THE COPPIE OF A LETTER SENT INto England by a Gentleman, from the towne of Saint Denis in France.
Wherein is truely set forth the good successe of the Kings Maiesties forces against the Leaguers and the Prince of Parmas power.
With the taking of a Conuoie of Victuals sent by the Enemie to succour Paris. And the grieuous estate of the said Citie at this present.
Imprinted at London by Thomas Scarlet for Thomas Nelson. 1590.
THE COPPIE OF A Letter sent into England by a Gentleman from the Towne of Saint Denis in France. Wherein is truely set forth the good successe of the Kings Maiesties forces against the Leaguers and the Prince of Parmas power. With the taking of a Conuoy of Ʋictuals sent by the enemie to succour Paris: And the grieuous estate of the said Citie at this present.
AFter that the Prince of Parma was come into the dominions of France, he sought opportunitie where he might best plant himselfe and his armie in safetie, meaning by policie first to settle himselfe in some part of the Kings regiment, and to come with such force as vppon sodaine the king could not remoue, except he should raise his siege from before Paris, and then to make warre vpon him, which were greatly to the kinges hinderance, and the great aduantage of the enemie, for while the king had bin making warre vpon him, the Leaguers might haue had the easier means to haue brought in [Page 4] fresh men and victuall to haue comforted that Citie, which is in wonderfull distresse, and the famine so grieuous among them, as it was neuer greater at the siege of Ierusalem. The true estate whereof is in most lamentable sorte discoursed in the latter end of this Letter. But the king whose magnanimitie is knowen and founde sufficient throughout the kingdome of France, perceiuing the intent and policie of the prince of Parma, neither meant to rayse his siege from the Citie of Paris, nor to suffer that parte of Picardie to be vnfurnished for the princes welcome. For hauing planted that notable warriour Monsieur de la Nowe, his principall lieftenant for those partes, being a man knowen to be both politike and wise, and for martiall affaires found and approued to be one of the best in al France. This Monsieur de la Now hearing of the princes policie, who came thether with xx. thousande men, diuided them into thrée parts, and purposed that one part should goe vnto the towne of Lanie, being in number thrée thousand, other fiue thousand should depart another waie for the succour of the Leaguers, and to enlarge the armie of the Duke de Maine. The rest he determined should staie with his owne person, whom he séemed at the first to conduct backe again towards Brussels, but on a sodaine tooke another waie, and passed with his power towards Artoyes, where with great policie he is planted, yet far inough for doing any great harm, for he is ten leagues from the king, and hath intrenched him selfe within a wood, where he lieth verie strōg. Thus hauing dispearced his armie into thrée partes, he appointed men of great experience to be leaders of them, so that Monsieur la Now aduised against whether of the armies hee were to ioyne his forces, so he cast about & met with the fiue thousand who were marching to ioyne with the forces of du Maine, and thereby to make him and the Leaguers more stronger, against whom he had such good successe, that he discomfited the greater part who escaped by flight, but many of them came short home. And while la Now and his forces [Page 5] were thus busied, the other thrée thousand went to a towne called Lanie, where making some shew of battel, the gouernour thereof (as it is sayd) had before solde it to the prince, and sodainly he yéelded it, wherupon the soldiers who were Spaniards issued in and most cruelly put the inhabitants thereof to the sword, and for certaintie those butcherly gouernours and souldiers not therewith satisfied, did cut and mangle the dead carcases into péeces. Which when it came to the eares of the king, he was verie sorrowfull, & wrote vnto his gouernour and forces in those parts, commanding them to reuenge that bloudie act, wherein they ouerslipped no fit occasion for performing of the kings commandement. So that within few daies, notwithstanding that they had strongly entrenched themselues, & seated a sufficient garrison therein, with the losse of a few men the said towne was recouered, and those in the towne together with the said soldiers recompenced with the like rigour. Which doubtlesse was but the iust iudgement of God vppon them, yea, the Captaine who at the first had betraied the sayde towne and solde it for a péece of monie, was at the receit of the said monie stabbed in with a dagger by a common souldier, who among them reuelled away his Spanish reals, which he was receiuing for his reward, euen as wickedly as he had purchased the same. Thus may we sée how the iust iudgement of God lighteth vpon such wicked bloud suckers, & although they are a small time preserued from it, yet in the ende it lighteth on their owne heads to their vtter confusion. The prince of Parma hauing thus setled himselfe and diuided his forces, he prepared to send a Conuoie of victuall to relieue the Citie of Paris: There were furnished for this Conuoie fiue hundreth wagons laden with victuals, namely béefe (a meate little vsed among the French) with mutton, and sundrie sortes of fish both salt and fresh, with meale and corne vnground. There was also in the same twentie hundreth dussen of bread all readie baked, because of the great want of those in the Citie, who were in such case as they woulde [Page 8] willingly haue eaten the same rawe, and the meale & corne vnbaked, rather than they would haue staid the dressing or baking thereof, so grieuous and extreame is their present famine, as after more at large appeareth. The kings maiestie hauing intelligence by his espials of this Conuoie, and that such prouision was comming from the prince towards Paris, he determined with al policie and force to preuent the same, least the rebellious Cities shoulde take courage vnto them, and thereby conceiue to haue some great resistance by meanes of the enemies to the estate roiall, and so take occasion to triumph the more. This conuoie of victual, as I said before, being sent towardes Paris, came peaceably within foure or fiue leagues of the place, being garded with a sufficient band of men, whereof the king hauing not onely intelligence, but also of a Captaine which issued forth of the citie of Paris, who with fiftéene hundred men went to méete and receiue the said Conuoie of victuals, sent forth presently diuerse of his companies vnder the conduct of the Earle Chastilion, who practised not onely to intercept their passage, but also their returning back againe, in which seruice the kings faithfull subiects so couragiously behaued themselues, that in short time they had their desire, for on a sodaine being in a readines, they had a sight of the said waggons whom in short space they tooke, and slew all those souldiers that came with the said Conuoie to defend the same, & made so hot an assault vpon the souldiers which issued sorth of Paris, that they were al taken and slain with the losse of a few of the kings souldiers. The princes forces vnderstanding by their scoutes what had happened, durst not come on nor approch to resist the kings forces, while they were in fight with the Conuoie, whereof the valiant Chastilion hauing intelligence, venturouslie set forward, and with the kings forces made towards them, and after a fierce and valiant assalt made by them vpon the enemie, who at the first gaue a verie strong and stout resistance, they were all put to ye sword, sauing some few who escaped by flight, but neuer [Page 9] a man of those escaped aliue which issued forth of the Citie of Paris.
Thus with great ioy the said Conuoie was brought into the said towne of Saint Denis, the value whereof is by common estimation thirty thousand pounds and better, being so much victuall as they could in reasonable sort prouide for them in thrée moneths.
But so soone as the Parisians heard of this newes, they were wonderous sorrowfull, and were filled with so great heuines, that they rested out of all hope to liue to sée the day when any succour can be sent them by the enemy: and are at this present persuaded, that all that euer the Prince of Parma can do for their reliefe, is but to linger in that place where he is, and so to weary the king by detracting of time as he did in the low Countries, when he came thither first.
Since this discomforture of the enemy, the Dutches of Guize, the Dutches of Maine, Le Cheuallier de Aumale, and diuers other of the chiefe of the Leaguers haue disguised themselues in simple attire and therby secretly issued forth of the said Citie: by meanes wherof they are secretly escaped, being not able any longer to endure the vnspeakeable famine that is in the same: for the Launce-knightes euen against nature and reason are through the extreme famine constrained to eate their owne naturall children.
Before this Conuoy aforesaid, came downe towardes Parris, the prince of Parma after he had intrenched himselfe in this wood, in the middle whereof is a strong Castle, he sent fiue hundreth of his horsemen to take view of the kings Camp: who were espied by two hundreth of the kings horsemen, those two hundreth set vpon them and chased them into their owne Trenches, where within their own Trenches and in the way to the Trenches they were all slaine.
The prince of Parma, will not by any meanes enter into battell with the king, although hée haue béen verie much vrged therunto, yea, he hath endured the termes of cowardize [Page 8] for his often denialls, hauing had much aduantage offered him to enter the field, wherein he excuseth himselfe in this sort, that he hath no commission from the king his maister, either to make battel or to fight in the field against the French king: and that his only charge was to vittaile Parris if he could, and to succour those of the League with his Forces and Councell. And with this resolution, he continueth still in the said place, without offer of any fight, except some small skirmishes betwéene his and the kinges Souldiers.
It could not but be a great comfort vnto the people in their miserie, when the king receiued some of them with great curtesie and gaue them foode, which droue the rebellious Nobillitie openly to confesse, and from their heartes to think, that he was a king of wonderfull vertuous and mercifull disposition, and wold gladly haue yéelded themselues, if their repentance might any way haue pacified the kings displeasure, but for as much as they did all know, that the king who is and euer hath béen a true fulfiller of his word and promise, hath made an othe, that none of the conspirators of the deceased kings death shall escape and remaine pardonable, but that he will be reuenged of them for their vnnaturall treason, and that nothing but their liues shall pacifie their hainous murther committed: and in respect thereof, they kéepe themselues so long as they may out of the kinges handes. The French king God be thanked, is wondrous well prouided of all thinges fit for warre, and with him is ioyned all the chiefest nobilitie and princes of France: hée hath of footemen thirtie thousand, and seuen thousand Horsse. And with this Army the king continueth still against Parris, which Citie is not likely to hold out long, especially by reason some of the chiefe of the leaguers is fled from thence, whose countenance daily held them in awe. The Lord God blesse and prosper the kinges royall Maiestie, and send him the victorie ouer all his enemies, to the glorie of God and aduancement of his holy word, for [Page 9] there was neuer in France a king of so noble a courage, so skilfull in the warres, and so hardie against the proudest foe, which is all the gréefe the enemies haue, because they haue to deale against so valiant a Soldiour.
From Saint Denis the second of September. 1590.
A TREATISE CONCERNING THE EXTREME FAMINE OF THE CITIE of Paris at this present: which is as grieuous as it was at the siege of Ierusalem.
THe Kings Maiestie, hauing often heard of the great famine and miserable calamitie, whereinto the obstinate parisians had wilfully plunged themselues, onely through the persuasiōs of the chéefest of the leaguers side, being for the most prat of the Cleargy. And albeit the extremitie were great, where into they were fallen, yet the report of the increased misery, since that time hath sounded so lamentable in his royall cares, and amongst all the rest of his princely and honorable traine, that the remembrance thereof will not easily passe or bée raced out of minde: the certaine truth whereof, is as followeth.
After the king had entred S. Denis, as you heard long since with all his power, and that he was in full possession thereof,The Citizens of Paris issued foorth to the king. there issued out of Parris diuers and sundry times many poore creatures, resembling rather the Anotamies of death, then people possessed with life, so sore were they wasted with famine, and consumed through extreame hunger, that excepting the skinne, there was nothing left to couer their féeble bones. So that it preuailed nothing to be yoong or bewtifull in this case, or to boast of health, or to haue heapes of gold, for their stomackes desired that, which for golde nor siluer could bee gotten, yea their verie harts failed them for want of necessary nourishment, wherupon they became carelesse of life, desiring death or spéedie deliuerie from this their miserable estate, that they might no longer behold with their eyes, nor heare with their eares, the bitter cries of their starued children, and the wonderfull multitudes of their friends and kindred, which for want of food daily died within that populous and great Citie. Resolued therfore to finish their dolefull dayes, or to finde reliefe for maintenance of their loathed liues, with leaue of the cruell gouernours they issued (as I said before) out of the Citie, and presenting them selues before the kings souldiers, fel downe at their féet, yéelding them selues to the kings mercy, about the number of a score at a time, men, women and children, who being brought incontinent before his roial maiestie, so soone as they entered his sight, with bitter teares trickling downe their chéekes they prostrated themselues at his féete, and as loude as their féeble voices woulde serue, they cried, Viue le Roy, God saue the king. His maiestie amazed at the view of so pittifull a spectacle,The kings mercifull heart. and moued with a kingly compassion towards them, sawe with his eies and conceiued in his heart, what [Page 15] intollerable famishment the obstinate Citie had alredie endured, but hauing a desire to learne further of the state thereof, after he had wel viewed the persons of these miserable men, he demanded of them the intent of their comming. Wherevppon they returned this answere, that forasmuch as they were not able anie longer to indure the grieuous famine whereinto they were brought by the long and deserued siege which his Maiestie mainteined about their City, and being brought so low, that the gouernours could not by reason of their weaknes imploie them in any seruice, they had frée liberty to depart the Citie if so they thought it conuenient: as being people that were likely with many more in the Citie, to cause an infection to arise by means of sicknes among the rest of the inhabitants, wherefore, sayd they, most noble and victorious king, wee are come vnto your Highnes, acknowledging that wee are vnworthie of anie longer life, by reason we haue bin most vniust and rebellious subiects,The Citizēs kept by constraint. and vnworthie that so gracious and mercifull a prince should open his mouth vnto vs, neuertheles, most mighty king, had it not bin through wicked perswasions, we had neuer yéelded to holde on so cursed a side, but with whome perswasions could not preuaile, they vsed meanes to inforce, being well assured that they holde the most parte by constraint, whose bodies being enclosed within the stonie walls of Paris, haue euerie daie their heartes infolded with their king, considering within what small compas there is foode inough with fauour and gentlenes to be gotten, and yet they be at the point of death euen for a small quantitie of bread, that may with their eyes beholde euen plentie among beasts while they themselues pine and cannot come by it, whereby the difference is shewed betwixt the fauour and furie of a [Page 16] king, and therewithall, the recompence of obedience and rebellion:
We confesse therefore, most noble king, that th mightie and iust God hath bent himselfe against vs and poured foorth the violl of his wrath ouer these traiterous confederates of the Leagures, of which number we must of force account and acknowledge we haue too long béene, and therefore we humblie submit our selues into your maiesties hands, to deale with vs as it séemeth good in your sight.
His Maiestie hauing heard this lamentable complaint, reuiued their hearts with a fauourable countenance, and according to his princely disposition, in a milde manner demaunded what prouision of victuals (in their iudgements) remayned yet in the citie, and what it was wherewith they hoped to sustayne the liues of so infinite a multitude as remayned in the towne, wishing to declare the same in all trueth and simplicitie of heart, euen as they would hope to finde mercie at his handes for their knowen and manifest rebellion, and how long time they supposed the same would last.
Before the mightie and dreadfull God of heauen, who knowes the secrets of the harts, and shall iudge the thoughts that are hatched by vntruth, so wil we, said they, shew and declare this to the king, as farre as our memorie and knowledge doth stretch. And if your maiestie find vs false let the same be recompenced with the vildest death that euer anie did endure. And herewithall one of them who was knowne of best iudgement, and that had béen of great account in times past, put forth his voice before the king, and most part of the princes and nobles about him,Necessitie findes many shiftes. speaking as followeth.
Necessitie the whetstone of mans wit, hauing inforced [Page 17] me among these my companions and sorrowful associates, with an infinite multitude of my friendes, kinsfolke and neighbours to search for sustenance, for the maintenance of me and my poore wife and children,Necessity finds many shiftes. inquired by all meanes after foode when it became scant in the Citie, being the onely care that euery person had to séeke for the same: and albeit after a small time that we were beséeged, wholesome foode was kept wonderfull close and scant among vs, yet our eares were euer so diligent to hearken after it, that by one meanes or other we alwaies heard where it was to bee had for money, and although the prouision was great within the citie, yet by reason of the marueilous multitude of inhabitants, within fiue monethes after, there was no wholesome foode to be had for gold nor treasure, for the Nobles and principall of the citie, suspecting a long séege, got as much thereof as they could for their owne prouision, and the cloysters with the vniuersitie did the like: and as for the Clargie, they stayed not behinde any in that matter, being men wise enough to take the choice before all other, by which meanes the common sorte of the Citizens soone found the smart thereof, and in vaine sought they after that they could not finde: when flesh failed, butter and chéese began to grow precious at rich mens tables, though at the first they much repined thereat, as people that had not béene much acquainted with such course cates. But the iust God séeing our vnthankfull hartes, that scorned his gifts, and despised his blessinges, in two monethes after sent such a change,Rats, mice & other vermine good meate in Paris. that the flesh of Horses, Asses, Dogges, Cats, Rats, Mice, Weasels, and Moles, became daintie dishes at gentle mens tables, and bore such a price, that no poore person was able to compas any, & then our queasie stomacks began to be contented with any thing, were it a frying panne full of Frogs, a dish of snailes,, or a Skellet full of [Page 18] garden wormes sod in broth: she that went in her hoode, would haue béene glad to haue licked her lippes after them, and would haue bidden her dearest friend to the banquete, had hee not béene of her owne houshold, so swéete a sauce and so sauory did hunger make the same to taste, and yet many of those that thus haue fled, and yet woulde bee glad to méete with the worst of these thinges rehearsed before they felt the force of hunger, with many othes, said they would starue vnto death before any such corrupt thing should cōfort their stomacks, and yet was all this but a taste of famine, and nothing comparable to that which afterwarde fell vpon vs, for in short time our breade of pease, tares, oates and acorns vtterly failed vs, so that none could be had or found in any place to be solde, although we would haue killed one another with thrust, to haue gotten the quantitie of a farthing loafe (farre worse then any which in former time we gaue our horses) though we would haue giuen a French crowne for so much, and those vermine also that we prepared and dressed, as before is shewed, was on all sides so caught vp and eaten, that in the end there was none to be gotten, neither for one nor other: and then began such mortalitie through famine,Ten thousand dead of famine in Paris. that ten thousand haue already dyed thereof, as may be séene in the register booke, and at this present, ten thousand more are like to perish through the like extremitie. A most grieuous and intollerable burden sufficient to inforce a flinty hart to remorse and pittie, how great a warning ought this to be to all cities that are in a flourishing estate, where plentie poureth forth her treasures, in so much that delicacie is become lothsome, in respect of an vnsatiable desire, and daintinesse will not be contented without great superfluitie, euery man wishes for better, and no man thinketh that he hath goodes enough, and few remaine thankfull for any thing: consider, you [Page 19] that vse excesse, and wil not so much as lift vp your eyes, much lesse your hartes, to render praises for so great benefits, consider (I say) how ioyful & glad many nobles & men of great worship would be of the worst bit or bone that you fling vnder the table to your dogs, while your selues in the middest of your excesse, sit turning with your kniues point, the meate in diuers dishes, and can scant among them all finde one morsell to fit your fancie, notwithstanding how gladsom a present the least of your loaues would be in Paris, let those imagine that can conceiue of their miserie, and how many woulde intreate vpon their knées, to be preferred, as it were, to the shaking of the table cloth, or carrying away of the trenchers. Vndoubtedly, I am perswaded, that if the daintiest mouthed dame in Europe had but one monethes experience of the like want, she should afterwarde while she did liue, estéeme better of the least crumme, then she doth now of all the dainties vpon the table. I beséech God be mercifull vnto vs, & forgiue our vnthankfulnes, & grant vs grace to reforme our liues, lest we be plagued for our leudnes. But to returne to the former matter.
The King hauing heard this doulefull discourse, procéeded further,The kings second demaund. and demaunded whether before their issuing forth of the Citie, they had found no meanes whereby they of the towne might haue something to put into their bellies to strengthen the hart, and to helpe the stomacke, and abate the fury of hunger.
Thrée wéekes (saide the reporter) wee continued without any sustenance, saue onely Flies and Béettles,Flyes and Beetles. whereby we sought to sustaine our selues, with diuers other like thinges, till in the end our emptie intrels enforced vs to séeke some meanes for reliefe, at what time the people deuised to gather all kinde of rootes such as grew within the compasse of the walles, which being partched or otherwise dryed, we ground them in a mill, [Page 20] and therewith made vs breade, but alas, slender comfort conceaued wee thereby, though we were glad of any thing, for in lesse then two dayes, our people were constrained to finde some other remedie against hunger, whereupon it was deuised to saw all the timber wee coulde come by and conuert it into dust,Bread of saw-dust. and thereof to make vs another sorte of breade, which deuice continued longer then many of the former, and contented vs a great deale better, by reason we had some quantitie thereof to fill our emptie stomackes, but this was not to be had without money, except a body had of their owne wherewith to make it, in so much that all the wood plankes and bordes which conueniently we coulde come by, was put to that vse, and when this began to grow something scant, euery man hauing care principally to nourish himselfe and meditating dayly how to inuent meanes to procure sustenance, being a thing wherein euery one applyed his wits, at length the extremitie was such, that the Churchyardes were digged for deade mens bones, and all the saide bones they carryed together into one place in the citie,Dead mens bones eaten where they might lye from the raine, the which afterwarde being washed and dryed, were beaten in péeces and ground, and thereof an other sorte of bread was made, and thus we were glad to féed our stomackes with the bones of the dead. In which time if it may please your Maiestie to pardon my long and tedious discourse, I am to declare a most wofull accident which then happened.Men worth twenty or thirty thousand pound made common souldiers.
There was then dwelling among vs, a very honest and substantiall man, which was Sargeant ouer one of our companies, for the skill they founde to bee in him, who was imployed as were the rest of the Citizens to be a souldier in the Citie for those which of late were estéemed men worth twentie or thirtie thousand pounde, were enforced to become common souldiers, [Page 21] whose substance thereby is wasted and brought to nothing, so much néede haue they of men in the citie. This Sargeant before spoken of, comming home to his house about seuen dayes agoe, his wife and his children came presently running about him, hoping hee had brought something for them to eate, at what time there was a neighbour or two in the house staying his comming, and with his wife lamenting the common calamitie, hoping from his mouth to heare some newes of the yéelding vp of the Citie into your highnesse handes. But the cryes of the starued children interrupting the talke betwixt him and his neighbours, the poore man with a sorrowfull hart sat him downe, fetching a déepe sigh, not knowing what to doe for them, the children still cloying his eares with their pittifull complaintes. Ha Father, saide they, will you sée vs dye for want of bread? if there remained any thing vpon our bones beside the skinne,The complaint of children for lacke of food. we would not let to féede thereon: but if no other remedie may be founde, let the one of vs serue for foode to the other, or els spare not our liues to féede our mother and you, better were it for vs by death to be ridde of our miserie, then to endure a famine the ende whereof is vnknowne: is there ought in this Citie saue men to féede vpon? why may not the one of vs deuoure the other aliue, or why are the deade bodies of men couered in the ground that might serue a hungry stomacke to féede vpon. The father looking vpon them with a heauie hart, after many teares shed on euery side, hauing pondered these spéeches, started vp as a man purposed to giue them encouragement, and with a comfortable voice briefly saide vnto them, be content my children, and be of good cheare, so soone as these my friends are gone, I will giue you that which shall content you, but alas, if it were sufficient for vs all, I would be loth to part with their company, notwithstanding I hope they consider [Page 22] the time as it is, and will not thinke any discourtesie herein, being assured, themselues in the like case woulde doe the like to me, then turning to his neighbours hee saide, the time hath béene we would not haue denied our meate, but our money, but now our money is nothing in respect of our meat, and woe be vnto them that would not giue the poore money to buye meate where it is to be had, wherefore I beseech you leaue vs a while till we haue refreshed our selues, then after I will answere any thing I shall heare spoken by you: hereupon the two men departed, and shortly after, knowing that their dinner lasted not long, these persons went againe thether, knocking and calling for him, maruelling that no body came to make answere, wherefore being very familiar friendes, and suspecting they had beene in their vpper chamber, went vp, whereinto they no sooner entered, but presently they espyed the good man,A man first hanged his wife & children, and after him selfe for lacke of food. his wife and two children (about the age of fourteene yeares) all hanged one beside another, and a bill vpon the good mans brest, wherein was writen, By this meanes did I first set my wife and children out of miserie, and after my selfe, for which offence I aske the Lorde mercy and forgiuenesse: and that your highnesse may be the better satisfied of the truth hereof, the men be here that first heard his wordes, and after were wofull witnesses of this Tragedy, in such extremitie remaines this miserable Citie.
His Maiestie that scant could refraine teares to heare this dolefull discourse,The Parisians causers of their owne distruction. answered: Ah Paris, thy bloud be on thy owne heade, it is thy selfe and not I that hath caused this great calamitie, the Lord be witnesse twixt thee and me, and rewarde me after the innocencie of my hart? after these wordes causing the starued people to be refreshed, he departed into his chamber, commaunding that no more should be suffered to come forth of the Citie in such sorte.
Thus haue you hard the good successe of the Kinges Maiestie, whom no doubt, Almightie God prospereth and preserueth, with the euill successe of rebellious people, and the enimies against Gods truth, whom hee in iustice punisheth, and doth in his iust iudgements bring to confusion: Almightie God stil prosper the kings procéedings, and send confusion to his enimies, except they spéedely repent and yéelde themselues vnto him, as in right they ought, which God graunt. Amen.