A Discourse and true recital of every particular of the victory obtained by the French King, on Wednesday the fourth of March, being Ash-wednesday.  
Also of his good success that he hath had since that time, in taking of certain Towns.  
Out of French into English.  
Seen and Allowed.  BY WISDOM PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY 
T O   printer's device of Thomas Orwin 
AT LONDON, Printed by Thomas Orwin, for Richard Olive, and are to be sold at his shop in Paul's Churchyard, at the Sign of the Crane. 1590.   

A Discourse and true recital of every particular of the victory obtained by the King of France, on Wednesday the 4. of March being Ash-wednesday.  
YOU understood by my last advertisement how God had given victory to the king over his enemies: since which rhyme I have endeavoured myself to learn the truth of all things, as near as I could, of such as were present at the fight, who say the victory as it fell out, was a miraculous work of God: for the forces of the Duke de Maine were 4500. horse, aswell armed as possible, amongst which were 1600. Lances, and the rest petronels armed, and 18000. footmen, and the forces of the King were 2000 horse, and 12000. foot. The King was advertised that the Duke de Maine was passed the River at Maunte, and that he journeyed with great boldness towards him: whereupon it was advised in counsel to raise his siege before Dreux, which had sustained two assaults, and so upon monday the 2. of March the King raised his siege, & encamped himself so near the Duke, that the same night certain Marshals of the Duke lodged in certain Villages were dislodged by the King, and there lodged himself by force. The next morning the King did put himself into the field in a fair plain, and saw that the Duke was returned between Saint Andre and Yury near Annet, three quarters of a mile further than he was the day before, which troubled the King much to seek him so far; which was great advantage to the enemy, and peril to the King to approach them, which made them to leave a Village that they held. This day was nothing performed but skirmishes. The Wednesday morning the King caused every man to be put in array, he himself ordered the whole, and gave order that so soon as they heard one piece of Ordnance shot of, they should prepare themselves to the battle.  
The Duke by his Espials had discovered the sign of the Cannon, but understood it had been to have prepared for their departure, and therefore sought by all means to know which way the King meant to flee, and trussed up his baggage to follow: but it fell out otherwise, for at this sign every man was prepared.  
The Tuesday before, the Duke sent to know how the King was appareled, whereby to know him, the better to lay to kill him. The King being advertised hereof, sent a Trumpet to tell him, that he was sorry he took so much pain, & that he would ease him of that care, and that he gave him to understand, that (if he had desire to see him) he should find him mounted upon a grey horse, with a great white feather in his crest armed in blue and black, and desired to know how he would be armed and mounted, for that he desired to speak with him very near; unto the which he answered, he would be armed in red, but the gallant was armed in black. The King having commanded all into battle array, did command every one to pray, which they all gladly did in particular. This done, the king began to march forward with some part of his Cornet of horse, and caused one of the squadrons of his horse to approach behind him, in the which was the Artillery, which was shot with such fury amongst the Reisters, thrice out of every Cannon, that he made at every shot a fair breach: notwithstanding they did not let to come to the charge, where they were well received; and of the Cannons which the enemy discharged, there was but one shot that hurt, wherewith was slain of the King's Cornet four or five persons. The Cornet of the King was so hardly assailed by 1600. horse in 4. parts, that he that bore the Cornet was thrown down, & all that troup forced to retire. The King which was in another Cornet than in his own, having left Chiccot appareled like himself, saving he had two Fox tails hanging in his Helmet, was marvelously charged, thinking it had been the king, for the which Chiccot did mock them, & defended himself valiantly. The King seeing the said Cornet so hardly assailed, came to the head of the enemy encouraging his Army, which began to retire crying Amoy enfans, it is I that am the King, and his feather being high mounted, served fora standard, and then every one began to return to the King, and charged the Spaniards and Walloons, which showed themselves valiant men: but if it had not been for the coming of the King, all his men had fled. Upon which return and charge, the Spaniards and Walloons suddenly began to flee, who were presently pursued by the King and his men, who gave them no time, once being broken, to join again, charging them in sundry places. The Marshal Daumont charged the Reisters, and passed and repassed twice through them: whereupon the said Reisters seeing the Spaniards and Walloons flee▪ which were 1600. lances well mounted; fled also. The Marshal Daumont pursuing them, met the Lance Knights, who charged him, and caused him to stay to fight but the Lance Knights stood but a while, and retired into a small Wood, whether the footmen of the King went to them, and put them all to the sword.  
While this battle was fight, the Lord of Humieres of Picardy arrived with 300▪ horse to the King, who charged also the Walloons, and came in good time. The King fearing at the first he and his company had been enemies that had come to charge him: but when he saw them to assail the Spaniards, he rejoiced and was glad, and then sent to know what he was, and it was answered, that it was Humieres. This man helped the King much to overthrow the Spaniards and Walloons, who stood 〈◊〉 valiantly before▪ and to say truth, there was none that fought well of the enemy's side that day but they: By the opinion of those that were at the battle; that first without the help of God, and secondarily, the valiantness of the King, and thirdly the happy coming of Humieres, the battle had been lost on the King's side. But mark a notable miracle, in a moment out men retired, in a moment again returned, & after in a moment put the enemies to slight: for so soon as the King had gathered again his men together, setting upon them, the fear of God struck them, (for by the judgement of men, they had no other occasion) and so fled: also it was thought they feared the Marshal Byron, who all this while stood in a heap with 600. Horse to sustain and give help to the weakest part of the Kings bartaile, but when the King sent him word to give help to his Cornet which was sore oppressed, he made answer; that his lying still did give more terror & fear to the enemy making sign every minute to set upon them, than if he had entered the battle, for if he had charged the enemy, they should no longer have feared, seeing all the King's forces to be employed. There were three Cornets of the Kings, which at the first retired, of the which S. Bonnet which bore the corner of Captain Rowlet was one. The said Rowlet remained still in the King's Camp only with 12. Lasices, but afterwards did put himself into another Cornet to fight Gerponuile who carried the Cornet of the Governor of Deep fell under his horse, whereupon one of the greatest and richest Barons of Caux, being the commander's Lieutenant ran to the baggage to keep it obtaining thereby great honour. In brief, there were many astonished, and surely had it not been through the great endeavour of the King who with Marshal D'aumont and others having their hearts & minds fully bend, still encouraging his people all had been lost. De Maine seeing this hard onset, stayed not the charging of himself although he had with him 500 horse but betook him to his spurs, by Devery upon the river of Eury, which stood by good hap for him. The Knight D'aumal and D'namures without fight ran away, than every one pursued the enemy by the commandment of the King. The footmen seeing the Tragedy, (that is to sat) the Frenchmen and Swissers, kept their place, & holding down their pikes cried for mercy. The King sent to take away their Ensigns, and then took them to mercy: the lanceknights were all put to the sword for their Treason at arks. De Maine ran away by the bridge of Devery, and cast away his Cassock and took a Mandilian of a Soldier, and passing through his own men slew four or five whereby more easielie to pass, and caused a Barricado to be made at the bridge and placed soldiers there to defend the pursuit, the King coming to the said Barricado, and seeing some let being conducted by Chiccot, who assured him that he knew the way, did return to pass by a shallow, and pursued De Maine to the Suburbs of Maunte, which was 7. leagues from the place. The Duke de Maine was an hour at the gates entreating entry, which at the first they denied, telling him they feared least the King should enter with him in the pursuit, whereupon he swore he had killed the King with his own hands, but in truth had lost the battle, by which means he entered, & if he had stayed but one quarter of an hour longer he had been dispatched, and had it not been for the Barricado at the bridge of Devery, which letted them, and his speedy departure from the battle, he had been either slain or taken. He saved himself from thence to Pontois and so to Saint Denis: he caused all the Peasants to rise by the report of his men that were prisoners, to kill all them that should flee: he commanded all the nobility of France to be slain without sparing any: he ordered also means to kill the King, in which God hath changed his purpose. There were taken in the place of the battle four Cannons and other small pieces, all his baggage, powder and munition, a great number of Chariots and horses of the Reisters Germans and Walloons: in brief, the Peasants are by that means rich, a great number of the soldiers were drowned. The Barricado of Devery, was after taken by the King's side, and many men slain there. In the battle were slain not past 1500. but in the pursuit of the flight was the great slaughter. The confusion was so great, that the baggage of Monsieur the Prince of Conte were carried away by the enemy fleeing to Vernone, but afterwards were recovered. There were 60. Ensigns & 40. Cornets taken, the white Cornet of the Main, the King (having slain the bearer) took himself. The King hath licenced the Swissers to departed, and hath given them a convoy to their Cantons, allowing them six pence a day during their travel home, with advertisement that they should come no more against the Crown of France. There is 6000. footmen French, which have sworn service to the King, cursing the Main that he left them to the butchery of the Victor, praising greatly the King for his great mercy. The King as yet will not accept of their service. The County Egmond was slain there by the hands of Marshal Daumont, who was Colonel of the Walloons. The Duke of Brunswick cannot be found, but is thought to be dead: Founrden Martell dead, Bassonpierre, Chattenneraies, Baddolphen, & divers others dead in the place. There is of the Walloons passed at Amiens 350. or 400. whereof 120. left in the Hospital being hurt. De Maine did send after them to Amiens to come to him by the Signior Belleanglise: to whom they answered, they would not return, calling the Main Runaway. The King commanded all the strangers to be slain, and the French to be saved. There are few Spaniards or Italians left alive, except those which saved themselves by flight▪ for although they offered great sums of money for their ransume, yet were they all slain. The Peasants mocked the Main, saying he caused them to come to kill the King's men, but yet killed the others, and cried, God save the King. It is the most norable victory that of late was heard of, and being thoroughly considered, must be confessed to come of God.  
The Tuesday night before the battle, there was seen in this place two Armies in the Sky, the one greater than the other, and the less overcame the greater. This sight was seen at the time of the preparing of the Battle; & the like at the same time in the Camp; & now we understand the issue thereof by the victory. God hath showed himself apparently to favour the cause, in so much that they say in the Camp, that the prayers of the Hugonots are much available in the sight of God. Vernone yielded on Friday after, and the King entered it on Saturday: Maurte yielded upon Monday, and the King entered it upon Tuesday. There was found 3. great Cannons with powder and shot, and there the King refreshed himself well. The 28. day the King departed out of Maunte to go to corbel, men's & Mullen, where the Duke of Longuevile hath 2500. horse, and 6000. footmen: which Towns are like to be delivered to the King, the which will be a great help to advance the parley of them of Paris, which they seek.  
Monsieur de Villeroy hath been at Maunte, & hath since twice spoken with the Marshal Byron. The King hath licenced the Gentlemen of base Normandy to go home to their houses to refresh themselves, having sufficient forces beside. Monsieur de Tauannes fleeing from the Battle, hath retired himself to Rouen, in show, to keep them assured to the Main. Monsieur de Villiers Governor of Newhaven coming thither, being called by the Country to take the government and strong places, hath been repulsed by Monsieur de Tauannes and Milray. And although they make great show to withstand the King, yet have they resolved in their private counsel to yield, the King coming by force, not expecting any rescue at all.  
The Duke de Aumale is in Picardy, and the Duke de Maine hath withdrawn him, his wife and children out of Paris, and conveyed his wife and children to Perone. Himself is now at Soissons gathering what forces he can; but not likely to gather any at this present, having no other hope, but the accustomed lies of his preachers, and other his wont practises.  
From Deep the 20. of March. 1590.  
FINIS.