Chapter LXXXIII: French

De batailler ne sera donné signe,
Du Parc seront contraints de sortir hors,
De _Gasp_ l’entour sera cogneu l’enseigne,
Qui fera mettre de tous les siens a mort.

English.

There shall no sign of battle be given,
They shall be compelled to come out of the Park,
Round about _Gasp_ shall be known the Ensign,
That shall cause all his own to be put to death.

ANNOT.

This Prophecie was fulfilled in the year 1556. by the Marshal of _Brissac_ in _Piemont_, when he took the Town of _Vignal_ by assault, where 1200. _Neapolitans_ were put to the Sword, who were called the braves of _Naples_; because they were all very gallantly habited, and the Governour being wounded, cast himself desperately into a Well, whence the Marshal caused him to be taken up, and to be cured of his wounds.

In this conflict _there was no sign of Battle given_; because it was done by the rashness of a Souldier, Bastard of a Bastard of the house of _Boissy_, who without expecting the command of the General, went alone upon the breche, and after he had [Transcriber’s Note: the text is illegible here with 1-2 words missing] against the Enemies, drew his Sword, and did fight a great while hand to hand without being wounded.

Some of his Companions seeing his valour, did follow him, and others came to their help, and these carryed along with them all those that were appointed to give the assault; insomuch that by a kind of Warlike emulation, all did carry themselves so valliantly, that after a long and stout resistance, they routed the Enemies, and put all the Garrisons to the Sword.

It is what the Author saith in the first and second Verse, seeing that those that were appointed to give Battle, every one in his Regiment or Squadron, were compelled by emulation to come out of their _Park_; that is, from the Precinct of place wherein they were. The third Verse addeth, that _round about the Ensign of ~Gasp.~ shall be known_; that is, in the assault the Captain of that place, named _Gaspar Pagan_, was remarked to fight valliantly every where the _French_ did assault, which the Marshal of _Brissac_ seeing, as also the forwardness of his men commanded the general assault to be given. The Captain seeing the Town taken, though he had above twenty wounds, for marks of his Valour, yet by that despair threw himself into a Well, near which the Marshal passing, heard his voice, and caused him to be drawn out, and cured of his wounds.

This Captain being resolved to perish in this assault, _did cause all his own to be put to death_, as the fourth Verse saith. The History of this Town was famous, for which the Marshal of _Brissac_ did present Gifts to the most Valiant, and among the rest to this Bastard, after he had put him in jeopardy of his life, for having violated the Military Orders in a matter of such concernment. That Town of _Vignal_ is situated upon a Mountain of the Countrey of _Montserrat_, of a difficult access, where no pieces of Ordinance can be brought up, but by the help of Mens Arms; after the taking of it, the Marshal did cause it to be raised even to the ground, because it could not be useful to the _French_, that had many other places to keep, and might have been very beneficial to the _Spaniard_.