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 [Page 2] 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 sentēce 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 y^e 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 y^e 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 [Page 3] 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 [Page 4] 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 [Page 5] 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.