As soon as the King heard of it, he was highly displeased; insomuch that he commanded some of his officers, that they should go, and beat them and clap them in chains: which was immediately done to all; excepting the two gentlemen that were first sent up by the Admiral. (For these were not touched, the King reckoning they did not belong unto this Ambassador: neither were they now in his company; excepting that one of them in the combustion got a few blows.) They were likewise disarmed, and so have continued ever since. Upon this the gentlemen, attendants upon the Ambassador, made their complaints to the captain of their guards; excusing themselves and laying all the blame upon their Ambassador: urging "that they were his attendants, and a soldier must obey his commander, and go where he appoints him." Which sayings being told the King, he approved thereof, and commanded them out of chains: the Ambassador still remaining in them, and so continued for six months. After which, he was released from his chains, by means of the entreaties his own men made to the great men in his behalf.
The rest of the Frenchmen, seeing how the Ambassador's imprudent carriage had brought him to this misery, refused any longer to dwell with him: and each of them by the King's permission dwells by himself in the city; being maintained at the King's charge. Three of these—whose names were Monsieur DU PLESSY, son to a gentleman of note in France; and JEAN BLOOM; the third—whose name I cannot tell, but he was the Ambassador's boy—the King appointed to look to his best horse kept in the palace. This horse some time after died, as it is supposed of old age: which extremely troubled the King. And imagining they had been instrumental in his death, by their carelessness: he commanded two of them, Monsieur DU PLESSY and JEAN BLOOM, to be carried away into the mountains, and kept prisoners in chains. Where they remained when I came thence.
The rest of them follow employments: some whereof distil arrack, and keep the greatest taverns in the city.
Lately—a little before I came from the island—the King understanding the disagreements and differences that were still kept on foot betwixt the Ambassador and the rest of his company, disliked it; and used these means to make them
