depiction of knight on horseback   

A DISCOURSE OF that which is past, since the king's departure from Govy, to pursue the prince of Parma: even till the first of May. 1592.  
The last letters thereof came on the fourth of the same month according to the English computation.  
with new additions by later letters.  
Imprinted at London by john Wolf, and are to be sold at his shop, over against the South-door of Paul's. 1592.   

A discourse of that which is passed since the kings departure from Govy, to pursue the Prince of Parma, even till the first of May. 1592. the last letters thereof, came on the fourth of the same month.  
THe king continuing his enterprise to fight with the duke of Parma, and of the Main, and to give them battle according to the last order of his deparparture from Govy: to the end nothing were forgotten that might draw and force the enemy to come to a battle: the king without any sojourning, came in great haste to lodge in Netiville a league, & one half distant from juetot, where part of the forces of the said dukes was quartered, & entrenched. The duke de Maine and the Guise were there themselves in person with the cavalry of Bourgonie, the which monsieur. S. Paul had brought out of champaign, and Vitry his own Cornet. In the mean time that the marshials of the held were appointing of the quarters, his Majesty advanced forward with a hundred horses, and fifty Hargebusiers a horseback, and to the end he might both discover their entrenchment and judge by their assurance in the combat, whether they had stomach enough to defend their lodgings, & to come to a battle, commanded in his presence a skirmish, in which monsieur de Contenant then commanding of the enemy's troops, coming out of their village, was taken prisoner and one soldier of the said Vitry his company: having yielded so slender a skirmish, that the king did judge by their countenance, the place to be more assured of itself, for the ditches round about it, then in the force that kept it. And having appointed the night before that all his army should march directly the next morning towards Yuetot, his Majesty departed at the break of the day, with twenty horses accompanied with two hundred more, and one hundred hargebusiers a horseback, and having placed all them he had brought with him so few as they were in such places of advantage as served best to his purpose: his Majesty would have procured a skirmish, and seeing that among his enemies there was more fear, then will to fight, and that they were in amaze yet the army came, which followed the king, his Majesty caused those that were before the village, to be charged so hotly, that ours entered pelle melle into the village with the enemies.  
There were 18. or 20. of Vitry his company slain, and more than should have been, if the enemy had not put the sire into the village to hinder our passage, further to pursue them. In the mean time Vitry and the young Lord of Chastres with their light horses, put themselves in battle without the village seconded by monsieur S. Paul, and the Cavalliere of Bourgonie & champaign. But they kept the place of their battle so cowardly, that as these few troops which the king had brought with him, did approach and charge them, they had rather refuge to their spurs and to the quickness of their horses then to their swords or pistols. Vitry his horse was slain at that time under him, and should have been taken if he had not been disgaged again by one of his soldiers. The young Lord of Chastres was taken prisoner, and thirty or forty with him, and as many slain. The rest saved themselves by their hasty retiring, which was so speedy that de Guise, and duke de Maine, their horses were out of breath. They found very fitly to their purpose some of their forces that had taken the Alarm in battle array near another village entrenched. They saved themselves from a small number who chased before them a great number of cowardly runaways. The situation of the country is so close and advantageous to them that are first lodged in a place, that the King could exploit nothing more that day, but quartered in juetot and his infantry: in the villages where duke de Maine and de Aumale were lodged before with their troops, which they abandoned after such a sort, that they left a great part of their plate & all their dinner behind them to retire to their Camp entrenched and fortified where all their Army is lodged.  
The next morning, those that were that night in guard told unto his majesty, that ever since midnight they had heard in the Camp the sound of drums and Trumpets a horseback, the noise of whips and carts and other great noise, as is commonly accustomed in a dislodging of a camp, but they could not tell which way the Enemy had taken: whether of Rouen or else of Newhaven.  
insomuch that in this incertitude his Majesty to lose no more of his array, that was in a fit place to prevent the vaunt-garde of both the ways that the Army could take: resolved to keep his array in a readiness, to rise upon his first commandment, and himself to go in the mean time to discover the truth: which he did, and went only accompanied with four of his gentlemen in their doublets.  
His majesty upon the discovery of the truth, took a prisoner upon the head of their entrenchment, being a Spaniard of the company of Diego Davillade, & having kept the Enemy all that day in an Alarm within their intrenchement, discovered the lodgings where his camp should be quartered the next day, and where to place his artillery.  
Following this resolution, the last day of April, his Majesty came and lodged in Variar-ville, and procured some skirmishes of horsemen in the mean while that the rest of the army was in quartering of themselves, without any other great exploit done that day of both parties that is worthy the writing. But betwixt six and seven of the clock in the evening, his majesty being accompanied with the Duke Longeville the County saint Paul, the Marshal of France, and with eighteen or twenty gentlemen all in their doublets, going to see his guards and to discover certain things known only to himself: six score Englishmen pikes and shot, under the leading of Sir Roger Willyams, began a great skirmish, which grew so hot, that there were of the enemies about 900 or a thousand shot, aswell French and Italians, as Spaniards, and four hundred horses, who after many a shot bestowed on both sides came to charge our pikes, but they were by them so valiantly received (monsieur Byron being then in place, Monsieur de Belle-garde great Esquire of France, and divers other Barons, all in their doublets only) that the coronet of Bentivoglio was slain upon the place. The Captain, the Lieutenant and Ensign, and more than sitteene or twenty other notable men slain, and stripped of their brave and rich attire, with their scarves of favour, besides the great number of men and horses that were hurt at that time.  
And being not contented with this, as they saw certain regiments of foot coming behind the hedges to surprise them, they joined with the Flemings that were come to the Alarm, and making together about 500 or 600. pikes, and 300. or 400. harquebushers, went to charge those that came to surprise them so resolutely, that they slew about three or four score of them, and drove the rest before them into their trenches, without any greater loss of the Englishmen then six men, and twenty hurt.  
It was thought that Friday next a day particular to the Duke of Parma for his enterprises, and a feast of saint james, whom the Spaniards hold for their Patron: they would have had their revenge, but being contented with their loss, without hazarding themselves any further, their trenches have been their resting place without any show of a desire of sallying forth. Which his majesty seeing, hath set such order in the affairs of his Army, that victuals are there in great store and abundance and hope will not fail there hereafter.  
Since this victory, and from the next morning forward, his majesty will use all means possible he can, to draw his Enemy to a battle, with such a resolution, not to leave them before he hath defeated them, which his majesties hopes to compass yet it be long, either by a victory of a battle if they do accept it, or by necessity which shall force them to abandon their trenches, which is such already in their Army, that all things are three times dearer than in our Campe.  
And this by the grace of God who is the Lord of hosts protector of the King, revenger of all usurping powers, in whom at all times the King hath only put his trust & confidence.  
Advertisement is given by letters from the fourth of May, that the duke of Parma is greatly discontented with the Frenchmen that are with him, saying that they do betray him. He is very ill of his hurt, and he hath an ague which weakeneth him very much, and forceth him to keep his bed: three bones or shiverings are drawn out of his wound.  
The Duke Longeville took the third of this month, many of their chariots and carts loaden with victuals. Their Frenchmen run daily away for want of necessaries They are not able to tarry there long. The sickness is great in their camp. In the skirmish that was upon the fourth day of May, the horse of the young Prince was slain, and he escaped very dangerously and hardly.  
The King seeing the Enemies to fortify themselves within a wood, which did lie betwixt him and the troops but five hundred paces, joining upon their trenches where they might plant some ordinance, and foreseeing the damage that might ensue by it, resolved by the advise of his Princes, Lords, and chiefest captains, to raise them from thence by force with a village thereunto belonging, being one of their chiefest quarters, and to that effect it was appointed that all the troops should meet upon the appointed Rendezvous to set upon that wood in the break of the day: but the darkness of the night having been partly the cause that they were not so diligent, it was near night before all were arrived, which took away all hope to effectuate any thing that day.  
The enemy seeing our forces assembled, it gave them occasion to believe that it was upon intention to enterprise some exploit upon them.  
Whereupon they put themselves in battle array, and used such diligence in fortifying of themselves in the wood, besides the Ditches and trenches which they had cast already, that the king was of opinion to have slacked his enterprise till another time: but seeing all his troops full of courage and boldness, he resolved to make a trial of it, causing it to be assaulted on sundry sides. Where the Englishmen, Wallons, French, and Lanceknightes, carried themselves so valiantly, that the first that were of the forlorn hope, forced all the said trenches with a great fight of pikes of both sides, forcing the enemy finally to abandon both the wood and the village, being in number about two thousand men, whereof remained dead upon the place, more than three hundred Spaniards, with certain Wallons, and among the rest six or seven Captains, with their Lieutenant, Colonel de la Bolette, with out loss but of three or four men of the kings and seven or eight hurt.  
The king gave at the same time to Baron Byron, fifty horses of those that were with him, conducted by Monsieur le Vedame de Chartres, who pursued them that did retire till twenty paces from their intrenchement, where all their Army stood in battle, and slew yet six or seven score more, with the loss only of one of ours, and bearing himself so forward that he was slain even upon their trenches. Some of our horses were slain, and many hurt.  
After this we remained yet eight hours in battle, to present then the combat, where they did us some harm at first with their great Ordinance, which they had placed in a place of advantage without their trenches, but we took another place where the Cannon could not do us more harm, and so having notstaied for them thus long, and the night to approach, that they made no show of coming forth, the king sent every man to his quarter, till other occasion were offered to exploit more: having sufficiently showed to the enemy, and that to their loss that our infantry is better than theirs, whereof they have had the trial oftentimes, and yield that honour unto our horsemen. I hope that God will favour us, as to continue our good success.  
Two days after the king had perforce taken from the enemy the wood that on his side did cover him, as is aforesaid: the enemies finding no great safety in their camp resolved to dislodge, and so departed upon Wednesday last, the sixth of this month before day without sound of trumpet or drum, in a rainy and windy weather, which in recompense of the hindrance that is ministered to their march, brought them the commodity to help to cover their departure, so that the king could not be so ready to follow them, which notwithstanding he did about six of the clock in the morning, with a thousand or 1200. horse, causing also his army to come forward, so that easily he might have overtaken them, in case they had prosecuted their journey towards Roan, as it was likely they did intend: But within one hour after his departure he found them already lodged in a strong place and of advantage, their tail reaching even to Caudebee, wherefore he also resolved to lodge that day at juetot, and the next day to set forward to get afore them toward Roan: but being come to the Rendezvous that he had given to his whole army, he understood by such as he had sent to discover the enemies doings, that they made no semblance to stir: whereupon he took again his former lodging, from whence he was gone, and made it convenient. For they imagining him to be passed forward, there were some of their troops found marching to seize upon the same lodging, from whence they might afterward have easily escaped, and could no more have been entrapped, but seeing their way still stopped, such as were gone abroad returned. And since they have kept themselves in their lodgings. Three days together by reason of the bad rainy wether, the king was driven to let his army sojourn in their trenches, and could do no more but daily go himself, his cousins, the Marshals Byron, Aumont & Bovillon. The Baron of Byron, marshal of the camp, and other the captains to take a view of their feat, and of the ways to come to the enemy's camp, to the end upon the first opportunity to march & to set upon them. Then having seen and well noted all that might be done, the king yesterday determined to go and give an onset.  
This morning having brought all footmen near, and the most part of his horsemen, with three pieces of artillery, who came so early to the place appointed, that about eight or nine of the clock, they struck into a bottom that made the head of their camp, where were lodged seven cornets of the ordinances of the low countries, and twenty of light horse, seven of Carabins, and all their rutters, who all were overthrown with the slaughter of two or three hundred, among others, of sundry Captains, whose names as yet we cannot learn. The booty amounted unto above 150000. crowns. Most of their baggage being taken, with almost 4000 horse, some of carriage, and some of service, with four Cornets that were won. We trust that God continuing his blessings toward the good and just cause, will shortly make an end of the Spanish ambition and tyranny, and grant happy peace unto his Majesty, and all his good subjects, whereof we are daily most earnestly to desire him.  
By other letters coming at the same time that these did, and signifying as much as herein is set down, they say also, that in the Prince of Parma his camp, that a munition loaf, which is of very black bread, and is about the bigness of one of our halfpenny loaves, is there sold in his camp for two shillings and six pence, and that a pottle of spring water, is also sold there for seven pence farthing.  

True news from the kings Canpe, by the Kings own Letters, which came on the 4. of May. 1592.  
On Thursday last at night, there was a great conflict upon the horsemen of the Enemy, wherein were taken, as followed:  


Seven cornets of Lances.  
Twenty Cornets of lighthorsses.  
Seven Cornets of carbines.  
All the Swissers put to flight.  
Almost all the carts burned.  
Four thousand horse taken.  
Three hundred men of Account slain upon the place.  
The spoils worth 150000. Crowns.  
The Duke of Parma deadly sick at Caudebeck.  
Three traitors coming to kiss the K. hanged.  
The king's wife dead.    
The Governor of Rouen hath caused many boats to be brought to the duke of Parma being in Caudebeck, upon which boats the Duke made a bridge, whereupon he did pass over the water with his army, but the King followed him so nigh, that he could have no leisure to break his bridge, by which means the king followed him over.  
There were 500 men of the duke of Parmaes at Lisleboune, which were charged by the king's men, and were every one put to the sword.  
The Duke cannot retire but by one of these three ways: the one, which goeth towards Rouen, the which is very dangerous, because there is about seven miles of very thick wood to pass, and a very foul way beside.  
Another way, is going towards Ponteandemer, which is a very strong and well fortified city, guarded by the Lord Lavardin with two thousand soldiers, besides the townsmen.  
And the third way, is going between Ponteandemer and Pontlesuesque: a way truly most dangerous both for the deep muds, much wood, and a great many rude clowns, yet very valiant which are dwelling towards that way.   
FINIS.