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161. II. Marshal du Biez commands the camp. The report that
the Dauphin and the King himself would come has died
away, and it is said the latter will go to Villers-côté-Retz,
in Picardy, near Amiens, to spend the winter there.
Others think that the Emperor and he may hold a parley
in some frontier town. The King was at Sarpont six
leagues beyond Abbeville. There are 7,000 or 8,000 Germans in the camp, that is to say, eighteen ensigns not
fully accoutred, who guard the artillery and munitions;
3,000 Picards, 4,000 Nobles, nine ensigns of Piedmontese.
The Spaniards and Italians do not amount to one
thousand. There are 500 men of arms; the company of
the Dauphin, which arrived there last Tuesday fortnight;
and those of the Constable, the Marshal, Brissac, Villebon,
la Roche, Maine, Rochepot, Vendôme, and Enghien. The
report that there are also 500 men of arms mustered at
Abbeville is incorrect, for they are only infantry. There
is great want of forage. They have 40 pieces of artillery.
A person with whom he has spoken saw at Montreuil
near the gate of Abbeville, fifteen pieces large and small,
which were said to be going to the camp. Provisions are
moderate. They are said to be supplied by commissaries
at Amiens, Abbeville, and Montreuil; but they have not
yet stored the fort. They receive supplies by sea from
Dieppe and Normandy. In the fort are five bulwarks
not yet finished; they are laboring at the ditches and the
coverings of the earthworks. There is a well in the middle
of the fort: they say they will make one at each bulwark,
but they have had great difficulty in procuring the one
which they have, having tried three places in vain. Wood
and water will be their chief wants. More than 6,000
pioneers are at work on the fort, and are beyond what the
smallness of the place requires: they are all clothed in
black, yellow and red, for fear they should desert. They
give out that by means of their fort they will prevent
Boulogne being supplied by sea, but others think it will
rather serve for the battering of Bas Boulogne, which they
will endeavour to take and the Tower of Order, for they
do not expect to have Boulogne this year. There are four
ensigns of Piedmontese in the fort, commanded by M.
de Tez. All their wood-huts are not yet completed. They
have three sheds for their ammunitions. They are repairing their vessels, which leak. Some Gascon light horse of
the company of M. Des Moulins have been discharged;
nearly all these were mounted on Spanish genets, and
400 gentlemen complain bitterly of the loss of their
horses, which having purchased at a high price, they
have been obliged to sell for nothing. The Admiral is
with the King. Last Sunday week all were in arms and
battle order in the morning, in consequence of a report
that the English had passed, and were going to reinforce
Boulogne. They have near the bridge, in the valley through
which lies the road to the camp, an earthwork defended by
some Italians. Has had letters from the camp stating
that Mons. de Sedan had been informed that the Landgrave of Hesse has raised 20,000 men, and 200 horse in
name of the King of England, and will muster them on
the 20th of August, and descend upon Mouson at the end
of the month. Does not know what information they
receive, except that frequently Mons. de Villebon has had
news of Boulogne by one called Valerian, who is now
made a man of arms of his company; and that when
passing by Terouanne heard that M. de Neufville, the
Captain there, was expecting some one from Calais.
Money is by no means plentiful at the Camp, and it is
said that at the end of this month the King will be a
whole year indebted to the cavalry. The Gascons, of whom
M. de Monluc has 2,000 under his command, were at
St. Valery. It was reported that they were coming to the
camp, but they have not yet moved from their quarters.
Last Friday week the people of Ganache and the neighbouring village arose and killed many Spaniards and also
the captain: the lieutenant with some others are in the
custody of the Prevôt de l'Hotel. Last Sunday week at
night some of the Boulognese alarmed those of the fort,
when a few were killed and wounded. The camp is on
the side of the hill, and in the valley at some distance
from Boulogne. [French. Three pages.] |
