As soone as the king vnderstood that they were entred into the parke,Whie the French king desired to fight in plaine and o|pen field. thinking they would draw to Mirabell, he issued out of his lodging to fight in plaine and open field, desiring to draw the battell rather to that place than to anie other, for the ad|uantages which it gaue to the horssemen: he com|manded to turne the artilleries toward the enimies, which beating them in flanke, brought great da|mage to the reregard. But in the meane while, the battell of the imperialles gaue a furious charge vp|on the kings squadron, which ordinarilie was the battell: but as the Spaniards went, it was the reregard. The king fought valiantlie, & abode with great courage the violence of his enimies, who with the furie of their harquebuziers forced his men to giue ground, till the rescue of the Switzers came, when the Spaniards were repelled, as well by them as by the horssemen that charged them in flanke. But the viceroy being called in by the marquesse of Pisquairo, who broght to the fight his lanceknights, they were easilie broken, not without great slaugh|ter of the Switzers, who that daie did nothing an|swer the opinion of valor which aforetimes they had woont so honorablie to expresse in battelles.

The king kept alwaies the middle of the battell, being inuironed with a great gard of men at armes. And albeit he did what he could to conteine and con|firme his people:The ma [...] how the French king was vanqui|shed and ta|ken prisoner [...]. yet after he had fought long with his owne hands, his horsse being slaine vnder him, him selfe lightlie hurt in the face and in the hand, he was stricken downe to the earth, and taken priso|ner by fiue souldiers that knew not what he was. In which misfortune the viceroy pressing into the throng his maiestie disclosed him selfe to him, who with great reuerence kissed his hand, and receiued him prisoner in the emperours name. At the same time the marquesse of Guast with the first squadron had defeated the horssemen that were at Mirabell. And Anthonie de Leua, who (as was said) had to that end cast downe to the earth so great a quantitie and space of wall, as an hundred and fiftie horssemen might sallie foorth in front, issued out of Pauia, & so charged the French behind, that he put them wholie to flight. And in that feare they were almost all strip|ped EEBO page image 885 and trussed, except the reregard of the horsse|men, which being led by monsieur de Alanson from the beginning of the battell, retired almost whole.

It is holden for certeine, that in this battell were slaine more than eight thousand men of the French campe,The number [...] the French [...] were [...] in this battell. part by sword, and part of bodies drowned in the riuer of Thesin, séeking their safetie by swim|ming. Of this generall number were about twen|tie of the most noble and apparant lords of France, as the admerall, the lord Iames Chebanes, the lord Palissa, and Trimouille, the master of the horsse, monsieur de Aubignie, monsieur de Boissie, and monsieur de la Escud, who being taken gréeuouslie wounded by his enimies, gaue to them his life in stéed of a ransome. The prisoners that were taken were the king of Nauarre, the bastard of Sauoie, the lord Montmerancie, Saint Paule, Brion, A|nall, monsieur de Chandion, monsieur de Imber|court, Galeas Uisconte, Frederike Bossolo, Barna|bie Uisconte, Guidanes, with manie gentlemen, and almost all the capteins that escaped the slaugh|ter of the sword. There was also taken prisoner Ie|rome Leandro bishop of Brunduso the popes nun|tio; but by commandement of the viceroy, he was eftsoones set at libertie: as also monsieur Saint Paule and Frederike Bossolo committed to the ca|stell of Pauia, brake prison a little after, by the cor|ruption of the Spaniards that had them in charge. Of the imperialles side the vniuersall slaughter excéeded not seauen hundred bodies;The number of the slaine in the impe|rialles side. and not one capteine of name except Ferrand Castriot mar|quesse of Angeo, the marquesse of Pisquairo was wounded in two places, & Anthonie de Leua light|lie hurt in the leg. The preie and spoile of this battell was so great, as there had not beene seene in Italie more rich souldiors.