THE King being departed from Nantes the twelfth of Aprill, deter­mined to lodge the same night at a place called Vielle-Vigne, distant fiue leagues from the same towne: the next day his Maiestie remoued three leagues neerer his enemies. The 14. day hee appointed the generall Rendezuous for his whole Army betweene Aspremont and Com­minquiers, befitting places for such a purpose, sen­ding to the Count de la Roch-foucalt to bring thither his forces also, and so vnite them with his Maiesties: but when his Maiestie was aduertised that the Lord de Soubize was retired with his troopes or army to­ward the Rendezuous of Aspremont, consisting of fiue or sixe thousand foote, fiue hundred horse, three peeces of great Artillerie, and foure field peeces of iron, he aduanced forward with a full resoluti­on, and ardent desire to fight with him, and so came to a village called Chalans: here he was aduised by my Lord the Prince of Conde, that seeing he had sent for the forces of the Count de la Roch-foucalt to ioyne [Page 2] with his troopes, it were not amisse to attend the good houre of their comming together. For the Lord Soubize and his armie was lodged within an I­land called Rye, very difficult for accesse, and very dangerous to surprize, as hauing onely three or foure streight passages for conduction, wherein two or three men could but march in front.

The fifteenth day of the said month, the King was mounted by three of the clocke in the morning, and with his whole troopes, set forward to the place, where Count de la Roch-Foucalt, and all his forces attended the Kings appoyntment, with whose pio­ners and souldiers, in his owne presence, hee raised three seuerall forts or skonces neare the sayd Iland, and neare the place where the enemy played most with the cannon and defended themselues.

But his Maiestie all on fire, and resolued to goe forward in his enterprise, not regarding what the cannon could doe, and lesse caring what the enemy durst attempt, sent my Lord the Prince of Conde, with all the remainder of the Infantery on foote, and some men of armes to enter vpon the said Iland: but you must consider, that his Maiestie had first ap­poynted the Lord Marshall de Vitry, with the Re­giment of his guard to take possession of the place; with whom were accomdanyed the Lordes Z [...]met, and de Murillac Marshalls of the Campe, who still kept neare the sayd Marshall de Vitry, vntill hee had entred the Iland, and taken vp his lodging: then did they quarter themselues. Shortly after, as you haue heard, came Monsieur Prince de Praslin, with Bassompierre the first Marshall of the field, whose [Page 3] authority and endeuours brought all the rest of the horse to ioyne with the sayd Regiment of the guard, who only were first lodged within the Iland: where­upon they prepared themselues readily and with all diligence, to obey their Commanders, but could not doe it so soone, but they were discouered by the enemy, who sent out foure hundred horse to set vp­pon the Prince of Condes forces before the army of the King could approach, and vnite themselues: which when the Prince of Conde perceiued, and ap­prehended, that they were resolute to fight, he reti­red himselfe a little, and sent with all speede to ad­uertise his Maiestie what had chanced, and that, if it pleased him, hee might now aduance forward with the rest of his army into the Iland; which the King presently and nobly accomplished, comming to the place where my Lord the Prince was, and so the rest in a manner as soone followed, where his Maiestie was.

This performed, hee tooke present order for two speciall things: the one was to supply the wants of the souldiers with bread; for they had fasted long, and so all that were neare his person had a Donatiue out of his owne store, or if you will, his principall Baker, and the rest had a gratuity from other places: the other was to quarter the horse within the Towne of S. Iohn de Mons, some halfe a mile from thence, wherein hee vsed such iudgement and prouidence, that he preuented many mischiefes. For he presently sent to the Count de la Roche-foucalt, to abandon one part of his quarter, which the same day hee had taken possession of in the presence of his Maiesty, and [Page 4] retire to the Towne of Saint Giles, making vse of the same for the better refreshing of his wearied troupes, letting the enemy alone vntill better op­portunity. But as this was a doing, the skowtes aduertised his Maiestie, that the enemy prepared themselues to retire to some better security by the Sea; which when the Tide went out, they might well doe, through Foords and Washes: But the King vnderstanding hereof, sent fiue hundred of the Regiment de la Bergerie, vnder the commaund of Captaine d'Escars, to guarde the places and pas­sages.

Now you must consider, that his Maieiste had endured a tedious trauell, and a kinde of a penance: For he was on horsebacke, from three of the clocke in the morning, to sixe at night, and neuer dismoun­ted, by reason hee was to passe ouer a little Creeke of the Sea, which he could not doe, but at a lowe water, nor was then to be done, vntill hed had his forces together, and thus he was enforced to watch for the Tide, which was not lowe enough till nine of the clocke at night, at which time the foote had a Rendezuous appoynted, and a watch-word to attend, and the horse might easily finde a way through the Foords and knowne Washes of the place. But when it was considered, that the passage for the foote was a quarter of a league from the Foordes of the horse, and that the King, euen in the middest of his iourny standing deepe in the water, had notice, that the foote could not yet goe ouer, as hauing the Sea vp to their neckes, he was aduised by many not to make too much haste, nor passe with his horse alone, lest [Page 5] the enemy might take aduantage of the same, and set vpon him not fully prouided.

Neuerthelesse his vndanted Maiesty, vniting toge­ther his resolution with the generosity of his spirit, & scorning to giue way vnto any difficulties in a busi­nesse of such importance, wherein a Princes word was engaged, commaunded forward, and finding the night to be very darke and obscure, welcommend the opportunity, and all alone with his horse ouer­came the difficulty being fiue hundred with the Vo­luntiers, and others, and no more. For you must know, he had left three hundred horse and fifty Cara­bines with Count de la Roche-foucalt, to guarde the reare, and defend the carriages.

By this time was the houre approached that the foote might passe, who when they had founded the channels, quickely aduentured their persons, and made such diligence and speede that they passed o­uer in good order. For the Lords de Bassompierre, and de Palsuna Frontenac Master of the Campe with the Regiment of Nauarre had the Van in this busi­nesse, and vsed the discipline of Silence, Patience, Trauell and Obedience: then followed the Regi­ments of the Gurde, and Normandy, and when they found the water but vp to the girdle-sted, it was a wonder to behold how soone they passed. For with­in one halfe houre they were quickely embattelled neare vnto his Maiesty, and drawne vp so formally, that the King commended both the Officers and the Souldiers, the one for their martiall knowledge, the other for their submission and readinesse.

By that time all was done, the Sea returned, and the floud came in apace; so that his Maiesty had the [Page 6] Sea on his right hand, and this passage behind him, wherby there was now no retiring, & the enemy must either fight, or yeeld; which when the King vnder­stood, it is rather to be admired, then commended with what courage and direction he proceeded: For when he saw the passages, ouer which his foot came, being fiue hundred paces broad, all couered with water, and apprehended the toyle and labour they endured, being, as the Prouerb is, dropping dry, and weary, and wet in their Stations, he roade in amongst them to comfort them. When they againe recollected themselues to cast vp the Kings accounts of his watchings all night, of his wearisornnesse, and trauell, of the danger, in which hee hazarded his person, and of the example, which so many Princes and Nobles gaue them, they quickely recomforted themselues, and assured their Captaines, they would liue and die with their King.

Whereupon his Maiestie by breake of the day marshalled his army in good order, and concluded to fight, keeping the fields directly, which led to the Crosse of Vie, distant, or remote from Saint Giles by one arme of the sea, which was now vnpassable. The enemy all this while was acquainted with what was done; and although they seemed much danted and appalled at the Kings approach in such a maner, and knew apparantly, that his anger was so much exaspe­rated against them, that he determined their destru­ction; yet did they make good semblance, and reaso­nable exposition. For Monsieur de Soubize, and his valiant Lieutenant omitted nothing, wherein the office of a Commaunder was to be shewne, and the seruice of a souldier employed.

[Page 7] But all was in vaine: For when the time came of their ioyning and charging together, which was close to the passage directing to Saint Giles, the king approched with that fury, and the Princes followed with such willingnesse, that at the very first shocke, and push of pike, they began to stagger, which was quickly entertained by his Maiestie, and so both horse and foote poured many volleys of short among them amaine, and neuer left, till their foote were in a manner defeated: for the most part of their horse perceiuing the impossibility of recouering the day, left the foote, and thought to retire to Rochell; which when the other companies, not yet fought withall, perceiued; they also made meanes to escape: but the sea preuented their hastinesse, being yet too low, whereby his Maiesties forces followed them all ouer the strands, and had a fearefull execution, when they were thus put to rout. For although many of them seeing this extremitie threw downe their armes, and submitted to mercy, & as many mingled themselues with the kings forces by way of acknowledging his soueraignty: yet were there slaine out-right 500. and diuers hundreds flying into the Marshes and villages were soone put to the sword by the souldiers and peasants.

There were also taken prisoners a thousand, with­all the Masters of the campe, Captains and Officers, many Colours or Ensignes surprised, their Canon was violently seized on, three peeces of brasse, and foure of iron, their baggage and carriages were in­tercepted; and in a word all that they had was spoy­led, disordered, and ouerthrowne: yea Monsieur [Page 8] Soubize himselfe came into the hands of the Count de la Roch-foucalt, but escaped vpon a little nagge with much adoe with a 120. horse onely, who came to Rochell, as sorrowfull messengers of this lamenta­ble defeat, but they acquainted with the miseries, and accidents of Fortune, and prepared to endure the stripes of affliction, wrapped vp all together in the bosome of sorrow, and put into the Catalogue of former losses, and Gods indignation, who in his due time would make an end of their griefes, and send them no doubt the comfort of reconciliation with their Prince and Gouernour.

When the King had thus preuailed the same day or if you will the same night he logded at Aspremont, whither one repaired to aduertise him, that vpon the discouery of the enemies horses about the Foord of the Marshes; he had sent fifty horse or Carbines to keepe them play, amongst whom twelue aduan­ced so forward, being attended with the light-horse, and followed with other men of armes, and all vp­pon the Bridle, that comming to an encounter, ten of their enemies were taken, and the rest attempting to saue themselues by flight, were ouertaken by the Pesants, and slaine. This newes brought with it a kinde of security, so that his Maiesty might now take his rest with a little more quietnes, and the soul­diers haue the better refreshing, considering there re­mained no apparent enemy to annoy them; and if any Alarums chaunced, they might quickely bee ac­commodated, and fresh skouts, and per dues set a­broad, the ouer-wearied might the better take their repose.

[Page 9] While the King refreshed his Army and him­selfe at Aspremont, he called a Councell of warre to determine his proceedings; and because he percei­ued the businesse of Rochel to be dangerous and diffi­cult, he now desisted from so much as a conference concerning it, and onely went about the reducing of this Iland of Rye to his obedience: whereupon he sent the Count de la Roche-foucalt, to besiege the Ca­stell of Chaume, or at least to surprize it by Battery or otherwise: he tooke with him three thousand soul­diers, and made his other prouision sutable to such a busines: the Castle it selfe was strong, well furnished with souldiers, and now the better prepared, because of them which escaped in the last defeate, & quartred themselues heere round about: yet nothing at this time preuayled against the Kings forces. For they gaue so hot an assault, and seconded one another in such a manner, that they not onely seemed more then they were, but encouraged one another to the preuayling: so that though the enemy made for the time equall opposition, and might haue defended themselues, if they had not beene thus terrified, and examinated: yet at last in the middest of the fight it was taken about the eighteenth of Aprill, a hundred and fifty men slaine, and foure hundred surprized as prisoners, of those which called themselues, and made, as it were, a new head to intercept the battery, and preuent, as farre as they could, the expugna­tion.

While this was doing against Chalme, the Lord de Buyers Lieutenant of the foresaid Count vnder­standing that Monsieur de Soubize was returned to­ward [Page 10] the Iland with the troopes, that had escaped with him, made vp against him, and charged him on­ly with thirty of the chiefest Gentlemen, who vpon their shrinking backe, as mistrusting the kings forces to be neerer then they were, tooke thirty of Soubizes company prisoners, and rerurned to the king with the relation of the matter, who next day being the nineteenth of Aprill drew out all his army most Princely equipped and furnished, gloriously to be­hold, and well marshalled for any enterprise, and this he did in the sight of Soubize, who had retired him­selfe to a place of security, by reason of the seas com­ming in, so that for the time it was vnaccessable: and for the time the king ment onely to shew his great­nesse, and strike as it were a terror vpon them, that they might remember themselues, and returne to his obedience.

This done, his Maiesty resolued to march to Royan and withall expedition to besiege it: for seeing he was abroad, he would now doe some thing worthy of his labour, paines, presence, trauel, and the endurances of his army which by this time increased, and was great and well appointed: for there accompanied him ma­ny Princes and noble Lords: by name the Prince of Conde, the Count Soisons: my Lord of Vendosme: the grand Prior, Duke de Fronfac, Duke de Retz, my Lords the Marshals of Vitry, and of Prasluin, Mon­sieur de Scomberg, the Marquesse of Courtenan, the Marquesse of Nesse, with many other Lords, and Gentlemen of qualitie, who had not onely done their deuoire in this iourny, but were ready to spend their liues for his Maiestie vpon any occasion.