 St. Bartholomew's Eve by G. A. Hendy. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, visit LibriVox.org. Read by Anna Christensen. Chapter 7. A Rescue. Darbley and his two companions have been engaged for ten days in visiting the Huguenots within a circuit of four or five leaves around Toulouse, when they learn that their movements have been reported to the authorities there. They had one diholted as usual in a wood. When the soldier on the lookout ran in and reported that a body of horsemen, some forty or fifty strong, were approaching at a gallop by the road from the city. They may not be after us, Darbley said, but at any rate they shall not catch us napping. Girths were hastily tightened, armor buckled on, and all took their places in their saddles. It was too late to retreat, for the wood was a small one and the country around open. As the horsemen approached the wood, they slackened their speed and presently halted facing it. Some spies tracked us here, Darbley said, but it is one thing to trace the game, another to capture it. Let us see what these gentlemen of Toulouse are going to do. I have no doubt that they know our number accurately enough, and if they divide, as I hope they will, we shall be able to give them a lesson. This was evidently the intention of the Catholics. After a short pause, an officer tried it off with half the troop, making a circuit to come down behind the wood and cut off all retreat. As they moved off, the Huguenots could count that there were twenty-five men in each section. The odds are only great enough to be agreeable, Darbley said. It is not as it was outside Paris, when there were ten to one against us. Counting our servants, we must hear twenty-two, while that party in front are only four stronger, for that gentleman with the long robe is probably unofficial of their parliament, or a city councillor, and need not be counted. We will wait a couple of minutes longer until the other party is fairly out of sight, and then we will begin the dance. A minute or two later, he gave the word, and the little troop moved through the trees until nearly at the edge of the wood. No, gentlemen, forward, Darbley said, and God aid the right. As in a compact body, headed by the three gentlemen, they burst suddenly from the wood. There was a shed of dismay, and then loud orders from the officer of the troop halted a hundred and fifty yards away. The men were sitting carelessly on their horses. They had confidently anticipated taking the Huguenots alive, and thought of nothing less than that the latter should take the offensive. Scarcely had they got their horses into motion before the Huguenots were upon them. The conflict lasted but a moment. Half the Catholics were cut down. The rest, turning their horses, rode off at full speed. The Huguenots would have followed them, but Darbley shedded to them to halt. You have only done half your work yet, he said. We have the other party to deal with. Only one of his Huguenots had fallen, shot through the head by a pistol discharged by the officer, who had himself been a moment later run through by Darbley, at whom the shot had been aimed. Gathering his men together, the Huguenot later rode back, and when halfway through the wood they encountered the other party, whose officers had at once written to join the party he had left when he heard the pistol shot that told him they were engaged with the Huguenots. Although not expecting an attack from an enemy they deemed overmatched by their comrades, the troop, encouraged by their officer, met the Huguenots stoutly. The fight was for a short time obstinate. Broken up by the trees, it resolved itself into a series of single combats. The Huguenot men-at-arms, however, were all trained soldiers, while their opponents were rather accustomed to the slaughter of defenseless men and women than to combat with men-at-arms. Coolness and discipline soon asserted themselves. Francois and Philip both held their ground abreast of their leader, and Philip, by cutting down the lieutenant, brought the combat to a close. His followers on seeing their officer fall at once lost heart, and those who could do so turned their horses and rode off. These were hotly pursued, and six were overtaken and cut down. Eight had fallen in the conflict in the wood. That has been a pretty sharp lesson, Darbley said, as leaving the pursuit to his followers he rang in his horse at the edge of the wood. He both did right gallantly, young sirs. It is no slight advantage in a ballet of that kind to be strong than officers. The fellows fought stoutly for a short time, had it not been for your dispatching their officer, Manger Fletcher. We should not have finished with them so quickly. It was a right down blow, and heartily given, and fell just at the joint of the gorg. I am sorry that I killed him, Philip replied. He seemed a brave gentleman, and was not very many years older than I am myself. Well, he drew it upon himself, Darbley said. If he had not come out to take us he would be alive now. Well, as soon as our fellows return we will move round to Merlin Court on the other side of the town. There are several of our friends there, and it is the last place we have to visit. After this skirmish we will find the neighborhood too hot for us. It is sure to make a great noise, and at the first gleam of the sun on Helmer breastplate some Catholic or other will hurry off to Toulouse with the news. In future we would best take some of the men at arms with us when we pay our visits, or we may be caught like rats in a trap. Making a circuit of 20 miles they approached Merlin Court that evening, and establishing themselves as usual in a wood remained quiet their next day. After nightfall Darbley rode off, taking with him Francois and five of his own men, and leaving Philip in command of the rest. The gold and jewels they had gathered had been divided into three portions, and the bags placed in the holsters of the saddles of the three lackeys, as these were less likely to be taken than their masters, and if one were captured a portion only of the contributions would be lost. Darbley had arranged that he would not return that night, but would sleep at the chateau of the gentleman he was going to visit. I will get him to send around to our other friends in the morning. The men will return when they see that all is clear, send them back to meet us at the chateau tomorrow night. The five men returned an hour after they set out and reported that all was quiet at Merlin Court, and that the sure Darbley had sent a message to Philip to move a few miles farther away before morning, and to return to the wood soon after nightfall. Philip gave the men six hours to rest themselves and their horses, then they mounted and rode eight miles farther from Toulouse, halting before Daybreak in a thick cop standing on high ground, commanding a view of a wide tract of country. Two of the troopers were sent off to buy provisions in a village half a mile away. Two were placed on watch. Some of the others lay down in front of their sleep, while Pruy dressed the wounds of five of the men had received in the fight. At 12 o'clock, one of the lookout supported that you could see, way out on a plane, a body of horsemen. Philip at once went to examine them for himself. There must be some two hundred of them, I should say, by the size of the clump. He remarked to the soldier. About that I should say, sir. I expect they are hunting for us, Philip said. They must have heard from some villager that we were seen to ride round this way the day before yesterday, or they would hardly be hunting in this neighborhood for us. It is well we moved in the night. I wish the sure-dear blay and the count de la vieille were with us. No doubt they were hidden away as soon as a troop was seen, but one is never secure against treachery. Philip was restless and uncomfortable all day, and walked about the wood impatiently longing for a night to come. As soon as it was dark, they mounted and rode back to the wood near Merlin Kurt. The five men were at once sent off to the chateau where they had left their leaders. That is a pistol shot, Parie exclaimed some twenty minutes after they had left. I did not hear it. Are you sure, Parie? Sure, sir. At least I will not swear that it was a pistol. It might have been an archibus, but I will swear that it was a shot. To your saddle, men, Philip said, a pistol shot has been heard, and it may be that your comrades have fallen into an ambush. I advance to the edge of the wood and be ready to dash out to support them should they come. But a quarter of an hour passed and there was no sound to break the stillness of the evening. Shall I go into the village and find out what is taking place, Monser Fletcher? I will leave my iron cap and breast and bat pieces here. I shall not want to fight but to run, and a hare could not run in these iron pots. Do, Parie, we should be ready to support you if you are chased. If I am chased by half a dozen men I may run here, sir. If by a strong force I shall strike across the country, trust me to double and throw them off a set. If I am not back here in an hour, it will be that I am taken or I've had to trust in my heels, and you will find me in the last case tomorrow morning at the wood where we halted today. If I do not come soon after daybreak, you will know that I am either captured or killed. Do not delay for me longer, but act as it seems best to you. Parie took off his armor and sped away in the darkness, going in a trot that would immediately take him to the village. Dismount and stand by your horses, Philip ordered. We may want all their strength. Half an hour later, Parie returned panting. I have bad news, sir. I have prowled around the village, which is full of soldiers, and listen to their talk through open windows. The Cher d'Arblay, Manger Francois, and the owner of the chateau and his wife were seized and carried off to Toulouse this morning soon after daybreak. By what I heard, one of the servants of the chateau was a spy sent by the council of Toulouse to watch the doings of its owner, and as soon as Manger d'Arblay arrived there last night, he stole out and sent a messenger to Toulouse. A daybreak the chateau was surrounded, and they were seized before they had time to offer resistance. The troop of horse we saw had all day been searching for us, and went back before nightfall to Moreland Core, thinking that we were sure to be going there sometime or other to inquire after our captain. The five men you sent away were taken completely by surprise. And all were killed, though not without a tough fight. A strong party are lying in ambush with archivists, making sure that the rest of the troop will follow the fire they surprised. You were not noticed, Paris, or pursued? No, sir, there were so many men about in the village that one more stranger attracted no attention. Then we may remain here safely for half an hour, Philip said. The conversation had taken place a few paces from the troop. Philip now joined his men. The sure d'Arblay and Count Francois have been taken prisoners. Your comrades fell into an ambush and have, I fear, all lost their lives. Dismount for half an hour, men, while I think over what is best to be done. Keep close to your horses so as to be in readiness to mount instantly if necessary. One of you take my horse. Do you come with me, Paris? This is a terrible business, lad. He went on as they walked away from the others. We know what will be the fate of my cousin in Montgér d'Arblay. They will be burnt or hung as heretics. The first thing is, how are we to get them out? And also, if possible, the gentleman and his wife who were taken with them. We have but ten of them and at arms left, sir, and four of them are so wounded that they would not count for much in a fight. There are the two other lackeys in myself, so we are but 14 in all. If we had arrived in time, we might have done something. But now they are firmly lodged in the prison at Toulouse. I see not that we can accomplish anything. Philip fell into silence for some minutes. Then he said, Many of the councillors and members of parliament live, I think, in villas outside the wall. If we see a dozen of them appear before the city and threaten to hang or shoot the whole of them if the four captains are not released, we might succeed in getting our friends into our hands, Pary. That is so, sir. There really seems a hope for us in that way. Then we will lose no time. We will ride at once for Toulouse. When we get near the suburbs, we will see some countrymen and force them to point out to us the houses of the principal councillors and the members of their parliament. These we will pounce upon and carry off. And a daybreak will appear with them before the walls. We will make one of them signify to their friends that if any armed party sallies out through the gates or approaches us from behind, it will be the signal for the instant death of all of our captains. Now, let us off at once. The party mounted without delay and rode towards Toulouse. This rich and powerful city was surrounded by handsome villas in Chateau, the abode of wealthy citizens and persons of distinction. At the first house at which they stop, Philip with Pary and two of the men at arms dismounted and entered. It was the abode of a small farmer who cultivated vegetables for the use of a townsfolk. He had retired to bed with his family, but upon being summoned came downstairs trembling, fearing that his late-night visitors were bandits. No harm will be done you if you obey our orders, Philip said. But if not, we shall make short work of you. I suppose you know the houses of most of the principal persons who live outside the walls. Assuredly I do, my lord. There is the president of the parliament and three or four of the principal councillors and the judge of the High Court and many others, all living within a short mile of this spot. Well, I require you to guide us to their houses. There will be no occasion for you to show yourself, nor will anyone know that you have had ought to do with the matter. If you attempt to escape or to give the alarm, you will without screw will be shot. If, on the other hand, we are satisfied with your work, you will have a couple of crowns for your trouble. The man seeing that he had no choice put a good face on it. I am ready to do as your lordship commands. He said, I have no reason for good will to word any of these personages who will as harshly in regard as if we were dirt under their feet. Shall we go first to the nearest of them? No, we will first call on the president of the parliament and then the judge of the High Court, then the councillors in the order of their rank. We will visit 10 in all and see that you choose the most important. Paris, you will take charge of this man and right in front of us. Keep your pistol in your hand and shoot him through the head if he shows signs of trying to escape. You will remain with him when we enter the houses. Have you any rope, my man? Yes, my lord. I have several long ropes with which I bind the vegetables on my cart when I go to market. That will do. Paris company the man when he went to his shed. On his return with the ropes, Philip told them in arms to cut them into lengths of eight feet and to make a running noose at one end of each. When this was done, they again mounted and moved on. When we enter the houses, he said to the two other lackeys, you will remain without with Paris and will take charge of the first four prisoners we bring out. Put the nooses around their necks and draw them tight enough to let the men feel that they are there. Fasten the other ends to your sidles and warn them if they put up their hands to throw off the nooses. You will spur your horses into a gallop. That threat will keep them quiet enough. In a quarter of an hour, they arrived at the gate of a large and handsome villa. Philip ordered his men to dismount and fasten up their horses. You will remain here in charge of the horses. He said to the lackeys and then with the men at arms he went up to the house. Two of them were posted at the back entrance. Two at the front with orders to let no one issue out. Then with his dagger he opened the shutters of one of the windows and followed by the other six men entered. The door was soon found and opening it they found themselves in a hall where a hanging light was burning. Several servants were asleep on the floor. These stirred up with exclamations of alarm at seeing seven men with drawn swords. Silence! Philip said sternly or this will be your last moment. Roger and Jules do you take each of these lackeys by the collar? That is right. Now put your pistols to their heads. Now, my men, lead us at once to your master's chamber. Eustis, light one of these torches on the wall at the lamp and bring it along with you. Henry, do you also come with us? The rest of you stay here and guard the lackeys. Make them sit down. If any move run them through without hesitation. At this moment an angry voice was heard shouting above. What is all this disturbance about? If I hear another sound I will discharge you all in the morning. Philip gave a loud and derisive laugh, which had the effect he had anticipated for directly afterwards a man in a loose dressing gown ran into the halls. What does this mean, you rascals? He shouted angrily as he entered. Then he stopped petrified with astonishment. It means this, Philip said, leveling a pistol at him, that if you move a step you are a dead man. You must be mad, the president guessed. Do you know who I am? Perfectly, sir. You are president of the infamous parliament at Toulouse. I am a Huguenot officer and you are my prisoner. You need not look so indignant, better men than you have been dragged from their homes to prison in death by your orders. Now it is your turn to be a prisoner. I might, if I chose, set fire to the chateau and cut the throats of all in it. But we do not murder in the name of God. We will leave that to you. Take this man away with you, Eustace. I gave him into your charge. If he struggles or offers the least resistance, stab him to the heart. You will at least give me time to dress, sir, the president said. Not a moment, Philip replied. The night is warm and you will do very well as you are. As for you, he went on turning to the servants. You will remain quiet until morning and if any of you dare to leave the house, you shall be slain without mercy. You can assure your mistress that she will not be long without the society of your master. For an all probability, he will be returned safe and sound before midday tomorrow. One of you may fetch your master's cloak since he seems to fear the night air. The doors were opened and they issued out, Philip bidding the servants clothes and bar them behind them. When they reached the horses, the prisoner was handed over to Darblaze Lackey, who placed the news round his neck and gave him mourning as Philip had instructed him. Then they set off, paris with a guide again leading the way. Before morning, they had ten prisoners on their hands. In one or two cases, the servants had attempted opposition, but they were speedily overpowered and the captures were all affected without loss of life. The party then moved away about a mile and the prisoners were allowed to sit down. Several of them were elderly men and Philip picked these out by the light of two torches they had brought from the last house and ordered the ropes to be removed from their necks. I should regret, gentlemen, he said, the indignity that I had been forced to place upon you had you been other than you are. It is well, however, that you should have felt, though in a very slight degree, something of a treatment that you have all been instrumental in inflicting upon blameless men and women whose only thought was that they chose to worship God in their own way. You may thank your good fortune of having fallen into the hands of one who has no dear friends murdered in the prisons of Toulouse. There are scores of men who would have strung you up without mercy, thinking at a righteous retribution for the pitiless cruelties in which the parliament of Toulouse has been guilty. Happily for you, though I regard you with loathing as pitiless prosecutors, I have no personal wrongs to avenge. Your conscience will tell you that, fallen as you have into the hands of Huguenots, you could only expect death, but it is not for the purpose of punishment that you have been captured. You are taken as hostages. My friends, the Count de la Ville and the Chure d'Arblay were yesterday carried prisoners into Toulouse and with them Manjour de Mouraville, whose only thought was that he had afforded them a night shelter. His innocent wife was also dragged away with him. You, sir, he said to one of the prisoners, appear to me to be the oldest of the party. At daybreak you will be released and will bear to your colleagues in the city the news that these nine persons are prisoners in my hands. You will state that if any body of men approaches this place from any quarter, these nine persons will at once be hung up to the branches above us. You will say that I hold them as hostages for the four prisoners and that I demand that these shall be sent out here with their horses in the arms of my two friends and under the escort of two unarmed troopers. These gentlemen here will, before you start, sign a document ordering the said prisoners to at once be released and will also sign a solemn undertaking which will be handed over to Manjour de Mouraville, pledging themselves that should he and his wife choose to return to their chateau, no harm shall ever happen to them and no accusation of any sort in the future be brought against them. I may add that should at any time this guarantee be broken, I shall consider at my duty the moment I hear of the event to return to this neighborhood and assuredly I will hang the signatories of the guarantee over their own doorposts and will burn their villas to the ground. I know the value of oaths sworn to the Huguenots but in this case I think they will be kept for I swear to you and I am in the habit of keeping my oaths that if you break your undertaking I will not break mine. As soon as it was daylight Paris produced from a saddlebag an ink corn, paper and pens and the ten prisoners signed their name to an order for the release of the four captives. They then wrote another document to be handed by the representative to the governor begging him to see that the order was executed and forming him of the position they were in and that their lives would certainly be forfeited unless the prisoners were released without delay. They also earnestly begged him to send out orders to the armed forces who were searching for the Huguenots meeting them make no movement whatever until after midday. The counselor was then mounted on a horse and escorted by two of the men at arms to within a quarter of a mile of the nearest gate of the city. The men were to return with this horse. The counselor was informed that ten o'clock was the limit given for the return of the prisoners and that unless they had by the hour arrived it would be supposed that the order for their release would not be respected and in that case the nine hostages would be hung fourth with and that in the course of a night or two another batch would be carried off. Philip had little fear however that there would be any hesitation upon the part of those in the town and acting upon the order signed by so many important persons for the death of the president and several of the leading members of the parliament would create such an outcry against the governor by their friends and relatives that he would not venture to refuse the release of four prisoners of minor importance in order to save their lives. After the messenger had departed Philip had the guarantee for the safety of Manjur Dimi Reveal and his wife drawn up and signed in duplicate. One of these documents he said I shall give to Manjur Dimi Reveal the other I shall keep myself as broken I shall have this as justification for the execution of the perjured men who signed it. The time passed slowly. Some of the prisoners walked anxiously and impatiently to and fro looking continually towards the town. Others sat in gloomy silence too humiliated at their present position even to talk to one another. The soldiers on the contrary were in high spirits. They rejoiced at the prospect of the return of their two leaders and they felt proud of having taken part in such an exploit as the capture of the chief men of the dreaded parliament of Toulouse. Four of them kept a vigilant guard over the prisoners. The rest ate their breakfast with great gusto and laughed and joked at the angry faces of some of their prisoners. It was just nine o'clock when a small group of horsemen were seen in the distance. I think there are six of them, sir, Eustice said. That is the right number, Eustice. The lady is doubtless riding behind her husband. Two men are the escort and the other is no doubt the councillary released who is now acting as guide to the spot. Bring my horse, Paris. And mounting Philip brought off to meet the party. He was soon able to make out the figures of Francois and Darbley and putting his horse to a gallop with speedily alongside them. What miracle is this? Manger Darbley asked after the first greeting was over. At present we are all in a maze. We were in separate dungeons and the prospect looked as hopeless as it could well do. When the doors opened and an officer followed by two soldiers bearing our armor and arms entered and told us to attire ourselves. What was meant we could not imagine. We suppose we were going to be led before some tribunal. But why they should arm us before taking us there was more than we could imagine. We met in the courtyard of the prison and were stupefied at seeing our horses saddled and bridled there. And Manjour Dimu Reveille and his wife already mounted. Two unarmed troopers were also there and this gentleman who said sourly, Mount Surus I am going to lead you to your friends. We looked at each other to see if we were dreaming but you may imagine we were not long in leaping into our saddles. This gentleman has not been communicative. In fact by his manner I should say he is deeply disgusted at the singular mission with which he was charged. And on the right here François Manjour Dimu Reveille and myself have exhausted ourselves in conjectures as to how this miracle has come about. Wait two or three minutes longer Phillips said with a smile when you get to yonder trees you will receive an explanation. François and Manjour Darbley gazed in surprise at the figures of nine men all in scanty raiment wrapped up in cloaks and evidently guarded by the men at arms who set up a joyous shout as they wrote in. Manjour Dimu Reveille uttered an exclamation of astonishment as he recognized the dreaded personages collected together in such a polite. Manjour Dimu Reveille Phillips said I believe you know this gentleman by sight Manjour Darbley and François you are not so fortunate as to be acquainted with them and I have pleasure in introducing you to the president of the parliament of Toulouse the judge of the High Court and other counselors all gentlemen of consideration it has been my misfortune to have had to treat these gentlemen with scant courtesy but the circumstances left me no choice. Manjour Dimu Reveille here is a document signed by these nine gentlemen giving a solemn undertaking that you and Madame shall be in future permitted to residing your chateau without the slightest let or hindrance and that you shall suffer no molestation whatever either on account of this affair or on the question of religion I have a duplicate of this document and have on my part given an undertaking that if its terms are broken I will at once whatever inconvenience to myself return to this neighborhood hang these ten gentlemen if I can catch them and at any rate burn their chateau to the ground therefore I think as you have their undertaking and mine you can without fear return home but this of course I leave to yourselves to decide gentlemen you are now free to return to your homes and I trust this lesson that we on our part can strike if necessary will have some effect in moderating your zeal for persecution without a word the president and his companions walked away in a body the true words began to jeer and laugh but Philip held up his hand for silence there need be no extra scorn he said these gentlemen have been sufficiently humiliated and you really fetched all these good gentlemen from their beds Tarblade said bursting into a fit of laughter why it was worth being taken prisoner were it only for the sake of seeing them they look like a number of old owls suddenly disturbed by daylight some of them round-eyed with astonishment some of them hissing menacingly by my faith Philip it will go hard with you if you ever fall into the hands of these worthies but a truce to jokes we owe you our lives Philip and that there is not a shadow of doubt though I have no more fear than another of death and battle I own that I have a dread of being tortured and burned it was a bold stroke thus to carry off the men who have been the leaders of the persecution against us there was nothing in the feat if it can be called a feat Philip said of course directly we heard that you had been seized and carried into to do the say I cast about for the best means to save you to attempt it by force would have been simple madness and any other plane would have required time powerful friends and a knowledge of the city and even then we should probably have failed to get you out of prison this being so it was evident that the best plane was to see some of the citizens of importance who might serve as hostages there was no difficulty in finding out from a small cultivator who were the principal men living outside the walls and their capture was as easy a business scarcely a blow was struck and no lives lost in capturing the whole of them but some of them are missing darblaze said yes five of your men I am sorry to say I'm getting back to the wood after dark I sent them as you ordered to fetch you from Manjur Demi reveals but of course you had been captured before that and they fell into an ambush that was laid for them and were all killed ah that is a bad business Phillip well Manjur Demi reveal will you go with us or will you trust in the safeguard in the first place you have not given me a moment's opportunity of thanking this gentleman not only for having saved the lives of my wife and myself but for the forethought and consideration with which he has in the midst of his anxiety for you and Manjur Dila Ville shown for us who were entirely strangers to him be assured Manjur Fletcher that we are deeply grateful I hope that sometime in the future should peace ever again be restored to France we may be able to meet you again and express more warmly the obligations we feel towards you Madam Demi reveal added a few words of gratitude and then darblaze broke in Demi reveal you must settle at once whether to go with us or to stay on the faith in this safeguard we have no such protection and if we linger here we shall be having half a dozen troops of horse after us you may be sure they will be sent off as soon as the president and his friends reach the city and if we were caught again we should be an even worse plight than before do you talk it over with Madam and while you are doing so François and I will drink a flask of wine and eat anything we can find you but they forgot to give us breakfast before they send us off and it is likely we shall not have another opportunity for some hours what do you think Manjur Fletcher Manjur Demi reveal said after speaking for a few minutes with his wife will they respect this pledge if not we must go but we are both past the age when we can take up life anew my property would of course become fiscated and we should be penniless among strangers I think they will respect the pledge Philip replied I assured them so solemnly that any breach of their promise will be followed by prompt vengeance upon themselves and their homes that I feel sure they will not run the risk two or three among them might possibly do so but the others will be restrained them I believe that you can safely return and that for a long time at any rate you will be unmolested still if I might advise I should say sell your property as soon as you can find a purchaser at any reasonable price and then move either to La Rochelle or cross the sea to England you may be sure that there will be a deep and bitter hatred against you by those who's humiliation you have witnessed thank you thank you I will follow your advice Manjur Fletcher and I hope that I may err long have the pleasure of seeing you and have a deep sense of the debt of gratitude we owe you five minutes later the troop mounted and rode away while Manjur deem you reveal with his wife behind him started for home I hope Francois Darby said as they galloped off from the wood but the next time I ride on an expedition your kinsman may again be with me for he has written resources that rendered him a valuable companion indeed I had great hopes even when I was in prison and things looked almost as bad as they could be Francois said that Philip would do something to help us I had much faith in his long headedness and so as the Countess my mother she said to me when we started you are older than Philip Francois but you will act wisely even cases of difficulty you defer your opinions to his his training has given himself reliance and judgment and he has been more in the habit of thinking for himself than you have and certainly he has fully justified her opinion where do you propose to ride next Darby for all Rochelle I shall not feel safe until I'm within the walls presidents of parliament judges of high court and dignified functionaries are not to be dragged from their beds with impunity happily it will take them an hour and a half to walk back to the town or longer perhaps for they will doubtless go first to their own homes they will never show themselves in such sorry plight in the streets of the city where they are accustomed to lord it so we may count on at least two hours before they can take any steps after that they will move heaven and earth to capture us they will send out troops of horse after us and messengers to every city in the province calling upon the governors to take every means to seize us we have collected a good sum of money and carried out the greater portion of our mission we shall only risk its loss as well as the loss of our own lives by going forward though horses are fresh and we will put as many miles between us and Toulouse as they can carry us before nightfall the return journey was accomplished with that misadventure they made no more halts than we required to rest the horses and traveling principally at night they reached Laura Shell without having encountered any body of the enemy while they had been absent the army of Condé and the admiral had marched into Lorraine and alluding the forces that barred his march affected a junction with the German men and arms who had been brought to their aid by the Duke Casimir the second son of the Elector of Pellentine however the Germans refused to march a step further unless they received the pay they had been agreed upon before they started Condé's treasury was empty and he had no means whatever of satisfying their demand in vain Duke Casimir himself tried to persuade his soldiers to defer their claims and to trust their French co-religionists to satisfy their demands later on they were unanimous in the refusal to march a step until they obtained their money the admiral then addressed himself to his officers and soldiers he pointed out to them that at the present moment everything depended upon they were obtaining the assistance of the Germans who were indeed only demanding their rights according to the agreement that had been made with them and he implored them to come to the assistance of the prince and himself at this crisis so great was as influence of their chains jewels money and valuables of all kind and so made up the some required to satisfy the Germans as soon as this important affair had been settled the United Army turned its face again westward with the intention of giving battle anew under the walls of Paris it was however terribly deficient in artillery powder and stores of all kind and the military chest being empty and the soldiers without pay it was necessary on the march to exact contributions from the small Catholic towns and villages through which the army marched and in spite of the orders of the admiral a certain amount of pillage was carried on by the soldiers having recruited the strength of his troops by a short state or Leon the admiral moved towards Paris since the commencement of the war negotiations had been going on fitfully when the court thought that the Huguenots were formidable they pushed on the negotiations in earnest whenever upon the contrary they believed that the royal forces should be able to cause those of the admiral the negotiations at once came to a standstill during the admiral's long march to the east they would grant no terms whatever they accepted but as soon as a junction was affected with a Duke Kassamer and his Germans and the Huguenot army again turned its face to Paris the court became eager to conclude peace when the prince of Condé's army arrived before Châtret the negotiators met and the king professed a readiness to grant so many concessions that it seemed as if the objects of the Huguenots could be obtained without further fighting and the cardinal of Châtillon and some Huguenot nobles went forward to have a personal conference with the royal commissioners along Jumeaux after much discussion the points most insisted upon by the Huguenots were conceded and the articles of a treaty drawn up copies of which were sent to Paris and Châtret the admiral and Condé both perceived that in the absence of any guarantees for the observance of the conditions to which the other side bound themselves the treaty would be of little avail as it could be broken as soon as the army now menacing Paris was scattered the feeling among the greater portion of the nobles and their followers was, however strongly in favor of the conditions being accepted the nobles were becoming beggared by the continuance of the war the expenses of which had for the most part to be paid from their private means their followers indeed received no pay but they had to be fed and their estates were lying untilled for want of hands their men were eager to return to their farms and families and so strong in general was the desire for peace that the admiral and Condé bowed to it they agreed to the terms and pending their ratification raised the siege of Châtret already their force was dwindling rapidly large numbers marched away to their homes without even asking for leave and their leaders soon ceased to be in a position to make any demands for guarantees and the peace of Longemoux was therefore signed its provision gave very little more to the Huguenots than that of the proceeding arrangements of the same kind and the campaign left the parties in much the same position as they had occupied before the Huguenots took up arms end of chapter 8 recorded February 2008 St Bartholomew's Eve by G.A. Hendy this is a Librivox recording all Librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer visit Librivox.org read by Anna Christensen Chapter 8 The Third Huguenot War before the treaty of Longemoux had been signed many weeks the Huguenots were sensible of the folly they had committed in throwing away all the advantages they had gained in the war by laying down their arms upon the terms of a treaty made by a perfidious woman and a weak and unstable king with advisors bent upon destroying the reformed religion they had seen former edicts of toleration first modified and then revoked and they had no reason even to hope that their new treaty which had been wrung from the court by its fears would be respected by it the Huguenots were not surprised to find therefore that as soon as they had sent back their German auxiliaries and returned to their homes the ink, indeed was fiercely dry on the paper upon which the treaty was written its conditions were virtually annulled from the pulpit of every Catholic church in France the treaty was denounced in the most violent language and it was openly declared that there could be no peace with the Huguenots and in many of the cities the mobs rose and massacred the defenseless Protestants heavy as had been the persecutions before the outbreak of the war they were exceeded by those that followed it some of the governors of the provinces openly refused to carry out the conditions of the treaty Charles issued a proclamation that the edict was not intended to include any of the districts that were appendages of his mother or of any of the royal or bourbon princes in the towns the soldiers were quartered upon the Huguenots whom they robbed and ill-treated at their pleasure and during the six months that this nominal peace lasted no less than 10,000 Huguenots were slaughtered in various parts of France the prince of Condé the admiral his brothers and our other leaders may be skilful generals and brave men the countess Dila Ville said indignantly to Francois when with the troop reduced by war fever and hardship to one third of its number he had returned to the chateau but they cannot have had their senses about them when they permitted themselves to be caused and in delaying down the arms without receiving a single guarantee that the terms of the treaty should be observed far better never to have taken up arms at all the king has come to regard us as enemies the Catholics hate us more than ever for our successful resistance instead of being in a better position than we were before we shall be in a worse we have given up all the towns we had captured thrown away every advantage we had gained and when we are again driven to take up arms we shall be in a worse position than before for they no longer despise us and will in future be on their guard I am disappointed above all in the admiral Diandolo La Rochefele Cold and Gen Li Condé I'd never trusted his one to be relied upon in an extremity he is a royal prince has been brought up in the courts and loves gaiety and ease and although I say not that he is untrue to the Huguenot cause yet he would gladly accommodate matters and as we see even in this treaty the great bulk of the Huguenots all over the country have been utterly deserted their liberty of worship denied and their very lives are at the mercy of the bigots what do you think Phillip have you had enough of fighting for a party who willfully throw away all that they have won by their sacrifices are you thinking of returning home or will you wait for a while to see how matters go on I will with your permission wait Phillip said I lament this piece which seems to me to leave us in a worse position than before the war but I agree with you that it cannot last and that ere long the Huguenots will be driven again to take up arms France's war and I have become his brothers and until the causes I had lost or won I would feign remain that is well Phillip I will be glad to have you with us my nephew Launui wrote to me a month since saying that both my son and you had borne yourselves very gallantly and that he was well pleased to have you with him and that he thought if these wars of religion continued which they might well do for a long time as in Germany and Holland as well as in France the reform religion is battling for freedom you would both rise to eminent the soldiers however now that peace is made we must make the best of it I should think it will not be broken until after their harvest and vintage for until then all will be employed and the Catholics as well as the Huguenots must repair their losses and get their funds before they can again take the field with their retainers therefore until then I think that there will be peace the summer passed quietly at L'Oville the tales of massacre and outrage that came from all parts of France filled them with horror and indignation but in their own neighborhood all was quiet Rachelle had refused to open her gates to the royal troops and as in all that district the Huguenots were too numerous to be interfered with by their neighbors the quiet was unbroken nevertheless it was certain that hostilities would not be long delayed the Catholics seeing the advantage of the perfect organization of the Huguenots had given them at the commencement of the war had established leagues in almost every province these were organized by the clergy and the party that looked upon the guises as their leaders and by the terms of their constitution were evidently determined to carry out the extirpation of their reform religion with or without the royal authority and were indeed bent upon forming a third party in the state looking to fill up of Spain rather than did the king of France as their leader so frequent and daring with the outwriters in Paris that Conde soon found that his life was not safe there and retired to Noyer a small town in Burgundy Admiral Colligny who had been saddened by the loss of his brave wife who had died from a disease contracted in attending upon the sick and wounded soldiers at Orleans had a banion the Chateau at Chatillon sur Lyon where he had kept up a princely hospitality and retired to the castle of Thon Lé belonging to his brother Diandolo situated within a few miles of Noyer Diandolo himself had gone to Brittany after riding a remonstrance to Catherine de Medici upon the ruin and desolation at the breaches of the treaty and the persecution of a section of the population were bringing upon France the Champs-Eloi the Hapital had in vain urged toleration his adversaries and the royal council were too strong for him the cardinal of Lorraine had regained his old influence the king appointed as his preachers four of the most violent advocates of persecution the de Montmorency's for a time struggled successfully against the influence of the cardinal of Lorraine who sought supreme power and recover of Henry of Angeau's name three of the marshals of France Montmorency his brother Dan V and Ville V supported by cardinal Bourbon demanded of the council that Dan Jo should no longer hold the office of lieutenant general Catherine at times aided the guises at times the Montmorency's playing of one party against the other but chiefly inclining to the guises who gradually obtained such an ascendancy that the chancellor of the hospital in despair retired from the council and thus removed the greatest obstacle to the schemes and ambition of the cardinal of Lorraine at the commencement of August the king dispatched to all parts of his dominions copies of an oath that was to be demanded from every Huguenot it called upon them to swear never to take up arms saved by the express command of the king nor to assist with council money or food any who did so and to join their fellow citizens in the defense of their towns against those who disobeyed this mandate the Huguenot unanimously declined to sign the oath with the removal of the chancellor from the council the party of Lorraine became triumphant and it was determined to seize the whole of the Huguenot leaders who were quietly residing upon their estate in distant parts of France Gaspar de Tavi was charged with the arrest of Condé and the admiral and fourteen companies of men at arms and as many infantry were placed under his orders and these were quietly and secretly marched to Noir fortunately Condé received warning just before the blow was going to be struck he was joined at Noir by the admiral with his daughter and sons and the wife an infant son of Diandolo Condé himself had with him his wife and children they were joined by a few Huguenot no woman from the neighborhood and these with the servants of the prince and admiral formed an escort of about a hundred and fifty men escape seemed well my hopeless Tauvain's troop guarded most of the avenues of escape there was no place of refuge say La Rochelle several hundred miles away on the other side of France every city was in the hand of their foes and their movements were encumbered with the presence of women and young children there was but one thing in their favor their enemies naturally supposed that should they attempt to escape they would do so in the direction of Germany where they would be warmly welcomed by the Protestant princes therefore it was upon that line that the greatest vigilance would be displayed by their enemies before starting calling he sent off a very long an eloquent protest to the king defending himself with the step that he was about to take giving a history of the continuous breaches of the treaty and of the sufferings that had been inflicted upon the Huguenots and announcing the cardinal of Lorraine and his associates as the guilty causes of all the misfortunes that had fallen upon France it was on the 23rd of August that the party set out from Noir their march was prompt and rapid contrary to expectation they discovered an unguarded ford across the Loire near the town of Lausanne this ford was only passable when the river was unusually low and had therefore escaped the vigilance of their foes the weather had been for some time dry and they were enabled without much difficulty to affect a crossing a circumstance which was regarded by the Huguenots as a special active providence the morose was heavy rain fell the moment they had crossed and the river rose so rapidly that when a few hours later the cavalry of Tavain arrived in pursuit they were unable to affect a passage the party had many other dangers and difficulties to encounter but by extreme caution and rapidity of movement they succeeded in baffling their foes and in making their way across France on the evening at the 16th of September a watchman on the tower of the Chateau of Avile shouted to those in the courtyard that he perceived a considerable body of horsemen in the distance a vigilant watch had been kept up for some time for an army had for some weeks been collected with the a sensible motive of capturing Rachelle and compelling it to receive a royal garrison and as on its approach parties would probably be sent out to capture and plunder the Chateau and castles of the of the Huguenot nobles everything had been prepared for a siege the alarm bell was at once rung to warn the neighborhood of approaching danger the vacancies called us in the garrison during the war had been lately filled up and the gates were now closed in the walls manned the countess herself taking her place in the tower by the gateway the party halted 300 or 400 yards from the gate and then two gentlemen rode forward the party looks to me more like Huguenots than Catholic's mother Francois said I see no banners but their dresses look somber and dark and and I think that I can see women among them a minute later Philip explained surely Francois those gentlemen who are approaching our our condé and the admiral impossible the countess said they are in burgundy full 300 miles away Philip is right Francois said eagerly I recognize them now they are beyond doubt the prince and admiral Coligny lower the drawbridge and open the gates he go down to the warders the countess hastened down the steps to the courtyard followed by Francois and Philip and received her two unexpected visitors as they rode across the drawbridge we are refugees who come to ask for a night shelter I have my wife and children with me and the admiral has also his family we have ridden across France from Noyer by devious roads and with many turnings and windings have been hunted like rabid beasts and are sorely in need of rest you are welcome indeed prince the countess said I esteem it and high honor to entertain such guests as yourself and admiral Coligny pray enter at once my son will ride out to welcome the princess and the rest of your party Francois at once slept onto a horse and galloped off and in a few minutes the party arrived their numbers have been considerably increased since they left Noyer as they had been joined by many Huguenot gentlemen on the way and they now numbered nearly four hundred men we have grown like a snowball since we started the prince said and I am ashamed to invade your chateau with such an army it is a great honor prince we had heard a rumor that an attempt had been made to seize you and that you had disappeared no one knew wither and men thought you were directing your course towards Germany but little did we dream of seeing you here in the west it was not until evening that Taylor of the journey crossed France with its many hazards and adventures was told for the Countess was fully occupied in seeing to the comforts of her guests of higher degree while Francois saw that the men at arms and others were bristowed as comfortably as might be then oxen and sheep were killed casks of wine broached forage issued for the horses while messengers were sent off to the nearest farms where chicken and ducks and with orders for the women to come up to assist the domestics at the chateau to meet this unexpected strain ah it is good to sit down in peace in comfort again Conde said a supper over they strolled in the garden enjoying the cool air of the evening this is the first halt that we have made it any save small villages since we left no year in the first our object was concealment and in the second though many of our friends have invited us to their castles we would not expose them to the risk of destruction for having shown us hospitality here however we have entered the stronghold of our faith from this place to La Rochelle the Huguenots can hold their own against their neighbors and need fear nothing save the approach of a large army in which case count us your plight could scarcely be worse for having sheltered us the royal commissioners of the province must long have had your name down as one of the most stiff-necked of the Huguenots of this corner of Po too as one who defies the ordinances and maintains public worship in her chateau your son and nephew fought at Saint Denis and you send a troop across France at the first thing you'll join me the cup of your advances is so full that this last drop can make but little difference one way or the other I should have felt it as a grievous slight had you passed near L'Oville without halting here the countess said as for danger for the last 20 years we have been living in danger and indeed during the last year I felt safer than ever for now that La Rochelle is declared for us there was a place a refuge for all of the reform religion in the province is round here such as we have not before possessed during the last few months I have sent most of my valuables in there for safety and as a tide of war comes this way and I am threatened by a force against which it would be hopeless to contend I will make my way further but against anything short of an army I shall hold the chateau it forms a place of refuge to which at the approach of danger all of our religion for many miles round would flock in and as long as there is a hope of successful resistance I will not abandon them to the tender mercies of An-Joe soldiers I fear Countess the Admiral said that our arrival at La Rochelle will bring trouble upon all the country round it we had no choice between that and exile have we consulted our own peace and safety only we should have be taken ourselves to Germany but have we done that it would have been a desertion of our brethren who look to us for leading and guidance here at La Rochelle we shall be in communication with Novar and Gaskany and doubt not that we shall air very long be again at the head of an army with which we can take the field even more strongly than before for after the breaches of the last treaty and the fresh persecutions and murders throughout the land the Huguenots everywhere must clearly present there is no option between destruction and winning our rights at the point of the sword nevertheless as the court will see that it is to their interest to strike it once before we have had time to organize an army I think it's certain that the whole Catholic forces will march without loss of time against La Rochelle our only hope is that as on the last occasion they will deceive themselves as to our strength the evil advisers of the king when persuading him to issue fresh ordinances against us have assured him that with strong garrisons and all the great tons of France and with his army of Swiss and Germans still on foot we are altogether powerless and are no longer to be feared in the slightest degree we know that even now while they deem us but a handful of fugitives our brethren throughout France will be everywhere bending themselves in arms before we left Noyer we sent out a summons calling the Huguenots in all parts of France to take up arms again their organization is perfect in every district our brethren have appointed places where they are to assemble in case of need and by this time I doubt not that although there is no regular army yet in the field there are scores of bands ready to march as soon as they receive orders it is true that the Catholics are far better prepared than before they have endeavored by means of these leagues to organize themselves in our matter but there is one vital difference we know that we are fighting for our lives and our faith and that those who hang back run the risk of massacre in their own homes the Catholics have no such impulse our persecutions have been the work of the mobs in the towns excited by the priests and these ruffians though ardent when it is a question of slaying defenseless women and children are contemptible in the field against our men we saw how the Prisians fled like a flock of sheep at Saint Denis thus outnumbered as we are me thinks we shall take up arms far more quickly than our foes and that except from the troops of Anjou in the levies of the great Catholic nobles we shall have little to fear even in the towns the massacres have ever been during what is called peace and there was far less persecution during the last two wars than in the intervals between them the next morning the prince and admiral with their escort rode on towards La Rochelle which they entered on the 18th of September the Countess with a hundred of her retainers and tenants accompanied them on their first day's journey and returned the next day to the chateau the news of the escape and the reports of the Huguenots were arming took the court by surprise and a declaration was at once published by the king guaranteeing his royal protection to all adherents of the reformed faith stayed at home and promising a gracious hearing to their grievances as soon however as the Catholic force began to assemble in large numbers the mass of conciliation was thrown off all edicts of toleration were repealed and the king prohibited his subjects in all parts of his dominion of whatever rank from the exercise of all religious rights other than those of the Catholic faith on pain of confiscation and death nothing could have been more opportune for the Huguenot leaders than this decree it convinced even the most reluctant that their only hope lay in resistance and enabled Condé's agents at foreign courts to show that the king of France was bent upon exterminating the reformed faith and that its adherents had been forced to take up arms and self-preservation the fanatical population of the towns rejoiced in the new decree leagues for the extermination of heresy were formed in Toulouse and other towns under the name of crusades and high masses were celebrated in the churches everywhere in honor of the great victory over heresy the Countess had offered to send her son with 50-minute arms to swell the gathering at La Rochelle but the admiral declined the offer New York was but a day's march from the Chateau and although its population were of mixed religion the Catholics might under the influence of the present excitement march against la vieil he thought it would be better therefore that the Chateau should be maintained with all its fighting forces a center to which the Huguenots of the neighborhood might rally I think he said that you might for some time sustain a siege against all the forces that could be brought from New York and if you are attacked I will at once send a force from the city to your assistance I have no doubt that the queen of Navarre will join us and that I shall be able to take the offensive very shortly I encouraged by the presence of the admiral at La Rochelle the whole of the Huguenots of the district prepared to take the field and 250 men were ready together there directly an alarm was given three days later a man arrived at the Chateau from New York soon after daybreak he reported that on the previous day the populace had massacred 30 or 40 Huguenots and that all the rest they could lay hands on a mounting a number to nearly 200 had been dragged from their homes and thrown into prison he said that in all the villages round the priests were preaching the extermination of the Huguenots and it was feared that at any moment those of the religion would be attacked there especially as it was likely that the populace of the town would flock out in themselves undertake the work of massacre should the peasants who had hitherto lived on friendly terms with the Huguenots hang back from it we must try to assist our brethren the Countess said when she heard the news French soire take what force you can get together in an hour and ride over towards New York you will get there by midday if these ruffians come out from the town do you give them a lesson and ride round to the villages and bring off all of our religion there assure them that they will have protection here until the troubles are over or until matters so change that they can return safely to their homes we cannot sit quietly and hear of murder so close at hand I see no prospect of rescuing the unfortunate from the prison of New York and it would be madness with our small force to attack a walled city but I leave you free to do what may seem best to you warning you only against undertaking any desperate enterprise Philip will of course ride with you shall we ring the alarm bell mother no it is better not to disturb the tenetry unless on very great occasion take the 50-minute arms your own men and Philips sixty will be ample for dispersing disorderly mobs while a hundred would be of no use to you against the armed forces of the town and the garrison of two hundred men in a quarter of an hour the troop started all knew the errand on which they were bent and the journey was performed at the highest speed of which their horses were capable they can have a good long rest when they get there François had to Philip and half an hour earlier or later may mean that saving or losing a fifty lives the mob will have been feasting and exulting over the saying of so many Huguenots until late last night and will not be a stir early this morning probably too they will before they think of selling out attend the churches where the priests will stir them up their fury before they lead them out on a crusade into the country I would that we knew where they were likely to begin there were a dozen villages around the town what do you say to dividing our force François as we need a town you with one party could ride around to the left I with the other to the right and searching each village as we go could join forces again the other side of the town if Mont Pace had been with us of course he would have taken the command of one of the parties it is unfortunate that he's laid up with that wound he got at St. Denis I am afraid he will never be fit for active service again Philip but I am not sorry that he is not here he might have objected to our dividing the troops and besides I am glad that you should have command putting aside everything else we understand each other you will, of course cut down the refuge of the town to that mercy if you find them engaged in massacre if not you will warn the Huguenots of a village as you pass through to leave their homes at once and make for la vieille giving a sharp intimation to the village mayors that the Protestants are interfered with in any way or hindered from taking their goods and setting out we will on our return burn the village about their ears and hang up any who have interfered with our people I should say François that we should take prisoners and hold us hostages any citizens of importance or priests whom we may find encouraging the townspeople to massacre I would take the village priests and may air too so as to carry out the same plan that acted so well at Toulouse we could then summon Néor and said that unless the Huguenots in prison are released and they and all the Huguenots and the towns allowed to come out and join us we will on the first place burn and destroy all the Catholic villages around the town and the pleasure houses and gardens of the citizens and that in the second place we'll carry off the prisoners in our hands and hang them at once if we hear a single Huguenot being further ill-treated that would be a capital plan Phillip if we could just get hold of anyone of real importance it is likely that some of the principal citizens and perhaps the Catholic nobles of the neighborhood will be with those who sally out so that they can claim credit and praise from the court party for their zeal and the cause ugh I wish our parties had been a little stronger for after we have entered a village or two we shall have to look after the prisoners I do not think it matters Francois a dozen snap minute arms like ours who drive a mob of these wretches before them they will come out expecting to murder unresisting people and the sight of our minute arms in their white scarves will set them off running like hairs let it be understood Phillip continued that if when one of us gets round to the other side of the town he should not meet the other party and can hear no tidings of it he shall gallop on till he meets it for it is just possible although I think it unlikely that one or other of us may meet with so strong a party of the enemy as to be forced to stand on the defensive until the other arrives I think there is little chance of that Phillip still it is as well that we should make that arrangement as they near New York they met several fugitives from then they learned that so far the town people had not come out but that the Catholics and their villages were boasting that an end would be made of the Huguenots that day and that many of them were in consequence deserting their homes and making their escape as secretly as they could across the country when within two miles of New York a column of smoke was seen to arise on the left side of the town they have begun the work Francois exclaimed that is my side and he placed himself at the head of half the troop giving them orders that they were to spare none whom they found engaged in massacring Huguenots saved priests and other persons acting as leaders these were to be taken as hostages for the safety of their brethren in the town you need not be over careful with them he said throw a picket rope round their net and make them trot behind you they came out for a little excitement let them have enough of it as Francois rode off one way Philip led the party the other you have also heard these orders he said they will do for you also the first place they rode into they found the Catholic inhabitants in the streets while the houses of the Huguenots were closed in the shutters barred the men fled as a troops dashed in pursue them cried Philip and thrashed them back with a flood of your swords but wound no one most of the men were soon brought back by this time the Huguenots had opened their doors and when shouts of joy were welcoming their deliverers have they threatened you with harm Philip asked yes there has been mass in the church this morning and the priests has told them to prepare to join in the good work as soon as the townspeople arrive the priests had already been fetched from his house guarded by two troopers the mayor was next pointed out and seized two horses were brought out and the prisoners placed on them put a rope around each of their necks Philip ordered fastened it firmly two troopers took the other ends now you will come along with us Philip went on and if you tried to escape so much the worse for you now he said to the villagers we shall return here shortly and then what we tied you if our orders are not executed every house in the village shall be burned to the ground every man we lay hold of shall be hung you will at once place every horse and cart here at the disposal of your Huguenot brethren you will assist them to put their household goods in them and we'll at once start with them for LaVille those who do so will be allowed to return unharmed with their animals and carts Eustace you will remain here with two men and see that this order is carried out shoot down without hesitation any man who murmurs if there is any trouble whatever before our return the priest and the mayor shall dangle from the church tower the next two villages they enter the same scene was enacted as they approached the fourth village they heard cries and screams lower your lances my friends forward and it a gelp the little band dashed into the village it was full of people several bodies of men and women lay in the road pistol shots rang out here and there showing that some of the Huguenots were making a stout defense of their homes through and through the crowd the horsemen road those in front clearing away with their lances those behind thrusting and cutting with their swords the Catholic were of the most part roughly armed some had pikes some had swords others axes choppers or clubs but none now thought of defense the arms that they had brought out for the work of murder were thrown away and there was no thought save of flight the doors of the Huguenot houses were thrown open and the men issuing out Philip on those who were just before their assailants Philip saw some horsemen and others collected round a cross in the center of the village and calling upon the men near him to follow dashed forward and surrounded the party before they apprehended the meaning of the sudden tumult two or three of the men drew their swords as if to resist but seeing that their friends were completely routed they surrendered the party consisted of three men who were by their dresses persons of rank four or five citizens also on horseback four priests and a dozen acolytes with their banners and sensors tie their hands behind them Philip ordered not the boys to let them go I protest against this indignity one of the gentlemen said I am a nobleman if you were a prince of the blood sir and I found you engaged in the massacre of innocent people I would tie you up and set you swinging from the nearest tree without compunction their arms were all tightly bound behind them would you touch a servant of the Lord the leading priest said your clothing is that of a servant of the Lord Philip replied but as I find you engaged upon the work of a devil I can only suppose that you have stolen the clothes four of you take these priests behind you he said to the men tie them tightly with their backs to yours that will leave you the use of your arms Paris do you ride beside the other prisoners and if you see any attempted escape shoot them at once quick my lads there may be more of this work going on ahead he then gave similar instructions for the carriage of the Huguenot goods as they had given at the proceeding places at the next village they were in time to prevent the work of massacre from commencing a party of horsemen and some priests followed by a mob were just entering it as they rode up the horsemen were overthrown by their onset the mob sent flying back towards the town the Huguenots charging almost up to the gates the horsemen and priests were made prisoners as before and when the rest of the band returned from their pursuit they again rode on they had now made half a circuit of Nior and presently saw Francois and his party galloping towards them I had begun to be afraid that something had happened Francois said as he rode up I waited a quarter of an hour and then rode on as we agreed well I see you've got a good batch of prisoners we have lost no time Phillip said we had been through five villages at one we were just in time but they had begun the work of massacre before we got up and another we met them as they arrived but at the other three although the villagers were prepared for the work the townsmen had not arrived there were only three villages on my side Francois said at the first they had nearly finished their work before we arrived that was where we saw the smoke rising but we paid them for it handsomely for we must have cut down more than a hundred of the scoundrels at one of the others the Huguenots were defending themselves well and there too we gave the townstable lesson at the third all was quiet we have taken six or eight burgers as many gentlemen and ten priests Phillip told him the orders he had given for the Catholics to place their horses in carts at the disposal of their Huguenot fellow villagers I wish I had thought of it Francois said but it is not too late I will ride back with my party and see all our friends well on their way from the villages I left four minutes each to keep the Catholics from interfering if you will go back the way you came we will meet again on their main road on the other side of the town I don't think there's any fear they're making a sortay our strength is sure to be greatly exaggerated and the fugitives pouring in from each side of the town with their tails will spread a report that Condé himself with a whole host of horsemen is round them Phillip found all going on well as he returned to the villages the scare being so great that none thought of disobeying the orders and in a couple of hours he rejoined Francois having seen the whole of the Huguenot population of the villages well on their way now Phillip we will go and summon the town first of all though let us get a complete list of the names of our prisoners these were all written down and then the two leaders with their eight minute arms rode towards the gate of New York a white flag being raised on one of the lances end of chapter eight recorded March 2008 St. Bartholomew's Eve by G. A. Hendy this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer visit LibriVox.org read by Anna Christensen chapter nine an important mission we have made an excellent haul Francois said as while awaiting the answer to their signal they looked down the list of names among the gentlemen are several connected with some of the most important Catholic families of Potue the more shame to them for being engaged in so rascally a business though in the court and the king Lorraine and the geese set the example of persecution one can scarcely blame the lesser gentry the wish to ingratiate themselves with authorities for doing the same of the citizens we have got one of the magistrates and four or five other prominent men whom I know by reputation as being among the foremost to stir up the people against the human aunts huh these fellows I could hang up with pleasure and would do so were it not that we need them to exchange for our friends then we have got 30 priests the names of two of them I know is popular preachers who after the last piece was made denounced the king and his mother as Ahab and Jezebel for making terms with us they too were it not for their sacred office I could string up without having any weight upon my conscience ah there is a right flag let us right forward the gates remain closed and they rode up to within 100 yards of them in a few minutes several persons made the appearance on the wall over the gateway and they then advanced within 20 paces of the gate then one from the wall said I am John DeLuk real commissioner of this town this is the Reverend Bishop of the town this is the Maire and these are the magistrates to whom am I speaking I am the Count Francois de la Vieux Francois replied and I now represent the gentlemen who have come hither with a large body of troops to protect those of our faith from persecution and massacre we arrived too late to save all but not to punish as the Ruffians of your town have learned to their cost some two or three hundred of them came out to slay and have been slain the following persons are in our hands and he read the list of the prisoners I now give you notice that unless within one hour of the present time all those of the Ruffian faith whom you have thrown into prison together with all others who wish to leave are permitted to issue from this gate free and unharmed and carrying with them what portion of the world the goods they may wish to take then unless these are released I will hang up the whole of the prisoners in my hands gentlemen citizens and priests to the trees of that wood a quarter of a mile away let it be understood that the terms are to be carried out to the letter proclamation must be made through your streets that all the reformed faith are free to depart taking with them their wives and families and such valuables and goods as they may choose I shall question those who come out and if I find that they have been detained against their will or if the news has not been so proclaimed that all can take advantage of it I shall not release the prisoners if these terms are not accepted my officers will first hang the prisoners then they will ravage the country round and will then proceed to besiege the city and when they capture it take vengeance for the innocent blood that has been shed within its walls you know what is the strength of your garrison and whether you can successfully resist an assault by their troops of the admiral I will give you 10 minutes to deliberate unless by the end of that time you accept the conditions offered it will go hard with those in our hands impious youth the bishop who was in full pontificals said you would never dare to hang priests as the gentleman of your party had thought at no sin to put to death scores of our ministers and as I find these most holy persons hounding on a mob to massacre I shall certainly feel no compunction whatever in executing the orders of my leader to hang them up with the other male factors Francois replied and me thinks that you will benefit these holy men more by advising those with you to agree to the conditions which I offer then by wasting your breath and controversy with me there was a hasty conversation between those on the wall and it was not long before they came to an agreement DeLuc feared that he should incur the enmity of several powerful families if he left their relatives for execution the citizens were equally anxious to save their fellows and were, moreover, stared at the threat of a neighborhood being laid waste in the town attacked by this unknown force that appeared before it they had heard vague rumors of the arrival of the prince and admiral with a large force at La Rochelle but it might well be that he had turned aside on his journey at the news of the occurrences at New-Orre the bishop was equally anxious to rescue the priests for he felt that he might be blamed for their death by his ecclesiastical superiors their consultation over DeLuc turned to the count do you give me your solemn assurance and words a noble of friends that upon our performing our part of the condition the prisoners in your hands shall be restored unharmed I do Francois replied I pledge my honor that as soon as I find the whole of those of our religion have left the town peaceably the prisoner shall be permitted to return unharmed in any way then we accept the terms all those of the reformed religion in the town whether at present in prison or in their homes who may desire to leave will be permitted to pass as soon as you retire the gate shall be opened Francois and his party fell back a quarter of a mile in a short time people began to issue in twos and threes from the gates many bore heavy bundles on their backs and were accompanied by women and children all similarly laden a few had with them carts piled up with household goods from the first who came Francois learned that the condition had been carried out the proclamation being made in every street at the sound of the trumpet that all who held the reformed religion were freed to depart and that they might take with them such goods as they could carry or take in carts at first they even thought that this was but a trap to get the Huguenots to reveal themselves but the reports of those who had returned discomfited to the town that there was a great Huguenot force outside and that many people of consideration had been taken prisoners gave them courage and some of the leading citizens went round to every house where persons suspected of being Huguenots were living to urge them to leave telling them that a treaty had been made securing them their safety before the hour had passed more than 500 men women and children had left the town as all agreed that no impediment had been placed in their way but upon the contour every person even suspected of having Huguenot leanings had been urged to go Francois and Phillip felt assured that at any rate all who wished to leave had had the opportunity of doing so they waited 10 minutes over the hour and then seeing that no more came forth they ordered the prisoners to be unbound and allowed to depart for the city as the fugitives had come along they were told that the prince of Condé with a strong force had entered La Rochelle and were advised to make for that city where they would find safety and welcome those however who preferred to go to Laville were assured that it would be welcomed and cared for until an opportunity arose for their being sent under escort to La Rochelle the greater portion decided to get once for the Huguenot city I think Phillip you'd better take 40 of the men to act as a rearguard to these poor people till you are with insight of La Rochelle the fellows whom we have let free will tell them their return to the town that we are but a small party and it is possible that they may send out parties in pursuit I don't think it's likely the townspeople have been too roughly handled to care about running any risks they have no very large body of men at arms in the town still if they do pursue it will be by the road to La Rochelle for that is the one they will think that most of the fugitives will take had we not better divide the troop equally Francois no I think not they will imagine we shall all be going by that road and that more over some of the other gentlemen of our faith may be coming to meet us with their retainers 20 will be ample for me do you take the rest two hours later Phillip saw a cloud of dust rising from the road in his rear he hurried on with the fugitives in front of him until half an hour later they came to a bridge over a stream this was only wide enough for four horsemen to cross a breast and here he took up his station in a few minutes a number of horsemen approached they were riding without order or regularity intent only on overtaking their prey seeing the disorder in which they came Phillip advanced from the bridge formed up his men in two lines and then charged at a full gallop the minute arms tried to rein in their horses in form and order but before they could do so the Huguenots burst down upon them the horses of the Catholics exhausted with the speed at which they had been ridden were unable to withstand the shock and they and their riders went down before it a panic sees those in the rear and turning quickly they fled in all directions leaving some 30 of their number dead on the ground but Phillip would not permit his followers to pursue they outnumber us four to one he said and if we scatter they may turn and fall upon us our horses have done a long day's work and deserve rest we will halt here at the bridge they are not likely to disturb us but if they do we can make a stat resistance here do you ride on Jaquie and tell the fugitives that they can press forward as far as they like and then halt for the night we will take care that they are not molested and we'll ride on and overtake them in the morning the night passed quietly and late the following evening the party were in sight of La Rochelle Phillip had intended to turn at this point where all danger to the fugitives was over and to start on his journey back but the hour was late and he would have found it difficult to obtain food and forage without pressing the horses he therefore determined to pass the night at La Rochelle as he could take the last news thence back to L'Oville the streets of the town presented a busy aspect parties of Huguenot gentlemen and their retainers were constantly arriving and fugitive villagers had come in from a wide extent of country large numbers of men were working at the walls of the town the harbour was full of small craft lines of carts brought in provisions from the surrounding country and large numbers of oxen, sheep, and goats were being driven in as we shall start for L'Oville in the morning Phillip said to his men it is not worthwhile to trouble to get quarters and indeed, I should say from the appearance of the place that every house is already crowded from basement to roof therefore we may bivouac down by the shore where I see there are many companies already bestowed as soon as they had picketed their horses a party was sent off to purchase provisions for the troop and forage for their horses and when he had seen that the arrangements were complete Phillip told Puri to follow him and went up to the castle where Conde and Coligny with their families were lodged he was greeted warmly by several of the gentlemen who had stopped at the Chateau a few days before the story of the fugitives from New York had already spread through the town and Phillip was eagerly questioned about it just as he was about to tell the story Conde and the Admiral came out from an inner room into the large ended chamber ah here is the young Count's cousin, Montjeur Fletcher the Admiral said and now we shall hear about this affair of New York of which we have received half a dozen different versions in the past hour is the Count himself here no sir he returned to L'Oville escorting the fugitives who went thither while he sent me with a larger portion of the troop to protect the passage hither of the main body but it was reported to me that the troop with which you entered was but forty strong I heard you fought a battle on the way did you lose many men there none sir indeed I am glad to say that beyond a few trifling wounds the whole matter has been carried out without any loss to the party that rode from L'Oville how strong were they all together Montjeur sixty sir then then where did you join the force that as we hear cut up the townspeople of New York as they were massacring our people in the villages around and afterwards obtained from the town the freedom of those who had been cast into prison and permissioned for all Huguenots to leave the town there was no other force sir we had just the sixty men from L'Oville commanded by my cousin Francois when the news arrived of the doings at New York there was no time to send round to up together our friends so we mounted the men at arms at the chateau and rode with all speed and were but just in time how we delayed another half an hour to gather a larger force we should have been too late tell us all about it the prince said this seems to have been a gallant and well-managed affair admiral Philip related the whole circumstances of the affair and the chief men taken as hostages and the peasants compelled to assist to convey the property of the Huguenots to reveal also the subsequent negotiations and the escape of all the Huguenots from New York and how the troop under him had smartly repulsed with the loss of over thirty men the men at arms from the city a gallant underprivce the prince said what thank you admiral I think indeed that this young gentleman and his cousin the young count of L'Oville have shown singular prudence and forethought as well as courage the matter could not have been better managed had it been planned by any of our oldest heads that they should at the head of their little bodies of men at arms have dispersed the cowardly mob of New York is what we may believe that any brave gentleman would have done but their device of taking the priests and the other leaders as hostages their boldness in summoning the authorities of New York under the threat of hanging the hostages and capturing the town is indeed most excellent and commendable I heard that the number of fugitives from New York was nearly six hundred and besides these there were I suppose those from the villages about two hundred set out from the villages sir eight hundred souls you hear that gentleman eight hundred souls have been rescued from torture and death by the bravery and prudence of these two young gentlemen who are in years but use let it be a lesson to all of what can be done by men engaged in a good work and placing their trust in God there is not one of us but might have felt proud to have been the means of doing so great and good at work with so small a force and to have saved 800 lives without the loss of a single one to say nothing of the sharp lesson given to the sitting mobs that the work of massacres may sometimes recall upon those who undertake it our good friend Dila Nui has more than once spoken very highly to the prince and myself respecting the Yen count and this English gentleman and they certainly have more than borne out his commendations and more than that the prince put in I myself in no small degree owe my life to them for when I was pinned down by my horse at Saint Denis they were among the foremost of those who rushed to my rescue busy as I was I had the time to mark well how stoutly and valiantly they fought Monsur Darbley has spoken to me in the highest terms of both of them but especially of Monsur Fletcher who, as he declared, saved his life in that of the count Dila Ville by obtaining the reliefs from the dungeons of Toulouse by some such devices that he has used in New York and now gentlemen supper is served let us go in at once we must have already tried the patience of our good hosts who are doing their best to entertain us right royally and whom I hope to relieve of part of the burden in a very few days Monsur Fletcher, you shall sit between the admiral and myself for you have told us your story but briefly and afterwards I would thank question you farther as to the affair at Toulouse the two nobles indeed inquired very minutely into all the incidents of the fight by closely questioning him they learned the idea of forcing the peasants to lend their horses and carts to convey the Huguenot villagers goods to Léville was his own and occurred to him just as he was about to start from the first village he entered the success of military operations the admiral said depends greatly upon details it is one thing to lay out a general plan another to think amid the bustle and excitement of action of the details upon which success so largely depends and your thought of making the men who are about to join in the slaughter of their fellow villagers the means of conveying their goods and chattels to a place of safety is one that shows that your head is cool and able to think and plan in moments when most men would be carried away by the excitement of the occasion I am pleased with you sir and shall find that if I have any matter on hand demanding discretion and prudence as well as bravery I can in spite of your years confidently entrust you with it are you thinking of returning tomorrow to Léville I was intending to do so sir it may be that the people of New York may endeavor to revenge the stroke that we have dealt them and the 40 men with me are necessary for the defense of the Chateau I do not think there is any fear of an attack from New York the admiral said they will know well enough that our people are flocking here from all parts and will be thinking of defense rather than of attack knowing that while we are within almost striking distance the royal court is not in a condition as yet to march from Paris where are you resting for the night my troops are down by the shore sir seeing how full the time was I thought it was not worthwhile to look for quarters and intended to sleep down there among them in readiness for an early start then after supper I would that you go down to them and tell them not to be surprised if you do not join them till morning then return hither for the night it may be that we may want to speak to you again late in the evening a page came to Philip and saying that the prince wished to speak with him conducted him to a small apartment where he found Condé and the admiral we have a mission with which we would entrust you if you are willing to undertake it the admiral said it is a dangerous one and demands prudence and resource as well as courage it seems to the prince and myself that you possess these qualities and your youth may enable you to carry out the mission perhaps more easily than another would do it is no less than to carry a letter from the prince and myself to the queen of Navarre she is at present at nirach agents of Catherine have been trying to persuade her to go with her son to Paris but fortunately she discovered that there was a plot to seize her and the young prince her son at the same time that we were to be entrapped burgundy do you know say who was charged with the mission of seizing her at tarbet was fortunately taken ill and she has made her way safely up to nirach all guyen swarms with her enemies discard and four thousand catholics scattered along from periglot to bow and other bands lie between periglot and trulet if once past those dangers her course is barred at Agoulemé Claude Knack and Sainte I want her to know that I will meet her on the Charente I do not say that I shall be able to take those three towns but I will besiege them and she will find me outside of one of them if I cannot get inside it is all important that she should know this so that she may judge with her to direct her course one went safely across the river drone and out of guyen I dare not send a written dispatch for word to fall into the hands of the catholics they would at once strengthen the garrisons of the town on the charente and would keep so keen a watch in that direction that it would be impossible for the queen to pass I will give you a ring a gift from the queen herself in token that you are my messenger and that she can place every confidence in you I will leave to you the choice of how you will proceed you can take some of your men at arms with you and try to make your way through with a sudden dash but as the bridges and forwards will be strongly watched I think that it will be much wiser for you to go into skies either with or without a companion certainty is of more importance than speed I found a communication here sent by the queen before she started to the authorities of the town saying that she should try to make her way to them and she knew that the prince and myself would also come here if we found that our personal safety was menaced in burgundy she first saw that her difficulties would be great and requested that if we arrived here we would send her word as to our movements in order that she might accommodate hers to them I have chosen you for several reasons one being as I have told you that I see you are quick at forming a judgment and cool in danger the second is that you will not be known to any of the enemy whom you may meet on your way most of the humanants here coming from the neighboring provinces and would almost certainly be recognized by Catholics from the same neighborhood of course you understand that if suspicion should fall upon you of being a messenger from this place you would have but a short drift I am quite ready to do my best sir to carry out your mission personally I would rather ride fast with half a dozen men at arms but doubtless as you say the other would be the surest way I will take with me my servant who is shrewd and full of resources and being a native of these parts can pass as a countryman anywhere my horses and my four men I will leave here until my return the troop will of course start in the morning for la veal we have another destination for them the prince said a messenger rode yesterday to la veal to bid the young count start the day after tomorrow with every man he can raise to join me before New York for which place I set out tomorrow at midday of course we had no idea that he had already come to blows with that city but we resolved to make its capture our first enterprise seeing that it blocks the principal road from Paris hither and is indeed a natural outpost of La Rochelle New York taken we shall push on and capture Parthené which still further blocks the road a new possession will keep our door open for our friends from Brittany Normandy and the north when those places are secured and garrisoned we can then set about clearing out the Catholics from the towns to the south very well sir then I will give orders to them that they are to accompany your force tomorrow and join the count before New York here is a large map of the country you will have to traverse you had best take it into the next room and study it carefully especially the course and direction of the rivers and the points of crossing it would be shorter perhaps if you could have gone by boat south to Archaon and then smid your way to Naraq but there are wide dunes to be crossed and pine forests to be traversed where a stranger might well die of hunger and thirst the people are too wild and savage and look upon strangers with great suspicion and would probably have no compunction in cutting your throat moreover the Catholics have a flotilla at the mouth of the Gironde and there would be difficulty in danger and passing you will of course make all speed that you can I shall presently see some of the council of the town and if they tell me that a boat can take you down the coast as far as a sudray some 10 miles north of the mouth of the Gironde you will avoid the difficulty of crossing the Boutoune and St. Jean de Anglais and the Charente at Saint-et or Cornet it will save you a quarter of your journey I expect them shortly so that by the time you have studied the map I shall be able to tell you more an hour later Philip was again summoned to a surprise he found Major Petrom with the prince our good friend here tells me that he's already acquainted with you he will house you for tonight and at daybreak put you on board a small coasting vessel which will carry you down to the mouth of the sudray he will also procure for you whatever disguises you may require for yourself and your attendant he has relations with traders in many of our towns some of these are openly of our faith others are time servers or are not yet sufficiently convinced to their persecution and death for its sake he will give you the names of some of these and you may at a push be able to find shelter with them obtain a guide or receive other assistance here is the ring hide it carefully on the way for where you searched a ring of this value would be considered a proof that you are not what you seemed you quite understand my message good I pray the queen to trust no promises but using all care to avoid those who would stop her to come north as speedily as possible before the toils close round her and you will assure her that she will find me on the Charente that I shall I've either taken cognac or be occupied in besieging it if I fail sir it shall be from no lack of prudence on my part and I hope to prove myself worthy of the high honor that you have shown me and selected me for the mission very well then the admiral said I trust that in 10 days time I shall meet you at cognac I have arranged with major retrom who will furnish you with the funds necessary for your expedition Philip bowed deeply to the two nobles and retired with the merchant he had directed paris to remain among the lackeys at the foot of the grand staircase as he would be required presently and as he passed through he beckoned him to follow you have seen my horses comfortably stable paris it was done an hour since mon jour and my four men understand that they are to remain here in charge of them until I return yes sir their own horses are also bestowed here and mine very well we sleep tonight in major patrols I am right glad to hear it sir for truly this castle is full from top to the bottom and I love not to sleep in a crowd you still have paris with you the merchant said yes and he has turned out an excellent servant it was a fortunate day for me when I insisted on talking to him in spite of your warning he is a merry marlott and yet knows when to joke and when to hold his peace he is an excellent forager ah that I warned he is major patron put in and can cook a dinner or a supper with any man in the army I would not part with him for any consideration a fellow of that sort master Fletcher he should have turned out either a rogue or a handy fellow I am glad to hear that he has proved the latter ah here we are at the house at ordinary times you should all be a bed and asleep at this hour but the place is turned upside down since the prince and the admiral arrived for every citizen has taken in as many men as his house will hold I have four men and twenty of the retainers lodging here but I will take you to my own den where we can talk undisturbed but there is much to say and to arrange us to this expedition of yours in which there is more peril than I should like to encounter however that is your affair you have undertaken it and there is not for me to do say to try and make it as successful as possible you have already been studying the map I hear and know something of the route I have a good map myself and we will follow the way together upon it it would be as well to see whether your rascal knows anything of the country and some of his wanderings he may have gone south I will question him Philip said and reopening the door of the room he told Piri whom he had been following upstairs to enter I am going down to Gastonie, Piri, it matters not at present upon what venture I am going to start tomorrow at daylight in a craft of major patrolms which will lay me ten miles aside the mouth of the Gironde by which as you will see I avoid having to cross the Charente where the bridges are all in the hands of the Catholics I am going in disguise and I propose taking you with me it is all one to me sir where you go I am ready to follow you I have been at Bordeaux but no farther I don't know whether you think that three would be too many your men are all Gaskins and one or other of them might know the part of the country you wish to travel hmm I had not thought of that Philip said but the idea is a good one it depends greatly upon our disguises do you travel as a man at arms or a countryman or a peddler or maybe a priest sir let us a priest assuredly Philip laughed I am too young for that too young to be in full orders but not too young to be a theological student one going from a theological seminary at Bordeaux to be initiated at Paraguay or further south to Agen Philip shook his head I should be found out by the first priest who questioned me then sir we might go with sacks of wear on our backs as traveling peddlers or on the other hand we might bear on our way to take service under the Catholic leaders if so we might carry steel caps and swords which me thinks would suit you better than either a priest cowl or a peddler's pack in that case there might well be three of us or even four two of your men at arms who go as old soldiers and you and I as young retainers of theirs anxious to turn our hands to soldiering once in Gaskinny their dialect would help us rarely and our story should pass without difficulty and even on the way it would not be without its use but the story that we have been living near La Rochelle but owing to the concourse of Huguenots could no longer stay there and we're there for making self to see in the first place their friends at home and then it takes service under some Catholic lord would sound likely enough hmm I don't know that we can contrive a better scheme than that Major Petron oh what do you think it promises well the trader agreed do you know what part of Gaskinny these men come from paris they come from your dough that matters but little though philips said seeing that it is only to the south of Guguen that we are bound still they will probably have to reverse the province often and in any case there should be no trouble in finding our way seeing that again lies on their own and we shall only have to keep near the river all the way from the point where we landed our great difficulty will be in passing the drudogne the drone and the lot all of which we are likely to find guarded if you can manage to cross the Goron here near Lake Nuln the merchant said placing his finger on the map you would have wore the two last rivers and by keeping west of Bozol you would be able to reach Narok without difficulty you have to cross somewhere and it might be as easy there as it again that is so Philip agreed at any rate we will try there first I don't know which of the men I best take with me they are all shrewd fellows as Gaskins generally are so I don't know how to make my choice I don't think there is much difference sir perry said I have seen enough of them to know at least they are all honest fellows I will let them decide the matter for themselves Philip said some might like to go and some to stay behind if I choose to the others might consider themselves slighted do you know where they bestowed themselves perry dead in the stables with the horses sir I could pretty well put my hands on them in the dark well go and fetch them hither then but say nothing about the business on which they are required in a quarter of an hour perry returned with the four men Philip explained to them briefly that he wanted two of them to journey with him on a mission of some danger through Guyenne I have sent for you all he said in order that you might arrange among yourselves which two shall go therefore do you settle the matter and if you cannot agree then cast lots and leave it to fortune only as you are two sets of brothers these had best either go or stay together therefore if you cast lots do it not singly but two against two we may as well do it at once Mongeur Philip used to said I know beforehand that we would all choose to follow you therefore if you will put two papers into my still cap one with my name and one with Jackie's perry will draw if he takes out the one with my name then I and Henry will go if he draws Jackie's then he and Roger shall go this was done and Jackie and Roger won you will have plenty to do while we are away Philip said to Eustace there will be seven horses to look after including my chargers how long are you likely to be a wacer I may return in 10 days I may be away three weeks should any evil chance befall us you will take the horses over to reveal and hand them over to my cousin who will I am sure glad they take you and Henry into his service as we leave here at daybreak you Jackie and your brother Roger had rather wrapped yourselves up in your cloaks and lie down in the hall below I would that we could in the morning procure clothes for you older and more worn than those you have on you are going as men who have formerly served but I've since been living in a village chilling the land just as you were when you first joined me then we have the very clothes ready to hand Jackie said when we joined you we left ours with a friend in the town to hold for us there is no saying how long military service me last and as our clothes were serviceable we laid them by we can go around and get them first thing in the morning leaving these we wear as care until we return that will do well but you must be up early for it is important that we should make our start as soon as possible I have also my old clothes holding keeping for me by one who worked in the stable with me perry said a man who's going to the war can always find others ready to take charge of whatever he may leave behind knowing full well that the chances are that he will never return to claim them good that simplifies matters made to portray him said there remains only your dress muncher Phillip and I shall have no difficulty in getting for my own names a doublet cloak and other things to suit you I have plenty of steel caps and swords in my warehouse you had best leave your breast pieces here Phillips said to the men the number of those who carry them is small and it will be enough to have steel caps and swords we are going to walk fast and far and the less weight we carry the better end of chapter 9 recorded in march 2008