I have said in several places of these Memoirs, that I have seen, and by experience found, that God the Creator was our conductor in this expedition into Italy; yet it is convenient for me to repeat it again, for though from the time of the battle to our arrival at Nice, our quarters were taken up without proper order, yet we bore the hardships and inconveniences of the long march, without raising any mutiny or murmuring in the least. Our great want was of provisions, yet we were in some measure supplied by the country people, who might easily have poisoned us if they had pleased, not only in our victuals and wine, but in our water too, and our wells, which might have been dried up in a moment; for I do not remember I saw any but what were very small. If they had had a mind to have destroyed us by poison, it was in their power to have done it, and therefore we may reasonably believe our Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ prevented that desire in them. I have seen our men so thirsty, that our foot in great numbers have lain down, and drank out of the ditches round about the little villages through which we marched. Our marches were long, and our drink nothing but standing water that stank; and yet our men were so greedy, they plunged in it up to the waist to come at it; for we had multitudes that followed, the camp, and were not soldiers, but attended to our mules. The king always marched before day, but never took a guide with him, nor baited till noon, and then he dined; and those that attended him took what care they could of themselves. No man in the whole army, though of the best quality, was excused from looking to his own horse, but every one brought his own straw or hay in his arms. Twice I did it myself, and was two days without eating any thing but bread, and that none of the best; yet I suffered not so much hardship as others did. Our army was highly to be commended for one thing, and that is, that I never heard any of our soldiers complain; and yet it was the most painful and incommodious march I ever made, though I have been through several that were bad enough, with Charles Duke of Burgundy. We marched no faster than our artillery, and were often forced to halt, on purpose to mend the guns, which, because of the want of horses to draw them, incommoded us extremely; but whenever we were hard put to it, we were generously supplied by the officers of the army; so that we lost not one piece, nor one pound of powder in our retreat; and yet I am of opinion never any man saw guns of their size conveyed with such expedition through such impassable places. And if I have mentioned any thing of disorder or inconvenience in our quarters or elsewhere, it was not for want of good officers and men of experience in our army; but (as fortune would have it), they had no authority with the king, who was young and intractable, as I have said before; so that to conclude, our Saviour Jesus Christ did most manifestly reserve all the