and on the sudden as prone to pity as they were before Hayward excessively cruel, most earnestly wished the enlargement of 1599 King Richard, and earnestly wishing, did easily believe it; in which imaginary conceit, being otherwise men of no deep search, the presence of Magdalen most strongly confirmed them. And so, either upon ignorance of truth, or delight in trouble, they joined themselves in great troops to the Lords, desiring nothing more than to be the means whereby King Richard should be restored, as in a manner resuming their first affections and humours towards him. Then the Lords of this association, with great force, but with greater fame, as the manner is of matters unknown, advanced forward in battle array towards Windsor, against King Henry, as against an enemy of the common state; having in their company above forty thousand armed men. The King, upon intelligence of their approach, secretly, with a few horse, the next Sunday night after New Year's day, departed from Windsor to the Tower of London, and the same night, before it was day, the confederates came to the Castle of Windsor; where, missing their expected prey, they stood doubtful and divided in opinions which way to bend their course. Some advised them with all speed to follow the King to London, and not to leave him any leave and liberty to unite an army against them; that winter was no let but in idle and peaceable times; that in civil dissensions nothing is more safe than speed, and greater advantage always groweth by dispatching than deferring; that whilst some were in fear, some in doubt, and some ignorant, the City, yea, the realm, might easily be possessed; and that many armies, whose fury at the first rush could not be resisted, by delays did wear out and waste to nothing. Others, who would seem to be considerate and wise, but in very deed were no better than dastards, persuaded rather to set King Richard first at liberty; for if their counterfeiting should be discovered before they possessed themselves of Hayward his person, the people undoubtedly would fall from them, to 1599 the certain confusion of them all. Hereupon they gave over the pursuit, and retired to Colebrook, and there delayed out the time of doing in deliberating, being neither courageously quick, nor considerately staid, but faintly and fearfully shrinking back; and when they once began to relent, they decreased every day more and more both in power and in hope. Holland 1600 King Henry, the next morning after he was come to the Tower, sent to the Mayor of the City to put soldiers in arms for his assistance, who presently presented unto him three thousand archers, and three thousand bill men, besides those that were appointed for defence of the City. The King spent upon him many good speeches, and liberally loaded him with promises and thanks; and soon after he issued out of London with twenty thousand tall men, and came to Hounslow Heath, abiding there, and, as it were, daring his enemies to join issue in the field: contemning their disorderly multitude as a vain terror of names without forces. But the confederates, either for fear of the King's power or for distrust of their own, or else lingering, perhaps, after some succour out of France, refused the encounter; and doubtful it is whether they showed greater courage in setting up the danger, or cowardice in declining it when it was presented unto them. Sir John Hayward. A THE PASSAGE OF THE ALPS NNIBALL being departed from Druentia, marched for the most through the champion countries, and came in peace and quietly to the foot of the Alps, for any trouble from the peasants that there inhabited. And albeit he had some knowledge of the Alps before by report (which useth to make things that are uncertain much more than 1600 in deed and truth they are), yet seeing now near at hand the Holland height of those hills, and the snows, entermingled along with the sky; the rude and misshapen houses set upon rocks; the cattle, sheep, oxen, and horses, singed with cold; the people with long shagged hair, and without any trimming, both living and lifeless creatures, even parched stiff and stark with frost; and all things else more strange and illfavoured than can be spoken: then began his soldiers to fear afresh. So soon as they advanced forward, and began to march up the first cliffs, there appeared over their heads the mountain people, who had seized the hills: who, if they had kept the secret and hidden valleys, and suddenly all at once charged upon them, they would have made a foul slaughter of them, and put them to flight. Then Anniball commandeth the ensigns to stand still, and sent certain Gauls afore, as espials; by whom he understood that there was no passage that way: whereupon he pitched his camp amongst those craggy and steep rough places upon as large a plain and valley as he could find. Then by the same Gauls (who much differed not in tongue and manners from the other, and had entermingled themselves in talk with mountaineers) he understood that they kept the passage but in the daytime, and slipt away in the night, every one to his own harbour. So at the break of day he mounted those steep hills, as if he would openly in the daytime march through the straits. Thus having spent the day in making semblance and shew of one thing, and intending another, he encamped himself strongly where he had rested and stayed : and so soon as he perceived that the mountain people were departed from the steep hills and kept not so strait watch and ward; after that he had made shew of fires, more than for the number of those that remained behind; and left with the Cavalry all the bag and baggage, with the greatest part of the footmen: himself in person took unto 1600 Holland him the nimblest, most active, and valiant soldiers lightly appointed, and with all speed passed through the straits aforesaid, and encamped on the very hills which the enemies before held and beset. Then in the morning betime his camp dislodged: and the army behind began to march and set forward. By which time the mountaineers, at the ordinary signal given, came forth out of their castles and forts, and met at the usual place of their accustomed guards; but then all at once they might see some of the enemies over their heads, to have gained their own fortress, and others also marching in the way. Both which objects at one time presented to their eye, made them blank and to stand still in a muse a good while. But afterwards, when they saw Anniball his army distressed in the straits, and in great trouble and disorder among themselves in the march, by reason especially the horses were so affrighted, supposing that the least fear and terror (besides) that they could procure would be enough for their enemies' overthrow and confusion, they crossed the rocks overthwart, and (as they were accustomed and used to them) ran to and fro, up and down through the blind and unhaunted byways. But then, verily, the Carthaginians were much encumbered, as well by their enemies as also by the disadvantage of the place, and more ado there was among them (whiles every one strived avie who should first escape the danger) than with the enemy. There was nothing that disordered and troubled the army in the march so much as their own horses, which (by reason of the dissonant and divers cries, that the echoes between the woods and valleys redoubled) were affrighted; and also if any of them chanced to be stricken, galled, or wounded, they kept such wincing and flinging about them, that they overthrew and made great havoc of men, and of all sorts of carriage. Besides, the press was so great, and the straits of both sides so steep and craggy, that many a man was thrown down headlong 1600 a mighty height: yea, and some of them armed: and the Holland sumpter horses and beasts for carriage, especially, tumbled down amain with their load, as if a house or castle had come down with a mischief. Which, although it were terrible to behold, yet Anniball for a while stood still, and kept his own men together, for fear of increasing this disorder and affright. But after that he saw his army disbanded and marching in disarray, and that it was to no purpose to lead his army safe through the straits, if he lost the carriages for fear hereof he ran down from the higher ground, and albeit, with the violence of his charge, he discomforted the enemy, yet he increased the trouble and fear of his own people. But that was soon appeased in a very moment, after the ways and passages were once cleared, by reason of the mountaineers that were fled; so that within a while the whole host passed through, not only at ease and leisure, but also in a manner without any noise at all. This done, he seized upon a castle, which was the chief strength of that country, with other villages lying about it; and for three days' space he victualled and maintained his whole army with the cattle of his prisoners. And for that he was now neither molested with the mountaineers, who were at the first discomfited, nor greatly encumbered with the difficulties of the ways, in those three days he rid a good deal of ground, and journeyed a great way into the country; until at the length he came to another coast well peopled (for such mountain and hilly quarters) where he had like to have been overtaken, not by open force, but even in his own professed cunning: first, by a subtle practice, and after by a secret ambush. Certain ancient men, the rulers and governors of the castles, repaired unto Anniball as Orators, saying, that they having been taught and made wise by the profitable example of other men's harms, made choice rather to try the amity |