AFter your departure ( most honourable ) out of Fraunce , we haue own nothing but running to and fro ▪ taking & laying siege to Towns and Citties , and all what wée haue taken in hand : hath prospered wel and gone forward , God haue the honour for it . And yet wée wil not ceasse , or leaue of : but go forward as place and time shall serue . And as we neuer douted of your good wil , and earnest desire to se the confusion of Gods & our enemies : so now we sée efféctually shewed your redy help and present comfort . And as wée haue had before in our entreprises , or attempts good succedings : so now we truste to doo the better , for your ayd which you haue sent vs . Not because we put any trust , or confidence eyther in our selues , or in any outwarde force : but that they are meanes , wherby our God I trust shall deliuer vs , and that shortly . God forbid that wée should make fleshe or blood our arme , or to put anye conridence in the multitude of horsemen . Neuerthelesse wée are many , and our number is thirtie thousand footmen , of the which ther are fiue and twentie thousand Harkebusiers , or Gunners , and the rest weaponed with Launces , and seuen or eight thousand horsemen : beside the multytude which is comming from Montaban .

And as for our victories whiche God hath giuen vs : wée haue taken by force of weapon these townes following . S. Iehan Dangeli . Fontenay . Angoulesme . Chaueni . néer Poytiers . Chammi . Lodun . Bisamni . Ambeteni . Toillebourg . Niort . Partenay . Pont. Penni . Talmond . Montagni . Blay . Bōniūet . Sainctes .

And other more as Coingnac , New castel Bréeflye all what lyes vpon the riuer of Garronne vntil the riuer of Loyre on the side of Samne .

Concerning the battails or skirmisshings whiche we haue had against our enemies , we haue béen together twise or thrise , in suche a place , and field , as they might haue chosen for their aduantage to fight , wheras they were so layd an : that neuer since they durst méet vs any more , but alwayes auoyd and flée our companie , smelling vs a far of as a Fore dooth the pitched line .

Touching the méeting and a skirmishe betwéen vs fiue wéeks ago : they lost seuen or eyght hundreth men , & the spoile was about two hundreth M. crownes worthe , but they saued them selues by the means of a riuer , some within Poytiers , some other at Lusignam .

My Lord the Prince of Conde caught the hat of an Italian Capitaine named Peter Strocij .

My Lorde Admiral , the Coate of one Brisac . My Lord the Duke Montgomery the stirrops and spurres of Monsieur of Guise .

One of my Lord Admirals lackeis hath for his part sixe and thirtie péeces of siluer vessels whiche did belonge to the lord of Guise . To be short : ther was none of them al but that they were th● better for it . After that my Lords the Princes being of minde to prouoke them to fight a battail : applyed them selues in their fight towards the Towne and Castle of Chagny , a fortresse where as they trusted them selues for to be most sure , but these good soules had rather to saue them selues by flying then to defend their Townes & Castels , or to present them selues to a Combat : for they say it is dangerous , to be there as their common terme was at that time throughe out all their camp , as since it hath béen very often practised by them , louing rather to flée and to forsake their Towns and cities : then to hazard their liues , or to put in ieobardie their bodies , thorow the whiche they hope to be reuenged . So the said Prince of Conde being néer Samny , for to haue besieged it : our enemies approched with their Artissēry within a quarter of a leagne of Lodun , and required it to be rendred , wher of the Prince béeing aduertised : made haste towards them in suche sorte that they were constrained to break vp their siege and to go againe to their olde accustomed remedy , whiche is to get them away ouer the riuer . True it is that b●fore they came so far , there were slaine two hundred of their men , & the night following , seuen Ensignes more were vndoon and destroyed .

Moreouer two dayes past the companie of Monsieur du Noye , ouertook , and found at the subburbs of the afore sayd town Chagny : about thrée or four score Zwitsers .

Also the Prouost and Archers of the Garde of my Lord the Kings brother , which was him self within the Town . And beyond the water was an Alarme very hote .

This day there came newes by two Gentlemen whiche arriued comming from the Prince of Orenge , and the Duke of Bipont , whiche left the said Prince of Orenge within seuen & twentie leagues of Paris , hauing with him ten or eleuen thousand Kutters , or Horsemen , and foure thousand frenche men , and sixtéen or seuentéen thousand footmen , whiche take their journey straight toward Paris , of the whiche armie Monsieur , de Iauliis leadeth the first warde . And the said Duke of Bipont hath béen comming toward the prince of Orenge , euer since the tenth day of this Moneth , to ioyne him self with him .

Also newes came aswel in our camp , as also to oure enemies , that Monsieur D'arnalle hath lost foure thousand men , being constrayned throughe the armie of the Prince of Orenge ( whiche came to ioine him self to the Duke of Bipont ) to retire sudenlye with two thousand men whiche were left him to go to Riens . It is said for a trouth that the Lord Guise is gone in poste to finde out the King . Also it is said that the moste part of there camp goeth toward Paris , to set the against the straunge Princes . I beleeue wée shall follow . Cito . Cito .