Chapter XXXIX: French

En _Arbissella_, _Vezema_ & _Crevari_,
De nuit conduits pour _Savonne_ atraper,
Le vif _Gascon_, _Giury_, & la _Charry_,
Derrier Mur vieux & neuf Palais grapper.

English.

In _Arbissella_, _Vezema_ and _Crevari_,
Being conducted by night to take _Savona_,
The quick _Gascon_, _Giury_ and the _Charry_,
Behind old Walls and new Pallace to graple.

ANNOT.

_Arbissella_ is a Town situated by the Sea-side above _Savona_, going towards _Genoa_. _Vezema_ and _Crevari_ are in the Inland Countrey, and a little further remoted from the Sea then _Arbissella_. _The quick Gascon_ was _Blasius_ of _Monluc_, one of the Valliantest men of his time, who came from a single Souldier to be Marshal of _France_. _Guiry_ and _la Charry_ were two of his Companions. This Stanza doth Prophetically foretell two things, one is, the design that the Marshal of _Brissac_, then Governour of _Piemont_ had upon _Savona_: the other, the taking of _Pianca_ by _Blasius_ of _Monluc_, as to the first, the Lord of _Villars_ writeth in his Memorials, that the Lord _Damzay_ sent advice to the King, that the taking of _Savona_ was more probable then any other design, which signifieth that the Marshal of _Brissac_ had of a long time eyed that Town, and therefore he sent by night some Troops into those three little Towns, to see if they could surprise _Savona_, but the design did not succeed. The Histories only mention that the Marshal of _Brissac_ went from Court in the year 1557. with a design to take _Savona_; but this stanza speaketh of the same design 1556.

At the same time in the year 1556. the 29. of _June Blasius_ of _Monluc_, as he relateth in his Commentaries, did surprise the Town and Fort of _Piance_, called in Latine _Corsinianum_, he had with him the Captain _la Charry_, the Captain _Bartholomew_ of _Pezero_, and the son of Captain _Luzzan_. At first the _French_ were beaten back, but the valliant _Monluc_ did encourage them again by his example, going the first in, and saying only, _follow your Captain_.

Which having said, he thrust himself under the Gate, where three or four men might stand sheltered by the planks of the Fort, and having his Sword in the left hand, and his dagger in the right, he began to break and cut the Brick and made a hole, which opening by degrees, he thrust his arm through, and pulled the gap so strongly, that he caused all the Wall to fall down upon himself, without being hurt by it. This is the meaning of the Author in the fourth Verse; when he saith, _the quick Gascon was behind the Wall_; In prosecution of this, the Switzers did beat down the rest of the Wall, and all came into the Town crying, _France, France_. _Monluc_ ran presently to the Fort, and with the help of his men took it, that is the meaning of the Author, when he saith, _old and new Pallace to graple_. The old Pallace was adjoining to the Market-place of the Town, in which the _French_ were prisoners with the Captain _Gourgues_, to the number of fifty or sixty tied two and two, and so kept by twenty Souldiers, whom they did kill as we have said. The new Pallace was the Fort. The Author used that ancient word _grapper_, which in the _Provencal_ languague signifieth, to pull down with ones hands, and in the contrary sense, to shut and plaister so well some thing, that there will be a necessity of the help of the hands to open what was shut up.