KnoWoPerWriMo

Monday 20. December

Still very cold and snowing again when we arose and I and my troop armed and mounted and out about the countryside to find provender for us and our mounts and so we rode up almost to Bearinten, a way perhaps not so much taken by others of ours and so we found it better provided than to the east and thus we carried back to our quarter two carts of the which one was laden with corn for our bread and 3 hogshead of cider and the other with provender for our mounts, 5 kine, 10 swine and 20 muttons, arriving after dark and we watching very carefully for the enemy but I think the weather has kept him close to home; but even the husbandman from whom we had the carts and corn did remark on the rumors of Parma coming to Dieppe the which he did hear at the market three days past and that they work night and day at the strengthening of their defences.

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They have been having pretty poor weather the past few days but Luke’s troop ventures out to find some provisions in spite of the storm. Hunger is a great motivator! Coningsby reports on the rumors about Parma.

Coningsby, Thomas, Jornall of Cheife Thinges Happened in Our Jorney from Deape the 13. of Auguste, Untyll, MS.- Harl. 288. f. 253279, p. 63. Camden Miscellany by Camden Society (Great Britain), Royal Historical Society (Great Britain), published by Camden Society, 1847 Item notes: v.1 (1847)

KnoWoPerWriMo

Tuesday 21. December

This day there was a large sally made by the enemy on the village below St. Katherine and my troop being in the neighborhood with Sir R. W. spurred on our horses not wanting to miss the fight and so we swept in on the right flank and cut down several ranks of calivermen killing upwards to 20 of them and scattering the rest and I did chase two of them and cut them down but did find myself cut off from my fellows and surrounded by four or five of their horse who did cut at me but I did twist away but one of them with great persistence kept after me and when he drew close enough he put his pistol up to my helmet and shot me but just then I did move my head and the bullet cut across my face, he then did try to pull me off my horse but I spurred on my mount some more and hied myself back to our troops who were then were being pressed but just then the King, from the hill seeing our distress, came agalloping down like thunder and fell upon the enemy and did drive them back and gathering in our scattered troops we all pressed them further so they fell back to their gate; my Lord was today hurt by cannon shot and the gentleman beside him slain; after our exertions we back to our quarter and I had a good dish of mutton and hot, the which was so welcomed as we had been in the saddle all the day without cloaks and it snowing and continued so very cold.

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Coningsby attests to the sally and has a very colorful description of King Henri’s entry to the battle, “and seing that sally, came down like god Mars his thunderbolt.”

Coningsby, Thomas, Jornall of Cheife Thinges Happened in Our Jorney from Deape the 13. of Auguste, Untyll, MS.- Harl. 288. f. 253279, p. 63-64. Camden Miscellany by Camden Society (Great Britain), Royal Historical Society (Great Britain), published by Camden Society, 1847 Item notes: v.1 (1847)