His Majesty answered that "He knew no better place of safety than at the head of his army;" but said, "It was convenient the Cardinal should withdraw to Calais."
Then Marshal Turenne and the Noblemen made answer, "They could not be satisfied, except His Majesty withdrew himself into safety." Which was assented to; and the King and Cardinal marching to Calais, left open orders with Marshal Turenne that "If the enemy came on; to give battle or raise the siege, as he should be advised by a Council of War."
The enemy came on to Bruges, and then Marshal Turenne thought it high time to call a Council of War; which consisted of eight Noblemen, eight Lieutenant-Generals, and six Mareschaux de Camp: but never sent to [the English] Ambassador Lockhart, or Major-General Morgan.
The whole sense of the Council of War was that "It was great danger to the Crown of France to hazard a battle in that strait [broken] country, full of canals and ditches of water." And several reasons being shown to that purpose, it ran through the Council of War, "to raise the siege, if the enemy came on."
Within half an hour after the Council of War was risen, Major-General Morgan had the result of it in his camp; and went immediately to Ambassador Lockhart to know if he had heard anything of it?
He said, "He had heard nothing of it"; and complained that "he was much afflicted with the stone, gravel, and some other impediments."
Major-General Morgan asked him "to go with him, the next morning, to the headquarters."
He said, "He would, if he were able."
Next morning, Marshal Turenne sent a Nobleman to Ambassador Lockhart, and Major-General Morgan; to desire them to come to a second Council of War.
Immediately, therefore, Ambassador Lockhart and Major-General Morgan went with the Nobleman to Marshal Turenne's camp: and, by that time they came there, the Council of War was ready to sit down in Marshal Turenne's tent.