568 
Italian states either a strict neutrality, or 
ly declared for the King of Spain. The of 
ise, however, advanced into Italy, and laid siege to 
Civitella, a town on the frontiers of that kingdom; but 
the Spanigrds soon rendered it necessary for him to 
this enterprize, by threatening Rome, to the 
defence of which he proceeded with a fatigued and dis- 
pirited army. Here he in vain endeavoured to bring 
the Duke of Alva to an pos the latter 
perceiving the rav which fatigue disease were 
making among tie Pasa, carefully avoided a battle; 
and at last the Duke of Guise, mortified and disappoint- 
ed, begged to be recalled. 
No sooner had Philip learnt that the King of France 
had been indoced, by the intrigues of the Pope, to 
break the truce, than he resolved to penetrate into that 
kingdom, and by one vigorous effort to convince Hen 
that he was not to be thus treated with impunity. Wi 
this object in view, he assembled in the Netherlands a 
body of 50,000 men. He exerted his influence over 
his consort, Mary of England, so successfully, that, not- 
withstanding the repugnance of her subjects, she de- 
clared war against France, and sent 10,000 men to as- 
sist his projects against that country ; and he gave the 
command of his army to Emanuel Philibert, Duke of 
Savoy, one of the greatest generals of thatage. Philip 
himself fixed-his head-quarters at Cambray, while the 
Duke, after having kept the French for a considerable 
time in utter ignorance of his views and destination— 
threatening Champagne till he succeeded in drawing 
all their troops in that direction—suddenly marched to 
the right, and invested St Quintin in Picardy. This 
wasa place of considerable strength, but its fortifica- 
tions had not recently been put in a state of repair, and 
a large portion of its garrison had been drawn off to- 
w Champagne. It is probable, therefore, that it 
must soon have surrendered, had not Admiral Coligny 
‘taken the gallant resolution of throwing himself into 
it, with such troops as he could suddenly collect for 
that pu This he accomplished, notwithstanding 
all the circumspection and efforts of the enemy, break- 
ing through their main body with 700 horse and 200_ 
foot. To this hazardous step the admiral was probably 
incited, from the consideration that the town was with- 
in his own immediate jurisdiction. Henry was fully 
sensible of the importance of preserving it, as, if the 
enemy succeeded in taking it, the road to Paris was 
nearly quite o to them. He therefore hastily as- 
sembled a small body of troops, not half the number 
of the army which was besieging it, and gave the com- 
mand of them to the Constable Montmorency. 
This general had hitherto been distinguished, not 
less by his prudence and caution, than by his skill and 
bravery. on this occasion, however, anxious to extri- 
cate his nephew, he conducted himself with fatal rash- 
ness. At first, indeed, his attempt to relieve the town 
was attended with success, for, by approaching the 
camp of the enemy, the brother of Coligny, with 500 
troops, was enabled to force his entrance into the town. 
Here, however, his success ended ; for, in the execu- 
tion of this design, Montmorency had drawn too near 
the entrenchments of the besie, The Duke of Sa- 
voy, always on the alert, advantage of this cir- 
cumstance ; and, as soon as the French general began 
to retire, he pressed on him with superior numbers, In 
Battle of St yain did Montmorency use his utmost endeavours to 
Histery. 
—_—yo 
The Spa- 
hiards in- 
vade 
France. 
Quintin, his men firm and in order. The Count E t. 
1, iak;, at the head of the Duke of Savoy’s cavalry, bende» fo: 
“ious charge, which the French could not withstand ; 
FRANCE. 
their ranks were broken ; and their men at arms, who } 
had hitherto digi. eafea lane) onl. Seem 
courage in the midst of the most imminent. danger, 
sought shelter in a precipitate and disorderly fli : 
soon as the horse gave way, the foot, who had d. 
ed on them for support ion, wa\ : 
second charge decided their fate; they also fled in the ~ 
utmost terror and confusion. Above 4000 peri in 
the field ; and the Constable himself, after in vain en- 
deavouring, by his example and ions, to reani~ 
mate his troops, and to put a stop to their flight, having 
received a s wound, was made prisoner, slong 
with the Dukes of Montpensier and Longueville, an 
the Marshal St Andre. 
Such was the result of the famous battle of St Quin- 
tin, which was fought on the 10th of August 1557. 
The intelligence of it spread consternation and terror Consterma. 
through France, almost to as great a degree as the bat- 5°? it 
tles of Cressy and Agincourt. Already it re eee, ee 
app 15 the - 
inhabitants of which prepared to quit it. In this pe- 
riod of general dismay, the firmness and i benef 
refused to almit the 
Grand Signior was solicited ; the Scots were incited to 
invade the North of England, for the purpose of draw- 
ing off the English troops to the protection of their 
own territory. The ban and arrierban of the frontier 
provinces were called out; and, in short, every mea 
sure was taken which could operate towards the weak- 
ening or distraction of Philip’s forces, or the ic 
of France. When we consider, however, the power 
of Philip, the consternation which pervaded rance, 
and the great loss which she had sustained in the battle 
of St Quintin, it may well be doubted whether all these 
recautions and efforts would have been availing, had 
Phil ursued with alacrity and vigour the advan’ 
which 3 had gained. But he refused to listen to the 
advice of the Duke of Savoy, who strongly and wisely 
urged, that, overlooking all. inferior and intermediate 
objects, they should march, without the smallest de- 
lay, by the shortest route to Paris. The cautious 
temper of Philip, afraid of committing his forces, in 
the heart of France, without a single place to retreat 
to in case of disaster, strongly objected to this plan ; 
and he asked the opinion of his other generals. They, 
easily ascertaining how their monarch was inclined, re~ 
commended that the siege of St Quintin should be con- 
tinued, which, it was supposed, could not now hold 
out many days. In this ex tion they were disap« 
pointed. Coligny, fully sensible that the fate of France 
ly d on his holding out till Henry had 
red sufficient means to oppose the progress of the 
enemy towards Paris, put forth, in a most wonderful 
and successful manner, all the resources of his great 
talents and long sapere For 17 days, he baffled 
the repeated assaults of the Spaniards, English, and 
Flemings ; at length, overwhelmed by superior num- 
bers, the town was carried by storm, and Coligny him- 
self was taken prisoner on the breach. St Quintin was St Quin 
thus taken ; but by this time it was no longer prudent taken. — 
to advance into France, and Philip became sensible that 
he had lost an opportunity that could never be recalled: 
he therefore contented himself with reducing the petty : 
towns of Horn, Catelet, and Noyon, which, with St 
ed ee I ee 
re 
<i 
