1004 THE SIEGE OF LA ROCHELLE. (De Pontis' Memoirs.) A.D. 1628. I HAD one day gone to look out for a proper spot to post a picket, about four hundred paces from the downs. From this high ground I saw appear in the distance, above the edge of the downs, some tall masts of ships like steeples. At first I was rather surprised, not knowing what this could be. But when I had looked and counted as many as forty of these masts, I no longer doubted but that this was the naval armament of England, of which there had been a report. So at once I hastened off to the king's quarters to report what I had seen, adding this must be the English fleet. The king, having from his watch-tower examined this fleet, which, both in number of vessels and in their size, was one of the finest and most powerful ever seen, ordered me to go and bid the officers come for his orders, that the whole army might be ready to receive the expedition if any attack were intended. * * * * I began then to beat about the sea in all directions to try to dis cover the enemy's designs, and 1 eagerly hoped that I should be able to render some considerable service to the king, in order to have an opportunity of making my peace and fully obtaining my pardon from him. One night I was out at sea, when my pilot, who was very well skilled in all matters of navigation, came about an hour before daybreak to tell me that a fresh breeze was springing up, that the weather and the tide were favourable to the enemy, and so he was sure that, if they meant to try the attack on the mole, they would not let this day pass. Indeed the pilot was not mistaken, and the event caused it to be recognised that he spoke with judgment and experience, for presently we heard a cannon shot from the direction of the English fleet, which this pilot declared to be the first signal for the struggle, adding that if a second were fired, there could be no longer room for doubt. As I placed great confidence in him, I at once roused up all my people, soldiers and galley king was did wonders. He him slaves, and bid them be ready, self fired several shots, taking, as that at the second shot they might | he did, a singular pleasure in all take to their oars with all their that had to do with martial exermight. The second gun was not cises; and he was never more long of being fired, and in an in- liberal, both of lead against his stant I was rowing away to the enemies, and of gold and silver to shore as fast as possible, and saw his soldiers and gunners, whom that the enemy were already be- he encouraged, not only by showginning to spread their sails for ing them the example, but also by the attack on the mole. Landing, throwing them pistoles. During I went at once to tell the king this conflict I kept myself under that the enemy were setting sail the shelter of the cannon of his and preparing to approach; that battery, according to the order the weather, the wind, and the which he had given me, venturing, tide were so favourable to them | nevertheless, sometimes to follow that they could not lose such a a vessel as it was returning from fine chance. At this news the the charge, but being obliged to king gave the orders required at get back very quickly for fear of all points, and then went with a being surprised by another one. part of his nobility to the battery Only one cannon ball struck my which commanded Baye, bidding galley, by which it was very much me remain under the shelter of injured, and two galley slaves were this battery. killed. In the ensuing combat nothing remarkable or splendid happened, except cannon shots, of which a prodigious quantity were fired on both sides. Nothing was heard but thunders, and nothing seen but flashes amidst the thick black smoke which covered all the sea. It was also a fine sight to see the carracks these monstrous vessels which were like great houses floating on the water, and which advanced one behind the other in beautiful order towards our mole, and then suddenly turning about, would give a broadside of fifty or sixty guns at once. But if the English attack was brisk, we replied to them as briskly. The battery where the At last the enemy, seeing that heaven was on our side, and all their efforts were rendered useless, were obliged to make a retreat as shameful to England and fatal to La Rochelle as glorious for the arms of the king. I began to patrol the sea as before, and while coursing about to reconnoitre the position of the enemy, I was lucky enough to fall in with something which was of great use in restoring me to the good graces of the king and obtaining my pardon. Having perceived a fine ship's prow floating on the water, which was all gilt and bore the arms of England, I approached near to it and saw that it was a valuable prize, and a present worthy of the king. I told him the lucky discovery the shot to himself. He at once said that he would go and see it. On the way, he inquired of me in what place I had found it. I answered him briefly, and without going too far, that I had found it in such and such a place on the right, which was the part exposed to his battery. The king, who was very anxious for it to be believed that it was he who had shot away this prow, but who had not yet ventured to boast without some reason, was delighted with my answer, and soon said, "It was I myself who fired that shot at such and such a time. I saw the ship 1etire as soon as the shot had been fired. I thought it must be injured." When he had given me such an opening, I began to support this notion, and to bring up several proofs of it, which were a great cause of joy to this prince, piquing himself, as he did, on being a good marksman, and who did really excel in all warlike affairs, not having, perhaps, in all his kingdom, any one who knew as well as he to draw up an army, however numerous. He took great pleasure then in showing this prow, and telling every one who came up that I was witness of its having fallen off after a shot that he had fired, which gave me no less joy than him to see myself thus made judge and umpire of this shot, for So I went on, and entering the king's presence, I tried all I could to prevent myself from looking the least gay, but, on the contrary, behaved with due humility and like a man who had still to fear the consequences of such an offence as mine had been. I told him that one of the large English ships had been very much injured, and that I had found a great piece of the prow, which II promised myself that after having brought to see if his majesty would like to have it. I did not wish at first to say anything more to the king, not doubting that he would soon get to attribute the credit of ** * judged so favourably for this de Thoiras was in command, and which was invested by the English armament, made Marshal de Schomberg pass over there with | the greater part of our troops. His majesty was then at Etray, less than a league from the trenches. That night, as I was on guard, I saw all at once a great flame and a thick cloud of smoke appear over La Rochelle, and at the same time I heard a very loud noise. I at once sent two or three soldiers, one after another, to learn the cause of this great disturbance, and, none of them returning, I thought the enemy must be taking advantage of this occasion of the absence of such a large part of our troops, to undertake some enterprise, possibly against the king's own quarters. Without delay, then, I drew up all our men, and after having given notice to Marshal de Brezay of what was happening, I went with him and M. de Isleroy to the chamber where the king lay. The marshal having awakened him, I told him of what I had seen, and the great noise which I had heard, and which was still going on. The king got up and ascended a tower to learn for himself the truth of what I told him, and being persuaded by his own eyes of what I had reported, he said, looking at us, "This is beyond a joke." He then asked me if I had sent to the trenches and had all the guards called out, and he desired that he should be dressed and have his arms brought to him. Then an officer of rank, a brave man in Let me other respects, but, perhaps, on this occasion a little too inconsiderate in his zeal, said to his majesty, "Save, sire, your servants ; save your people. If the enemy come here to attack us, your person will be perhaps in danger, seeing that a part of your army has gone over to the Island of Rhé, and we who remain are few in numbers. I pray your majesty to retire to Surgeres." The king coolly replied, “I shall not leave this place; and I wish to fight at the head of my infantry. have my arms at once." Truly such a firm answer, and such a generous resolution of the king, gave me more joy than I can express, and thereupon throwing myself at his feet and clasping his leg, quite carried away by my enthusiasm, I said, "Sire, with our king at our head, each of us is worth more than twenty men, and a single company is worth a regiment; at such a time no one will spare himself, and we will give our blood to the last drop." The king having then put on his armour, gave all the necessary orders for sustaining an assault, in case the foe should come to attack him in his quarters. But while every one was getting ready for the fight, one of the soldiers whom I had sent to the trenches, arrived and assured us that the people of La Rochelle, far from thinking of any sortie, had been themselves much frightened by a misfortune which had happened to them, their powder having taken fire, and caused all this great noise which we had heard. The king received this news without excitement, as he had received the former, and he gave no more signs of joy to see himself in safety than he had shown fear at the prospect of danger. Then Marshal de Brezay, speaking of what had happened, said to me, "See, if the king had taken the advice given him to retreat to Surgeres, we should all three have been thrown into the water, as soon as he learned that a false alarm had made him take to flight." I was certainly of his opinion. * * * The English having so well blockaded the sea, that we could not pass supplies into the Island of Rhé, the king resolved that twenty very light and broad skiffs, loaded with victuals and all sorts of provisions, should slip over there, and ordered me to accompany M. | D'Esplandes, who conducted them, that I might come back and report to him what happened. All things being ready, and the wind very favourable for us, we embarked in the night, and in a short time succeeded in approaching the island through the fire and cannon balls which were flying round us, and in spite of five large vessels which the English wished to send after us, but which could not find deep enough water. The balls falling on the pebbly bank tore up and sent flying into our boats whole handfuls of stones, and many of our people were killed. Often also a ball tore away from the shoulders of a soldier the sack of meal or other provisions which he was carrying. M. D'Esplandes and I having sat down to rest ourselves, a ball came and struck under me a valise on which I was sitting, carrying away the contents of it without hurting me, further than that I was thrown for more than fifteen paces by the violence of the shock. Just as M. D'Esplandes had begged me to sit in another place on a block of stone near him, guessing somehow that this place would not be so safe, and that it would be better to stand up, I rose, and at the very instant, a thing which may appear almost incredible, a cannon-ball struck this stone and broke it in pieces. There was not much pleasure in getting familiar with the shot so near at hand; so I thought of returning to make my report to the king, and getting into a small skiff with a single boatman, I recrossed this arm of the sea, through a fire of more than four hundred shots which were discharged on my passage. What made it still more difficult was that within the space of a quarter of a league there were on the sea several long chains of wooden beams, joined to each other at the ends by great iron rings, so that on coming to each of these chains it was necessary to wait for a great wave to carry the skiff along with it over the beams. The king, who scarcely expected that I would come back, believing, from the heavy fire that had been kept up through the night, that all was lost, was very much surprised to see me again, and to learn the fortunate result of our passage. |