IT is not long since ( my good Fréend ) that I sent you woord of the euil successe which the French Kings forces had at the hotte and seuerall assaultes made by the Prince of Parma against the towne of Corbeyll , and the valiant resistance which the Subiects of the French King made against them . Where , after the saide Prince of Parma had brought his power , and placed his Cannons to batter the Towne of Corbeyll : the Townes men did generallye consent to right it out , hauing before locked vp their Gates , and in the resistance slew many of the Prince of Parmas power , in three hot and seuerall skirmishes . Neuertheles such was the weaknes of the said townsmen of Corbeyll , that they were constrained to come to the walles of the saide Towne , and to require parley with the Prince , and thereby séeing euidently that the Prince was strong and well furnished with men and munition , and brasse peeces for battry : they offred to yéelde vp the saide Towne to the Prince , conditionally that he would graunt them their liues , and that they might departe with bagge and baggage : but the Prince of Parma contrarye to his former procéedings in the Lowe Cuntries , not only denyed them of this their request , but also vowed to put them euerye man , woman and childe to the Swoord , his only reason was for that they had so long resisted him , and slain a great number of his best and most approued Souldiours in those thrée seuerall assaultes : wher-upon the Citizens hearing the sentence of death pronounced against them , and perceiuing nothing would perswade him to saue their liues , nor to take pittie of their wiues and Children : they fell fiercely to the fourth and last skirmishe , where they determined to slay or to be slaine .

Then Drummes and Trumpets sounded foorth the deadly points of Warre , and there began a most fierce and sharpe assaulte on both sides , which continued two howres together , where was great losse of blood on both sides , but in the end the Prince of Parma became victor , and winning the Towne by force , did put euery liuing creature to the Swoord which was found there aliue : this was a gréeuous slaughter , where people enhabiting and keeping the Towne to their Kings vse , yet miserably put to the Swoord without any iust cause . But héerein no reason might serue , none might escape , nor none presently reuenge .

Now when the saide Towne of Corbeyll was wonne , and the Inhabitants wofully put to the swoord , the Duke caused many to fall to labour , and to fortefie againe the great breache with Stone , which by force of Cannon he had before made : and therby went into the saide Towne of Corbeyll : and ther-vpon he immediatly placed a garyson of chosen Souldiours in the saide Towne , and so departed .

The Kinges Maiestie of Fraunce hearing of the losse of this Towne , tooke the same very greeuously , especially for the losse of so many of his good and faithfull subiects slaine in the same : whose liues he more estéemed ( as he saide ) then of tenne such Townes , in respect wherof he vowed to reuenge the same so soone as time and occasion would serue .

Soone after the Kings Maiestie appointed Mounsier de Cheuery being a braue man at armes , polliticke and hardie , to make choice of some sufficient number , of his best and approuedst Souldiours , and to marche forward towards the said Towne of Corbeyll , giuing him charge to reuenge the great wrong before offered vpon his good subiects , by those Wallons and Spanish souldiours , planted like vsurpers in garyson to defend and keepe the said Towne to the vse of the Prince of Parma : which to performe , the saide Mounsier de Cheuery let slippe no good occasion that might be offred , for in the euening before S. Martins day last past , the saide Mounsier de Cheuery knowing it was a night of great quaffing obserued among the Wallons and those in Garyson , staid and would not goe forward or come before the said Towne vntill it were more towards the dead of the night , whereby those in the towne hab no cause of doubt , and therfore drunke freelye : but about twelue of the Clock that night , the Kinges power came before the saide towne , which being secretly doon like men vnlooked for : suddainly made a fierce & strong assault vpon the same , and practised by force and pollicie the recouery therof againe : now the Wallons and Spanish Garyson inclosed within the saide town , hauing drunk hard most parte of the day , and then vpon a sodaine to be wakened out of their dead sleepe by the thundring shot that made great breaches and wayes for the Kings Souldiours to enter the said towne , ran as halfe desperate to the walles and made a very forceable resistance which continued all that night , neuerthelesse by seauen of the clock the next morning the Towne was wonne again vnto the King by force , the Kings power entred in at the same breache which the Prince had before entred , so that whatsoeuer the pince of Parma might doo , it could not preuaile , though hearing thereof , he sent a power of Spaniards to succour them , which came too late , and were glad to get them gone for feare of their liues .

Thus by valiant encounter the saide Mounsier de Cheuery with his Souldiers entred the Towne the next morning , where were found slaine by that fight 2. hundreth Burgonians and 300. Spaniards , besides 400. which were taken Prisoners , and still remaine in the saide Towne , who must paye well for their raunsome ere they departe .

In this Towne the Kinges Souldiours found 200 fatte Oxen , fower hundreth sheepe , leauing some slaine some drest , and some aliue .

There was also taken 4. brasen peeces , and 2. Cannons readye charged , many Spanish Ensignes , which but latelye had beene displayed in and about the saide Towne of Corbeyll in triumphe of the saide victorie , and doone in despite of the Kings Maiestie of Fraunce : were now taken , and those that did display and defend the same , were euery man taken prisoner or slaine , so that not one man escaped to tell the newes to his fauourers in other places .

Thus was the town of Corbeyll wonne again and entred into by force of the Kings power , in despite of the prince of Parma , Duke de maine , or any other their associates : And such is the dayly labour of the Souldiours in the same towne to fortifie and rampier it , that the enemye shall hardly get it in haste .

GOd be thanked very few of the Kings Souldiours were slaine in this skirmishe , nor no man of name or speciall account . On the enemies side besides the number aforesaide : there was slaine Cheuallier de Aumall , who was one of the most cheefest warriors on the Leagers side : this Cheuallier de Aumall had prouided great store of victualles entending therewith to haue victuailed the Cittie of Paris , which yet standes distressed , but he was not onely intercepted of the saide victuaile , but also of his life : Mounsier de Cheuery séeing what good successe it had pleased God to send him , humblye gaue thankes vnto almightye God with all his Souldiours . And foorthwith sent newes thereof vnto the King , who reioyced for his good successe , and humblye gaue thankes vnto God also for the same .