with his troopes, were lodged on the other fide of the water. The rest of the commanders and the names of the places they lay in, I do not well remember, but fure I am, my Lord came to his quarter by five a clocke in the morning, and the whole towne was roundly befeig'd before eleven of the clocke. But Villiers Governour of Roan, did that day fhew himselfe to be a brave foldier, and a great 44 commander. He brought out his troopes both of horse and foote, and there was not a quarter in the whole army but what was bravely affaulted and fought withall by them that day. The King's quarter was not exempted; but they did so furiously affault Montmorancie's quarter, that had not my

44 This confirms again the military character of Monfieur de Villars,

Lord

Lord of Effex fent his horfe to relieve him, he had been driven out of his quarter with great dishonour. Towards three in the afternoon they had showne their worth and valour in all other places. They came up towards my Lord's quarters. We were ready to entertain them, and wee held skirmish at the least two hours, and after fome killed and hurt on both fides, they fairly retired into the towne, and we to our lodging; and fo ended that day's fport.

Diverse days after, they made falleys out of the towne, and gave attempts to diverse quarters, which wee that lay on high had the pleasure to behold, but they never attempted any thing against us but the first day. They had a fpleene to no quarter fo much as to Montmorancie's. The reafon was for that he had begg'd of the King the gouverment

gouverment of the towne, if it had beene taken either by agreement or by affault.

We lay long there and to little purpose; for though the towne walles were weake, and of no force to endure a battery, which my Lord would faine have beene at, and offered the King that hee and his troopes fhould be the firft that should enter, if he would make a breach (which four canons would foon have done) it would not be hearkened unto; old 45 Byron thinking

45 Armand de Gontaut Seigneur de Biron. One of the Marshalls of France. A brave foldier, an able negotiator, and acknowledged favourite of three fucceeding princes, Charles IX. Henry III. and Henry IV. His age and experience gave him great weight with Henry IV. who although neither influenced by favourites, nor minifters, liftened attentively to his councils. Hiftorians feem to think that Biron's purposes were not always difinterested and upright.

He

thinking it better by continuing the fiedge, for want of victualls to make them come to compofition, then to hazard the wealth of the towne to the spoile of the fouldiers, if it should be won by affault.

All our attempts were against St. Katherine's. There wee wrought in trenches so neere them, as we came to lye in their counterscarfe, and had often conference with them in the fort. One night there were fcaling ladders

He is here called OLD Biron to distinguish him from his eldeft fon Charles de Gontaut premier Marêchal de Biron, who made fo confiderable a figure at this fiege, that the King at his return to Paris pointed him out [AUX ECHEVINS] to the magiftrates of that city, with this expreffion, MESSIEURS, VOICI UN GRAND GENERAL. JE LE PRESENTE A MES AMIS ET A MES ENEMIS. "Gen"tlemen, here you fee a great General. present him to my friends and my to ene"mies."

prepared,

I

prepared, and wee had hope to winne it by fcalado. My Lord was there with the chiefe gentlemen of his army. Wee were all commanded to weare

fhirtes above the 46 armour (I loft many fhirtes that I lent that night) this was done accordingly. When all things were prepared and ready, wee marched forwards, and the first that came to fet up the ladders found them (at least) two yards too fhort; fo wee were forced to retire with fhame enough, the fort playing upon us in our coming on, and in our coming off, but there was little hurt done by reafon of the darkneffe of the night.

One day my Lord and his best friends being at the head of the French prattling to those in the fort, wee had been all cutt in pieces had not the

4 To distinguish them from the enemy. worth