THE
COPY
OF
A
LETter
,
sent
by
an
English
Gentleman
forth
of
France
,
to
a
friend
of
his
in
England
,
concerning
the
great
victorie
which
the
French
King
obtained
against
the
Duke
de
Maine
,
and
the
Romish
rebels
in
his
Kingdom
,
vpon
the
fourth
daie
of
March
last
past
.
1589.
MY
good
Friend
,
the
manifold
curtesies
by
me
sundrie
waies
receiued
at
your
handes
,
makes
me
not
to
bee
vnmindfull
of
you
,
and
the
rather
for
that
I
finde
you
not
slack
to
signifie
vnto
me
from
time
to
time
,
such
newes
as
Englande
affordeth
,
I
thought
it
good
therefore
to
make
requitall
of
some
part
of
your
paines
by
certefieng
vnto
you
,
the
most
happie
and
ioyfull
newes
now
generally
knowne
for
truth
throughout
the
whole
Realme
of
France
.
The
circumstance
whereof
at
large
deserueth
a
stately
stile
,
a
large
volume
,
and
to
be
regestred
in
letters
of
golde
,
such
and
so
rare
an
euent
the
Almightie
hath
brought
to
passe
,
to
the
great
comfort
of
the
Kings
Maiestie
(
whome
God
preserue
and
prosper
)
to
the
great
benefit
and
ioy
of
all
his
dutifull
and
loiall
subiects
,
which
now
by
the
prouidence
of
God
doth
daily
increase
:
and
to
the
great
discouragement
of
all
the
enemies
to
Christian
religion
,
which
to
recorde
or
discourse
by
circumstance
at
large
,
I
leaue
to
those
of
deepe
skill
and
sufficient
learning
,
to
enroll
amongst
the
noble
actes
of
the
most
renowmed
and
valiantest
of
our
age
.
Onely
to
you
I
doe
heare
send
a
briefe
particular
of
his
Maiesties
good
fortune
happened
vppon
the
fourth
daie
of
March
last
past
.
A
matter
containing
so
great
certaintie
,
and
yet
so
incredible
(
for
that
the
enemie
was
three
to
one
in
the
field
)
as
doth
make
men
wonder
at
the
same
,
and
hardly
beleeue
it
.
But
there
is
nothing
vnpossible
to
compasse
or
obtaine
where
God
is
the
guide
,
nor
nothing
prospereth
or
preuaileth
where
Gods
assistance
wanteth
,
as
I
could
proue
by
many
examples
:
What
power
can
preuaile
to
fight
against
Gods
truth
,
then
the
which
,
nothing
is
of
more
force
,
as
appeareth
by
that
which
ensueth
.
It
is
not
vnknowen
vnto
you
by
our
last
conference
together
at
your
lodging
,
where
conferring
with
a
Gentleman
that
had
trauelled
into
France
vpon
the
present
state
of
that
Countrie
,
he
declared
that
then
the
state
was
verie
dangerous
,
and
the
land
was
diuided
into
three
seuerall
factions
,
which
is
since
altered
into
two
,
the
one
very
lawfull
,
being
vnder
the
conduct
of
the
lawfull
King
:
the
other
a
greater
and
of
more
danger
,
for
that
they
are
Traitours
to
their
King
,
stirred
vp
in
the
life
time
of
the
bloudthirstie
Duke
of
Guize
,
who
became
the
onely
capitall
enemie
against
Christian
religion
,
and
the
professours
thereof
throughout
all
Christendom
,
as
appeared
by
the
great
murther
,
massacre
and
slaughter
of
many
thousandes
by
him
and
his
associates
inflicted
and
committed
at
Paris
in
his
life
time
vppon
the
professours
of
the
reformed
Religion
:
who
as
he
liued
,
died
:
hee
slaughtered
innocentes
,
and
bathed
in
their
bloud
,
till
other
requited
him
with
the
lyke
death
.
After
which
,
〈◊〉
in
the
right
of
the
Guize
for
the
succession
to
the
Crowue
and
Kingdome
of
France
,
(
who
had
no
right
at
all
thereunto
)
the
Duke
de
Maine
,
a
man
supported
and
maintained
by
the
Pope
and
all
the
sworne
enemies
to
the
Gospell
,
was
found
by
them
the
fittest
champion
in
that
Countrie
,
to
rebell
and
rise
vp
in
armes
against
the
King
,
being
no
loyall
subiect
,
but
a
rebellious
Traitor
to
the
Crowne
of
France
.
For
after
the
death
of
the
French
King
,
he
tooke
vpon
him
the
title
of
the
King
,
and
in
most
disloiall
sorte
repugned
against
the
lawfull
and
Christian
King
Henrie
of
Nauarre
,
now
since
proclaimed
and
reputed
the
lawfull
successour
to
the
crowne
and
kingdome
.
All
which
notwithstanding
the
Duke
de
Maine
resisted
his
authoritie
,
by
meanes
of
the
great
forces
sent
him
by
the
Popish
enemies
,
and
to
the
entent
to
displace
and
depose
him
vnlawfully
,
hath
with
his
power
sundry
times
set
vpon
the
Kinges
Forces
,
and
taken
his
chiefest
Cities
and
walled
Townes
,
and
doeth
withhold
them
vnlawfully
from
the
King
,
contrarie
to
the
dutie
of
a
naturall
subiect
,
so
that
after
many
late
battailes
and
skirmishes
,
one
onely
battayle
was
fought
vpon
the
fourth
day
of
March
aforesaid
,
where
the
enemy
was
thirtie
thousand
strong
in
the
field
,
the
King
not
hauing
aboue
ten
thousand
in
all
:
besides
there
was
newly
come
foorth
of
the
low
Countries
fiue
thousand
foote-men
,
and
fouretéene
Coronets
of
Horse-men
,
all
which
were
taken
,
slaine
,
and
put
to
the
sword
,
twelue
hundred
of
the
Horses
were
drowned
,
and
the
rest
taken
by
the
Kings
Souldiers
.
Before
the
Battaile
began
,
for
that
the
enemy
was
more
then
thrée
to
one
,
(
the
King
then
being
in
such
a
place
where
he
must
fight
it
out
or
die
)
tooke
courage
and
comforted
his
Souldiers
,
shewing
them
that
the
cause
was
a
iust
cause
,
and
did
repose
therefore
his
trust
in
God
onely
:
in
whose
quarrell
he
fought
,
and
he
would
defend
him
from
the
furie
of
his
enemies
,
as
he
had
sundry
times
before
deliuered
him
from
the
like
dangers
:
willing
his
Souldiers
not
to
be
daunted
with
the
multitude
which
came
towards
them
:
for
said
hee
,
I
will
bee
the
foremost
,
and
will
spende
my
dearest
blood
before
any
of
you
shall
perish
:
which
wordes
did
so
encourage
the
Souldiers
that
they
fell
to
it
,
and
got
to
a
firme
and
faire
péece
of
ground
,
being
of
great
compasse
,
and
kept
that
ground
still
and
woulde
not
giue
backe
,
whereby
the
enemy
might
haue
any
aduantage
:
who
for
want
of
ground
to
fight
and
stirre
themselues
,
the
multitude
pestered
one
an
other
,
so
that
their
great
multitude
and
want
of
roome
was
the
greatest
cause
of
their
ouerthrowe
,
which
the
King
perceiued
,
and
encouraged
his
men
to
fight
,
who
verie
fiercely
laide
vpon
the
enemy
,
and
broke
their
ranke
and
disordered
their
Battaile
,
whereupon
the
King
to
the
great
discomfort
of
the
enemy
,
stept
to
the
Standard
bearer
of
the
enemies
Army
,
hee
tooke
away
the
Standard
with
his
owne
handes
,
and
slue
the
bearer
thereof
,
which
did
so
encourage
his
Souldiers
,
that
they
fell
to
it
so
fiercely
,
as
that
they
constrained
the
Duke
to
flie
,
when
hee
sawe
his
owne
brother
slaine
before
his
face
,
and
was
almost
taken
in
the
flight
.
The
King
had
the
enemy
in
the
Chase
seuen
Leagues
,
wherein
there
were
a
thousand
men
of
name
and
account
taken
prisoners
.
The
Counti●
Egmont
was
slaine
in
this
Battaile
,
and
Mounsieur
de
la
Mount
,
was
taken
prisoner
.
Foure
hundreth
golden
Chaines
and
more
,
were
found
in
the
rifling
of
the
Waggins
,
and
seuen
hundred
Chosts
of
pillage
taken
by
the
King
,
besides
the
Dukes
Casket
,
wherein
was
enclosed
his
chiefest
Letters
of
priuitie
.
All
the
Switzers
haue
surrendred
themselues
to
the
subiection
and
obedience
of
the
King
:
And
the
enemies
chiefest
field
Péeces
were
taken
.
Thus
was
the
enemies
Forces
,
greatly
weakened
and
scattered
,
so
that
it
is
very
likely
Parris
and
the
chiefest
Townes
and
places
now
repugnant
against
him
,
will
not
long
hold
out
,
but
yeeld
themselues
spéedily
to
his
Maiesties
mercy
.
God
be
blessed
,
he
hath
wonderfully
preserued
this
godly
and
christian
Prince
from
dannger
,
being
still
the
most
forwardest
in
the
fight
,
and
chased
them
almost
eight
houres
togither
.
The
God
of
heauen
prosper
him
and
all
the
fauourers
of
the
Christian
Religion
,
that
they
may
beate
downe
such
as
seeke
the
confusion
thereof
,
and
giue
his
enemies
grace
to
see
their
owne
folly
and
leaue
their
blind
ignorance
,
that
either
their
conuersion
may
be
speedily
seene
,
with
repentance
of
their
former
follies
,
or
els
their
destruction
presently
come
vpon
them
,
which
God
grant
speedily
,
for
his
mercies
sake
,
Amen
.
This
sixt
of
March.
Your
louing
friend
,
T.
B.
Another
letter
the
6.
of
March
.
THe
kings
Maiesty
sent
for
the
gouernour
and
the
Nobility
,
and
for
prouision
of
powder
to
giue
battail
to
the
Duke
de
Maine
.
The
Duke
pressed
vpon
the
King
,
by
reason
of
his
Wallons
,
being
foure
thousand
foote
and
one
thousand
horse
.
The
gouernour
in
the
way
met
with
two
companyes
of
footemen
and
discomforted
them
:
and
tooke
theyr
Captayn
prisoners
to
Font
delarche
,
vpon
his
arriuall
the
King
gaue
battayl
to
the
Duke
,
and
put
him
to
the
worse
.
The
Duke
fled
,
most
of
the
Burgonians
were
slaine
,
his
ordinance
lost
:
and
foure
thousand
Switzers
were
receaued
to
mercy
and
the
seruice
of
the
King
.
Mounsier
Mountpensier
did
very
valiantly
,
he
was
a
little
hurt
in
the
head
,
the
Cownt
Egmont
Conductor
of
the
Spaniards
and
Wallons
,
was
slain
and
their
standard
taken
:
the
King
was
forced
to
the
battayl
by
the
Duke
,
and
therefore
could
not
refuse
it
.
The
Duke
was
moued
thereto
by
the
Popes
legat
,
through
discontemnent
grown
among
them
of
Paris
,
by
reason
of
the
charges
they
had
…
e
put
vnto
by
the
Duke
and
no
ser
…
e
done
,
and
therefore
grew
to
a
…tation
,
whether
better
to
yéeld
to
the
King
,
or
to
those
of
the
league
:
Sundry
of
the
chéefest
murmured
at
the
motion
of
Spayn
,
which
being
obserued
,
were
the
night
folowing
apprehended
and
committed
to
prison
.
This
deuision
was
the
cheefe
cause
that
the
leggat
made
…
e
of
battel
,
whereas
the
Duke
was
obedient
.
To
conclude
,
the
enemy
was
thrée
to
one
,
and
yet
God
bee
praysed
few
on
the
Kings
side
were
hurt
and
the
most
part
of
the
enemies
were
drownd
,
slayn
,
hurt
,
and
taken
prisoners
in
the
battell
.
The
names
of
such
chiefe
persons
as
were
slain
and
hurt
on
the
enemies
side
.
-
Slaine
.
-
The
County
Egmont
-
The
Duke
Brunswicke
general
of
the
Reisters
.
FINIS
.