38 AMBROISE PAR 



the town without their arms; and if we refused this fair 

 and honest offer, we might rest assured they would take us 

 next day, by attack or otherwise. 



A council was held, to which I was called, to know if 

 I would sign the surrender of the town; with many captains, 

 gentlemen, and others. I answered it was not possible to 

 hold the town, and I would sign the surrender with my own 

 blood, for the little hope I had we could resist the enemy's 

 forces, and for the great longing I had to be out of this hell 

 and utter torture; for I slept neither night nor day for the 

 great number of the wounded, who were about two hundred. 

 The dead were advanced in putrefaction, piled one upon 

 the other like faggots, and not covered with earth, because 

 we had none. And if I went into a soldier's lodging, 

 there were soldiers waiting for me at the door when I 

 came out, for me to dress others ; it was who should have me, 

 and they carried me like the body of a saint, with my 

 feet off the ground, fighting for me. I could not satisfy 

 this great number of wounded: nor had I got what I 

 wanted for their treatment. For it is not enough that the 

 surgeon do his duty toward his patients, but the patient 

 also must do his; and the assistants, and external things, 

 must work together for him: see Hippocrates, Aphorism 

 the First. 



Having heard that we were to surrender the place, I 

 knew our business was not prospering; and for fear of 

 being known, I gave a velvet coat, a satin doublet, and a 

 cloak of fine cloth trimmed with velvet, to a soldier; who 

 gave me a bad doublet all torn and ragged with wear, 

 and a frayed leather collar, and a bad hat, and a short cloak ; 

 I dirtied the neck of my shirt with water mixed with a 

 little soot, I rubbed my hose with a stone at the knees 

 and over the heels, as though they had been long worn, I 

 did the same to my shoes, till one would have taken me for 

 a chimney-sweep rather than a King's surgeon. I went 

 in this gear to M. de Martigues, and prayed him to arrange 

 I should stop with him to dress him; which he granted very 

 willingly, and was as glad I should be near him as I was 

 myself. 



Soon afterward, the commissioners who were to select 





