Voyages of Samuel de Champlain, vol 1 | Page 7

of the League. He had expressed his sympathy for Henry IV. a long time before the death of Henry III., and when that event occurred he immediately espoused the cause of the new monarch, and was at once appointed to the command of one of the three great divisions of the French army. He received a wound at the siege of the Chateau de Camper, in Brittany, of which he died on the 19th of August, 1595.
De Saint Luc, already in the service in Brittany, as lieutenant-general under D'Aumont, continued, after the death of that officer, in sole command. [15] He raised the siege of the Chateau de Camper after the death of his superior, and proceeded to capture several other posts, marching through the lower part of the province, repressing the license of the soldiery, and introducing order and discipline. On the 5th of September, 1596, he was appointed grand-master of the artillery of France, which terminated his special service in Brittany.
The king immediately appointed in his place Marshal de Brissac, [16] an officer of broad experience, who added other great qualities to those of an able soldier. No distinguished battles signalized the remaining months of the civil war in this province. The exhausted resources and faltering courage of the people could no longer be sustained by the flatteries or promises of the Duke de Mercoeur. Wherever the squadrons of the marshal made their appearance the flag of truce was raised, and town, city, and fortress vied with each other in their haste to bring their ensigns and lay them at his feet.
On the seventh of June, 1598, the peace of Vervins was published in Paris, and the kingdom of France was a unit, with the general satisfaction of all parties, under the able, wise, and catholic sovereign, Henry the Fourth. [17]
ENDNOTES:
1. The following from Marshal de Montluc refers to Brouage in 1568. Speaking of the Huguenots he says:--"Or ils n'en pouvoient choisir un plus �� leur advantage, que celui de la Rochelle, duquel d��pend celui de Brouage, qui est le plus beau port de mer de la France." Commentaires, Paris, 1760, Tom. III., p. 340.
2. "La Riviere Puitaill�� qui en ��toit Gouverneur, fut charg�� de faire travailler aux fortifications. Belarmat, Bephano, Castritio d'Urbin, & le Cavalier Orlogio, tous Ing��nieurs Italiens, pr��siderent aux travaux."--Histoire La Rochelle, par Arcere, �� la Rochelle, 1756, Tom. I., p. 121.
3. _Histioire de la Saintonge et de l'Aunis_, 1152-1548, par M. D. Massion, Paris. 1838, Vol. II., p. 406.
4. The King of Navarre "sent for Monsieur de Mirabeau under colour of treating with him concerning other businesses, and forced him to deliver up Brouage into his hands, a Fort of great importance, as well for that it lies upon the Coast of the Ocean-sea, as because it abounds with such store of salt-pits, which yeeld a great and constant revenue; he made the Sieur de Montaut Governour, and put into it a strong Garrison of his dependents, furnishing it with ammunition, and fortifying it with exceeding diligence."--_His. Civ. Warres of France_, by Henrico Caterino Davila, London, 1647, p. 455.
5. "The Duke of Mayenne, having without difficulty taken Thone-Charente, and Marans, had laid siege to Brouage, a place, for situation, strength, and the profit of the salt-pits, of very great importance; when the Prince of Cond��, having tryed all possible means to relieve the besieged, the Hugonots after some difficulty were brought into such a condition, that about the end of August they delivered it up, saving only the lives of the Souldiers and inhabitants, which agreement the Duke punctually observed."--_His. Civ. Warres_, by Davila, London, 1647, p. 472. See also Memoirs of Sully, Phila., 1817, Vol. I., p. 69.
"Le Jeudi XXVIII Mars. Fut tenu Conseil au Cabinet de la Royne m��re du Roy [pour] aviser ce que M. du Maine avoit �� faire, & j'ai mis en avant l'enterprise de Brouage."--Journal de Henri III., Paris, 1744, Tom. III., p. 220.
6. "The Prince of Cond�� resolved to besiege Brouage, wherein was the Sieur _de St. Luc_, one of the League, with no contemptible number of infantry and some other gentlemen of the Country. The Rochellers consented to this Enterprise, both for their profit, and reputation which redounded by it; and having sent a great many Ships thither, besieged the Fortress by Sea, whilst the Prince having possessed that passage which is the only way to Brouage by land, and having shut up the Defendants within the circuit of their walls, straightned the Siege very closely on that side."--Davila, p. 582. See also, Histoire de Thou, �� Londres, 1734, Tom. IX., p. 383.
The blocking up the harbor at this time appears to have been more effective than convenient. Twenty boats or rafts filled with earth and stone were sunk with a purpose of destroying the harbor.