1553. July 13.
Argenton. |
1. Bruno to the Duke of Northumberland. Had written to
his Grace on the 25th ult. The King of France with all his might
collects an army, composed of his own subjects and foreigners,
Swiss, and landsknechts, to go to Picardy; whither on the 1st of
this month 10,000 Swiss marched direct through France. The 10
companies raised by the Queen in Prussia, near Spires, have left,
and came in boats a long way by the Rhine to Flanders with all
speed; they started about 15 days since under the command of
Count Philip Deberstein. Duke Maurice is encamped at Hildesheim, having 22 squadrons of horse, among which are 1,500
light horse; these have been increased by others sent from the King
of the Romans and from his father-in-law, the Landgrave, and it is
thought he has in all 7,000 or 8,000 horse, besides infantry. Duke
Henry of Brunswick and his son Philip are with him. Marquis
Albert, after ravaging and burning the country of Duke Henry, has
retired with his army, which is said to consist of 5,000 horse and
60 ensigns of foot, and is now a full league from Duke Maurice, to
whom he intends to give battle. On the 4th of this month, Duke
Maurice sent a letter of defiance to the Marquis by a trumpeter:
the Marquis caused him to be shown over all his camp, treated him
kindly, and sent him back to his master. On the following day the
Marquis challenged his adversary to come forth from his encampment and meet him in open field; and on the same day Duke Philip
of Pomerania and Duke John Albert of Mecklenburg arrived, endeavouring to arrange a truce of two days between the combatants.
While the Marquis is in Saxony, the Bishops of Bamberg, Wurtzburg,
and Nuremberg devastate his country. This intelligence he has
from one who came in post from the camp of Duke Maurice. Has
received melancholy accounts of his Majesty's health, but trusts
that God will spare him. [French. Two pages. Indorsed by
Cecil.] |
