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without present death; and the same tempest ceased not, from the fyrst houre of the nyght, tyll the nexte daye after and yet, that was mor greueous and painful to the poore souldyers, there came suche a wynde, that blew so colde and sharpe, and with suche vyolence, that neuer was there sene a more piteous nyght; for the poore souldyers, commyng out of theyr shyppes, not takynge eny stuffe with them, had not a cloth to couer them selfes, neither cappe, cloke, nor tentes to lye in. By the whiche intollerable tempest there were so many beaten and febled, that both strength and courage feyled them together, by the reason of the greate peine and griefe that they had endured. Durynge the whiche tyme, the see roase more then euer it had beene sene before, and in suche a rage, that many of our shyppes, losyng theyr ancres and theyr gables, were broken and beaten in peces against the see bankes; the other, beynge fylled with water, were drouned and sonke into the depe, where was greate losse and dammage, aswel of apparel, artillary, and other prouision, as also of the vytayles, wherwyth they were laden. And this euell chaunce, happenyng in the nyght, was piteouslye augmented by the fortune of the daye folowynge; for a freshe the rayne and wynde cam agayn with suche vehemency and vyolence, that it was impossible for eny manne lyuynge to stande on his fete; the whiche thinge knowynge oure enemyes, they perccaued well it was no tyme to let vs be in rest; so that a greate nombre of theim, commyng very secretly out of their towne, came vnto oure watche, and destroyed theim, and afterward drewe toward vs, tyll they came to oure trenches or bullwarkes, settynge vpon vs with bowe shotte. Notwithstandynge that we wer then wondrefully astonnyed, yet with all dilygence we stoode to oure defence, and, spedely armyng vs, we assayled theim in suche wise, that, at our first settynge on, they drewe backe, for none other purpose, then to haue drawen vs to theyr displeasoure into some streyght or destruction, in fallynge amonge theyr embushmentes, by pursuynge theim incircumspectly. We were, in this metynge, more in nombre then oure enemyes, but they had the vauntage of vs, aswel for the commodyte of the place beyng aboue vs, as also of the diuersite of weapons and artillary, whiche they vsed; for they, kepynge the higher parte of the mounteigne, so troubled vs with the shotte of theyr crossbowes, longe bowes, and greate stones, and other kindes of artillary, that by no meanes we coulde get vp to theim; for, by the reason of the contynuaunce of the rayne, and greatenes therof, we had altogether laide aside the vse and occupienge of oure harquebusshes, so that it was impossible to finde enye meane howe to resiste theim, beyng farre of; and therfore we drewe nere vnto theim, euen tyl we came to their holebardes, and fought hande to hande and manne with manne: but to bring this thinge to passe was veraye peinfull to vs, aswell for rhe greate strengthe of oure enemyes, as also for the situacion of the place, beynge so difficile and harde to clyme vp vnto, and the greate nombre of bowe shotte, that on vs they discharged, when we enforced our selues thervnto.

This maner of warre was veraye straunge to our people which had not bene accustomed with the maners and courses that oure enemyes

vsed with vs, which neuer woold ioyne together, ner icoparde all their strength to the auenture of one battayle; but, beinge dispersed and scattered, they prouoked vs with their shotte, to thentent to drawe vs out of araye, and to haue broken our ordre. And, if it happened us to pursue theim, they wer alwayes in a redynes to flye, to thentent to drawe vs ferther of, and to seperate vs one from another, and then, perceauyng vs a litle nombre, they shulde retorne with greater compaignye vpon vs, and casely defeate vs beyng their pursuers, and the lesser nombre; and the same day the horsse-men (whiche turned to our great hurte) caused to come forth with theim oute of the towne a sorte of footemenne of lyke nombre, which being so well trymmed and broken in the feactes of their warre, that they could promptely and readely applye theim selfes to al poyntes and feactes therof, and ranne, when nede was, as swyftlye as the horses theim selfes. Oure people (as is aforesaide) being deceaued with this straunge manner of warre, pursued our enemyes (which so strayed abroade) euen till they came almoost at the walles of the toune of Argier, into the whiche our enemyes hasted to entre, and incontynentlye they of the toune with all spede shot of their artillary, with all other their ordinaunce vpon the pursuers; wherevpon foloed a greate murther and destruccion of our people, in such maner, that many of the Italyans (not exercized in warre) tooke their flyght, and by that meanes there was none lefte to kepe the felde, but the Knyghtes of the Rhodes, with a certen nombre of Italyans, beinge honest menne, whiche regardinge their honour dyd not flye. We then, consyderyng all thinges, did aduyse with our selfes, that our enemyes, seying the flight of our people, woolde not fayle to issue forth to pursue vs, lyke as it came to passe; and we tooke councell to withdrawe vs betwene ii. lytle hilles in suche a secrete place, where a fewe might casely withstande a great nombre. Now then, as I haue writen vnto you, all the place rounde aboute the toune was full of lytle hilles, the which are the cause, that the waye is altogether in a manner noysome, croked ouertwhart, and in many places narowe, according as the hilles stand, some nere, and some ferther of, one from another,

We thus purposyng, and incontinently after our remouyng, behold, our enemyes cam forth of the toune, in great nombre, earnestly intending to haue pursued vs sharply; but assone as they perceaued vs, they began to put in use their accustomed trade, to thentent to drawe vs out of strength, who seing that we wold not come forth, dyd send ther people afore up the mounteignes, to thentent that being aboue vs, they might with stones, and other theyr artyllary, dryue vs oute; the which caused that manye of our people, not being prepared against such sorte of warre, left their place and fled from their strength and holde, not withstanding we enforced vs allwayes to dooe nothinge, that myght redounde to our reproche, and to take as lytle harme as we could; which thinge seing, our enemyes, and hauinge great spyght that so small a compaignie shulde withstand so great a nombre of people, they agreed to drawe nerer, and settinge fiercely forward came vpon vs, with a bonde of horssemenne, against whose commynge, our armoures stood us in good stede. Nowe then, we seinge that all

hope of our lyues dyd lye in wysdome, and boldnes of courage, we purposed rather honestly to dye in battayle, than in flyenge to be myserably destroyed by theim; and this to dooe we wer greatlye incited and sturred withe the hope that we had in the nere commynge and readye succour, which we looked to haue quickly of themperour. And, being thus purposed and confyrmed, we withstode our enemyes by great force of speares. So that when yt chaunced enye of theim to come among vs and to medle with vs; we shortened their passage and slewe theim among vs, which was not hard to dooe, forasmuch as they are not muche accustomed to weare herneysse. And perceauynge this, they drawynge backe, beganne agayne the use of their shotte as they had done before, wher withall they dyd vs much harme, because we were very nygh one to another, and that so greatly, that we were dryuen to breake our ordre, and to saye the trouthe, we were sore troubled; at which tyme, beholde, themperour came polytikly with a compeignye of Allmaignes, whiche when our enemyes perceaued, they left of noying and greuyng vs, and gaue vs a lytle leasour and space to breathe our selfes. When themperour had set his armye in the largest places that he could fynde amonge the lytle hilles (of the which, often tymes we haue made mencyon) and our enemyes coulde not well perceaue what was the nombre, because of the hilles which were betwene theim; wherfore, to knowe this, they approched more nearer, but seinge that it auayled nothing, fearynge that if they shuld haue stayd to long viewyng of vs, the themperours men, beyng nere, woolde haue medled with theim; and therfore, they drewe back, and strayte way entred the toune, blowynge the retraicte, and so saued them selfes in the toune in good ceason, lashinge oute, and shotynge of, in all the haste, theyr greate gonnes and harquebusshes; then was themperour himselfe in great daunger, for in the meane while that he was with the vaunt garde, geuyng courage unto theim, that were in the formost brunt. The great Gonnes caryed away v. or vi. of them to whome he spake, and tooke councel of; howbeit, he him selfe neuer chaunged colour, nether shewed eny token of feare in goyng forth with his purpose, as though nothinge had chanced. These thinges thus dooen, and our enemyes gone backe and we deliuered, themperour, with a small losse of his Allmeignes, brought back the armye to the campe. As concernyng the Knyghtes of the Rhodes which were in all, skase the nombre of an hundred, there was viii. of theim that remayned slaine with the Gonnes, and xxx. that skaped being sore wounded. As for the Italyans, whiche remayned among vs, I knowe not for a truthe, howe great the nombre was, nether of theim that wer slaine, ner yet of those that wer hurt and wounded, for because that I my selfe was sore wounded, and for that the great grefe and peine of my woundes caused in me a great maladye and disease, that yt was not possible for me to go vnto one that coulde tell me the nombre. In this meane while that we were thus tormented wyth the wynde, rayne, and enemyes, our shippes of warre, rydyng alongest the coste, were woondrefully turmoyled; and suche was the rage and crueltye of the storme, that there was nether ancre ner gable, the whiche coulde holde theim from breakynge and dashynge against the earthe, or from beatynge one against another, so

that the water entreynge, sanke theim in the depe. And our enemyes much more augmentynge this fortune (whiche seinge aswell our losses as also our other miseryes, bothe of our people and shippes in great nombre) went downe to our arryuage, to thentent to kyll theim, whom the tempest had spared; the which thing seinge, themperour dispatched. ii. M. Spanyardes that brought backe our enemyes, and delyuered the maryners from that perill and danger, whiche was to our smal aduauntage; for the maryners, seing the great daunger of the see, and thassuraunce of the lande, regarded none other thyng but the sauynge of theym selfes, and therfor conueighed theim selfes, oute of the daunger of the water, whiche was the cause that the oftener our shippes dyd beate against the bankes, and so were drouned in great nombre. Suche was this tempest, that xxx. shippes wer lost, which chaunce was so greueous when it was tolde the army, that in maner they wer vtterly put in despayre; for at their comminge foorth of the shippes, to thentent they woolde be the more lyght and hable to iourneye, they pestred not theim selfes with enye necessarye prouisyon, neyther tooke they with theim vytayles, but for ii. dayes onlye, the which wer gone and spent ii. jorneyes before; therfore, consydering a great part of the shippes perisshed, they feared that the rest shuld peryshe in lyke maner, so that, when nede shuld come, there shuld remayne none to cary theim awaye, in such sort that they looked for nothinge more sure then presente death. And seinge that we lacked artillary, and that, on theother side, it boted not, either to seke or hope for vytayles, so that they vtterlye dyspayred of the wynninge of the towne, and this confusyon and despayre endured all that daye and nyght foloynge.

Thre days after, the see somewhat assuaged, but yet not so, that it was possible to haue entreprised the goynge for enye vytayles; and themperour, in this necessite, coulde none otherwyse prouyde for his armye, but commaunded that the horses whyche he had caused to be brought with hym in the barques, to be kylled for the sustentacion of the poore souldyers, the which by the space of iii. dayes dyd eate none other meat; for the tempest, in brusynge and noyenge of the shyppes, had loste and drouned a great quantyte of meale, corn, and bysket, and other vytayles, as peason, beancs, wyne, oyle, and poudered fleshe, with thewhiche they were wel laden at their commyng foorth. And so, by this meanes, there was loste many horses, and a great nombre of artillarye, aswell of that which serued for the safegarde and defence of shippes, as also of that whiche we tooke out for the besegynge and assautynge of the toune, the greatest parte wherof our enemyes might haue fysshed for; and the some of the grayne that we loste was so muche, that skacely ther remayned ynough to scrue vs in our journeye homeward, although we made great hast.

The Emperour then, consyderyng all his fortunes and losses, determyned to differre this assaute tyll the next sommer foloynge, or soner, yt he could bryng hys armye; and, therfore, commaunded that euery man should get him to the see-syde; which thynge was much more casyer to be done, then was their landynge. And then was sene there a pyteous and lamentable syght; for the poore souldyers, beyng so feynt, as is aforcsayde, wette, and washed with water, from toppe

the

to too, beyng feble, by sufferynge so longe the great famyne; fynding way, by which they shuld go, so slabby and slyppery, that many of them, lackyng strength, fell downe pyteously starke ded, or very nigh ded, without hauyng helpe or succour of eny man in the worlde; for the earth, by the reason of the former rayne, was so wette and slyppery, that it was not possible to fynde any place once to rest in; so that, yf any wold haue rested, or stande styll, he was constreigned to staye hiin selfe vpon his staffe. Neuertheles God alwayes ayded vs, for in thende (except it were a veray small nombre) we with good courage acheued wisely this our retraicte, in such sorte, that, for to come vnto the place where we shuld go aboorde, we passed lustely thorowe thre dytches of ronnynge water, wherin we went vp to the harde gyrdelles; and this retraicte, or fleying backe, endured the space of three dayes.

Nowe then, assone as we were all arryued harde by the shyppes, the emperour commaunded, that, while the Allmeignes and Italyans wente aborde, the Spanyardes (in whome he had a better opinion) shuld tary alande, for the resystence of the enemyes, yf any chaunced to folowe them, and to do asmuch as they myght, that euery man were set aborde: hewbeit, the former tempest had broken and destroyed so many of the lytle botes, by which our people shuld haue bene caryed, one after another, vnto the greate shippes, that it was not possible to boorde in so lytle time as ii. dayes; nether might the Spanyardes came awaye before all was done; and, the third day, then a great nombre of the Spanyardes beyng caryed and borded, the winde beganne to blowe, and the sce to swell, in such wise, that they had much adoe to brynge the rest aborde, but yet, at the last, it was dooen. The maryners foreseyng, or perceauyng the tempest, beganne to departe, and they that fyrst were laden, and gone, were moste happy, for the tempest, so encreasynge, would not suffre the other to come of the coste, but of force kept them in, to the great daunger of breakyng theyr shippes agaynste the rockes; so that a Rhodyan, hauynge his gables and ancres broken, was in great daunger to be dryuen in peces agaynste the stones of the bankes; but, by the great laboure of the slaues, at the laste they gate more into the see, and then the masters counceled, rather to put them selfes to the chaunce of the wether, then to remayne there in daunger; the other three, foloynge the purpose of this, dyd, in lyke maner, put them selfes to the fortune of the wether, and, by this meane, at the last arryued al foure at the toune of Buge; which thyng was not done without great laboure and perill, for the one of theim, losynge his rudder, escaped peryshynge very narowlye.

The Emperour, lookyng for the assuagynge of the tempest, dyd remayne, this mean tyme, harde by the shore, thynkynge that, if the rage dyd still contynue, that he woulde, with strength of men, tolle forth his shippes, with lytle botes, into the depth of the see; but forasmuche as he had proued often tymes, and myght not bryng it to passe, and also seynge the tempest contynue, he commaunded to set forward with the shippes, and to folowe the Rhodyans, leauynge bebynde him, for the succoure of them that remayned, foure great