History. 
—yY~" more sick! 
Charles 
obliged to 
raise the 
A.D. 1883, less € 
after dread- 
ful loss. 
566 
accustomed to more genial climates, were rendered still 
and i ive, In vain the generals and 
officers youred to animate and rouse their men ; 
their exhortations, their threats, their example, scarce- 
ly produced ‘any effect. When they were ordered to 
advance to the assault, they remained motionless and 
silent. The emperor, blinded by his obstinacy to the 
cause of this conduct in his soldiers, retired to his tent, 
complaining that he was deserted by them, and up- 
braiding them with disaffection or cowardice. In vain 
did his generals endeavour to persuade him to give up 
the hopeless and fatal enterprize ; in vain did they re- 
present to him, that he was his own enemy, in weak- 
ening and dispiriting that army, which, though it was 
not equal to The task of reducing Metz, so defended, at 
such a season of the year, might yet, if not totally de- 
stroyed in organization, strength and spirit, be adequate 
to the atchievement of such conquests as would compen- 
sate for the loss of Metz. Charles was still obstinate, 
even when he must age lost * hope ; nor did pesiee 
the siege, till after the of 65 days, spent in fruit- 
forts, and after the loss of 35,000 men. Metz, 
notwithstanding, was very near falling into his power, 
by a conspiracy of monks. The superior of the corde- 
liers of that city was a man of a bold and intriguing 
spirit, and warmly attached, either from habit, or prin- 
ciple, or interest, to the cause of the emperor. This 
man, by his address, had contrived to insinuate himself 
into the graces and confidence of the governor, 
and then treacherously formed a design to deliver up 
the town to the enemy. The monks of his monastery 
being privy to his plan, he introduced into it a number 
of soldiers disguised as cordeliers, who were to open the 
gates to the garrison of Thionville. The plot was so 
well concealed, that it was not discovered or suspected 
till the very day on which it was to be executed. On 
its discovery, the superior was condemned to death, 
with twenty of the monks. Before the sentence was to 
be carried into effect, the criminals were put into a cell, 
for the purpose of confessing one another ; and in this 
they murdered the superior, and beat to death 
ve of their brethren, who had been chiefly instrumental 
in seducing the rest. 
When, at length, Charles found himself under the 
painful necessity of raising the siege of Metz, A.D, 
1553, his army resembled rather an assemb of worn 
out, diseased, and undisciplined people, those 
troops which he had always been accustomed to bring 
into the field, and with which he had advanced against 
this place. He was compelled to abandon a large pro- 
portion, who were utterly unable to keep up with the 
main body, on account of their debility ; while others, 
no longer under discipline, fell behind, either for the 
poreare of plunder, or to throw themselves into the 
s of the enemy, from whom they expected the in- 
fliction of less misery than they had suffered during 
this unfortunate siege. Under these circumstances, the 
Duke of Guise might easily and safely have increased 
the disorder and the loss—perhaps have pressed on, al- 
most to utter destruction, the army of Ris opponent : 
but either from motives of policy, or from the influence 
of humanity, he did not take al the ible advanta- 
ges of his success. On the con , his attention and 
care were almost exclusively di to heal the wound- 
ed, and restore the famished ; and those who recovered 
he sent home, under a eafe escort, and with money to 
bear their charges ; so thet the courage and skill which 
he had displayed during the siege were leled, if 
not , by his humane treatment of his prisoners. 
FRANCE. 
i 
e 
ever, defended with great courage by D'Esse ; but. 
his death, the Eeapersaliets pressed the siege with in- 
it 
r, an 
He then hastened his army, which he hz , 
the command of Emanuel Philebert, the Duke of Savoy, 
towards Hesden, which was also carried by It,, 
though Henry himself, with a strong force, advanced. 
to its relief. Charles, however, carefully avoided an 
en ent; notwithstanding the French threatened 
to lay 
necessity of retiring without accomplishing the object 
for which they had advanced. anor 
In A. D, 1554, Henry beheld his riyal’s 
ready too powerful for the repose of F 
increase the jealously, without intimidating the King. 
of France. THe ponctaane augmented his f ; 
and resolved, by carrying on the war in Italy yin 
Low Countries at the same time, to compel the empe-. 
ror to listen to equitable terms of peace, before the 
English sent any large reinforcements to him, 
large armies were accordingly equipped, with which 
he invaded and laid waste the provinces. of Hain- 
ault, Liege, and Artois, reduced Marienburgh, took 
Dinant and Bouvines by assault, and invested Ronti. 
Charles was now broken down by years, fatigue and 
illness; yet, on hearing of the rapid march of the 
he put himself at the head of his army, and advanced 
to the relief of Ronti. Henry did not avoid the con- 
flict ; an obstinate skirmish took . The imperi 
army suffered the loss of a considerable number of men 
and artillery. The Duke of Guise behaved in a man- 
ner worthy his reputation; and had the constable 
Montmorency acted wi skill, vigour, acti i , and 
would have been completely routed ; 
jealous of the talents and fame of the Duke, and, in- 
uenced by these dishonourable motives, he would not 
siege to Cambray, and the latter were under the. 
lands. 
A. D. 158 
second his efforts. The consequences were, not only The 
that the imperial army escaped with comparatively 
little lg French a ves were ar after -. 
wards under the necessity of retiring. Charles was not 
slow in taking advantage of these circumstances. Im-, 
mediately on the retreat of his opponents, he entered 
Picardy, where he retaliated the ravages which the 
French had committed in Hainault, Artois and Li 
In Italy, the French were equally unfortunate : 
army there was placed under x 
a Florentine exile, who was defeated with the loss of 
4000 men, in the battle of Marciano, by the Marquis de 
Marignano, general to Cosmo de Medicis. The Impe- 
command of Strozzi, in Italy, 
rialists, fully sensible of the advantages that might be - 
reaped from this defeat,  ailieited laid siege to Siena, 
