I A   initials of the printer John Allde 
I A   initials of the printer John Allde  blazon or coat of arms  blazon or coat of arms 
THE COPY OF a letter sent by one of the camp, of the Prince of Conde (touching the featis of war as of late have been done) to a friend of his, the thirty. of December last passed.  
Anno Domini. 1568.  
Laus Deo.  ¶ Omnia Vincit Veritas.   

OF A LETTER.  
AFter your departure (most honourable) out of France, we have own nothing but running to and fro▪ taking & laying siege to Towns and Cities, and all what we have taken in hand: hath prospered well and gone forward, God have the honour for it. And yet we will not cease, or leave of: but go forward as place and time shall serve. And as we never doubted of your good will, and earnest desire to see the confusion of Gods & our enemies: so now we see efféctually showed your ready help and present comfort. And as we have had before in our enterprises, or attempts good succeding: so now we trust to do the better, for your aid which you have sent us. Not because we put any trust, or confidence either in ourselves, or in any outward force: but that they are means, whereby our God I trust shall deliver us, and that shortly. God forbidden that we should make flesh or blood our arm, or to put any conridence in the multitude of horsemen. Nevertheless we are many, and our number is thirty thousand footmen, of the which there are five and twenty thousand Harkebusiers, or Gunners, and the rest weaponed with Lances, and seven or eight thousand horsemen: beside the multitude which is coming from Montaban.  
And as for our victories which God hath given us: we have taken by force of weapon these towns following. 

S. jehan Dangeli.  
Fontenay.  
Angoulesme.  
Chaveni. near Poitiers.  
Chammi.  
Lodun.  
Bisamni.  
Ambeteni.  
Toillebourg.  
Niort.  
Partenay.  
Pont.  
Penni.  
Talmond.  
Montagni.  
Blay.  
Bonniunet.  
Saints.    
And other more as Coingnac, New castle Bréeflye all what lies upon the river of Garronne until the river of Loire on the side of Samne.  
Concerning the battles or skirmishings which we have had against our enemies, we have been together twice or thrice, in such a place, and field, as they might have chosen for their advantage to fight, whereas they were so laid an: that never since they durst meet us any more, but always avoid and flee our company, smelling us a far of as a fox doth the pitched line.  
Touching the meeting and a skirmish between us five weeks ago: they lost seven or eight hundredth men, & the spoil was about two hundredth M. crowns worth, but they saved themselves by the means of a river, some within Poitiers, some other at Lusignam.  
My Lord the Prince of Conde caught the hat of an Italian captain named Peter Strocij.  
My Lord Admiral, the Coat of one Brisac. My Lord the Duke Montgomery the stirrups and spurs of Monsieur of Guise.  
One of my Lord Admiral's lackeys hath for his part six and thirty pieces of silver vessels which did belong to the lord of Guise. To be short: there was none of them all but that they were th● better for it. After that my Lords the Princes being of mind to provoke them to fight a battle: applied themselves in their fight towards the Town and Castle of Chagny, a fortress where as they trusted themselves for to be most sure, but these good souls had rather to save themselves by flying then to defend their Towns & Castles, or to present themselves to a Combat: for they say it is dangerous, to be there as their common term was at that time through out all their camp, as since it hath been very often practised by them, loving rather to flee and to forsake their Towns and cities: then to hazard their lives, or to put in ieobardie their bodies, thorough the which they hope to be revenged. So the said Prince of Conde being near Samny, for to have besieged it: our enemies approached with their Artissenry within a quarter of a leagne of Lodun, and required it to be rendered, where of the Prince being advertised: made haste towards them in such sort that they were constrained to break up their siege and to go again to their old accustomed remedy, which is to get them away over the river. True it is that b●fore they came so far, there were slain two hundred of their men, & the night following, seven Ensigns more were undone and destroyed.  
Moreover two days past the company of Monsieur du Noye, overtook, and found at the suburbs of the afore said town Chagny: about three or four score Zwitsers.  
Also the Provost and Archers of the Guard of my Lord the King's brother, which was himself within the Town. And beyond the water was an Alarm very hot.  
This day there came news by two Gentlemen which arrived coming from the Prince of Orange, and the Duke of Bipont, which left the said Prince of Orange within seven & twenty leagues of Paris, having with him ten or eleven thousand Kutters, or Horsemen, and four thousand french men, and sixtéen or seventeen thousand footmen, which take their journey strait toward Paris, of the which army Monsieur, de jauliis leadeth the first ward. And the said Duke of Bipont hath been coming toward the prince of Orange, ever since the tenth day of this month, to join himself with him.  
Also news came aswell in our camp, as also to our enemies, that Monsieur D'arnalle hath lost four thousand men, being constrained through the army of the Prince of Orange (which came to join himself to the Duke of Bipont) to retire sudenlye with two thousand men which were left him to go to Riens. It is said for a troth that the Lord Guise is gone in post to find out the King. Also it is said that the most part of there camp goeth toward Paris, to set the against the strange Princes. I believe we shall follow. Cito. Cito.   

¶ Imprinted at London at the long Shop adjoining unto S. Mildred's Church in the Pultrie, by john Allde Anno Domini. 1569, januarij. 24▪