sacke it wee should afterward bee driuen through the inconueniences both generall and perticuler to breake vp our Campe. This armie thus ordered were able in my opinion to stand in a plaine fielde against y e whole power of the Turkes who being destitute of Corcelets Pikes and armed squadrons can hardly ouerthrowe our battailes Wee see likewise how our horse are surely prouided for in the spaces wherby I suppose that either the enemie must be endued with an extraordinarie valour or our men shewe great cowardlinesse if they lose the battaile This order haue I not here set downe as the best of all for other men may peraduenture deuise some more conuenient but it is done to the ende to inuite sundrie Captaines to seeke what may be more profitable The Christian armie thus in presence of the Turkes they after a few Canon shot I presume they will begin both because they be very proude and also that they bee ordinarily fower against one which greatly embouldeneth them and will peraduenture come with some three or fourescore thousande horse to charge gallantly vpon the flanckes of our formost horse yea euen in the middest of the head but I would thinke they should at this onset be well beaten and repulsed with y e losse of some fower or fiue thousand horse howbeit their horse being very swift they wil returne behind their maine battell to fall in aray againe Then I imagine that hauing discharged some two volees of their Artillerie whereof they haue plentie they will giue a strong charge with their whole bodie whereof so much as should strike into the battailes or spaces would bée handled God knoweth how But peraduenture the horsemen on the flanckes may bee ouerthrowne which so happening the other 2. small bodies appointed for their support should mooue who finding the victorers in disorderly pursuite which alwaies for the most part happeneth should so brauely inuade them as also should some of the Squadrons who stepping out of the spaces aforesaid should come vpon their slanckes that they should bée quite broken So should also their Harquebuzerie being ioyned with ours beare the punishment of their rashnesse Neuerthelesse the Christians should not vndiscréetly pursue them for they are very skilfull in rallying themselues and would peraduenture so doe within two Canon shot and so enclose fower or fiue thousand of the most eager vppon the chase as their forefathers did D. Iohn of Burgundie and all the French Nobilitie in their battaile against Amurathes Wherefore it were requisite for the whole Christian armie to march and sende after them some twentie thousand horse by squadrons each supporting other except the Hungarian and Polonian horse who might goe more dispersedly in chase And it may seeme enough to chase them thus one league To be briefe I suppose that in so notable a iourney they might bée defeated of halfe their footmen all their Artillerie and cariages and aboue twentie thousand horse but in case but one quarter of such an exployt were at the first performed yet would it breede great reputation and in the Souldiers harts confirme a confidence to ouercome For he who in warre winneth the first aduantages conceiueth a great hope of the issue Now must wee speake one worde of the straight countries It seemeth the armie to bée there in more safetie then in the large by reason of the great numbers of their footmen and there if the enemie should offer vpon them they might alter their order according to the places being still diligent to keepe their aduantages of the Woodes Uallies and Artillerie But especially they ought to beware of aranging their bodie in any such sorte that the first ouerthrowne should strike into the second for that was the losse of the battaile of Poictiers where King Iohn had fiftie thousande men and the English were but tenne thousand This so fauourable successe once obteyned no doubt afterwarde the rest of the great Artillerie prouided at Vienna being caused to march wee might in three moneths take from them fower or fiue of the best townes standing vppon Danowe as Strigon Bude Pest and others which the enhabitants there about do better knowe True it is there would be great lettes and the Turkish armie being refreshed would not faile to fauour their places where wee might see braue skirmishes In the meane tyme wee to keepe that earnest for our first yeeres worke I leaue to your imagination whether all Christendome would reioyce when they should heare of such a victorie obteyned ouer those who for these two hundred yeeres haue but tryumphed of our destruction Yea euen the small babes would sing foorth the praises of such valiant personages by whome such notable exploytes should haue bene performed Now let vs come to the Nauie which being so mightie must not the whiles lye idely in the Hauens but make saile to execute matters worthie thereof My best counsaile were that it should conforme it selfe to the lande power in trying to bring the enemie to a daie of battaile which peraduenture might bee easely done as being of no lesse pride by Sea then by lande so as seeing vs drawe towarde Greece they will by and by bee vpon our armie neither shall wee neede to counterfaite the besiedging of any place to bring them thereto And sith the battaile of Lepanto hath made them wise the Christians must also bee well resolued in their inuentions and other necessarie meanes to attaine to the victorie There are other reasons besides the equitie of a cause and vrgent necessitie that stirre vp men to fight couragiously As the presence of noble persons which detest cowardlinesse and exalt prowesse secondly the Captaines orations wherein they exhort their souldiers to behaue themselues manfully in solemne iorneys Thirdly confidence which encreaseth when we see men well disposed and the armie well ordered Finally hope of reward which is a good spurre to such purposes And aboue all other the Spanish and Italian Captaines are meetest to take order herein in whom being accompanied with choise of valiant persons we are to thinke that neither order courage nor prouocation shall want I will forbeare to discourse of the putting of Nauies in aray as one not so skilfull in Sea matters notwithstanding the order by Don Iohn obserued at Lepanto I haue alwaies thought to bee most conuenient and well inuented Some too fearefull or ouer circumspect person may say that the hazarding of all our strength at once is the way to bring all Christendome into great daunger Whereto I aunswer that he which voluntarily entereth the carrier doth purpose to runne and so he that shippeth himselfe in a warre as the assailant must aduenture otherwise all his former preparations and threates are in vayne For it is a greater daunger to suffer a mans selfe to be by little and little deuoured and to do nothing An other as farre too eager considering of all this power would to the contrary that wee should march directly to Constantinople
riuer Some Catholikes reporte that the discorde that fell betweene them hindred diuerse braue enterprises which they might haue executed if they had still agreed I wot not how it was but if that were true it was no meruaile that they fought noâ— or rather that they were not fought with all but thus 〈◊〉 I haue learned that the enimies had small notice of their braules This great barre the riuer of Loire might also haue bene a second verie great difficultie to staie this Dutch armie in that so lowe it was not wadeable besides that all the townes standing thervpon were enemies but the passage ouer was in necessarie for them that it so doubled the diligence rashnesse and inuentions of the French Protestants that they assayled the towne of Charite which had a goodly bridge and finding it but badly furnished with men they pressed so sore vpon it that what with countenaunce and threates before anie succour came they had carried it awaie which was vnto them a wonderfull ioy For had not that ben they were in a verie bâ—â— case must haue ben forced to haue sought the head of the faiâ—riuer which would haue lengthned their way 60 leagues and which was worse taking that course they should haue pestured themselues in a hilly and wood Countrie where their horsmen could haue stood them but in small stead I haue sometimes heard the Lord Admirall discoursing hereof among his familiars account this passage of the straungers almost impossible For sayd he we cannot helpe them by reason of Monsiers armie which lyeth in our waie and as for them they haue another vpoÌ„ their arm also so difficult a riuer to stop their course that it is to be feared that they shal not wel void this inconuenience without shame or losse Agayn albeit they had passed it yet the 2. armyes ioyned together wil haue ouerthrowen them before we can come neere by 20 leagues to succour them but when we hard of the successe of La Charite also y t they were determined to trie al dangers to ioyn with him he grew into better hope and sayd This is a Princes good prognostication les vs by diligence and resolution perfect it This caused the Lordes Princes of Nauarre Conde the same who had allowed and receiued leaue for generalles of the Protestants to march toward the marches of Limosin so to drawe neere the armie of Monsieur and to keepe it still occupied and to saie the truth wee were dayly as it were in a foure waiting when we should heare that two such mightie armies had oppressed our Reisters but it fel out otherwise for they watched their opportunitie so â—itlie and speedely that beeing guided by their French troopes wherein the Lorde of Auy bare himselfe most valyantlie they out went them and drew to the place where the Lorde Admirall had sent them worde that he woulde meet them with ten thousand harquebuziers and two thousand and fiue hundred horse Thus did these two armies ioyne with greate â—â—aâ—ulation I will not heere â—axe the Generalls and braue Captaines of the Catholikes for suffering them to passe because I 〈◊〉 not what reasons they had to diuert them neither will I extreamely command those that passed but rather must thinke it to haue ben a great good hap for them the lyke whereof doe sometimes appeare in militarie action where in great Captaines in their warre are to learne in their greatest extremities not to abandon all hope for one onely fauourable accident which commonly followeth the diligent and shunneth the slothfull may suffice to free them Both the armies being then verie mightie for there were in the Kings campe aboue thirtie thousand men and in the Princes full 25000. were forced for theyr better commoditie of virtualles to seuer themselues for the countrie of Limosin is but barren but they drew togither ward againe about Yries La Perche The Lord Admirall perceiuing that the barrennesse of the Countrie forced them to lodge scâ—â—teringlie also that beeing craggie and full of wood the places for the armies were oftentimes verie discommodious determined rather to preuent then to bee preuented Wherefore hee counsayled the Princes to goe and surprise the Catholike armie which was not farre of at a place called Roch-labelle They set forward before breake of daie in purpose to giue battayle and came so fitlie that before anie allarum taken they were within a quarter of a league of the enemies front who were lodged strongly and the Lord of Stossy at the noise comming in with fiue hundred harquebuziers to support three hundred of his men who kept watch at the chiefe entrie found the skirmishe verie hot And wee may well saie that hee bare himselfe verie valyantlie for hee helde foure thousande Protestant harquebuziers plaie a long houre which time stood the Catholike armie in good stead to set themselues in order The Lorde Admirall meruailing that they could not force the passage sent thether Captaine Bruel a skilfull man Hee by and by perceiued that our shotte endeauoured to ouercome the others rather by multitude than by arte wherefore to make short worke hee spake to the Captaines and hauing ordered the troopes assayled their flanks and withal setting forwarde foure Cornets to sustayne them he beganne a sharpe onsette wherein our men hauing broken certain casemates that couered the enimies did so disorder theÌ„ that soone after they fled leauing diuerse of their menâ— dead with 22. of their officers also their Colonell prisoner who that daie had done Monsieur good seruice for had it not bene his resistance the Protestants had come without leâ—te to their ordinance But because it rayned all the daie and the Catholike army was placed vpon the aduauntage they could not worke anie great effect and therfore retired hauing shewed themselues too rigorous in their execution for they tooke verie fewe prisoners whereaâ— the Catholikes were â—ore prouoked and reuenged themselues intime and place It is a commendation to fight well but it deserueth no lesse praise to bâ— genele and courteous to those whome the first furâ—e of our weapons haue pardoned and into whose handes our selues may another time fal vnlesse there be great cause to the contrarie And in skirmishes skill and pollicie is in my opinion as necessarie as violence which experience doth 〈◊〉 coufirme For if the lande be somewhat couerd a man may vse sundrie aduantages which the Spaniards and Italians can verie wel practise as being ingenious people but it is alwaies most profitable to order their men in smal troopes to assayle on the flankes ere they bee aware to place the troope that beareth the brunt verie well and finallie to come resosolutely to the sword The siege of Poictiers MAny enterprises doe men attempt in the wars which were neuer premeditated as also they giue ouer others long before thought vppon which proceedeth of the alterations which time bringeth foorth and as it is a signe of valiantâ—e well to execute so is
scatter ouer the countrie to see to the preseruation of their families which they may haue left so abroade but the great bodie will drawe toward Constantinople with their Emperour there to make their last resistance for in the plaine fielde dare they shewe themselues no more Because also the towne is nothing strong we must imagine they would with all diligence raise fortifications of earth make their planes erect their spurres to plant their Artillerie vpon All the victuall also there about would they take into the towne leauing for the defence thereof at the least fortie thousand men but for their great Lord it is to be presumed that he would passe forward into Natolia which is the lesser Asia with all his treasure and Concubines there to prouide for newe succour Our power by land according as they could make their preparations should by little and little set forward leauing a sufficient garrison in Philippopoli to keepe the waies Thence should it passe to Adrianople a great Citie which being very weak would neuer make resistance where also it were good to leaue some garrison and there to lay vp whatsoeuer victualles might bee gotten wherof through diligence we should neuer want This order were likewise to be obserued That the Souldier should neuer spoyle any but of the Turkish nation also that all Christians should bee exempt from pillage and seruitude so would they bring you in virtuals from fiftie leagues about Also good order and seuere iustice ought to bee established in great armies otherwise through the multitude of wicked and vnthriftie persons all would runne into confusion were not their mallice by such meanes brideled and punished During three or fower daies rest at Adrianople wee must cause our Nauie to set forward whereto hearing of this good successe it will not be very slack It should draw toward the straights of Hellespont where it is likely the Turkes remembring their losses and not willing rashly to hazard vsing the aduantage of the place will settle themselues to fight where they may bee flancked with the artillerie of the Castles besides that they shall haue that commoditie that they cannot bee assailed without fower score or an hundred gallies in front The first day that our armie should shewe it selfe to the enemie in good order to behould their countenance they will discharge sundrie Canons which must be aunswered with the like and so to retire considering the strength of the place In the euening they should take counsaile and the expert Marriners to giue their opinions how to attempt nothing out of season Finally the Captaines should resolue to land some of their men and artillerie on the side of Europe to beate and take some one of the Castles to the ende to displace the Turkes from this aduantage considering they shall there finde but fower or fiue hundred horse on that side where on the side of Asia they shall meete with aboue two thousand By breake of day they must put forth fower thousand Corcelets sixe thousand Harquebuziers and thirtie Canons out of the gallies landed by the forsats or gallie slaues While they shal thus march the enemies horse will come to prouoke them but the number of Musket shot shall scatter them well enough So soone as night is come they shall make their approaches to the forteresse and the artillerie bring planted they shall by breake of day fall to beating of it This will make the Turkes to prouide to bring vppon them twentie thousand men to cut them in péeces or els with some 150. gallies to inuade our Nauie there to doe the like sith they shall finde it vnfurnished But the Turkes liking best of this second counsaile will seeke to put in execution Which our armie perceiuing they must goe on halfe the way with their furnished gallies which may bee about two hundred and so each armie deuided into three parts to ioyne bouldly but after a long houres fight our men hauing the victorie scarce the third parte of the enemies gallies shall saue themselues The same tyme also may the Castle that our men shal haue besiedged after the brunt of a furious assault be taken Thus should wée become maisters of this proude passage where Xerxes built a wonderfull bridge of vesselles and such as shall bée escaped amounting to some one hundred gallies may carie the newes of their mishappe to Constantinople Our men hauing then soiourned there fiue or sixe daies as well to prouide for their wounded as to take the other Castle hauing put good garrisons into both shall take the way to Constantinople where they may ariue within two daies after the armie by lande Then on both sides knowing of the arriuall of their long looked for and victorious forces it is not to bee demaunded what ioyes there will be But wee may in trueth affirme this last deede to bée more difficult then the rest For a battaile though well fought is but one daies worke whereas the forcing of so many men couered with rampiers and prouided of all prouision to be atchieued in two moneths is a testimonie of the experience of the Captaines and valiancie of the Souldiers The land armie being come within two leagues of the towne the best Captaines with 20000. horse and 7. or 8000. Harquebuziers should goe within halfe a league therof to discouer the lodgings and well to consider what may anoye or empeach their safetie Neither is it to bee doubted but they may thereby growe to a hot skirmish for the Turkes being so strong in the towne will shewe their couragies and small astonishment The next day they shall come to take their lodgings betime and to furnish themselues with some sleight trenches at the head and middest of the flanckes To the ende also the Nauie may conferre with the land power and safely sende their prouisions it will bee good at euery thousand steppes to make small fortes with trenches for the safetie of the passages from the sea about which workes both the Pyoners and the most parte of the Souldiers may labour 7. or 8. daies This done they should goe neerer to discouer the towne whereon they must stay at the least fower or fiue daies for my self haue ordinarily seene that of hasty and rash discoueries haue ensued great ouersights Now must wee looke what way will bee best to giue the assault which I would wish to doe but in one place for separating the armie the garde of the trenches may proue too weake and so not bee able to beare their sailies I would not thinke it amisse to place 6000. Corcelets and as many Harquebuziers at the least with 3000. horse vpon the flanckes in some place vnder couert hauing also the whole bodie of the armie to support them which should not be aboue a Canonshot of The first trench should bee made a thousand paces from the Campe in forme defensiue with conuenient flanckers and two long wings of fiue or sixe hundred paces stretching toward
wise for albeit their meaning may be good yet may a man after some forte stumble because the sodainnesse of the matter may make him neglect diuerse circumstaunces therein to bee considered Yea although one shoulde thinke vpon all that were requisite to bee noted yet may many doe it much beter The worthinesse also of the matter in hande may be such and the number of confederates so great that euen the cheefest must haue respect as well to the one as to the other As likewise they must imagine that they to whome they promise although thinges vnreasonable will neuerthelesse vpon want oâ— performance finde themselues greeued and complaine thereof By what occasion the warre did first breake foorth betweene the two armies DUring the parlies afore mentioned there was as it were a trucâ— betweene both armies which caused that there was nothing enterprized at Paris or Orleance But when the Prince of Conde and his associats did well perâ—eiue that wordes were to weake to remedy the present alterations hee determined to adde effects and so immediately after the resolution vpon the offer made vnto the Queene hee called aside â—eauen or eight of his cheefest captaines and consulted vpon the most conuenient meanes to buckle with the enemy for the trucâ— was ended the daie before who all were of opinion that they must be preuented by diligence considering that they had two aduauntages the one that the Duke of Guise the Constable and the Marshall of S. Andrewes were then absent and so none but the king of Nauarre with the armie the other that the companies of men of armes were lodged scattering from the maine battaile That if they shoulde march forward by daie theyr light horse or forragers might giue them warning and therefore it were best to vse greate diligence in the night and so come vppon them in the dawning for thus might they vndoubtedlie be surprised likewise that because they had not ordinarily vsed any camizadoes they might nowe the more easilie put this in execution while the enimy least doubled anie such thing As for the waie it was most easie as being al plaine fields between them About one houre after the campe departed and came betimes to Feâ—te where the Generalles opened their intents to the Captaines willing them to cause their souldiours to put on shirtes and resolue them to beare themselues manfully in this so valyaunt an enterprise By eight of clocke at night the troops were in the field who after publike praier as was then vsed among the Protestants began to march with such a courage as I may in truth affirme that in souldiours I neuer see greater Before the departure did a gentleman commit a most villanous act in forcing of a maiden whose calling together with the shortnesse of the time were causes that it could not be punished This did many take to be a bad signe in this enterprise Presuming to finde the enemies in their lodginges the order to fight was this First the Lord Admirall marched formost with eight hundred speares to ouerthrowe whatsoeuer horsemen hee shoulde finde in armes then followed 1200. harquebuts in foure troopes with charge to assayle the watch of the enimies footmen and thence to enter theyr quarters Next marched eight hundred harquebuts supported with two great battayles of pikes to seaze vppon their artillerie after all came the Prince of Condee with one thousand horse in foure squadrons and the rest of the harque buzerie Now are we to vnderstand that considering at what time they set forward they should by all reason haue reached to the enimies lodging by three of the clocke in the morning for the waie lay ouer a playne field neither was there any straight passage but that the footemen might march a whole league in an houre and a halfe but when they had gone two leagues the guides perceiued that they went wrong and thinking to recouer their waie they strayed farther out remayning as men amazed and not knowing where they were to the no small discontent of the Captaines To be briefe hauing thus trauayled vntill one houre after daie they found themselues a long league of from the enimies lodgings whose scoutes descried the head of the Princes armie and so returning with al speed gaue a great alarum Heerevpon tooke they counsayle what was best to bee done but in the meane time they hearde the Canon discharged in the enemies campe for a warning to call in their horsemen which brake theyr deuise for passing any farther as well for that they weâ—e descried as also that they had yet a great waie to goe albeit if they had bene within halfe a league they were resolued to haue gone forward and fought Thus was this enterprise which in ontward appearaunce seemed verie certaine was vtterlie broken of I haue asked the opinion of sundrie good Captaines then present in the aduersaries campe what successe might haue followed if the Protestants had come in time who all affirme that they woulde haue fought albeit they were preuented by their separation from their most affectionate Captaines and the greatest parte of theyr horsemen The Lorde Marshall of Anuille a watchfull and verie skilfull Captaine was with his light horse lodged at the head of the Catholikes armie wo tolde mee that hee waked and was in armes almost all the night neuerthelesse if our whole power had come in time theyr armie had beene in daunger which is not in deede to bée doubted for albeit the hazardes of warre bee vncertaine yet the aduauntage of a surprise doth import apparaunt losse to those that suffer themselues to bee so farre ouertaken All the faulte was layde vppon the guides who to cleere themselues said that the Lord of Andelots putting the footemen in araie at the departure from the lodgings made their march the flower but I thinke this excuse more subtil than true considering there was neither bush nor hedge to stoppe them In deede if the Countrie had beene straighter it might haue had some likelihood Both armies albeit somewhat asunder stoode in araie vntill two of the clocke afternoone Afterwarde the Prince of Condie went to lodge at Lorges a small league of and the King of Nauarre with all speede certefied the Lorde of Guize and the Constable who laie at Chasteaudun of all that happened who immediatlie came to him Then fearing to be assayled by night because the Princes armie was strong in footmen and their owne lodgings verie vnfit for horsemen they made at the head of theyr battayle grounde vppon the comming in fiue or sixe great heapes of fagots with strawe inough vnder them to kindle if they were assaulted to the ende by the light thereof to discharge three or foure vollees of artillerie which woulde haue greatly annoied the assaylauntes There are that disdayne such inuentions albeit they may sometime be to good purpose In the morning they fell agayne into araie but see not one another neyther did anie but the light horsemen skirmishe The Captaines of
the comming of the Catholicks succour so sore would they haue bene astonied yea peradueÌ„ture other inconueniences might haue ensued I for my parte who was then there haue wel viewed both the inside the outside also the state of the affaires do not think the execution therof to haue bene vnpossible But as it is requisite that God should watch ouer theÌ„ that sleep vpon the preseruation of cities so when the Countie was vpon his way to performe his enterprise he light vpon an vnlooked for mishap which ouerthrew all his entent For hauing to y t effect see forward with 12. ladders his men well resolued being within two good leagues of the towne by chaunce he met with two hundred Protestants horsemen that were going to beate about who seeing this great troope of horsemen and footmen in the fielde did suddenly returne and giue the alarum both to the towne and to the other quarters of the horsemen whereby the Countie was forced to retire Afterward the Lord Admirall caused greater watch vpon the waies and to beate the fieldes oftner albeit he neuer knewe of this enterprise nor my selfe neither vntill after the peace concluded Truely I doe greatly commend this valiant enterprise of this yong noble gentleman to whom the only daring to attempt it was an honor Howbeit I meruaile not that the Lord Admirall neuer doubted any such matter for he must as a man should say haue foreseene it by inspiration Neuerthelesse it is good for a man when he is neere a great power and such resolute Captaines to haue a double care and to thinke that the desire of honor will furnish them of wings Of the death of the Prince of Condé at Bassac THE Protestants hauing in the former daies endured much founde the more sweetnesse in their aboade in Poictow whether they were retired where they were aduertised that Monsiers armie was in the field marching toward Angolesme There were newly come to him two thousand Reistres and as I suppose to the end the sooner to ende the warre he purposed to force his enemies either to fight or els to shut vp themselues in the townes In the one he had the aduantage in the other he deminished their reputation The Prince and Admirall vpon this aduice caused their men to close determining to keepe themselues along the banckes of the riuer of Charente so to behould their countenances but to hazard nothing as also to fauour their Houlds for the furnishing wherof with men they must diminish there armie There was nothing done worthie remembranee vntil the Catholiks came to Chasteaunueuf which staÌ„deth vpon the same riuer where at theyr first comming they tooke the Castle which had but a bad keeper And because the bridge was broken in two places the Admirall himselfe to the end to discouer their countenance and the passage would needs come thether with 7. or 800. horse as many harque buziers hauing the riuer still betweene theÌ„ where he began a skirmish with some people whoÌ„ they had sent ouer either by bôate or vpon some plankes sodeinly laide which lasted not long In the meane time it might bee easily perceiued that they would labour to passe ouer there The Lord Admirall desiring as much as he might to preserue his credite and to giue his enimies to vnderstand that he would not giue them ground foote by foote that he purposed to stop their passage yet for one daie in the same place appointed two regiments of footmen to lodge within a quarter of a league of the bridge and eight hundred horse a little behinde This done with the rest of the auanâ—gard he retyred to Bassac which was a league of and the Prince came to Iarnae which is one league farther but his commandement was not performed for both horsemen and footemen seeing that in the places appointed there were fewe houses and no virtuals or forrage hauing quite forgotten the custome of the camp and wanting of prouision at home tooke their quarters else where Thus most of the troop departed to take their lodgings so as there remayned but few vppon the place who setteled themselues halfe a league from the passage whereof it ensued that the gard was very weake neither could it approch neere inough to heare or giue allarum to the enemies gard from time to time according as was deuised so to haue made them beleeue that our whole auantgard had bene there lodged The Catholikes who were resolued albeit our whole campe would haue letted them to seaze vppon this passage through the diligence of the Lord of Biron not onelie repaired the olde bridge but also made a new of such beates as are ordinarilie transported in armies royall which was also finished before midnight and then they began to passe ouer without anie noise both horsemen and footmen The Protestants that watched there did scarce perceiue their passage before breake of daie whereof immediatly they certefied the L. Admiral who vnderstanding that most of his men were lodged scatteringlie euen on the same side that the enemies came sent them worde of their passage warning them to drawe to him withall speede so to retire together in the meane time that hee woulde houer at Bassac he also commaunded the carriages and footemen to retire which was performed Now if then yea an howre after his whole troopes had beene come together they might easily haue departed euen a soft pace But the delay of time being at the leaste three howres while he stayed for them was the cheefe cause of our mishap neither woulde hee loose such troopes conteining eight or nine corners of horse-men and some ensignes of foote-men whose captains were the County of Montgomery the Lord of Acier and Colonell Pluuiault In the end beeing all ioyned with him except Colonell Acier who tooke the way to Angolesme the enimies that still passed ouer weare waren so mighty and come so neere vnto vs also the skirmish so whot that it appeared that needes wee must fight Hereupon the Prince of Condee who was already a good halfe league vpon his retraict vnderstanding that they shoulde be forced to buckle hauing the stonracke of a Lion woulde needes haue a share When to the end to retire we forsooke a small brooke which coulde not be passed but in two or three places the Catholicks set forwarde the flowre of their horsemen vnder the conduct of the Lordes of Guize Martigues and Brissac who ouerthrew fower cornets of Protestants beeing vpon the retraict where my selfe was taken prisoner then did they set vpon the Lord of Andelot in a village who bare their brunt wel ynough hauing ouerpassed him they perceiued two great battailes of horse among whome were the Prince and Admirall who seeing themselues beset prepared to charge The Lorde Admirall gaue the first onset and the Prince the second which was fiercer then y e first at the beginning they forced al y t came to turne their backs truely it was well
the Turkes Prediction of the Turkes Alcoran The meanes to set vpon the Turkes Guicciard lib. 13. To what vse the former discourse of Guicards may serue what is to be altered in these daies How to deuide the Christian forces also to what number they should amouÌ„t What Captaines were meet to command in the Christians armie Of the principall members of this army At what time the Christian power should begine their warre how The troupes of the army that should march by lande Their first endeuors Their exercises The ordering therof in warre Their order in a large contry Of the battaile by lande betweene the Christians and Turkes Of the ordring of the army in the straights Of the exploits of the nauy That the armies as well by land as by sea should inuade and how The continuation of the warre in the second yere with the order to be taken as well by sea as by lande Of the nations of Greece the Turkes bondmen Of the exploits and behauiors of both the Christian armies the third yeare The exployts of the nauy Of the exployts and effects of both the armies in the fourth and last yere of their warres against the Turkes Of what importance this warre against the Turke is in respect of all other warres Of the principal battaile against the Turkes The following of the victorie The exp 〈…〉 of the Nauie Of the siege assaults and taking of Constantinople The behauiors after the Conquest Partition of the Conquest The conclusion of this discourse The fruits of learning Of such as are to curious in the search for gould by Alcumie The summe of this discourse Three sorts of men that deale Alcumie Their principles Their curiositie examined Of the partes of Phillosophie also whether Alcumie hath relation to any of the same That habundancie and pleÌ„ty of Gould hath done more harme then good in the world Of the coÌ„moditie and vse of gould also of the mischiefes arising of the abuse thereof How dangerous the abuse of Gold is also in what estimatioÌ„ and vse it is in these dayes Of the mischiefes proceeding of those mens vanitie who because they haue much Golde doe thinke themselues to be rich Gold hath brought the barbarousnesse of sauages into Europe and finally made the sauages very wilde men indede Aunswer to the allegations of the Alcumists concerning the substance of mettall Whether they can minister any forme to the thing by them imagined To what vse experience may serue the Alchumists The examination of the multiplication of their pouder Whether any of the 〈◊〉 writers did euer find out this secret Examination of the examples of antiquitie with the Alcumistis doe aleadge Of the mischiefes wherin the Alcumistes doe plague themselues Of the vse of true Alcumie Of the vanitie of those that aspire to haue heapes of gold and Siluer Who it is that in deed coÌ„uerteth mettals Of some Alchumistes who ween vnder pretence of piety to attaine to their purposes Psal 2â— Of the true Philosophers stone taught by Solomon Eccle 3. That the true goodes are spirituall and vncorruptible Also the meanes to attaine thereto Pâ—o. 3. Answer to those that loke only vpon earth Prouer. 8. Prouer. 3. The excellency of heauenly wisdome Wisdome 8. How liberally God doth communitate this treasure to all men also the vse and abuse of the same The subtiltie of the Epicures How dangerous they are also how to beware of them How they may be knowen Of the Epicures of the Court. Their speches to those whoÌ„ they seeke to seduce Of the Epicures and Libertines which enhabit the Townes Their speeches Of Epicures and Libertines brought vp in the warres Their speeches Why the speeches of the Epicures are heere set downe also the meanes to eschue the infection of the same A more briefe order of the discourses of the sundry sortes of these Libertines The examination of the arguments or sophismes aforegoing Confutation of the Libertines argumet touching the pleasure The second part of the confutation touching the sorow which the Libertines doecoÌ„demne The cowardlines of those Libertines that enhabit the townes Answere to their argument concerning the motions of nature also whether it be well done to hide their liues Plutarke in his treatise whether this common speech Hide thy life be well saide Aunswer to the errors of the courtly Libertine A refutation of the errors of the Souldier-like Libertine Whether Christian profession doe banish ioy out of the harte In his treatise that by the doctrine of Epicurus no man can liue merely The confutation of the Libertines alligations against the terrors of hell A consolation to the good against the apprehension of hell also how fore affliction tormenteth the Libertines The comforts of the true Catholicks both in affliction and prosperitie The abuse of the Libertines in the vse of the thinges that they feele after wherein they ground their schcitie The Christanmanes delight That the pleasures of the body which the Christians do enioie are more delectable and firme then those wherin the Liibertines doe plague themselues Plutarke in the banker of the seuen Sages Of the contentation of Christians in the vse of temperall goods Against those that haue depriued most men of contemplatiue life That all men are capeable of coÌ„templation The miserie of many 〈…〉 sake their parte of this priuiledge and reprooue it Of contemplatiue power and the true obiects thereof Of such persones as may entend thereto The Gentrie Aunswer to a common obiection touching contemplation Of the contemplation that beseemeth Studentâ— Lawiers and Churchmen Aunswer to the obiection of such as imagine the contemplatiue life to belong onely to them selues Whereto Monasteries did in old time serue Of Monasteries of our daies and of Moncks contemplations A comparation of the ould and newe Monckes Of the contemplation of the Students in humaine sciences Whether contemplation beseemeth Princes Soldiers Lawiers and those that haue the care of bodely health 2. Chron. 14. Of contemplation meete for the commonoltie both of the towne contrie Math. 11. The conclusion conioyned with a notable aduertisment to such as giue themselues to vice and pollution Psal 42. Gene. 3. The beginning of the first troubles The Princes retire from Paris Occasion of the assemblie of his troupes A notible coÌ„sideration vpon the former discourse The Princes intent in these beginninges Why he could not possibly be the stronger about the Kinge and courte That Historiographers cannot possibly note all perticularities How the Prince of Conde seased vpon Orleance Of writinges published for the taking of armes in the first troubles Of the parlie betweene the Queene mother and the Prince of Condie The approches of the two coÌ„trary armies Treatie of peace Of the Princes offer made to the Queene The counsell and aduice vpon this matter Obseruations vpon this matter The Princes resolation to sette vpon his enemies Now this enterprise might haue succeded and what happened the next daie An accedent fauorable to the Princes enemies
or make peace for a hundred yeeres with their neighbours that they might worke at leisure Some man may say it is but a small matter for the Kings who in the ciuill warres of Flanders and France haue each of them spent aboue 70. millions of golde But I will to the contrary conclude by the same reason for hauing wasted such innumerable summes a little will be found to be a great deale If we shall looke all France ouer I thinke wee shall scarcely finde except a fewe Castles any towne halfe finished after the engeniors rules Some doe beare themselues herein like vnto certaine Brides who being perswaded that a gowne of cloath of golde will make them more beautifull then one of taffatie doe thereby force their husbands to consent that half their dowrie be consumed in beautifull ornaments for their mariages but afterward they haue sower sauce to their sweete meate as being driuen to a long pennance for their sumpteous vanitie It were much more profitable for both to know what were méete and to goe no farther When I compare the townes that were besieged in the time of King Frances his sonne Henrie with those that haue bene assaulted in our ciuill warres I am forced to confesse that these last haue bene better defended notwithstanding they haue bene assayled with greater arte and yet most of them were neuer furnished with any of these stately fortifications which sheweth that so many great expences are superfluous sith they bring foorth no better fruite then those that are lesse The ingeniours will say that notwithstanding men fortifie but with earth without any of their supporters of Stone or Bricke which are no lesse beautifull then necessarie yet still they followe their precepts Wherto I aunswer that in many things men may helpe themselues therewith howbeit they are rather to sticke to newe experiences which haue taught very good kindes of fitting and defending themselues The first is the same that I haue alreadie mentioned namely fortification with earth which cost tenne times lesse then great Masondrie and is neuer a whit worse For proofe hereof I will alleadge the towne of Gaunt which in two yeeres was finished and furnished with Rauelins ditches counterscarpes although it be of as great circuite as Paris within the walles and cost not aboue 300000. Florins But if the King of Spayne should haue made this fortification according to the written rules he must haue spent aboue sixe millions and twentie yeres at the least In diuers places the townes haue bene taken before they haue bene a quarter fortified after these great platformes The second thing which experience hath made many to allowe of is to losen the Bastions from the Courtines yea and to carie them without the ditch For although they be not defended with the Artillerie from any lowe Casemates yet doe the Harquebuzery sufficiently shield them from the Curtines which is a continuall anoyance that cannot bee taken away where the flankes of the Bastions may bee pearced or broken when the shoulders are weake Also if one of those rarelines that I speake of should chaunce to bée taken yet is not the place therefore so lost but that the enemie may very well be put backe where contrariwise it is a necessarie consequence to those that haue ioyned them to the Rampiers The third is the vse of intrenching which is a marueilous profitable remedie though smally practised in times past but in our ciuill warres men haue learned to vse it very well Though they bee weake and but ill made yet doe they preserue from being forced on a sudden and procure some reasonable composition But if they be large and well made either they wholy preserue or at the least doe giue a moneths respite which is a soueraigne purchase to the besieged when the enemie must winne it by little and little during which time they may light vppon some fauourable accident for themselues Hereto will I adde one sleight which practise hath taught namely to striue for a drie ditch after the Counterscarpe is wonne and so to defend a Rampier a fewe daies though the enemie be lodged in the Parapet For with sundrie pollicies haue men learned to fight each with other some more some lesse as hath bene seene in diuers Sieges both in the Lowe countries and in France All which inuentions doe consist as much in remouing the earth as in any other manuall defence Now will I shewe how I would the place which I propound should be prouided for presupposing y e situation to be in y e plaine as are the situatiōs of most of the townes in Flanders First I would not haue the Rampier raised too high For such as are so vnreasonable high as they are in most places about Bruxelles Tournay Orleance and Rochell are rather Mountaines then Rampiers and bee within as I thinke thirtie foote high For herein they be hurtfull that being wonne there is no more meanes to defende because the defendants cannot entrench behinde to any purpose when their trench shall bée so ouer awed As for the ditch I would wish it to bée full of water if it might bée so to eschue surprizes as also that it is more troublesome to the assailant then the drye Counterscarpes doe after a sorte serue and the couert way to them should bée large Likewise I would thinke an other pathe to be profitable which should be behinde or vnder the first being sixe foote broade and as many high Which should serue to the ende that when the Counterscarpe chaunced to bee wonne by vyolence as was that of Vulpian in Piedmont where all the Souldiers were drowned and slaine the defendants might saue themselues As for the Rauelins they would be fitly placed without the ditch and made so large that they may beare a good entrenching For so shall the enemie although he haue wonne the poynt haue a fortnights worke But the inner ditch if it were possible should be drye to the ende the Souldiers might in the beginning of the Siege bee kept there for issues which I thinke to bée necessarie for the besieged as well to the encrease of their courages as in respect of y e great hurts which the enemie shall thereby receiue For these are meetly safe enterprises for a cunning Captaine and will amaze the assailants when they shall finde themselues assailed Whosoeuer vndertaketh to assault such a place must of necessitie begin with the Rauelin which is a most assured warning that he will beate the Courtine on that side Wherefore omitting all other matter they must fall to entrenching whereby in time they may make as it were a newe towne in case they haue people enow and a skilfull Ingeniour I suppose that in a place where there are Souldiers a Rauelin should hold out one month at the least yea euen against the Prince of Parma who is the skilfullest assaulter of townes that I know The rampier and passage of a ditch full
of water will be as long and the inner trench being almost equall with the heigth of the rampier that is beaten downe may be kept as long or longer prouided alwaies that it be made 60. or 80. foote from the Courtine Now I take this at the worst for there bee such weake assailants of Houlds as shall labour two moneths about the winning of a Raueline There are that thinke it an easie matter to keepe them from passing the ditch but for my parte I thinke it harde for they will enter either by night or day Thus when a frontier towne shal haue stopped a mightie armie so long as I haue sayd it shall haue quit it selfe well for there bee fewe townes inpregnable and the Prince that may haue lost it shall haue this comfort That as the fencing of it had cost him little so his enemie shall haue spent much time many men and money enough in the winning of it Some Ingeniour may say that water vndermindeth the foundations of a Rampier and that from tenne yeeres to tenne yeeres they runne out which they do not if they be walled within It is so indeede where the water is a running water but the repairing cost little as also doe the props that beare vp nothing but earth Howbeit I say that a man may fortifie a whole small towne with earth with the charges of one enclosure to a Bastion made of bricke or stone with the countermynes thereof This maner do I here alow for an other respect which is that Potentates Commonwelths are better able to prouide for the inward fortifications which must accompanie the outward do consist in al kinds of necessarie prouision that want in many townes though not in whole yet in parte And as many are lost through this default as for lack of Bastions They may likewise spare great sommes which are spent in these great workes and with the same maintaine a sufficient armie through want whereof the strongest places are taken as hath bene seene in Flanders Many thinges more may bee obiected to beate downe this our Bulwarke which is much more profitable to the weake then beautifull to the mightie Monarkes In the meane time such as shall followe this construction shall not finde themselues the worse thereby as the future experience peraduenture will teach better then the passed The ninetenth Discourse That the continuation of the wicked proceedings of the warres of these daies doe make a iust cause to seeme vniust PHilippe Comines in his remembrances reporteth that the Duke of Guyenne the brother of King Lewes the 11. ioyning with Duke Charles of Burgundy in the warre for the Commonwealth when he considered the number of the wounded and slayne at the battaile of Montleherie with the spoyles that the Souldiers made all ouer the Countrie was merueilously daunted thereat and tolde Duke Charles that it had bene better neuer to haue begunne that warre that bred such mischiefe and ruine who aunswered him that those things were not to bee meruailed at sith such were the naturall fruites thereof But being afterward alone among his familiers he scorned that yong Prince which brought pitie and compassion vnto the Theaters of Mars where rigour and vengeaunce doe holde their soueraigne Empyre In these daies wee heare some make almost the like aunswers to many that curse our ciuill stormes for they tell them It is the warre and so doe weene that that word being heard should make them to shrinke vp the shoulder after the Italian maner and prouide to suffer worse matter But in my opinion such reasons are to bee suspected as procéeding from those that hauing no other delight or sustenance but in other mens spoyles would make men to accompt warre to be a necessary euill to the end they should not be slacke in giuing to them that foode which they do desire Truely these men are not altogether to be beleeued least wee confound crueltie and iniustice with equitie and humanitie and so of an extraordinarie accident make an ordinary custume Neither must we print in our phantasies the imaginations of many others who wish to sée a warre exempt from the things that of long time haue bene proper thereto and are as it were essentials namely rapine disorder and crueltie for in these daies wherein wee liue vertue being tyed vp and vice let loose wee cannot atteyne to this perfection What shall we then say hereof For sooth that to the ende well to measure the matters whereof we now speake wee must take the olde rules not of Iron which cannot bend but of leade which are somewhat plyable and frame them to the crooked and difformed stones whereof our ciuill warres are composed that is to say to our confusions and then finding what is somewhat â—ollerable as also what is to bee reiected to patch vp againe so well as wee may this house of bondage wherein so many persons within these fiue and twentie yeeres haue bene tormented or els quite to rase it to the foundation by an assured peace which were the better way I meane not here curiously to examine or way the right or wrong of those that are in armes because I will not offend any Only I am content generally to say that such on either side as loue godlinesse or vertue doe for the satisfying of themselues either inwardly or outwardly vnderproppe their actions with iustice Neither should any warres bee vndertaken without that good faundation least otherwise wee bee found guiltie before God who will not that men vse such vyolent remedies but vpon great necessitie neither guide them after their owne disordinate affections Now in these controuersies and publique quarelles as well ciuill as others furiously raised through mans mallice it often falleth out that all the right lighteth on one side and all the wrong on the other Sometimes that both parties are led by like mallice and sometime that he which in deede hath the right doth seeme to haue the wrong and so to the contrary As also that sometimes in some one of the poynts thereof a man may be in the right and in all the rest in the wrong of all which differences I meane not here to entreate Only I would aduertise the readers to note them in reading the histories wherein the diuersities of so many martiall purposes are liuely set out But for my self I wil procéed in discoursing vpon my first proposition of the euill behauiours which are to bée seene in our sayd ciuill warres together with their consequences I thinke they cannot bee better compared then to an ouer flowing brooke which with the vyolent force thereof not only destroyeth the whole â—roppe of a plaine but also carieth downe the trees buildings and bridges where it goeth so as neither arte nor diligence are able to preuent it Whosoeuer would walke through France and Flanders might see euen vpon insensible things the footsteps of our daily furies which are not neuerthelesse the greatest domages for those
Caesar and to God the things that appertaine to God But when I remember my selfe how can you you Souldiers fulfill this who haue forgotten the arte of rendering and can doe nothing but take Who sometimes doo saie well and alwayes liue euill What are your troupes and armies in these dayes but shoppes of all vice which where they passe doe leaue more horrible footsteps than doe the Grashoppers where they liue continuallie Your enimies do hate your crueltie your friends doe feare your sackings and all people doe flie from before you as from the flouds Who wil beleeue that your cause is iust when your behauiours are so vniust And although it were iust doe not you yet hazard it to all rebuke and slaunder To be briefe learne to liue better or thinke not much that no man beleeueth your wordes but cry out against your deeds This truly were a very free speech which neuertheles I think to approch so neere y e truth y t I wil not giue it the lie least they y t haue indured it should come in for witnesses against mee and so returne my lie vpon my selfe Out of this ranke I will exempt the honorable and good mem that professe armes as well noble as others of whome there be yet many abroad Neither must the whole blame of these disorders be layde vpon the small whose wantes doe oftentimes stirre vp their mallice For there be great ones who because they care not for moderating or suppressing them must haue their parts those especiallie are most guiltie that had rather see whole riuers of mischiefe than loose anie part of their reuenges or dominion If anie man aske the souldiours why they make such hauock they will answere that want of paie compelleth them which is a reason to be considered of If they tel the Princes y t these behauiors sauour verie euill and must be taken awaie with golde they wil say that all the Indias will not suffice for so many high payes and other subtill proulings Which cause must be well waied In the meane time vnder these excuses the mischiefes doe on both sides continue and feede vpon the infortunate Prouinces that beare theÌ„ which cannot possiblie be eschued so long as the mightie ones are so obstinately bent to make the wars perpetuall by keeping great armies all Winter and Summer in the fielde whereof it followeth that in the ende most of the men become rauening beastes the country is disinhabited the treasure is wasted the great curse themselues and God is displeased If we should call to minde how in the wars betweene the French and Spanish especially in Piedmont we should often see a Cornet of speares passe through a village where they might see banqueting dauncing the people without anie force come bring them all kinds of refreshing Againe within halfe an houre after another troope enimie to the former to passe in like sort and to receiue all kinds of curtesies Also these 2. troops within a while after to meet and beate each other well fauouredly Then the conquerer to carie into the sayd village the sore wounded as well of the one partie as of the other to be dressed and to lie all in one hostrie the vanquished vpon their faiths and the vanquishers in the custody of the aforenamed vnto their ful â—nre when each ought to returne to theyr Captains Thus should we see that these and such maner of proceeding purchased to both nations great fame among strangers and more amitie than is now to be found among pareuts This I say being reported vnto them they would account for fables because our present customes are cleane repugnant thereto And yet if in any wars ciuill behauiour be to be practised than in these wherein fellow Citizens after they haue ben together by the eares in their natiue soile doe fall agayne into familiaritie and loue one with another which neuer happeneth with strangers for the controuersies ended they neuer lightly haue occasioÌ„ to see one another again yea they ought to behaue themselus herein as kinsmen who among their hatred force doe intermingle equitie and honestie Finally such as do better note pollicie and good order and withall doe shew themselues most curteous doe giue the lookers on to thinke that they haue the better cause who therefore do fauour them with their prayers and themselues likewise by their good actions are the more satisfied and confirmed in their opinions which make them the bolder Contrariwise those who through their dissolutions doe make their warre which of it selfe is terrible vtterly detestable notwithstanding the cause be neuer so iust God will not fayle to punish for prosecuting it by such sinister meanes The 20. Discourse That a king of France is of himselfe mightie enough though he neither couet nor seeke other greatnesse than his owne Realme doth afford him ALL such as professe the reading and diligent examination of histories doe with one voice confesse that most of the calamities miseries fallen vpon diuerse lands and nations haue proceeded of the ambition of Princes and common wealthes who haue raysed such warres as â—red the same To auoide all the doubtes whereof reade but the liues of Philippe of Macedon Alexander Pirhus and Demetrius with the warres of the Romaines against the Catthaginians wherein ye shall finde that nothing is more true And although time by little and little suppresseth the force of the strongest things yet coulde it neuer much extinguish the flames of so vehement a passion which passing from the Father to the sonne heaping the former ages with mischiefe hath reached euen to ours I will forbeare to speake of things happened within these fifty yeres in respect of so many people yet liuing which may haue considered thereof but of foure score yeres ago Phillip Commines Fran. Guicciardine doe yeeld such testimonie that wee may say that the desire of dominion haue caused infinite disorders which haue disfigured the beautie of politike gouernment It cannot be denied but ours haue danced at the feast among others and peraduenture oftner but it hath likewise soone after mourned for it as wel as y e rest as hauing reaped no other commoditie of the greate warres of Charles the eight and Lewes the twelfth which neuerthelesse were not quite deuoide of all grounds of iustice but wast of money and consumption of men Which might admonish all Princes to undertake none but such as be necessarie vtterly to reiect those that containe no necessitie I knowe they haue a wonderfull quick desire to increase which neuertheles they maye moderate by a representation of the mischiefes and difficulties of warres were it not that they find themselues strengthned and vnderpropped with the counsayle of the young together with custome which not onely maintaineth it in force but also dooth greatly increase it For assuredlie the mightier that a Prince is the more is hee pricked forwarde with such stings as leaue him but small rest
and not to stay els where but as this speech is a token of courage so is it a signe of small experience at the least as I thinke because armies march not in poste Moreouer they doe ordinarily meete with barres and stops which they must first breake For vndoubtedly the Turkes being certified of these great preparations of the Christians both by sea and by land will set against them three hundred thousand fighting men against whom they must march with leaden héeles and Iron hands and take as great heede of ouersight by rashnesse as by retchlesnesse especially in actions of great importance Now presuppose the Turkes Nauie doe offer to fight with vs I must not thinke our Souldiers to bee by sea any whit of lesse discretion courage and felicitie then vpon the land for I make certaine accompt of their victorie But admit these barbarous people purposing onely to trye our men should fight neere to their aduantages and then hauing lost twentie or thirtie gallies should retire to the couert of their Townes and Castles yet should we so winne great fame and bee thought bolde that durst aduenture to inuade them euen in the face of some of their Houlds Then if any mans courage so encreased as needes he would to Constantinople wee might tell him that besides the reasons afore named we should bée too farre of and that the Turkish armie will still be as strong as the Christian Againe that although we had more fauourable successe yet were it too much presumption to thinke at once to winne that proude Citie without any armie by lande within two hundred leagues thereof as also that if they should perceiue that wee would take that course they would presently thrust in twentie thousand Souldiers and bring as many horsemen into the fielde to fauour it all which they might raise in Natolie And herevpon wee are to note that Mahumet the second at the taking thereof besieged it with two mightie armies one by sea an other by land the Christians hauing at that tyme but fifteene or sixteene thousand men to defend it But our best counsaile were to bestowe the time vntill the ende of September in conquering of Moroca inuading the same at the head namely by Coron Modon either by those Castles that kéepe the mouth of the gulfe of Leganto to the end afterward to fortifie it after our best maner at the falling of that peece of an I le where the famous citie of Corinth was in olde time builded The like enterprise made Andrew Dorie in the yeere 1532. who by force tooke Coron Patras Lepanto places which were afterward lost againe for lacke of succour Hauing therefore left a strong garrison of footmen in the conquered places seuen or eight hundred horses and prouision of victualles sufficient with thirtie gallies whose slaues might serue for Pyoners the rest of the Nanie might bee dismissed vntill the spring These through Gods great fauour might be the effects of the first yeere Now are we to discourse of the effects of the second yere when I thinke wee should not finde the Turke so proude as before but much more warie and aduised for experience teacheth those things which otherwise we neither would nor could knowe The armies should be readie to march in the beginning of May with like purpose againe to come to battaile if the Turkes would offer it But if they list to take a surer course and not to attempt any thing out of season then must the Captaines shewe forth their braue pollicies whereby to force them to the combate without their Houlds as Hanniball did who by subteltie drewe the Romaines to three battailes which he wonne soone after his ariuall in Italy The most ordinary meanes to be practised to that entent is to besiege places of importance for if this mooue not the enemie to hazard himselfe it is a signe of small courage and lesse force I doubt not but into those which they minde to vse to delay vs withall they will put 8. or 10000. Souldiers well victualled and furnished with all sortes of munition whiles themselues will lodge their armie some sixe leagues of to relieue them as aportunitie may shall serâ—is And to say the truth such exployts will bee difficult chiefly for any towne standing vpon this great Riuer But that must bee no let but that we proceede and with plentie of Pyoners and instruments enowe to set teme thousand men on worke we raise trenches both offensiue and desensiur and builde as many Fortes as may bee requisite for the more conuenient assaulting of the besieged and safe defence against the enemies armie vsing withall whatsoeuer our bridges And I think certainely that vp planting fiftie Canons before such places as may be but weakely fortified we shall in fower daies see breach sufficient for a horse to goe in at Then comming to haudie blowes with them wee being strong and they weake and withall hauing the aduantage of the qualitie and goodnesse of our armour may easely he we them in peeces vnlesse Christian courtesie list to spare any During these actions it will stande our horsemen on hande to bee very watchfull in going to safeconduct the bictuall and forrage wherein may bee braue enterprises and either parte may lay great ambushes to trye the sufficiencie of the Captaines together with the baliancie of the younger sorte And if the first yeere wee may reach to Bude I thinke that in the second wee may reach vnto place where Draue falleth into Danowe This donâ— the imperiall power should bee placed in fome conuenient ground to vnderprop this newe couquest vntill the townes conuenient to bee kept for the assurance of passage bee fortified and made defensible then to retire to their garrisons to passe ouer the wiuter Concerning the Nauie tyme of yeere comming on it should set forwarde to the I le of Negroponte to put the Turke therefro which if their armie should peraduenture offer to let then the same to be fought withall For in this expedition the watch word should bee Fight but if they lye aloofe then to goe forwarde with their enterprise But still this is to be noted that assailing the land they must alwaies bée prouided as if themselues should be assailed by sea Then hauing diligently fortifled the best Hauens with men virtuall and vessels the armie might scoâ—â—e some parte of the entries into the great Ocean and so to recâ—iâ—e to wintering Hetherto haue I saide nothing of the enhabitants of Greece who haue long groned after their deliuexie because I wot not what seruice may bee reaâ—ed at their handes 〈◊〉 as the boyce goeth their courages are so quayled through the great tyraunie that moâ—esseth them and they so vnprouided of weapons and martiall knowledge that I dure not adâ—owe that they would make any great stirre so soone In all those Prouinces lying on this side of Constantinople which together are at this day called Romania there bee many more Christians then
Turkes and in many places for fower Turkish families wee shall finde aboue ten Christian but they bee so quayled and terrified that when they be layd on with slaues they dare not complaine Some man will laugh at me sore for iudgeing the euents of warre as if they should fall out as I prescribe them But I am not so presumpeâ—ous as to imagine that men can forsee the things that are to them vnknowne For I doe onely discourse here vpon by likely reasons leaning vnto certaine rules and experiences as men are accustomed in humaine affaires as also I speake of CouÌ„tries Townes Riuers and Passages not that I haue bene there but by noting their â—â—ituation in the Cardes and withall to cause the common forte to conceiue-good hope in this enterprise knowing well enough that in matter concerning battailes men doe ordinarily take counsaile in the field and it is the proper duetie of the Captaines there present to deliberate vpon such matters The third yeere comining on I thinke the like cheerefulnesse as had moued so many braue warriers to employe themselues in the two former would still bee of like force in them And albeit the enemies Iron their owne passed labours and sicknesse shall haue taken some away yet many other who hetherto shall not haue stirred from home being desirous to perticipate in the common commendation would goe to supplye the emptie roumes so as there would bee no want of men The tyme to take the fielde thus drawing on the armie by land hauing passed Draue should march to the riuer of Saue whether it is not past twentie Hungarian leagues here doe I not thinke that the barbarous people will meete with them in grosse by the way but rather employe their whole studies and endeuours to stoppe their passages ouer the riuer which is such an aduantage as being good Captaines they will preuaile of Uppon those tearmes may a man see on both sides the practise of all sortes of braue pollicies and inuentions But because experience hath alwaies taught that a mightie riuer can hardly bridle a mightie armie for if they can not passe vnder the fauour of some commodious place together with their Artillerie they will doe it by subteltie dallying in one parte while they cast their bridges and doing their endeuours in an other I will speake no more thereof sauing that I am perswaded that they may compasse it in eight daies This done the most profitable exployt will consist in the assault of Belgrade a famous towne standing vpon the fall of Saue into Danowe neither haue any action be 〈…〉 in my opinion of greater difficultie then this For besides that wee shall finde the-towne well prouided for defence wee must also haue an especiall eye to the Turkish armie which will not bee farre of keepe some great bridge vpon Saue haue an other passage on the side of Danowe make Fortes and Trenches and goe safely on forraging with conducts so as the taking of it were a notable peece of worke And to iudge thereof may wee not boldly say that those that are accustomed to conquer will surmount all these difficulties This place once wonne must speedily bee repayred and a strong garrison left therein as being the most conuenient place to establish a great storehouse wherein to gather all necessarie prouision There about doe there fall three great riuers not farre asunder into Danowe namely Draue Saue and Tibise which springeth about the borders of Transiluania which are as great at the Rhine or Mense By these fower chanels might wee bring all commodities in case wee first take order that the Turkes remayning in some places in the harte of the countrie molest not the boates Also because wee shall not haue spent past halfe the yere the rest may be employed in driuing them forth which peraduenture may be easely done Hauing thus spoken of the exployts of the land power we must likewise say somewhat of the Nauie which in the beginning of May should make saile toward the conquered I le of Negroponte where if the Turkish were desirous of battaile it should not be refused but if it would not aduenture but lye in waite for good oportunitie the best deuise were to surprise and force the towne of Salonike in olde tyme called Thessalonica which is in the borders of Macedon vpon the sea coast and being but weake might soone bée wonne Then by all meanes possible to deuise how to make it defensible because it were good there to leaue a strong garrison both of footmen and horsemen to scoure the countrie Here it is to bée noted that whatsoeuer were to bee left in the conquered Houlds should bee an ouerplus of men aboue the number for the armies both by sea and land should still retayne their number furnished according as is prescribed to the ende to bee alwaies prepared to the battaile Wee might as well haue enterprised vpon the coastes of Sclauonia where the Turkes doe keepe many townes but by seasing vpon these which are more easie to be taken we shall come behinde them and so make them thinke as well vpon flight as fight Hauing thus soiourned there one moneth or two it might scoure the Iles of the maine sea as well to the ende to sacke all the Turks there to bee found as also to assure the Christian enhabitants It may bee the Turkes fearing the first heate of the Christians may suffer our armie to trye it selfe two or three moneths in the siedges of Forts and then while they be al occupied about some one place to come vpon them fresh and lustely as they did at Gerbes where the Spanish forces were defeated for the which the Spanyards likewise toward the ende of the siedge of Malta in parte requited them and ouerthrewe fiue or sixe thousand Turkes For this inconuenience I hope the Captaines will well enough prouide for being surprised and before our armie withdrawe to their wintering it were good to leaue fortie gallies in the I le of Candy there to bée readie vpon neede In the winter time likewise it were not amisse on the edge of Hungary to deale with the Walachians and Moldanians the Turkes subiects though his great enemies in respect of their remembrance of the iniuries and mischiefes lately inflicted vpon them to procure them to rise against them and to send some choyse of men waged to ioyne with the Christian forces or to worke any other profitable commotions As for the Transiluanians the Turkes tributaries they will also be easely stirred vp so as this supplye would stande vs in great steade to withstande the Tartarians if peraduenture the Turkes should procure them to inuade Christendome to the ende to turne away our power from them For 50000. Duckats by moneth they can cause 50000. horsemen to march who as Grashoppers doe make innumerable waste It were good also at the same tyme to practise with the enhabitants of Greece to declare themselues at the next spring wheÌ„ they should see the
armies both by land and sea set forward and so fall vpon the Turkes scattered and dwelling in those Prouinces The effects of the fourth yeere which wee haue appoynted for the ende of this glorious conquest should be more notable then the former wherefore it were most expedient that the good vnion of the Princes should continue least necessary prouision should fayle Neither is it likely but it should perseuer considering that prosperitie hauing alwaies accompanied these enterprises euery man replenished with hope would straine himself to attaine to the wished ende With greater courage therefore and the same men of other yeeres should the whole armie by land take the fielde more tymely then aforetyme At Belgrade should there bee alreadie prouided plentie of munition for the Artillerie with a surplusage of two thousand horse to performe the furniture therof and three hundred Chariots for victuals at the least for going from thence they must giue ouer the riuers Thus should they march to performe their worke toward the towne of Sophy which is the beginning of Bulgarie for that doe the Cardes shewe to bee the direct way to Constantinople not past two hundred french leagues therfro It standeth in a plaine and is vnfortified It is likely the Turkes will not there make their head but hauing gotten out the enhabitants and either consumed or transported the victuals that they will leaue quite emptie and goe to Philippopoli there to make vp their whole campe The same is a towne of Thrace famous through the battaile that Brutus and Cassius there lost It standeth in a fruitfull soyle vppon a small hill at the foote whereof runneth a small riuer scarce wadeable This were a fit place and well chosen to make great resistance yea and to hazard a fielde for it is not so neere their Empire that by the losse of a fielde they may being in feares bee preuented neither so farre of but that they may if Fortune so farre frowne vpon them there gather vp good relliques of their armie wherefore I suppose they will fight there yea and their Emperour came thether in person And how can he suffer vs to inuade him euen to his denne and not defend himselfe after the examples of the noblest beastes Albeit also that this nation bee replenished with al vniustice and crueltie yet are they withall fierce and hardie and such as make great accompt of their reputation The Christians likewise should haue matter whereon to encrease their hope considering there are no more great Riuers or strong Houldes before they come to Constantinople their onely hinderance will bee a mightie armie to resist them whereat valiant persons doe reioyce neither is there any other thing that troubleth them but when they are forced to fight against Hunger Thirst Sicknesse great heate or extreme colde because there is no vertue but may be suppressed by such inconueniences The Christian armie may as I suppose ariue at Philippopoli about the middest of June where if the Turkes should be entrenched and lodged in any ground of aduantage it will be hard pulling of them foorth But because they haue neuer vsed so to doe especially their Emperour being present I will rather presume that they wil after their wonted maner come bouldly into the field as did the first Baiazet against Tamerlane notwithstanding his armie were innumerable I thinke the Turkish power would amount vnto 220000. men and the Christians to fourescore thousand for some must haue bene left in the last warres in garrisons and some to safeconduct victualles c. And I dare assure that as well the one parte as the other will bee well bent to ouercome because this battaile should bee as it were a definitiue sentnce of the whole warre Of the order I will not speake for if the same which I haue before prescribed bee not good they may deuise of a better and there referre the euent to God who as wee are to hope will fauour those that worshippe him against such as doe dishonor him When I consider with my selfe of this great warre and stately armies and conferre them with our small ones in these partes I remember the aunswer of Alexander to Antipater whom he left in Macedonia at his going to the conquest of Asia Antipater wrote vnto him that certaine of his enemies were risen against him and had alreadie brought into the fielde tenne or twelue thousand men and therefore did desire him to sende him succour he returned him this aunswer All your small warres in Macedonia now that I fight against the mightie armies of Daryus and am conquering of the great Empire of Asia doe seeme vnto me to bee battailes betweene Cattes and Rattes and therefore resist them as well as you may Some man may say that sometime in our ciuill warres we may note some braue martiall exploytes albeit with small power as at the battailes of Dreux S. Denis Montcontour fought in France with the siedges of Roan and Rochell also seuen or eight great ouerthrowes in Flanders with the siedges of Harlem Maistrict Tournay and Oudenard I graunt it howbeit they are no whit to be compared to the battaile of Lepanto which D. Iohn wonne As also I beléeue the siedge of Malta which withstoode foure score thousand Canon shot and that of Nicosia in Cyprus which as some write bare out fifteene are to be preferred before the afore alleadged The wars against Infidels are the same which our braue Captaines souldiers ought to seeke 100. leagues of where they ought likewise to flee 50. from the ciuill which by their continuall course doe deuoure and consume and that with small husbandrie the flower of kingdomes and Commonwelths I neede not to deseribe the maner of this great battaile for wee must imagine that in the former conflicts were neuer seene such stomackes or so furious charges To be briefe after three howers fight I suppose they will leaue vs but a bloodie victorie But such as may there perish shall build to themselues more honorable sepulchers than those that are purchased by perticuler quarels wherin the soules doe for the most parte encurre shipwracke In this case shall their desire be iust and their cause good both which conioyned with that excellent courage that many shall haue here shewed will breede perpetuall renowme which shall yet crowne the posteritie of noble persons that still may remayne The Turkes thus ouerthrowne and their campe spoyled wee shall bée driuen to soiourne eight or tenne daies at Philippopoli which after this great losse would make no resistance to rest our selues and prouide for the wounded and there were it requisite to hazard sundrie Greekes seuerally to goe to carie newes of this good successe to Salonike as also to sende the Nauie worde to the ende the same might drawe toward Constantinople for it were hard to besiedge it without both the powers togethers The Turkes losse in this battaile cannot bee such but he shall saue 130000. men of whome some may
defeated by the Lord of Mouluc which encreased his care notwithstanding in all these aduersities he quayled not either in courage or countenance This mishap as I haue heard light vpon the Lord of Duras through two especiall reasons The one that to the end to bring with his troopes two Canons he marched heauely the other that vpon the commoditie of this ordinance he stayed by the way to beate certaine Castles replenished with great booties Thus had his enemies oportunitie to ouertake him whose streÌ„gth consisting in horse did by and by ouerthrowe him for such as are to bring any succour must alwaies free themselues from combersome cariage and crowne their expeditions with diligence During these affayres I remember I once heard the Lord Admirall talking of these matters say vnto the Prince of Condé That one mischiefe followeth an other howbeit that he must yet expect the third aduenture meaning his brothers passage which would either lift them vp againe or quite cast them downe As in deede if it had miscaried they looked to haue bene besieged which so happening they were very secretly resolued that one of them should haue gone into Germany to haue endeuoured there to haue yet raised some power being of opinion that the Prince of Condé in respect of the greatnesse of his familie should bee the best able to perswade the Protestant Princes of Germany to assist him in a cause wherein themselues did partly participate Howbeit all the difficultie consisted in the conueying of him thether safely wherevpon some gentlemen there present did euidently declare that going from one of his partakers houses to another and alwaies marching by night and resting all day he might easely passe with twentie horse and no more But he was not put to that plonge for within tenne or twelue daies after they had newes that the Lord of Andelot hauing passed the chiefest difficulties of his iorney was come within thirtie leagues of Orleance which was also supplied with a second comforte viz. that the Earle of Rochefouâ—ault accompanied with three hundred gentlemen and the remainder of the Lord of Duras armie would very shortly ioyne with him Wherevpon the Prince of Condé sayd Our enemies haue giuen vs two shrewde checkes in taking our rookes meaning Râ—an and Bourges but I hope that now we may catch their knights if they take the fielde Neither is it to bee demaunded whether euery man reioyced or was glad at Orleance for commonly the Souldier the more oportunitie that he hath to hurt and molest his enemie that iniureth him the gladder he is such sway doe wrath beare among theÌ„ And how should not their affections be sometimes alittle spotted with blood when many Clergie mens are so red with the dye of reueÌ„ge in whose harts should nothing but charitie be harbored Of the Prince of Condées purposes when he sawe his forreine succour approach and how he came before Paris from whence after he had there soiourned eleuen daies done nothing he departed toward Normandie IN as much as good counsailes are the fountaines of good exploytes and encrease of force the instruments to atteyne thereto the Lords Prince of Condé and Admirall finding their succour to be at hand deuised with themselues vpon the choyse of some good purpose Finally with their most trustiest they resolued to march toward Paris not meaning to force it for they doubted that the enemies would immediatly thrust in their armie thereinto but only to terrifie the Parisians whome they accompted the bellowes of the warres and kitchen that fedde the same as imagining that they seeing their countrie houses forreyed and burnt and so many insolent Souldiers lodged euen within their towne would either vrge the King and Queene to hearken vnto peace or els so quarel with those that should be so enclosed within their walles that they should euen force them into the field where they might finde oportunitie to fight with them and so recouer that aduantage that they lost at the skirmish of Tally and that in the meane time they would send into Normandie to make readie the hundred and fiftie thousand crownes which as the voyce went were borowed of certaine English Marchants and vpon good pawnes for therevpon did their only hope to wage the forreine armie wholly depend as also because necessitie constrayned them to cause it to liue out of their Thus did spite shame resolue them to attempt a difficult matter which before vpoÌ„ ripe deliberation wheÌ„ it was more easie they accompted vnprofitable and the like haue I seene happen many times euen among many good men of warre At night therefore order being giuen out euery man armed himselfe and marched by by waies toward the side of the Suburbes of S. Germain where they vnderstood that the trenches were small and the gard weake which was true Now the Lord of Guize had some inckeling of this enterprise that it should be performed at midnight whervpon he kept all his horsemen and footmen in armes al the night long in the trenches euery one in his quarter appoynted But when the clocke had stroke foure in the morning and that they perceiued no noyse from our campe they all sayd that it was but some false allarum and that the Protestants harts would not serue to set vppon them also that it was to no purpose considering the extreame colde to freeze them vp a whole nights space vpon a simple suspition peraduenture without any ground To be briefe one after an other they all returned each one to his lodging so as there remayned no more but y e ordinary guard The Protestants in the meane time fetthing a great compasse for feare of descrying lost themselues so as they could not come néere the place that they should assayle before broad day wherevpon perceiuing themselues discouered and the alarum great they retired but had they come three quarters of an houre sooner it was likely they might in that place haue forced the trenches In this enterprise we may see how some mens impatiencie had like to haue put them to a great foyle also how the small foresight of the others in the conduct of their men made them lose the occasion that they had vndertaken and so remaine a scorne to their enemies I haue heard that the Lordes of Guize and Constable did feare the forcing of those Suburbes rather for the shame then for the hurt as affirming that the same would haue bene the destruction of the Protestants if they had taken them For whiles they had bene dispersed about the spoyle they made accompt to haue sent foorth at sundrie gaâ—es and other places foure or fiue thousande Harquebuziers and two thousande Corcelets to fall vpon theÌ„ who surprizing them would haue slaine a great parte and put the rest to flight We did so farre ouershoote our selues as three daies after to purpose the like againe and I beleeue we should haue bene well beaten But at the chaunge of our watch one of our
lodge scattering abroade in the good villages the sayde commissaries besides theyr ordinarie carriages kept still in euery cornet a baker and two horse of burthen which came no sooner to their quarter but they fell to making of bread and so sent it to the footemen All these small helpes proceeding from fortie cornets for there about wee then were being gathered together amounted vnto a great deale yea and thence sometimes they sent both flesh and wine whereto the Gentrie were so affectionate that from their lodgings they would not spare their carriages for conduct of whatsoeuer was requisite The small Townes that were taken were reserued for the munitionaries and they threatned the rest that kept no garrisons to fire all a league rounde about if they sent in no prouision whereby our footmen who lodged close were ordinarilie well prouided I doe not heere speake of the booties which as well the footemen as horsemen wonne from the aduersaries neyther is it anie doubt but this denouring animall passing through so many Prouinces could still finde soule pasture where with was sometimes mixed the poore mans garment yea and the friendes to so sore did necessitie and desire to catch incite those that wanted no excuses to coulour their spoile Of these fruites were many prouided of those things which besides foode the soldiour is to buy as garments weapons which are most neâ—essarie things Now must I speake of the lodging of the armie which they were forced to scatter abroade and that for two principall reasons The one for the commoditie of virtuall the other that it might be vnder couert whereby to be defended from the iniurie of the winter for without this help it could not consist I know this to be a verie bad kinde of lodging also that in imperial royall warres men would beware of committing such ouer sights least they might be straight wayes surprised But in ciuill warres both partes were forced and accustomed so to doe at the least in France The footmen were lodged in two bodies viz. in a maine battayle and an auantgarde and the horsemen in the villages next to hand Uppon anie earnest allarum the horsemen drewe to their quarters likewise if one seuerall lodging were assayled the others went straight to the rescue Among the Cornets there were many harquebuziers on horsback and when they were come to their quarter all the wayes were very well fortefied and many times they prouided themselues in the Churches and Castles so to holde out two good houres vntill they might haue succour I haue sometimes seene one of the Generals march with fiue or sixe hundred men and beate back the enimie that had assayled some lodging Howbeit notwithstanding whatsoeuer watch on all sides yet there happened many surprises albeit the waies were beaten both night and daie Many times wee had our best aduice from the Picorers who buzzing abroade like flyes did ordinarilie meet with the enimie and so some one brought in word for these men to flie are as swift as hares and when they goe about some bootie they euen flie The head towarde the enimie who had light horsmen did commonlie consist of fiue hundred good horse and as many harquebuziers on horsebacke with small store of carriage except horse of burthen which was done to the end to keepe the enimies busie that they should make no enterprise also that the armie might alwayes haue warning Concerning the order of the march all the troopes had theyr meeting nominated at a certaine houre in place conuenient for the diuision of the lodgings and thence they repayred each to his quarter as also they vsed greate speede when they were to trauayle sundrie wayes One inconuenience there was in marching thus scatteringlie namelie that oftentimes they did vse many false allarums Neuerthelesse it was neuer noted that the Prince of Condie had euer anie notable surprise Neither woulde I that anie man should build anie rule vpon these examples which necessitie engendered vnlesse vppon the lyke reason as then bare swaie for so may they be vsed in accomodating them to time place and persons But the surest waie were to reforme our customes by the ancient militarie rules wherin is more perfection than in those which wee now a dayes doe practise Yet must we not saie that these great Captaines ought to haue done otherwise than they did for they neuer fayled in ought that either could or should be done As also their most notable actions are since their deathes vanished away Of the new forces out of sundrie Prouinces that met at Orleance which inuitéd the Prince of Condy to vndertake the voiage to Chartres IN the first ciuill warres most of the Protestants namely their heads toke this for a principle That it was hard without an armie in y e field to make anie honourable warre or profitable peace In consideration heereof they exhorted their partakers to helpe to make a braue power the benefit wher of should redound to the whole body which was the reason that made so many readie to come in But they found an inconuenience in abandoning to this effecte such good places as before they held in the prouinces for afterward they had no place of retreate as also they haue somtimes failed in the other point viz. by keeping ouer many Wherin we may learne to auoid all extremities Which notwithstanding yet were not the prouinces free froÌ„ war as wel in the first troubles as in these Yea who so list well to consider the dealings of the Baron of Adrets and other the braue exploites of sundrie Captaines both Catholikes and Protestants recorded in the histories shall see miserable matters valiantly and wisely executed But because I haue tied my selfe to speake of no more than I haue either seene or learned in good places I haue abstained from entering the carrier of vnknowen Countries for feare of stumbling Now the Prince of Condie being enformed that his forces out of Gascoyne and Daulphine amounting neere to sixe thousand men were ariued at Orleance thought it good to imploie them therefore sent them worde to be ready as also to prouide pouder and shot with three or foure bad peeces of artillerie that were left for albeit the Catholiks accounted the Protestants fierie people yet were they alwayes but meanelie prouided of such instrumentes neither haue they as themselues anie Saint Anthonie whome men saie to be president of this element His intent was before his enimies knew his purpose to haue enuironed the town that he meant to besiege whereof he thought none so commodious for his affayres as Chartres which being taken he purposed to fortefie so to keepe a continuall thorne in the Parisians foote and vnder the fauour therof somewhat to preserue his Countries which were behinde To this effect being aboue twentie leagues of he sent three thousande horse to enclose it which diligence turned to no greate profite for a regiment of footmen which lay but foure leagues off
no difficulty for the keeping of their consciences vnspotted to leaue her countrie for a pray A most rare example in this world wherein wealth and honor are in such accompt that vnto many they be euen a domesticall God whom they serue Now likewise a maruellous encrease vnto the Protestants armie were the troopes which the Lord of Acier brought out of Daulphine Prouence and Languedoc The Prince had before written as well to him as to others the most notable in the sayd Prouinces to send him some good power to succour him and to withstand the armie Royall which came vppon him least so many Princes and excellent Captaines should encurre so great disaduantage as to see themselues besieged in the townes Whereof so farre were they from faâ—â—ing that it seemed they had dispeopled the places they came from so many men did they bring for they were not lesse then eighteene thousand bearing armes who vnder the conduct of the Lord of Acier marched But as the same was one way the 〈…〉 ole support of the armie so on the other it was the losse of sundrie places which the Catholikes after their departure seased vpon And many times I haue heard diuers Colonels reporte their departure in such numbers as if they should haue gone to seeke newe habitations for had the halfe onely come yet had they bene too many These could not neuerthelesse ioyne with the Prince of Condé without a great inconuenience that befell them for two of their regiments were ouerthrowne by the Duke of Montpensier the cause arising as I haue vnderstoode of that the Lords of Mouuans and Pierregoord finding some discommoditie in lodging so close as vntill then they had bene forced would needes scatter wéening that hauing two thousand harquebuziers no lesse then an armie could serue to offend them The said Mouuans was as braue a souldier as any in the Realme but his great valour experience brought him to attempt that which turned to his destructioÌ„ which is it also that many times bréedeth the losse of both Captaines and troopes He tought valiantly and both he and his fellow with two thousand of their men dyed in the fielde The Catholikes haue reported vnto me one course that they then tooke which I like well of That was that fearing least the Lord of Acier who lodged but two leagues of should come to the rescue they did at the same time that they charged vpoÌ„ the said Mouuans quarter with their whole footmen sende into the Lord of Aciers quarter eight or nine hundred speares and many harquebuziers on horsebacke with a great sound of Trumpets crying Battaile Battaile which they did to the ende to make him thinke that their drift was against himselfe Thus did they linger him while they performed their enterprise wherefro they caried seuenteene flagges This losse grieued the Price and his partakers howbeit the comming in of so many other regiments did soone blot out his sorow For the man of warre euen during his action against the enemie endeuoureth to abolish the memorie of all sorowfull accidents least the same should deminish this first furie which being in him doth sometimes make him terrible Of the first progresse of both the armies when being in their prime they sought with like desire to fight AFter the ouerthrowe of Mouuans the Catholicke armie retired to Chastellerault fearing least the Protestants being so mightie would come vpon them in some bad ground There was also the Duke of Anieow who brought other power very resolute in that their Captaine to whome they bare great honor and reuerence was such a Prince And in my opinion there had not of long time bene seene so many Frenchmen in both the armies The Prince of Condé his places furnished had in his eighteene thousand Harquebuziers and three thousand good horse and I take that in Monsiers were at the least eighteene thousand Souldiers and foure thousand Speares besides the Suitzers so as on both sides might haue bene found aboue fiue and thirtie thousand Frenchmen all trayned and peraduenture as bould Souldiers as any in Christendome The Protestants finding themselues strong would haue sought to ioyne and came within two leagues of Chastellerault But the Prince hauing aduice that the other campe was planted vppon a strong ground almost enuironed with a small marish whereto was in some places adioyned a slight Trench ment not rashly to attempt any thing but sought meanes to drawe them foorth to battell Hereto was he enuited by the heate that he perceiued in his souldiers likewise by his great number for he doubted that such an armie wanting pay would not long continue great as also that the sharpenesse of winter would soone deminish it It may be that in the Catholike army some of these considerations might likewise take place But there was a good vniformity in this that both the generalls were touched with equall desire to ioyne and like purpose each to goe liue vpon his enemies land so to preserue his owne from the extreeme spoyle which whole armies doe make Thus they both raised their campes and tooke their way to Lusignan neere whereto was a small quarter of land good in all perfection where each entended to lodge and albeit they were both neere together yet could neither heare newes of other which is not very straunge for we see it many times come so to passe Both parties therefore hauing appoynted their generall meeting at a great borowe named Pamprow plentifull in victualles the Marshals of both the campes came thether much about one time with their troopes from whence they beate each other forward and backward twise or thrise so desirous was euery man to catch that bone to knawe vpon which in the ende was giuen ouer Howbeit either of them knowing very well that they should haue support stood stiffe and would not flee but retired a quarter of a league of where they set themselues in battaile aray Afterward came the Lord Admirall and d'Andelot with fiue Cornets of horse onely and on the behalfe of the Catholickes came seauen or eight hundred Speares It is now sayd the Lord Admirall no speaking of lodging but of fighting and with all speede aduertised the Prince who was a long league of to set forwarde in the meane time he would set a good face on the matter He commaunded them to stand in aray vpon a small rising so to take from the enemies the viewe of a valley least they should discouer him and this did he to the ende to make theÌ„ think that we had some great power both of horsemen footmen hidden therein Being thus in aray within a Canon shot each of other he willed a Captaine of harquebuziers on horseback to set forwarde fiue hundred paces and to stay neere to a hedge which he did But as these people albeit they can discharge running are not neuerthelesse skilfull souldiers so had they not stayed there sixe paternosters while but halfe of them moued to
fought on euery side Howbeit in as much as the whole army of the Catholicks still came on the Protestants were forced to flee after they had lost in the field about a hundred Gentlemen but especially the Princes owne person who being borne downe coulde haue no succour and hauing yeelded himselfe to the Lorde of Argences there came a Gascoigne Gentleman named Montesquion and discharged a pistoll through his head whereof he died His death bred wonderfull sorrowe among the Protestantes and as great ioy to some of his aduersaries who supposed they shoulde soone ouercome the whole body nowe that they had cut of so good a head howbeit as some did greatly blame him so others there were that commended his valour As also this commendation may iustly be giuen him that in bouldnesse or curtesy no man of his time excelled him Of speech hee was eloquent rather by nature then art he was liberall and affable vnto all men and withall an excellent Captaine although he loued peace Hee bare him selfe better in aduersity then in prosperitie His greatest commendation of all was his stedfastnesse in religion My best is to holde my peace for feare of saying to little albeit I thought good to speake somewhat leaste I shoulde be accounted ingratefull to the memory of so valiant a Prince Many a worthy person both Catholike and Protestant whome our ciuill stormes haue caried away are to be lamented for they honored our Fraunce and might well haue holpen to encrease it had not discord prouoked the valour of the one to the destruction of the valour of the other After this blowe the Protestantes army was wonderfully astonied and it fell out well for them that the country whereinto they were withdrawne was all full of water for thereby were the Catholicks restrained and they had time to recouer themselues Hauing atchieued such a victory the Catholicks imagined that such of our townes as were not very strong woulde bee amazed But the Admirall had placed in them the most part of his footemen thereby breake this first fury so as when they set forward to assalt Coignac they well found that such catts were not caught without mittens for therein were fowre regimentes of footemen but as when they had sent three or fowre hundred shot vnto the parkeside to disceuer that part they that were within sent foorth 10 or 1200 who sent them so quickly away that they came no more as also they had in their army but sowre Canons and as many Culuerines Monsieur contenting him selfe with his victory and perceiuing that hee coulde not performe any greate matter in his tender youth triumphing ouer moste excellent captaines as also hee had good counsaile and assistaunce of other worthy Captaines that accompanied him retired to refresh his men In this action we are to gather that in whatsoeuer waighty and daungerous attempt it must not bee followed to halues for we must either quight leaue it off or else employ whatsoeuer our senses and force Moreouer this is to be noted that when armies are lodged scatteringly they incurre viuerse inconueniences which the sufficiencie of the best Captaines is not able withstand Of the notable passage of the Duke of Aipont from the borders of Rhine euen into Aquitaine MAny that shall heere see it set downe as it were for a meruayle that a forraine enimies armie coulde pierce so very far into the realme of France wyll not peraduenture thinke it straunge because that considering other examples namelie that of the Emperour Charles the fifth when hee came to besiege Saint Desier they will not take such expeditions to be so extraordinarie as we wold make them beleeue for Howbeit if they list well to waigh the length of the iourney also the mightie and continuall lets and hinderances that this had I doubt they wil be of another opinion Yet will I confesse that ciuill warres doe greatly fauour the entrie of our neighbours who otherwise without the support of one of the factions neuer durst haue enterprised the same But when on the one side the fauour is small and on the other side the resistance great we are the more to admire the deeds of those that haue so aduentured Touching that which is alleadged of the Emperour Charles I will aunswere in fewe wordes First for his person hee was the mightiest Captaine in Christendome then for his campe it consisted of fiftie thousand men lastlie that at such time as hee came in the King of England had alreadie taken Bollein which caused King Fraunces who woulde not aduenture anie thing rashlie to leaue the passage more free Nowe the Duke of Biponts case is farre otherwise for notwithstandinge he were a valyaunt valyant Prince yet did he not any thing neere approch the militarie sufficiencie of the other and a great helpe and ease it was for him that he was accompanied with the Prince of Orenge Countie Lodowicke Countie Wolrad of Mansfield besides other braue French Captaines and two thousand footmen and horsemen of the same nation that ioyned with him His number of Germaines was fiue thousand Lance knights and sixe thousand Reisters With this small armie did he passe forward in purpose to ioyne with the Princes power The King vnderstanding that he prepared for their succour did immediatlie appoint a small armie vnder the leading of the Duke of Aumale to withstand him and doubting of the weaknesse therof he also ioyned thereto another vnder the gouernment of the D. of Nemours These two bodies vnited did in footmen exceede the Duke of Bipont but in horse were inferiour vnto him They determined not to state his comming into the realme to molest them and therefore marched euen into the borders of Germanie and toward Sauerne ouerthrew the regiment of one named Le Coche composed of certaine straies gathered together who meant to haue ioyned with him Neuerthelesse he entered into France on the side of Burgundie whether they came to coast him and vntill he came to the riuer of Loire which was little lesse than foure score leagues they neuer gaue him ouer but still were either on his flankes or tayle yea many times the armies were in sight each of other and had great skirmishes I haue oft heard the Prince of Orenge report that he meruayled in so long and difficult a waie that the Catholikes could neuer finde anie fit occasion to their aduauntage for sometimes they had fayre offers by reason of the pestering with store of carriages Neither can I omit this that besides the braue forces of the Kings armie they had other aduantages which were not smal as the fauour of the townes Countries and riuers yea and one point more was to be noted that is their notise of the enemies purposes which consisted in making of way and winning by power or pollicy some passage ouer Loire For albeit both the Dukes of Nemours and Aumale were braue Captains yet notwithstanding all their pollicies and endeauours this armie gate to the sayd
beware that hee fight not for our armie through newe supplies is wonderfull mightie and verie resolute wherfore let him forbeare but one moneth onely for all the nobilitie hath sworne and tolde Monsieur that they will tarie no longer howbeit if he employ them in that time they will do their indeuors Let him remember how dangerous it is to iustle agaynst the French furie which neuerthelesse wil sodainly be ouer Thus if they haue not speedie victory now they shall vpon diuerse considerations be driuen to peace the same to your aduantage Tel him that this we haue leanred in place of credit were desirous to aduertise him thereof Thus they departed the others immedlatly came made report hereof to the L. Admirall who liked it They also told it to others of the principall of whom some thought it not to bee reiected but wished it to bee followed but the most parte tooke it to be a pollicie to astonish vs saying moreouer that albeit it had some apparance of goodnes yet in that proceeded from suspected persons accustomed to vse guile deceit it was not to be esteemed of This was another cause of our mischiefe in y t we to much neglected y e thing which ought to haue ben noted Then did they meet to learne what were best to be done some propounded to goe winne Eruaux so to put the riuer betweene vs y e enemy also to depart about 9. of y e clock al night so to march al night to get safe thether because we were so neere thē but others replyed that these night retreates do print a certaine feare in those that marke them deminishe their credite and embolden the enimy so as it were better to depart at breake of day whose opinion was followed Now was the Lord Admirall sore troubled as fearing least the Reisters should raise any mutiny for want of pay also y e 2. or 4. regiments of his own dwelling farre off who already had asked leaue should forsake him he knew also that sundry gentlemē of the countries in our possession were already gone home wherefore to the end to containe the army in duty as also to refresh it he had requested the Lords Princes who lay at Partenay to come to thē which they did brought with them about 100 50 good horses In the morning we were on horsback by break of day to march straight to Exuaux euery man with a white shirt the better to bee known if we should be forced to fight But our Launceknights said they would not march without mony a quarter of an howre after fiue cornets of Reisters sayd as much so as it was aboue an howre and a halfe before this tumult was appeased wherof followed that we could not reach into a place of aduantage which had bene discouered nere vnto Exuaux where we might haue sould our skinnes dearer neither was this any of the least causes of our losse Hauing gone about a quarter of a league we perceiued the enimy comming towarde vs so as wee had no more leasure but to order our selues and get into a little close vnder couert from the Canon An other inconuenience also chanced vs in y t when the L. Admiral perceiued y e Catholikes auantgard make straight toward him which was so strong for it conteyned nineteene cornets of Reisters in two squadrons he sent to County Lodouicke who led our battell to succour him with three Cornets he did so but himselfe brought them and at the same instant began the fight where hee remained fast tied for hereof it came to passe y t the said body wanting a leader wist not howe to behaue it selfe and it is thought that if hee had beene there he woulde haue done more considering that beeing without both captein order it had neuertheles almost shaken Mounsiers The fight lasted somewhat more then halfe an houre and all the Protestants army was put to flight the Princes being yet young were retired a little before Almoste all our footemen were cut in peeces the artillery and ensignes taken and County Lodouike chased almost a league who made a braue retreat with 3000 horse in one body neither was the L. Admiral ther for he was wounded in y e beginning The slaughter was great for the Catholicks were fore fleshed through the cruelties vsed sayd they at Roch-labelle but especiallie for the death of Saint Columbe others slaine in Bearn Many also of our prisoners did they dispatch for satisfactiō My selfe likewise in the heate had like to haue gone the same waie had it not bene for the humanitie of Monsieur who was an instrument of Gods blessing for the preseruation of my life which in my opinion I ought not to conceale By this exploit wee may see that the same roiall armie which we caused so swiftlie to retire from before Chatelleraud and that in the night was able neuerthelesse within three weekes after to ouercome vs because wee made some difficultie to retire by daie also through staying vppon the maitainance of our reputation in shew wee lost it in deede which is one point sometime to be thought vpon by all souldiours as well young as olde That the siege of Saint Iohn d'Angelie was the springing againe of the Protestants AS the siege of Poictiers was the beginning of the Protestants mishappes so was that of S. Iohn d'Angelie the staie of the Catholikes good fortune And had they not staied therevppon but pursued the relikes of the broken armie they had brought it to naught considering the astonishment therof and difficulties falling out The Princes and Admirall retired with all that they could gather together ouer the riuer of Charent in the meane time tooke order in hast for the keeping of the townes in Poicton which laie next to the batterie But fiue of them were at the first abandoned viz. Parthenay Nyort Fontenay Saint Maixant and Chatelleraud and the sixt which was Lusignan at the sight of the Canon yeelded This so puffed vp the hope of the conquerours that they imagined in short space to get all those Prouinces except the capitall towne which they tooke to be Rochel Wherevppon they still marched forward imagining that all other townes after the example of these would haue yeelded They directed their course toward Saint Iohn d'Angelie which was not much stronger than Nyort but being summoned would not yeeld for the Lorde of Pilles beeing entered thereinto with parte of his regiment was desired to fight I haue heard that at that time the chiefe Captaines that accompanied Monsieur wer called to know what was to be done Some sayd Sith that all the Princes footmen were cut in peeces and so they had none but horse most of them Reisters who also were discontent and halfe marred for losse of their carriages their aduice was to pursue them hotlie so shoulde they come to one of these two points either quite to ouerthrowe them or else to
to force their enemies withdrew to their lodginges as also did the Princes who hauing considered that their staie might be hurtfull as also that they wanted pouder marched by great ionrneis vnto La Charitee and other townes their partakers there to furnish themselues anewe with all commodities necessarie Shortlie after there was a truce taken betweene both armies which grew to a peace wherevpon euerie man laid downe his weapons It had bene verie noisome lieng so long in the field in heate in colde in bad wayes and almost alwayes in the enemies lande where the verie peasant made them as sharp warre as the souldier which inconueniences many times troubled that great Captaine Hannibal when he was in Italie It is therefore a braue schoole point to marke how men can fit their counsayles to necessitie such labours are in the beginning so odious that they make the sculdiours to murmure against their owne Captaines but being a litle accustomed hardned in these painful exercises they begin to grow into a good opinion of themselues when they see that they haue as it were ouercome y t which terrefieth so many chieflie the delicate These be the braue galleryes beautifull walks of the souldiours then their bed of honour is the graue wherinto a harquebuze shot may haue ouerthrowen them But in truth all this is worthie reward commendation namely when they that tread these pathes and endure these labours doe maintaine an honest cause and in their proceedings shew themselues replenished with valor and monestie Now if anie man in this woful warre laboured sore both in bodie minde we may saie that it was the Admirall for the waightiest part of the burthen of the affaires and military labours did he with great constancie and facilitie beare as also hee bare him selfe as reuerentlie among the Princes his superiours as modestie with his inferiours Godlinesse he alwayes helde in great estimation and bare greate loue to iustice which made him to be esteemed honored of all that part which he had taken he neuer ambiciously sought offices or honors but in eschuing them was in respect of his sufficiencie and honestie forced to take them When hee dealt with weapons he shewed himselfe as skilful in them as anie Captaine of his time and alwayes couragiouslie hazarded himselfe to all daungers In aduersities he was noted to be endued with magnanimitie and inuention to get out and shewed himselfe alwayes free from glosing and dissimulation In summe he was a man worthie to restore any weake and corrupt estate Thus much I thought good by the waie to saie of him as hauing knowen and kept his companie yea and profited in his schoole and so should doe him iniurie if I should not make true and honest mention of him The causes of the third peace The comparison thereof with the former also whether the same were necessarie NOne of the three ciuill warres lasted so long as this which coÌ„tinued two whole yeres where the first was ended in one yere the second in sixe moneths and many doyet thinke that had not y e Protestants draweÌ„ toward Paris it would not haue bene done so soone of which experience they haue gathered this rule that to purchase peace war must be brought beere this mightie Citie which I also take to haue ben one of the chiefe causes to help it forward for y e stripes which threaten the head do greatly terrefie the Catholike strangers hauing also wasted innumerable coin had left such want that they knew not how to furnish paie Ruine and robberie was rife euerie where Moreouer good hap seemed to begin to raise vp those that had ben wearied For the Princes armie had made a braue head against the Kings at Rene le Duc. Gascogne LaÌ„guedock Daulphine held sorer than war before Bearne was recouered in Poictou Xantoigne the Protestants had spead well in ouerthrowing the two old regiments and taking sundrie townes Al these things gathered together which other secret perticular oceasions disposed y e King and Queene to grant to the peace which was published in August The Protestants also desired stood in great need of it for hauing neuer a crowne wherewith to satiffie their Reisters their necessitie would haue driuen them to abandon the Princes as by the Countie of Mansfield they gaue them to vnderstande Likewise seeing them neere their owne Countrie it was to bee feared least they would haue resolued so to doe which falling out would haue beene the ouerthrow of their affaires Many other discommodities which I omit vrged heereunto among the rest the misrule of our souldiours was such as it could not be remedied Insomuch that the Admirall who loued good order and hated viâ—e did many times since saie that he had rather die than fall into the like confusions againe and to see so many mischiefes committed before his face To bee briefe the peace was accepted vpon tollerable conditions also for y e assurance thereof was added that which in the former they neither durst demand nor coulde obtaine namelie foure townes The beginning of this communication was after the siege of S. Iohn d'Angelie wherin were emploied the Lords of Thelignie Beaunois la Nocle gentlemeÌ„ endued w t diuerse vertues who faithfully discharged their duties and if before when the Protestants affaires were at a latter hand the Catholiks had offered smaller conditions I thinke they would haue bene taken But when they saw that they would not graunt them anie exercise of religion but onely a simple libertie of conscience it brought them into such despaire that they made of necessitie vertue And as time breedeth alterations so those that ensued turned so far to their fauour that their courages were raised and their hope corroborated The best time then to treate of peace is when we haue the aduantage in war But that doth ordinarilie so puffe vp men that they will not heare thereof howbeit either earlie or late the king did wiser to graunt it for the continuation of warre depriued him of his pleasure supplanted the loue and obedience due vnto him forâ—aied the Countries sacked the treasurie consumed his power But may some man say the king of Spaine hath not done so in Flanders Truely may another aunswere he hath not wonne much and per aduenture in the end for the ceasing of these troublesome tragedies hee will followe the same counsaile that his neighbours haue done Now albeit peace was necessarie for the Protestants yet haue this â—shap almost euer ensued that the same haue not continued neither so much as beene established according to the couenant I will speak first of that which was framed before Orleance lasted foure yeeres and a halfe was nothing neere so profitable for them as the edict of Ianuarie howbeit it followeth not but that it was at that time acceptable for theyr affayres were not in state to refuse it and time discouered the fruit that it
The causes of good discipline The notable perticularities of the same The begining of disorders The remedies applied Discontentment in the Princes armie Of the taking of Burges and the counsaile to besiedge Orleance The reasons of those that counsailed the fiedge of Roan rather then of Orleance The taking of Roan Of the ouerthrowe of the Lorde of Duras troupes The execution of the Prince of Condes purposes staied through the succour that the Lorde of Andelot brought in The Princes armie marched toward Paris A Camisado enterprised against the suburbes of Paris also the retreat of the Princes army A notable battayle 1 The countenaunce of both the armies 2 The Generositie of the Suitâ—ers 3 The Lorde of Guizes patience cause of his victorie 4 The long continuance of the battell 5 The taking of the two generalles of the armies 6 The retraite of both the armies How the Lord of Guyze intreated the Lord Prince of Conde The foundation of the Duke of Guizes hope The Lorde Admirals resolution the Siege of Orleance and the notablest perticularities of the same The wouÌ„ding and death of the Duke of Guize whereof ensued the pacification of the first trobles also what the Lord Admirall did in Normandie The causes of the taking of armes in the second troble The resolution to take armes also the difficulties in the beginning Of the successe of the Princes attempts The first A generall taking of armes vpon one selfe day The second Their courage in setting vpon 6000. Suitzers The third The taking of Saint Dennis The Prince of Condies first entent to force his aduersaries to harken to accorde The second and third cotent The Lord Constables purposes The meanes that were practised to ouerthrow the Prince and his armie The behauiors of the Princes armie in Loraine A notable historie A meane to attaine to peace The Lord Admirals care for the entertainement of the armie Of the lodging of the armie The march Into what Difficulties the Protestants were reduced during the ciuill warres The beginning of the siege of Chartres A counter enterprise of the Lord Admirales during the seege Of Chartres The second peace cause of more mischief then the warre it selfe Part of the Protestantes causers of their owne mischiefe The notable reuolution of these warres also of the Princes retrait The Lord of Martigues braue resolution to gette to Saumure What helpe the towne of Rochel was to the Prince and his who therby became maisters of a large country The arriuall of the Queene of Nauarre and her children in the armie also of the troupes of Daulphine The ouerthrow of the Colonels Mouuans and Pierre-gourd Of the power of both the armies which albeit they desired it could neuer haue opportunitie to ioyne The Duke of Aniâ—ous armie lost a braue opportunitie to ouerthrowe the Lord Admirall an d 〈…〉 Andelot Aduice vppon the aforesaid aduenture The Prince lost the occasion to ouerthrow the enemies Auantguard Of the iourney of Iasnueil A pleasant chance which troubled many The extreame could kept the 2. armies from executing their pretenses The Lord Admirals enterprise voide of his pretended effect The retract of both the armies through the extreamitie of the colde The Earle of Brissackes bould enterprise and what came of it What happened before the battaile of Bassac The euell keeping of the passage and their smale diligence to ioyne together cause of the ouerthrow shortly ensuing The battaile of Bassac with the taking and cause of the Prince of Condees death The praise of the Prince of Conde also what happened after his death The lets to keepe the Duke of Biponts army from ioining with the Princes Of the ioining of the Germaines with the Princes The occurrences betweene both the armies at Rochell The purpose of the Princes army before the siege of Poictiers also the taking of Lusignan The cause of the siege of Poictiers The notablesâ— perticularities of the siege of Poicters Vpon what occasions the siege was raised from before Poicters Diuers causes of the ouerthrow of the Princes armie at Montcontour The charge sâ—irmishes about Saint Cler. A notable aduertisement giuen before the battaile but not followed The Counsells and difficulties in the Princes armie whereof ensued the meanes to the aduersaries armie to assaile them The battaile fought and wonne by Monsiers army Ouer sight of MoÌ„sieurs army after their victorie A notable counsaile houlden by the chief Captaines of this armie and so their resolution What helpe Rochel hath ministred to the Princes and their warlick affaires CoÌ„modities of warres by sea also the abuses therein committed By what meanes the Princes armie was restored Of the forces that ioyned with the Princes The voiage of the Princes armie The meeting of both armies at Rhene le Duc. Of the third peace Of the behauiors of the Lord Admiral during the three first ciuil waries Sundry causes of this mention of him this third peace as well on the one side as on the other When they beginne to breake of peace also what is to be noted therein Consideration vpon these th 〈…〉 pacifications of the ciuill warres The diuers affections of those that long after warre and how they haue bene prouided for Against such as like of euerie peace and mislike euery warre