Peace and without any precedent Denunciation of War was contrary to Justice and the Law of Nations which the King will make them repent in the end That if the Rochellers at first deferred declaring for them and sent Deputies to the Duke of Angoulesme it was in design to gain time and during that delay to make their Harvest for the King was most certainly advertis'd that the coming of the English was agreed upon with them and though they had not yet in words declar'd for them it was done in effect in receiving Deputies from the Duke of Buckingham and sending theirs to him and aiding him every day with Provisions that so the King had just cause to declare them Guilty of High-Treason and make them suffer for their Rebellion and he hopes in the end to make them Examples for it The said day with the Morning-tide the Sieurs David and Dehinsse went to the Isle of Re to joyn with the Sieur Salbret who was with the Duke of Buckingham and from thence to go into England to return that Prince thanks for his Assistance and to beg the continuance of it representing to him their State and Condition with them went to the said Isle of Re to reside near the person of the Duke of Buckingham the Sieurs Desherbiers and Bragneau for the City-Hall and Goyer Junier a good man and experienced Sea-Captain for the 1627. Octob. Burgesses without being prejudic'd by any Cannon-shot though many were made at them The same day with the Morning-tide thirteen Barks with six or seven hundred men got into the Fort la Pree without any Rencounter or Impediment from the English The 27th with the morning-tide there went out from Rochel to Re fifteen Sail as well Pinaces as Barks to the end to hinder the passages of those that would go to the Citadel and Fort la Pree the Enemy made many a Cannon-shot at them from their Batteries but without doing them any harm And the same day in the morning two Capuchins were brought in Prisoners which they sent back after Dinner without offering them any Injury And the Curriers did likewise bring Prisoner a Spanish Jeweller who had several precious Stones by him which caused a Debate in Council whether they should be declared good price some contradicted it and particularly the Sieur Vincent the Minister who having entertained this man and found him one of Sense was for gratifying him and to manage by him the beginning of a Treaty with the King of Spain which he maintained with many Reasons and expressed great diffidence of the Duke of Buckingham and the English but his motion was not relished The 28. those of Rochel sent forth nine other Sail as well Pinnaces as Barks equipped for War with three Companies of Infantry and some Voluntier Gentlemen which passed in spight of their Batteries from whence they played upon them with their Cannon but without effect 1627. October This same day the Sieur Salbert being excused going for England the Sieur Philip Vincent one of the City Ministers was by the Church and City-Hall appointed in his place and went the same day to the Isle of Re to joyn with the other Deputies that were there The 30. about four or five a Clock In the Evening twelve or thirteen hundred men commanded by the Sieur Canaples Master of the Camp to a Regiment of Guards were shipped at the Plomp for the Fort la Pre which passing without any obstruction and having a great Party there on Land endeavoured to make a descent but were at first by the English and French who joyned to hinder their Landing after a long Combat with the loss of fifty or sixty of those that were furthest advanced on shore forced to return to their Barks for saving of themselves in which Retreat many were drowned nevertheless the Night coming on which was so favourable to them that they found themselves very obscure they not only finished their descent to the Fort but even constrained the English to retreat with the loss of ten or twelve men and some wounded NOVEMBER The third of Novemb. there came fifteen Barks from the Isle of Re into Rochel some laden with Wines others with Commodities at which was shot sixty or more Cannon-shot from the Forts and Batteries without touching any of them The same day the Sieur Vincent came from the Isle of Re to Rochel to confer with the Mayor and Council upon some particulars relating to his Voyage for England and desired a commodious and safe 1627. Novemb. Vessel to be ready to sail with the first The Duke of Buckingham considering the supplies which the King sent to the Fort of la Pre and foreseeing that the design was to attack him and that he found himself weak he resolved upon a final Attempt and upon the sixth of Novemb. between seven and eight in the morning he assaulted the Citadel in two places the French making it on one side and the English on another At first they carried all before them gaining the Ditch and planting their Ladders against the Wall and Terraces but their Ladders proving too short and having to do with people who received them with much resolution they were in the end after two hours contest constrained to retreat with the loss of many men besides wounded which were sent the next day to Rochel to be treated and cured The same day about nine and ten a Clock in the Evening a House in Rochel was fired near the Bellfry to the Church S. Saviour where being lodged several combustible Commodities as Hemp Flax and Rosin c. it burnt so suddenly that the people in their Shifts were hard put to it to gain the top of the House and so to save themselves by their next Neighbours House The seventh Ditto there went from Rochel to Re nineteen Pinnaces and Barks in one of which was the Sieur Vincent who went to joyn with the other Deputies for England The eighth the Duke of Buckingham after this last attempt upon the Citadel despairing of gaining it and of being able to stay much longer in the Isle especially seeing there arrived from day to day considerable succours to come into the Field with and that his own Army was diminished more 1627. Novemb. than one third part proceeding from the eating too many Grapes according to Sieur de Comminges Prophesie resolved to raise the Siege and to imbark with the more security ordered his Retreat by the Isle of Lois which a small Channel of the Sea separates from that of Re and having made a Bridge for his passage in case he should be thereunto forced he marched his Troops putting in the Reer one of his best Regiments and Colonel Montjoy with his Cavalry to defend the Infantry if need were This Providence was of great use to him for the Night before his Retreat besides the Troops of the King which were already in the Isle Marshal Scomberg arrived there with three or four thousand Foot and two
The last FAMOUS SIEGE OF THE CITY OF ROCHEL TOGETHER WITH THE Edict of Nantes WRITTEN In French by Peter Meruault a Citizen of Rochel who was in the City from the beginning of the Siege until the Rendition of it LONDON Printed for John Wickins at the White Hart over against St. Dunstans Church in Fleet-street 1680. THE AUTHOURS PREFACE WHEN the Siege of Rochel had its first beginning I was but in the 20th year of my Age and having been bred to commerce wanted the advantage and ornament of Scholarship yet nevertheless my curiosity prompting me I made it my business to take notice of what then passed and my Father being a Member of the Common Council and as Master of the Artillery exercised the second Charge or Office in the City I learned from him divers Particulars which I carefully committed to writing And though I had at that time nothing less in my thoughts than to compose a Narrative for the Publick yet being cloistred up until the Rendition of the City I find this Journal compleat even until the end of the Siege which I kept only for my own particular use in case the Lord in his mercy should suffer me to survive from whence it is that this Collection hath ever since lain dormant in my Cabinet and nothing but the importunity of friends could have carried me beyond my own resolution in exposing it to publick view Neither my Age my Profession nor yet the little care I then took in digesting of things intending them only for my self can beget in any an expectation of exactness in Form or Style worthy perusal having nothing more to recommend it than integrity as to matter of Fact of which those at a distance as well as those at home must bear witness it being a plain Narrative of Counsels and Transactions during the Siege without any Inferences of my own In the collecting of which neither Interest Affection or Hatred had any influence upon me As this Age is fruitful in great Wits so these Memoirs may be useful to the Writers of the Historie of our Times However some may haply be glad to understand the Particulars which I have here given an Account of PETER MERUAULT For some Reasons the Authour could not publish this Journal sooner though he had Licence for doing it many years since A PREFACE TO THE READER Reader IT is now fifty one years since the Reformed Religion and Liberty received its great wound in the loss of Rochel a City in France once famous for its constant opposition of Rome and being a safe refuge for the Protestants of that Kingdom in the frequent Massacres practised by the more than cruel and bruitish Papists Whoever shall read D' Aubignie's History not D' Avila's against which the Reformed excepts as partial of the Civil Wars of France writ in or near the time of King Henry IV. Grandfather to the present King of England will find that this City was of great service to that King in all his troubles as being a Sanctuary to him upon several occasions constantly taking his part against his Enemies the Popish and Spanish League and Faction This Henry IV. like a magnanimous and generous Soul excelling in gratitude and good Nature tyranny and oppression being the Badges and effects of dissoluteness and cowardise when by the assistance of the Reformed he was restored to the Crown and Dignity of France did not unthankfully forget his friends and persecute them but as a heroick Prince made them participate of the mercies of God towards him by giving them as their Magna Charta the Edict or Law Called that of Nantes with supplementary Articles by which they are restored in all cases to equal Priviledges with the Romanists for though to do the like by Papists in a Protestant Country would be the certain ruine of that Nation their faithless bloody Principles and owning of a Foreign Head being inconsistent with such liberty yet he knew that nothing could be of more security to his Crown than to cherish those that owned no other Sovereign than their Native Prince and could have no other Interest than his as his Successors have since experienced both of them being indebted to the Reformed for keeping their Crowns upon their heads After several former Edicts or Laws had been no sooner made for the security of the Religion than broke the reformed Party who had for their Heads the King of Navarre and Prince of Condée besides a multitude of other Grandees refusing to rely any longer upon Paper Edicts and the word of a King demanded Cautionary Towns and had amongst others the City of Rochel given them for one Whilst this excellent Prince Henry IV. lived his Edict and supplementary Articles hereunto annexed declarative of many former Edicts were faithfully observed but he was no sooner gone than his Successours losing all gratitude chose rather to follow the vicious examples of his Predecessors than the vertuous Precedent that he left them of being true and faithful to Laws and Engagements for at the importunity of their Bishops enemies to true piety setting aside all faith and reverence due to Laws made perpetual and irrevocable they took up a severe persecution of the Reformed from whence arose several Wars and as many reconciliations for the innocent Protestants thirsting after nothing but Peace in the enjoyment of their Laws were always deluded out of their advantages to rely upon fair promises and the insignificant word of their King Until Lewis XIII having first prepared all Matters took his opportunity to fall upon this City the chief Bulwark of the Reformed which resisted upon the account of their Priviledges as a Cautionary Town thinking it as lawful to defend their Rights as for the King to invade them and how the place was lost appears by the ensuing Journal or History which shews I. A Miracle and perhaps beyond example of Unity Courage Constancy and Resolution to die rather than outlive their Liberty II. In all the Managers of their defence as well at home as abroad during the Siege more of faithfulness diligence prudence readiness of Wit and Parts than peradventure will be found in any History especially of its bigness The loss of this City was the first decay of the Protestant Cause and Interest in Christendome and the Original Rise and Foundation of that Greatness in the French Monarchy which threatens at this day the Liberty of Europe for so long as Rochel remained in freedom under a Maior his Council and the Common Council of forty eight annually chosen by themselves they were so formidable under that Government that the French could never get forward in suppressing those of the Religion nor oppressing of their Neighbours which renders the Spaniard guilty of a great Solecism in Politicks in being assistant in the reducing of this City as well as Spinola the Great Spanish General but a Native of Genoua was in contriving the Digue a Bank which blocked up the Passage by Sea
into Rochel the means of taking it which he did at his giving the French King a Visit in his passage to Spain for though the Author of this History will not take from his own Country the credit of the Invention the honour of it doth traly belong to Spinola But that you may the better understand how the Reformed in France have been and still are dealt with contrary to Law I have hereunto annexed the several Declarations of Henry IV. establishing thereby his Edict and supplementary Articles for their Liberty making them perpetual and irrevocable as also the several Declarations of this present French King Louis XIV reciting the substance of the Declarations of his Father Louis XIII with several Decrees of Council owning the perpetuity of the Edict of Nants and confirming them all with this acknowledgment That he remained fully satisfied with his Subjects of the Reformed Religion as having given him certain proofs of their affection and fidelity especially in 1652. the year of his Declaration when they drew the hatred of the Prince of Condé and his Party upon them for their Loyalty in adhering to the King and opposing of the Prince in his then Rebellion But the King by their help had not long got the Ascendant of his enemies before holding the Reformed unnecessary to satisfie the insatiable malice of the Bishops as appears by their actings which will in due time be published he left them to the mercy of the Church whose mercies are cruelties and even suffered the Prince of Condé to revenge himself upon them who the first year he was restored into favour demolished all their Churches in the Pais de Gex near Geneve and under his Government which County wanted then little of being intirely of the Reformed Religion Yet that I may do the former times right I cannot but observe the Candor and Ingenuity acknowledged in this History of the French Ministers of State at the taking of Rochel who when some malicious enough and most likely the Bishop of Mande employed in the Siege and others of his Order in France who never consult truth but worldly advantage would have had it assigned in the Kings Declaration as a reason of his taking up Armes that the Rochellers did not only call in the English but also gave themselves up to them the then Chancellour caused the Registers of the Maior and Council of Rochel the Memorials and Instructions given by them to their Deputies sent into England and the Treaties made by them with that King to be all exactly perused and examined and finding that the said Instructions and Treaties had been always made with a reserve of the fidelity due to the Crown he would not suffer anything of that nature to be inserted in the Kings Declaration because it did not appear to be true a piece of honest Morality little practised in these days in France some Men there having now no other Politicks than little tricks besides lying and dissembling all easily seen thorow for which they would be thought great Statists but Honesty as King James who knew enough used to say is the best Policy And to give Richelieu a Person of vast abilities and clear Parts his due His treating with the Rochellers in their greatest distress seems to have been with more moderation sincerity and plainness than is in this Age common or usual among them And now by comparing the present French Kings Persecution of his Reformed Subjects with his former Declarations confirming and making perpetual and irrrevocable all Edicts and Lawsmade for their Liberty and Security in the exercise of their Religion as a reward for their acknowledged fidelity and good service may and ought to be observed by Protestants how little the Faith and Laws of Popish Princes are to be relied upon especially in matters of Religion The Contents of this Book I. THE Duke of Buckingham's expedition for the Isle of Ree and his taking of it II. The Dukes inviting the Rochellers by his Agent Mr. Baker to accept of his assistance and join Armes with him and his Manifest delivered to them in the Name of the King of England III. The Dukes being forced to quit the Isle of Ree and return for England IV. The Rochellers Negotiations by their Deputies in England with that King sometimes alone and sometime in Council and their several Conferences with the King and Duke V. The King of England and the Rochellers Letters one to another and the Treaty made with the King with several excellent and pressing Harangues made by their Deputies to the King VI. The Earl of Denby's ineffectual Voyage to Rochel with a Naval Fleet and his Return VII The Earl of Lindsey's Voyage with a might Naval Strength to Rochel and returning without attempting any thing as this History saith VIII The miraculous patience in the Rochellers without the least murmuring under a not to be paralleled Famine IX The Treaty for Rendition of the City made with Cardinal Richelieu X. The Edict of Nantes given by Henry IV. of France to those of the Reformed Religion together with his supplementary Articles for their security and equal liberty with the Papists XI The Declarations of Henry IV. and of the present King Louis XIV reciting those of his Father Louis XIII making all the Laws in savour of the Protestants perpetual and irrevocable with several Orders of Council confirming the said Edictrand Arcles 1627. July A JOURNAL OF THE LAST SIEGE of the CITY OF ROCHEL Begun the 20. of July 1627. THe Naval Army of the King of Great Britain commanded by the Duke of Buckingham High-Admiral of England appeared first to us upon Tuesday the 20th of July 1627. betwixt Eight and Nine in the morning to the number of Eighteen or Twenty Sail they were then believed to be Dunkirkers lying in wait for a Fleet of Hollanders laden with Salt which lay in the Road a la Palisse and before S. Martins the Principal Town of the Isle of Ré and ready to set sail for Holland Upon their nearer approach they were suspected to be English and Sixty or Eighty Sail in number but of this we were out of doubt when coming before the Fort La Prée they saluted it 1627. July fiercely with Cannon-shot which they continued that day and the next coming to Anchor a la Palisse before the Point of Sablanceau one of the Extremities in the Isle of Ré on that side next Rochel On Wednesday the 21. the Rochellers kept a Fast and betwixt Sermons there arrived in a Shallop from the Duke of Buckingham at the Chain which is the entrance by Sea into the City an English Gentleman called Baker desiring to speak with the Mayor for so the Chief Magistrate was called and to his Council who having notice thereof sent the Sieur Prou Sheriff and Symond Theuinine Advocate to acquaint him that they were in their Churches at their Devotions in the Celebration of a Fast and could not that day give him Audience upon which
he returned not a little discontented The 22. between Nine and Ten in the morning the Duke of Soubize followed by Mr. Baker Agent for the Duke of Buckingham came to the Gate of S. Nicholas desiring entrance into the City The Guard before the admitting of him acquainting the Mayor therewith he immediately repaired thither and sinding him betwixt the two Gates remonstrated to him the consequence of his coming into the City intreating of him if he desired the good and Conservation of Rochel and the Church of France to return to the Duke of Buckingham but the old Dutchess of Rohan his Mother who was some Months before retired hither coming to meet her Son after Salutations and Imbraces took him by the hand saying with a loud voice that she might be heard by the Mayor and the multitude that were there My Son come 1627. July see your Sister who is very sick At which words without demanding leave of the Mayor who found himself surprized and durst not openly and by force oppose him he went into the City with her as did also Mr. Baker who demanding to be heard in Council which was held after Dinner he made this Speech as followeth Gentlemen I am sent by my Lord the Duke of Buckingham High-Admiral of England to declare to you the Reasons for which by the Command of the King my Master he is come to the place where he now is and in sight of you accompanied with a Fleet of Ships laden with Souldiers Artillery and Ammunition ready to make a descent if occasion require It is sufficiently known to the World how the King of Great Britain our Master having Personally by an Adventure very rare and by a Prudence exceeding much his Age discovered before and since his coming to the Crown the danger ready to fall upon him and the rest of Christendom by the Ambition Fraud and Power of the House of Austria hath used all industry to prevent this danger and that not only by his own Forces but also by those of his Allies to which Resolution as he hath been pressed by almost all Princes and Estates of Christendom so none hath done it with more vehemency and efficacy than the French King his Brother-in-law and his Ministers not only by Arguments but also by Promises of Union and Assistance in that Common Cause And to conserve this Mutual Interest against a Common Enemy or suspected Friend was the reason why the King our Master hath more desired 1627. July the Amity and Alliance of France than of all the World besides hoping by this means to have the Power to divert the thoughts of this Great King from the ruine of his best Subjects those of the Reformed Religion and humbling the true Enemies of his Estate who keeps from him so many brave Provinces and Kingdoms possessed by his Predecessors In the prosecution of which Design he was willing to have sacrificed all his Interest for Common Good and securing of Christendom But his Majesty hath found by too dear experience that being ingaged in a War with Spain he did not only not receive the favour and assistance of France which with reason he might have expected but by expecting it received more prejudice and hinderances than from Spain it self and the reason hereof is most apparent for the grand design of this Estate is to take the advantage of the Ingagement of the King our Master with Spain to ruine and extirpate at the same time those of the Reformed Religion in France not that his Majesty will believe that this proceeds from the French King his Brother-in-law or the Queen his Mother being so great Princes and so nearly Allied to him but you Gentlemen know better than we the Powerful Influences that the Jesuits and Spanish Faction have upon the Councils of France which are said to be so strong that even with a high-hand Affairs are often carried against the King himself and by the force of this Faction proceeded the refusal of a passage to Mansfields Army raised and furnished in England 1624. at the very instant of their departure contrary to a Solemn Article 1627. July agreed upon with the French King for their passage by which refusal the Liberty of Germany hath been betrayed and twelve thousand English near totally destroyed The King our Master having interposed his Ambassadours for appeasing the last Wars against those of the Religion and with the consent of the French King himself becoming Guarrantee for the Peace and that those of the Religion were willing to submit to harder terms than at that time their Condition considered they needed to have done in hopes that the designs of this Estate would turn against their Common Enemies in Italy by the Power of this Faction it is nevertheless come to pass that not only the Confederates of the King in Italy have been abandoned but the Arms imployed there have since been made use of to reduce you to the extremity of Poverty and Famine of which I need not say more than that the Complaints of this City and all the Body of the Reformed Religion do still continue the Dukes of Rohan and Soubize having represented them to the King our Master Finally when this Faction perceived that all was to no purpose without prohibiting this City all Trade to Sea under pretext of an Imaginary Society of Commerce they have built a number of Ships of War but doubting that it would be sufficient to their design to fortifie themselves at Sea without at the same time weakning there the King our Master by an unexampled and unheard of Injustice in the midst of a full and perfect Peace and at a time when the King our Master was deeply ingaged in War by whch the Assurance and Riches of France increased they 1627. July made seizure of 120 Ships of his Subjects with Artillery Merchandize and Marriners and what other design could they have in it than to assure themselves of the ruine of this City For these Reasons alledged and many other of the same nature the King our Master the most Religious and Pious Prince in the World setting aside all other Respects than that of his Conscience hath a Sympathy of your Sufferings and his own Honour and finding himself obliged by Promise to procure the accomplishment of the Articles agreed upon especially being invited thereunto by my Lords the Dukes of Rohan and Soubize in the Name of the whole Body of the Reformed Religion he hath therefore sent hither my Lord the Duke of Buckingham who hath given me in Charge to make you an Offer in his Name of a powerful assistance as well by Land as Sea in case you resolve to accept of it for redeeming your Liberty by joyning with you in an actual War which he will do upon such Conditions as you your selves Gentlemen and all the World shall acknowledge that the King our Master hath no Eye to his own advantage but vour good the vindication of his Honour and discharge
from Father to Son and by this means render the Vines of the Government unprofitable and so concluded that they should not admit their offer save only as to Corn The Merchants proposing Remonstrated hereupon that for two reasons they could not make this contract for Corn alone The one that they should lose by it without hopes of recompensing their loss otherwise than by Wine Secondly That if they should carry away their 1627. July Corn without buying Wine the thing would be subject to suspition seeing that in Holland whither they pretended to send it had more need of Wine than Corn. In conclusion to ingage the City they offered to pay a Crown Custom for every Tun but notwithstanding all that they could say the interested prevailed alledging that the English being powerful at Sea and near to them could every hour send them Corn Wine and other Provisions and Commodities more then they wanted but this obstinate Counsel cost them dear in the end After the descent and Fight made by the Duke of Buckingham in the Isle of Ree three days passed without any attempt made by either party one upon the other only Monsieur Thoiras by little Skirmishes kept his enemies in breath but expecting another Fight retired to the Burrough of St. Martins and from thence into the Citadel with all that he was able to bring thither The Duke of Buckingham fortified and intrenched himself in the place where he made his descent as well because he had not the knowledg of the Country as that he dreaded the Forces of the Isle which he feared were great and gathering together to fall upon his people who had not well recovered their hardship at Sea and misfortunes at Land Nevertheless in common opinion if he had briskly followed Monsieur Thoiras he had carried the Citadel at one of the Gates which was not finished where ten or twelve men on brest might have entered besides that it was ill provided with Victuals and other necessaries which during this delay they carried day and night thither and also industriously repaired the weakest parts of the Fortifications 1627. July The 26th the Duke of Buckingham with his Armies of 7 or 8000 Foot and 100 Horse marched in Battail to St. Martins which he possessed himself off and approaching with in half Musket shot of the Trenches and ditch of the Citadel did with great dilligence in six days finish his Batteries and one of them being upon the Haven of the Burrough put the assieged in great fear because it lay right upon their Mills yet nevertheless they found means to defend them Soon after the Duke of Buckingham's descent In the Isle of Re particular Citizens of Rochel being allured by gain and the beauty of Jacobus's gold furnished his Army for their refreshment with all sorts of Provisions which they continued to do so long until they left their own City unprovided of Victuals Thursday the 29. it was debated in the Council whether they should send deputies to complement the Duke of Angoulesme who lay at Marans a great Burrough about 10 or 12 English Miles from Rochel many were against it least the English should thereby be discouraged and there upon leave their Town as a prey to their enemies But others on the contrary said that since they had sentto the Duke of Buckingham Lieutenant to the King of England with more reason they ought to do the same to the Duke of Angoulesme Lieutenant to the King their Soveraign and that if it were for no other reason then to give him thanks for that he had not committed any Act of Hostilitie against their government As also to beg leave of him for reaping and gathering in their Harvest besides that they might possibly gather from him that which might serve to help forward the peace betwixt 1627. July the two Kings which ought to be desired by them above all things since whatever the Event of the War might be Rochel would have cause of fear from their own King if he drive out the English who will consider them as having drawn them thither and from the English should they remain Masters of the Isles because thereby they would have a Bit in their Mouths to curb them as they pleased if peradventure they did not totally Master them and therefore it behoved them whilst in the beginning of the Difference to endeavour to pacifie it and by paying their Respects to this Prince they might open a way to it In the end after great Contest they resolved to send to him and to that purpose named certain Commissioners on the behalf both of the Magistracy and Citizens and on Saturday the last of the Month they waited upon him at Maran where he received them with great Friendship and sent them back on Munday following with Promises to suffer them to reap and gather in their Harvest so long as they remained good French and not otherwise The 30th the Sicur de Loudriere crossed the Sea which is two or three hours sail from Rochel to the Isle of Re with six or seven hundred men to strengthen the Duke of Buckingham who some days after commanded all the Papists of the Isle to retire to the Continent and appointed them Ships to carry them over which he did from an Opinion That they gave Intelligence to the Citadel of all that passed in the English Army Nevertheless he did not oblige the Capuchins that were in St. Martins to leave their Convent but provided for their nourishment 1627. August AVGVST The 6th day of August the Mayor and Council sent Deputies to the Duke of Buckingham to desire him not to hinder any more the Vessels and Commodities which would come from the Isle of Re or other places to Rochel all which he agreeed unto and received them very kindly Tuesday the 10th The Duke of Angoulesme came by break of day with a Party of Horse and Foot to the Gates of Rochel giving a very hot Alarm to the Town who immediately sent to him to assure him That they were the Kings good Servants and had no hand in the coming of the English to the Isle of Re As also That they were not in conjunction with them He answered them amicably so that it was permitted to such of his Servants as would to come into the City and buy what Commodities they pleased The same day after Dinner the said Duke went with the Sieur Marillot and Pompee Targon Engineer to view the point of Coureil and all the Coast without having any shot made at them from the City there not being yet any Declaration of War on either side The 13th The said Duke writ to the Mayor and Corporation of the City That if they should continue to assist the English he would approach with his Army to the Gates of their City And as they were in deliberation thereof he came the next day to Estrce la Moulinette Bongrenne and Coureille his Army being composed of some Regiments of Navarre
little pause for fear that the word Time would not be taken by us according to his intention I mean said he the season and so soon as the Spring shall be come To which having returned him most humble thanks he said yet further Be assured that I will assist you so powerfully 1628. March as shall obtain you a good Peace The Duke added that all War was for arriving at Peace and that his Majesty in speaking intended none but such a one as was good To which having answered that we should receive from his Majesty such a Peace as himself should esteem reasonable and good I had rather said he it should be ill for me than for you for for me I can always conteâ—d it but as to you you will be totally lost After these words Sieur Dehinse bowing himself to receive his Commands Assure said he to him those of Rochel that I will not abandon them Upon which the Duke told us you see Gentlemen you have the Word of a King As to your Articles that you communicated to me yesterday the King likes them well and goes now to have them ratified in Council and cause the Confirmation thereof to be delivered to you Very much contented with these good words we withdrew and the next morning heard that the Earl of Denby prepared for Plymouth which obliged Sieur Dehinse our Collegue to begin his journey thither What passed since on the occasion of Sieur Gorribon's arrival which occasioned the retarding the sending of the Provisions is contained in our Letter of the eleventh of February This is the Contents of the Packet which Captain Sacremore delivered the Mayor and his Council by which they had a full account of all the proceedings of their Deputies and commended the diligence and care they had had of sending them divers Duplicates of their Packets to the end that one might come to hands if the other should miscarry as it fell out The 24th ditto was cast in Rochel four Pieces of 1628. March Cannon two of 28 pound Ball and the other two of 10 pound Ball of which there were but three good one of the greatest miscarrying by the Mould not being well dry The 30th the Mayor Sheriffs Counsellors Peers Burgers and Souldiers being assembled in the City-Hall swore and promised to keep the Treaty which their Deputies had made with the King of England for their protection and safeguard which they did without disowning their Fidelity and Obedience that they owed to the most Christian King their Natural Lord and Soveraign APRIL The first of April 1628. arrived at Rochel a young man one Vivier servant to Sieur Vincent dispatched by him from Holland where following the order that was given him he passed to give account of the Negotiation of his Master for procuring some relief of Victuals and Munition for the City and delivered to the Mayor this Letter dated the sixth of March of this Tenure in Cyphers Sieur Vincent's Letter from Holland to the Rochellers dated March 6. New Stile 1628. Gentlemen BEsides two men that I have sent you from this Country this third follows to give you an account how I left Affairs in England and how it is with me here I may tell you that there they dispose themselves to relieve you with great Forces both by Sea and Land and have resolved to furnish you with 1628. April Provisions and to further it Messieurs Bragneau and Dehinse were set forward from London to Plymouth the 14th passed and the Earl of Denby was speedily to follow them I hope you have e're this received something from thence I came from London the 17th with Monsieur Dolbier who came hither to buy Arms and Horses and arrived the 21th in Zealand where I stayed eight days for to dispose some particular persons to the lading of Corn to send to you which having put in order I hope you will find the effects thereof and that there will go from thence to you 150 Tun I am here where I spoke yesterday with the Prince of Orange who received me very well and I am not without hopes that we shall under-hand receive from hence some assistance at least of Money I hope to make a great Cargaison at Amsterdam whither I shall presently go having already disposed by Letters many Merchants to enter upon it Above all I believe that it is of greatest import to you to have advice and not to spare Money in Messengers but send them frequently that of many one at least may come to you I have given a hundred Livres to this Man and I pray if he acquit himself well of his promise deal honestly with him I am Gentlemen Your most humble and most obedient Deputy and Servant Ph. Vincent The hopes that men had of the speedy arrival of the Earl of Denby according to these Letters rejoyced greatly the Rochellers 1628. April The 8th in the night the Battery Royal and the Forts Louys Meroeil called S. Esprite which had never yet shot and la Fons shot Fire-Bullets from nine in the Evening until four in the Morning without killing or hurting any Person or setting any House on fire being prevented by the care they took having set Centinels in the Steeples who as soon as the Bullet was fallen gave notice of the place whither men went to search for it with a Hook of Iron made expresly for that end with which they easily seized them and carried them into the Street otherwise their burning was such that letting them lye never so little they would presently set the Floor of the Rooms on fire which are ordinarily of Fir and it was found that in a little time they would pierce three Stories The 10th the Mayor having had advice that the Besiegers mined in the first Houses of de la Fons at five hundred paces from the City they sallied out from the Port Coigne with two Companies of Foot and fifteen or twenty Horse to know the truth At first they sent out eight Horse and a Party of fifteen Souldiers conducted by a Serjeant to discover what force there was whilst the rest stole along under Covert of the great high way until they came to the Houses of which they hoped to render themselves Masters but the succours which came to their relief from the next Forts forced them to retire and the greatest part of them to put themselves into the Mill-Houses and Arbours at three hundred paces from the Counterscarp whither the others came presently to skirmish and though few enough to draw them into the Ambuscade which they had 1628. April laid for them at a hundred paces from thence in a low bottom of the High-way it was without effect they maintaining themselves in their Fort until succours coming from the City inabled them to retire Of those without a Serjeant was wounded to death with a shot of a Fire-lock cross the Body and was interred at the Port Coigne of those within a Souldier was slightly wounded in the Leg.
certain and if the Earl of Denby had desired it he had infallibly carried away the Pallisade Now our fear is that if they there delay they will not here be guilty of neglect but finish the Digue by Masons work If the Count had stayed he had famished the Kings Camp and maintained in us a strong hope as also the Affairs of the Duke of Rohan in great Reputation you know how to make your Conjectures To conclude Gentlemen we send you these words of Consolation that God in mercy hath revived us more than ever in this Common Calamity we being all resolved to expect speedily from you an assured Life or to take Death patiently rather than survive the loss of 1628. June our Religion Country and the butchery of our Families These are from Messieurs Your most affectionate servants the Mayor Sheriffs Councellors Peers and Burgers and for all Guitton Mayor Rochel June 5. 1628. This Week some Souldiers killed Horses and sold the Flesh for Beef at ten or eleven Sols the pound but being discovered they were imprisoned for it because they were not then reduced to eat such Meat having yet Beef Mutton and Poultry which they sold publickly The â—1th in the morning there came to Rochel from England a Souldier called la Paillette bringing a Letter from the King of Great Britain dated the â—7th of May old stile sealed with the Arms of England subscribed Your good Friend Charles R. and another from our Deputies writ at Plymouth the ninth of June the tenure of which confirmed that of Sieur de la Land du Lac as also did that brought by another Gentleman called S. Martin who arrived the 24th about eleven or twelve in the Evening sealed with the Kings Seal and red Wax subscribed your good Friend Charles R. which is as followeth Gentlemen I Have been troubled to hear that my Fleet was upon the point of returning without answering my Commands which was to force the entry of your Provisions 1628. June whatever came of it and have given new Orders to return into your Road and not stir until it hath relieved you with Victuals or that I have sent them an additional strength for which I have caused men to work with all diligence Be assured that I will never abandon you and that I will imploy all the force of my Kingdom for your deliverance until it please God to bless me with giving you an assured Peace Given at our Palace of Westminster May 27. 1628. old stile Gentlemen Your good Friend CHARLES R. During this time the Digue was made by Stone-work every day stronger than other and was advanced in such sort on both sides that there remained but a little Channel to shut where passed the Current of the Tide and this Channel was filled from one end to the other with Vessels and Engines besides that there was before the Digue a Pallisade of floating Vessels anchored and tyed one to another by great Cables and Chains of Iron which rose and fell with the Sea as it came in and went out with many Engines and Candlesticks an Engine called so because made in the form of a Candlestick to the end that their intanglement might render the access more difficult and perilous for those that would undertake to force it and enter Rochel At this time died in the City the Sieur de Loudriere of a Burning Fever and was honourably interred according as his Rank and Quality of Chief Justice required 1628. July JVLY About the end of this Month and beginning of July they began to kill Horses Asses Mules Dogs Cats and other such Creatures the Fâ—â—â—h of which was sold for ten and eleven Sols the pound that of Horse-flesh was above all savoury there being little difference betwixt it and Seâ—f In the mean time the Famine so increased every one reserving to themselves their Provisions that the greatest part were in great want and Bread failing they had recourse to Brazil Sugar Dregs Colworts Frigased with a little Tallow and such other nourishment A little before and above aâ— when the English shewed themselves at the Head of the Bay in the Month of May the Mayor and hâ—s Council caused more than two hundred Hogsheads of Pilchers which were a little spoiled â—o be cast away for fear they should bring a Contagion in the City believing they should have â—o need of them succours being at their Gates but in this necessity they would have been of â—reat use for want of other Victuals the people scattered themselves upon the Fens where tâ—e Salt-pans were to make War with Eels and other little Fishes and on the Coast to fish for Cockles and after that eat all sorts of Herbs as Puâ—slain Savage Sampire water Caltrops good and bad boiling them in two or three waters to take away the bitterness and ill taste and filled themselves with them In the end they sell on Leather Hides and every thing that they could steep and boil and cutting them into little morsels they sold them in the Tripe-Market making Frigases of them with a little Tallow and Water in the 1628. July Stewing-pan others did it with Gelly and Sugar from this time the Famine increased exceedingly Besides other Evils with which the City found it self pressed ill Diet begot in many a Disease in the Mouth which caused the Gums to rot a shortness of breath the Jaws black and by little and little kill'd those that were infected with it being such or very near it as they call the Scurvy which is but too well known to those that make long Voyages by Sea when their Victuals corrupt At first there was many died of this Disease but a Physitian of the City called Matthias Goyer a knowing and experienced man in his Art advised a Remedy which they had used in another sickness succesfully and found the same as to this It was Mustard in Herbs of which the Hillocks in the Fens afforded as great quantities as was needful the which they bruised in a Mortar and mingled it with White-Wine and gave the quantity of an ordinary Glass thereof in the morning fasting and though this Medicine neither wrought by Stool or Urin or caused any other effects which appeared it nevertheless healed infallibly in eight or ten days At first some would have concealed this Remedy for the Physitians profit as indeed it was enough to have made him rich but he said he would not make the Publick Calamity the means of his inrichment and that since God as by Inspiration had discovered this secret to him he would give the Receipt of it gratis to every one as he also did and therein merited much from the Publick and saved the lives of a multitude of people As to the Gout Gravel and other such sicknesses there was then none heard of The second of July was seen on the side of Estre 1628. July and from de la Lieu many Horse and Foot in Battel which troubled much the Rochellers but in the
the wise gave no heed to this but the common people comforted themselves with it whatever it was this night had something extraordinary which caused the inflammation of the Air in such a manner as occasioned a great Allarum in the City and that all run to the places of Arms and Court of Guards where they remained until day upon the fear of those Fantasmes which the Watch took for men 1628. Septemb. The 28th of August an Inhabitant called John Mattin came into Rochel from England bringing a Letter from the Deputies advising that the Army was put to Sea and was on this side the Channel and that it had come sooner had not the death of the Duke of Buckingham who was killed at Portsmouth by a Lieutenant hindered it the History of whose Death because he was a great Lord and the first Author of this War I have inserted here with the circumstances of it having extracted it from the Journals of one of the Deputies who was in England and since his return hath given me a Narrative of it An Extract of the Journal of Sieur Vincent THe 26th of September 1628. being at Portsmouth where the preparations for the Naval Army were preparing with all diligence the Duke of Buckingham sent for us early in the morning and communicated to us some Letters received from the Kings Camp before Rochel by which they gave him advice that the City had then received a notable refreshment of Victuals and particularly fifty or sixty Oxen We answered that these reports were scattered artificially to retard our relief and that except Oxen could fly it was impossible that the News could be true The Duke of Soubize came in at the very instant of time and confirmed the same that I had said beseeching him not to slacken upon this noise his good affections and diligence in our Affairs He promised us that there should not be one moment of delay but however he continued the news and intended himself to carry it to the King who 1628. Septemb. was four miles from thence and thereupon he got a slight Breakfast and going from the Table he was presented with a certain Plat-form for a Building by a Captain of a very little stature and viewing of it went towards the door where the Tapistry being held up for him he stayed some time looking upon and considering the Platform In this place and at this instant there came up a certain young man a Lieutenant of a Company who over the shoulder of the said Captain stabbed him with a Knife at one blow in the Stomach and so retired into the Croud The Duke laid presently his hand upon his Sword and pursued him the length of the Antichamber pronouncing these words Ha Dog thou hast killed me Then finding himself to faint let fall his Sword and pulled out the Knife himself which he who stabbed him had left in his Body As soon as it had taken wind he fell upon the ground and being lifted up by his Servants was laid along upon a Table to make the blood come from him which came out at his mouth and then he gave no more any sign of life This was so sudden as one can scarce imagine We being in the Chamber at the door where he was stabbed there rise a report that the French had killed the Duke The noise and confusion which was in the Croud being amongst his Train put us into a most great Allarm every one laying their hands upon their Swords crying and demanding who it was and we had assuredly run a great Adventure had not he who committed the Murther seeing others wrongfully accused accused himself declaring with a loud voice that it was he Whereupon being seized and interrogated upon the cause which 1628. Septemb. had moved him to this action he answered that they would find it in the Crown of his Hat where presuming that he should be killed upon the place he had hid them and there they found a Writing the substance whereof was that the Duke having been declared by Vote of Parliament a Copy of which he recited an Enemy to the State his Life by the Laws of the Kingdom was exposed as a prey and to this publick injury he joyned another as to his own particular viz. in that for advancing his own Favourites he had twice prevented him of a Captains Command when it was his due so that he believed he had a right to revenge by that Stab both himself and the Publick And as he had committed this to writing he continued afterwards to declare the same by word of mouth that having killed a Publick Enemy he was authorised therein by the Laws of the Land and other Confession than this they had no way to draw from him the Rack not being permitted in England But to return to the Duke so soon as he was expired all the great Croud which filled his House went away by little and little and returning thither two hours after I found the Body extended in a Corner of the Room upon a miserable old Mat and guarded solely by one Valet de Chambre And this opposed to the splendour in which we saw him in the morning having about him all the gallantest Nobility of the Kingdom and the Principal Captains of the Army presenteth to us a sad document of the vanity and inconstancy of the fading things of this World The News was carried presently to the King who was in his Chappel at that days service When they told it him in his Ear he stirred 1628. Septemb. not from his place nor enquired after any particulars of it which was taken for a Testimony of the great Reverence he carried to the Place and Action which he would not trouble only as a mark of a grand Emotion they observed the blood to come into his face which became as black as a Hat Prayers being ended he enquired after the Fact sent to condole the Widdow and assured her that the Offices of the Father should be preserved for the Son and sent us word also that this accident should not in any kind divert his good will and kindness giving us order to acquaint our City with the same This was the end of this great Lord raised by King James and had all the Power under the present King his Son who having put him upon amplifying the Rights of his Royalty beyond what the Laws of England seem to permit he had drawn upon him the hatred of all the Kingdom as appeared during his life and much more after his death in that they would at a great rate have redeemed the life of him that had assassinated him The 27th of Septemb. new Stile about seven or eight in the Evening the Land-Forces and all the Batteries made a Consort with Cannon and Musquet-shot mixed with an infinite number of Fire-works and cryes of Vive le Roy which continued above an hour and a half in Celebration of the Kings Nativity The 28th of Septemb. arrived in Rochel
or three hundred Horse and upon the advice of the Dukes retreat came in such sort thundering upon him that had not the Reer guard sustained the shock and defended a long time the Bridge he had according to appearance been totally cut in pieces But the Army being nimble in imbarking the resistance of these kept them from danger only this Arreer-guard and Infantry was entirely defeated and most of the Captains taken Prisoners as amongst others Colonel Montjoy Lord Grey and Lord Montague And in this manner did the Duke of Buckingham leave the Isle of Re three Months and sixteen days after his first entring the same This same day was found in many houses in Rochel little Packets of Powder with Matches for Tinder-boxes well brimstoned and some Match which had been lighted at one end which were nevertheless put out without doing any harm This obliged every one to shut all the Lights to their Cellars Windows and dangerous places for fire and 1627. Novemb. to watch for the apprehending of some of these Boutefeus and the Night following they took three whereof one was a Serjeant to a Company who was as readily hanged in the Castle-yard as he was lately come into the City The ninth Ditto betwixt six and seven in the Evening they made great Bonfires at Estre Coureille Bonnegreen la Moulinette Follie-Budel Rousay Fort Lewis and in all the Quarters of the Army with Vollies of Cannon and Musket-shot crying Vive le Roy for the retaking of the Isle of Re from the English which gave a great Allarm to the Rochellers who not knowing the cause for fear of surprize and of Intelligence held in the City they remained all night in Arms. The twelfth the Sieur David Vincent and Dehinse deputed as aforesaid for England returned from the English Army to Rochel about 9 a Clock in the Evening as did also the Sieur Desherbiers and brought a Letter from the Duke of Buckingham which they delivered to the Mayor and his Council which upon that occasion was extraordinarily assembled in his House the substance was to counsel them that whilst he was in the Road to desire a Peace of the King which as he assured them would be granted according to their own desire but if otherwise he offered them the choice of two things viz. either to come into their City with two thousand men or to return for England to procure them a supply of Corn and all things necessary for a severe Siege and to return himself with an Army and Forces sufficient for their deliverance The same day they began about ten a Clock in the morning to work at the Mills on the side of Coureille 1627. Novemb. and prepare Wood to make there a Pallisade which obliged the Rochellers to play with their Cannon upon them with all the power they could to interrupt the work The thirteenth with the Morning-tide a New-found-land Ship of about fifty or sixty Tun laden with Green Fish came on ground upon the Mud or Ouze at half Musket shot from the Chain not having water enough to go in and upon him was shot from the Fort that day forty Cannon shot whereof there was but two that came in the Shrouds and also without killing or wounding any person and so she entred with the Evening-tide The seventeenth the Duke of Buckingham after having laid eight days at Anchor before the Isle Lewis finding the Wind to favour him set sail without expecting an Answer to his Letters from those of Rochel The eighteenth the Sieurs David Vincent and Dehinse imbarking about Noon in a Fly-boat set sail for the Isle Lewis where they hoped to have found the Duke and with them went ten Barks with Bread and Water for the English Army and in one were the Sieurs Tessereau Counsellor Journault and Savarit who went on the behalf of the Rochellers to desire the Duke of Buckingham to give them some of the Corn and other Provisions which he had in abundance aboard his Ships but being disappointed in not finding of him they returned to Rochel whilst the Deputies for England followed the English Army The 21. In the night arrived at Rochel a Pinnace of War with a Prize laden with Munition-bread for the Troops in the Isle of Re and Citadel to the number of fifteen thousand Loaves which 1627. Novemb. were sold to the people the white at two Sous and the rest at one Sous and six Deniers and in the passage one of the Seamen was flain by a Cannon shot The 25. with the Evening-tide arrived at Rochel five Prizes viz. two laden with Wood two with Corn and one with Munition-bread at which were made many Cannon shot without touching them The 28. came into Rochel from England Captain Bourgis with 80 English who made a Company he reported that the Earl of Holland was at Sea upon his Voyage to the Duke of Buckingham in the Isle of Re but we heard since that this Earl had been imbarked three times and always driven back by contrary Winds to Plimouth where the Duke found him being arrived there the 22. Ditto with our Deputies who joyned with him the 20. without being saluted by the Ships though it was full day The same day in the morning was seen many Pioneers working at the Haute Fons in the Garaine de la Ramigere making of a Fort The Rochellers played their Cannon at them and after dinner sallied out by the Port Coinge with seven or eight hundred Foot and thirty or forty Horse endeavouring to drive them from thence but could not they being defended by many Horse and Foot The day passed with small Skirmishes in which was slain one Inhabitant besides three slightly wounded The same day some were seen at work upon a Fort beyond the Bridge of Salines towards Perigny in a Field called La Follie Baudet where formerly there had been one 1627. Decemb. DECEMBER The third of Decemb. were brought into Rochel two Barks which they had taken as they came out of the River of Maran and found in them Spanish Wine many Barrels of Raisins and seven or eight Tun of Corn with some other Provisions The 14th betwixt four and five in the Evening they began to shoot from a new Battery erected upon the edge of a Bank 200 paces from the House of Coureille which came betwixt the two Towers of the Chain The first Cannon shot cut the Fore-mast of Captain Bragneau's Ship which lay cross the Haven without killing or hurting any person The 16th the Rochellers desired Pass-ports for sending out of Town many Women and unprofitable Mouths but was refused it The 17th shooting from the said Battery which we shall hereafter call Royal there was slain a Man a Woman and an Infant The 18th at Eleven a Clock in the Morning some Barks of the Besiegers arrived at Coureille Convoyed by the Gallies of Brouage who about two or three a Clock after dinner came very near the Chain and shot three Cannon
remaining under the condition of your Protection When things were well with us we despised the Counsel of our Friends and if we may so express it the Respects of our Native Country even until all is lost let us find at least if you please Sir in your Justice that which we have now no more means of recovering 1628. May. by the Clemency of the King our Soveraign God hath furnished us yet with life and vigour enough though with Wounds altogether fresh and bleeding to expect your relief yet one Month more Let your Majesty second this Miracle and to your Immortal Glory see us raised and the Churches of this Kingdom restored who without your aid cannot expect less than the stroke of the Knife that iss held so near our Throats Behold Sir our most humble and most ardent Supplications or to express it better in one word it is our Testament which we shall leave written upon your Throne before Heaven and Earth for a Memorial to Posterity of the most strange and memorable Desolation that an Innocent people ever suffered the incomparable occasion whereof may ever serve to sum up the Might and Puissance of a great King as you Pardon Sir to Women little Children Mothers and Fathers dragged together to the same punishment if they cannot speak at this time but with cutting words the face of dying persons is always frightful but the anguish of Death shall never make us deny to be for all this your Serene Majesties Rochel May 18. 1628. SIR Most humble and most obedient Servants the Mayor Sheriffs Councellors Peers Burgers and Inhabitants of Rochel and for all Guitton Mayor 1628. June JVNE The first of June in the night the Rochellers sent out two Shalloops one full of Fire-works and the other a Fire-ship to blow up some of the Vessels of the Pallisade to the end to make way for the Galliots which they were to send into England but having set fire too soon one wherein were the Fire-works flew in pieces before her arrival at the Pallisade and the other run ashore toward Port-Neuf which obliged the Galliots to return into the City The same day about six or seven in the morning the Sieur Tallement came into Rochel as well about some Affairs of his own as to sound the Rochellers if they would come to a Treaty but making no advance in it returned in the Evening The same day the Sieur Grandzy Colonel of a Regiment of light Horse came to the Port Coigne demanding to speak with the Mayor or with some on his behalf Immediately the Sieurs Proâ— Pierre Toupet Defos and Mosquay were nominated by the Council to whom he offered on the behalf of Monsieur Bassompier as having Power from the King to do all he could for procuring them a good Peace they answered him speaking in the Name of all the Body and following their Instructions that they desired to remain under the Obedience they owe the King but that they could do nothing before they had communicated it to their Deputies in England the Duke of Rohan and the Churches so that after returning most humble thanks to Monsieur Bassompier they supplicated him to mediate for them to the King 1628. June for necessary Pass-Ports and in the mean time permission for some competent Provisions to come into the City that during the Negotiation they might spare their Magazines After this Answer he parted promising to return the next day in the morning to bring them an Answer which he also did and declared to them that the King would not receive their Propositions but that his will was that they should submit to an Entire Obedience to which it was told him that the City could not understand that and that they would rather expect such Event as it should please God to give them and so they separated The 7th with the Night-tide betwixt ten and eleven in the Evening the Rochellers sent out a Galliot to cross the Pallisade which he found impossible for him to do because those of the Pollisade kept good Guards with their Galliots and pursued him unto the Haven making a great many Cannon-shot at him The 10th in the morning at the opening of the Port S. Nicholas entred the Sieur de la Land du Lac coming from England bringing a Letter from the King of Great Britain signed Charles Rex dated the 19th of May old stile directed to the Mayor Sheriffs Peers Burgers and Inhabitants of the City of Rochel without having any from their Deputies which caused great jealousie in the Rochellers they not being able to believe that the King had writ because their Deputies who were near his Person did not advise of it by which Letter he gave them an assurance of a puissant succour within a few days and of his good will towards them and concern for them exhorting them to be of good courage and that in a short 1628. June time they should â—eâ— themselves delivered The Letter is as followeth Gentlemen BE not discomforted though my Fleet be returned hold out unto the last for I am resolved that all my Fleet she ll perish rather than you should not be relieved and to this end I have countermanded it and have sâ—nt Ships to make them change their design that they had taken to come back I shall shortly send you some number of Ships to reinforce it and with the help of God the success will be happy for your Deliverance May 19. N. Stile Your good Friend CHARLES R. A Messieurs les Maire Escheuin c. The 15th the Rochellers writ this Letter to their Deputies in England as well to let them understand thâ—ir nâ—cessities as to cause them to hasten the succours A Letter from the Rochellers to their Deputies in England Gentlemen This is the seventh since our last perplexity and is to press you being on our parts strangely pressed and almost oppressed even to that degree that our total loss seems not far off if you come not readily to relieve us We have Provisions but for one Month to reckon 1628. June from this day notwithstanding the best order that we can take there is already many Families in horrible extremity and who live only of Herbs yet nevertheless we hope by the help of God to draw out our lives until the middle of July and do you raise Arguments from hence for your pressing with diligence and importunity without end his Serene Majesty from whom notwithstanding our extreme necessity and the Artifice which men have used it hath not been in any kind possible to divide us Some days passed they made us new Invitations to Treat but having demanded Pass ports for sending to his Majesty and the Duke of Rohan upon the refusal thereof the Treaty is broke Fail not to represent this to him as also the confidence that we put in his Royal Word which next to God is our only support We promise our selves as much his relief as we know the facility to it is
other rebellious Cities who had all their eyes upon Rochel for according to the usage that they shall meet with they will conclude as to themselves suppose then that his Majesty exercising rigour towards them he makes the least paultry Town stand out a Siege and obstinately resist unto the last were it not better to grant an absolute Pardon to this City whereby he may dispose the rest to beg the Clemency of his Majesty who by this means will in a little time see all his Country in peace and may then pursue his designs against the Spaniards Invasion of his Allies He added that which themselves had also alledged that though in all appearance the Rochellers were not able to do any more yet nevertheless he was not to believe that they had deferred treating until the last morsel and that as they had been three Months deceived in their Opinion that they still could not hold out any longer it may be that those that have the major Vote and who fear their Heads may prevail for hindering the rendition and hold out yet some time and the least delay is of great consequence the Affairs of Italy being very pressing Above 1628. October all it behoves us much to consider that my Lord Montague who was gone into England was expected back every day with the allowance of his King for the rendition of the City and it will be infinitely more for his Majesties glory to receive his Subjects into Grace upon their repentance and voluntary submission to his Commands than at the Intercession of a Stranger Prince and therefore it imported them very much to prevent the said Montague to the end that at his arrival he might find his Majesty Triumphant in the place of his glorious Conquest and that they might not be obliged in Contests which otherwise they may have with him touching the Conditions of this rendition and to ingage in a further War with England when their Affairs require the contrary the making of Peace with them This was the substance of that which Cardinal Richelieu represented to his Majesty who declared that having well weighed all circumstances he would deceive those of Rochel in giving them cause to bless his entry into the City and commanded that they should have all the assurances possible given them for their Lives Goods and Religion and that forgetting all their faults they should be treated as his other Subjects provided they remained faithful for the time to come but that he intended to demolish all their Walls for taking from them the means of rendering themselves at any other time miserable and that they should not speak any more of their Priviledges which had hitherto inflamed them unto so high a degree This is the Contents of the above-mentioned Piece which I esteem worthy to be inserted in this 1628. October place it serving to clear the Articles which were afterwards agreed to Rochel The 27th the Mayor and Council being assembled those that had been sent to the Sieur Fequiere reported that he thought it necesiary for reaping the fruit of his Intercession which they had desired that they should nominate some with whom he might communicate before the arrival of his Brother-in-law who would not stay as he hoped which being approved of they deputed to him the Sieurs Viette Riffault Mocquay and Charles de la Coste The same day about ten in the morning Sieur Arnault presented himself with Pass-ports for the Deputies if they would send any and the four above-named being chosen went with him to the Cardinal Richelieu who after hearing them told them that he had no Commission from the King to treat with his Subjects of the City of Rochel but only to hear their Propositions and Demands Nevertheless that he would not cease to intercede for them to his Majesty to procure them their Lives Religion and Estates but as to their Priviledges and form of Government his Majesty would reserve that in his own Power not that he would put Souldiers into the City nor make a Citadel but rather demolish the fortifications and that in a day or two at furthest they should return the same to him or other Conditions to accept of and besides that he gave them this Answer by word of mouth he gave it them also in writing in a little Note Being come back the Mayor and Council ordered that the Bell of the City-House should be tolled the next day being October 28. at seven in the 1628. October morning to the end that they might resolve upon these offers and being assembled in the Hall of the City and having heard the report of the Deputies according to the tenure of the said Note or Billet they resolved to receive the best Conditions of Peace that they could get and to that end was named the Sieurs d'Angoulin and de la Goute to agree with the above-said Deputies upon the Articles Having composed the Articles and shewed them to the Council the Deputies went from the City betwixt three and four in the Evening and came to Sausay to wait upon Cardinal Richelieu who deferred them till the next morning but in the interim caused them to be well treated both as to Bed and Board The next morning being the 29th they were called before him finding him with my Lords the Keepers of the Seal Marshal Schomberg and other Lords of the Council and presented to him their Propositions and Demands upon which he told them that the King was pleased of pure grace to grant them their Lives Estates and Liberty of Conscience but as to that Head which imported the treating in general for all those of their Party that it did not behove them to meddle with any thing but what concerned themselves only according as the French in the English Army treated for themselves apart and the better to perswade them to it he shewed them the Deputies from the English Fleet but without permitting them to speak together In the end after many Contests and above all about liberty of the exercise of their Religion within the City they agreed upon Articles of Peace under the Conditions as followeth 1628. October The Mayor Sheriffs Peers Burgers and Inhabitants of the City of Rochel represented by John Berne Esq Sieur d'Angoulin Esq and Sheriff Peter Viette Daniel de la Goute James Riffault Peers Elie Mocquay and Charles de la Coste Burgers having the Commission of Deputies from the Body of the said City acknowledging the great faults that they have committed not only in resisting the just will and pleasure of the King as they have a long time done in not submitting to him and opening of the Gates of Rochel as they were obliged but further in adhering to Strangers who have taken Arms against this State do supplicate with all humility his Majesty to pardon them the Crimes which they have committed in governing themselves in this manner and to receive for satisfaction thereof the obedience which they desire at present to render