beating and bouncing in vaine so that the dawning was broken before that he had opened the wall in thrée places somwhat later than Pescara woulde haue had it For the wall being made of Bricke after the olde buylding was verye strong and resisted the Rammes with singular contumacie although they were driuen against it with the armes and strength of whole bandes The first man of all that was sent into the Parke by Pescara was Alphons Marques of Guasto with the valiantest of the Spanishe and Almaine footemen and thrée companies of horsemen Incontinently Greco Iustiniano a Genouese who watched in the station nexte vnto the place where the enimies brake in was chased awaye There were with Guasto about fiue thousande men vnto whome it was enioyned to marche directlye to Mirabello and to take that place without any returne When that Guasto entred the Parke Pescara sayde vnto him with seuere but yet with chearefull countenance Plucke vp a good heart vnto thée valiant
ordinance nor the force of the horsemen tooke the woode adioyning to saue themselues by the garde of the trées from the violence of the insulting horsemen So the Frenchmen quickly cutting off the legs of the drawing beastes doe get the ordinance and with the same violent pursuite doe enter the woode where being oppressed with the disaduauntage of vnaccustomed encounter Sebastian Squaccia a man of passing prowes was slayne and with him certaine stout petie Captaynes and Ensigne bearers yea and foure whole bandes This exployt being prosperously done in the sight of both armies as it did greatlye augment the courage of the King and the French men so did it strike Pescara with incredible sorowe bicause he coulde not succour them But on the other side he being gréedie of fight as soone as he sawe the Kings armie the which he did not thinke woulde haue come forth into the fielde out of their campe wonderfully reioyced as though he had conceyued the victorie Neyther stayed he but immediatlye sent Falzi an horseman of his acquaintance vnto Lanoy to admonishe him to stay his marche and all things set apart and turning the Guidons towardes the enimies incontinently to encounter them he also signifieth the same vnto Burbon and Nicolas Earle of Salern and gallopeth himselfe to call Guasto but Guasto as soone as he had séene his enimies leauing Mirabello marched backe to Vernacula and setting his men in aray of battel had turned the ensignes towardes the enimies for he did not thinke that in this moment of time he ought to obey that which had bene at the firste commaunded him but spéedily to vse the newe counsell whiche chaunce did present Then Pescara sayde this is well brother you haue done that which I woulde you should wherefore haste you on the lefte hande vnto the ennimie with spéedie pace and valiauntlye endeuour that the victorie maye moste speciallyâ— aryse at your wing When he had thus sayde he flewe vnto the Lansquenets in whose valor and strength he did foresée that the weyght of the battayle and the whole victorie did consiste In the meane time a troupe of the Emperiall light horsemen boldly charging the blacke Esquadron of Almaines were easilye repelled and thrust backe with foule disorder into the valley of Vernacula that laye vnderneath and also the Frenche ordinaunce being commodiously drawen with swift horses into all quarters with marueylous skill and celeritie did so annoye the enimies that the Spaniardes yea laying their brestes flatte vpon the grounde coulde scarse escape the fléeing pellets through the benefite of the lower greunde and Lanoy and Alarco were forced to bring their fearefull troupes of horsemen behinde a countrie Cottage which happily defended them But then the king being vohemently incited by these as it were beginnings of not doubtfull victorie and moued both by the disposition of his owne nature and also through the adhortation of his Captaines doubted nothing to giue the signall to dismarche to giue the charge The rest do the same and before all other Palice the leader of the auantgarde did in the right wing charge the Emperiall horsemen who were now lustily turned This fease and charge of the Frenchmen as it was gréeuous and terrible to Lanoy so by the opinion of many men it séemed to haue afterward not doubtfully caried away the victorie from the Frenchmen for by that headlong and spéedie departure not onely the Switzers and Almaines who coulde not followe after with equall pace were bared of the guarde of the horsemen but also the vse of the ordinaunce was for a great part taken awaye for that the Gunners were forced to cease shooting least that they shoulde strike both the sides and backes of the kings troupes who were runne forth farre before them But neuer in our age did horsemen encounter togither more couragiouslye and strongly for on both sides olde beaten Captaines and horsemen fought with burning heartes not for only glorie a thing yet that doth most sharpen the edge of true prowesse but also for the Empire of Italie The Frenchmen being gréedie of reuenge sought in all places of the encounter most narrowly for Burbon as a forsaker of the King and his countrie with the ignominie of treason and perfidiousnesse but all in vaine for Burbon that he might more safely shewe his valor had giuen his Cognizaunces vnto his familiar freude the Lord Pomperant and fought himselfe in his coate and apparailed like vnto a priuate souldiour But the King himselfe being notorious for his coate of cloth of siluer and specially for his tall stature fullye perfourmed the dutie of an encouraging Captaine and a valiant warrier he setting spurres to his horse brake throughe the enimies battayles he encountred those that he mette and namelye those that were moste of marke for veluet and golde In thys vprore Ferdinand Castriâ—ta who broughte his pedigrue from the Kings of Macedon and was also a noble Captaine was slayne by the Kynges owne hande and Hugh of Cardona the Lieutenaunt of Pescara his companye of Horsemen was also beaten downe twoo Guidons were torne into péeces and the horsemen of Baâ—ier whome Ferdinande the Emperours brother had sent lustilye attaching the encounter and most constantlye fighting were defeated so that nowe the Guidons and troupes of Lanoy and Barbon did almoste swaye and shrinke backe For the Frenche men were superiour in horsemen both for number and strength bicause the Emperiall men of armes did lacke the ayde of light horsemen for of the thrée troupes the firste had gone to Mirabello with Guasto the seconde as wée haue toldo you béeing shamefullye repulsed by the blacke Almaynes had fledde backe But the thirde beyng lefte wythoute the Parke vnder the conducte and guyding of Guy Gaino did garde the cariages and baggage of the whole armye Also that surpassyng companye of horsemen whyche consisted wholye of Italian and Spanishe Gentlemen and was the peculiar companie of the Viceroy ayded them not at all as they which were not at the battell For Lanoy had coÌ„maunded Monsieur Verereis a Fleming his cosin and Lieutenant ouer that hande to staye without the wall of the Parke nor by any meanes to stirre from thence vntil that he had receyued from him by assured messenger the token of departure and of entring the fight But when the battaile was incontinently attached and very hote and Lanoy had all his senses and memorie so vehemently occupied about the present and terrible matter that he sent no man to call his cosin the yong Gentleman thinking that he must in any case obey his vncles commaundementes and the preceptes of Martiall discipline stoode still and moued not vntill the ende of the battaile neyther could he be adduced to go forth into the field by any intreatie or chasing of the horsemen vnto Lanoy being for these causes in great distresse and hardlye susteyning the force of the Kings battayle Pescara who viewing all things and places with wonderfull and present prudence and specially with intentiue
eye did méete with and redresse euery difficultie in this place and in that finallye in all partes sent about viij C. Spaniards harquebusiers to succour him who being sodenly spred rounde about at the backe sides of the Frenche horsemen beate downe a mightie number of them with their terrible storme of pellets And also he set streight after them a band of armed Pikes then the harquebusiers being safe through their garde did more boldlye and incessantlye vse their harquebusses When the Kinges horsemen had receyued this great incommoditie they not being able to abide thicke togither in troupe and thinking that if they did spreade abroade their wings they should be able to repugn with lesse peril brake their aray scattered themselues abrode But when by this deuise they met with more infestuous fortune they being relyed againe into a thicke troupe for shame and anger runne vpon the Harquebusiers But the Spaniardes being nimble by nature and light armed did swiftly flée backe loosing their aray and by turning and winding this way and that way eluded the violence of the horses and being augmented in number they did as they had ben taught both by long experience also by the new preceptes of Pescara scattered themselues all the field ouer without order twentie thirtie ten or sixtene as it hapned in a companie This was a new kinde of fight and not vsuall but very cruell and miserable bicause that the vse of noble prowes in the horsemen was vtterly lost the Harquebussers with great aduauntage dispatching all before they coulde reache them with their Launces neyther could yea the most strōgest armes do any good long but that they which were thicke and many togither were slayne by the thinne and fewe and often the most famous Captaines and horsemen were euerywhere stricken downe with vnreuenged death by the base and common footemen Also in another quarter Guasto hauing from the right wing aduanced his footemen bringing in his wing of horsmen had now prosperously encoūtred with Annas Montmorencie and his horsemen being defeated by the Harquebusiers he himselfe before other had gotten the enimies ordinance hauing slayne the Gunners But it happened in this encounter which I thinke is not to be passed ouer vnspoken of that Guasto and Montmorencie who afterwarde became most famous Chiefetaines did a good while as we haue learned of them both very sharply fight one with thother man to man with this euent that not long after Montmorencie hys horse being slayne by Gastald◠he was at length taken by Errera a Petie captaine of the Spanishe footemen Guasto being made more couragious by this successe of things did set vpon the lesser battalliō of the Switzers who were appalled with the losse of the ordinance and the flight of the horsemen and therefore did attache the fight with doubtfull and lingring actes But then might you see an incredible thing to be spoken that nation which a little before were feared of all men for their excellent approued valor in the fielde and specially in a battayle quite forgetting both honor discipline and also their ingrafted ferocitie to refuse to fight welny before they had once charged their Pykes and for feare of honorable death sought an infamous and most shamefull destruction in the very déepe riuer Floranges in vayne going about to kéepe them still in the battell and and to confirme them with great obtestations he who was of very familiar acquaintāce with that nation indignitie one of the Marshals of France offered professed that himself wold fight on foote in the forefront with his peculiar company of horsmen al of thē sending away their horses insomuch that either angry God or certes that fatall daye vnto the King did séeme to take awaye the wonted vigour of their huge and mightie bodyes and heartes Neyther with lesse deformitie didde also another battallion of Switzers flée which as it was fuller for number of bandes so it stoode a whyle vnmoued but when they were a farre ouerwhelmed by the Harquebussies spreading them selues rounde about them with certayne perpetuall shoure of pellettes and the valyauntest of the petie Captaynes as it doth moste commonlye happen were slayne in the foremost rankes and when they had séene the discomfiture of the Kings horsemen they hurling away their Pykes turned their backs They report that when Iohn Diespach who had the highest authoritie among the captains of the Switzers saw the bands shamefully to flée no not once attempting to fight slanding in their way all to chased was not able to stay the Ensigne bearers by reuiling and beating them backe he being compelled by moste gréeuous dolour woulde not lyue after so greate a foyle and shame receyued but in that decrée of hardye hearte ranne into the thickest of the enimies and died verye honourablye yet the Switzers that suruiued dyd laye the faulte of this ouerthrowe and slaughter in Alanson who had marryed the Kings sister bicause that he as a man nothing valiaunt and a long tyme a beholder of the inclining battayle at the length fléeing awaye whilest that the fight was yet hote with the vntouched and whole horsemen of the rerewarde had by ouerthwarte hasting crosse them and violent impulsion broken the battallion of the Switzers that fought noblye in good araye But in the right wing of the Frenche men the blacke Almaynes only of all their footemen sought sharply and valiantly with the Emperiall Almaynes as it were in the very dispayre of their lyues and of victorie yea they encountred togither almoste with greater hatred than strength the whyche yet did surmount for that their heartes being enraged one agaynst the other through long dissention they did thinke that vnto neyther of them that shoulde be beaten from his grounde or gyue backe and retire there woulde be left anye hope at all eyther of pardon or Martiall mercie The Emperialles were woode angrye that the blacke Almaynes contemning and scorning the Emperours Maiestie and despising the authoritie of the Almayne name had come with Mercenarye armes for to besiege and assaulte their brethren and cousins in the behalfe of the Frenche men their auncient ennimies On the other side the blacke Almaynes thought it most honourable to doe moste valiant seruice for that King who had maintained them so many yeares by his liberall wages to kéepe the sayth of their othe and in no case to admitte ought that should be vnfitting for olde souldiours Neyther in déede was there anye man among them that was not fullye persuaded that he ought in this doubtlesse last acte of lyfe and endeuour of warlyke worke reuenge the iniurie of insulting fortune with vnwonted valor and honourable death When the Esquadrons drewe neare one vnto the other Longamentes a verye noble Captayne of Auspurg came forth alone before the battallion of the blacke Almaynes chalenging vnto the combat George Frondesberg and Mark Sitsch by lyfting vp his hande and with a loude voyce But hée béeing refused with a
all other Rossales following the example of Chiscera the captaine of the men of armes fledde with continued course euen vnto the gates of Pistoia with so great perturbation that the same that the Prince was flayne and his armie discomfited was brought vnto Gonzaga who laye in siege before Florence and also vnto the Consalioner within the Citie At the verye same moment of time Vitelli pursuing a while and vrging and slaying the regiment of Bailâ— de Cere as he entred the towne did tymely hit vpon the gate where Maramaldo had entred and then such a cruell fight was remed that one coulde scarce passe along the stréete for the heapes of slayne men But Fernaio and Paule being tired with long fight and the scorching heate of the mids of the day tooke a high hâ—â—se and from thence pelied the Emperials with harqueâ—usses vntill that all their horsemen were ouerthrowen and destroyed by the light horsemen of their enimies who for shame woulde not followe Rossales when he fledde but did cast themselues into thicke troupes and a little before the bandes which eyther coulde not enter the towne or which had remayned without by Fernaio his commaundement and had slaine Orange vsing such Malles of yron as the helmets coulde scarce resist had bene ouerthrowne neyther did the prepared trunkes of wylde fire do any great good that daye For the Florentines coulde cast but fewe of them vppon the Almaines and horsemen neyther bicause their baggage was spoyled and their Sumpter horses put quite our of order coulde the Moschats be made readie and layde on their restes as they had trusted and hoped to haue done Then Fernaio and Paule acknowledging the euent of aduerse fight and fortune insestuous vnto the Florentine name all their souldiours being either slayne or taken and all the houses of the towne wonne and sarked and Maramaldo hauing nowe gotten assured victorie yéelded themselues and incontinently Fernaio was brought armed as he was vnto Maramaldo who sayd vnto him when that thou didst Iewdlye hang vppe my Drummre with an halter against the lawe of armes hadst thou thought euer to haue come into my handes Then answered Fernaio this is the chaunce of Marâ— who is not alwayes wrongfull and the like may also befall vnto to you strung in the fielde But if thâ—â— you murther me you shal winde by my death myther profitable nor honourable praise But Maramaldo reuiling and calling him a Captaine made of a Merâ—â—aâ—t comâ—â—â—aunded his helmet and his armour to be pulled of and thrusting his sâ—oorde into his throate left him vnto the souldiours to be staine But afterwarde Maramaldo vsed to saye that he slue him not for anye priuate quarrell but to please the souldiours and namely the Almaines who woulde haue chafed that the Captaine of their enimies shoulde haue bens saued after that their so great a Generall was slaine There were slayne in this conflict on both sides little lack of 〈◊〉 M. For many died afterwarde of their woundes And of the Florentines Captaine de Borgo and Francis and Paule Corsi Charles Carle of Ciuicellâ— and Alphâ—ns Stipicianâ— And of prisoners taken Paule de Core Amico Arsula Masiâ— and Captiuanzâ— Strozzi But there were stayne of Maramaldo his regiment Iohn Maiâ— his valiamitest Captaine and thrée Enfigne bearers Anont after this victorie the despayring Flâ—â—â—â—eâ—nes yeelded their almost starued Citie and whole oppressed state vnto the mercie of the Emperour who depriued them of their libertie and created Alexander de Medies base sonne of yong Laurâ—nco do Medici Duke of Elâ—rnce and of all the dominiâ—us theceof ¶ The Battell of Exech fought in Hungarie betvvene Cazzianer Generall for King Ferdinande and Mahoâ—ut Lieutenant for Sâ—lyman the Turke in anno 1537. Out of Iouius ANnâ— 1537. Ferdinande the Emperour sent Cazzianer the Captaine of Vienna into Hungarie with a power of ten thousande horsemen of Almaines Hungarians Bohemians and Carinthians and sirtene thousande footemen Almaines and Iâ—alians to winne the towne of Exech vpon the riuer of Draw which Mabomet lahiaâ—gles the Turkishe Captaine of Bâ—lgrade and Lieutenam generall of all â—â—â—se patten has fortifies in a parte of Hungaris called Prossega and made it to be the feate of his warres to vexe the kingdome of Hungarie But before that this arinie coulde come vnto Exech the sixtene thousande footemenne were brought throught sickeiâ—sse vnto eyght thousande and the rest were also much weakened with diseases the which inconunoditie was also smut â—asucably augmented through lacke of victualles so that they were not so senne come before the towne wherein was Mahomet with fixtens thousande men but that they were forced to breake vppe their siege and to retyre harke vnto a cowne called Carâ— the Tickes pursuing and continuallye skiclasshing with them in which skirmishes they slewe Peter Raschinius the Marshall of the â—â—hemians and Baule Bâ—â—chitius the Captaine of the Hungarians one accounted the valiantest and most expect Captaine of that nation And the Christians hearing by certaine râ—â—â—ors that Mahomet looked for â—ewe and strong supplies of sâ—uldiours the Christians tarefully deeréed that all the whole armie shoulde haste vnto a towne called Walpons ten myles of where was storâ— of victoals leaning behinde them their great ordinance whiche coulde not be easily caried and setting on fire all their gunpouder and destroying all the rest of the Martiall furniture of the armie and all such baggage as coulde not be caried on horsebacke and that Cazzianer shoulde giue the signall when they shoulde dislodge with a kinde of Pype that the Almaynes vse and is called by them Schalmeyen Nowe was the time of the seconde watche almost spent and all men watching did so expect with hofull heartes the signall of dislodging that they thought euery little moment of tariance to be a yeare and very incomdious and diuers Captaynes of great marke by franticke instinct brake off all stay â–ª and hasted to depart without commandement and to go before their fellowes They saye that this heinous shamefull departure was begun by the light horsemeÌ„ or Vsarâ—nes of the Hungarians who trusting to their knowledge in the blinde wayes and woodes â—ent their course towardes Valponi whome Ladislaw More a noble man of Hungarie following with dishonorable example fled vnto his owne castell of Zeuthuerzebeth and also all the horsemen of Staermarke forgetting shame with great tumult hasted after with their Captaine Iohn Hunganolt who had bene appoynted to leade and defend the rerewarde In the meane time it was fearefullye reported vnto Cazzianer that the Vsarones were fledde and that Ladislawe and Hunganolt had done the same with the horsemen of Staermark and that the rest of the armie neuer a whit expecting the sounding of the Schalmeyn as it had bene decréed made themselues readie for the same flight Then the astonned and afrighted Generall got him to horse and forgetting to giue the signall for he had surely thought as he sayde afterwarde that all the armie had bene already gone before fledde away vnarmed
winter that by estimation of the Barbarians that bootie was accounted farre the greatest part of the victorie But when the Turkes hauing wonne the munition sought in the middes of the camp Rocandulph lying in his bed desired rather to be slaine in his tent than to suruiue so great an ouerthrow but he was against his will and chafing thereat caryed aboorde a boate by his phisition and chamberlaine and so transported into the Isle of Comora where a little while after he dyed of the griefe of his wounde hurt But all the prisaners who were in number about eyght hundreth being presented vnto Soliman at his arriuall vnto the campe were by his commandement all slayne except certaine knowen captaines and noble men among whom were Balthasar Pocan and Taske an olde captaine maister of the watch ¶ The Battell of Ceresoles foughte in Piemonte bevveene Alphons Marques of Guaesto Generall for Charles the fift Emperour and Francis Duke of Anghieu Generall for Francis the French King in Anno. 15â—4 Out of Paulus Iouius WHen that Francis Duke of Aughieu Lieutenaunt Generall in Piemont for Francis the Frenche king befieged with a great power Carignano a strong town and of great importance in Piemont Alphons Marques of Cuasto Gouernour of Milan and Piemont for Charles the Emperoure being moued wyth the perill of the towne and the Captaine whome he had before faithfully promised to succour as soone as he had receyued out of Germanie two regimeÌ„ts of Lansquenets vnder the conduct of the two Scaligers and sixe thousande Italians for the most part shot ledde by Robert Prince of Salerne with whome an olde Captaine Cesar Massio was ioyned for a Counsaylour and seauen hundreth men of armes but yet in comparison of the Frenchmen but light horsemen and a singular cornet of olde men of armes from the Duke of Florence vnder Radulpho Baleone and to these were adioyned his olde store a fewe Spaniardes and the regiment of Lansquenets of Baron Seisnech whose bandes were not full he marched towardes Carignano But before he came there he was met with in a plaine betwéene Ceresoles and Carmagnola by the French power the which was thus ranged In the middle battell stoode the Gascoignes and the rest of the olde French footemen singularly well appoynted and very brauely close vnto whome stoode the strong regiment of Switzers that had serued long in those warres in Piemont and stronglye backed all the front of the Gascâ—ignes which stoode very broade The right wing was appointed vnto the Switzers that came lately out of their countrie who with singular heate of heartes had desired to fight But the Gruieres a kinde of halfe clownishe souldiers and of no great vse were placed in the left wing These Grueres doe dwell about Geneua and Losanne and border on Berne and Sitten Among these Gruiers were certaine Italian bandes namely of banished men of Milan Sauoy and Piemont were admixed This was a great battell and had many ensignes But bicause it consisted for a great part of freshe water souldiours and men of diuers languages and had also bene taken vp without great choyce they gaue almost no opinion of assured valor or firme consent Moreouer betwéene these thrée battels of footmen there stoode also thrée of horsmen Betwene the middle battell and the esquadrons of the Switzers stoode Monsteur de Thermes with whome were all the light horsemen and one troupe of men of armes to strengthen them And the Lorde Boutiers garded the open side of the Gruiers with an other power of horsemen Then the Marques séeing this araye of the enimies dso set right ouer against the middle battell and the Gascoignes a whole battallion of Almaine footemen whome he did take to be of inuincible strength with this order that in the forefront he placed Aliprand Madruches brother vnto the Cardinal of Trent who had desired to haue that honor For the lustie and valiant yong Gentleman had in time before couragiouslye professed that he woulde with his onely regiment wherein were not full thrée thousande encounter and valiantly ouerthrowe the Switzers whose force the Marques séemed not vnskilfullye to feare Behinde him the two Scaligers ledde their regimentes their ensignes being placed in the middes of the hattell The right wing against the Gruers was appointed vnto the Spaniardes but so that he adioyned vnto them fiue bandes of Lansquenets vnder the charge of Seisnech men méete for a standing fight He placed all the Italians in the left wing and willed them by little and little to clyme the hill which rose vp gently from the small valley as the better place and willed them not to stirre from thence least that they shoulde be disordered and defeated by the Switzers that stoode against them to whome they were inferiour in discipline but to stande still in aray and be obedient vnto the commaundements of the Prince of Salerne and Massio and vse their harquebusses as the chaunce of the battell shoulde require Philip Lanoy a Flemming Prince of Salmona who was Generall of the horsemen was commaunded to stande in the voyde roume betwéene the Lansquenets and the Spaniardes and Baleone did the like standing directly against Thermes But Charles Conzaga had a speciall charge to obserue and inuade Boutiers who stoode right ouer against him The battels on both sides being thus aranged and the great ordinance on both parts shot off the signals were sounded and the battels began to approch betwéene whom the Marques ryding to and fro with great daunger of the pellets whiche slue from the great ordinance and harquebusses rounde about his cares and vewing all things with his eyes perceyued that the Almaines came forwarde more slowly than he would haue them insomuch that he came neare vnto them and courteouslye encouraged the Captaines to amende their pace when sée he behelde vndoubted signes of deadlye feare in the faces of the Scaligers they looking more sadde and pale than they were wont Wherfore turning towardes his familiars Scalengo Landriano and Saiaureda who continuallye followed him to receyue messages from him and to carie them vnto the battels and rankes sayd Almightie God auerte this yll abodement and be with vs to daye with his omnipotent power as we haue great néede therof séeing that I doe sée in these Almaines in whome is reposed all our trust the meane to obteyne the victorie no chearfulnes to fight now the enimie is present prouoketh them the which thing hath neuer happened before this time The first that ran togither after that the Marques had giuen the signall through the encouragement of his souldiours were the horsemen of Thermes and Baleone the which they did with so greate valor that on both sides many were borne to the grounde and after their staues were broken they couragiously vsed their battell axes and swordes There Thermes charging on the Italian footemen was repulsed and his horse being hurte and falling to the grounde he was taken by a freshe water souldiour But although Baleons
wing of horsemen excelled in prowes yet they being inferiour in number coulde not susteyne the force of the French men of armes So that many of them were slayne in that sharpe conflicte and among them Iulie Azzo sonne to the Prince of Tuderâ—â— and Baleone hauing his horse slaine vnder him hardly escaped wounded vnto the Italian footemen But in another wing Fortune who vseth as it were with a kinde of playe eftsoones to exchaunge the euentes of battelles séemed to smyle vppon the Spaniardes and olde Lansquenettes For they vnder the conducte of Raimonde de Cardonna and Seisnech charged the Gruers so couragiouslye with a Manique of harquebusiers that they disordered all their battell and made them to flée and gotte the Cottage that they had stoode by and certayne péeces of ordinaunce and also with great slaughter brake through a troupe of horsemen that was sente to succour them In this encounter the Monsieurs Destro and Charles Drosse who were the chiefe conductors of that â—â—ing were slayne and also Monsieur de Assier a yong Genâ—â—â—man of singular hope ouer hotelye breaking in was cast out of his Saddle by the Almaine Pykes and dyed within three dayes after of his two woundes In this spéedie but vncertaine féese of victorie the Spaniardes being inflamed so fiercely followed the fléeing Frenchmen that with continued course they did flea and take euen vnto Carmagnola At the verye same time the Lansquenettes who had lyen flatte on the ground that they might auoyde the great ordinance being commanded by the Marques arose vp taking vp dust threw it ouer their shoulders the which is an olde religions custome of that nation thinking by that ceremonie to wynne the fauour of bloudie Mars and then they made towardes the enimie Aliprande who was in the forefronte of the battallion goyng certayne paces before the Esquadron chalenged to the combatte Monsieur de Molle a notorious Captayne on the Frenche side But when the Frenchman refused it not they ranne togither so furiouslye that one wounding the other in the face they bothe fell downe to the grounde Molle being thruste in with deadly Pyke a little aboue the eye and Aliprande into the ball of the chéeke vp to the eare Thus both the Captayne 's falling downe a verye sharpe and a bloudie fighte was begunne by the foremoste rankes where the strengthe of the moste chosen souldiours and petie Captaynes of both armies fought for the dignitie of their name and for glorious victorie Aliprandes regiment that went forwarde verye hotelye was more slowlye followed by the Scaligers than they shoulde haue bene by reason of the empeachmente of the lowe and vneuen grounde whereby neyther coulde their Pykes be borne wyth equall order nor their rankes be aptlye set close togither But in the hotest of the fight the Emperiall horsemen made into the left wing of the Frenchmen where Boutiers stoode with his troup readie to fight and ran forth very couragiously but vainly as it appeared anon after very incommodiously and shamefullye For when they were come vnto the Frenchmen they neuer once giuing anye charge no nor so much as charging their stanes whirled themselues rounde aboute lyke vnto the forme of the Moone eyther to trayne out the light horsemen from the guarde of the men of armes or bicause they being lighte armed durste not aduenture vppon their ennimies who were all in complete armour or else were adduced so to doe by an vncertaine speach vttered as they saide by Goit their Captaine who commaunded them to turne about their horses that they being ouermatched might not fight with the men of armes by encountring them with their horses brest to brest and with thick troupe but with often running vpon them and incontinentlye reculing backe againe after the manner of the Moores This vnlooked for turning away of the Emperialles caused first the Frenchmen to maruayle and anon after also their fellowes assuredly to suspecte that they did flée so that Boutiers sodenly with great valor charged on the backes of them that turned who although that the Marques cried out and rated them coulde not be stayed but with headlong course ranne vpon the Esquadron of the Almains and finding it loose behind the ensignes opened and brake through all the whole battallion and also the French men following theÌ„ got in too at that breache and with small adoe slue all the foulye disordered hindermost rankes bicause that they were not armed with heade péeces and Costelets as were the fore rankes the Frenchmen caruing off whole limmes from the vnarmed with their broade and heauie swordes not vnlike vnto woode kniues that hanged at their saddle bowes But when the Switzers who stoode ouer right againste the Italians sawe this wauering and slaughter of the Almaines they neglecting and omitting the Italians turned their infestuous ensignes on the Almaines as on them whom for naturall hatred they bare them they accounted for their very and peculiar enimies neyther in déede coulde they commodiously charge the Italians for the holownesse and inequalitie of the place and also they thought that if the Almaines were timely destroyed then the victorie were surelye gotten This chaunce of counsell sodenly taken brought not doubtfull safetie vnto the Italians but most assured destruction vnto the Almains for as the Italians being inferiour both in furniture and number men thought woulde not haue susteyned the force of the impression of the Switzers namely séeing that they had before séene the flight of their horsemen so the Almaines that did very constantly propell the Gascoignes and olde Switzers that fought in their front with singular valor were not able to beare the freshe force of these Switzers that charged them on the side so that being disordered by the madde miserable irruption of their owne horsemen and succoured by no man but slayne behinde by the Frenche horsemen and in the front by the vrging enimies their footemen after that their captaines were slaine and their ensignes thrown downe they turned their backes and were almoste eucrye man slayne There died with the Scaligers diuers noble men of greate renounce for sundrie honors borne in the fielde and Captaynes of bandes and most honourable of all Vulcane sonne to the Earle of Furstemberg Michaell Prensinger Lieutenant to Brannor Scaliger Anty Vrse a man of great fame for his many martial voyages and Hildebrande Tunney Balthasar Chaldese Iames Figer Matrice Burse Adam Brall and the Baron of Grinisten But Aliprande Madruckes being sore wounded in many places was found halfe deade among the slaine carcasses and taken prisoner But when the Italian footemen sawe the Almaines defeated and the horsemen fledde they vsing a deuyse rather néedefull and profitable as it afterwarde appeared than honourable fearing the victors began to get themselues out of daunger and to retire through that lowe place that I spake of but yet still kéeping araye and so no strong bande of their enimies molesting or pursuing them they came before midnight vnto Asti whither
noble men allyed by bloude vnto Guasto and Salerne were rather gently to be let go than to be seuerely deliuered vnto detestable death by the iudgement of Straungers One onely noble man and he also a yong Gentleman of surpassing towardlynesse Vlisses Orsino was stayne in the fight with a harquebusse shot Strozzi himselfe escaped into the neare dominions of the frendes and confederates of the Frenchmen with Nicolas the sorme of the Earle of Perilia and Flaminio the Earle of Anguillara This ouerthrowe dashed all the intended attemptes of Anghien This battell was fought in Iune and that at Ceresoles in Aprist before ¶ The Battell of Locken foughte in Saxon betvvene Charles the fift Emperour of Rome and Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxonie in Anno 1547. 24. of Aprill Out of Natalis Comes WHen that the armie of the confederale states of the Empise assembled against the force of Charles the fifte their Emperour who was fore displeased with their streight alliance was dissolued and the chief conductors therof Iohn Fredericke Duke and Prince Elector of Saxon and Philip the Lantgraue of Hessen were returned home to defende their owne countries the Emperour passing ouer the riuer of Elb entred Saxonie hasting with his ouly horsemen to fight with the Duke before he had dispersed hys power into his impregnable holdes And in déede the Emperials vsed such celeritie that they were vpon the Saxons before that they were ware of them in so much that when the Emperiall anantcurrers were sodenly come so neare vnto them that they coulde not well be set in araye all the Saxon armie was fraught full of trembling and feare and were euen vpon the pricke to flée all away of so great moment in warres is celeritie alone But whylest that the auantcurrers Emperiall being verye fewe in number stayed for more power whiche continually came vnto them the Duke had leysure to set his men in aray but yet not as he was wonte and as the discipline of warres woulde haue it but as the present necessitie requested and permitted He deuided his footemen into two Esquadrons whome he garded on both sides with his horsemen and placed his greate ordinaunce and his baggage and cariages in the myddes In the meane tyme the Emperialles were so increased that they doubted not to encounter their enimies who nowe marched towardes VVittemberg And firste there passed betwéene them lyght skirmishes whome the Saxons still marching on their waye forced not off séeing that they did not onely stoutly resist them but also repelled with slaughter such as ouer hardily pressed vppon them Afterwarde when that the Duke of Alua the Emperiall Generall was come into sight wyth a great troupe of horsemen the Saxons fearing by the great cloude of duste that was raysed vppe that the Emperours whole power was come beganne to marche on a rounde pace the whiche certayne of the Emperiall lighte horsemenne taking for a kinde of flyghte gaue a great shoute and lustilye charged the Saxons and certayne men of armes wente aboute to enclose them on the other side But a great troupe of Saxons harquebusiers on horsebacke charged the Emperiall horsemen with so greate violence and so myghtie and horrible a storme that not one of them durste abyde but incontinentlye turned their backes and were forced to flée backe among the men of armes These horsemen were taken vppe in the confines of Hungarie Poloue and Croatia and had to their Captaine Bartholomewe a Croatian an olde and experte souldiour When that the Saxon vnderstoode that hys footemens ▪ heartes were a little confirmed throughe the valor of these horsemenne he commaunded that the footemenne of the Earle of Bichlinghen in whome he reposed greatest truste and the horsemen of Iohn Ponicawe and Gangulph of Eislinghen should be placed agaynste the fronte of the ennimies wyllyng them that if they were inuaded and charged for to feygne that they gaue place vntill that at commodious tyme the signall of fighte shoulde bée giuen Whyle that the Saxon is doyng of this the Emperour with the King of the Romaines had ouertaken Alua his horsemen Wherefore his Maiestie thynking that oportunitie of fighte was offered him whereof he was verye desirous and bicause that the daye was nowe well spente he incontinentlye aranged his power into a vantgarde and a battayle In the auantgarde he placed sixe hundreth Launces to the charge of Maurice Duke of Saxon sixe hundreth Hungarian horsemen and seauen hundreth Italian horsemenne and one hundreth harquebusiers on horsebacke they being all in number two thousande He deuided them into thrée troupes the Hungarians stoode on the right wyng the Almaines on the left and the Italians in the middes of the reste of his power he made the battell the whiche he deuided into two Esquadrons of whome hée committed the one vnto the King of the Romaynes but the other he ledde hymselfe the one consisting of seauen hundreth horsemen and the other of one thousand part Launces and parte Harbuebusiers on horsebacke and wylled hys souldiours to auaunce in suche order that the fronte shoulde be broadest contrarie to the vsage of the Almaines who doe make their fronte narrowe and their sides broade The reason hereof was bicause it is not onelye goodlye vnto the eye but also verye sure For in this araye a battell cannot so eastlye bée enclosed by reason of the breadthe thereof the whiche maye happen with no greate difficultie if that the Esquadron bée narrowe The Saxon had sixe thousande footemenne caste into two Esquadrons and nyne Cornettes of horsemenne whiche was two thousande sixe hundreth and foure score horsemen but be himselfe ryding from ranke to ranke prouided for all necessaries in all places And when he sawe but onelye the forewarde of the Emperialles bicause that the duste didde hyde the battayle hée was in good hope that he shoulde be able verye easilye for to susteyne the force of so fewe horsemen But when he was admonished by his Marshall to go a little on one side that he might more diligently vewe them with whome he shoulde fight he sawe also the battell aranged wherefore vnderstanding that all the Emperial horsemen were come and also perceyuing their araye and purpose he returned vnto his hoste and determined to take a woode full of Marishes and very blinde narowe pathes thinking that through the benefite thereof he shoulde be able to prolong the fight vntill it were night and then he should be safely shrowded therewith and commodiously recouer VVittemberg But there was betwéene both the armies so large an open playne as wold suffice for them to fight in for it was aboue thrée hundreth paces long the which playne the Emperials thought if that they could get then they shoulde defeate their enimies Wherefore Alua sent the light horsemen before for to impeach the ennimie from taking thereof But bicause that the Saxon footemenne and twoo troupes of horsemen stoode therevpon the Emperialles were forced to retire vnto their fellowes the exployte vnatchieued But Alua with a stronger
troupe of Almaine horsemen strengthened the light horsemen who contrarie to his expectation had bene repelled and adhorted the rest to glorie and valiance and greatly were his commaundementes aduaunced through the skilfulnesse of the souldiours who did execute Martiall preceptes spéedily an exactly Wherefore they renuing the fight did so valiantly giue the charge on their ennimies that they had almoste made them to turne their backs The Saxon perceyuing the faint courage of his menne that he mighte not be enuironed on all partes and the way of his safetie taken from him called a troup of horsemen from the left wing and commaunded them to succor their distressed fellowes and as the shortnesse of the time would suffer adhorted them in this maner to reteyne the stoutnesse and glorie of their auncestors Vnlesse that ye your selues fellowe souldiours did verye well knowe that almost all mans nobilitie and glorie doth consist in Martiall matters it woulde haue bene néedefull for me to declare with many words that our ancestors got estimation glorie and empire by none other thing and I woulde haue reuoked into your memorie their diume and wonderfull actes But séeing that the straytnesse of the time doth not beare it the which doth require fortitude of hart and strength of bodie than any eloquent speach This onely thing do I say that at this time we must fight for all that we haue the conseruation whereof is reposed in onely fortitude and valor of armes For if we shall playe the valiant and stoute fellowes as in déede we ought to doe this daye will be vnto vs the happiest day that euer shined and of greatest memorie among all our posteritie For we maye I doe not saye defende our goodes countrie libertie religion wiues children although that these things are of them selues most deare and of such price that for them all perils are to be cōtemned neither conserue the recouered principality of Saxonie but with surpassing prayse and admiration of all forein nations augment the glorie of the Germane name deliuer from thraldom and make frée the Almaine Empire and feare the rest of the enimies of the Germaines from euer againe vexing of Germanie and finally obteyne a glorious and quiet peace for euer But contrariwise if we giue place to fortune who is mostlye frende vnto the hardie but seldome vnto the fearefull we must néedes come into the hands of our enimies with extreame shame and at one time léese all that we haue possesse By these reasons were the Saxons a litle cōfirmed who being set in such aray as was thought best for that present the Duke himselfe stoode with his horsemen before his footmen that they might be confirmed For he did not a litle distrust their prowes In the right wing against the Emperials he placed Ernest the Duke of Brunswicke with the horsmen of Nicolas Bernarde and Iohn Segherne whome he did take to be his best He gaue order that if the Emperials did giue any charge in their battels they shoulde shoote off all their Pistolets and harquebusses at once and alwayes kéeping their aray suffer the inuasions of their enimies and also commaunded that no man on payne of death shoulde go out of his place for he himselfe woulde be carefull to bring them succour and thus they faire and softlye expected the onset of the Emperialles The Saxon himselfe roade hither and thither opportunelye prouiding and séeing to all things then he commaūded the horsemen and certaine harquebusiers to giue a charge vpon the Emperiall light horsemen that the rest of his footemen might the more commodiouslye get into the woode through whose garde they thought they shoulde be safe But by this time had the Emperour ioyned with the auantgarde of his men and with fewe words adhorted his souldiours to attache the battell crying Saint George Hispaine and the Empyre But when all the Emperiall troupes ran forth togither equally frōted they came vnto a dirtie plot where many of the horses did slyde as in a slipperie place wherfore the battell was forced to staye vntill that the fore warde were passed the slough least that else both battels should be disordered and one intermired with another whereby it came to passe that they going aside the auantgard was passed by at that same time that the Saxons gaue the charge that I spake of with very good order on the lyghte horsemen of the Emperialles When that the Emperour sawe this oportunitie to haue a sayre daye he sente from the one side men of armes and from the other the harquebusiers on horsebacke and Duke Morrice to charge that parte of the Saxons that had before séemed to be the more fearfull The battell was begunne in the right wing where the Saxons discharging their shotte altogither as they had bene commaunded the fight séemed at the firste to be very cruell But when that the light horsemen of the Italians and the Hungarians charged them in another parte on the side and woulde graunte the shotte no leysure to recharge their péeces agayne and in another quarter the men of armes of Naples Duke Morrices and the Harquebusiers fiercely vrged they so feruentlye charged the Saxons on all sides that the auantgarde whiche had not entred the woode was opened and scattered It was marueylous to sée wythin howe small a space of time and as it were in a momente all the armie of the Saxons was ouerthrowne defeated the light horsemen and the Hungarians pursuing the victory with wonderful celeritie The Saxon although hée endeuoured opportunelye to succour his menne and timely to prouide all things yet when he fawe that so greate a number of his men were layde on the grounde and ouerthrown he determined to saue himselfe by taking the wood after that he certainly perceiued that he was in no wyse able to resist with the reste that were lefte him But when he was disclosed vnto his ennimies by one that was taken prisoner and his Princelye porte and almoste Kinglye maiestie did persuade them to beléeue that it was he in deede firste twoo Italians pursued him and althoughe he were valiantly defended by his men yet at the last when that moe of the Emperialles came he was taken prisoner after no small fighte by Hippolito a Vientine who pulled off his heade péece and did put hym on an hatte in signe of a prisoner But when that the Emperialles came afterwarde into the woode they founde so manye armours and weapons throwne awaye and lying on the grounde and so manye slayne bodyes heaped in the wayes that it was a lamentable sight vnto their countrimen some séeing their berthren other their cousins and frendes slaine by them and also it was no small impediment vnto the rest to pursue the chace Moreouer there were such a number of prisoners taken that many of the Emperialles led fiftie or xx prisoners a péece with their haudes bounde behinde them But bicause that the Emperials séemed to be greatly dispersed for desire of spoile the which is no
smal dauÌ„ger in victorie for that vnknown aideâ— may come to the vanquished and with small labour defeate the scattered victors a thing which hath often happened the Emperour commaunded the men of armes to be called backe the retire to be sounded But incoÌ„tineÌ„tly after newes was brought vnto his maiestie that the Saxon was taken There were stain of the Saxons about ij M. footemen aboue vij C. wounded moe than vto C. taken of horsmen v. C. slaine farre moe taken yet many Germanes were let go by the Germanes of all the armye not aboue iiij C. horsmen so many footmen escaped to VViteÌ„berg Few of mark were slaine there were takeÌ„ beside the Saxon Ernest the Duke of Brunfwicke and Charles of Thuring and two of the Saxon his secretaries There were also taken xvij ensignes of footemen ix of horsemen great store of houshold stuffe money and martiall furniture two Culnerings iiij Demiculuerings foure Demicanons and fiue Falconets His eldest sonne Iohn being wounded in two places was throwne off his horse but being succoured by his frends he that had wounded him being slayne he escaped to VVittemberg There were slaine of the Emperials vnto the number of fiue hundreth bicause that the fight being begunne at eleuen of the clocke continued vntill seauen for the Saxons marched fighting fiftene myles from the riuer of Elbe After this victorie all Saxonie yéelded and also the Lantgraue came in and other Almaine states submitted themselues vnto the Emperour who was nowe absolute victor ¶ Muscleborough fielde fought in Scotlande betvvene Edvvard Duke of Somerset and Iames Hamelton Earle of Arraine Regents of Englande and Scotland during the nonage of Edwarde and Marie the Princes of the saide Realmes in Anno. 1547. Taken out of VVilliam Patens WHen that Marie the yong Quéene of Scottes was not deliuered vnto the Englishe nobilitie to be ioyned in happie mariage wyth Edwarde the sixt the yong King of Englande according vnto faithfull promise made Edwarde Seimar Duke of Somerset and Protector of his Maiesties person and dominions inuaded Scotlande the thirde of September with an armie by lande of ten thousande footemen of whome sixe hundreth were harquebusiers sâ—ure thousande men of armes and Demilaunces and two thousande light horsemen and of them two hundreth were hakbutters on horsebacke thirtene hundreth Pioners and fiftene péeces of great ordinance and a fléete of Lxv. vessels whereof the Galley and xxxiiii more were perfectly appointed for the wars and the resid ue for munition and vittayle The Admirall of this fléete was the Lorde Clinton The ninth of September the Englishmen were encamped within two myles of the Scottish power leuied and ledde by lames Earle of Arrane Gouernour of Scotlande The next morning the Scottes leauing their lodging which was very strong and of great aduauntage and to the intent that aswell none of their souldiours shoulde lurke behinde them in their campes as also that none of their Captaines shoulde be able to flée from their enterprice hauing caused all their tentes to be let flatte downe to the grounde ere they came out and then all aswell nobles as others fewe except that were not horsemen appointed to leaue their horses behinde them and to march on with their souldiours on foote hasted towardes the Englishmen who were also marching against them but neither side any whit ware of the others intent But the Scottes staying a while vpon the waye our Galley shot of and slue the maister of Greyme with xxv neare him and therewith so scarred the foure thousande Archers brought by the Earle of Arguill that where as it was sayde they shoulde haue bene a wing to the foreward they coulde neuer after be made to come for warde Herevpon did their armie hastily remoue and from thence declyning Southwarde tooke their direct waye towarde an hill called Fauxside Braye Of this Sir Râ—fe Vane Lieutenant of all our horsemen quickly aduertised my Lorde Protector who thereby did readily conceyue much of their meaning which was to winne of vs the hill and thereby the winde and the Sunne of it had shyned as it did not for the weather was cloudie and louring The gaine of which thrée things whether partie in fight of battell can happe to obteyne hath his force doubled against his enimie In all this enterprise they vsed for haste so little the helpe of horses that they pluckt forth their ordinance by draught of men whiche at thys time began fréely to shoote of towardes vs whereby we were further warned that they ment more than a flâ—rmish Herewithall began euery man to be smitten with the care of his office and charge and therevpon accordingly to apply himselfe aboute it and also my Lordes grace and the Councell on horsebacke as they were fell streyghte in consultation The sharpenesse of whose circumspect wisedomes as it quickly espyed out the enimies intents so did it among other things promptly prouyde therein to preuent them as needefull it was for the time asâ—ed no leysure Their deuise was this that my Lord Gray of VVilton Marshall of the armie and Captaine Generall of all the horsemen shoulde with his bande of Bulloners and with my Lorde Protectors bande and the Earle of VVarwickes Lorde Lieutenant of the armie bande all to the number of xviij C. horsmen on the one halfe Sir Rafe Vane with Sir Thomas Darcie Captaine of the Pencioners and men of armes and my Lorde Fitzwaters with his band of Demilances all to the number also of xvj C. to be readie and euen with my Lorde Marshall on the west halfe and thus all these togither afore to encounter the enimies a front whereby eyther to breake their araye and that waye weaken their power by disorder or at the least to stop them of their gate and force them to stay while our fore warde might wholy haue the hilles side and our battel and rerewarde be placed in groundes next that in order and best for aduantage And after this then that the same our horsemenne shoulde retire vp the hilles sides to come downe in order afresh and infest them on both their sides whiles our battels shoulde occupy theÌ„ in fight a front The policy of this deuise for the state of the case as it was to all that knew of it generally allowed to be the best that coulde be euen so also taken to be of no small daunger for my Lorde Marshall Sir Rafe Vane and other the assaylers the which neuerthelesse I knowe not whether it were more nobly or wisely deuised of the Councell or more valiantly and willinglye executed of them For euen there wyth good courage taking their leaues of the Counsell my Lorde Marshall requiring only that if it went not well with him my Lordes grace woulde be good to his wife and children he sayde he woulde méete the Scottes and so with their bandes these Captaynes tooke their way towardes the enimie By this were our fore warde and theirs within two flyght shottes
he neglecting his torment of the goute called for his horse rode incontinently vnto the campe the which was pitched in a coÌ„modions and well defenced place Nor long after Egmont and Binicourt came in sight with their armie aranged in order of battell with haughtie harts lodged within an harquebusse shot of the Frenchmen and with incredible ferocitie skirmished with theÌ„ in all quarters Then Termes calling the Captaines togither that same night bicause he sawe that he was farre ouermatched in number of souldiours and he was enuironed in his enimies lande as it were with an euclosure of infestuous townes that the power of the Burgonions did daily encrease he concludeth to flée back vnto Calice the next day along the sea sandes when it was low water so to escape by the benefite of nature At the which oportunitie the FrenchmeÌ„ as they had before determined came hofully vnto the mouth of the riuer of Ha where it runneth into the sea aboue Graueling nowe it being low water easily passed ouer the riuer On the other side as soone as Egmont vnderstoode of this flight of the Frenchmen hâ—spéedily passed ouer the riuer beneth the towne that he might stoppe the passage of the fléeing enimie This was done the xiij of Iuly Then he mette with the enimie on the front about Calice since and in the sight of Graueling Here when Termes sawe that he was intercluded from his intended iourney he seruing the time wholye prepared to fighte and when the broade sealaye on the one side of him but on the other a playne without any trée bushe hill or any other impediment and he coueted to haue the place of most aduantage as much as might be he aranged his hoste in this order he deflected all his armie on the right hande northward on the which quarter the sea flowed and therefore did well defence the one side but on the left hande Southwarde he did set the wagons for a trenche and his backe was garded with the riuer of Ha. So that the Frechmen being safe on all other sides laye open vnto the Burgonions onely at the fronte where before their rankes they placed all their ordinaunce which were sixe Culnerings and thrée Falcons yet so that large spaces were left betwéene for the horsemen that by this meanes both the ordinance and also the incursions of the horsemen might at once infest the enimies both sides of which horsemen were flanked with Gascons harquebusiers The rere warde and thirde battell consisted of Frenchmen and Lansquenettes who stoode at the backes of the horsemen with blended rankes Lansquenets and Frenchmen togither that they might succour their fellowes if that néede shoulde be But although that Egmont had no ordinance which had bene left behinde that they might march the more spéedily yet he not gretly forced that his enimies did therin ouermatch him for he trusted chieflye in prowes and valor He then knowing that the enimies had bewraied their feare by their premeditated flight that they ment to driue away with them a mightie bootie coÌ„municating his deuise with the captains determineth incoutineÌ„tly to fight least the Termes might else scape out of his hand by the coÌ„ming of freshe ayde nothing regarding the coÌ„mon Proue the that we must not only giue way vnto our sheing enimie but also make a want for him Egmont encouraging his souldiors to fight doth thus arange theÌ„ He deuideth al the horsemen into fiue troupes commaunding the light horsemen to ryde before in thrée troupes of whome the Earle of Ponteuaules a Flemming gouerned the right wing and Eriques a Biscaian the left but the middle battell Egmont reserued for himselfe Behinde the light horsemen followed troupe of Reysters with Pistolets and then a troupe of men of armes of the lowe Countrimen a certaine space being left betwéene eyther of the battels Then were all the footemen deuided into thrée hattels the footemen were high Almaines Nederlanders whose regiment was greatest and certaine bandes of old Spanishe footemen they were led by their Colonels Hilmaner of Mumchausen Binicourt and Caruatal The armie being thus aranged Egmont cried out with a loude voyce we haue vanquished All that haue regarde of their owne prayse or the glorie of their countrie let him followe me and setting their spurres vnto their horses runne in with me among the thickest of our enimies And sodenly as soone as he had spoken the worde be giuing the signall ran forth The prepared Frenchmen doe manfullye susteyne the charge of the Burgonions and with their ordinance commit great slaughter in the foremost rankes so that Egmonts borse fell downe vnder him But the Burgonions being nothing appalled with this chaunce valiantly insist in their enterprise are caried with all their whole strength vpon the câ—imie by the admonishment and impulsion of Egment Incontinently all the hattels on both sides joyne togither they fight with swordes launces pykes harquebusses pystolets halbards al other weapons The troupes of horsmen encouÌ„ter one the other so likewise the footemen finally they fight with handstrokes setting foote to foote whether this hapned by chauÌ„ce or whether it was prouided by the industrie of the captains certes it séemed a straunge and also a marueylous thing yea vnto those that were skilfull in martiall affaires who did plainly say that it had not happened in our age that any battell was fought with such equalitie of all rankes and orders and weapons and ioyned togither in such indifferent sort Thus they fought verye sharply a long and doubtfull battell For although the Lansquenets stoode still and fought not yet the valor of the Gascons footemen was so great that they supplied the others dastardie with their strength susteyned almost all the brunt and force of the battell for the Lansquenets standing still as it were men separated from them and left a certaine space of the Gascons flewe vppon the vrging Burgonions they resisted them and with haughtie heartes receyued their anpression The French horsemen also encountred but more slowly and dissolutely than their wont is neither as it became Gentlemen of their qualitie although that according vnto the maner of that nation they were chosen men and very well and brauely appointed with all furniturie and horses Moreouer whyle that they fought so valiantly and with so great contention of heartes that neyther partie woulde turne their fares a straunge marueylous chaunce happened for at the same time ten Englishe shippes chaunced to sayle by who descrying the encounter when they were in the maine sea made towarde them and it being full sea came neare vnto the shore and with their ordinance did beate the side of the French armie the which we solde you before lay full vpon the sea The French men being dismayed with this sodeyne chaunce began to be in greate feare distrusting that mo shippes woulde come vnto them But on the other side the Burgonions pressed the more instantly when they had defeated the horsemen anon
those of the Protestants although that the Emperour being requested thervnto commaunded Conte Lewes as he tendered his obedience and dutie to retire and to withdrawe his armie out of the countrie with all possible spéede Where vnto the Conte aunswered that he coulde not doe it before that his brother and the other Princes and Lordes his confederates were aduertised the which he promised to doe very shortly yet neuerthelesse manye began to ware colde and namely when that the goodes of certaine of the Colonels were seised and arrested by the Emperour Yet the siege continued vntill the approch of the Duke Martiall at what time the Conte Lodowicke brake vp the siege hauing before sent the baggage towards Embden breaking downe and cutting off all the bridges and passages for to hinder and stay the enimie yet not without continuall skirmishes The Duke hauing sent the horsemen of the Duke of Brunswicke into Groningen bicause the Countrie being full of softe dirtie plashes and great vitches is very ill for horsemen followed the Protestants euen vnto Secloten where they made their stay In the meâ—â—â—e tune he sent some to beate the wayes on all stoes and for to learne out the mientes of the Conte in the ende he vnderstoode that the Rende-vonâ— was at Hieiniâ—guen whither certaine horsemen and footemen were come vnto him there minding to staye for the Duke and his furie For the which purpose he tooke the déepe riuer of Hems for to backe him lodging his campe in a place very strong also on other partes for he was flanked witâ— great ditches chanels and riuers and he coulde let out the water vpon the Duke and his men at ease and had on the other side the rich towne of Embden at his backe all the which séemed to be for his aduantage The Duke approched within two leages of Lodowickes armie and being resolued vpon his aduertisements sent the Captaines Sanchio d' Auila and Montero with an hundreth Argolets or harquebusiers on horsebacke for to attache the skirmish and to traine him out of his fort Besides this he charged Iulian Romero maister of the Campe to followe them with fiue hundreth harquebusiers and thrée hundreth Muschats who were followed by the Campe maister Sanchio de Londaiguo with one thousande harquebusiers appointing Cesar Gonzaga and Martinerguo with two companies of men of armes to be on the wings of the footemen Alphonse de Vllua and Dom Gonsaiuez de Bracamont conducted the rest with charge not to depart out of their place without his expresse commaundement In the tayle of these Spaniardes footemen he set sixe ensignes of Almaines followed by fiftene companies of VVallons and after the light horsemen three hundreth Launces and the Cornette of Hans Vernan all along one at the tayle of another by reason of the nature of the countrie for they must néedes passe in those very straite places one after another not being able to go eyther on the one side or the other for the ditches chanels and marishes that make the countrie very troublesome and yll to traunile The Conte who knewe the deliberation of the Duke that he might hurt anoy him before that they were come to gripes sent a number of footemen and Pioners for to cut vppe and marre the passages and wayes to the ende that the water which was pent vppe might ouerflowe all the fielde and ouerwhelme the Dukes armie so that the auantcurrers had not rode long but that they perceyued the footemen and their gard who laboured to make a waye for the water This caused the first skirmishe and the begynning of the iourney In the ende although the Pioners were forced to retire yet beyng susteyned sodainelye by other footemen that were sent vnto them they droue the Spaniards out of the place who sent vnto their Generall for to demaunde certayne Pykemen and harquebusiers the whiche yet he refused to doe and not without good considerations he sawe that according vnto the disposition that he had sette in his armye euerye troupe shoulde susteyne and helpe themselues to their vttermost and as long as they coulde for their liues so that when the foremost were pressed necessitie woulde sooner stirre vp their spirites for to inuent some good meane and would sooner redouble their courage for to susteyne the impressions and attempts of their enimies than if they reposed themselues vpon other He had also fantasied the lyke at another time and place when he thought it not good to fight in grosse with the desperate nor to put in the hazarde of one only iourney the entier estate of his Prince séeing the small assurance that he had in fortune who doth make hir inconstancie to be séene more in déedes of armes than anye other thing of the worlde Wherefore a Generall ought not to fight with his whole power vnlesse he be constreyned Moreouer he had his men in so carefull regarde namelye after the blowe receyued at the defeate of Aremberge that he estemed more the lyfe of one of them than the death often enimies And as one resolued for all euents in case that he shoulde be forced to come to fight his mynde was through the losse of some not only to saue the liues of the rest but wholy to breake the enimie assuring himselfe that if the foremost would be sufficient for to ouerthrowe the enimie that then their felowes that followed would make the breach farre greater but if they being to weake were broken then he persuaded himselfe that the enimie woulde come forth in so yll order and out of aray for to followe the victorie that the rest of his power would easily defeate them On the other side the Conte Lodowick renforced his foremost and commaunded them to giue in farther assuring them that he woulde alwayes be at their héeles and not suffer them to lacke succours and in déede they so lustily tasted two or thrée of the foremost Spanish bandes that the Maisters of the Campe aduertised the Duke that they were lost vnlesse they were speedily succoured Then he made the horsemen of Caesar Gonzaga Martinenguo and certaine other troupes to set forwarde with thrée hundreth harquebusiers which Dom Felis de Gusman conducted who came to the village where the fort of the recouÌ„ter was But as the time passed the water ranne in and in short time couered all the field to the great disaduantage of the catholikes namely of the Duke who was thereby brought into the state to â—oandon the grosse and greatest part of his armie to the pleasure of fortune specially when that he sawe himselfe sodainlye recharged with another yll hap which was that the ayre began to be dark and troubled with great cloudy raines which thretned the souldiours a thousand incommodities The Duke was as much offended and chased as the souldiours for that they must stay to fight there in the water vp to the waste and therewithal if that it should raine the shot the principall force of the Spaniards would be to no
him to very seldome and also for to lodge his ordinance on the small hilles that were at the ende of the plaine he made the battell too aduaunce more on the right hand as if he woulde take towardes Eruaux whereof he gaue the charge vnto Lodowick Conte de Nassau to whome he deliuered thrée Canons and one Culuerine The auauntgarde was on the left hande drawing towardes the riuer a little lesse forwarde than the battell whereof he himselfe did take the charge and conduct hauing with him Puygressier la Noué Telignie and certaine other who had the charge of two Canons two Longues two Muschats And the Conte de Mansfelde the Chiefe of the Reysters of whome he had distributed almost the one halfe into the battell as also of Lansquenets whom Granuillrers conducted All of whome hauing kissed the grounde made protestations one vnto another for to enter-succour eche one the other and to dye in the place rather than to recule and giue backe The Admirall hath had one fashion very familiar if it be not to be called a strategemme of warre which is in generall fight and battell aranged for to enlace the footemen with the horsemen in this sort After he had chosen the best footemen for Enfans perdus he woulde set them in the heade of euerye ranke of horsemen for to shoote and that too with assurance at the horsemen that woulde come to encounter his horsemen seeing that euerye harquebusier might alwayes according vnto the place the time and the persons recharge thrée or foure tunes As also it is not possible but that the rankes of the horsemen on the other side must be well lessened and made thynner and also that their partie comming vppon the enimie to recharge them shall if they be good men haue such an hande of them as they will themselues Neyther are the footemen that begun the attache thereby in any distresse or daunger for their horsmen will defende them if anye will recharge them and in the meane time they will finde meane to saue themselues if they be alone on a plaine or else couer themselues with some baskets or trenches if the places be proper therefore Here he practised againe this forme of fight but a little altered from the former as we shall declare vnto you In disposing of his horsement he separated the Cornettes as well French as Almaines intermedling two of Reisters wyth two of French as the hindermoste rankes of the auantgarde were Those companies of his owne men of armes and of de Aâ—ier who conducted his owne in person were flanked on the right side with two Cornets of Reysters whiche were a little more aduaunced and kept still their forme of batallion On the left side of those French Cornettes was Captayne Ramiers with his company of harquebusiers for to serue for Enfans perdus and on their side fiue and twentie or thirtie harquebusiers on horsebacke of the garde of D'acier all these harquebusiers stoode a little more forwarde than the Cornettes More higher drawing alwayes towards the right hand was the domesticall Cornet of the Admirall and two or thrée other that he himselfe woulde conduct flanked on the one side with foure or fiue Cornets Almaines ouer whom Mansfelde commaunded and on the other with two companies of harquebusiers of Doge and an other captaine But foure or fiue companies shoulde fight before the Admirall who were therefore a little farther aduaunced The rest of the auantgarde still aduauncing themselues a little more forwarde in forme of batallions euen vnto Mony and la Noué who were in the heade or fronte with their regimentes were followed by the lyke number of Reysters And so likewyse was the battell aranged the which was in aray standing higher on the right hande drawing towarde Eruaux Although that all these troupes did one stande more forward than another yet this was not in right lyne and in heade but brawing towarde a directe line to the ende that the Admirall who stoode at the bottome and ende of all his troupes might sée a farre the disposition countenaunce and dismarche of the Catholikes and vppon a sodeyne puruey according to the occurrence But although that all these troupes were so varied and interlaced yet neuerthelesse they might go to the charge all togither or a part as they woulde themselues without one impeaching of the other namely séeing the Reisters had requested that they might not be any whit hindred at their first dismarch For the Reister vsing another and diuers waye and maner of fight from the Frenchman in incountring his enimie can not endure any troupe to be neare him bicause they will breake his course for the Reister fighteth in this sorte When he doth sée himselfe neare ynough vnto his enimies the firste ranke doth aduaunce vpon them and when he hath shot off his Pistolet he doth not runne still in forwarde as doth the Frenche man who doth still pursue his point but more shorte on the right hande or on the lefte according vnto the place where he is and so is also spéedilye followed by the seconde ranke that doth the verye same Then the thirde followeth the seconde to giue the charge as soone as euer he séeth him departed that stoode before him All the rankes following one another in such maner euen vnto the last the hindermoste runneth they fighting with Pistolets onely for to come vnto their fore ryders they standing all along one at anothers tayle And for as much as it is impossible but that when they doe present themselues some of them or else their horses be slaine therefore as soone as euer one of the foremost ranke is séene to fall downe he that is in the seconde ranke directlye behinde him that is departed or else disabled must take his place and he of the thirde ranke must furnishe the voyde place of the seconde and so the rest in lyke order so that they alwayes make their foremoste rankes of the most assured for in all things namely in feates of armes the beginning is of greatest moment You see the reason why the Admirall had thus disposed hys men neyther was this forme and disposition profitable onelye for this regarde but also was very auantagious for the Reisters For the French horsemen woulde impeache them that woulde come against their Reisters from ouerrunning or breaking them and also woulde giue them large libertie to recharge and returne vnto the encounter And on the other side when the French men shoulde sée that the Reisters Catholikes charged their Reysters and namely when they should turne as also the Reisters Protestants woulde doe to recharge their Pistolettes then woulde they run vpon them lustilye and breake them at their ease I say that all of them shoulde not haue leysure to recharge For séeing they haue nothing to fight with but their Pistolets when they haue discharged they are halfe deade and namely when they sée their rankes broken In this battayle the Reysters Catholikes and Protestants entercharged one
say the truth if he had not bene the battell had bene then ended And one may truly note in him that all his enterprises bicause they neuer were none of those hastie and lightly aduaunced were alwayes valiantly and fortunately executed as things maturely deliberated are alwayes most sure in execution All in time Tauannes ranne to the Switzers and made them to come a trot to giue the charge their Colonell Mern marching before them The Mareschall de Cossé the yong Brisac aduauncing forwarde made the Protestants to staye somewhat who moderated their pace a little that they might rallye themselues and charge those that came fresh In fine the Conte Lodowick with his troupes as well French as Almaines gaue lustily vpon the Mareschall de Cossè Conte de Mansfelde Tauannes and other that flanked the left side of the Switzers it was very valiantly fought on the one side and the other as well with blowes of Launces and Coutelas as of Pistolettes The impetuositie and furie of the which Pistolets doth not permit our slaughter in fight to endure so long as it did in auncient time For then euerye man affronting his aduersarie woulde not depart out of the place before that the happier man had slaine his enimie or made him obedient to his will. But bicause we doe assure our selues more in the diuelrie of our Pistolets than in valiant armes after we haue discharged our Pistolet vpon our enimie as we runne we doe passe further as the horse will eyther for to recharge or to take the tucke And it doth most often happen that the cōpanies doe find thēselues so dispersed of the enimies after the first charge they must tarie a long time to rallye themselues expecting the seconde encounter as it here happened for after they hadde bene well martyred with the first impression they perceyued that they were so put out of aray that they must néedes retire for to revnite themselues But the Protestantes séeing themselues to be so small a number and the Catholikes to be refreshed and strengthened to the purpose as well by the companies of the Mareschaur of the Campe as by the Switzers who were ready to giue the charge lost their anger and hatred to recharge In the meane time his Excellence had the leysure to be refreshed with an horse through the ayde and meane of the Marques of Villars and Biron with the troupes of the Mareschalles ordeyned for to rallye the dispersed wente all againste the Switzers for to encourage them and to make them marche against the Lansquenettes Neyther was it long but that the Mareschall the Conte de Mansfelde and his companie being rallyed on the other side of the Switzers returned altogither to the charge Then Biron with his companies with whome all that had fledde and other that had wandered from their Cornettes had ioyned and rallyed encouraged the Switzers and tolde them that if they woulde but followe him he would ouerthrowe the rest of the Protestantes the greatest parte of whome in déede retired as fast as they coulde The rest being ioyned with them of the auantgarde who for the same occasion not being able to abyde the shocke of the Duke de Montpensier had gone vnto them of the battell for to rencounter that they might retire in masse or plumpe with as little dammage as coulde be left vnto his Excellence with the fielde of the battell the felicitie and glorie of this entire iourney being constrayned miserablye to abandon the Lansquenettes to the crueltie of the Switzers their auncient enimies who entering in as it were at the breache whiche the Frenche harquebusiers had made in their battallion slue them all for the moste parte although that manye of them with ioyned handes and knées on the grounde cried out Bon papist bon papist moy I am a good Papist I am a good Papist As in déede no fewe of them were Catholikes by reason of the little acception that such sorte of people haue who will first giue them intertainement yet at the length they being wearye rather of stryking than of killing were in the ende constrayned to leaue those occasions of sighing and wéeping vnto other who tooke them as it were into their seruice for to serue them afterwarde as it were their Custerels Of foure thousande two hundreth or thereaboutes escaped their bloudye handes and almost seauen hundreth other who being lesse armed and better legged than the foremoste and hauing the knowledge to presage by the beginning of a sléete the comming of so piteous a storme had fledde oute of the fielde with the greatest part of the French footmen who as I haue sayde had done the same long time before Neare thrée thousande harquebusiers were aranged with these Lansquenets who had all felt the same furie of the victorious if it had not bene for certaine French Captaines in chiefe and Monsieur himselfe who being a right Gentleman in déede contented himselfe with the honor and the happy end of the notablest victorie that euer was giuen vnto him in Fraunce and it maye also happen that euer shall be afoorded him in any other countrie commaunding them to pardon the Frenchmen Yet neuerthelesse one thousande or twelue hundreth dyed there for to enrich the playne of Cron and to serue for an eternall marke of the iourney of Moncontour the which the Protestants lost aswel through the fault of the hearts of those that fledde as for the yll disposition and aray of their horsemen For the Generall being curiouslye carefull to hide the small number of his men would stretch thē forth in length like vnto an hedge for to giue apparence vnto the Catholikes that they were farre mo than they were in in déede and by this meanes to haue made thē cold to encounter them that the iourney nere at hande might be passed ouer in peace bicause he doubted that he shuld not therin beare himselfe well with aduantage the which the Catholikes gained being assured of his state there bicause they had better disposed their horses in grosse battallions who giuing as it were desperately through these hedges of the whyte Cassockes ouerranne them and put out of the araye the greatest part of them notwithstanding all the hayle of the harquebusse shot which they made to rayne thicke and thréefolde vpon them And otherwise the Reislers were not able to abide the impression of the French horsemen bicause they fought seperated contrarie vnto their natural and ordinarie fashion so that they were in the ende broken by the Catholikes The forme of fight in the maner of an hedge is good for Frenchman against Frenchman but more proper to one that beareth Launce than vnto a Pistoletter who we sée doe all charge togither and the hindermost do not couer nor hinder the foremoste and as this disposition was of no force that daye so let him not vse it any more hereafter In summe they lost very fewe of the horsemen both for the grace and fauour that their spurres gayned those that