A MOST EXCELlent exploit performed by Monsieur de Diguieres, the French kings Lieutenant, upon the Pope's Army which was under the conduct of Earl Hercules the Pope's Nephew.  
With the taking of Saint Esprite, and the mutiny in Paris.  
Together with A Discourse of the overthrow of the Duke of Savoy's army defeated by the Lord de Diguieres, in the plain of Pont-Charra, near to Castle Bayard, in the vale of Gresivodan the eighteenth of September 1591.  
Printed at Toures by james Mattayer Printer to the King's Majesty, and truly translated into English, according to the same copy.  
LONDON. Printed by john Wolf, 1591.   


A MOST EXCELLENT exploit performed by Monsieur de Diguieres, the French kings Lieutenant, upon the Pope's Army, which was under the conduct of Earl Hercules the Pope's Nephew.  
With the taking of Saint Esprite, and the mutiny in Paris.  
IT is commonly known because it is the general plague of Christendom, how that usurper of Ecclesiastical power, abuser of Kings, and misleader of souls, I mean the Pope, rageth as a whirlwind through Europe, mustering rebels and fugitives, nursing traitors to God and their country, and sending them out into the world to trouble the quietness of kingdoms and overthrowing all, only to support himself.  
Amongst others (besides the business of his great Son the Spanish King) he hath sent a power of his own, under the conduct of his own Nephew at least, the Earl Hercules, furnished in all points to the proof, loaden with the blessings of the Pope himself, and the spoils of their own Churches, royally, rich, and resolute enough, and in this pride they march down into that massacred country of France, with great purpose of most wonderful conclusions.  
But Mounsieur de Diguieres being there for the king, gathered a head of expert soldiers by disgarisoning the neighbour Towns, and welcomed these gallants of Italy with so hot an encounter, that in less than two hours, two thousand & five hundred of them were overthrown, and almost as many taken prisoners, eight hundred of which were slain in the fury, and four hundred kept prisoners, the rest (more to qualify the pride of their haughty natures) were first solemnly sworn by Mounsieur de Diguieres never more to bear Arms against the French king, and then shamefully sent home disarmed, saving only white wands in their hands in scorn of their weapons.  
The General and his company were well apaid of this service: for whereas before they lay in Garrison and lacked money, now these brave Romanists brought them a necessary exercise, an honourable victory and rich spoils, for amongst them they found in chains of gold, rings, jewels, and armour, as much as was valued at more than two hundred thousand French crowns, besides three hundred great horse for service, God send him and all his friends, many more such banquets.  
Besides Saint Esprite, sur Rue hath been taken by some of the kings side, which doth mightily hinder those of Abevile, and Amiens from having succour by sea.  
It is moreover known for certainty, that they in Paris are at intolerable mutiny amongst themselves, the people against their governors, and the great ones against them, and so much have the people prevailed that they have hanged up their chief Governor, God send all their Leaders and favourits so good an end.   

A discovery upon such accidents as have happened in the French King his Army, sithence the first day of October, until the fift of the same month.  
THe King departing on monday morning from Attigny, with a thousand French, three thousand Ritters, and five hundred Harquebuziers, all on horse, intending to engage fight, and to know what his enemies forces were, and with what resolution they would endure the bravado, if any should be given; was by diversity of informations led into so many doubts, that he would not altogether unadvisedly hazard his troops, till such time as with better advantage and more certain intelligence he might try the Fortune of such an assault, as might both make his Majesty be held in an honourable estimate for his wisdom, and his followers be animated with so resolute a zeal to the performance of their enterprise, as might cause a continual report, and make good their warlike endeavours.  
Thus minding to persist in the effecting of some exploit, about two of the clock in the after noon, he with these four thousand foot and five hundred horse, arrived at Grandpre, a place distant seven Leagues from whence he was departed, where he understood that the Lord of Amblize, with the troops of horse which belonged to the Duke de Lorain, and all the strangers of the Duke de Main, were quartered, about a Town called Mountfaucon, bordering upon Lorraine which was not distant above five Leagues from Graundpre, which news chanced to the King's great joy: After animating his troops with such words as might best beseem so brave a General, set spurs, and in all hast made towards Mountfaucon, where he arrived before night. But those Leaguers which were lodged in the Town either without intelligence of his majesties intended assault, or any Alarm at all, were departed from thence to lodge betwixt Stenay and Villefranche, having intended the day following to give some bravado on such companies as his Majesty had left about Aulmont, upon which doubtless they had executed some notable stratagem, had not information of the King's arival appalled them in such sort, as they were forced to plot grounds for their own safety, & desist from their enterprise.  
His M. being quartered near to Mountfaucon, a Fort well furnished with munition and soldiers, thought best to undertake the trying of the Pope's forces: yet notwithstanding maugre the sconce & the Leaguers which were thereabout, lay there all that night, not without a general terror to the poor rebels which held the place. Notwithstanding that they had two hundred horse, and many fine sallies for advantaging themselves.  
The next morning he determined to make for Verdun beiond the river Meuze, where the Pope's forces lay, under the conduct of Don Octaui● Chezis: whereupon the next day his troops being in readiness marched directly to lafoy Meuze, where he found a squadron of horse, which upon his M. approach carried news to the leaders of the Popish Army, who upon advise were sent to guard the passage, but they half dead for fear, began to quake as soon as they perceived what a number came swarming round about them, thought it better to get within the walls, or at leastwise to live themselves with some companies that might bear the blows: but whilst they stood thus scanning their neckeverses without book, they betook them to their heels, and so saved themselves harmless.  
This cowardice not giving any small occasion of admiration to the King's powers, who to their no little dishonour, began to shout at them, was not alone an appaling of those which were after to encounter, but so prosperous an accident to the encouraging of his M. resolute followers, that they almost esteemed it as dishonour to combat with such Cows. But the King now perceiving it high ●ime to give notice to the world of his magnanimity, began thus to lay the platform of his valour.  
First he sent monsieur Fournier and le Sieur de Giury with 50. horse to engage the fight, but seeing how these at one place had given the alarm, and that therefore it was hard to surprise them, turned right towards Amblize whom he hoped to encounter with either on the way, or resting themselves: Meanwhile divers foragers of the kings met with twelve lances which guarded chariots and convoys of the leagues, and about the same time three Carbines of the kings gave him to understand how they had seen Amblize mounted with all his troops, march right to Dampuilliers: Upon which information he thought it good to go and lie in the way to cut them off, and for the more speed advanced himself in person, and took the nearest way which lay through a forest bounding on Lorraine, & Luxembourg, and by this means adventured so far as he came within Cannon shot of Dampuilliers, where he found they had not yet passed. Wherefore seeing the day began to fail, provided for the lodging of his men, because being in arms, the distance and the great pace they road, made them weary: The meanwhile his Majesty, as his natural disposition is, not sleeping above three hours, spent the rest in premeditating on the sequel of his enterprise, but never ceasing to think how he might cirumvent his great enemies, commanded that the day following the rendezvous should at the furthest by ten of the clock be appointed, at his court of Guard that was furthest advanced, and from thence intended to make for verdun to give the battle, which being done he approached within a league of the town, where he made a stand, looking till a wonderful great tempest was allayed: which notwithstanding his Majesty impatient of the least delay, accompanied only with thirty horse: came within the sight of the town, whence not seeing any body come forth, and the rain and wind rather increase, then give over, gave order to the Baron Byron, that his squadrons might be lodged half a league further off, to prevent any sally, and to send to him 150. horse, being chosen some out of every troop: whereupon the Prin●● d'Enhal● came in person with thirty Alman horse and other Nobles to the number of an hundred and fifty.  
Now when the weather began to break up, there sallied out of the town fifty Lances, which seemed at the first as if they would have come to render themselves to his majesties favour: but like traitors pretending nothing less, being within musket shot of the walls, made a stand, having for their General the Lieutenant of Don Ottavio Chezis, which is the first company under the Pope's Nephew: these having divers Carbins in their company, made them scout up and down, to espy if any ambush were not laid near the town, in performance of which they spent two hours, whereby their good devotion, either to submit themselves to the kings mercy, or the fortune of the day, proved so could, as his highness could but smile at their simple endeavours, But whilst they were in this squadron, neither daring for fear come out of the shot, nor for shame return into the Town, his highness sent le Sieurs de Praslin, la Curee & de l'Hargerie to counter brave them, but with 20. horse, giving them in charge, that the first pace that they should see the enemy retire, as they were natural Friends and honourable subjects, they should charge them what mishap soever should befall, and the more to annimat them, promised new supplies: whereupon on their allegiance, promised to perform what his Majesty should please to command, and so set forward. The king perceiving with what loyal affection & resolute hardiness, these few submitted their lives to his pleasure, prising their loss above any esteem, willed the Baron Byron to be ready on one side with 40. and le Sieur de la Chappelle aux Vrsins, with 20. horse on the other side, aswell to succour the assailants if need should be, as to see if any troops came not behind, or were laid in ambush to cut them off: not contrary to an expected cowardice, at the ranging of these squadrons, they so betook them to a gallop, but not with such haste, but that six of those 20 being the best mounted, entered the backs of them, and began to make their Ensign fly. In this skirmish was slain the horse that Le Sieur de la Curee had under him, which the enemy perceiving turned, and set upon them being not passing 5. or 6. (the rest not being so well horsed could not enter the rearguard so soon) yet having no more than these 6. they behaved themselves in such sort, as although they were in the midst of the throng, yet every several man could have shown his enemies head on his lances point, wherein they showed the magnanimity of right loyal subjects, & yet not thus content chaste them even under the walls of the town, slew 8. of their horses, and brought away two prisoners where they stood, & fronted three squadrons of horse, privily sallied out of the town, which making show to charge them scarce almost above a hundred paces were content to make a stand, & see their fellows rifled, amongst whom was the Lieutenant and Captain of the guard aforesaid.  
Thus valiantly having made an impression of their true and notable affection towards their sovereign they returned, Le Sieur de Praslin having received three several blows of a lance in his cloak, and a Pistol which pierced his cuirass, bruised his flesh but rested in his doublet. Wherefore his M. perceiving the night to draw on, and that his enemies retired themselves unto their holds, commanded a retreat should be sounded, and such as in his adventures once had worthily behaved themselves, he received with such princely & honourable entertainment as might stand with his M. honour and their own deserts. There was one of those prisoners which were taken in this skirmish, which upon friendship he received at the hands of Le Sieur de Saint Govard one of the king's side, discovered the whole number of the Pope's forces: which upon his honour he avouched not to be above 800. lances, 1200. Italian footmen, and three thousand Swissers, the rest being either well beaten, run away, or dead with eating of grapes.  
Thus whilst his M. had lain a league and a half from Verdun without any alarm, seeing the Leaguers would not budge out of the walls: he left them to the mercy of a second assay: & thence went to Montfa●con spoken of before, which he took, & from thence went to Grandpre & so to Attigny, where after a little sojourn, he meant to assemble new forces & once more to try whether they would come out of their holes.   
FINIS.   

A DISCOURSE OF THE overthrow of the Duke of Savoy's Army, defeated by the L. de Diguieres, in the plain of Pont-Charra, near to Castle Bayard in the Vale of Gresivodan, the eighteenth of September, 1591.  
Printed at Toures by james Mattayer, Printer to the kings Majesty, and truly translated into English, by E. A.  
LONDON, Printed by john Wolf, 1591.   

A Discourse of the overthrow of the Duke of Savoy's Army, defeated by the Lord de Diguieres in the plain of Pont-Charra, near to Castle Bayard, in the vale of Gresivodan, the 18. of September, 1591.  
AFter the taking of the Town of Luz in Province, the Lord de Diguieres meaning to take the benefit of the time, & to employ it in the King's service, while his majesties army lying at the siedg of Graneson, was by the Duke of Savoy restrained from tending else where, determined with the small forces, wherewith he had reduced the Town of Luz into obedience, to go and besiege dign, and to that intent he departed from Mesine the 24. of August. Upon his arrival near the said Town, which lieth within two musket-shot of the said dign, and upon his deliberation to put his enterprise in execution, there was certain news of the army of Savoy, consisting of seven hundred horses, and seven thousand arquebusiers (a matter well known to all men, confirmed by diverse advices, and since found true) this army I say, being lead by the Lord Amedee Ollivaro and the Marquis of Treny, had besieged Morester, which was lately fortified to cover Grenoble from the border of Savoy. Upon this new advise, he was necessarily to change his purpose, and in am of assailing, to secure and defend, yea even to use great diligence, for that the place was not so well fortified and provided, as was to be wished, as a matter enterprised and put in execution in four days space, whiles the said Lord de Diguieres remained upon the frontier to discover the Pope's army, as it passed by Montmellion, to the end thereof to give advise unto the King, and withal to keep it from ranging and wasting the valley of Gresivodan; as undoubtedly it would, had it not been for the bar and troop of the said Lord de Diguieres cast in their way, and finally, to provide against the siege wherewith the said army threatened Grenoble.  
The 25. and 26. of the said month, the said Lord de Diguieres having left some of his companies in Corbon, until such time as the Lord of lafoy Valette had taken order as he thought good, departed out of Province, without licensing or disbanding of any of his troops, whom he caused to take the way ●hither where necessity required. From that day until the twelfth of September, the said Lord de Diguieres laboured to gather together his friends, so that the same day he lay at Grenoble, and the villages round about, accompanied with the Lords of Mcures, Briquemant, Marges, Pra●ant, and other Gentlemen and Captains, with three hundred horse at the most, and two thousand seven hundred arquebusiers. The enemy understanding of the arrival of these troops, whose numbers he knew not, raised his siege, which in truth he had not laid very near to Morester, and took his lodging at Pont-Charra, half a league above the said place, and there he laboured to entrench and barriquade the ways to his lodging, setting a countenance as if he would keep it, and lodge some troops in houses thereabout. But as for the said Lord de Diguieres troops, the footmen took up their lodging at Chelais, and the horsemen at Gouselay and Ransin, so as the rest of that small army, was but half a league from the enemy.  
The fifteenth day was spent in the discovering of the enemy's lodging, and the sixteenth attending the coming of the said Lord de Diguieres, who stayed at Grenoble sick of a rheum that held him four days the Lord of Beliers with some arquebusiers on horseback, pierced the guard of one company of horsemen, struck into their lodgings, and utterly overthrew them, so that there remained on the place some twenty men, and there were won some twenty seven horses of service, with cassackes, lances & other furniture.  
The said sixteenth of the said month, the Lords of Meures and Morges, being loath to lose any time, departed with some twenty of their companies, to take so near a view of the guard of the army, that they entered it pesse-messe, & cast it upon the arms of the said army, so that had it not been that the narrow way being pestered with three or four horses that were fallen, & stood the fliers in stead of Barriquadoes, they had followed further: some enemies were there slain, & good horses taken. The said Lord de Diguieres arriving the same day, forgot not to spend the seventeenth day about a perfect view of the enemy's lodging, wherein also he considered of the situation of such places as might favour them, or be any help to them, in case he should set upon them. All which he took so certain notice of, that every thing fell out in manner as he had premeditated & described on a leaf of paper.  
The next day being the 18. the enemy set himself in battle array, observing the order that followeth. His head was turned toward Crenoble: on the left hand stood his footmen in a round upon also all hillock of vines; on the right hand under castle Bayard ran the river of Lizere, and between the river or the hillock stood his horsemen in three squadrons, within the meadows that lie near the Lord of Beumons' house: and before the said horsemen stood some 40. horse in a field on a row, where they had a valley or downfall that debarred our men from coming at them in battle array. This order did the enemies take, because they had a far off discovered the L. de Diguieres troops coming toward them: who being come without two musket shot of the enemy, he caused them to make a stand in a bottom near the river, where they were shadowed with trees, to the end they might not be discovered. In the mean time the Lord of Prabant with 1500. Harquebuziers followed the hill on the right hand in two troops, whereof the one kept the top, so to displace those that stood on the side, and the other marched on the lower way, so to displace the footmen that favoured the enemy's horsemen. And in the mean time while the Lord of Prabant either favoured, or made show of any footmen in the field, where the enemy's guard was set, a troop of horse which contained not above twenty, being led by the lord of Verasse lieutenant of the Lord of Baquemands company, marched directly to the said guard, which had no mind to stay, but forsook their ground, & retired to the main battle. The L. de Diguieres marking this countenance, as also that footmen had begun to shake the enemy that stood on the hillocks, caused his troops to march on into the enemy's field, which they had chosen, which also was the same, where the enemy's Guard had been set before. The footmen also led by the L. of Probant, keeping the night hand, arranged themselves like wise, as did also the Lord of Miz●les with a battle of footmen on the left hand upon the edge of the river: The horsemen in the midst arranged in three squadrons, each at another's heels, among whom we do not comprehend the light horse, making as it were an advantage, led by the Lord of Brigmant. The squadron that followed next was led by the Lord of Morges, than the second Cornet of the said Lord de Diguieres, led by the Lord of Poligny: and the last, which was the white Cornet, together with 52. great horses, who seemed nevertheless to be some, five hundred, by reason they had following them at the heels, 120. Harquebuziers on horseback, and the varlets with every one a sword in his hand, which greatly daunted the enemy: upon the left hand of the said white Cornet stood an other battle of footmen to favour the same that served for an arriergard. Being thus arranged at the same time that the skirmish waxed warm on either side, and that the enemy began to abandon his lodging, we charged their horsemen, who at the first coming, set a reasonable good face on the matter, and bard out the said charge, entering somewhat into our vanguard, who seeing themselves supported, returned and broke the enemy, who had already joined all his squadrons in one, so to fly the sooner: yet fetched they a compass in the meadows, that belong to the said lord of Beumons' house, and stayed until our vanguard came within the Spear length, and then began to fly. The chase held on to Montmelliun, whether all the fliers did notretire, for some lay dead in the place, and others fled at random towards Rochette Arguebelle Miolans and the woods. The number of the dead amounted unto above 2500. There were taken above 300. horse. Also some prisoners, most of them Captains, lieutenants, or ancient-bearers. Also 18. Ancients bearing the red cross, and one Cornet. The lord Amedee saved himself at Miolans, the lords Marquis of Treny and Otivare, were lost in the Wood 36. hours, and afterward saved themselves at Montmelion. The baggage was taken fully and whole. Most of the heads of the enemy are lost. This happened the 18. of September, and upon the 19 of two hundred Romans, and Mil●nars, who had saved themselves in the Castle of Aualon with their leaders the Galatine and Beliogeuse yielded at discretion: But the fury of the soldiers could not pardon six or seven hundred, who were cut in pieces: and the rest, every one with a white staff in his hand, having promised to repair to their own houses; and never to fight any more against the king, were by the said Lord de Diguieres safeconducted into a place of safety. This victory is so much the more notable, because we lost never a man of name. Also that after the muster of the Companies, there wanted but one light horse belonging to the Lord of Brigmant, and two soldiers that were slain: and the Lord of Valleure, and two soldiers wounded. The bootle was not so small, but that it amounted unto above 200000 crowns, the most part in chains, jewels, Gold and Silver coined, Silver Vessel, and rich Garments, and the rest in horses and armour. It seemeth that the memory of the great captain Bayard, in his time, so affectionate unto France, would not suffer her most ancient enemies, should rececive any better entertainment about his house which himself builded.  
To God be the glory, and to the kings servants, the contentation hereof.  
FINIS.