The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latine and compared with the French. by Th: Johnson

The Voyage of Thurin, 1536.

MOreover, I will heere shew to the readers the places where I have had meanes to learne the Art of Chirurgery, for the better instructing of the young Chi∣rurgion: and first in the yeere 1536, the great King Francis sent a great Army to Thurin, to recover the Cittyes and Castles, which the Marquesse of Guas••, Lievte∣nant generall of the Emperor had taken: where the high Constable of France the great master, was Lievtenant generall of the Army, and Monsieur de Montian Colo∣nel generall of the foote, of which I was then Chirurgion. A great part of the Ar∣my arrived in the Country of Suze; we found the enemy which stopt the passage, and had made certaine Forts, and trenches, insomuch that to hunt them out and make them leave the place, we were forced to fight, where there were divers hurt and slaine, as well of the one side as of the other: but the enemies were coustray∣ned to retire, and get into the Castle, which was caused partly by one Captaine Ratt, who climed with divers of the souldiers of his company upon a little Moun∣taine; there where he shot directly upon the enemies, hee received a shot upon the anckle of his right foote, wherewith presently he fell to the ground; and sayd then, Now is the Rat taken. I dressed him, and God healed him. We entred the throng in the Citty, and passed over the dead bodyes, and some which were not yet dead, we heard them cry under our horses feete, which made my heart relent to heare them. And truely I repented to have forsaken Paris to see so pittifull a spectacle. Be∣ing in the Citty, I entred into a stable thinking to lodge my owne, and my mans horse, where I found foure dead souldiers, and three which were leaning against the wall, their faces wholly disfigured, and neither saw nor heard, nor spoake; and their cloathes did yet flame with the gunpowder which had burnt them. Beholding them with pitty, there happened to come an old souldier, who asked me if there were any possible meanes to cure them, I told him no: he presently approached to them, and gently cut their throates without choler. Seeing this great cruelty, I told him he was a wicked man, he answered me that he prayed to God, that whenso∣ever he should be in such a case, that he might finde some one that would doe as much to him, to the end he might not miserably languish. And to returne to our for∣mer discourse, the enemie was sōmoned to render, which they soon did, & went out, their lives onely saved, with a white staffe in their hands; the greatest part whereof went and got to the Castle of Villane, where there was about 200. Spaniards; Mon∣sieur the Constable would not leave them behind, to the end that the way might be made free. This Castle is seated upon a little mountaine, which gave great as∣surance to them within, that one could not plant the Ordinance to beate upon it, and were sommoned to render, or that they should be cut in peeces; which they flatly re∣fused, making answere that they were as good and faithfull servants to the Empe∣ror, as Monsieur the Constable could bee to the King his master. Their answere heard, they made by force of arme, two great Cannons to be mounted in the night with cords and ropes, by the Swissers and Lansquenets; when as the ill lucke would have it, the two Cannons being seated, a Gunner by great negligence set on fire a great bagge of Gunpowder; wherewith he was burned together with to•• or twelve souldiers; and moreover the flame of the powder was a cause of discovering the Artillery, which made them that all night, they of the Castle did nothing but

shoote at that place where they discovered the two peeces of Ordinance, wherewith they kild and hurt a great number of our people.

The next day early in the morning a Battery was made, which in a few houres made a breach, which being made they demanded to parly with us; but twas too late for them; For in the meane time our French foote, seeing them amazed, mounted to the breach, and cut them all in peeces, except a faire young lusty mayd of Pied∣mount, which a great Lord would have kept and preserved for him to keepe him company in the night, for feare of the greedy wolfe. The Captaine and Ensigne were taken alive, but soone after were hanged upon the gate of the Citty, to the end they might give example and feare to the Imperiall souldiers not to bee so rash and foolish, to be willing to hold such places against so great a Army. Now all the sayd souldiers of the Castle, seeing our people comming with a most violent fu∣ry, did all their endeavour to defend themselves, they kild and hurt a great company of our souldiers, with Pikes, Muskets, and stones, where the Chirurgions had good store of worke cut out. Now at that time I was a fresh water Souldier, I had not yet seene wouuds made by gun-shot at the first dressing. It is true, I had read in Iohn de Vigo, in the first booke of wounds in generall, the eighth chapter, that wounds made by weapons of fire did participate of Venenosity, by reason of the pouder, and for their cure commands to cauterize them with oyle of Elders scalding hot, in which should be mingled a little Treackle; and not to faile, before I would apply of the sayd oyle, knowing that such a thing might bring to the Patient great paine, I was willing to know first, before I applyed it, how the other Chirurgions did for the first dressing, which was to apply the sayd oyle the hottest that was possible into the wounds, with tents and setons; insomuch that I tooke courage to doe as they did. At last I wanted oyle, and was constrained in steed thereof, to apply a disgestive of yolkes of egges, oyle of Roses, and Turpentine. In the night I could not sleepe in quiet, fearing some default in not cauterizing, that I should finde those to whom I had not used the burning oyle dead impoysoned; which made me rise very early to vi∣sit them, where beyond my expectation I found those to whom I had applyed my digestive medicine, to feele little paine, and their wounds without inflammation or tumor, having rested reasonable well in the night: the other to whom was used the sayd burning oyle, I found them feverish, with great paine and tumour about the edges of their wounds. And then I resolved with my selfe never so cruelly, to burne poore men wounded with gunshot. Being at Thurin I found a Chirurgion, who had the ••ame above all others, for the curing of wounds of Gunshot, into whose favour I found meanes to insinuate my selfe, to have the receipt of his balme, as he called it wherewith he dressed wounds of that kind, and hee held me off the space of two yeeres, before I could possible draw the receipt from him. In the end by gifts and presents he gave it me, which was this, to boyle young whelpes new pupped, in oyle of Lillies, prepared earth wormes, with Turpentine of Venice. Then was I joyfull and my heart made glad, that I had understood his remedy, which was like to that which I had obtained by great chance. See then how I have learned to dresse wounds made with gunshot, not by bookes. My Lord Marshall of Montian remai∣ned Lievtenant generall for the King in Piedmont, having ten or twelve thousand men in garrison through the Cittyes and Castles, who often combated with swords and other weapons, as also with muskets; and if there were foure hurt, I had alwayes three of them, and if there were question of cutting off an arme or a legge, or to ••repan, or to reduce a fracture or dislocation, I brought it well to passe. The sayd Lord Marshall sent me one while this way, another while that way, for to dresse the appointed Souldiers which were beaten aswell in other Citties as that of Thurin, insomuch that I was alwayes in the Countrey one way or other Monsieur the Mar∣shall sent for a Physition to Milan, who had no lesse reputation in the medicinall Art (than the deceased Monsieur le Grand) to take him in hand for an hepaticall flux, whereof at last he dyed. This Physitian was a certaine while at Thurin to deale with him, and was often called to visite the hurt people, where he alwayes found me, and I consulted with him, and some other Chirurgions, and when wee had resolved to doe any serious worke of Chirurgery, twas Ambrose Pare that put his hand thereto,

where I did it promptly and with dexterity, and with a great assurance, in so much that the sayd Physition admired me, to see me so ready in the operation of Chi∣rurgery, seeing the small age which I had, One day discoursing with the sayd Lord Marshall, he sayd to him, Signor, tu hai un Chirurgico giovane de anni, ma egli 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vecckio di sapere e di esperientia. Guarda l•• bene, perche egli ti fara servicio & honore. That is to say, Thou hast a young Chirurgion of age, but he is old in knowledg and experience, preserve him well; for he will doe thee service, and honour. But the old man knew not that I had dwelt three yeares in the Hospitall of Paris, there to dresse the disea∣sed. In the end Monsieur Marshall dyed with his hepaticall fluxe. Being dead, the King sent Monsieur the Marshall of Annebae••t to be in this place, who did me this ho∣nour to pray me to dwell with him, and that he would use me as well or better, than Monsieur the Marshall Mountain; which I would not doe for the greefe I had for the losse of my master who loved me intimately, and I him in the like manner; and so I came backe to Paris.

Notes

• The retiring of the ene∣mies.
• History.
• Brave answere of the Soul∣diers.
• Exemplary punishment.
• Counsell of De Vigo.
• Experience of a bold man happy successe
• Receipt of an excellent balme for wounds with Gunshot.
• Witnesse of the dexterity of the Author.
• The death of Marshall Montian.