Guic. pag. 966. The maner of the deliuerie of the French king.After much a doo and manie remoouings, the French king was come on the confines of Fonta|rabie, a towne apperteining to the emperour, stand|ing vpon the Ocean sea, and is a frontier betwéene Biskaie and the duchie of Guien. And on the other side, the ladie regent was ariued with the children of France, at Baion, not manie leagues from Fon|tarabie. The torments of the gowt tooke hir by the waie, which was the cause that she had lingred some time longer than the daie appointed of permutation. But at last, the eighteenth daie of March, the French king accompanied with the viceroy and capteine A|larcon with fiftie horsse, was presented vpon the shore of the riuer that diuideth the realme of France from the kingdome of Spaine. And on the other side, vpon the shore opposite appéered monsieur Law|trech with the kings children and like number of horsse. There was in the middest of the riuer a great barke made fast with anchors, in which was no per|son. The king was rowed néere to this barke in a little boat, wherein he was accompanied with the viceroy, capteine Alarcon, and eight others, all ar|med with short weapons: and on the other side of the barke were likewise brought in a little boat, mon|sieur Lawtrech with the ostages & eight others, wea|poned according to the others.

The French king with the viceroy are imbarked.After this the viceroy went into the barke with the king, and all his companie: and also monsieur Law|trech with his eight that accompanied him, so that they were within the barke a like number of both parts, Alarcon and his eight being with the viceroy, and Lawtrech and the others with the person of the king. And when they were all thus within the barke, Lawtrech fetched out of the boat into the barke, the Dolphin, who being giuen to the viceroy and by him committed to capteine Alarcon, was foorthwith be|stowed in their boate, and after him followed the lit|tle duke of Orleance, who was no sooner entred the barke, than the French king leaped out of the barke into his boate, which he did with such quicknesse and celeritie, that the exchange or permutation was thought to be doone at one selfe instant; so welcome to him was libertie, without the which nothing is swéet, nothing is comfortable, as the poet saith:

Libertas perdulce bonum, bona caetera reddit.

The French K. is not a litle glad of his li|bertie.Assoone as the king was on the other side of the shore, his new libertie making him fearefull of am|bush, he mounted vpon a Turkish horsse of a woon|derfull swiftnesse, which was prepared for the pur|pose: and running betweene feare and gladnesse vp|on the spurre, he neuer staied till he came to S. Iohn de Lus, a towne of his obedience, foure leagues from the place. And being there readilie relieued with a fresh horsse, he ran with the same swiftnesse to Baion, where, after he had passed ouer the offices of court doone to him by his people, he dispatched with great diligence a gentleman to the king of England, to whom he wrote with his owne hand let|ters of his deliuerie,The king of England the procurer of the French kings libertie. charging the messenger vnder verie louing commission, to tell the king of Eng|land, that as he acknowledged the effect of his liber|tie to be wrought wholie by him and his operations, so in recompense, he offered to remaine to him a per|petuall and assured friend, and to be guided in all his affaires by his counsell. And afterwards he sent an other solemne ambassage into England, to ratifie the peace which his mother had made with him, as one that reapposed a verie great foundation in the amitie of that king.