better deserved by fighting then by competition If they did not agree there would be no fighting no commanding and all would be lost That the Governour of Milan shewed which way he inclined when he sent D. Antonio Sotello to seize on the workes The not yeilding to this would be a thwarting of the Marquesse his desires and to hinder rather then to accept of the command which if it were laid downe ought rather to be refused with wisedome then be afterwards forcibly left with shame They all approved of this discourse content to be commanded by D. Antonio Sotello The King in his Letter acknowledged himselfe to be well served by D. Lewis his discreet proceeding not only for the present act which occasioned a Victory and the like being not observed in times past had occasioned great losses but chiefly in respect of the document which so rare an example would leave unto posteritie and admitted of no exception because that besides the having right on his fide hee wanted not great valour and the like experience besides the Nobility of his famous house This action so new and so unusuall in the Kings Armies deceived the Cardinall of Vallette and the Marquesse of Villa who went with all their forces to relieve Saliceto thinking to find the Souldiers without a Commander or with many confused ones They found them commanded by D. Antonio Sotello with so much union order and valour that comming to battell they were routed and put to flight with the death and imprisonment of the boldest A great part of the Victory ought to bee acknowledged from D. Lewes Ponze di Leon and his Regiment who after he had modestly yeilded to his friends fought valiantly against his enemies shewing himself more fit to govern then ambitious of governing So was that strong place wonn which would have troubled any other Army that had not been Spanish for the space of a whole yeare and was a place of great importance one part of it standing upon the entrance of Piemont and the other to secure Finall This piece of Army was returning to joyne with the Marquesse under the conduct of Don John di Garrai and comming neere to Verrua in an evening he tooke the out-workes At the dawning of the day he assaulted it five wayes wonne it Set upon the Castle and it yeilded to him Hee was revenged of the wounds which he had received in that place when he served the Duke of Feria and if hee did in some way disgrace his Masters act taking that in foure houres which his Master could not take in three moneths yet did hee doe much credit to his advice the Dukes Counsell being them to assault it not to besiege it Then hee joyned with the Marquesse of Leganes who laid Siege to Crescentino and though it had a dike full of water deepe and well fortified and kept by a Garrison of thirteene hundred French yet in eight dayes he wonne it It will not peradventure be distastefull if I here set downe what reason moved the King of Spaine at first to invade the Duke of Savoy his Dominions for the sting of revenge reason of State nor rigor of justice are not sufficient motives for his mild piety to bring him on to endammage other men if he were not otherwise violently moved thereunto Marquesse Forni Amadeo Duke of Savoy his Ambassadour was in Madrid who in the name of the Duke his Master promised all friendship and forbearance of hostiâ—ity when the Duke at the selfe-same instant joyning with France entred into the State of Milan when for feare of breeding jealousie it lay in a manner disarmed with an Ecclesiasticall person over the Politick government and an old man over the Militarie So that from one skirmish to another it came to that passe that if they would not yeeld without any more stirring they must bee forced to adventure it upon a battell at Tornevento with so much disadvantage that nothing necessity excepted could have freed it from the judgement of a most rash act Being as it were by miracle escaped out of these streights Duke Amadeo died And what rational man then would have said that it was not then just for the King of Spaine to overthrow his Dominions who had deceived him with publick faith and joyning with his enemies had assaulted the State of Milan and brought it in jeopardy of losing What Politician would not have judged it necessarie not to leave an example so pernicious to all Monarchies viz. that they might bee set upon by inferiour Princes and those Princes receive no other dammage therby but the not obtaining of the issue-of their desires And what humane heart of flesh would have blamed the King for running upon a revenge necessarie in Policie and lawfull in Justice Yet his Majesty courteous not vindicative magnanimous not Politick pious with Justice and not just with rigour propounded Peace to the Dutchesse if she would forbeare to assist the French taking upon him to make an agreement between her and the Princes her Allies what could he doe more to have this Vine produce Grapes yet it brought forth nothing but wilde ones What could he do lesse then come in with fire and Sword to shew what gentlenesse provoked with ingratitude and mercy sleighted by obstinacie can and is able to doe Yet hee hath not done it he burned onely to fatten the soile and destroy the weeds He cut downe to engraft Plants to cause them bring forth fruits in stead of thorns He overcame the Mother that she might not ruine her Sonne He moved war to establish peace and seized on dominions to restore them The French were already come into low Germany with two mighty Armies the one under the command of Migliari to goe upon the Country of Artois the other led by Fucchieres to enter upon the land of Luxenburg The designes were to renew the name recover the Kingdom of the ancient Austrasia Surely a great thought and befitting a high mind that were not most Christian The provocatives were the remembrance of Charles the great and the greatnesse of the house of Austria the end to renew the first and ruine the last The first things wherein Princes are in their younger yeares instructed are 〈◊〉 great acts of their Predecessors They hear them rehearsed with delight whilest they are not able to act them infirmity of humane nature which not to remaine without glory having none of their own appropriate other mens to themselves and takes from the fortune of Birth that which springs onely from the worth of the person But if their spirit growes up with their age those relations which once seemed to please do now torment to praise reprove and tormenting and reproving enflameth them first to be imitators of their Auncestors and to follow their steps then to emulate and outgoe them which ever tieth them either to live idle in despaire or troublesome to disquiet the world And if by chance to the memory of those who
to be stayd nor reputation endangered time lost and given to the enemy Notwithstanding all these reasons the Marquesse knowing that it was good to trie any thing which could not bee hurtfull and dealing with carelesse men that might prove easie which seemed most difficult and to avoid the censure of Criticks which alwayes thinke well of that which hath not been tried he did not oppose Prince Thomas his desires and disposed the businesses in that kind that hee would be sure to lose no reputation by beginning any trench nor any time by staying there but few dayes and not to give over his conquests by sending Trotti to Pontestura Being come within sight of Turin the Enemy opposed him with Horse and Foot our men routed them slew many and tooke some prisoners and some few that fled they pursued to the very Purcullisses of the Citie The Dutchesse sent the Popes Nuntio to negotiate an agreement between her and her Kinsmen Her Propositions now when she lost all were as high as if she were a Conquerour Shee seemed to give rather then take lawes Her demands were great and once granted could not be recalled And all shee promised was as nothing and that revocable when she pleased The Treaty broke off th' intelligences failed and the Marquesse went away and because Trotti having taken the town of Pontestura found much refistance in the Castle he resolved to divide his Army into two parts Prince Thomas with the one part went to Villanova and tooke it by storme with the other the Marquesse marched towards Pontestura Hee overthrew the enemies reliefe tooke the Castle went to Moncaluo and having taken that place he lay downe before Asti with his whole Army The Piemontesses terrified by the Kings forces brought the Keys of the Citie to the Princes and the Spaniards valour overcame the obstinacie of them that kept the Fort. The Marquesse his desires aimed at the taking in of Trino a place of it selfe being of importance and besides it cut off reliefe from Casal and safeguarded the State of Milan Hee had sent his Cavalrie thither whilest hee lay before Asti to hinder th' enemie from sending in any forces They tooke much Ammunition which would have gone in and cut off almost a whole reliefe of five hundred chosen French whom the Marquesse of Villanova sought to bring in there Trino is held to be almost impregnable fortied without and within a bogge neere it not to be medled with deep water in the Motes a strong Garrison and well victualled Notwithstanding the Marquesse besieged it made a Trench and withall his approaches as neere as hee thought fitting for raising of Batteries and resolved to give a generall assault hoping thereby to gaine some of the outworks He gave the assault tooke all the out-works the Citie and the Castle which having no time to receive the Sonldiers that fled thither being unprovided and amazed yeilded within few houres It was impossible to hinder the Army victorious and heated from pillaging slaying and burning Who shall deny valour to break forth it groweth with the heat of victory and snatching the reines out of judgements hands it guides a man and more then that it carries him Whereby being heated he goeth where he thought not and being in cold blood he findeth himselfe where now he could not goe because hee went not but was carried thither It would be needfull here to set forth the Marquesse oâ— Leganes his glories who hath filled Flanders Germany and Italy with his acts and victories mortified France and made Spaine glorious But what greater testimony can I give him of it but to make it knowne that a Letter of the Kings spake his deserts A Monarchs Pen was requisite therein that authoritie might cause it to be believed The whole world unanimously with one hand setting downe those glories which conformity causeth it to spread abroad with one tongue The affaires in the County of Ronciglione went on with various fortune the enemy had taken the Castle of Oppoli and having put a Garrison into it had laid siege to Salsas This place lieth almost in a Semicircle at the foot of the Pirenean Mountaines high hills small hillocks and standing waters are the theatre of it On the South it lookes towards Catalonia on the North are the Apennines the Sea is on the East and on the West a Poole which falls from the Pireneans almost to the Walls The Country may be called barren the aire subtile by reason of the Mountaines which overtop it and soggie because of the water which is so neere it which mixture rather hurts it then mends it The Place if you consider the situation is not very sufficient to defend the Country if the Fortifications not to defend it selfe The Motes are full of water the Walls massie high and countermined by the forme it is altogether exposed to the enemies injurie by the matter partly defensible The hardnesse of the stone will not suffer any breach to be made in it the smallnesse of the Flanckers will not hinder the approaches It was strong enough in those dayes when the art used in assaulting tied men to no greater defence The last who put it in a posture of defence found it so scituate that it was necessary either to fortifie or sleight it He fortified it because it was not because it should be there The Governour valorous but not of experience equall to it resolved to lose himselfe before he would yeild the place more faithfull then warie thinking onely upon the not yeilding of it failed in the means of keeping it He defended not the counterscarff he came not out of the wals he fortified not himselfe in the Mores he did not sufficiently meet the Mines nor he did not disturb them in their Workes Every time the enemy came with force upon him he beat him back but he did not hinder him when he used art wherby after fourty daies resistance Salsas was lost by carelesness after so many more of siege it was won by surprise For the enemy having in vain attempted with foure Batteries to beat down the wall comming to it with the mattock had very good success by reason of a Mine which springing made a hole in stead of a breach by which though little there went in a great many French before the besieged espied it or at least had time to hinder them Wherefore running too it too late and to no purpose some of the valiantest died there The Governour being lame of the Gout was not present at the action and yeelded upon Composition with those souldiers which he had left Many think they have performed their duties if they doe not yeild up a Hold as if yeilding them or having them taken were not the same thing It is better for a Captaine to want valour then experience the Souldier sometimes helpeth the one and addeth confusion to the other There is nothing worse then ignorance accompanied with valour the heart goes against th'understanding
because it was not then relieved and for the former time to the Generall because he could not relieve it They did nothing at all and left it to be doubted what they would have done if they had fought But what they would have done may be knowne by what they did when they did fight before The time was long enough being foure moneths the Governour deserved commendations having before he yeilded suffered long famine deadly diseases and great mutinies The Generall was justified by the two reliefes which he attempted and by this third which was not attempted The Governour came out of the Hold according to the agreement the day of the Epiphanie The Lord would not have our King want this place to offer up that day wherin other Kings present their gifts unto him And because it should bee manifest what his Majesties directions doe operate in all enterprises what the Princes hopefulnesse begins to operate and what the Count Dukes advice had operated this could not happen upon a fittinger day then this which is his Majesties day by his preheminencie amongst Kings The Princes by his name of Balthasar and the Count Dukes by reason it was his birth day The Sunne shines not upon the birth-day of him who was borne for the greatnesse of this Monarchie nor returnes not to the place where hee was on that day or celebrates the festivall of it with a lesse favourable aspect then the conquest of a place regained with so much valour and glory There the world being spectator beheld as on a Theatre too great and terrible Provinces Spaine and France fighting a Duell not for their states but for their reputations expecting as the reward of victory the renowne of being the most valiant There with foure thousand foot and two thousand five hundred horse was the enemies whole forces set upon in their own quarters and routing them they were faine to be beholding to the darknesse of the night to not have it knowne whether they retreated or fled There in little more then an hour were assaulted gained and throwne downe their Forts halfe Moons Trenches and what ever else in so many dayes was set up about that place by French art and understanding to safeguard him from the the Spanish valour There a few forces tired with want and sickly by reason of the unseasonablenesse of the aire defended a large and weak circuit of trench against a most powerfull Army of the King of France increased in great number by the Souldiers Gentry of the adjoyning Provinces and by old regiments from far parts much reinforced There along the Poole with weake Barkes was overthrown a Convoy and a great aide overcome which the enemy had embarqued to relieve the place with victuals and Ammunition There after they had gathered together all the power of France they durst not appeare in the field being disheartened by the horror of seeing their dead companions and discouraged with the remembrance of the overthrowes they had there received Finally the Spaniards have there been alwayes conquerors a foot◠a horse-back by land by water in open field or intrenched in assalting or in defending trenches Let it be knowne that nature on the one fide raines downe plenty on the other it instilleth valour to some it gives number to others solidnesse and hath imprinted the character of superiority in the breast of them who exceed in valour not in number Articles of suspension of Armes between the two Crowns The Lady Dutchesse and the Lords Princes of Savoy from the 14th of August to the 29th of October 1639. IT being judged necessary for furthering the Propositions made betweene the Dutchesse and the Princes of Savoy and to prevent the ruine of Piemont to have a Suspension of Arms betweene the two Crownes the Dutchesse and the said Princes as well in Italy as in all other her highnesse of Savoys Dominions The said Suspension was agreed upon for the publick good and quietnesse and in regard of the good offices done by th'Archbishop of St. Severina Apostolicall Nuntio untill the 24th of October next of this present yeare 1639. to give their Majesties notice thereof in the meane time and to receive an answer concerning their pleasures therein During which time all manner of hostilities shall cease on all sides and that upon the conditions following That the Cittadell of Turin shall remaine in the Dutchesse and the Frenches possession and the City of Turin in the Princes of Savoy and the Spaniards possession as they are at this present with such numbers of men as shall bee judged fit for the guarding of the said places That they both may work within the said places during the time of the said suspension or as it may be agreéd between them as shall bee appointed for the said purpose and as it shall bee set downe in the Covenants made and confirmed this present day The two Armies shall retire each to the Provinces and Townes of their owne side and into their severall Holds as more particularly it hath been covenanted and agreed in another writing beating date with these present without making any incursions or doing any other acts of hostility And if any thing should happen contrary to this Article the dammage shall be made good againe and satisfaction given upon the complaint without any breach of this suspension thereby That in such places as are possessed by the two Crownes the Dutchesse and the said Princes of Savoy none of their officers nor any other person of their partie shall without a Passport goe to places belonging to the other party nor into their Armies or much lesse into any such places as is covenanted they should retire into As concerning Casal things shall remaine in the state they are at this present and no act of hostility to be done on either side It shall be lawfull for the Field Marshalls and Officers of Justice and treasure and other Officers of the most Christian Kings Armies to goe and returne to and from the said Casal and other places of Monferrat where the said most Christian King hath any Garrison as likewise those as shall bee sent by his Majesties Generalls and Officers or such as shall be within the said places with Passes from the most Christian Kings Generalls or the Governours or any other person as shall have the command of the place from whence they shall come which Passes being shewne both at going and comming to the Governours of such places as shall be held by his Catholick Majestie and the said Princes of Savoy they shall bee tied to suffer them to goe and come freely without any lett on either side All Officers which doe not belong to the said Garrison of Casal and are not at this present in it and shall goe into it during the time of the said suspension shall be tied to come forth againe before it be ended according to the order which shall be given them so to doe by the most Christian Kings Generalls upon
or so many warres framed so many Armies withstood so many disasters given advice in so many enterprises and with his counsell disposed and obtained so many Victories may wed governe Armies and stay at home command them and be absent The swiftnesse of Posts makes that which is farre off to be neere the strength of the understanding soreseeth what is to come and though he cannot affirme what an enemy will do before he doth it it is sufficient if hee knoweth what he should doe The good is onely one but the evill manifold The first is to be knowne by great wisedome and the other is no great matter whether it be knowne or no. To instruct a Generall of an Army it is enough to teach him wayes to defend himselfe from the enemy and how to offend when hee doth well for if otherwise his own errour will instruct him by erring The Cardinall of Valletta was already strong in Italie and did hourely look for the Duke of Longeville to come with those Troopes which were destined to the harmes of But gundie The Dutch effe openly professed she would receive them in Monmiglian Susa and Carmagnuola The Marquis of Leganes lay under Santia which being taken Casal was quite blocked up and though it was a very strong Castle it had victuals but for eight dayes Prince Thomas was of opinion to goe into Piemont with the Army to win those places before the comming in of the French Urging that the Countries were willing to receive them and invited them thither That they once lost their oportunity of besieging Trino through the desire of streightning Casal That the Frenches stay before they came into Piemont and the Spaniards quicknesse in winning of that place had caused the opportunity to be rather deferred then lost That if now they would retard upon the same pretence and stay till Santia was taken the occasion would be lost That remedies should not be sought for the feet where the disease proceeded from the head That Santia might be held in play with small forces That being in sight of the enemy in Piemont he could not relieve Monferras the Duke of Longevill might be hindered from joyning with the other forces those Holds would be taken and so they would remaine masters of the field and of the passes of Savoy to Burgundy and Flanders that the French would be confined in Pinarole without victuall to maintaine themselves or Country to resist whereby they would bee forced to come into these parts with great strength to defend themselves and so forsake the hopes of flanders and Burgundie give over molesting of Spaine and laying downe their vast imaginations be brought to a good peace That giving them time to get into those Holds was the dividing of Piemont and bringing perpetuall warre into it more dangerous for him that is neerest with his state and furthest off with his forces That the enemie might there with small forces defend himselfe and put Flanders in danger or come with much strength and indanger the state of Milan If the Dutchesse did not admit them into Turin it would bee impossible for them to relieve Casal and if shee did admit them it would be difficult they would be opposed by evill passes deep rivers and dangerous places of abode That for a small reliefe it would bee sufficient if any neighbour Garrison were encreased with fifteen hundred Foot and as for a great one it could no way bee compassed fighting would become necessary and then one might consider whether it were better to give battell in the entrance of Piemont with so many retiring places at their backs to goe into upon occasion of losse and so many before them to conquer in case they overcome or to give it upon the very Frontier of the State of Millan farre from any place to conquer and neere to lose all That his Majesties Commanders had stumbled at Casal as at a fatall stone with much danger to the Monarchy Once thinking to surprize it by intelligence and another to take it by force and this would be the third in going about to block it up from reliefe The Marquesse of Leganes being scanted of men by diseases which had killed many by overthrowes which he had given still with some bloud any by places which he had taken and was bound to put garrisons into thought he could not without danger goe farre from what hee had gotten and expose himselfe with small tired forces to fight with a multitude of fresh souldiers which either occasion or necessity might easily have enforced him to That the Kings chiefe interest consisted in defending the State of Millan that Santia being taken Casal remained quite cut ofâ— from all reâ—iefe That staying in those parts he could make all hee had gotten sure unlesse it were Civasco the endangering of which could not counterpoise so many conveniences That no hopes invited them into Piemont but onely intelligences which he had so often found vaine that to confide in them would be a folly and much more to put themselves into irrecoverable hazzard if they should faile That it was no great matter whether the French did get into those holds or no they could do no more in them then out of them They would ingage a number of men in them would vexe the Inhabitants and make them their enemies who before were their friends The taking of Santia was made difficult to the Marquis The hold of it selfe being strong the ground without unfit for batteries wanting wood to make sconces and being without water He resolved to besiege it at large But the enemies forces recruited came marching towards Asti to relieve them The Marquis encamped himselfe in such sort that he could hinder their designes and yet not goe from the place insomuch that the enemy lying on the other side of Dora within seaven miles of the place victuals failing the besieged they yielded themselves The Cardinall of Valetta and Marquis Villa despairing of doing any good in those parts went to besiege Civasco Prince Thomas and the Marquis drew neere it with their Army but finding the enemy already fortified and without comparison surpassing in number they did not endeavour to relieve it and so the place was lost In the meane time Conio a strong hold and of great consequence for the gaining of Nizza and Villa Franca declared it self to hold with the Princes The French set upon it and were forced with great losse to retreate The Cardinall of Valletta came thither with all his Army to besiedge it The Cardinall of Savoy respecting it as his owne creature with more resolution then care threw himselfe into it to defend it Prince Thomas nor the Marquis of Leganes had not consented to his engagement But seeing the danger they sought for a remedie They marched towards Turin with their Army not with any certainty but onely with a kind of hope to divert the enemy from his former enterprize and call him thither And to make it sure the
diversion which is made not with an intent to begin Victories but to perfect them when they are begun The fortune of the French is sudden like their temperature it rises and sets in the same field and as it is hard to overcome it when it growes so it is secure when it declines When occasion is come he that through weaknesse loseth it or through ignorance doth not know it never seeth it againe He that passeth by ripe fruit and doth not gather it when he comes again either it is gone or grown rotten whether it be that nature is an enemy to simplicitie and ignorance or that th'impersection of worldly perfection comes late stayes but a while and falls suddenly Fortune comes to every one at some time most are put off because they knew her not not because they had her not and all may become happy if they knew how to goe about it When the Romans determined to give battell no more in their owne Country they had given it there foure times already It was not wisdome but faintnesse not because they had gotten more brain but because they had lost their hearts in so many battels with such unfortunate successe That which disheartened them ought to encourage us who have once given bastell and won it and have overcom as often as we have sought If the Romanes had gotten the better in the first battaile Hannibal must have dyed there or gon back discomfited And it would now have runne in Polititians pennes that we ought to fight with the enemy presently and not give him time to take footing in the country nor assault it to dishearten the men destroy the land If fortune should prove adverse we might with the remainders keepe the country and with these entire parts at the back of them renew the Army and try our fortunes againe if it should prove prosperous we might undoe the enemy One victory would suffice to become conquerors and by one overthrow we should not be overcome But because the Romanes were overcome the Councell is blamed whereas the execution of it should having lost rather through want of valour and discipline then of wisdome It is much that Scipio a young man his advice who was more rash for his owne glory then for the profit of the common wealth great in estimation not for what he was but for what he came to be applauded onely by the people not by the Senate suffered rather then allowed of when they could neither diswade nor hinder him should now bind men in all ages to follow him being favoured by fortune which onely did approve of him condemned by Fabius Maximus his reasons by the authority of a whole Senat and much more by the experience of his Father and Uncle who in the selfe same enterprise with little glory lost part of their Army and their lives Many opinions are defended by the respect is borne to gray haires and many are borne up to the reverence due to the Majestick memory of antiquitie It is more harsh to bring ones mind to thinke they are false then to find they are so and yet it is a manner of deifying antiquity to believe their sayings without examining them When Scipio went into Affrick it had peradventure bin better to have changed Captaine then Country With that power that Army and that his valour he might more securely have conquered in Italie And if he lost in one place he might also have lost in another Neither could he have recovered himselfe being so farre from the Romans assistance nor peradventure they having sent him away so farre from them He overcame it is true but who will deny that he might have bin overcome if he had fought in Italie he had made sure the victory because he overcame in Africk he increased the common-wealth if he had lost he had ruined it The conquest had bin vaine in one part to have remedied the losse in the other In Italie the common-wealth had gon to ruine in Africk Scipio had become King Then if all that the Romanes had consisted in the end successe and fortune of the forces of Italie why did they weaken and abandon it In our times the Duke of Bavaria joyned with the Spanish forces might have taken the Palatinat and yet he went to seeke the Palsgrave where he had his Army not his dwelling Knowing that if he lost in Bohemia it was in vaine to Conquer in the Palatinat Let what hath bin in times past be as it will either well discoursed according to reason or favoured by fortune This Monarchy now the biggest that ever was must not make use of others examples she of it selfe ought to be an example to it selfe One ought not leave the doing of a good thing to doe a better when both may be done especially when they doe not hinder much more when they further one another In our case conquering the enemy in Ronciglione doth assist and not disturbe the going to Paris Let us then Sir try to overthrow the French here to profit our selves by the victory to call him to defence to offend him elfe where and over come him every where It was not Scipio his Army in Africk that overcame the Carthaginians but those forces which they had consumed in Italie So it may befall the French to lose themselves at home by going to much abroad Let us fight with this enemy in France in Italie in Flanders by Sea by Land wheresoever we find him seeing we Conquer him wheresoever we fight with him The dangers which seeme to threaten are not such as at first they seeme to be There was seldome a battaile lost but that some part of the Army hath bin saved The remainders though never so small will serve to hinder the enemy from further proceedings the gold and men of Spaine to repaire it on all sides the Officers valour sufficient to doe it and the season will afford time for it They are deceived that hold Spaine to be a desert place There be disinhabited and barren places but there are likewise many populous and fruitfull And it is so large that not counting the first measuring onely the last it would be found bigger then the fruitfullest Country of Europe Deductions and consequences from times past to the present are dangerous their examples are not available The knowledge of events if nere at hand are decitfull if farre off false Fighting now is diverse from what it was there are other men another age and I will say it another world The Iunta agreed that battaile should be given Marquis Spinola who advanced to seeke out the French Army Overtaken by night when he drew nere it he never laid hand to spade made no trench defence or fortification but set his Army open in battaiâ—e array The enemy retired towards his owne Country drew nere to Salsas under the safeguard of that place at the recovering of which the minds of the greatest part of the Spanish Commanders seemed to ayme
Marquis Spinola was perplexed He had many important difficulties before his eyes The time of yeare farre spent the Country cold the Climat unhealthfull the long drought which had bin threatned great store of raine small provision of food none of Fother the ground bare to make hutts for his Army stony to intrench it no stuffe to make any shelter no Pioners nor Gunners nor Founders few instruments to worke with miners fewer the former unfitted the latter inexpert The place fortified without and lined within Ordnance Ammunition and Men more then abundant The enemy encamped about it to hinder it from being besieged and it ready to receive him if he were assalted Forced to fight before he could besiege and expose himselfe to a dangerous battaile for to begin an incertaine enterprize a losse would put him in great danger and one Victory not sufficient to make a conquest The water the sword and want would undoe the Army The Souldiers would forsake their Colours being wounded sick and wearied They must be relieved with men out of Cantabria the Shippes and the Gallies with old and new Levies To forsake their enterprises would make the reliefe of Italie impossible weaken the defence of other Provinces and growing obstinate about a small Castle would make all provisions for the future field difficult And if the enemy should refuse to fight and goe back with his Army entire rest it encrease it and having an eye upon ours when he saw it diminished and wearied should set upon it powerfull and fresh it would be a shame to retreate dangerous to meet him and more to stay for him The ordinary manner of intrenching would be hard the extraordioary impossible The quarters of necessitie must bee so distant that they should not in an instant relieve one another every very thing would be weak and disunited so that the enemy might in a darke night give alarme in divers places set upon one quarter strongly and take it so we might lose them all without fighting but onely with the hands of a few and peradventure the weakest If we should goe to meet him wee must either forsake and slight our trenches and the labour of many dayes would be lost which the time of yeare considered would not bee made good againe in many weekes Or wee must leave men to guard them and that would weaken the Army tying it to fight with notable disadvantage The Marquis desired nothing more then to give battell and nothing assured him of victory more then to give it quickly In this perplexity was Spinola when by the advice of the Count of Saenta Columba and other head Officers it was resolved to send all the Horse and foure thousand Foote to view the place and the enemy These forces were commanded by the Maquis of Torrecusa Field-Marshall Generall and with him the Marquis of Arena Being arrived they found the French quartered behind the Fort Torrecusa determined to try them with horse and foot he caused John de Arza the field Marshall to advance with a flying squadron he gave the charge of the foot skirmish to the Marquis of Mortara It began with such valour of our Horse and Foot that gaining ground they presently forced the enemy terrified and lost to forsake their stand and retire under command of Musquet shot of Salsas with great-losse of men and greater of reputation leaving their quarters and tents in the hands of the conquering Spaniards The reliefe of the Ordnance and Musquet shot from the Castle would not have saved them if night and a confused retreat and orderly flight with much silence had not conveyed them further off This fight had engaged the Kings Generalls to advance with the whole Army and though they arrived before day thinking to fight with the enemy at the dawning yet they found him already retreated They determined to seiz upon a Fort royall and Redout which was upon the hill wherein they had prosperous successe Death stayed the course of many yet abated no mans courage where it hit not it terrified not stirring up wrath in the rest in stead of compassion as it ordinarily doth where valour is above feare They put the enemy to flight they entered the Fort and Redout and having got these with the same valour they gained the rest of the out-workes Then the whole Army charged the place with more courage then discipline For the officers endeavoured to have them stay and shelter themselves there But the souldiers in that rage refusing it could not be stayd by fear nor wounds For though their Flankes were discovered and lay open to bullets fire and stones many drunke with valour runne to the very Gate to hang on a Petard and others into the Dike to assault the Wall not discerning possibility from impossibility esteeming every thing easie for the couragious and nothing shut up from a valiant man In this fight all the Field Marshalls and particular men behaved themselves valiantly especially the Count Duke his Regiment which being all of old souldiers and reformadoes Commanded by the Marquis of Mortara and Don John di Arza made it selfe to bee knowne for the chiefe squadron of the Army In the enemies flight or retreat the French his Letters happened in the Spaniards hands There were some of the Cardinall of Richlieues which spake somewhat modestly Some from a Secretary of State which were more arrogant viz. that they expected in Paris to heare that the King of France his Army was penetrated into the very bowells of Spaine made the Provinces desolate and taken the Royall Pallace of Madrid The Duke of Luin his conceits gave more scandall then any thing else For he being esteemed a valiant and wise Captaine it was strange to heare that when our men had set upon his Cavallerie which was divers times and had alwayes made it retire or runne away hee should write That our men having presumed to set upon a few of their Horse with many men some eight or ten of their Gentlemen comming in had caused ours to run away as if he would make Ariosto be believed and turne him from a Poet to a Chronicler making that a history which was once but a fable Nothing manifested the deceipt more plainly then his last Letter when hee lay with all his men under the shelter of the Fortifications of Salsas he certainly promised that the King of Spaine his Army would not dare to looke them in the face nor come within Canon short of them And yet within few houres he saw a parcell of it set upon him in his quarters drive him out rout him and put him to flight Whilest they writ with so much contempt of the Spaniards valour the Letters of his Majesties Officers in the Army spake very honourably of the French made their forces great and though truth had shewed them to be faint-hearted gave an honourable report of them This which seemes in one part to bee folly in the other weaknesse if it be not art which
side the King of France being drawne into Italie by the Marquis of Leganes his proceedings and Piccolomini into Germanie by Baniers The greatest matter the French attempted was after they had raced the Fort of Rhuminghem and in vaine assaulted Bovignes to seeke to passe the river Don Andrea set forward with three hundred Musquettiers to view them The Enemy endeavoured to cut him off The skirmish began very hot growing on by degrees the Marquis was enforced to engage his whole body They fought Pike to Pike and Sword to Sword with so much valour that the enemy lost a thousand men the Spaniard lost two hundred and fiftie men counting the kill'd wounded and prisoners The Marquis of Fuentes obtained the renowne of a brave Commander having with two Terciâ—es onely opposed the French Army and hindered their great designes and also of a valiant souldier having with his owne hand taken prisoners wounded and slaine many of th' enemies What the Prince of Orange did this yeare I will speake in few words and all at once for it was almost nothing if it be not thought much to have diverted and kept idle so many forces of his Majesties and to observe their movings Hee desired to take the passe of Gaunt but the Count of Fera his vigilancie did frustrate his intentions Hee fortified himselfe about the Philippines and besieged Gelders The Cardinall Jufante who drew neare with the Army caused him to retire in the night not without confussion and losse of men He faced Rhinebergh and sought to lie before Hurst but because Van Namen was beaten back when he went to set his men a shore and Count Fontana happened to be thereabouts with the Kings Army and the Cardinall Infante drawing apace that way he resolved to give over the enterprise These were the Hollanders I know not whether I should say motions or desires when the King of France pricked them forward to undertake some notable enterprise I cannot enter into these mens policy it may be beyond mine understanding or it may erre Composers of a fable movers of engines spectators of a tragedie the end whereof if it be dolefull may be the beginning of theirs If he overcomes who was their Lord they will be as they were if he that is their companion they make themselves as they desire He that hath not thought it a shame to forsake them in time of peace to settle his Crowne upon his head will not be scrupulous being a conquerour to subject them to enlarge it To say that these two soveraignes powers are counterpoised that they waste and not end that they will both lose and neither overcome that being afflicted and wearie they will be brought to a good peace in which looking narrowly to their owne reputation the good of their confederates will be well provided for would be a good thought if the supposition were not incertaine and the consequence false if War were alwaies ended with peace not sometimes with conquest if armes were laid downe and Warres maintained with the same passions if experience had not shewen the contrary and reason demonstrated it Rage and hatred being ceased or abated the scene is altered before the eyes of the principall parties Being at peace with his enemy he considereth his companion who hath incited him to Warre helped that he might be consumed hindered that he might not overcome false lying and deceitfull and seemeth the more to have bin an enemy because he should have bin a friend and was not The turmoile by reason of which the heat of emulation could not be avoided Or the hope of great conquests The former being now quenched and the latter lost are now examined and proves a vexation And being boren withall whilst the Warre lasted is now revenged when peace is concluded the desire whereof comes not without hatred of that which caused the other He that layeth downe armes and hath gotten nothing thinketh he hath consumed his money and men in the service of his confederates and comming to make peace seeketh to repaire his losse with their dammage counterpoising it with the profit which he pretends he hath received The cause which bindeth two enemies to come to agreement who have bin so obstinate in Warre and growen old in emulation is alwayes so powerfull that it suffers them not againe to renew such an appearance more like then convenience to not give an example to posterity and especially when at other times it hath bin given and hath done hurt Either they must accommodate themselves to others wills or War with their owne powers But if through the victories of either of the two Monarchies dangers hang over their heads by peace they receive dammage by Warre profit why doe they not before this ease or that begin stay the wheele of fortune and accommodate themselves with their Lord who to overcome his competitor with a glorious victory or bind him to an honourable peace would peradventure yield to that which at any other time he would deny Who is a better neighbour he that is a borderer upon them with all his power or he that doth it but with a small part He whom they have known to governe in time of peace without tyrannizing in time of trouble fight without subjecting them in time of truce helpe by inviting them Or he who in time of peace was alwayes an enemy in Warres sometimes hath comforted sometimes forsaken them and at no time ever sufficiently assisted them looking upon nothing but his owne proper interest and conveniency that never joines with them but when it doth them hurt Surely I write as I conceive it to be I have no recourse to Metaphysicks nor use any art but thinke to write the truth plainly and sincerely and either love deceives me or hatred blinds them Under Salsas Spinola found greater resistance in the enemy then many imagined and in our men lesse constancie The country people began to retire home to avoid the falling waters and the unwholesomnesse of the aire whereunto adding the necessary retreat of many sick and wounded men the dearth of fodder and the doubtfull provision of food the Army was so decreased that he was forced to represent unto his Majestie the danger of forsaking the siege or the necessitie of being relieved with Souldiers munition labourers and provision The letters were read in the Tunta of State and War and newes being brought that the Duke of Maccheda and Don Charles d' Suarra were arrived in Catalonia with the other Fleet the landing of those forces was thought the onely remedy for to gaine Salsas Nor could the promise which was made of it to the Venetians be any obstacle seeing the Turke was not knowne to stirre any way And when a man 's owne house is on fire a wise man will not carry his water to quench anothers The Venetians would not blame it the world would find no fault with it and his owne subjects would commend it To this consultation the King
mortified thought upon revenge Great Britaine as last in the world was rather then forgotten reserved for the last beames which made an influence of warre over Europe and now feeling the dammages of it sought for a remedie The state of the Austriacall Monarchy was various Flanders victorious but not secure Spaine triumphant and threatned The affaires in Burgundy dangerous in Brasill doubtfuâ—l in Germany adverse Weymar possessed of Brisack the Swede of Bohemia the Turkish armies ready to move the Hans townes wavering the Switzers irresolute The Fleet set upon by the Hollanders and though not overcome yet hindered and staied In vain did the Catholick King desire peace withstood by the Rebels obstinacie the enemies greediness agreement of their Officers These not being able to bee governed but by the violence of motion and the other not satisfying some their rage some their envy but with conquests of new Cities and Kingdoms did already make easie things seeme difficult with strange pretences and difficult things easie with new tributes levies and Engines In the meane time the body of Christendome infirme languishing and hurt in its most solid parts coâ—sumed like an Ectick either finding no Physician or wanting a remedy It seemed because of the sharpnesse of the season to rest and accumulate matters to kindle a new paroxisme The motion did not cease passing from the body to the head from the heart to the mind which partly disquieted partly necessitated studied aâ—l meanes to trouble the bodies and stirre up armes In France the Officers discoursed of making new conquests in Flanders of making sure the affaires of Germany of troubling Spaine by Sea and by Land little reflecting upon the businesse of Italy where they weighed not the losse of small places and thought time long in conquering great ones That in the meane time the Spanish Army would decrease and theirs increase That they wouâ—d goe to relieve pâ—aces and force their enemies either to give over what they had undertaken with shame or fight with danger That they should gaine in Flanders and in Burgundie and what sinister accident soever should happen they esteemed not the losse of a place in Italy considerable beyond which they imagined those powers could not reach they having so many there so that they thought it impossible to be counterpoised much more to be overcome In Spaine were very different thoughts they looked upon the affaires of Italie as their chiefe scope That it was good to goe with great strength where the reward was great the opposition small The dates which they set in Piemont would be sufficient to bring foorth olive trees That to be the most sensible part of Europe Thither to be called by men and invited by fortune and if the one did shew themselves favourable and the other should prove prosperous the King of France his conquests would be counterpoised and he would be called into that Province where he most feared and be diverted from that where he had most hopes They were not carelesse of the defence of their other States the provisions for Flanders were great both of men and money Foure Millions and a halfe of silver Seaven thousand Foot at the Groine ready for to go an Army of Germans under the command of Count Picolomini all old Souldiers and new Levies in the Country Holsatia and Burgundia were to be releived with an Army under the Command of Don Francesco di Melo In Spaine Cantabria was made sure with foureteene thousand Horse and Foote who asisted it And for a supply of the Forces in the County of Râ—nciglione there were great Levies appointed to be made in that Province A Tertia of Walloones which was comming out of Flanders the Italian Infantrie which the gallies of Spaine Scicilie Naples and Genoa were to bring over in the Spring Now for to keepe the Mediterranean Sea and the Ocean there should bee the Navies which should come from Carthagena and Cadiz that which was at the Groine and the Ships of the Fleet which was expected out of the Indies And to secure themselves totally from the threatnings of mighty Fleets which were preparing in Britanie the Coast of Spaine was all furnished with Men Ammunition and Provision Providing for Land affaires as if they wanted defence by Sea And thinking upon the Fleet at Sea as if they could not defend themselves by Land A victorie obtained against the Hollander at Sea gave a beginning to this years conquests an enemy of a long time and yet domesticall almost at home and therefore continuall Some Dunkirk Ships were to goe to the Groine to take in some Spanish Infanterie they went to Mardick to joyne with the rest having fought with the emie who strong with a Fleet of seaventeene saile all of strength came to besiege them at the mouth of the haven The Generall Michael d'Orno though unequall in strength yet superiour in courage being not able to endure the rebells insolence with a prosperous wind came forth of Mardick and set upon them three times The first time though for a little space they fought generously yet the Hollander made some shew of giving back the second he gave back the third he fled and getting into their owne harbours left a most glorious victory to his Majesties forces which joyfully being but eight ships strong furrowed the waves to gather the fruites many promising them the dominion of the Ocean yeelded by the Hollander shut up and weakened But who is the Master of the Ocean It is not overcome though in it one overcommeth yea he often is conquered by the Sea who hath conquered man He that was overcome fled and the Sea is overcome by flying it He that overcommeth fighteth and who fighteth with the Sea looseth by it There arose the most horridest tempest that was in the memory of th' eldest men it scattered the ships tore them so that with much toile and almost by miracle they came into harbour some at Ostend and some at Dunkirk without rudders sailes or masts more like reliques of a shipwrack then ships fled from the injury of the waves I could note to make you bend the eye-browes the strangenesse of it there being but very few houres betwixt the rejoycing with triumph and the bewayling of losses if I would therein follow the tracks of a wise man who for an admirable particularitie of the Sea cried out that in the selfe same place ships were one day playing and sporting and cast away the next As if the Land did not produce such effects which are not thought of nor observed because they are more frequent Who seeth not that in the selfe-same bed where man taketh his best rest and where he enjoyeth sometime amorous sometime Matrimoniall delights bee a so lets forth his last and vitall spirits and breathings with paine and horrour amidst tormenting sorrowes The Marquesse of Fuentes care did get the ships mended and shipping two thousand Walloons in them for the Groigne caused them to set saile
are past be added an emulation of some that are present finding greater in their owne and other families by reading and practise experience And if equalling the first consists in overcomming the last What provocations will these bee to fight with them Surely very sharpe ones And what shall be the ends of fighting with them certainly peace and quietnesse not of the world but their owne for not being able to attaine unto those ends but by overcomming the world they set that at variance and conquer it not but disquiet and ruine it Happy is the King of Spaine and by his meanes the Christian world who hath no emulators who being greater then he doe disquiet him and hath no memories of any Ancestors but such as tie him rather to keep what he hath then to gaine more His quiet is not moved but he appeaseth motions he shuns war and loves peace never takes up Armes but to cause them to be laid down The Cardinall Infanta gave order to Piccolomini to goe set upon Fucchieres and bid him battell The Marquesse of Fuenes to oppose Migliare his proceedings who after the burning of certaine Castles and Townes had laid siege to Edino And the Count of Fera was to watch the Hollander who was drawing neere to the Island of Bommell Things seemed here to be well ordered but a sudden accident had like to have disturbed them Banier had routed six thousand of th' Imperiall Foot the Emperour desired so many men of Piccolomini to supply that want It was judged in Flandars that to send those men would but little helpe the Empire and occasion the totall ruine of that Province That the French was to be more looked after then the Swede That Banier would not effect that which the King of Sweden could not doe the King of France might doe it Nothing is more easie then to know his intent and there is no Prince or Common-wealth in Germanie but if he knew it would take up armes to hinder it All of them might hinder it if they would determine so and they would all know it if they would reflect upon it The first thing the King of France desires is to make himselfe Emperour and it will bee the last hee will attaine to His Ancestors began with the taking of Metz Tul and Verdun he hath followed these with the taking in of Alsacia and Lorraine Being Lord of Teonville hee will now take Luxemburge Burgundie will totally fall the Palatinate will not bee able to defend it selfe hee will become Master of the Land of Trever and all the old Austrasia hee will subdue th'Ecclesiafticall Electors the Kings of Spaine will lose Flanders Caesar the Empire and the Common-wealths of Germanie their Liberties and the Princes their States The Father of this Emperour found himselfe in th' extreamest streights having nothing left him but Vienna and that besieged whilest he was not as yet Emperour The King of Spaine relieved him with reputation Armies and Treasures which he could not have done had he not been Lord of Flanders Hee became victorious subdued his enemies recovered his Dominions made himselfe Emperor his Son King of the Romans It is a great Error for a little evill not to shut the doore against greater ones which will suddenly happen and then bee remedilesse and a great losse of reputation for a small losse to forsake the interests of Germanie Italy Westphalia and Flanders The emperour and the King of Spaine their Dominions are separate to enjoy every one his owne in time of peace but they are not divided upon occasion of defence in time of Warre Where dangers are common it is not good to make the interests particular A man ought not to take more care of his owne state then of anothers if his greatest interest lieth in the others If the case require it th' Infanta would goe in person to defend him And would leave as hath beene done at other times the King his Masters Dominions to assist him but th' occasion doth not now require it If Piccolomini his Forces should goe away which in a manner bridle the bounds of Westphalia and the Rhine the Princes who are friends and if they faulter not doe at least feare losing courage would accept the enemies proffers which they would not doe let the pretences bee never so specious if they were not put to despaire It would be fourtie dayes before these Forces could come to the place where there was need of them in the meane time there might either bee no need of them or greater would bee required which might then bee sent him seven thousand Foot being daily looked for out of Spaine there being new levies in the Countrie and daily hopes of routing the enemy The Forces might be defeated by the way and the French might set upon Piccolominie being weakened and overcome him or with a few Horse set upon this reliefe and rout it so that it would arrive too late and defeated or being overthrowne would not come thither at all These reasons shewne by the Cardinall to Piccolomini perswaded him to stay till further order and being likewise represented to the Emperour he was contented to desist and presse it no further The King of France his Fleet consisting of forty great men of warre and more terrible by reason of thirty fire shipps which sailed along with it set saile being commanded by th'Archbishop of Bourdeaux who thus encompassed with fire and Sword as Tasso describes Lucifer withstanding heaven carried Vulcan in Neptunes lappe to fire rather then fight Hee came within sight of the Groine There commanded on the shore the Marquesse of Valpraiso who endowed with Spanish valour had also some French fantasticalnesse in him The shipping was under the command of Don Loze di Ozes a valiant Souldier and most expert Mariner most happy in all his enterprises whensoever he struggled with the Sea or fought with his enemie if so be the fire was not his enemie or the Sea became not a Hell Th'Archbishop endeavoured to draw neere the Haven hee was put back with losse He tried to burn the shipping he was opposed by floating timber which shut off the entrance of the Haven These things passed by Sea and by Land were greater dangers threatned by the preparation of Armes and provision which was made at Narbona the report went the Prince of Conde was to invade the Countie of Raciglione with a powerfull Army This Monarchy was ordained to have warres either for him or by him And hee alwayes to retire either into Spaine being persecuted by the French or into France being pursued by the Spaniard by a retreat receiving curtesies and with another repaying them Wise men imagined the Enemies intent to be rather to amaze with reports then to set upon with Armes to threaten rather then assault to divert rather then conquer The diversion possible to bee obtained by setting up three or foure Colours at home without displaying them in the field Listing men without stirring
wanting never wanteth mony I am confirmed in this opinion by seeing that this Fleet hath already layen a moneth sailing to and fro before the Groine without attempting any thing It workes towards its end without doing any thing I believe it would willingly set upon the Fleet burne our shipping and gladly hinder the reliefe of Flanders and much rather discomfit it and that if it found a Port of importance neglected it would set upon it as things casually and occasionally laid before them which fall in their way and sometimes come to be easilier effected then those which were at first conceived Like unto the difference there is between a child at first conceived and one that is bringing forth the one comming forth into the light alive and the other sometimes vanishing away wasting in its beginning or when it is reduced to an embrio I promise not my selfe that I have penetrated into th' intent of the French neither doe I care When the enemy will performe an enterprise and set upon that can performe no other it conduceth much to a defence if one can penetrate into it but when he thinketh to doe one thing and may doe many the best defence is ignorance Notice causeth man to secure that part which is threatned and suffer the rest to be neglected And that being safeguarded causeth the enemie to alter his mind and the other neglected helps him to attaine to that upon which his altered mind is fixed Hee that hath not power to defend himselfe in all parts doth necessarily lose himselfe for want of strength He thath hath sufficient loseth himself sometimes through carelessenesse and sometimes through too much providence The knowiedge of the assailing enemies intention is an ease when it is good to know it and a difficultie when the notice of it is hurtfull For where he can doe but onely one thing it is likely secured and where hee may doe diverse the understanding knoweth not how to resolve upon one and it would make the other easie if it were resolved upon The Count Duke hath with admirable wisdome secured the difficulties of provisionall things The chief Ports are sufficiently surnished Cantabria is set in posture of defence to hinder the enemy if hee should affaile it Catalonia ready to thrust him out when he is come in Don Anthonio Ochendo ready in the streights to secure the Fleet. The Marquis of Villa Franca with the Gallies to oppose the shipps of Marseilles Every thing provided for and armed But our discourses and the enemies designes were carried away with the wind which rising tempestuous lasting three dayes a thing unusuall at that time of the yeare brought the Fleet in danger of over setting or sinking The lesser Ships perished in the Ocean in the furie of the tempest The biggest of them in a calme Sea when they were going into harbour As if it did presege danger of shipwracke to great ones in tranquillitie of peace entring into harbour or in the harbour it selfe by some revolution of State after the little ones were perished in the turbulencies of Warre The enemy being become Master of the field by taking of Salsas tooke all places which lay open and ordinarily follow the fortune of the most powerfull He never skirmished nor fought with our cavallery but we carried away the best of it shewing that the Spanish horse are no way inferiour to the French if we had them The long peace this Province hath enjoyed the warres at Sea where there is no use of horses forraigne warres sometimes in the Indies where we could not convey them sometimes in Flanders where foot did the greatest execution sometimes in Italie or Germany where we found Auxiliarie ones made us first to neglect the use of them then grow carelesse in bringing them up But it is either the convenience or fate of the greatest Monarchies to have their chief strength and prop to consist in the foot the Romanes in their Legions the Macedonians in their Phalanges making up their Cavallerie alwayes with strangers friends or Auxiliaries Many yield to opinion when they have neglected art and after they have yielded for a time going to try whether the conceipt be true or no they are overcome and yield againe confessing themselves inferiour in valour when they are onely inferiour in practise Through this deceit the Spaniards would have tried and yielded a thousand times if warres had not happened in Spaine it self where necessitie hath forced and time undeceived them His Majesties Army had not as yet any convenient number it did enough doing nothing seeing it hindered the enemy from much doing But the Souldier partly valorous and partly inexperienced some for shame some through interest deâ—â—red to come in sight of the French and fight with them and he desired it most who had never seene the enemy nor knew not what fighting was The Commanders for a while did stay their heat rather then allay it Being perswaded that as in a sick man so in a Souldier one ought to hope where he hopeth and feare where he feareth a rule which is false in that hope which often deceiving causeth good to be looked for where there is evill and onely true in the feare which though deceived may bring forth evill even where it doth not finde it they went with a small Army partly of new and partly of not disciplined men to see the enemy and saw his advantage so great that they retreated without doing any thing The King and his Councell had presently a lively feeling of this disorder what incouragement the enemies might gaine and our men lose And because the Army confisted of people of that country commanded by the Count of Santa Colomba and of hired men haste was made to send them a valorous and expert Chieftaine who with generall applause was Don Philip Spinola Marquis of Balbases This man was sonne to Marquis Ambrose Spinola the renownedst Generall of our age and one of the greatest that histories mention He followeth his Fathers stepps in martiall affaires to revive the glories of them and he filleth them up so what with valour what with wisedome that it shall serve to say for the praise of them both of the one that he was borne of such a father and of the other that he begot such a sonne The Count Duke gave him his first imbossement in the best way as such a Subject could doe who being one of the greatest Generalls is defective in no quality Which this one thing would make envy it self confesse Namely that his engagement of being present in all Armies by direction hindered not his genius from being personally present in one His not fighting in any may hinder him from being stiled a great Souldier but his commanding there will admit to the title of a great Generall He that knoweth as the Count Duke doth both his Kings and the enemies forces The art of fighting the place where they fight and hath like him had experience
Prince with the Marquis his advice resolved to attempt it Which he did and advancing forward one night with two thousand horse and a thousand foote he hung a pettarre upon the gate set scaling ladders to the walls and though with resistance and bloud he wonne the Citie where a thing which seldome commeth to passe the prisoners were more in number then they who tooke them The dutchesse recovered the Cittadell but so closely pursued that for want of time she was forced to leave even her very jewells behind her In this action were most taken notice of the Marquis of Carcena Don Martino of Mexica and D. Francisco Tuttavilla who bravely relieving one another revived the almost extinguished hopes and perfected the designe which was almost desperate And this is the effect which the Cardinall of Savoy his phantasticallnesse brought forth who bringing his brother and his friend into a streight occasioned the taking of Turin As births come not forth of a woman with child without great paine so the understanding cannot bring forth without great labour The expulsive vertue worketh not unlesse it be provoked and best when most valour increaseth and falls according to wrath and interest and the understanding through affliction There is none naturally carefull or valiant man but may be carelesse and fearfull in respect of him who is made carefull by danger and valorous through dispaire The King of France his Fleet rather patched up then repaired covering its nakednesse with the spoiles of English German and Holland ships which lay in the harbours of Brittanie set saile againe and comming in sight of the Province of foure Cities after some tacking about came into Laredo an open place without any forts to relieve it or souldiers to defend it he tooke the towne sacked it wasted the country about and robbing ruining and burning went abord againe With the news of Laredo there arrived into France the the newes of the surprise of Turin by Prince Thomas Paris and the whole Kingdome murmured that so many millions should be laid out upon such a powerfull Fleet to no other end or profit but to sack a poore place which had been a small matter for a poore sea rover to have done Upon a mighty Army to take a Castle which brought more losse then gaine with it causing a great Army to be kept there wasting many men and much money That with these costly vanities the interest of Italie was abandoned friends and the Royall bloud exposed to dangers fraudes accidents and fortune They accused the Officers of vanitie that they made difficult the surest enterprises where something might be gotten wasting time and the bloud and substance of subjects in those things which made but a faire shew and a great deale of noise Perswaded sometimes by passion sometimes by emulation rather to kindle coales then conquer states To those who defended them by saying that the powerfullest way to destroy the Monarchie was to set upon it in Spaine for keeping the Warre there and diverting it from other places the rest of the dominions were cut off from reliefe where there was continuall need of men and money They answered that to defend Italie by invading Spaine Flanders and Burgundie was to make one plant grow by sowing of another that it was wasting of Gold in Alchimie and like thinking to make Gold of Mercurie and brasse and give over digging it out of the mines That it was not to be thought a small matter to divert the Marquis of Leganes fortune in its fierce beginning and that it was impossible to doe it with a Fleet in the Ocean that fired three or foure straw ricks or with a powerfull Armies taking a small Castle in the County of Rouciglione and that they could much lesse make Piemont secure with onely diverting the enemies forces and not defending it That diversion required an opportune time great forces and prosperous fortune That the Romans did not make use of it with Aniball in the torrent of his victories but after his first violence was past and when though his course were not staid his fury was asswaged That they opposed him strongly in one place to call him to another that they forsooke not the defence of Italie when they invaded Africk and did not only divert him with Armies but tyed him to it with victories But whosoever shall at this time attentively consider the state of France the houses full of bloud the neighbouring Islands full of exiled men the Kingdome of tributes the publick priviledges cancelled private mens goods taken away Subjects discontented Hereticks multiplyed under the name of overcome the Province destroyed under pretence of reforming every thing by nature turned upside downe and by violence kept quiet may know that the endeavours which are used to maintaine the Swede in Germanie with store of money to assault Spaine Flanders and Germanie with powerfull Armies are prudent and necessarie that the evill may not penetrate into the inward parts of a body full of very evill humours And that the glory of being an invader losses dissembled conquests multiplied and increased may so fill the ears of the Parents that they may not heare the grievous groanes of their sacrificed children resounding in their aire Order was given the Count of Santa Columba that he should not undertake any new enterprise before th' arrivall of the Marquesse of Balbases who stayed so long that before him came the Marquesse of Torracusa the rest of the Count Dukes Regiment the old tertiaes of Cantabria the horse and foot disembarqued out of the Neapolitan and Sicilian Gallies so that at his comming he found the Army numerous and valiant desirous of enterprises and able to performe great ones But because the enemy prevailed in number of Cavalrie and many recruits were by him daily expected it was considered of in the Junta of State and warre whether it were good to goe find him out and fight with him And there was but one who was of opinion that we should not give battell That we ought not to fight with the enemy when we were too weake and that if we were too strong we could not Hee would retreat into France where the pursuit of him would bee impossible through want of victuals fotherage and traine of Artillery And that we were then to fight with them in their owne Country where their reare was secured their provisions certaine and their Cavalrie advantagious When the enemy is not afraid if it be a shame to feare yet it is wisedome to doubt and this Monarchie ought not to be exposed to a doubtfull fortune which adverse may make us unhappy and prosperous can adde no felicity to us Princes take Citizen-like advise when they adventure their estates upon a point of reputation which consists not in the losse of a Castle in the mid'st of warres but in the ending of them with great Conquests or an honourable Peace Finally it would doe small good to overthrow the French Army in
Autumne and to regaine Salsas much lesse but to lose a battell might bee a great prejudice And if we should win it the enemie by vertue of their numerous Cavallerie might retire with little losse with the remainder of their Army by th' assistance of the Sea it being now October and having so populous a Country might by the Spring be recruited Ours would diminish in the fight and more afterwards Those of the Province thinking the enterprise to bee at an end and that they had done enough to maintaine their reputations being raw in the profession weary of the field and troubled by the waters which were naturally neere upon comming would hinder the besieging of Salsas or the gaining of it if it were besieged To know what his Majesties victorious Army would doe in Catalonia let it be considered what they did in Cantabria If any thing had remained to doe after the Battell there was nothing left to doe it withal ' Armies raised in Spain as if they were raised but for one end last but for one enterprise The profit attained by the winning of Salsas would not counterpoise the dammage that might follow a disaster which God forbid This Army being overthrowne which for want of Horse if conquered would bee quite destroyed How could it be recruited in a Country scarce both of horse and men at such a time as the proud conquering enemy emboldened would prepare to assault Cantabria by land and having a mighty Fleet at Sea would engage us either to secure this vast circumference of Spaine or oppose them with a greater Fleet beside that which is needfull to convoy the Plate Fleet defend Brasil and guard the Streights Where should men be levied if there were fighting in so many places especially if we imagined we were to fight where there is now no fighting being bound to defend all this Province besides Italy Germanie Burgundie Flanders and the Indies That the enemy had an advantage above us viz. that hee could beare many losses Hee was this yeare overthrowne at Theonville and routed with great slaughter and at the same time he tooke another Hold and within few dayes came into the field againe with a new Army The last yeare at the Siege of Fountainarabie hee lost a Battell and he is now returned more powerfull both by Sea and Land giving us cause of feare one way and another way besieging Holds and winning them If the French doe not take Perpignane they have done nothing nor we if wee take not Narbona They will not take Perpignane with keeping Salsas nor wee Narbona by routing of them The best revenge one can take is to take none The greatest conquest is to be content with losse If a man cannot alwaies conquer when he loseth a small losse it seemeth to be a great victory and many times it is a preparation to it It is easier to goe on in prosperous fortune then to stop in a disaster The one doth not please the mind with so powerfull a charme as the other with a sharp goad wounds it He that stops in good successe oftentimes loses it he that doth it in a disaster oftentimes changeth it Two small things ruine a foole a little victory and a small losse in the one hee groweth carelesse in the other he is provoked Being carelesse hee loseth that which he had not gotten and provoked hee adventures that which hee had not lost That Battells ought to bee given in France by any other way but this getting into the heart of it and driving it to defend it selfe There is a difference between fighting with one who defendeth himselfe and with one that offends The first being overcome hath lost the means of defending himselfe and the other may defend himselfe with that which he hath not lost The Romans at the same time as they avoided fighting with the Carthaginians in Italy sent Scipio to fight with them in Africk Hee that overcommeth in France Italy and Germany shall be the umpire of the world That it was not fitting to leave it to a Generalls will to fight or not if they be not much inferiour they will fight They see those who last yeare disswaded it have lost their credit They find this counsell inclining to it and they will adventure to put that reputation in question by fighting which they would be sure to lose by retiring The Count of Lauta Columba would have fought before it was time Marquesse Spinola doth judge it to bee time now One is moved by one reason the other by another and both if they be left to their own mind will fight This Army which is the most flourishing that hath been seen in this Monarchie since the memorie of man either may be lost in battell or wasted in a siege and either lost or wasted there will not such another bee gotten together in a hundred yeares for it is a hundred years since any such was seen They should keep it till such time as they might better secure themselves from losses and profit themselves more by victories They should imagine Perpignane was the Frontire They should lodge their Army maintaine it increase it The Spring would shew where it might best bee employed and the Gallies would convey it where need should require Contrary to this another began to say SIR There is amongst Counsellers a maxime more wylie then honest profitable for themselves but most pernicious to Princes viz. not to give any dangerous counsells but to let Princes take them of themselves The intent is to avoid danger and hatred which is done by exposing their Lord to hatred and abandoning him to danger It is a mistake of a shallow braine rather then deepe wisedome to disswade battells when there is no greater reason then the danger of trying it That which is lost cannot be recovered nor that defended which is assaulted but by endangering what remaines The preservative power in man which sweetly governs the body when it is in health if once set upon by sicknesse goeth not about to sooth it up it useth violence assaults it and adventures to overcome it putting it to the fortune of a Duell either to live or die If your Ancestors had not adventured themselves in battells they had not conquered if your Majesty doth not adventure he will lose No Monarchie did ever subsist long if it did not sometimes adventure Saying that the enemy ought to bee gotten out of Spaine by diverting not by battell is a vanity Either he would not be turned away and we shall then remain weaker or if he be diverted wee should but onely change our danger Consider nature which employing its forces to divert humors raw before she hath overcome them if being violented they yeeld unto her it lames and kills not heales if they contumaciously resist having weakened her strength by seeking to divert them it remaines unable to overcome them she then obtaines her end when she first concocts and then diverts them That is a wise
foresees the want is nature that provides for it Where courage is wanting it is good to take away the understanding and where one cannot incourage to deceive It is needlesse to shew a valiant man to have him fight the securenesse of the businesse if he but knowes what he should doe He takes his vertue from him that conceales the danger to him He deserves the name of valiant who knowing the danger by discourse meets it with reason The French manner produceth this effect that he being deceived sets fiercely upon his enemy thinking he will runne away But if he finds him stiffe he oftentimes loses his courage and recovers his brain and whereas his first motion was of an inconsiderate violence his last comes to be an abject mind The Spaniards valiant in their onset pursue their enemies rashly for having imagined a resistance overcomming it they think to find none greater Therefore the French scarce being set upon fled and the Spaniards being Conquerours runne against the Wall thinking the very stones would yeeld to that steele which trenches and men had yeilded to Amidst these prosperous pleasing and happy successes the Army put to flight the Fortifications wonne and the enemy retired into the Hold dejected the difficulties of the siege seemed to the Marquesse to be increased by the death of so many valiant Commanders and Souldiers rather then decreased yet hee resolved to besiege it Whether it was because the victory did likewise enflame him which suffered him not to consider of every thing or whether fortune called him which must many times be followed blindfold or whether the Armies valour perswaded him to it or whether most of all likelihood bound him thereto not knowing how to justifie himselfe if hee did not besiege it to avoid the blame of great and small ignorant and wise when every Commander and Souldier gave it up for taken Counsell is hard against likelihood It requires a great understanding penetrating into the truth a strong resolution against murmuring a heart not void of interest and not caring for his owne credit things rare and necessary in a subject and either are not to be found or are not available Likelihood doth almost alwayes deceive whether it be a punishment for Princes against flattery or the reward of wise men for the welfare of liberty If their advices were believed it would prevent the seeing of effects the onely way to undeceive a man So happy and prosperous a beginning encouraged and perswaded the Officers and Souldiers it is halfe the worke if we believe wise men the whole if Astrologicall foolishnesse which judging the event by the constellation in which the action began will believe this to bee favourable and him happy if it began well Weymar was still in Burgundie who besides being a great Souldiour was also a great Politician I cannot affirme whether his great understanding made him such or whether rime occasion and fortune made him onely seeme so He began at first to assist the French he knew hee could not grow great that way then he caused the French to assist him and this hee knew could not last if hee got for himselfe hee should want helpe if for others hopes He thought to make use of the most Christian Kings forces to begin great enterprises and by beginning them grow full of reputation with reputation to gaine forces of his owne and with them and that to accomplish his intents He saw the King of France desirous to gaine Burgundie and that he knew not how to obtaine it or being diverted could not He endeavoured to take part of it himselfe thinking to exchange it for Colmar Leistar and Benfelt With which he designed to overthrow Strasburg and so maintaine himselfe with his owne forces to alter the Scene and personate another man set up a party of himselfe and gaine reputation by Warre or to conclude peaces with advantage These thoughts seeme great and are so Yet they were no way disproportionable with the fortune and valour of that renouned Commander The King of France who favoureth no man so farre as to assist him but onely to be assisted On the one side fearing the Switzers anger threatned by the injuries received from Weymar in Veiglia a Country usurped from the Canton of Berna On the other side growen jealous of his conquests in Burgundie urged by the Swedes earnestnesse and called upon by the Marquis of Leganes victories would have had Weymar give over troubling of Veiglia agree with the Switzers entruâ—t him with the conquests in Burgundie and divert the Austrians in Germanie All these things were instantly moved to him by the French Ambassadour resident in Switzerland who met with him The discourses were long Hee promised to give the Switzers satisfaction and fit himselfe to the times for the tolls of the Rhine For that which he had conquered in Burgundie and for greater conquests which he promised to atchieve he desired supply of men and money And because the Ambassadour perswaded him to goe and assist the Swede in Germanie and did peradventure encroach upon him more then Weymars spirit would beare though tractable yet sterne they say being moved he answered That the King of France did alwaies request of him sometimes Sieges sometimes diversions but he never sent him neither men nor mony That hee had many Holds to defend That hee was threatned by the Duke of Bavaria his Army affrighted by the King of Spaine and th'Archdutchesse Claudias forces which were to joyne with him if the Swede should be overcome by the Austrians all Germanie would fall upon him round begirt with enemies having no confederate Prince neere him onely France which was farre off and did not assist him That he wanted men his being almost all dead by war and diseases That the Country was able to maintaine him no longer and his mony was spent in providing for Nova-Villa Brisack Friburg Than Rinfelt Launfenburg and other places upon the Rhine That hee should fall into the hands of the first that came against him and in a day lose what he had gotten in so long time and with so much labour That hee had no hope left but in his Sword and the valour of those Officers who followed him That he knew his fortune was no better then other Princes who had assisted the French hee was to be thankfull to her because she had remained longest with him he being the last to fall The Ambassadour sought to quiet him He promised him money and did indeed share some amongst the Souldiers and whilest they were negociating the taking of Salins thereby to gaine the good will of the Switzers or that of Dala or Besancon to goe forward in their proceeddings there came news of the overthrow of Teonville and the conquests of the Spanish forces which daily increased in Italy whereupon laying aside or deferring these hopes that meeting was ended In the meane time the Switzers were met at Baden The late Conquest of Brisacke whereby the Navigation
occasion serves and never before Monarchie and Aristocracie often lose themselves by seeking to get what is â—nothers and Democracie sometiâ—â—â— by suffering it to be taken away The Switzers to the perswasions of neutrality had added a protestation That if the most Christian King followed the warres in Burgundie they should be driven to recall their forces which served him And because they were but small of no profit and great charge to the King of France it was a threatning hurtfull to them onely that made it which cansed every one to judge it vaine and of no moment Yet I will adventure to say that the hurtfuller the Protestation was to the Switzers the more it was to be feared by the French King Hee that doth hurt in shewing himselfe to be distasted seemes to be by that already satisfied Hee that receives hurt shewes a token that he will have satisfaction I cannot believe that so warlike and honourable a Nation will so shamefully forsake the Burgundians in such an urgent case without any occasion or infamously by taking a reward to doe it Weymar left Pontaglier and Joux contrary to his conveniencie it being a most important passe And burned them contrary to his promise for which hee had received money sufficient Hee went to wards Alsatia and without attempting any great matter either there or in Burgundie he died This Nobleman was a man of his own interest He was no friend to the King of France whom he being a German abhorred as a stranger Hee was an enemy to the house of Austria which hee descending from Duke Maurice of Saxonie hated he was of a turbulent minde various in fortune he lost oftner then he got yet got more then he had lost His spirits were generous his bloud royall expert and very valiant in warres better known through our mens defaults then his owne victories Seeing the greatest that he obtained were the overthrowing of John Vert when he was carelesse and the taking of Brisack when it was unprovided The hopes which through his reputation he had framed for the raising of his Famiâ—ie ended with his life There happened this yeare no losse of any value in Burgundâ—e The faithfulnesse prudence trust attention and vigilancie of Don Antonio Sarmiento who by the Kings command was there Marquis de Leganes his victories which drew from thence the Duke of Longueville his forces The battell Piccolomini wonne which broke Weymars designes and his death which gave no time for the reundertaking of them defended it The Kings Fleets which were in the Harbour of Cadiz set saile one very powerfull towards Italy commanded by the Duke of Naccara and Maccheda to be employed for the Common-weaâ—th of Venice if need required the other commanded by Don Antonio di Oâ—hendo directed its course towards the Ocean to fight with the French shipps and having spent much time in putting out into the Maine to come up with a scarce wind to the Capes St. Vincent and Finisterre fell just upon the Groine It came not into the Harbour but stayd onely till the shipps under the command of Don Lope de Ozes came out of it which though hee performed with all possible celeritie yet they could not come so soone but that the French ships were retired into their own harbours Almost at the same time came his Majesties Army out of Perpignane and the Fleet from the Groine the rumour of the one made the Duke of Luin returne into France and the report of the other caused the Archbishop of Burdeaux to forsake his place The coast of Spaine being freed from the enemie they undertooke their voyage to carry the reliefe into Flanders Being come into the Chanel they discovered seventeen Holland shipps Don Antonio appointed his to goe on and hee followed with the Admirall but they staying and he thrusting forwards found himselfe alone in the front of the enemies who had placed themselves in form of a halfe moone for to deceive them Hee desired to board their Admirall which to attaine unto he was for almost an houre forced to be the aime of all their shot without answering with his intending to make use of it at the boarding So soone as he came neere hee began to shoot and when he thought to board the enemy hoysed up his Sailes and went further off The next day being made stronger by sixteen ships he shewed himselfe againe There began the horriblest fight that ever was seene at Sea The noise of so many pieces of Ordnance hindered their hearing and the smoake their sight that little as could be seen or heard was the battering of ships tearing of sailes shivering of masts the voyces of Commanders and the groanes of dying men One of the Kings Ships and a Hulke inconsideratly or ignorantly straying from the rest fell into the hands of the Hollanders reare-ward Don Antonio went to rescue them he rescued the ship but not the Hulke finding it already taken by the enemie The time being farre spent the Fleets tacked about to get the wind and were parted that of Generall Ochendo having sailed within sight of the coast of France found it selfe neere the English shore where the securenesse of the Habours the friendship and peace between the two Kings and finding his Admirals ship evill intreated having alone fought with sixteene ships of the enemies made him resolve to Anchor at the Downes from whence hee sent over almost all the reliefe to Mardick in small vessells though the Hollander were in the same Harbour increased in shipping to the number of one hundred and fourteen The Spanish Fleet seemed to lie there secure and was to be so by the capitulation between the King of England and the Catholick King But the Hollander was not long before he undeceived the world if there were any one in it so simple as to be deceived by setting upon his Majesties Fleet though the two Generalls of Spaine and Holland had both passed their words to the Vice-Admirall of the King of England that they would not offend one another the Vice-Admirall being there and threatning to fall upon them who should break their Covenants A great boldnesse and presumption in those Ports and harbours which are their Asylums and places of refuge and a dishonour done by them to that King whose Ancestors first set up their reputation But what dare not those people doe They are pernicious to all men and lesse to those to whom they most seeme to bee so more powerfull in stratagems then valorous in strength without God without Law without Faith friends or enemies they measure all in one manner They hate all that is not common-wealth and lay snares for any thing that is a Principalitie In one part they fight against a Monarch and in another against Monarchie They seeke to augment the one and diminish the other In some places they assault states in some the formes of them And having bin assisted while they were rebells they likewise assist rebellion They are every where
times because it increaseth the understanding and for the most part because it leaves a man to his free will taking away the power of Law with that of necessitie In engaging hee disingageth in raising difficulties hee makes them easie changing just things into unjust and making that necessary which was but convenient Nature be it slow wise or sparing delayeth her uttermost endeavours for the last violent assaults True it is that reserving it selfe to be able to doe it it often dies without doing it and oft-times because it hath not done it One ought not to runne upon conquests every time as one may In the execution of these orders which were the soule of the enterprise of Salsas it is fitting to speake with honour of the vigilancie and care of Don Hierome of Villanova Protenotarie of Arragon a most qualified Officer acute of understanding quick in executing great in intelligences and most faithfull in his services To have great designes come to a good end it is enough if hee undertakes them losing one hope he despaires not and never forsaking the businesse either he attaines to it by valour or tireth it with diligence and alway overcommeth it This Hold which Marquis Spinola besieged against his will being ledd unto it by chances engaged in it by fortune kept there through obedience he wonne not onely by great valour gallantnesse and vigilancy qualities by which men use to winne such holds but also by diffidencie which ordinarily loseth them He did as much as a Generall could doe to bring an enterprise to passe and writ as much as an officer could to desert it sometimes shewing a desire to raise the siege and almost still giving occasion to be commanded to continue it This way which gon about by a dejected mind would have ruined the enterprise being undertaken by a high spirit secured it The Count Duke was not daunted like one that had no heart nor grew not obstinat like those that have no braine Constancy engaged him to find a remedy for diffidencie and he stood not to dispute the matter with reasons but went on to overcome difficuties with providing money ammunition provision and men and the seemingnesse of want to be greater then it was became the cause of having the conquest by a meanes thought impossible The eminency of understanding causeth a man to be fearfull and a great heart to be rash where they are equall they oppose one another to get the conquest the braine would intimidate the breast and the breast would make the braine valiant From that conflict comes forth a mixt which is not feare but consideration and there they two being qualifyed leave off the contention betweene themselves and with one accord set upon the difficulties the breast will not yeeld to them the brain will overcome them and whereas severall they might have lost the one being abject and fearefull the other obstinate and rash being united they overcome with constancie and providence I know not whether next to God and the King the glory of the enterprise be due to the Count Duke but I know he gave it knowledge power will and accomplishment giving them order they should not give off the siege teaching them how to secure it providing for the maintenance of it and with so much abundance that it might be overcome The Cavallerie lay idle under Salsas There came Intelligence that the enemy had laid up in a Castle in France fodder and victuall and had not left a sufficient guard to defend it from a sodaine assault The Generalls with the advice of other commanders resolved to send Duke St. George with eight hundred horse and five hundred musquettiers to fire it The enterprise seemed to be bold and painefull as grounded onely upon doubtfull and unlikely advices The Duke set forward and by the way met with a body of Cavallery more numerous then his owne standing in a readinesse whether it were there before or by chance or upon notice given This unexpected accident forced him to alter his mind but not his valour nor wisedome and made him resolve to alter his fire into steeâ—e and conquer where he could not burn He sent th'Infantrie to take the passes to make his retreate good in case he should discover more forces and be with his Cavallery went to charge those horse which were in sight he routed and put them to flight slew them and tooke but few prisoners because he would not trouble himselfe and so returned victorious to the Camp This Cavalier is sonne to the Marquis of Torrecusa his actions which speake for him shew his father to be not onely valiant in fighting but also happy in begetting of children Leaving it doubtfull in what fortune hath most subjected him to envy either in what he hath performed or in that he hath begotten The King of France his Army consisting of twenty thousand horse and foot shewed it self entrenched upon a little hill with some few squadrons descending into the plaine viewed the outward workes to relieve the Place Marquis Spinola had disposed all things with watchfull prudency fearelessely expecting th' assault A troope of horse about midnight endeavoured to come neere the trenches but the ground slippery and yeelding by reason of the great quantitie of raine water engaged some to forsake their horses which were fallen and mired there and the rest to retreate A thunder bolt fell in the mid'st of them the noise gave alarme to the trenches The night was darke tempestuous and rainy His Majesties army stood impatient and desirous to fight Having laid aside their musquets as unprofitable they expected their enemy with â—pike and sword when a light descended upon them which shewed the points of their armes bright in proportion of a starre Whether it was naturall as well it might be signified the clearing up of the aire or supernaturall which may be believed in a cause so just and shewed heaven to be favourable to us But whether it indeed proceeded from a heavenly or ethereall knowne or unknowne beginning it was a light and every one saw it The Walloones whose fortifications the enemy threatned after much silence gave a great shout In doubtfull cases every thing is great There is no meane betweene silence and shouting The spirits which in danger runne to the heart cannot move the tongue and there is silence If need require to advantage our selves by uttering our voice being all heaped up in a vitall part they runne with such violence to the organs of speaking that they must needs frame a great sound The enemy had a great number of forced and new men who being already fearfull of their owne nature and dejected by reason of the waters which incessantly powred downe terrified and amazed with the light armes and shouting as if the thunder and lightning had followed them fled away the valiantest sought to stay them and when they found that to be in vaine they likewise retired and fled confusedly Their tents armes waggons
of ammunition and victuall were left behind for a prey It seemes that these new forced and base men are good for nothing but to encrease the number and with the number difficulty to maintaine an army an engagement to fight with shame if they be overcome a hinderance to conquest and confusion in retreating They prevent danger with their flight and never stay for it whereby others are affrighted and follow them or endeavour to stay them and are disordered If they did but stay for th' incounter and a little oppose the enemy they would be good for something And it is hard if the one part be not routed through the others disorder For they will follow them that flye and they that flye being disordered they who follow must needs imitate them so that by the flight of the baser sort one may rout the most valorous and being wearied and disordered slay them But experience having so often shewed the hurt they doe when the businesse hath come to a triall it seemeth strange to me that at the instant when one goeth to fight they will fill up Armies with such kind of folke I know not whether mans vanity ought to be blamed for this error which habituated more in shew then substance and accustomed to gaine thereby cannot though it do him hurt recede from that habitude or ignorance which erring in the manner of framing an argument concludes that cowards mixed amongst valiant men will gaine valour whereas it should rather be inferred that valiant men mixed amongst cowards will lose their valour Peradventure also it is neither vanitie nor ignorance but a secret providence of human nature The great number if they doe not come to triall availeth much and especially to avoid the triall a thing which nature above all things desireth when it makes the least shew of desiring it It loves not to come to triall of the arme and to that end it useth all kind of meanes sometimes multitudes which shall be either fantasticall or fruitlesse Sometimes the quality of their out-sides long haire guilded armes humorous apparell scarfes and feathers Sometimes the noise of horrid outcries threatning death or a deepe silence representing it Sometimes a motion which being violent may make one runne away or forget to offend There came newes into the Leaguer that the enemy had an intent to attempt the relieving of the place by water and by land both at one time and to that end had armed at Leucata certain Brigandines and great store of Boates with men and munition defended by a great Trench guarded with Musquettiers It was judged fitting to fire them The first attempt tooke no effect for it being to bee done by night our men lost their way The second time taking expert Pilots the charge thereof was given to Lieutenant Don Diego Sanchez he to worke more like a souldier then an incendiarie though hee might with ease have fired them would by force bring them away Being come to the place he landed some Musquetiers who holding them in the great Trench in play did so farre divert them that he having seized their Boats embarqued his men and returned victorious to the camp The praise for th' execution of this notable act must be attribured to the Lieutenant the advice to the Count Duke who many times voted in the Iunta that some Boates should be fitted and armed in the poole and though they did it not pretending it to be needlesse or impossible onely because they made it so hee still insisted upon it till at last Don Francesco d'Iuarra comming thither finding the truth of it did put it in execution and after the enemy had beene divers times damnified thereby at last it hindered them from this notable reliefe Onely by overcomming great difficulties are obtained great Conquests Hee whom they are against useth all his endeavours to overcome them he that hath them on his side trusting in them groweth carelesse and whereas hee should oppose his enemies wit with his whole understanding hee opposeth it with rocks woods hills and seas as though mans understanding had not known how to goe over rocks and hills and passe through Seas Hee is deceived that trusts the resistance to a pregnant understanding to any thing but to a more pregnant The Prince of Conde blamed the raine in the last attempt and thinking with valour to relieve the place having rallied his Armie he came again within sight of it and fortified himselfe upon the same hill And having chosen the best spirits amongst his whole body hee sent them downe into the plaine backed by all the Cavallerie with the Duke of Luin to set upon the Fortifications in two places The onset was terrible and dreadfull made by men who were of noble blood undaunted hearts valiant worthy to live for the defence of Religion or die in defending it Five hundred Gentlemen died in the field and most part in the Trenches finding death and buriall in the fame place and leaving their memories written in the bloud of honourable wounds May they rest in peace and let a forraigne Pen applaud them to make their actions live who died gloriously valiant Amongst our men were most noted the two Field-Marshals Molinguen a Knight and Don Giusto di Torres whose quarters were â—et upon The Field-Marshall Iohn di Arze who went with part of the Count Dukes Regiment to relieve them This man raifed his fortunes in Flanders by his valour and passing through all the degrees of honour attained to that of Field-Marshall Hee is brother to Don Peter de Arze Secretary of State The one employes his Pen the other his Sword the one fights the other writes and gives advice They strive who shall doe the best service Which of them deserves best I know not seeing there is no difference in their abilitie or will but onely in their profession It will then appeare when the competition between the Pen and the Sword is decided But above all shined the valour of the Marquis of Torrecusa who sometimes Leading the head onâ— sometimes heartening the men omitted not any thing pertaining to a Commander or Souldier but hee did command and performed it Hee encouraged with words and when need required with deeds The enemy being gotten upon a Trench taking a pike in his hand hee hindered disordered and overthrew him Let Poets have leave to describe their Orlandoes and Rinaldoes if under those fabulous narrations they intended to set downe this truth That one mans valour is sufficient to gaine a victorie An Army when it hath no Commander is a meere dead carkasse when it hath one it is sometimes valiant sometimes cowardly according to the soule which assists it Even as the Members runne to the danger where the head is so the souldier where it goeth That hand that arme that fearfully avoides and shunnes the blow which intends to wound it rashly runs on to meet it in defence of the head When one brutish and unadvised man goeth all the rest
will follow though cowards to precipitate themselves So doe not the wise He suffers himselfe most to be led who hath least wit the danger diminisheth wit in many and takes it quite away from the most part making them like brutes follow him who goeth before them Having lost their owne discourse they now discourse with anothers They hold it more secure to sight in his company then to fly without him They would all runne blindfold into a precipice some through valour and the most part through ignorance were it not that many who should lead on sometimes stay behind to meet the danger till it is too late and the Army runnes away and whereas before ignorance would have been favourable to cause him to be followed it now becomes dangerous to cause him to be obeyed All trust remaining now in good advisement which is hard for to find place in him that feareth and most necessary to alter the course which he is in I say not that all the Commanders ought to be such but such a one there must be and that Army which wanteth such a one as the Marquis of Torrecusa is shall not bee without a head but without a heart The Prince of Conde retired into France with the body of his Army or to say better hee dragged it along like a sad and lifelesse corps He is a man ordained to doe harme where he hath received benefits that fortune which being adverse caused him to receive them seeing him in his prosperity unthankfull returnes to be adverse to cause him to repay them shewing it selfe contrary to his designes yet favourable to his engagements where without being either treacherous or unngratefull he serves his King faithfully and because of his ill fortune serves his benefactor happily And if he alone be happy that according to the opinion of the wise cannot be unhappy who can be so more then this Prince who is alwayes sure to obtaine noble renowne whether he lose or conquer by either deserving much or paying a great debt The enemy having already twice in vaine attempted the reliefe of Salsas driven back sometimes by valour sometimes by fortune being now past hope drew his Army into quarters The Truce being expired in Italy the enemy entred into Chieri a place which may he termed to have no walls and had no men in it The Marquis drew neere unto them and hindered their designe of besieging Turine He cut them off a Convoy of a thousand Souldiers Hee proffered battell divers times and they refusing it drove them to retire to the hills hee followed and overtooke them and forced them five times to change their stations still gaining them from them and had he not wanted time hee had strength and courage enough to have destroyed that Army in two houres The enemy left in the field many dead men store of baggage and munition and found himselfe so rent that hee durst not hinder the Marquis from taking of Bubio and Wesme two great Castles which they had â—eft in those passes The proceedings of his Majesties Armies this yeare in Italy were those wee have rehearsed which are peradventure greater then either ancient or moderne histories mention to have beene performed in the short space of so few moneths with so many painfull circumstances The war was betweene Nations warlike both renowned and experienced In a fruitfull Land full of strong holds provided of victuall and Ammunition assisted with old forces and Garrisoned with valiant Souldiers The glories gained were Armies routed and overthrown reliefes sometimes hindered sometimes given Forts assalted won defended walls scaled great store of places taken sometimes by sudden assaults sometimes by short sieges none through intelligence one onely through cunning that valorously Very few voluntarily they first terrified some yeilding to streÌ„gth som to fear al to justice The Conquests have been th'enlarging of his Majesties Dominions from Milan to the Alpes by Yurea and Turin to the Sea by Monferrat and those places Thus were the consultations and advices of the French Ministers of State deceived who by not coÌ„ming into Italy with great forces bouÌ„ded within a smal coÌ„passe the possibility of coÌ„quests to the Spanish armies The Spaniard who workes least and fights best of other Nations changing his fighting into labouring lost his advantage and amidst the bankes of earth rather hid his valour then defended his person But at last were it chance necessitie or choice throwing away the spade and taking the sword in hand he shewed the souldiers were not different from their ancestors but rather the commanders not the valour but the way of fighting This sodaine metamorphosis which in the conquering of places changed dayes into houres was misinterpreted by them who should have believed it and because they would not respect true valour where it was they accused falshood where it was not and endeavouring rather to secure themselves from that then defend themselves against the other deceiving their owne understanding they found themselves to be faithfully served and valiantly overcome To hide the enemies valour from the vulgar sort because they may not be disheartned is a conveniency of State To punish innocent persons and conceale the guilty to deceive the people to gaine repute with the Prince savours of damnable policy But for a man to deceive himselfe and not believe what he sees as if the not believing of it could unmake the truth and th' imagination make the case is neither humane not diabolicall conveniency It is true that the one destroyes the truth and the other frames the case but it being not in the thing its selfe but onely in the understanding by such an errour they lose both th'understanding and the thing It was dayly expected at Court to heare of the yeelding of the place and that shortly risoners and those which runne over to us did assure us of it affirming they drunke cisterne water eat rottenbisket wanted wood and salt that souldiers fell sick and dyed and those who were living did mutiny That the Governour talked though he did not parley and though his words were rather of sending to the Prince of Conde then of yeilding the place it was a signe of faintnesse and he would yeild it Likelyhood perswaded these things to be true and especially the desire of those who were unwilling to premeditate and knew not how to provide for the dammages which delay might breed made it serve for a coÌ„fort a remedy to perswade themselves and others that it would quickly yield It is necessary for an officer to provide for all as he can imagine and not for that chiefly which is most likely but for that which is most dangerous To expect a good event quickly it is necessary first to secure ones self froâ— evil One that is to be deceived is never quite and utterly deceived there alwaies remaines somewhat in which being not totally deceived though it doth not undeceive it troubleth Hope which is framed to
that should not hinder their good order yet might you keepe backe their reliefes and provisions in those rough and narrow waies and provide as is fitting for Perpignane Out of which in my opinion it would bee good to leave some Commanders of Horse and Foot who uniting themselves with the men of the Province might upon any occasion either obstruct the enemies provisions or bring him in between those Troops and your excellencie For as it may be believed and as upon the last Orders advice is given that the Catalanes were raising forces whereof the faintest part increasing the bulk and the best strengthening Perpignane would make the enemies intentions exceeding difficult if not impossible Besides I hold it very painfull there being no provisions ready upon the Frontiers the 24th day to bring all necessary provisions from Sicas to Rivas altas for an Army which stands in want of it by reason of the great compasse which by reason of the ill way they must fetch and the short time of ten dayes which they have to worke in your Excellencie being abundantly stored with every thing for above twelve If the enemy should make his attempt by the way of Rivas altas your Excellencie would not have so much time as I think of between the one and the other action But before any such passage could bee made you would have had it by that which I have spoken of Perpignane and alwayes cut off the enemies Convoyes they being at such a distance or burne their provisions in their Magazines For it is impossible and not to be imagined that he can keep such a guard upon his provisions and other places and secure himselfe Whence shall he provide such a strong Army both in quality and quantity as might stand for seaven whole leagues in every place stronger then the body of your Excellencies to secure him from receiving a blow which may disorder him and utterly overthrow his designe I beseech your Excellencie to pardon me as Don Pietro de Toledo was wont to say if I souldiour it with so great a fouldiour who am altogether inexpert in that art I conclude Sir that we are and ought to be Gods hoping he will not forsake his cause I send your Excellency money I will also rehearse the circumstances they will seeme weake but they are necessary to lay open the great ones they will abase my stile but what is that to the purpose so they doe exalt anothers glories He did not elaborate this letter with his pen he did dictate it without any intermission not when he was quiet and farre from any noise sitting at his desk but in his coach running not imparting it to any onely dictating it to Don Antonio Carnero one of his secretaries a man of great understanding and knowledge of most unspotted fidelity and cleane hands in service attentive and infatigable I beare with them who set me out for a flatterer They see me rewarded they examine my talent and because they find no great worth they blemish it with a great vice They find me a writer of great actions they examine what they can doe and because they find it come short they call my relations fables The conciousnesse of what themselves would doe causeth them to thinke ill of him that writes that which they cannot do to misunderstand him that doth it An Historian of understanding flatters himself if he imagines he can avoid slanders He hath somewhat within him which he concealeth a great vertue and a great vice which being hid from the eyes of the vulgar when it comes to be manifested it seeming he addeth it of his own because that though it were so it was not knowne they call him if he writes of excellent good ones a flatterer if of exceeding bad ones a malicious person I would be pleasing to heare vice reproved but with modesty and vertue extolled but with moderation and its displeasing to have the secrets of vertues and vices discovered They would be willing to embrace the one and not have it knowne and to not labour for the other and yet have it imagined that they have it They heare the writers expressions blame vice wholly but in vertue praise onely the greatest and men having commonly of the one and the other and few of the latter excessively participating of the reproof which extends it selfe even to mediocrity and not of the praise which goeth onely upon the extreames on the one part they remaine ill satisfied on the other offended Upon the report of the reliefe comming out of France his Majesties Army was increased by a considerable number of Catallanes who in this occasion carried themselves cunningly and by many souldiours who having recovered their healths went to employ it in their masters service Above all others remarkeable was the arrivall of the Duke of Naccara and Maccheda not so much because he brought three hundred of the choicest musquettiers of the Fleet with him as for the person of so compleate a Gentleman who not through any other perswasion but of his own well-guided courage voluntarily came to increase it in that Army and whereas before he without feare stood expecting the enemy now fearelesse came to challenge him He put himselfe in the regiment of the Count Duke under the Command of the Field Marshall Don Iohn de Arze to make himselfe famous with his pike in his hand Let it be a sufficient attestation for the nobility of his bloud that I have named him Of the great endowments of his person the relation of this action In the former are rehearsed the memories of his many illustrious forefathers and a person is set forth in whom is made the union of all those greatnesses in the latter shines modesty wisdome valour and devotion to the King and gallantnesse in serving him Th' intelligences which many wayes came out of France were That the most Christian King was resolved to have the Fort relieved That to that purpose came cut of Paris Monsieur de Poncourle Marquis of Coastin Nephew to the Cardinall of Richelieu That the old and new Forces of Languedock were appointed for that purpose soure companies of forraign Nations the Regiment of Lionnois the Regiment of guards eight which came out of Lorraine downe the Rone all the Cavallerie that was in pay the bound Nobility which was bound to come and that which came voluntary and because they should be enow for such a great enterprise there being a scarcitie of them in France they resolved to remedy it by the same way as it came taking the Baron of Bassompier out of prison for so they write him that hee might with the Duke of Luin and Marshall La Force goe to the reliefe All this rumour ended with the approach of the Vanguard within foure miles of the place the day before that which was agreed upon for the yielding of it And to th' end the default might be imputed to want of time or peradventure to the Governour