The duke of Burbon through a last despaire of his estate aduanced before all his companies, either for that he had no other expectation of refuge, in case he returned not victorious, or else by his owne example he thought to call on with a greater courage the lanceknights, who it séemed went not resolutelie to the seruice. But such was his destinie to determine his life & his glorie togither, or rather such the reward of his wilfull forwardnes, which for the most part hea|peth wretched effects vpon such as seeke not to ac|companie their valour with counsell and discretion.The duke of Burbon slain at the assault of Rome. In the beginning of the assault he was striken with a bullet of an harquebuze, of which wound he fell downe dead to the earth, receiuing iustlie vpon his bodie and life the price of the action, which contrarie to all iustice and pietie he went about to execute. But much lesse that his death did abate or diminish, séeing it did inflame and redouble the courage of his soul|diers, who fighting with a woonderfull constancie the space of two houres, made waie at last by their hands and weapons to enter the suburbs, wherin they EEBO page image 896 were not onelie holpen by the weaknesse of the ram|pires which were great and generall, but also they found helpe in the slender resistance which the de|fendants made.

The morall of the fore said action woorth the noting.An experience of right good doctrine to such as haue not as yet gotten by the benefit of examples past, the knowledge of things present, who in that action maie discerne what propertie of difference is betwéene the vertue of souldiours exercised and trai|ned in war, and armies newlie and hastilie leuied, and compounded of the multitude of a people more wilfull than skilfull; and by so much lesse apt to be drawen vnder discipline, by how much more by their nature and custome they are seldome conformable to anie good order. For there was at the defense of the suburbs one part of the youth of Rome, vnder the ensignes of the people; notwithstanding that manie of the Gebelins & faction of Colonno desired, or at least did not feare the victorie of the imperials. They hoped in regard of their faction, to receiue no harme or offense by the victors: the same being the cause whie they procéeded so coldlie in the defense. Neuer|thelesse, for that according to the rules of warre, it is a hard matter to take townes without artilleries, there died of the assailants, partlie by that want, and partlie through their wilfull forwardnesse, about a a thousand footmen; who hauing once by their valor made the waie open to enter in, all the defendants fled before them as men whose feare was far aboue anie other sense or passion in them.

Rome taken and sacked.In which disorder, some tooke the waie which his fortune and not his wit laid out for him: some in the astonishment séeking to flie, who durst no more fight, were slaine by the enimie afore he could re|solue vpon the waie of his safetie; some either better prepared, or more happilie preserued, found that safe|tie in running away, which they could not but doubt if they had longer endured the fight: and some with that resolution which their present calamitie would suffer, ran by heapes towards the castell, where in place of rescue they found a feare conformable to their owne: insomuch as all things being reduced to confusion and manifest flight, the suburbs were entierlie abandoned & left a preie to the victors. And the person of the pope, who expected with great deuo|tion in the palace of Uatican what would be the issue of the assault, hearing that the enimies were entred, had also (with the others) his passions of feare & frail|tie,The pope with certeine cardinals flie to the castell of saint Angelo. and in that timorous contemplation of his owne perill, he fled with certeine cardinalles to the castell.