Charles CHABOT, baron de JARNAC (1487-1599) officer,... Lot 68

[Charles CHABOT, baron de JARNAC (1487-1599) officer, governor of Aunis and captain of La Rochelle]. L.A.S. by Squire FRANCISQUE, Lyon May 23, 1536, to Charles de Jarnac in La Rochelle; 2pages in-fol., addressed. Interesting letter on Francisque's mission to Piedmont, to Philippe Chabot, admiral of Brion (1492-1543). [The admiral had seized Turin and Piedmont, but had narrowly missed Charles II of Savoy; Francis I ordered him to stop, put the Piedmontese places in a state of defense, and return to the Court].He explained that the King had sent him to Piedmont to meet the admiral "to make him fully aware of his intention to establish the garrisons and no longer hold a camp, having garrisoned Thurin and other towns he wished us to guard; together with many other things that the lord gave me the task of doing and saying, which I did as badly as I could, after having obeyed the King: fere bon office et servisse amondict seigneur lamyral: le quel sen vient et sera dedans troys ou quatre jours alla court: ou a mon advis il sera aussy bien venu qu'il fust oncques quant le mester lara ouy et entendu: quoy que on en aye devisé". The King "fet grant chere et sapreste pour recueuillir ceulx qui luyouldront suyvre"; he should have gathered by June "soixante mille homes de pyé le plus grand part lanssequenets et Souisses". Emperor Charles V is in Alexandria, with 40,000 men, half of them lansquenets, plus Spaniards and Italians. "We left Thurin well fortiffyé and seven thousand men of pyé inside". He lists the forces and officers, and concludes: "Sy lempereur vouldra les assaillir il sen reppentyra plus de chose quil feust de cet ans. The Marquis de Saluces will put himself inside Cosny [Coni], and Montpezat inside Foussan [Fossano]"...