JOURNEYS IN DIVERSE PLACES 17 



I have told this case for the wonder of it, that the soldier, 

 having received this great blow, did not fall down, and kept 

 his reason to the end. 



Not long afterward, the camp was broken up from diverse 

 causes: one, because we were told that four companies of 

 Spaniards were entered into Perpignan: the other, that the 

 plague was spreading through the camp. Moreover, the 

 country folk warned us there would soon be a great over- 

 flowing of the sea, which might drown us all. And the pres- 

 age which they had, was a very great wind from sea, which 

 rose so high that there remained not a single tent but was 

 broken and thrown down, for all the care and diligence we 

 could give; and the kitchens being all uncovered, the wind 

 raised the dust and sand, which salted and powdered our 

 meats in such fashion that we could not eat them; and we 

 had to cook them in pots and other covered vessels. Nor 

 was the camp so quickly moved but that many carts and 

 carters, mules and mule drivers, were drowned in the sea, 

 with great loss of baggage. 



When the camp was moved I returned to Paris. 



THE JOURNEY TO LANDRESY. 1544 



THE King raised a great army to victual Landresy. 

 Against him the Emperor had no fewer men, but many more, 

 to wit, eighteen thousand Germans, ten thousand Spaniards, 

 six thousand Walloons, ten thousand English, and from 

 thirteen to fourteen thousand horse. I saw the two armies 

 near each other, within cannon-shot; and we thought they 

 could not withdraw without giving battle. There were some 

 foolish gentlemen who must needs approach the enemy's 

 camp ; the enemy fired on them with light field pieces ; some 

 died then and there, others had their arms or legs carried 

 away. The King having done what he wished, which was 

 to victual Landresy, withdrew his army to Guise, which was 

 the day after All Saints, 1544; and from there I returned to 

 Paris. 



