IT was wel inough knowen vnto the most part, that the towne and Castle of Guyerche (bee­ing a passage ouer the riuer of Ce­ruse) dyd greatlie hinder the kinges friends, and fauor his enemies, vnder the colour of the olde Lord of the place, which had obtained of his Maiestie in respect of his age, a certain assurance (hauing the like of the contrarie parte, by meanes of the Vicont his sonne, who was chiefe of Poictiers) to the end he might seeme the kings friend, bee­ing indeed altogether a fauourer and vpholder of the Spaniards, as his sonne was.

And since these troubles it is found that the olde Lord would not suffer passage to be geuen to the Kings troupes, but when the Leaguers had passed by; he would not (although he did) see them: And so much yet did this contagi­on breake foorth to the harme of manie Inha­bitants of his Towne, who affected the Vicont, that they which were encountred by the kinges troupes, (information being geuen of their de­meanor) they were iudged to be of good prize, and voluntarely paid ransom.

Besides this, the Vicont hauing intelligence of the sicknes of his father, had seduced manie persons to his parttaking, to the end to surprice the place as soone as occasion might bee mini­stred vnto him, but was preuented by the diligence of Monsieur de Sallerin, chiefe Gouer­nor for his Maiestie of the Towne and Castle of Loches. Who hauing had intelligence of these actions, and considering likewise the enor­mitie and danger which this place might be vn­to all that Countrie, and chieflie vnto the town of Loches, which was not aboue fiue or sixe miles distant from them, he iudged that it was requisite to remedie it speedelie.

And meaning to ouerslip no time, hee sent on the second sunday of this moneth of Februa­rie, the young Prince of Campagnol to surprise the said Town of Guierche, being assisted with these Captaines, Prat, Brunet, Gardellia, de l'Aage, [Page 3]Beray, Orignac, Cormier, and others of the ordina­rie followers of the sayd Lord of Sallerin, who executed so happely the enterprise, that they tooke the said Towne on Mondaye, being the third day of Februarie, about seuen of the clock in the morning, by the order & direction which the Lord of Sallerin had geuen. In the taking whereof, there was few slaine of account, but the Lorde de la Chastiere, who was slaine in flight, being chiefe Commaunder of the saide Towne, and much affectioned vnto the Vi­cont.

This being done, presently the Lorde of Campagnoll gaue aduertisement of this exploit to the Lord Sallerin Pou, that he might prouide for that which might follow: for that the castle was not yet taken, neither had they wherewith to force them, and the old Lord of the place had aduertised his sonne the Vicont, of his mishap, willing him to come to his succours. Which thing gaue apparant testimonie of entercourse betweene the father and the sonne, and that the shewe which the old Lorde made, was but to keepe his goods, being in his minde and action altogether enemie to the king.

The Lorde of Sallerin vnderstanding of these accidents, and resoluing to goe thether in person, as well for that he would not leaue his Soldiers and friendes in danger, as also not to leaue such a worke vnfinished, being a thing of [Page 4]great importance, to the seruice of the King, & benefit to al the Countrie: and hauing alreadie prepared for that enterprise, there was presently sent him by Monsieur de Vaure, brother vnto Monsieur de Montigici, thirtie light horsemen, and fiftie Harquebusiers on horsbacke, being guided by the Lord of Boys la Vigne, hee ad­uertised also Captaine Coueselles, Lieutenant to the Lorde of Lessart a Chastillop, to come thether with his Garrison, and the Captaine Houssaye, and Merey, with sixtie harguebusies, on horsback.

In the meane time the said Lord of Salle­rin sent the Captaines S. Anne, S. Michall, and Chizeaux, being of the regiment of the Lorde de Vatau, to the saide Towne of Guierche, to serue and ayde the said Lord of Campagnoll in these affaires, and himselfe vsed diligence in all other thinges which he thought conuenient for his purpose.

After he had ordered these thinges before spoken and rehearsed, he caused two Culuerins to be prepared in readines, for to march, as hee thought, very requisite, and sent to Monsieur the Mayor of Tours, praying him to sende him the Captaine la Vallade, with threescore har­guebusies, for to safeconduct the two peeces.

And meaning himselfe to goe before, hee gaue order to receiue the said Captaine, Lorde Vallade, into Loches, and there to stay vntill he [Page 4]sent him word to the contrarie, and also to keep the companie which he brought, and expect o­ther forces from him to accompanie the sayde peeces if he had time.

Also, the said Lord sent the same day cer­taine Carts laden with powder, pikes, shot, and other instruments of warre, which might serue for such occasions.

On the next morrow which was Tuesdaye, the said Lord of Sallerin departed from Loches, with the Lord Bois la Vigne, the Lords; gouer­nors of Pretay de Marernes, Castram la Bigeay, les Moulins, and le Puy Becheron, being all of them Gentlemen bordering neere Loches, and which had the daie before vowed to aide and assiste him: and making in all fiftie horse, they came about fiue of the clock that euening vnto Guierche. Where presently hee was certified, that the Vicont of Guierche was comming the­ther with two hundred Horsemen, and two hundred Harguebusiers on horssback, two hun­dred Spanishe Footemen, and two hundred Frenchmen, bringing with them one peece of campane ordinance.

Vppon which newes, the Lorde of Sallerin sent to Monsieur d'Abain, Gouernour of the high and lowe Marches, (who was then not far off vpon other occasions) desiring to ayde him with his forces, which he presently graunted to, and hauing the Lord Baron d'Abain his son [Page 6]with him, hee went to ioyne in companie with the said Lord Sallerin, in Guierche, with thirtie good horse, and an hundred harguebusiers on horseback, who resolued first to goe and see the three troupes of the Regiment of Vatan, which were lodged in the Suburbes, neere the Bridge of Guierche, and to knowe particularlie what want of munition for warre they were in, for their defence, geuing them to vnderstande of the resolute attempt which the night following he meant to make to them of the Castle, by as­saulting of them: Foreseeing that if the Vicont came before hee did assault, it might make the thing more hard vnto him.

He also willed the Gentlemen which were within, to deliuer vp the place, otherwise hee would burne their houses which were neer vn­to Guien, and punish them rigorouslie when he had taken the place, whereof he hoped verie shortly to be possessor. To which commaunde­ment they in the end consented, for the causes abouesaid, and yeelded the Castle the fifte daie of Februarie, three houres within the euening, which was contrarie to the old mans will.

Which Castle the Lord Campagnoll did take possession of with twentie Soldiers onelie, which thing fell out happilie, for that the Vi­cont arriued that day following about three of the clock, with all his troupes, meaning indeede to besiege the Towne and Castle, with those [Page 7]which were before besieged.

The Vicont with his forces made an as­sault vnto the Suburbes neere adioyning to the bridge, which was the quarter defended by the three Companies before named, and forced them to retire, but they recouering the forces, droue him back againe, and for­ced him to departe, hauing first had intelli­gence of the yeelding of the Castle, and re­solued to passe the riuer of the Ile, where he had a house at commandement, very neere the passage.

The day being come, the Lord de Salle­rin, with the Lorde d'Abain, resoluing to prouide for the garde of that place, wente with fourescore good horsemen, and two hundred Harguebusies on horseback, to the intent to doe all the honour to the Vicont, in conducting him to the gates of Poictiers, and to recompence him (if it might be) by the way, for the great paines hee had taken.

Also he followed them euen to the Sub­urbs of the castle of Vieux, being distaunt from Guierche three leagues, he encoun­tred one of their companies of Harguebu­sies, which went to refresh themselues, the which he quickly put to flight without anie great resistance.

And the said Lords, to follow their first [Page 8]resolution, hauing first discouered those which did retire. At the last then they pur­sued them with their light horsemen, being led by the Lord Baron de Abain, and Bors la Vigne, which sought all meanes to know their enemies forces, to take their aduaun­tage in the battaile, to which they were so lately bent. But being hindered by the of­ten skirmiges they had with them, as they followed, and the place where the Vicount was, vnknowen vnto them, the Lordes de Sallerin, and d'Abain, resolued to march to the right side of the Tower de Oyzay, being a verie high place, where they might beste descrie their enemies forces, whereof as yet they were vncertaine.

And in the meane time the Lord Preaux, (who as he had heard was his great friend, and was comming along the Riuer of Vien­na, with one hundred and fiftie, or two hun­dred footmen, and fortie horsmen, being as well of the high tower, as of the garrison) might ioyne with him in the plain neere the riuer by them. The Lord de Sallerin leauing his companie, went to find the L. d'Abain, & Bois la Vigne, who were gone with 12. or 15. horse, to descrie the order and force of the enemies, which they did so effectually, as it came to such euent as they looked for, and [Page 9]therfore with all their force marched foorth to finde out the L. de Abain, & Preaux; who abode about 100. paces from thē, expecting the battel, which to begin, they sent 20. hors­men, & 50. hargueb. guided by L. Sallerin. The L. des Preux aduanced foorth his foot­men, backt with his caualleri, who went va­liantly to assaile the infantry of the enemie, lodged by the enemie for most aduantage.

This troupe receiued many canon shotte from the castle of the Ile, and the harguebu­siers of the shot of the enemies, and of those which lay in couert, did execute very braue exploites of armes, the French & Spaniards fighting valiantly hand to hand: but at last, by the braue resolution of M. de Preux, the Lords d'Gardeuil, Mesignac, Barredon, de Vaure, la Bruere, and de Cruere, who with their troupes behaued them so valyantlie, that they took the ditches, gained the mountain and the medow, and the spaniards halfe ouercome, retired to their main battell, be­ing pursued very closely. L. Baron d'Abain, and de la Vigne, hauing vlerque la Cauallerie, the whole companie were put to flight, and vanquished more by sight of our courage, then by our force, where in the flight was made a great slaughter of the enemies, who were so liuely folowed, and hardly pursued, [Page 10]and seeing the passage on that side of Chau­uigni, in the height of the riuer, to be kept with the troupes of the Lorde Abain, and Sallerin, and that they could not escape the edge of the sword, they cast themselues into the Riuer, where all that did so, were imme­diately drowned.

The Vicont himselfe, hoping of better fortune then the others, had (with many of the principall Leaguers) put themselues in­to a great Boat, and assaied to passe, but the Harguebushers with their shotte, made such a bramblement within their boat, as also, that many of those which were in the water did catch holde of the boat, thereby to saue themselues, so that the strength and weight of them did oue-turne the boate the vpside downe.

A woonderfull thing then was it to be­holde this spectacle, which resembled a pat­terne of the deluge, and to heare the horri­ble cries of men, and horses. The riuer bee­ing couered with hats, and clokes, and men, and horses, drowned, and halfe drowned, which had sunke, and diued vp againe. Of some their heads appeared, of others their legs and armes, the most of them armed and booted.

Which dreadfull thing doeth shewe [Page 11]the iust iudgement of God vpon these mise­rable Leaguers, who hauing made such ru­ine of good men, receiued from God the guerdon of their periurie, and the chastise­ment which they had merited, and iustly deserued.

The Vicont himselfe being knowen, of one of his owne friends was taken prisoner, who tooke him out of the water, and carri­ed him on a mare vnto the foresaid Chastel­leraut.

In this ouerthrowe the sixte of February there were slaine and drowned more then fiue hundred men. Amongst the which, at the least were fourescore Gentlemen and Captnes, and by report of the Trumpetter, the pesaunts and women which came from Poictiers to search the dead, did finde, that of eight hundred men which wente from thence, there returned but fiftie, the rest be­ing dead, or taken.

This worke of God is admirable, and not to be praysed sufficiently, that the ene­mies had three for one, and yet we had not one man either slaine, or wounded vnto the death: only foure or fiue Souldiers are light­ly hurt, and those that are most dangerous­lie wounded, may be healed in twelue dais, and of ours were three horse slaine.

The night drawing on, and waxing ex­ceeding darke, and the want of Boates was the cause that they were forced to geue o­uer, and could not followe the victorie: on that side the riuer which wee passed before the conflict, so that the said Lord de Abain and de Sallerin, lodged in the Villages that were neere at hand, and bordering vppon Guierche, and the sayd Lord des Preux re­turned to Chattelleraut.

Vppon the Friday next following, the said Lord de Preux sent to summon the ca­stle of the Ile, to which place the Vicount had withdrawen his Cannon, and the best part of his carriage. Which Castle did im­mediatly yeelde at the first summon to cap­taine l'Espinette, and the spoile was sent to Chattelleraut.

On Saterday the eight day of Februa­rie, in the euening, and on Sundaye mor­ning, they drew out of the water more then two hundred and fiftie drowned carcasses, and amongst others was the Lorde de Bon­nes, de Perigueux, Liutenant to the Vicont, and the Lord de Grandmont his nephewe, de Palustre, Chanboneau, and diuers others which were not knowen. And diuers others very sumptuouslie apparrelled, and richlie armed, which they could not know. Be­sides, [Page 13]dailie there are found more dead car­cases in the said riuer, as if the spring there­of should seeme vnable to be drawen drie, but still to increase.

This ouerthrowe which happened on Thursday, being the sixt day of Februarie, at foure of the clocke in the afternoone, or thereaboutes, is one of the most notablest things that euer happened in those Coun­tries, since these last cruell warres, which manifesteth the great mercie of almightie God, in blessing and preseruing the affaires of the most Christian King in these partes: for that therein was slaine, and taken priso­ners, the most part of the chiefe Leaguers of Poictou, Lymasin, and Perigot.

Whose names, for the better satisfiing of all such as are desirous to bee acquainted with this ouerthrowe, are here set downe, as well those which were slaine, as those which were taken prisoners, to the great en­couragement of all the true subiectes of that valiant French king: and the dismaying of the sworne seruants of that wicked monster of Rome, and his adherents, whom God at his good pleasure will ouerthrow and con­found for euer.