desired that he would send his second to my quarter about dinner-time and he should see it all which he accepted of, and desired me to tell my Lord that he would come up to him bravely without malice, to fight for his own honour and the honour of his nation, and desired me to be secret. I answered he needed not to doubt my secrecy, nor to be met with like resolution as he spake of. About dinnertime himself instead of his second came near our quarter, and sent in a gentleman, his servant, named Omerfielde (?), who told me his master desired to speak with me. I went to him; he asked me the length of my Lord's sword. I told him I did expect his brother to fetch it, because he had so appointed. Nevertheless, if he would stay there, he should have it he desired that that servant of his might bring it him. I said it had been more proper for his brother, yet I would not be therein curious: so we both together measured the sword, and I gave him the length of it. I told him the place should be on the farther side of that wood where I found him in the morning. He uttered some discontentment at his want of horses, yet said he would come on any he could get, how unfit soever, or on foot, and let my Lord use the advantage. I answered my Lord sought no advantage, but he knew how my Lord would come provided that if he had challenged at the first, he might have had more time, but now my Lord being upon the point of departure, he had no reason to delay his own affairs for his satisfaction. He said he was sorry that his inquiry for horses might give suspicion of what was intended. About four of the clock in the afternoon the same Omerfielde came to me with a sword that was a thought longer than my Lord's, protesting that he could find no cutler in all the army, it being Sunday, but that he would use all diligence to make it even. I told him I did expect no less, and desired that Mr. Herbert might come to me he said he should, and so afterwards he did, and we had a slight view of one another's weapons.

"Sir Edward Herbert guessed rightly that his inquiry for horses would spread the business. For he sought in likely places to be well furnished, [but would not have been discovered] if he had not been refused first of Sir Charles Morgan, to whom he was free of the end, and desired him to be his second, but was refused of both,1 then to Count Henry, and then M. de Chatillon and divers others to borrow horses. M. Chatillon sent for Sir Charles Morgan, and told him that he saw Mr. Herbert take leave of his Excellency, and now that he came to borrow great horses; laying these things together, he could guess it was to fight with my Lord of Walden . [ ?], and that he being an officer in chief of the army, held himself bound to impart his suspicion to his Excellency. In the evening these bruits and others spread, I know not how, even unto the particularities of weapon (so that nothing but the time and place were secret), moved my Lord to leave the General's quarter and me to meet his Lordship, but I should have been stopped in our own quarter. We spent the most part of the night in Sir John Ratclife's quarter, holding as good watches as we could to prevent a surprise of any guard that his Excellency might have sent, and about three or four of the clock we went to the woodside appointed, where they were to fight by seven. We walked twice the whole length of the woodside and saw nobody, then withdrew ourselves into covert of the wood, lest some horsemen might discover and take us. When it grew lightsome, my lackey told us he saw two men walking by the woodside on whitish horses my Lord, after a small pause, bade me look out to see if it were Sir Edward Herbert, and, if it were, to let him know he may hear from him. I walked out so far as I might discern the whole side of the wood, but [saw] no two horsemen; yet thinking they might be covered for the

1i.e., both request for horses and second.

2 Brother of Count Maurice.

same purpose that we were, I walked there a pretty while that they might discern me. But seeing nobody show out of the wood, and considering it was yet before the hour, I returned to my Lord. About a quarter of an hour after, his Lordship bade me look out again, and then I was quickly driven back by the sight of a horseman, who passing by and keeping his course, I went out and saw another galloping towards, which I hoped to have been Mr. Herbert, but when he came near enough for me to discern my error, I returned to our covert.

"Then I sent out my lackey to discover the worst, who told me very soon that all the woodside was laid with horsemen ; and we might see them scour up and down, but kept ourselves as close as we could. About half an hour after this, being near the hour appointed, Mr. Selinger came directly to us, and told my Lord that he attended to no purpose, for my Lord General had taken Sir Edward Herbert long since in the middle of the wood, not far from the place where he seemed to have lodged that night; that he was mounted upon a great horse of Sir James Erskin's, who being at Aix, his lieutenant had furnished Sir Edward Herbert [with horses] either voluntarily or receiving a letter from his Captain: further, that he had with him a Scotsman, and not his brother (who was intercepted in Reymester), that this Scotsman had a case of pistols, all which seemed very strange to us, that expected him with a second armed as I was, with rapier and dagger, and two lackeys without weapons. The colour of this Scotsman's horse being bay, it seemed to us that the two horsemen which my servant had seen were not these, and consequently that Sir Edward Herbert had not been on the very place appointed at all: but in truth, the wood was so laid before the time assigned, that it had been to no purpose, since they could not fight in the woods, and any ground chosen without must have offered them to the full power of all the horseThus prevented by the care of his Excellency and

men.

my Lord General, and being entreated by a messenger from him to go home, we left the wood and came to our quarters. J. PEYTON."1

VI.

The following were the instructions given to Herbert by James the First on his first mission to France. The original is preserved at Powis Castle.2

"JAMES R.

"Instruc'cons for our trustie and well beloved servant Sir Edwar Herbert, Knight, our Ambassador with the French King.

"Having occasion at this present to employ some person of specialle quality, judgement, discretion and trust to reside as our ambassador with our good brother the French king, we have out of our princely favour been pleased to make choice of you as of one whom we hold in all respects sufficient and capable of such an employment, and of whose fidelity and zealous affection to our service we have ever entertayned a gratious opinion.

"There be not many particulars that we have to give you in charge by way of instrucc'n, nor shall it be greatly needfull if you observe but this one generall end, and thereunto apply you endevors, which is, to give that king the best assurance you may from time to time of our brotherly friendship and affecc'on towards him, letting him know that to this purpose principally we have sent you as our

1 The indistinct signature may be T. Peyton, but another copy of Peyton's account, described by Mr. J. C. Jeaffreson in the Hist. MSS. Com. Fifth Rep., has the signature J. See p. 48, supra. The paper is labelled, "Challenge betwixt my Lord Walden and Sir Edward Herbert. September 1610."

2 Powysland Collections, vi. 417. See p. 190, supra.

ambassador to reside near his person; and you may tell him further that howsoever by the meanes of all instruments and minist'rs there hath been of late some misunderstanding between us, yet nevertheless there should never enter into our heart the least sparke of ill affecc'on towards him, as on the other side this last honour and courtisy that he hath done us by sending hither a gentleman so qualified and every way accomplished as is the Marquis of Tresnel, and so timely to declare his condolence with us for the death of our late dearest wife the queen, hath imprinted in us that certaine perswasion and assurance of his reciprocall friendship towards us; we thereupon being very unwilling to be prevented in courtisy or in doing that honour which we desired, have made all the hast that possibly we might to dispatch you away unto him before any ordinary embassador should come from thence unto us.

"And because the meaning is not to be wanting in any good office which may testify the reality of our professions unto him, you shall let him know that we, understanding of the troubles in governing his kingdom is at this present embroyled, have given the order, as well out of our singular love unto him, as also in regard of the promise wee made to the king his father of happy memory, to offer him in our name the best assistance that we can afford him, either by our faithful advice or otherwise, whensoever he shall have at any time occation or use of our help, and shall think fit to signify so much unto us.

"Next you shall take notice of the great obligation we have unto him, and gave him thanks accordingly for the true sense he hath of our present griefe and affliction by reason of the queen's death, our dearest wife, as his ambassador (the Marquis of Tresnel) hath expressed the same unto us, assuring him that, for our part, we cannot be less sensible of anything that may befall him, but must be equally affected, either with joy or sorrow, as the subject shall give cause; neither may you omitt to perform the like ceremony unto the queen.

"And hereupon you may take a fitt occasion to congratulate him in our name for the marriage of his sister, Madame Chrestienne, with the Prince of Piemont, to which alliance we wish all honour and happiness, as well for the interest which the king hath therein of himself, as also in respect of the singular affecc'on we bear unto