comming sorth this murderer stood without the Hall doore making shew as if he craued his passe-port he discharged one of his Pistols vpon him charged with three bullets The Prince feeling himselfe hurt sayd onely thus My God take pittie on my soule I am sore wounded my God take pittie on my soule and on this poore people Hauing vttered these words he began to stagger but was supported by Iaques Maldrè vvho witnesseth that he heard those words and was set downe vpon the staires where he grew speechlesse And as the Countesse of Swartsenbourg his sister asked him in the high Dutch Tongue if he did not recommended his soule to Iesus Christ he aunswered in the same language yea and neuer afterwards spake He was presently layed vpon a bed in the same roome where he dined where within a while after hee gaue vp the ghost Such was the end of this Prince esteemed not onely of his friends but enemies the most wise constant magnanimous patient and excellent Prince that liued or died in our time according to his Embleme Saeuis tranquillus in vndis which is to say quiet in the middest of troubles A goodlie end seeing he died for his Countrie a thing which all godlie wise men desire whom death neuer takes vnprouided as also because he was soon freed from feare and griefe a death whereby our great God hath since manifested that the good successe of warre depended not on this Princes person but on his mightie arme seeing that the victorie which his enemies thought they had gained of him sorted not according to their desire but hath conuicted them of inhumane crueltie for his second sonne Maurice of Nassau Prince of Orange did from that time though he were not aboue 17 or 18 yeares old resolue to follow his Fathers steps and to serue his Countrie And the better to incite him thereunto he inuented an Embleme of a Tree cut downe to the root from which issued tender young plants which in time became Trees and vnderneath this motto in Latine Tandem sit surculus arbor viz. In time the plant becomes a Tree inferring thereby that they had not yet woon all by his fathers death represented by the cut Tree but that the plants which sprouted forth might in time let them that cut the Tree know how worthie their rash and bloudie attempt is to be derided by the whole world The Princesse his wife there present was greatly grieued crying out and intreating God to giue her the gift of patience seeing it had pleased him to take her father first husband now the prince from the world The murderer sought to haue escaped by a back way in running let fall the other Pistoll hauing alreadie passed the stables and running through the Schol-street towards the Rampiers thought to leape from the walles downe into the Dike which was full of water hauing two bladders and a quill to blow wind into them which he thought to make vse of for his better swimming ouer But he was ouertaken and stayed by two of the Princes seruants At first he was perplext and daunted but when he perceiued they did not hurt him he began to take courage hoping perhaps to haue his fact allowed and by some meanes to escape and sayd that he had done nothing but that which the King his master had commaunded him He was carried before the Magistrats of Delft to be examined There he craued paper penne and inke promising seeing he was prisoner to vnfold the truth of the matter which he did not but mingled many lyes among some true points as it afterwards appeared He confessed that his name was Baltazar Gerard of Ville sans in Burgondie and that for the space of sixe yeares he had a desire to kill the Prince which he imparted to diuers who reprehended him for it But some three yeres past vnderstanding that the Prince of Orange stood attainted and condemned by the King of Spayn he vsed meanes to come hither to execute that sentence yet hearing that a certaine Biscan had alreadie dispatcht him he put himselfe into the seruice of Iohn du Prè Secretarie to Count Mansfeldt but within a while after hauing notice that the Prince still liued he resolued to kill him whatsoeuer should happen hoping to find meanes of secret departure from Count Mansfeldts Campe to the Prince and by seeming to be of his Religion to present him certain blankes of the sayd Earles signed and sealed with red wax and so to watch a time to kill him with lesse daunger But at last being hindered by sundrie occasions in March he left his master and came to Treues where he confest himselfe to a Iesuit vnto whom he bewrayed his designe intreating him after Easter to acquaint Count Mansfeldt therewith This Iesuit aduised him to impart it likewise to the Prince of Parma which he afterwards did by letter in the Citie of Tournay but he durst not tarie for an answer fearing least he would take the carrying of those blankes in bad part with which hee went to Delft to put his plot in executiō But finding no fit opportunitie to doe it he went into Fraunce with the Lord Caron from whence he was sent backe with letters both to the Prince and States containing the death of the Duke of Anjou and afterwards he watcht all occasions to performe his diuellish enterprise thinking it the fittest time to dispatch him either at a Sermon or when he should bee at meat and that thereupon he had bought two Pistols and charged them the one with three bullets wherewith he shot the Prince and the other with two which he could make no vse of being hindered by the Gard for which he was verie sorie affirming that if at that time he had beene two thousand miles from thence he would haue returned backe to kill him All this did he voluntarily and without torture confesse and set downe in writing Afterwards being in Prison he confest at sundrie times that which followeth and perseuered in it to the verie death First without any torture he declared that not long before he vnderstood the Kings proscription against the Prince being in May last at Delft he would haue done the deed if he could haue found a fit time and meanes to escape Afterwards he sued to carrie letters of the Dukes death and that the day before he thought to haue slayne him but that he durst not then attempt it because he saw no meanes of escape But the same day he did it he wholly resolued to contemne all daunger and to kill the Prince though he were inuironed with fiftie thousand men Concerning his declaration to the Iesuit he persisted in his former confession and how that being in Fraunce this businesse did so torment him as he could not rest night nor day Whereupon he quarrelled with some of his fellow seruants that he might the sooner be dispatched away with letters And if in that journey he should haue missed his
seuen thousand one hundred and thirtie foot The Drossart Burgomasters and the two preachers namely Iacob Baselis the elder and Iacob Baselis the yonger did so farre preuaile with the Burghers by remembring them of their duetie due to their country as they voluntarily offered their labor for ending of the work euerie man promising to be readie at the sound of the drumme The afternoone Sermon ended for it was vpon Sunday the drumme began to sound The Burgomaster Sudland with certain of the Magistrats Iacob Baselis the younger with the elders of the Church euerie man a shouel in his hand did in the euening meet at the place where the fort was to be built and were in a maner followed by all the Burghers A cornet of horse was sent forth to defend them from the enemie if he should haue come downe from Burghvliet But because the plot of the worke was not yet made and those which should haue made it different in opinion nothing was done that night The Italians that lay in campe nere to S. Geertrudes seeing so many men assembled vpon the Southland causie right ouer against them went forth to see what it meaned they set Sentinels euerie where and were all of them vp in armes The next day being the â—7 of October they diligently began the worke The eighteenth of October our men made an other sallie on Steenberghens side but the enemie kept himselfe within his trenches and would not come forth whereupon they returned to the towne On the twentieth of October at night the enemie cunningly thought to haue surprized the North Fort the manner whereof I will set downe at large We haue heretofore mentioned how that our horsemen some two or three dayes before the siege had taken two Spaniards prisoners These were committed to the keeping of an English victualler called Redhead of whom Grimston ensigne to Baskervile bought his prouision by this meanes both of them fell acquainted with the prisoners who did at last earnestly solicit them to doe some notable seruice to the king of Spaine This did they discouer to the Lord Willoughby and craued his aduice how they should proceed with the Spanish prisoners Willoughby injoyned them to treat with them about yeelding vp the North Fort to the Duke of Parma After sundrie conferences and consultations with the prisoners they did in the end agree to deliuer vp the Fort which was an easie matter for the ensigne to do who was oftentimes captaine of the watch of the Fort when Baskerviles companie had the gard of it This thus concluded the ensigne and victualler feigned themselues fugitiues and caried the prisoners letters to the Duke of Parma vnto whom they had many times written about that businesse On the 20 of October when it was darke they went to the duke who to this end did the same night lodge at the low Northgeest telling him that all things were in readinesse for the surrender of the Fort It is reported that he stood in some doubt of them and that therefore he made sundrie demands concerning the fort as who commaunded in it how many souldiers it had and by what meanes they would deliuer it vnto him That he did beside take their oath that they should deale faithfully with him therein causing them to receiue the Sacrament of the Altar as the Papists terme it Being assured of their loyaltie he gaue to each of them a chaine of gold promising them a good summe of money the deed being once done Then hee made choyce of a certaine number of his best souldiers to goe and receiue the Fort in his name and caused Grimstons and the victuallers hands to be bound behind them with match and gaue two ponyards to two souldiers commaunding them to kill them if they perceiued the least suspition by the way The Lord Willoughby in the meane time manned the Fort with valiant soldiers and on each side of the causies placed certain numbers of musketiers in the gate whereat the enemie was to enter he caused an yron port-cullis to be hung vp by roopes which cut the port-cullis would fall downe and stop the passage All these things being in readinesse Willoughby with great deuotion attends the enemies comming At last they came forward passing at a low water the drowned North-land and found the gate open according to promise There stood one likewise at the gate who in the Spanish tongue welcomed them When some fiftie of the chiefe were entred the Lord Willoughby with his owne hand did cut the cords and so stopt vp the passage that no more could enter Those within the Fort charged the enemies most of whom were slaine and the rest taken prisoners Grimston and the victualler perceiuing hosetâ— at kept them to be amazed escaped Those abroad finding themselues thus deluded did by force plucke vp the pallizadoes and gaue a fierce assault but all in vaine for they could not reach the highest pallizado those within the sort saluted them with harquebuze shot The enemie being thus beguiled threw away their armes fled those that were in ambush on the causie did with great noice break forth charged the flying enemie making great slaughter among them In the meane time the tide came in so as diuers of the enemies thinking to escape fell into the dikes of Northland and were drowned Three hundred of them were slayne and as many wounded as was afterwards knowne by certaine prisoners The chiefe prisoners were D. Iuan de Mendoza a man of good yeares who afterwards died in the Hospitall of his wounds and another D. Iuan de Mendoza a yong man Gregorio Vites Christofero de Porres Godefredo Gordone Tristano Lignicable and Alonzo Idiaques all Dons as the Spanyard termes them and men of noble houses The next day no ensignes were seen wauing in both the camps which was a signe that the enemie lamented the losse of his men the two Spanish prisoners by sentence of the Councell of war were hanged for that being prisoners they had sollicited the ensigne victualler to commit treason Much good ensued to vs hereby For by this meanes we were wholly freed froÌ„ feare of treacherie because the enemie being thus deceiued wold neuer giue credit to any other though they meant neuer so faithfully and yet Grimston and the victualler were condemned by all men for renouncing their Religion and for perjurie so as their owne Nation did greatly tax them And it is credibly reported that a certaine great man of England did in this maner recommended them to her Majestie vnto whom they went to craue recompence for their seruice Madame quoth he there are diuers forcible reasons why these men should be honourably rewarded for if those who onely expose their bodies doe deserue what doe they which haue aduentured both bodie and soule Those of the towne had true intelligence that the remainder of the Spanish fleet perished on the Scottish and Irish coast so as verie few of
dike to run into the Waell It is reported that fifteene thousand of the enemies diuided themselues into three troopes and cast lots which of the three should first crosse the water hauing many boats for that purpose so as their whole number might easily haue passed ouer at thrice this should haue beene put in practise vpon the foure and twentieth of Iune in the Morning before day breake being Mid-Summer day but it was not effected Those of Midel-weert Varick Heesselt and Opinen stood all night in good order expecting the enemie who stirred not His Excellencie did often send certain horse musketiers and armed pikes to prouoke him but he would not come forth of his hold The Admerall of Arragon sent D. Ambrosio Landriano with most of the horse and the regiment of D. Lewis de Villar to preuent the frequent incursions of those of Litsenhall The first of Iulie the enemie made aboue fiue hundred great shot but did not hurt a man of ours The second of Iulie the Englishmen that lay at Haeften the French that were at Weerdenbourg and Nerines and sixe ensignes of the garrison of the Isle of Hemert called Hemertschen-weert marched vp higher His Excellencie hauing in vayne long expected the enemies comming did on the fourth of Iulie by day breake send three thousand men towards Herwaerden there to make an half moon in the enemies view Herwaerden is seated on a plaine or leuel ground higher than all the trenches in the Isle of Voorn there did our men presently fortifie themselues making an halfe Moon which they fenced with pallizadoes This worke beeing in some sort defensible his Exc. sent more men before at last followed them himselfe Our men laboured verie hard from foure of the clock in the morning till six at night without any let of the enemy but when the halfe moone was almost finished he then shewed himselfe with certaine troups of horse and foot thinking thereby to draw our souldiers into an ambuscado who vpon intelligence that a great troupe of horse lay behind a banke would not go forth The enemy within a while after returned with 2500 Spanyards and Italians who vnder the conduct of Zapena gaue a furious assault to our halfe moone and with them a great number of monks and Clergie men who came with crosses and banners to encourage them but our men did valiantly defend the halfe moone and repulsed the enemie notwithstanding his fierce assault in which many of them had gotten ouer the palizadoes fighting hand to hand with our men and killing one another with push of pike Those of Voorn Varijck and Heesselschen-weert did continually with their canon and small shot play vpon the enemies so as in the end they were to their great disgrace enforced to retire leauing moe then 700 dead men behind them among whom were diuers Captaines and Commanders beside those that were hurt of whom 150 died in Sertoghenbusk This assault continued two houres long and yet there were but 8 of our men slaine and some 20 hurt The enemy had brought two field peeces to batter the halfe moone but did not hurt one man of ours and in his retreat lost 96 men among whom one of the aboue mentioned monks was found being armed with many holy reliques which did him no good he died with his armes full of palizadoes which he had valiantly pluckt vp The same day the enemies with 2 demy canon which were sent them sanke one of our boats neere to Herwaerden but the men were saued some six or seauen excepted that were slaine and hurt The 5 of Iuly la Bourlotte with a troupe of horse 400 musquetiers lay in ambush thinking to draw our Cauallery thither which were vpon the gard before the towne of Bommell But our men mistrusting the matter because the enemy came on with so few gaue back till they were safe from the ambuscado and then fell vpon them putting them to rout and tooke the Baron of Rosne prisoner and an Italian Captaine that presently died of his hurts whose bodie was afterwards redeemed His Excellencie likewise began to fortifie the Island or Widdel-weert called Nat-gat on Herwaerden side and all the Villages round about it with trenches The seuenth of Iulie a second halfe Moone was begun vpon the Litsenham and was conjoyned to the first by wings the better to secure the bridge which was afterward placed betwixt Voorn and Herwaerden They likewise made a new wing at Herwâ—erden towards the enemies bridge extending it abroad round about the village from whence we might easily discerne it so as our men did daily approach nearer it watching for a fit opportunitie to cut it off from him The 8 of Iulie his Excellencie and his whole Court remoued from Bommel and went to Voorn quartering himself at the head of the Island whither his owne gard and those of Count William and Count Hohenlo presently followed him The armie of the States were busied in making two sundrie bridges of boats The first on the third of Iulie vpon the Waell from the Isle of Tiell to the Isle of Voorn The second on the 8 of Iulie from Voorn to Herwaerden on which tenne ensignes of Scots and the Lord of Gistels with twelue other ensignes of his regiment passed ouer the same day towards Herwaerden The enemie being fearefull and jealous of his bridge transported it on the ninth of Iulie to the old place betwixt Heel and Creuecoeur His Excellencie on the 12 of Iulie sent three thousand fiue hundred foot and 1000 horse towards Litsenham to assaile the enemy who not appearing our men returned bringing hack with them 40 horse and foure prisoners The Spanish horsemen so soone as ours were gone from Litsenham shewed themselues on the bank but were soone beaten thence by our canon The same day a French lord sonne to a great man of France was shot into the head before Herwaerden and dyed of his hurt he was much lamented both of his Excellencie and his whole Court The fifâ—eenth day the Bridge was remoued from Herwaerden and placed higher betwixt the Isle of Voorn and Litsenham vpon the Mase ouer which 6000 foot and 1800 horse passed towards Litsenham to raise the enemie who lay dispersed vp and downe at Lit Kessell and Maren The enemie was in those Villages on Litsenham and Herwaerdens side strongly entrenched but on the other side verie slenderly so as our men were to fetch a compasse about to assaile the enemie behind But the French that were in the Vant-gard being impatient of delay and desiring a speedie victorie assailed the enemie in front where he was strongly fortified At the first arriuall of our men the enemie stood before his trenches offering skirmish but was soone beaten in againe and one of his captains taken prisoner and carried away into the Isle of Voorn These thus defeated our men did valiantly assaile the enemies trenches but by reason of the hight of their fortifications and great nuÌ„bers of their men we did
thence to the Bulwarke on the East-side which he began to vndermine in three seuerall places The dayes following he likewise woon with the time the rest of the intrenchments which were without the towne partly by force and Mynes and partly because the enemie quitted them And on the two and twentieth of Iulie his Excellencie came altogether before the Towne hauing beene kept from it by his workes without The next day he sent his Trumpet to Rhynberk who receiued this aunswer That they thanked his Excellencie for his offers but that they could not as then intend to yeeld seeing the Towne had beene besieged but one day whereupon his Excellencie the day following summoned the Towne the second time because all his Mynes were readie to play There the Townesman began to hearken vnto it crauing that they might first send some speedie messengers to Guelders to request ayd which was denyed them Whereupon at last after some treatie with the Trumpet on the one and thirtieth of Iulie they sent Captaine Botberg and Francisco Nello the Italian to the Campe about sixe of the clocke in the Euening who graunted to yeeld vp the Towne to his Excellencie on these conditions following FIrst his Excellencie is well pleased that the Gouernor of Rhynberck all the souldiers both horse and foot and all those which haue serued in the ships of warre with their Captaines and officers without exception shall freely depart with displayed ensignes armes kindled match bullets in their mouthes and drumme beating their wiues familie stuffe wagons horse and other things thereunto belonging without examining any one for matters done and namely the person of Iohn Peters-Thas Captaine of a Ship who certaine yeares before yeelded both himselfe and ship to the enemie 2 The gouernour shall carrie away with him two field-pieces such as his Excellencie shall thinke fit with two barrels of powder and fiftie bullets 3 His Excellencie shall lend them two hundred horse to carie the sicke wounded men and baggage to Guelders and shall giue a safe-conduct for the souldiers and their baggage to Maestricht and if any of those that be hurt are vnwilling as yet to depart they may remaine in the towne till they be healed and may afterwards goe their way with the gouernours Passeport 4 That the Lord Evert de Ens his wife and children with their writings stuffe and goods may freely depart as also the Councellor Westendorp Nicholas de Houe the receiuers of the reuenew and contributions with their writings and stuffe as hath beene said and namely Goswijn de Manen the customer his officers who may depart either by land or water vnto whom his Excellencie will giue a passeport as likewise to all Commissaries and officers belonging to the king of Spaine or the Archduke without any refusall who are not to be detained for any cause or pretence whatsoeuer 5 That the Gouernour shall satisfie the Magistrate and Burghers for all such debts that he oweth since the siege with the goods belonging to his Highnesse arising of booties taken and Merchandise confiscat and found vpon the riuer Rhyne contrarie to the Placard 6 That the Gouernour shall send for all those whose cattaile haue been taken from them during the siege and giue them letters of assignation to procure satisfaction from their Highnesses because it was done in their seruice 7 That the prisoners expences by reason of contributions shall be presently payed according to the treatie made with the Admerall of Arragon and confirmed by his highnesse 8 That the receiuer Iohn le Bruni may freely depart with his writings and stuffe in giuing a coppie of the moneyes remayning behind hand of the reuenewes of the Countie of Zutphen and Countrie of Ouer-Yssel 9 That all horse taken on both sides during the siege shal be redeemed euerie one at the rate of twentie liures 10 That all victuallers and Merchants following the Campe belonging to the king together with his Highnesse souldiers may remaine in the towne till such time as they haue sold their wares and afterwards depart with the gouernours passeport 11 That all Burghers who are willing to leaue the Towne and dwell elsewhere may sell their goods and horses within the space of â—ixe moneths 12 That all religious persons men and women may freely and safely depart 13 That prisoners on both sides shall be released According to this treatie the gouernour D. Hieronimo went his way on the first of August in the Morning with sixteene ensignes amongst whom were sixe companies of Almans thirtie horse eightie sailers accompanied with two hundred and nine wagons full of stuffe and hurt men leauing the towne verie ruinous and more than one thousand two hundred of his souldiers deâ—d there fiftie barrels of powder and victuals for two moneths The States of the vnited Prouinces and Prince Maurice did after this manner win the towne resoluing to keepe it both for the serâ—â—ce of the Countrie and for their neighbours and allies of â—â—e sacred Empire vnto whom it importeth much to haue the Riuer free that no foreine armies may crosse it a towne deseruing to be kept at the Empires common cost so as they determined to fortifie it caused a great fort to be made in the Island standing in the riuer before the towne for finishing whereof a bargaine was made with certaine men for a round summe of money the gouernement of the towne was giuen to Colonell Gystâ—lls The Nobilitie the States of the Countrie of Ouer-Yssel perceiuing that their Countrie and the riuer Rhyne was free causâ—d a placard to be published on the eight and twentieth of Iulie forbidding to pay any contribution to the enemie appointing good gard to be kept in euerie village and parish on great penalties as to the officers on forfeiture of 25 crowns and the Boore one crown as often as they should be found faultie therein They were likewise commanded to be readie with their armies so soon as the alarme bell should ring prohibiting on paine of life that no man should harbour any of the enemies souldiers and he that could take any of the enemies souldiers dead or aliue in the Countrie should receiue fiue and twentie florins of the Countries money If any Merchant trauailing by the way should happen to be taken or hurt by the enemie those of the Countrie or place where it was done shall be bound to pay his ransome and satisfie his losses and it shall not be lawfull for any man to hold any correspondence with the enemie with many other points necessarie for the countries preseruation ¶ His Excellencie takes the towne of Meurs on the 16 of August Anno 1601. BEcause the towne of Meurs was garded but by certaine souldiers called Hanevederen which lay there in garrison seruing the Duke of Cleues for whom they kept it Prince Maurice pretending claime to that Earledome as giuen vnto him by the Countesse of Walbourg did on the sixt of August send Captaine Cloet and Colonel Edmonds thither
of them fled away they were enforced to take the water where they were all drowned And as those which were in the water striued to passe ouer their fellowes who stood vpon the causey on Brabant side shot furiously vpon those of the Island yet they slew but one of our men which was a common soldier of Berchens companie but the enemie lost 200 men When the enemie first offered to passe ouer there were scarce fortie of our men to oppose them but within a while after Captaine Lagro of Tholen came thither with his companie And though those of the Island had fortunatly repelled the enemie yet they thought not themselues free from daunger knowing that he had not idlely made that attempt but that he intended to surprise the Isle of Tholen thereby to molest those of Berghen together with all Zeland assuring themselues that it would not bee long ere he returned againe and perhaps the next night following And because they wanted men to furnish all places they requested those of Berghen to send Adrian Guillaume and George Brissaulx with three hundred men vnder their commaund to them This Adrian Guillaume had in the first wars of Zeland beene Admirall of Ziericzee and was then Lieutenant General to Count Solms ouer al the forces of Zeland Brissaulx was son to Iames Brissaulx a verie good religious man who in former time had bin Burgomaster of Bruges These two were sent from the States of Zeland to Berghen so soone as they vnderstood that the enemie meant to march towards the Towne The nineteenth of September the Drossart returned from Amsterdam where he had bought great store of planks and other necessaries fit for fortification For besides his place of Drossart which next to the Marquis is the highest degree in Berghen the fortifying of the towne and sorts was committed to him His name was Elias Lion sonne to Doctor Albert Lion a verie learned man who for the space of foure and twentie yeares had beene chiefe professor of the ciuile law at Louayne and was at that time Chauncellor of Guelderland and chiefe Counsellor to my Lords the generall States of the vnited Prouinces The night following being the 20 of September the enemie came to Raberch and about noone returned to Wouwe Nothing at that time was done on either side for it rayned all that night and likewise at noone after the enemies departure The Magistrats sent certaine commissioners into Holland and Zeland to my Lords the States to acquaint them with the state of the Towne and to craue aid Cornelius Iohn the Townes sherife went to Zeland and Adrian Guillaume the Secretarie into Holland The two and twentieth of the said moneth by day break there was an alarme the trumpets sounded drums were beaten and the alarme bell was rung For the gouernour had assembled a troope of souldiers to reenforce the morning gard because the enemie was wont to make his attempts about that time when the gard is most drowsie wherewith hee had not acquainted the horsemen who had the gard vpon the market place Some of them going through the streets met with these souldiers and demanded who they were and whether they went but one among them giuing a discourteous aunswer they returned to their officers acquainting them therewith they not knowing the matter and thinking all was not well did presently giue the alarm The gouernor tooke this in bad part and complained to the Captaines of the wrong done vnto him therein seeing his soldiers were assembled by his commaundement The Captaines of the horse answered they were ignorant that it was done by his commaund and that they ought to haue beene made acquainted therewith in regard of the state of the Towne Thereupon proclamation was made that none should dare to ring the alarme bell without expresse charge from the gouernour The next day the souldiers spoiled Generall Fremins baggage He had beene gouernour of Wouwe Castle and about a certaine quarrell that arose betwixt him and a Merchant of the same Castle came into Holland to complaine to my Lords the States to haue him cassierd and likewise to make prouision of all necessaries for keeping of the sayd Fort. The States had giuen him great store of musket and faulconet bullets match and barrels of powder But before the said Fremins returne the Merchant had alreadie driuen all those sorth of the Castle which tooke Fremins part and had secretly made an accord with the enemie Within a while after about the seuenteenth of Ianuarie 1589 he sold the castle to the enemie for 20000 crownes and himselfe retired into Fraunce Vntill then Fremin had carefully kept all these things But as he was readie to depart and had shipt all the souldiers who had an inckling thereof thinking they had found a just cause of excuse because it was against the law of Armes to carrie away such things forth of townes besieged seised on all the munition together with his owne goods and made bootie of it beeing neuerthelesse enforced to restore backe the greatest and best part thereof The next day after the enemie was discouered vpon the highway from Wouwe marching directly towards the towne Our horse and foot made a sallie vpon him but as they approched the Downes of Berghen the enemie turned vpon the right hand and went along the sandie way towards Riselberg and Nortgeest where he incamped And because the water of the channell which some did improperly terme the riuer of Zoom was kept in by the sluces of the womens gate and that of Steenberghen all the fields betwixt Wouwes gate and that of the women were drowned so as none could goe from Wouwes gate to the North quarter Our men returned againe to the towne and fallied sorth at Steenberghen gate with displayed ensignes alluring the enemie to fight who had enclosed himselfe in his campe The morrow after he encamped towards the South extending his camp from S. Gertrudes hill as farre as the vale therein comprehending Burghvliet Zudgeest the Raberg and part of Berghens wood which lies Eastward from the towne The Raberg is so termed because that Rat in the Dutch tongue signifieth a wheele whereon malefactors are broken and executed and vpon that hill execution was commonly done The enemie within a day or two alter his arriuall burnt the gallowes vpon the hil Southward from the towne as yee goe towards Antuerpe S. Gertrude is worshipt by superstitious people because as they say she preserues them from rats and mice In former times she was patronesse of the town and it is said that she was Ladie of the whole countrie of Berghen Her chappell which in time past stood vpon the hill nere to the drowned countrie of Southland gaue it that name The vale is part of the arable grounds which lie betwixt the wood towne and champaine countrie extending it selfe partly towards the West and in part towards Wouwes gate The Southgeest is an high place and Burghvliet was a village where a castle
stood which was burnt by the French as hath been said Those of Tholen had placed thirtie men in the castle of Halteten which tooke it name from the village not that they thought them strong enough to resist the enemie but onely to serue for Sentinels to those of the Island and to giue them notice of the enemies approch The souldiers being threatned by the enemie yeelded vp the castle on safety of their liues and goods The same day two horsemen were slaine with the canon from Reigers-tower one of them was a man of note and was afterwards buried at Antuerpe with 800 torches About the same time we receiued supplies from all parts My Lords the States notwithstanding that the Isle of Tholen was to be prouided for sent vs great numbers of Hollanders and Scots Those of Flushing Briell and Ostend sent vs store of choice souldiers There came likewise fourescore men from Gertrudenbergh conducted by an English captain called Brock these men had forsaken the States pay and serued among the English Besides all this sixe ensignes of foot came to vs from England about the first of Nouember So that the number of soldiers which at the beginning of the siege were in all both horse and foot but one thousand fiue hundred as appeared by the muster rolls did before the enemies departure amount to fiue thousand The Captaines of the horsemen perceiuing the enemie to be encamped thought it necessarie to make some sallie forth vpon him whilest they might doe it telling the gouernor Sir William Drurie that it behoued them now at first to giue the enemie some affront and that it would greatly disgrace them if they should not make some proofe of their valour But others of a contrarie opinion sayd that euerie victorie was vncertaine and that if they should chance to be vanquished by the enemie it would greatly endaunger the Towne and that if themselues should ouercome the enemie might easily beare that losse that they had to doe with a mightie and victorious enemie that it was true that sallies are commonly thought prejudicious to the besieged but it was only in such places where the enemies were few in number and where the besiege might in such sort be shut in by the enemie as he could not easily receiue new supplies but our numbers were great enough and we might daily receiue fresh supplies from the vnited Prouinces by meanes of the commodiousnesse of our hauen Captaine Paule Bacx made answere We likewise are not ignorant quoth he how it behoues vs to deale wisely therein we know verie well that the enemie hath a mightie and victorious campe and many men we likewise haue often made triall what souldiers they are But if it shall not please the gouernour to graunt the demaunds of the Captaines of the horse for my part let this mightie and victorious enemie make his approches and at last for I will vse his owne words come and draw vs by the eares one by one forth of the towne into his campe This speech being not allowed of by many he went his way without any further talke But the gouernour called him backe together with the rest that were there present and said seeing your request tends to the good and preseruation of the Towne I will no longer denie it Then euerie man went and armed himselfe no drum was beaten nor trumpet sounded to call the troopes together but each man gaue notice to his fellow of the sallie and forthwith at the houre appointed they were all readie together A Gentleman of Holland whose name was Vchtenbreck cornet to captaine Paule Bacx was sent forth to draw the enemie into the field betwixt the camp towne he was seconded by 14 or 15 harquebuziers who went altogether towards the campe Nere to the towne dikes there is a low way which stretcheth from Steenberghen gate as far as Helst point and it is ouerlookt by the hill of Varigobart which ends nere to this point and there makes a vallie The Lanciers went this way towards the sayd vallie holding downe their lances keeping them from the enemies sight who was encamped on the Rijsselberg and Northgeest The Harquebuziers of Marcelis Bacx kept themselues close to the Lanciers Captaine Paule Bacx and his brother led the vantgard being followed by the lord Willoughbies cornet captain Parker The enemie hauing descried this small troope comming with Vchtenbroeck sent certaine musketiers to encounter them In the field where Vchtenbroeck and his soldiers lay there were many hedges which diuided one field from another these did the sayd musketiers make good and whilest they skirmished with Vchtenbroeck our men which were behind Varibogart hil perceiued it being verie glad of so faire an occasion rod a full galop vpon the enemie sound their trumpets and with their swords and lances euery man did his best The musketiers were beaten from their shelter and were enforced to quit their armes and to craue that they might be taken prisoners many of them were slaine and many taken for they were so encompassed by our men as they could not escape The enemie taking pitie on his people sent three cornets of horse to rescue them who were soone put to rout by the two brethren Bacx that led the vantgard and enforced to retire to Rijsselberg from whence they saw their musketiers slain and taken prisoners During the fight certain prisoners were sent into the towne among whom was a young gentleman Nephew to that Groesbeke who in former time had beene bishop of Liege surnamed Amsterode and was Lieutenant generall to a Regiment of Almans who had receiued a great wound in the face Our men determined to returne backe to the towne so soone as they should haue executed some notable enterprise vpon the enemie not meaning to tarrie till the whole force of the campe shold fall vpon them being too weak to resist and to speake truely they had woon honour enough and might freely haue returned with their prisoners in triumph which they had done but for captain Parkers couragious resolution who could not be satisfied with the flight of the enemies horse which at their ease beheld the vsage of their owne men so as charging them in a place where they had great aduantage he repulsed them once or twice but as himselfe was likewise constrained to retreat to the hil where the enemie stood to driue them thence where the whole campe was by this time in armes and the enemies cauallerie receyuing both new aid and courage making a fierce charge vpon him he and his troope were in danger either to haue bin oppressed with multitude or to haue been taken prisoners thrice did the enemie lay hold on Parker and thrice did he free himselfe from them and brauely defended himselfe with his sword The brethren Bacx and captaine Poolie perceiuing the daunger wherein captaine Parker was and being spurd forward by a desire of honour galoped into the thickest throng of the enemies making more account
of the preseruation of so braue a souldier than of any gaine bootie or prisoners so that seuentie prisoners who had been taken at the beginning of the fight and were not yet carried into the towne were in all hast slayne yet some escaped The arriuall of our men opened Parker a large way to escape from the enemie whilest they were busied in fight the Lord Willoughby and the Generall Wilford came from Holland who without entring into any house sallied forth with great numbers of foot to reskew the horse who after they had brauely executed their enterprise returned towards the towne in good order being pursued by the enemies who were extreamely grieued that Parker escaped from them Parker had receiued certaine musket shot on his armour but was not hurt because it was of proofe Where the heat of the fight had been great heapes of dead men and horse lay Of our horsemen some foure or fiue were slaine but many were hurt and the losse of horse was great It is reported that two hundred of the enemie were slayne This was done on the fiue twentieth of September after dinner Whilest the horsemen fought with the enemie the masons broke downe a certaine wall of the remainder of the Abbie because the enemie should not make vse of it against the towne Presently after this fight the enemie shortned and tooke in his campe which he had at first much amplified and enlarged forsooke the high Northgeest strongly fortifying and entrenching himselfe both to the South and Northward of the towne to defend himselfe from our sallies for he expected no such dealing and neuer thought that there had bin so great courage and valor in those of the town Towards euening the Drossart Burgomasters sherifs assembled themselues with whom joyned the captaines Vere Scot Baskeruile Salisburie to consult together what was necessarie for the preseruation of the town And euer after they obserued this order that the gouernour and chiefe of the Councell of war did once a day meet at the state house to conferre of matters concerning the present estate of the town which was a matter verie commendable especially in a town besieged For by this means all difficulties were at first easily remoued that did arise at such a time betwixt the souldiers and Burghers when any thing is done by mischaunce on one part or other to the prejudice of either Euer since then the Magistrat to shew his diligence did daily meet twice namely at eight of the clocke in the morning and two of the clocke after noone The lord Willoughby requested the magistrat that the Burghers might arme keep Corps du gard in the streets and the matter was brought so far forward as captaines officers were chosen but by reason diuers excused thēselues through want of armor which the mutinous French had taken from them in former time nothing ensued thereof On the 28 of this moneth Sir Tho Morgan who had bin gouernor of the town returned from England The Queen and my lords the states had sent him to be gouernor in Sir William Druries place The states had a while before sent Lancelot Parisijs commistarie of the musters enjoining him to tel the Councel of war magistrats that it had pleased her Ma. to write vnto them of late as likewise to the lord Willoughby that it was her expresse wil pleasure that Morgan shold be gouernor and to this end they likewise sent her Ma. letters by the said Lancelot And in this respect they wold herein doe nothing contrary to her Ma. command The contents of whose letters was that hauing intelligence how the Duke of Parma had attempted to besiege Berghen-op-Zoom in that regard she thought it fit to giue the gouernement of the town to Sir Thom. Morgan the better to assure it against the enemies power and that her pleasure was to haue him forthwith installed in Druries stead who had lately bin recōmended to her by the states not that she in any sfsort doubted of Druries loyaltie and valour but Morgans long experience in war together with the peoples loue towards him had caused that alteration The cause why the Queene spake thus of the peoples loue towards Morgan and the recommending of him to my lords the states was because my lord Willoughby did not greatly affect Morgan Sir Thom. perceiuing this that he could not build vpon Willoughbies fauor for the gouernement of Berghen that there were diuers that sued for it found means to get the fauor of the magistrats and Burghers by whose means he obtained letters of recommendation to her Ma. both from the states and comminalty of Berghen The Lord Willoughby in the meane time had by sundrie practises established Drurie in the gouernement but because it was done without the States consent they therefore wrote vnto the Queene that no opposition might be made against her highnesse commaund After Morgans arriuall sundrie quarrels arose not onely betwixt the two Gouernours but among the Captaines and souldiers The English held more with Drurie than Morgan the Low-countrie men and Scots tooke Morgans part Willoughby fauoured Drurie against Morgan and therefore he gaue the gouernement of the towne to Morgan but made Drurie captaine of the Forts saying he did so because her Majestie spake onely of the towne and not of the Forts Morgan on the contrarie maintained it to be a verie absurd matter because the towne and forts depended one vpon an other and neuer had different gouernours Count Solms and Generall Villers came opportunely from Zeland whilest the gouernors contested about the gouernement and exhorted them to peace and concord Yet for all that Drurie commaunded the Forts of the Hauen and Morgan the Towne Those of Druries faction were likewise placed in the Forts Drurie came not often into the towne and spake seldome to Morgan but there was still some quarrell or other he did also highly complaine of the Magistrats and my Lords the States who were much displeased with this discord especially because their authoritie and command was directly contemned euery man feared that some inconuenience would ensue The nine and twentieth of this moneth the imposition vpon wine beere was let to ferme which was payed during the siege as in time before The next day Willoughby made an other sallie vpon the North side of the Campe and though he vsed the same order and meanes as at the first sallie yet he did no great matter for the enemie behaued himselfe more wisely and would no more be surprised from behind the hill of Varibogart as at first the footmen kept within the trenches of their Campe or behind the bushes not farre off and did no more assaile our men as before Our footmen stood in battaile vvithin musquet shot of the Towne yet the Cauallery incountred one an other and the fight was sharp on both sides our men gaue a braue charge and the enemie made gallant resistance each did their best Poolies
The Burghers and souldiers men and women young and old went forth of the gates and stroue who should run first into the enemies campe visiting whatsoeuer they found there and with admiration beheld the greatnesse of the campes circuit the workemanship thereof and euerie man got his bootie for the enemie had left behind him shouels picke-axes wagons tunnes muskets harquebuses pikes armour and all sorts of other prouisions The souldiers and poore townesmeen found wood enough to burne all winter for the props boords of their lodging were onely a little burnt on the out side The whole towne greatly rejoyced for this suddaine and vnlookt for departure of the enemie And because it is the duetie of all good Christians to attribute the honor of all benefits to him from whom they receiue them the sixteenth of Nouember publique thankes was giuen vnto God for so great a deliuerance prayers were likewise made for the prosperitie of the Church and Towne That done the magistrats thought good to proclaime from the towne-house that the thirteenth of Nouember should yearely be kept holie-day because the enemie on that day retired At night bonefires were made Nothing could be heard but the report of canons and small shot sounds of drummes trumpets and bels and joyfull acclamations In euerie street and on the Rampiers pitch barrels were burnt and no place was free from fire workes cast vp into the ayre The towne made a great feast whereunto the Lord Willoughbie gouernour Morgan Captaines old magistrats and the chiefe Burghers were inuited In a word nothing was foregotten which was vsuall in feasts and publique triumphs The towne did afterwards bestow on the Captaines great square pieces of gold which the townes armes stampt in them and the names to whom they were giuen with the causes whie This is the true description of the whole siege together with the sallies and other occurrents which happened during that time and lastly the Duke of Parmas retreat from before Berghen-op-Zoom as it was set downe by Iacob Baselis the younger and imprinted in the said towne in Anno 1603. The Towne of Tilemont in Brabant taken and sackt HAuing hitherunto made a perfect description of the siege of Berghen-op-Zoom and how the enemie raised his campe from before it we are now to set downe the valorous actions of certaine souldiers of the Garrison of Berghen done in the yeare 1588. The States Garrisons and those of his Excellencie Prince Maurice of Nassau lying on the frontiers did the same yeare make sundrie incursions into the enemies countrie doing much harme by fetching in contribution defeating conuois and other such like hostile actions Among those exploits which deserue most commendation the surprisall and taking of the towne of Tilemont is to be reckoned Tilemont is scituat in the Duchie of Brabant nere to a small riuer called Geert some 3 leagues distant from Louain and S. Tron It is a great and spacious towne famous in former time for trade of merchandize as yet appeares by sundrie auntient writings A certaine Serjeant of a band with an hundred foot together with nine horse of Bacx his companie which lay in Berghen had made an attempt vpon Borchloon though with bad successe yet being vnwilling to returne without executing some notable exploit they went forward through a great troope of enemies marched directly to the towne of Tilemont wherein were fiue or sixe ensignes of Spaniards Notwithstanding all these forces and that the towne was great and large they found meanes to enter it where they expulsed the Spaniards tooke three ensigns from them and carried away with them as much pillage as they could beare and so left the towne The enemie hauing notice hereof did with foure hundred men attend their returne Our men brauely resoluing not to loose their bootie did by force passe through the middest of them and with their spoile returned safe to Berghen a matter almost incredible and yet verie true which braue and resolute souldiers should neuer forget but still striue to imitate The Garrisons of Heusden and Geertrudenberg did the like with eight hundred men both horse and foot euerie horseman taking vp a footman behind him and in that manner went to Tilbourg nere to Boisleduc where part of the Duke of Parmas forces lay whom they dislodged and slew many of them the rest fled to a Church whom our men durst no longer pursue fearing the Garrisons nere adjoyning and so with their bootie returned home About the same time threescore and tenne souldiers that lay in Zeland went ouer into Flaunders there defeated the conuoy of Courtray strengthened with a troope of twentie horse beside the foot together with thirtie merchants on horsebacke and hauing gooten a rich bootie returned home to their garrisons ¶ A true description of the towne and countrie of Breda in Brabant together with the admirable taking thereof on the 4 of March Anno 1590. BEfore we come to the taking of Breda it shall not be impertinent briefely to set downe the situation thereof Breda next to the foure chiefe cities of Brabant is among others one of the principall hauing the same franchises as the townes of Tilemont Louvain and Niuelle It stands in the land of Kempen eight miles from Antuerpe sixe from Boisleduc or Sertoghenbusk sixe from Berghen-op-Zoom and two from Geertrudenberg in a plaine abounding with corne the fields and medowes beeing inuironed with trees and the countrie wood die there are some woods as Vlpeu the New wood and the wood of Lies through which two small riuers runne which emptie themselues into the Dikes of Haeghdijck and runne vnder a water Mill into the towne One of these two riuers will beare boats beyond Ginneken and towards Hoochstrate it is called the Aa within below Breda the Mercke We find in auntient Registers that the Danes possest and dwelt in a certaine Fort or Castle which by permission of the Lord of the Countrie of Breda they builded in the Crowes wood where Herons doe now breed Henrie Lord of Breda assisted by the Lord of Weesmaell and the Marshall of Brabant vpon some controuersie tooke that castle and wholly raced it in Anno 1124. There are in it diuers goodly houses belonging to Gentlemen a verie beautifull Church on the North side whereof the Counts of Nassau haue built a goodly Chappell wherein is a stately monument of Renatus of Chalon and in a vault vnderneath it the Tombes of the auntient Lords of Breda of Count Engetbrecht Count Henrie and of the aboue mentioned Renatus The towne of Breda is of a reasonable bignesse and beautifull structure yet in former time it hath been much disfigured by fire for in anno 1534 on the 23 of Iulie a thousand houses were burnt downe to the ground And because it was the chiefe abode of those of the house of Nassau they haue beautified it with many goodly buildings as especially Count Henrie of Nassau who was a braue and
time felt the commoditie thereof notwithstanding they had much to doe both with the Indians and Portugals of which if any one desire to haue further knowledge I refer him to the descriptions thereof which haue beene written and published ¶ The taking of the towne of Huy in the countrie of Liege on the eighth of Februarie 1595. CHarles of Herauguier gouernor of Breda the better to aduance the enterprises on the countries of Luxembourg and Namur went forth of Breda on the last of Ianuarie with twelue ensignes of foot and foure cornets of horse and marched towards the towne of Huy which stands vpon the riuer Mase in the countrie of Liege it is a fine towne and hath a bridge ouer the Mase and a Castle and is the ordinarie aboad of the prince and bishop of Liege In the Castle was a weake garrison 24 or thirtie of our men were hid in a little house vnder the castle which stands high vpon a rock ouer this little house was one of the Castles windowes these thirtie men with a ladder made of ropes got vp to the window which they brake and entred some among them knew euerie corner of the castle so as in the Morning when the chiefe of the castle went forth of their houses thinking to goe to Masse they were on a sodaine taken by the throat bound and layd in a dungeon which done they tooke the castle and gate and some moued the towne to yeeld The Burghers ran to armes thinking to defend themselues but perceiuing Herauguier to come forwards with his troops they compounded and suffered him to enter with three ensignes of foot and two cornets of horse on the 8 of Februarie Herauguiere fortified the towne and castle reducing the enemies countries neere adjoyning vnder contribution The Towne was verie well seated for our men to make an offensiue warre it beeing a passage into the countries of Namur and Brabant neere to the confines of Luxembourg where they supposed to obtayne great victories vnder the conduct of the duke of Bouillon count Philip of Nassau Herauguieres troopes of horse did at the same time neere to Montmedy meete with seuen wagons laden with rich Italian Merchandize as veluets and silke stockings which were going towards Antuerpe and were worth three hundred thousand florins which they tooke and diuided amongst themselues But part of this Cauallerie belonging to the garrisons of Breda and Berghen in Brabant being desirous to returne home met with certaine of the enemies ordinarie bands conducted by generall Schets Lord of Grobbendonck who not farre off had tenne foot companies whereof our men hauing intelligence diuided themselues into 3 troopes one of which was assailed by the enemie and being ouerloden with bootie were beaten and 70 of them slain and taken prisoners among whom were two Lieutenants The taking of Huy belonging to the Bishop of Liege who liued as a Neuter was thus excused namely our men borrowed that towne but for a place of retreat without any hurt to the inhabitants which so soon as the war should be ended they would willingly surrender that the Bishop permitted the like to the townes of Berck and Bonne which were his and yet were detained by the Spaniards But the Bishop complained to the States of the wrongs done vnto him and of the breach of the neutrallitie crauing to haue his town redeliuered and therein imployed al his friends but because small regard was had of his complaints hee implored the ayd and assistance of the Archduke Ernestus who presently sent forces thither to free the countries of Namur and Brabant from incursion with commaundement to ayd the Bishop these troopes notwithstanding Ernestus death besieged the towne of Huy because they perceiued it could not easily be relieued Herauguieres with Captaine Balfort le Vos and others did shut themselues into the towne and yet the waters were risen ouer the whole countrie by reason of the great snow which was melted by a continuall raine so that they had small hope of aid for all the riuers and especially the Rhyne had so ouerflowed their bankes as in the memorie of man the like had not beene seene for all the countrie round about was drowned many thousands both men and cattell perished In Guelderland and Holland the Isle of Bommell and others were drowned as the Betuwe and the countrie neere to Vtrecht and Ammersfoort euen to the gates and suburbes of Vyane three thousand persons were drowned so as it was a great and just punishment of God Diuers skonses and Buâ—warke were borne away so as the souldiers had much to doe to secure the countrie and with great cost to repaire the forts Fuentes la Motte Barlaymont and other captaines considering that the States forces were cooped vp by water and that small reliefe could come to them did on the one side of the Mase besiege the towne of Huy and the bishops forces on the other side and at last on the thirteenth of March tooke the towne by force slew many of the garrison and tooke diuers of them prisoners the rest fled to the castle which was battered with two canon and vndermined by al the myners in the countrie so as in the end the castle was by composition deliuered to the Lord la Motte and vpon the twentieth of March our men departed with their armes and baggage At their departure the Spaniards would haue murthered them but la Motte and Grobbendonck sent them safely away Herauguieres by this meanes lost much credit being taxed for yeelding the castle so soone seeing that neere to Coloigne forces were readie to relieue him as also because the breach was not sufficient for the enemie to come to an assault but others judged the contrarie and said that he had done discreetly so this enterprise did smally profit the vnited Prouinces ¶ The taking of the Island and towne of Cales-Males in Andelusia in Spaine in the yeare 1596. IN the yeare 1596 the Queene of England did set forth a mightie fleet of sixteene or seuenteene of hir great ships royall in twelue or foureteene of which were three or foure hundred mariners in euerie ship beside fortie other English ships of warre with fiftie others which carried souldiers and prouisions The Lord Charles Howard Baron of Effingham and now Earle of Nottingham was Admerall generall of this fleet The Lord Thomas Howard now Earle of Suffolke was Vice-Admeral and sir Walter Raleigh knight and captaine of the Queenes guard was rere-Admerall My Lords the States of the vnited Prouinces did at her Majesties request set forth eighteen great ships of war each of them being manned with one hundred and thirtie men beside sixe others loden with victuals and ammunition and in each of them fortie men the Lord Iohn of Duvenvord Lord of Warmont Admerall of Holland was by the States made Admerall of this fleet Iohn Gerbrantsoon of Enchuysne was Vice-Admerall the rere-Admirall was Cornellis Lensen of Flushing but they were tied by agreement
prisoners and wounded men that all the victuals were lost in the battaile and that they could get none by reason that the boats were gone marched with his whole armie towards Ostend to refresh it sending the wounded to places where they might be cured discharging his souldiers of the enemies prisoners He brought his armie to S. Maries Church neere to Alberts fort and himselfe went into Ostend where he presently caused publike thankes to be giuen to God for this notable victorie himselfe and whole Court being present at it He remayned certaine daies at Ostend to order matters and to prouide for the better execution of his enterprises He caused all the prisoners to be brought together viz. the Admerall of Arragon D. Lewis de Villars with many other Captaines and officers whom for the most part he shipt for Holland he kept some one hundred and fiftie prisoners still in Ostend and among them diuers hurt men to exchange them for his owne souldiers whom the enemie had taken The glorie of this victorie belongs to God alone who hath not onely beene pleased thereby to maintaine as he hath wonderfully hitherunto done the just and lawfull cause of the vnited Prouinces for the conseruation of his Church but hath likewise pleased to abase the hautie and insolent courage of the Spaniards learning them to feele his mightie arme and letting them know how daungerous it is to kicke against the pricke To this onely God the Lord of hosts who in the battaile hath taught his Excellencies hands to fight and so admirably exalted his countenance that day be honour praise and glorie for euer To conclude we must of necessitie hereunto add that which certaine Historians mention how that justly vpon the same day the second of Iulie 1600 some three hundred and two yeares before viz. in anno 1298 one of the Archduke Alberts predecessours called Albert of Austria like him had with his power defeated one of Prince Maurice of Nassaus predecessours called Adolfe of Nassau Emperour of the Romans whereby we may see how that by this meanes the house of Nassau hath reuenged the wrong done to it by that of Austria This is a matter worthie of note and we may be well assured that though God deferre for a time yet he can and will aid and assist those that put their trust in him ¶ The Lord Iohn of Duyuenvoord Admerall of Holland fighteth with the Gallies of Sluce and puts them to flight WHilest Prince Maurice his armie marched in Flaunders there were some fortie or fiftie flat bottomed boats and and other vessels loden with munition and victuals which on the fiue and twentieth of Iune did set saile from Zeland toward Ostend these had a man of warre for their conuoy whose Captaine was called Adrian Baucker he being come before Blauckenbourg was becalmed the gallies of Sluce perceiuing it foure of them came forth and assailed the fleet and tooke twentie of the boats but most of the men escaped some of these vessels they burnt and carried the rest away with them The man of warre made what resistance he could but the calme made him like an vnplumed bird The Gallies approached the ship but did not boord her thinking to sinke her with their shot or else enforce her to yeeld she was in sundrie places shot thorow and began to leake and without the helpe of men and women that came aboord her from other boats and with scuppets tubs and their verie hats emptied forth the water she would haue beene in danger of sinking by this meanes she was kept aboue water and when the gallies came neere her she plaied so terribly vpon them with her ordnance as they were enforced to giue backe The ship hauing at last lost three and twentie men among whom was Captaine Baucker and most of the rest wounded the men cried out desperatly saying That rather than they would yeeld to the enemie they would blow themselues vp and set the ship on fire Hereupon the gallies left her and with great harme and losse of men returned to Sluce with a good bootie and the ship went backe to Flushing The next day being the sixe and twentieth of Iune the Lord Iohn of Duyvenvoord Admerall of Holland with sixe ships of warre called Cromstevens or Smackseylen all well prouided sailed from Zeland towards Flaunders to conuoy one hundred and fiftie vessels laden with ordnance and warlike munition for the armie This fleet being come before Sluce and the wind verie calme foure gallies came forth and presently the wind rising the men of warre came so neere them as they did not onely anoy them with their ordnance but with their small shot whereupon they were constrayned by force of oares to returne backe againe against the wind one of the gallies was shot vnder water and did for a long time lye vpon one side till the leake was stopt A certaine Turke of Constantinople a verie valiant and skilfull man being a slaue in one of the gallies had his chaine wherewith he was fastened broken a sunder by a canon shot himselfe not hurt and perceiuing that he was loosse leapt into the Sea with a piece of his chaine and with great daunger of his life for they shot terribly at him swam to the Zelanders ships and in swimming shewed his chaine whereupon the ships tooke him in being aboord he acquainted them with the gallies intent and losse They afterwards clothed him and presented him to prince Maurice who askt him if he would serue but he hauing great meanes at Constantinople craued a passeport vnlesse they would make vse of him for a Patron of a gallie to command the Spanish slaues which charge he had in former time taken vpon him But the Netherlanders hauing neuer vsed to imploy any infidell would not then begin but gaue him a passeport for England whither he went and from thence to Barbarie and so by land to Constantinople where by the way he acquainted Princes and Kings and the great Turke his Lord with the wars of the Christians ¶ The Admeralls ship of Antuerpe and seuen other ships are taken by the Captaine of the Blacke Gallie on the 29 of Nouember 1â—00 MY Lords the States and his Excellencie perceiuing the great losse they sustained by the gallies of Frederick Spinola which lay at Sluce resolued likewise to build and set forth certain gallies and with them to anoy their enemies Whilest they were making readie the gallies of Sluce came not abroad wanting slaues to row for the Zeland ships had slaine most of them many of them likewise were dead in winter with extremitie of cold and those prisoners of the vnited prouinces whom they had taken and made slaues could not suddenly be brought to handle the oare They likewise sent into Hungarie to buy Turkish prisoners but they knew not by what meanes to transport them into the Low-Countries Whereupon the foure Estates of Flaunders were about to buy the sayd Gallies and slaues of Spinola and to build
cheape there than in Holland or Zealand in regard they paid no imposition The Duke of Holst brother to the King of Denmarke with Count Iohn of Nassau Count Hohenlo and the Earle of Northumberland came from England thither to view the manner of the fortifications Count Saint Paul Gouernour of Picardie was likewise onward on his way thither but by a contrarie wind was caried into Zealand yea Henry the fourth the great French king came in August to Calais to vnderstand the particularities of that siege from whence hee sent one of his Lords to visite the Archduke who likewise sent Count Solre to the king Count Chastillon a gallant noble and valorous Lord nephew to the great Admerall of France commaunded the French forces in Ostend and as by vnluckie chance hee stood on the top of the Sand hill viewing the Gabions in companie of the gouernour the Lord Vander Noot Colonell Huchtenbroeck gouernour of Saint Andrewes fort and Brog Lieutenaunt Colonell to the Scots with diuers other gentlemen the scalpe of his head was caried away with a canon bullet so as the braines and bones flew in the face of Huchtenbroeck Captaine Brog and others Within a while after namely on the last of September the said Colonell Huchtenbroeck was likewise slaine and was much lamented as also a French Captaine named Pomarend It would bee an impossibilitie to set downe the names of all the Captaines which dyed both within and without the towne together with the sundrie accidents which daily happened there with so small terrour and amazement as is almost incredible custome wholy banishing feare Among others a souldier bought a loafe of bread which hee held vp in his hand shewing it to one of his fellowes and in the meane time a bullet tooke away the one halfe of it whereupon the souldier merrily sayd that there was some good fellowship in him that made that shot because hee left him some bread and tooke not all away An English gentleman of the age of twentie yeares had in a sallie his right arme shot off with a Canon bullet hee tooke it vp and carried it along with him to the Surgeons who drest him which done hee tooke his arme with him to his lodging where without beeing sicke or distempered he held it in his left hand saying this is the arme which to day at dinner serued the whole bodie An other souldier hauing his arme shot off and beeing verie weake was led away by two of his fellowes as hee went along an other bullet tooke away one of his legs of which hurt he presently dyed those two which led him being in no sort hurt A Grocer standing in his shop was slaine with a great shot and beeing laid in a coffing the bodie was caried away with a Canon bullet A yong man beeing on horse backe his horse was slaine vnder him with a bullet which entred at his hinder parts and came forth at his brest and yet himselfe had no harme onely his breeches were torne a sunder betwixt his legs with the wind of the bullet A Sea Captaine beeing in conference with one who layd his arme vpon the Captaines shoulder it was taken away by a great shot the Captain hauing no hurt but only astonied with the wind of the canon It fell out likewise oftentimes that the enemie discharging his ordnance the bullet flew into the mouth of our canon which was charged and setting it on fire two bullets were sent backe in steed of one Diuers other strange accidents happened there among so manie millions of shot for the first ten weeks both from the town and enemies campe more than threescore thousand Canon shot were spent beside fire-works to burn downe the town building which tooke no great effect in regard the houses were low Now this is not strange for the meaning of the Spaniards was to win the towne with their ordnance and to make it a heape of stones and ashes but the besieged shot as much as the enemies dismounting their canon and tearing downe their forts For there was neuer any place among Turks Heathen or Christians where so manie shot haue beene bestowed on either side the canons beeing so worne and the holes made so wide as the like hath not bin seene The foureteenth of August Generall Vere beeing on the Sand hill was hurt in the head with a wodden splinter and because his wound was daungerous the surgeons told him that he must withdrawe himselfe to some quiet place free from the noice of ordnance whereupon hee went from Ostend and remained for a time in Zealand The besieged made braue sallies wherein the enemies were still put to the worst the foure and twentieth of August our men made two sallies the first by the English alone the second by Dutch and English of whom some nine or ten were slaine and thirtie hurt but of the enemies many moe were slaine who still repulsed our men and when their foot men were too weake they made vse of their horsemen among whom the ordnance made great slaughter so as this siege was verie bloudie and long as it shall appeare by the sequell of the Historie The enemies were often at variance among themselues because many of their attemps had no good successe They were intrenched in the West downes in seuen or eight trenches the one higher than the other according to the nature of the ground their trenches beeing conioyned with fagots and sand further off from these they had made an other trench with platformes for their ordnance which extended as far as their fort in the ruined churchyard betwixt the forts of Grooten-dorst aud Isabella standing on the riuer Yperlee where likewise Saint Clares fort stood and part of the camp of the Southern quarter from whence they had made a way with fagots as farre as the Eastern campe Count Frederick Vandenbergh had made a trench to the Southward opposite to the Englishmens trenches on the Polder well fortified with ordnance and batteries D. Augustino de Mexia with some eight thousand men commanded that quarter on the East side of the town neere to the bridge was another campe likewise wherein lay two thousand men vnder Count Frederick Beside they had a companie of reuolted English commaunded by Captaine Floud and foure cornets of horse Three thousand men did euerie night gard the camp Captaine Catrice had chiefe commaund of the trenches with one Simon Antonio Matheo Serrano was lieutenant generall of the ordnance D. Lewis d' Auila Balthazar Lopes D. Iuan Panrache were Sergeant Majors of the Army The Regiments of the Earles Solre Bucquoy Frisin Achicourt and others where there who agreed but badly with the Spaniards whose intollerable pride they could not endure The mutinie in certaine forts was not wholy quieted but the mutiners were sent to Saint Winocks Bergue till they might receiue their full pay which came too late so as they reduced the whole countrie vnder contribution Archduke Albert was in person in the
Infanta lay at Newport if she heard not the repot of the Canon shee was male-content and commaunded her Gunners to shoot continually The besieged were not much indebted to the enemy but in the first 20 moneths discharged 100000 shot 18000 of the enemies were slaine the first twentie moneths as well by the ordnance and extreame cold which they endured the first two winters as by sallies sicknesse and miserie And in the towne sixe or seuen thousand died though the number was not well knowne for sicke and wounded men were sent away the like did the enemie who sent his to the next townes and hospitals Notwithstanding all these batteries and that many in the town died of the plague and through want yet the besieged were visited by their freinds kinsfolks wiues and children which came forth of Holland and Zealand and went thither as to a festiuall Some Captaines brought their wiues and children thither Gentlemen and great Lords came thither from Fraunce and England to see the fortifications All the three yeares that the siege continued the besieged kept the fift of Iuly holieday beating their caudrons in steed of bels discharging all their ordnance and that day a solemne sermon was made wherein thankes was giuen to God for preseruing them so long a time from their enemies entreating him still to do the like Sundrie sallies and assaults were made store of fire-works were throwne into the enemies Campe and plat-formes which were made of sagots Among others a certaine Ingeneer called Pompey the Romain inuented sundrie meanes to choake the gullet but all his labour was to no purpose The besieged had made an halfe moone on the farther side of the Gullet to defend the going in and out of the boats and to keepe them safe in the towne dikes and the better to skale the said stalfe moone this Pompey had framed a bridge for assault mounted on foure great brasen wheels like to a Chariot on which this bridge was to bee drawne it bended in the middest and rested on a great mast one hundred and fiftie foot long whereon this bridge might bee drawne vp and let downe It was made of Cables and small cords twined together on small masts The fore part was drawne vp along the mast like a drawe bridge which being brought neere to the town they would haue let fall ouerthwart the dikes vpon the Rampires this bridge was drawne by forty horses With this bridge which they termed the luy-wagon or idle wagon they thought to haue assaulted the halfe moon beyond the gullet The besieged perceiuing it to come forwards did with their Canon shot break one of the wheels before it could be mended had erected masts vpon the counterscarp of the halfe moone that when their bridge should bee let fall it might rest vpon the said masts this being perceiued by the enemy he gaue ouer his inuention In Iune 1603 D. Rodrigo Lasso came from Spaine and brought newes that Marquis Ambrose Spinola brother to Ieronimo Spinola that was slaine in the Gallies before Sluce had after his brothers death couenanted with the king of Spaine to take vp great sums of money for his Majesties seruice on certain assurance and conditions viz. to haue the chiefe authoritie and soueraigne commaund at the siege of Ostend with ample power from the Archduke and not to bee enuied of the other commaunders in the armie of-what nation soeuer The said Marquis beeing come into the low Countries with this commission vndertooke the charge and presenly reformed many matters deposing sundrie officers placing others in their steds carefully prouiding monie and setting diuers skilful Ingeneers on work by whose help he hoped to take the towne for the besieged had long since lost all their fortifications and workes abroad The Marquis presently caused mynes to bee made and assaults to be giuen The Sea and high tides caused by a North-east wind which blew on the first day of March did great harme spoiling and carying away the mines trenches and conterscarps The besieged though they dayly receiued supplies of men and other necessaries yet the sixe last moneths they were mightily annoyed by the continuall batteries and sustained great losse for after Collonell Huchtenbroeck the Lord of Gystels the Gouernour beeing slaine in March who was a braue and valiant gentleman and much lamented Colonell Loon succeeded him who within a while after was likewise slaine and after him many other Captaines which had the chiefe commaund next Colonel Berendrecht whom Colonell Vtenhove succeeded and left the towne beeing hurt At last when the towne had been a long time without Gouernour the Lord of Marquet was sent thither on the tenth of Iune 1604 hee was the last Gouernour there Dauid of Orleance the Ingeneer was shot in the towne and went his way into Holland to bee healed But master Rafe Dexter the Englisman a valiant and skilfull person taried there still This change of gouernours hindred the prosperous successe of many matters their good Decrees being not well obserued some of which we will here set downe It was decreed for preuenting controuersies betwixt victuallers That no wares or victuals should be sold till they had first continued foure and twentie houres in the Market place All souldiers were likewise forbidden to play at Dice or Cardes on paine of eight daies imprisonment and fasting with bread and water No officer might come vpon the gard being drunke on payne of loosing his place and armes because that many souldiers went to the enemie the townesmen offered fiftie crownes to him that could bring in such an one either aliue or dead The enemies in regard diuers of their men came to our side caused their horsemen to keepe continuall gard yet it was to no purpose at all In Aprill May and Iune Marquis Spinola vsed all speedie meanes to take the Towne that he might goe and relieue Sluce sparing neither men nor money Among others Captaine Catrice was slaine he was a man of great experience in martiall affaires diuers other commaunders Colonels and Captaines were likewise slayne they also tooke the Porcuspine and approached daily by assaults and Mynes The twelfth of Iune Spinola blew vp a Myne neere to the Polder Bulwarke which buried many of his men aliue thereupon he gaue an assault wherein certaine hundreds of his men were slayne and some fortie or fiftie of the besieged The sixteenth of Iune the besieged made a fierce sallie vpon the Pioners draue them away Diuers other assaults Mynes and sallies were made that Summer by meanes whereof they came at last euen to the Dikes they likewise stopt vp the old hauen with Fagots In August they vndermyned the Sand hill and approached the other Bulwarkes by means of their platformes from whence they shot fiercely In the end Spinola resolued in September to assault the chiefe Bulwarke the Sand hill and finding the Spaniards and Italians vnwilling to march in regard of the daunger they had before beene in he resolued to make vse of
the whole Fleet. THe whole fleet together was composed of twelue Gallions of Portugal in burthen seuen thousand seuen hundred thirtie seuen tunne carying foure thousand three hundred and thirtie souldiers 1233 mariners 400 canon with amunition of bullets powder and match Of 14 ships of Biscay commaunded by Iohn Martinez de Ricaldo these ships altogether were of the burthen of 6567 tunne and caried two thousand and fiftie souldiers nine hundred mariners and 270 canon Of 16 Gallions of Castille in burthen 8700 tunne carying two thousand fiue hundred and sixtie souldiers and foure hundred twentie canon Of eleuen ships of Andaluzia in burthen 8762 tun and in them two thousand fiue hundred twentie fiue souldiers 900 mariners 260 canon Of 14 ships of Guipuscoa in burthen 6991 tunne and in them two thousand one hundred and two souldiers 718 mariners 280 canon Of the Easterne fleet with tenne ships in burthen seuen thousand seuen hundred and fiue tunne carying 2900 soldiers 867 mariners and 310 canon Of the fleet of Vrcas 23 in number in burthen 10271 tunne and in them three thousand three hundred and twentie one souldiers 708 mariners and 400 canon Of 22 Pinnaces of Zabras in burthen 1221 tunne and in them three hundred seuentie sixe souldiers fiue hundred seuentie foure mariners and 110 canon Of foure Galleasses of Naples carrying 864 souldiers 500 mariners 200 canon Of foure Gallies which carried foure hundred souldiers and 20 canon In the foure Galleasses there were likewise 1200 Galley-slaues and in the foure Gallies 888 which together make vp the number of 2088 persons And beside the aboue mentioned powder there was beside if any daunger or necessitie should happen 600 quintals of powder So as in the whole fleet there was 130 ships viz. 65 Gallions or great ships 25 Vrcas of the burthen of 500 and 700 tun 19 Pinnaces of the burthen of 70 and 100 tun 13 Zabras with two of Portugal 4 Galleasles and as many Gallies of the burthen of 57868 tun and in them 19295 soldiers and 8450 mariners with 2630 Galley slaues and 2630 pieces of ordnance of all sorts among which were great and middle Culuerings and some great canons There was likewise 20 small vessels called Caruels for the seruice the fleet and tenne Faluas with sixe oares a piece There were in this fleet 124 voluntaries attended by foure hundred fiftie and sixe seruants bearing armes and 238 entertained by the King with 163 seruants There was 177 persons appointed to wait vpon the ordnance with two Ingeneers one phisition one Surgeon and thirtie seruants Fourescore and fiue both phisitions and Surgeons with 180 Churchmen all Dominicans Franciscans Flagellans or Iesuits The Colonell Regiments or Tertios payed by the King in this fleet with the number of men vnder euerie Regiment DOn Francisco de Bouadilla seruing the King as Campe-master generall The Regiment of Sicilie commanded by D. Diego Pimentell vnder whom were 24 Captaines The Regiment or Tertio commaunded by D. Francisco de Toledo vnder whom were 25 Captaines The Regiment of D. Alonzo Luzon vnder whom were 26 Captaines The Regiment of Yssa commaunded by D. Augustino Mexia vnder whom were 26 Captaines Diuers companies or free bands some of which were drawne from the troopes of Castille by D. Iuan de Guzman the others from Portugal by Gaspar Sossa Antonio Perira And those which are called the Suelti or new bands were conducted by the Duke of Sossa So that there were in the aboue mentioned Regiments or Tertios and in the Companies Suelti 171 Ensignes amounting to the number of 18973 souldiers with thirtie more to make vp the number of 19295 with diuers Ministers and officers both of justice and belonging to the Dukes Court to the number of 185 persons In a word the whole fleet consisted of 18937 footmen 8650 mariners 224 voluntaries with 455 seruants that were allowed and 238 other seruants on one part and 163 on an other 167 persons appointed to attend the canon 85 for the Hospitall or sick persons 180 Churchmen of all Orders 22 Gentlemen of the Dukes Court fiftie seruants seuenteene Superintendents Generall of the Armie one hundred seruants belonging to them and to the officers of justice so that in the whole Armie there were 28687 persons besides two thousand eight hundred and eight Gallie-slaues that tugd the oare in the Galleasses and Gallies Prouision of food and nourishment for the sayd Shippes THere was in it 11000 quintals of bisket allowing halfe a quintall monethly to euerie man which proportion would last for sixe moneths foureteen thousand one hundred and seuentie pieces of wine for sixe moneths 6500 quintals of bacon for sixe moneths three thousand foure hundred thirtie three quintals of Cheese eight thousand quintals of all sorts of dryed fish three quintals of Ryce beanes and pease for sixe moneths 11398 jarres of Oyle sufficient for sixe moneths twentie three thousand eight hundred and seuentie jarres of vineger for 6 moneths with 11851 Pipes of water The sayd fleet was likewise furnished with diuers other things as with many tunnes of water spoones dishes woodden cups and other vessels to giue euerie man his allowance candle sticks lanternes okum and other matter fit to stop the shippes if the sea or enemies canon should endaunger them Great number of Leather sackes to keepe powder in linkes torches tallow candles to put in lanternes sackes of Fustian and Canuas woodden hoopes for the vessels eight thousand vessels to draw water and wine in fiue thousand payre of shooes which the Spanyards call Zapatos and eleuen thousand paire of other shooes which they terme Alpargates There was likewise all necessarie prouision for the ordnance at Sea with other necessaries as wheeles for carriages if the canon should happen to be laden with other engines for the easier vnshipping thereof there was likewise store of Banderols and Ensignes with the Kings Armes in them and the portraits of Christ and the Virgin Marie There was seuen thousand Harquebuses a crock with all things belonging vnto them 1000 muskets 10000 launces 1000 partisans and Halberds 6000 short launces or halfe pikes Beside prouision of spades shouels and pickaxes with other tooles for seuen hundred pioners Printed at Lisbone the 20 of May anno 1588. Hauing thus far made a large description of this mightie Spanish Armada wee will for the better strengthening thereof adde therunto the Dukes of Parmas fleet or armie which he had prepared in the Low countries both in the Hauens of Dunkirke Grauelin Sluce and other places which he intended to haue joyned with the Spanish fleet for the better execution of the King of Spaines resolution and designe The Duke of Parma with many thousands of men had caused great and deepe channels to be digd in Flanders as the channell called Iperlee the better to conuey certaine boats from Autuerpe by Gant to Bruges where he had prouided more than an hundred boates called Heudes which he laded with victuals and munition supposing to
conduct of the Duke of Medina to the Groine in Galicia which is the nearest Hauen to England where it tooke in more men and munition By the way a tempest arose which scattered them The Duke and some eightie sale kept together the rest followed by little and little except 8 which had spent their masts Of foure Portugal Gallies one escaped the rest were taken by an Englishman called Dauid Guyn wherein D. Diego de Medrena was slaine The fleet being refreshed at the Groyne commanded daily by the Kings Letters to depart did set fayle on the 21 of Iulie and held on it course till it came within kenning of England from thence by small boats they sent word to the Duke of Parma of their arriuall aduising him to embarke his forces for England They were discouered by an English Pinnace at the same time whē the English fleet lay at Plimmouth who supposed that the former tempest wold delay the enterprise of the Spanish Nauie wherupon the Lord Admiral of England receiued letters from the Qu how she had intelligence that the Spanish fleet wold not come forward or at least not in a lōg time that therfore the Admiral shold do well to discharge some of the great ships and send them away But he hauing receiued newes of their approch on the 29 of Iulie at foure of the clocke in the afternoone gaue speedie comaundement that the whole fleet should put forth of the hauen that the souldiers should bee embarked which was not done but with great difficultie The Lord Admirall the same night came in to the road with sixe ships and the next day by noone which was the 30 of Iulie they descried the Spanish Nauie which with a South West wind bent it course as it seemed directly towards Plimmouth but when they perceiued the English were forth of the hauen they passed on forward Here according to the opinion of some sufficient and vnderstanding men the Spanish fleet committed a great error for D. Alonso de Leyuas aduice was to haue gone and assaulted Plimmouth for therein was great likelihood of good successe seeing that the English were vnprepared had bad intelligence of the Spanish Nauie whereby they might haue surprised them on the sodaine That the hauen was verie fit and commodious for the aduauncement of their design that there they might haue made some trial of their valor had some proose of the strength of the English fleet the peoples affection and that by giuing an alarme to those parts the chiefe strength of the countrie would haue bin drawne thither and Parma therby haue had better meanes to haue come forth with his forces But their instructions from their king and his Councel forbad it who expresly commāded them not to enterprise any thing by the way but onely to joyne with Parma and together with his troopes and vessels to make an attempt vpon Margate which they thought might bee easily done which would haue so amazed the English Low-countrie fleet as each of them would haue withdrawne themselues to their own defence to keep their countries Hauens from inuasion It is reported that some of the chief of the Spanish commanders which were skilful in Nauigation among whom were the Vice Admiral D. Iuan Martin de Ricaldo Diego Flores de Valdez others had protested that it would bee an hard matter to follow those instructions especially in a Commission with such restrictions alleging that in such enterprises many matters were to be considered as the wind time and tyde to come forth of the Hauens of Flaunders into England with the places roads and deepenesse thereof which are subject to wind other hazards therfore verie dangerous But they were strictly tied to their cōmission which was to come to an anker before Calais where the prince of Parma should meet them with his flat bottomed boats and other munition which vnder the couert and protection of the great Nauie should passe on and land their forces in some part of the downes But as some of the Spanish prisoners reported their principall project was vpon the Riuer of Thames where they might on each shoare land their men and by passing vp the Riuer surprise the Citie of London the Metropolis of the kingdome whether the lesser vessels might follow them seeing that London not strong but rich mightie and populous and the inhabitants therof vnacquainted with warre might at the first encounter bee easily terrified They did likewise hope that the Queene should be badly obeyed and that some discontented faction might arise of Roman Catholikes According to their instruction and commission they went forward often aduertising the Duke of Parma of their arriuall and intention and so vpon the thirtieth of Iulie they passed Plimmouth The English forthwith followed and got the wind of them by which meanes they might assaile the Spanish fleet themselues not be assailed by it so that the two fleets made towards one another The next day beeing the one and thirtieth of Iulie the English came within musquet shot of the Spanish fleet The English admiral thundred with his ordnāce vpon the Spanish Vice-Admiral who perceiuing themselues to be greatly annoyed by the English Canon fell into a close forme of an halfe moone hoysting their sailes but halfe mast high because they would not fall soule one of an other Anon one of the Galleasses was fore opprest by certaine ships and their battaile so assailed as the chiefe Gallion of Sicile wherein was D. Pedro Valdez which D. Basco de Sylua and D. Alonzo de Sayas with diuers other noble men brake her mast against another ship so as she could not follow and the fleet would not stay to rescue her but left her behind The English Admirall looking on Valdez ship and supposing that there were no men in her went on with as many ships as hee had neere him beeing loth by night to loose the fleet For Sir Frauncis Drake who that night carried the lanterne gaue chase to fiue great ships diuided from the fleet and finding them to be Merchants of Norway let them goe so as the English Admirall did all that night follow the Spanish lanterne thinking himselfe among his owne men and in the morning finding that he was in the middest of his enemies he withdrew himselfe from so great daunger The morrow after which was the first of August Sir Francis Drake met with Valde◠ship wherein himselfe and foure hundred and fiftie men were and sent to hale her Valdez for his owne honor would haue propounded certaine conditions which hee sent to Drake who aunswered that he would not spend the time in treaties but if he would yeeld he should find fauour and on the contrarie if he would fight hee should find him a souldier Valdez and his people perceiuing that they were fallen into Drakes hands and moued by report of his fame yeelded themselues and found fauor Valdez with his gentlemen and
some fortie or fiftie followers went aboord Drake and the rest were carried to Plimmouth where they remayned a yeare and halfe till they had payed their ransome or were exchanged for others Valdez comming into Drakes presence kissed his hands told him that they had all resolued to die if they had not bin so happie to fall into his hands whom hee knew to bee noble and curteous and famous for dealing well with his vanquished enemie so as he doubted vvhether his enemies had more cause to loue him for his valour or feare him for his fortunate exploits which had alreadie attained to the highest degree Sir Francis Drake did curteously imbrace him and caused him to eat at his owne Table and sleepe in his owne Cabbin where Valdez reported vnto him their strength how that the four Gallies were dispersed that they had thought to haue entred the hauen of Plimmouth without feare of the English Nauie which they supposed durst not haue made resistance and so haue become masters at sea They likewise admired the valor of the English who durst with so few small vessels approch their inuincible Nauie get the wind of it with other such like discourses Valdez and his followers were afterward carried into England he was a man much respected in his countrie kinsman to the same Valdez who in an 1573 had besieged Leyden in Holland In his ship some of the kings treasure was amounting to the summe of 55000 Ducats in siluer which was all pillaged The same day the Vice-Admirall Oquendo his ship was fired where was great store of powder and munition all the vpper deck was burnt with all the men of whom few were saued It was taken and carried into England with many men in her halfe burnt and yet all the powder which was in hold was saued which was a matter to be admired In the meane time the English Lord Admiral in his ship called the Arke had that night so far followed the Spanyards as in the morning he found himselfe in a manner alone in the middest of his enemies so as it was foure a clocke after noone ere all his fleet came vp to him Some say that D. Hugo de Moncada Generall of the foure Galleasses did at the same time with great earnestnesse intreat the Duke of Medina to giue him leaue to boord the Lord Admirall which the Duke would in no sort permit being loth to passe the bounds of his Commission Tewsday the second of August the fleet being before Portland the wind turned to the North so as the Spanyards had a prosperous gale but the English did againe get the wind of them their ships being lighter and of better saile By this meanes the Spaniards then seemed more to incline to fight than before to speake truth that dayes fight was most fierce and bloudie In the middest of the fight the English Admirall cried out aloud to Captaine George Semmer saying ô George what dost thou wilt thou now forsake me or wilt thou deceiue my opinion of thy valour which words did so inflame him as hee assayled the enemie so furiously as that day he woon greatest commendation But the English hauing with all sorts of ordnance sought with them from morning yet ceased not the Spanyards did againe inclose themselues in order of battaile whereby their enemies perceyued that they onely sought meanes to defend themselues and to goe to their appointed place nere to Dunkirke there to joȳne with the Duke of Parma who vnder protection of those great vessels might execute his designe with more safety In this fight a great Venetian Argozey perished The English fleet in the meane time did dayly encrease grew strong by ships and men that came to it forth of all hauens seeking to win honour and to doe good seruice to their Countrie among whom were diuers noble men and others of great note as the Earles of Oxford Cumberland Northumberland of Knights Sir Thomas Cecill William Hatton Walter Raleigh Horacio Palauicino Gentlemen Henrie Brooke Robert Carie Charles Blunt Ambrose Willoughbie Henrie Nowell Thomas Gerard Robert Dudley Edward Darcy Arthur Gorges Thomas Wood William Haruey many other noble gentlemen so as they were in number some hundred saile being come nere to Douer they were increased to an 120 which for the most part were too small to boord the Spanyards except some twentie two of the Queenes great ships The mariners and souldiers amounted to the number of eleuen thousand men The third of August the Sea being calme and without wind the fight was onely betwixt the English the Galleasses which were rowed with oares therin had the vauntage but it did them small good The English were busied in making Chain shot wherwith to cut a sunder their oates tackings they likewise sent a shoare for more powder which they extreamely wanted hauing at the beginning spent much in vayne of which they afterwards complained The same day a Councell was held wherein was resolued That the English fleet should be diuided into foure squadrons the one vnder my Lord Admirals conduct the other vnder Sir Frauncis Drakes the third vnder Hawkins the fourth vnder Captaine Frobiser The Spanish ships in sayling kept a close order of 3 or 4 ships in ranke not farre one from another and the greater vessels enclosed them The fourth of August the fleet beeing come before the Isle of Wight the English Lord Admirall did fiercely assaile the Spaniards with his best ships as the Lyon wherein was the Lord Thomas Howard now Earle of Suffolke the Elizabeth Ionas wherein were the Lord Sheffield and Sir Robert Southwell the Lord Admirals sonne in law the Beare and Victorie commaunded by Iohn Hawkins and the Gallion Leycester by Captaine George Fenner All these made vp directly towards the Spanish Admirall who with the greatest part of his ships lay in the middest of the fleet where a fierce fight was begun for beeing within 3 or 400 paces nere to one another they gaue each other their broad sides and discharged all their ordnance at last the Spaniards got the wind and once againe joyned themselues together In the meane time Martin Frobiser Captaine of the Triumph with some few others had brauely performed a daungerous fight with the Spanyards the Admirall came to reskew him and found that he had valiantly behaued himselfe and made a discreet retreat without any great losse So as the next day being the fist of August the Admiral knighted him and diuers others Saturday the 6 of August towards night the Spanyards came to an anker before Calais it seemed they resolued to stay there to joyne with the Duke of Parmas forces The next day being the seuenth of August the moone was at full so that at twelue a clocke it was full sea at Calais and at eleuen at Dunkirke The English likewise ankored within Canon shot of them whether the Lord Henrie Seymer brought his fleet of
magnanimitie and valor for that he had confounded their enemies in their own deuises and counsell The same day so many Spanish ships were shot through as that night and the next day three of them sanke Among others Captain Crosse fought with and sank a great Biscan ship forth of which some few escaped who reported that the chiefe in the ship flew one another because one among thē spake of yeelding who thereupon was slaine and his death presently reuenged by his brother and in the meane time the ship sunke vnder him Two Gallions of Portugal of seuen or eight hundred tun a piece were the same night forsaken by the fleet viz the S. Philip and S. Mathew which had verie great leakes in them In the S. Philip was D. Francisco de Toledo brother to the Earle of Orgas Campe master or Colonell of 32 ensignes with other Gentlemen who sought to run a ground on the coasts of Flaunders their masts being broken but being not able to doe it the chiefe of them escaped in a boat to Newport and the ship was taken by the Flushingers In the S. Mathew was the Campe-master D. Diego Colonell General likewise of 32 ensignes and brother to the Marquesse of Tannares with many other Gentlemen and Captaines This ship was none of the greatest but most strong for onely twentie shot of infinit numbers that plaid vpon her did pierce her In the sight before Graueling it was shot and receyued a leake whereupon the Captaine sent word thereof to the Duke of Medina who sent him a boat for himself some of the chief to escape which for his own honor he refused the same night she tooke in such abundance of water as fiftie men did continually plie the pompe to keepe her from sincking and finding her selfe forsaken of her Admirall the Captaine sought to runne her a ground vpon the coast of Flaunders and for sauing his owne life craued the helpe of poore Fishermen But being descried by foure or fiue men of warre that lay vpon the coast they made towards him haling him vp and willing him to yeeld which hee refusing they discharged all their ordnance vpon him and slew aboue forty men so as hee was enforced to yeeld himselfe prisoner to Peter Vander Does who carried the sayd vessell and the other likewise into Zeland which afterward through carelesnesse and negligence sanke The sayd Peter Vander Does a verie notable man did for a perpetuall memorie cause a banner of an exceeding length which he had taken forth of one of these ships to be hung vp in the great Church of Leyden where he was Scowt which teached from the verie roofe downe to the ground and yet the banner was halfe foulded vp An other lesser ship was likewise enforced to run a shore at the same time nere to Blanken burrow in Flaunders but Sir Iohn Conway gouernor of Ostend with those of his Garrison seeing this ship sent three fisher boats thither well manned who perceyuing that the Spaniards were gone forth of her that they had landed two pieces of ordnance enforced the Spaniards to quit them and pillaged the vessell and carried it to Ostend In this manner it pleased God not onely to shew vnto England but likewise to Zeland their enemies great vessels to haue them see and confesse how weake they were against so great a power had not he giuen them discretion and courage and in sundrie manner fought for them The same Munday the eight of August the Spanish fleet beeing thus assailed it resolued seeing they had sufficiently discharged their Commission to returne homewards to that end the whole fleet passed on vvith halfe saile before Dunkirke to whom the English with a South-West wind gaue chace And the morrow after beeing onward on their way they clapt on more sayles making no shew as if they were desirous to fight but onely of flight so as the Lord Henrie Seymer sent backe the lesser vessels to assist the Hollanders to keepe in the Prince of Parmas forces and himselfe with the greater ships gaue them chace till the eleuenth and twelfth of August not fighting with him because he wanted powder and shot fearing least they should goe into Scotland But the 12 of August the wind waxing high and the Spaniards making way with ful sailes taking their course Northward towards Norwey leauing Scotland on the left hand making shew onely of flight exposing themselues to so dangerous a nauigation being alreadie come to sixe and twentie degrees and seuenteene minutes the English would not share with them in their danger who wanting all maner of prouision especially powder and shot returned towards England leauing onely some smal vessels to follow them to giue notice what course they held so arriued at Harwich on the foureteenth of August with great daunger a mightie tempest arising which lasted two or three dayes which vndoubtedly did great harme to the Spaniards The English did presently make prouision of victuals powder shot and other necessaries to be in readinesse vpon any occasion But hauing intelligence of the Spaniards course they resolued not to goe seeke them out in Northerne Seas but to leaue them to the mercie of the winds In those Seas the Spaniards tooke a fisher boat of Zeland with twelue men in her belonging to Zirickzee who were brought a boord the Admirall the Duke of Medina to serue him and suffered the boat to goe at aduenture These fishermen went into Spaine and afterwards returned home reported that whilest the English fleet pursued the Spaniards they saw them readie to hang forth a white flag to craue a parley or else to yeeld fearing the passage of those Northerne Seas But certaine Clergie men nere the Duke who should haue beene most timerous crost it saying that it would dishonour them to yeeld so easily without one fight more but perceiuing themselues to bee no more pursued they gaue ouer that resolution The sayd Fishermen did likewise report that in the Dukes ship there was a place so wel fortified as it was canon proose wherin during the fight the Duke with tenne more retired themselues That there were 1200 men in her 300 of whom were dead and hurt and that they had seene 18 chests full of money to be vnshipt in Biscay which as they sayd were stuft with double pistolets In this manner the Spanish Nauie perceyuing that it had alreadie lost foure of fiue thousand men had many that were sicke and wounded that it likewise wanted tenne or twelue of their chiefe ships went to counsell after that the English had left them what was best to be done perceiuing that they wanted victuals water tackling cables masts sailes and such like things and despairing of the Prince of Parmas aide who firmely beleeuing that they would returne continued his preparations they resolued seeing the wind serued them to returne homeward by the North round about England Scotland and Ireland And vnderstanding that order was
citizens of London in their liueries stood on both sides the street as she passed along Her maiestie and Lords gaue thankes vnto God and were present at a publike Sermon made in the Church-yard tending onely to thansgiuing and so with great acclamations of people that besought God to graunt her a long and prosperous life to his honour and ruyne of her enemies shee returned in the same manner as she came In this manner did this magnificent great and mightie Armada termed the inuincible and such an one as in many hundred of yeares the like had not beene seene vpon the Ocean vanish into aire to their great confusion which sent it forth in anÌ„ 1588. Whereupon the Queene of England was congratulated by all Princes her friends and neighbours and many millions of verses composed in her honour The Prince of Parma in 1588 besiegeth Berghen-op-Zoom And rayseth his siege and departeth the same yeare BErghen-op-Zoom is a Towne in the Duchie of Brabant the first and chiefest of the 17 Prouinces in the Low-countries In time past it was but a Seignorie but in anno 1533 the Emperour Charles the fist honoured it with the title of Marquisat It is the first Towne which yee leaue vpon the left hand as yee goe from Roomerswaell and Tholen which are townes of Zeland towards Antuerpe It hath beene a Merchant Towne not onely in our predecessors dayes but there are yet some liuing that haue so knowne it in their time whether Spanyards Frenchmen Almans English and Scots came to traffique It is seated in the middest of the mightie Nertherland Prouinces viz. of Brabant Flaunders Holland and Zeland It iâ— not the least part of the first for it is within sixe houres journey of Antuerpe the chiefe Merchant Citie of the Prouince The three other are opposit to it viz. Flaunders towards the South Holland towards the North and Zeland towards the West It hath also a verie good Hauen which diuides the South Countrie from that of the North for so are both the countries named scituate on each side of the Hauen which lieth but 535 foot from the towne where it turneth towards the West and diuiding it selfe into two armes it openeth it selfe runneth into the towne One of the Armes towards the South serueth certaine water mils and salt pits which now are within the town that towards the North makes the towns Hauen Berghen is in circuit 10175 foot beside the Bulwarks There is a verie high earthen rampier dikes round about it it is likewise in some places fortified with palisadoes in other parts which hedges wals on top of the rampiers there are also diuers new bulwarks made for the towns defeÌ„ce And though it be now miserably dissigured by the breaking downe of many faire and goodlie houses yet it hath at this day aboue 1000 that are inhabited diuers others ruined by war are daily new built to be made haibtable there are faire and large streets in it 3 faire market places the great market fish market and corne market there is likewise a goodlie Church in it The Marquis his court is a great ornament to it The rich Cloyster of Nuns is coÌ„uerted to an Hospital for the hoÌ„spital without the towne together with other buildings were ruined in time of war After that all Brabant Berghen-op-Zoom excepted by the duke of Parmas conduct was reduced vnder the Spanish gouernement the troopes of his Excellencie and my Lords the States made diuers incursions into the countrie especially then when the Duke of Parma had assembled all his forces at Dunkirke there waiting for the Spanish fleet Those of Brabant Flaunders and other prouinces vnder the kings obedience seeing and vnderstanding the defeat of the Spanish Armada and feeling to the quicke the spoyle which the souldiers of Berghen daily made protested against the Duke of Parma and made complaint that all the townes of Brabant obeyed the King Berghen-op-Zoom excepted which was a verie nest of theeties and receptacle of raskals from whence forces were daily sent to surprise poore trauellers and merchants that brought prouision that the same mischiefe did likewise often light vpon their Burghers who were vndone by imprisonment and great ransomes yet this might in some sort be tollerated prouided they might liue securely in their Townes but Beâ—ingh in the Countrie of Liege Viluord and Geldernack in Brabant could witnesse the contrarie hauing beene taken and sackt That by reason of Berghen all the Villages were vnder contribution and those that refused to pay it were burnt their houses ransackt cattell carried away and themselues made prisoners Yet if the Duke of Parma would bring his victorious Campe before Berghen wherewith hee had woon so many Townes the enemies joy conceiued by the retreat of the Spanish fleet vvould bee soone conuerted to sorrow And Berghen once taken a way would then lie open to surprise the Islands of Zeland one after an other at least Berghen and the Isle of Terthole might bee taken both at once These vvere the Barbanders complaints It is not to be doubted but that the Duke of Parma vvas much grieued at the flight of the Spanish fleet and for that he could not swallow England which he had alreadie deuoured in conceipt as appeares by the preparation which he caried with him to Dunkirke seruing rather to be carried away in triumph into England than by force to surprise so mightie a kingdome He was likewise badly beloued in the court of Spaine for not assisting the fleet in necessitie Now that he might in some sort wipe off this staine which blotted his reputation he enterprised to reduce the towne of Berghen vnder his commaund From that time diuers reports thereof were currant not onely in the Low-countries but also in England whereof her Majestie aduertised my Lords the States by letters dated at Greenwich the seuen and twentieth of August 1588. At the beginning of September when there was no more hope of the fleets returne and that the Duke of Parma was come backe from Flaunders into Brabant all men held it for certaine that some attempt would be made vpon Berghen Certaine horsemen of Bacx his companie sent forth for discouerie brought backe with them two prisoners who confidently reported that there was nothing more certaine than that Berghen should be besieged One of the prisoners was a Gentleman and an officer belonging to the ordnance and the other was master of the munition when our men tooke them nere to Eckeren castle and askt them whether they were going they answered that they went to the kings camp that lay before Berghen Being brought to the towne they assured vs that all things were in readinesse to besiege vs that before they were taken the armie was on the march and that they verily thought to haue found it before the town and wondered to find the contrarie they likewise affirmed that there were 36000 men horse and foot in Parmas campe The 9 of the said moneth of August the
lord Willoughby General of the English came to Berghen and had made Sir William Drury knight gouernor of the towne The next day they mustered had in all 12 ensignes of foot 9 of which lay in the towne the other 3 in the forts besides 4 cornets of horse The Dutch captaines were Paul Marcelis Bacx brethren the English were commaunded by captain Parker captain Pooly who was cornet to my lord Willoughby From Holland they receiued a certaine quantitie of powder The Forts whereof we now spake are vpon the hauen which being too farre off from the townes defence sundrie Forts were made to secure it For the hauens mouth lieth 532 foot from the towne from S. Iames his gate it extends 535 foot towards the North and from thence falleth into the Scheld In this turning stands the first which is called the little Fort because it is lesser than any of the rest The other Fort lieth 3320 foot from the head and is called Valkenbourg by the first Captaines name that kept it from thence ye goe to the North Fort distant from the Houdt-port two thousand nine hundred and sixtie foot In Southland nere to Valkenbourg stands the new Fort diuided onely from Valkenbourg by the Dike and this Fort lies open behind By a conduit they can emptie the water of the Dike into the hauen or keepe it in at their pleasure From the new Fort they haue made a new dike as farre as the towne which is commonly called the new hauen Right ouer against the lesser Fort the sluces of the hauen of Northland were opened to keepe the enemie from accesse to the North for t The Lord Willoughby went into Holland to my Lords the States to take order for al necessarie prouisions for the town But before his departure he conferred with the Magistrat and appointed the towne to be diuided into eight quarters and euerie quarter to be commanded by a sherife to ouersee the Burghers and to looke that they laboured in the fortifying of those parts of the towne that were weakest The Burgomasters for that yeare were Frauncis Manteau and Peter Suidlants the Sherifes were William Frauncis the old Burgomaster Cornelius Iohn Cornelius Denis Marke Martin Adrian Iohn Iohn Clarke and Cornelius of Heusden The receiuers were Marin Nicholas the old Burgomaster Nicholas de Ranst When the sherifs vpon important businesse could not ouersee the workmen then some of the chiefe Burghers of euerie quarter supplied their places Foure dayes after the Lord Willoughbies departure the Burghers began at S. Iames his gate as ye go from the head to the new worke making first a trench vpon the bank or causey which leads from the same gate to the new hauen All along the hedge which is planted from the powder tower to the woodden gate fortifications were likewise made in manner of trenches they did also labor verie diligently in other places On the high way from Wouwe some of the enemies horse were descried wherupon the sentinel on the watch tower rang the alarm bell Sir William Drury the gouernour made a sallie and caused the enemie to retire All the horse troopes in the towne followed the gouernour who with those forces that sailled with him pursued the enemie euen to Wouwe part of the horse and foot made a stand at the entring of the heath of Wouwe and the Downes of Berghen In the meane time the gouernour returned hauing lost one of his horsemen and two horse for he went as farre as the Churchyard of Wouwe where he skirmished with many of the enemies Diuers condemned this his attempt saying that he had greatly endaungered himselfe and the towne by his too greedie desire of fight For the enemie was superiour to him in strength and he had too farre engaged himselfe to returne with safetie to the towne if the enemie should haue assailed him Returning from this sallie he caused the bridge at the Bulwarke of Helstede to be broken down for they that had vndertaken the works had made a bridge ouer the dike to fetch earth from the hill of Varij-Bogaert to make an end of their worke Cornelius Iohn the cities sherife sent messengers from the comminaltie of the towne into Zeland to aduertize my Lords the States that the enemie threatned to besiege the towne of Berghen and to that end lay with his campe at Wouwe and that the towne was badly prouided of necessaries for maintenance of a siege and that therefore the magistrats of Berghen besought them of aid and assistance in their necessitie as their neighbours and confederats that the cause was common for if Berghen should bee lost the Islands of Zeland would bee mightily endaungered The next day which was the 14 a boat came from Zeland loden with plankes and other necessaries And because the States of Holland Zeland those of the town of Dort did during the siege carefully send prouision of all necessaries to the towne In that regard I will truly say that it was wel prouided of corne butter cheese salt herring salt fish hay straw oates powder plankes nayles lead bullets match pike oziertwigs to make gabions c. The Zelanders sent fiue Culuerins of Portugal each of them carrying a bullet of 26 pound weight they were of those which Peter Vander Does Vice-Admirall of Holland found in the Gallion of D. Diego Pimentell which he tooke nere to Blankenberg and brought to Flushing The enemies horse shewing themselues againe on the high way of Wouwe were soone put to flight by our men because their number was not great About the same time diuers fires were seene betwixt Rosendael Calmthout made by such as went from Calmthout towards Steenberghen to assemble all their forces to go and inuade the land of Tertholen as it afterwards appeared For the night before the 17 of September great numbers of the enemie vnder the conduct of the Lord of Montigni went along the bank called Matreben to a place called Eendrecht meaning to surprise the Island All the causey of Tertholen especially where the water is so low as the riuer may be crossed is fortified with a trench and forts well mand with soldiers are made in many needfull places The Count of Solms was gouernour of the Island There where the enemie thought to passe is a large extent of ground where on Tertholens side are 3 forts the one Southward towards Tholen called the Botshoost that in the middest is called Papen-mutse or priests cap because it is square and the third stretching Northward is stiled the new Weer or passage The water being low certaine ensignes attempted to passe ouer to the Fort of Papen-mutse But the water was not so shallow as they imagined and the current was verie strong so that diuers of them were drowned and slaine by our mens shot some of them notwithstanding passed ouer and being protected by the banke made signes to their fellowes to come ouer But all this beeing to no purpose because the rest
horse who vvas Cornet to the Lord Willoughby was slayne vnder him and was presently remounted to reuenge his losse In the skirmish Marcelis Bacx encountred a certaine Albanois whom after hee had thrust through with his sword he tooke by head and shoulders drew him and his horse by force forth of the enemies throng notwithstanding all his resistance and carried him away prisoner After he had done this noble deed his horse fell down dead vnder him for he was shot through on both sides the ordnance on the bulwarke of the Friers Minors and on Steenberghen gate plaid furiously vpon the enemie carrying away both men and horse into the ayre Yet this could not discourage the enemie who was superiour to vs in number and this fight seemed a combat for honour and not for life so doubtfull and vncertaine was the euent thereof which continued till night and darkenesse separated them The Captaines Lieutenants Cornets Quartermasters Corporals and common souldiers had receiued sundrie shot vpon their armour yet verie few of them were hurt the greatest losse was in horse how it went on the enemies side I know not Those which lay towards the South did on the 1 day of October begin to draw their trenches from the Ball as far as the Hospitall Two daies after a certain Spaniard came yeelded himselfe he had slaine 1 of his fellowes for that cause came to our side Being questioned concerning the state of the camp he said that there were 30000 men in it that they had already brought 6 canon with theÌ„ did daily expect 50 more that the enemie determined to make his batterie towards the water mill so confirmed the coÌ„mon report how that 60 pieces of ordnance were comming to the campe This Spaniard was sent to prince Maurice and the States And because the rampier next the water mill was too weake to resist the Canon they fortified it and made it thicker To this end the Magistrat sent the Burgomaster Suydland into Zeland to the States to craue some helpe towards the fortifications because in many places the towne was verie weake and vnprouided of money workemen and other necessaries the enemie daily more and more enuironing it doing his best to win it The second day after the Burgomasters departure the enemie made a Fort there vvhere the Hospitall had stood which was within Harquebuze shot of the towne Then euerie man assured himselfe that the enemie would there likewise make a batterie vpon the high way toward Calmthout great numbers of Carts and wagons were discerned which the horse could hardly draw so as they came but slowly on to the towne-ward The Burghers and souldiers thought them to be the other canons which the Spaniard talked of so as the Burghers began to fortifie betwixt the gate of Wouwe and that of the Nuns that the rampier might be free from the enemies smal shot They likewise brake down the wals of Wouwe gate which were too high that they might do no hurt when the enemie should play vpon them with his canon A way was likewise made athwart the gardens at the foot of the rampiers that the caual lerie might lie safe if the enemie should batter the towne But it was farre from the enemies meaning to make any batterie for those carts and waggons had brought no ordnance but onely boats hauing some other designe as the euent declared The morrow after which was the seuenth of October fiftie two ensignes of foot came on the North side of the campe commaunded by Count Egmont these companies encamped on the lower part of the Northgeest There is a causie on Northland nere to Benmoer called Eesterdike because certaine trees called Eesters had beene planted there This causie looseth it name nere to Dryanneland It beginneth at the nether end of the Northgeest and extends it selfe towards Northlands causie as far as the Sea and diuides first the land from Benmoer and next the countrie of Dryanneland from Northland in that manner making three wayes as farre as the Sea-dike My Lords the States had alreadie of a long time pierced the sayd causie of Dryanneland hoping that the water would enter into it by the Geux Gullet or hole and that entring into Northland nere to Bariebas and so together through the Gullet of Dryannelands causie the water would make a great breach and thereby take all meanes from the enemie to come vpon Northlands causie The enemie was often seene vpon that of Dryanneland making good obseruations of all things Our men presently suspected the truth of the matter how that they intended to make a bridge ouer that Gullet thereby to come vpon Northland causie which done they might then keepe our vessels forth of the hauen Much speech was made of this causie some were of opinion to leuell and make it euen others said it was necessarie to build a fort there where the causies did meet and for the effecting thereof had conference with Count Solms Now because the first wold haue bin too great costly a labor without any profit at all for if the causie had bin leuelled and made plain it would haue stood the enemie in better stead than before and that the second was not without danger because the enemie was so nere that place neither the one nor other was done The next night after the enemie himselfe seazed on that causie placing two great shallops in the Gullet with which he passed ouer his souldiers and within a while after he made a bridge there At the same time likewise hee seazed on the causie of Matteberg whereof we haue heretofore spoken in mentioning the enemies enterprise vpon the Isle of Tholen Vpon that causie he planted his canon and thereby tooke all meanes from those of Tholen of going into Holland In the gullet of Tholen the causie was likewise pierced through in 2 places there they had also built a fort called the Gueux hole Opposit to the gullet of Tholen lay certaine boats of war which the enemies canon enforced to retâ—eat Right ouer against Barlabas lay the Admiral of Zeland with an other man of war So soone as it was day the vice-Admiral George More discharged two or three canons after some shot made these two ships were enforced to retire to Romerswael being shot through in diuers places not without losse of some souldiers and mariners As our boats went forth of the Hauen some towards Holland others to Zeland they were likewise saluted by the enemies canon The first that went forth notwithstanding it receiued certaine shot went forward on her journey the two last returned backe one of which was shot through in which a Burghers wife with her child in her lap was slaine and two other women hurt These fearing the enemie were flying into Holland and Zeland For at the beginning of the siege somewere so terrified as they thought their onely preseruation to consist in getting forth of the towne This feare was not lessened when
the people saw the verie captains send away their wiues children and goods Some of those who receiued no pay nor were vnder any command liuing only by bootie in all impious and voluptuous pleasures did in troopes forsake the towne and spared for no cost so they might be gone Toward the euening a boat came from Holland whereat the enemie made sundrie shot yet but one soldier was slaine who stood at the Helme The horsemen made complaint that they wanted hey prouender for their horse but that want was soone supplied from Holland About the same time the souldiers of Geertrudenberg tooke certaine ships laden with Delfts beere cheese butter herring and oyle which they brought into our hauen These boats were licenced by my Lords the States to goe to Antuerpe and Breda The merchants were imprisoned at Geertrudenberg and the souldiers hung vp their passeport vpon the gallowes Our men would haue imitated them and tooke certaine boats but my Lords the States commanded them to desist The goods were restored to the Merchants by the States commandement presently after the enemies departure and they sent supplies of horse and foot to those of Tholen which were landen at Venusdam opposit to Romerswael The enemie doing his best to take the Hauen from those of the Towne the townes-men in like manner did their vttermost to keepe it and made sundrie new workes the first vpon the North causie some sixe hundred foot from the North Fort called the Priests cap extending it selfe towards the Towne On the Hauens banke nere to Helst they made a trench The fort called Stauast was begun the foureteenth of October vpon the Northland causie is a place called Barlabas one thousand one hundred fiue foot from the North for t where the causie was pierced through in two seuerall places These two holes hindred the enemie from bringing his canon to batter the North for t Our men fearing that the enemie in the end would doe that there which hee had done at the causie of Dryanneland did themselues make good the place built a fort there which the people called Stauast because they were to stay there to free the Hauen from the enemie and for the sooner building of it they tooke away the Burghers fagots especially from bakers and potters And because the sandie bank of Romerswael stretched as farre as our Hauen and that it was verie daungerous for such boats as would at that place enter into it because they were to hold on their course too nere the enemies Canon to preuent this the shippers or saylers tooke an other way behind Romerswael and so by the South entred the hauen where was lesse danger For betwixt the sandie banke the causie where the enemie had planted his canon the Scheld runs so as the boats could not auoid the enemies canon which lay within 2000 foot of the fort of Stauast by reason whereof they could bring their canon no nearer the hauens mouth for notwithstanding he discharged his ordnance vpon the boats which entred the Hauen yet could he neuer touch any of them which was a manifest worke of God Nere to the gullet of Tholen lies a drownd land called Broeloose the which confines vpon the causie called Steendijke There did the States of Zeland make a new hauen verie nere to the causie of Tholen opposit to Molsgat a Fort so named on the riuer of Eendrecht By this meanes the Isle was fortified and a commodious passage found to goe to Tholen for the Gullet of Tholen was verie dangerous because of the enemies canon who since that time had small vse for his ordnance Eight horsemen of Bacx his companie embarked themselues on the 13 of October to go towards Lillo landing in a certaine place where they tooke their way as though they had come from Antuerpe by which deuise they tooke 3 of the enemies captaines with their baggage who came from Antuerpe towards the campe and with their bootie returned to their boat The strife betwixt Morgan and Drurie was not yet ended Vpon the 14 of October at night prince Maurice General Villers came to Berghen The Lord Willoughby had threatned to imprison Morgan and great harme was likely to ensue about this contention But his Excellencies arriuall pacified the matter after this manner That Willoughbie so long as hee remayned in the Towne should commaund all men as her Majesties Lieutenant and in his absence Morgan and that Drurie should get him gone who neuerthelesse remayned there till the end of the siege It was reported that the enemie had an intent to seaze on the remainder of the causie of Southland by passing through the drownd lands at a low water thereby to keepe boats from entring the hauen at that place And nere to Burghvliet the footsteps of those who had beene sent by night to view the place were discerned Gabions and three piece of ordnance were planted vpon the head the greatest of which carried a bullet of 44 pound and the other two of sixteene pound The canons in euerie Fort did likewise play vpon the enemie when any boat arriued The causie whereon the enemie lay was by the continuall raine and souldiers treading become so deepe and slipperie as they could hardly stand vpon it They had neither plankes nor straw and the souldiers were enforced to stand in the raine in the trenches without any shelter vp to the knees in water There was daily great tempests of wind and raine and it seemed though the enemie besieged Berghen that they themselues were besieged by raine wind and sundrie other grieuous discommodities Those of the towne began to leuell the causie of Southland but perceiuing their labour to be vaine they gaue ouer that resolution At the causies end was a verie broad dike all men thought it fit there to build a Fort because that nere to the said dike there was a great piece of ground which was commonly drie so as the same dike might serue to defend the Fort against the enemie the Scheld likewise is not verie broad in that place by reason of the great dike opposit to Southland where in former time the toll house of Zeland stood There diuers men of warre lay at anker but if the enemie with his Shalops had brought his ordnanceto the Southland causie he might easily haue driuen them thence as hee had done before Barlabas and the Gullet of Tholen George More Vice-Admirall of Zeland hauing viewed the place said as much they onely wanted workemen Willoughby would haue had the Burghers to make the Fort but they tired with labour and trauaile and afraid of the enemie who lay not farre from thence on the firme land refused to doe it saying that he did them wrong to cause them to labour so farre from the towne and in daunger of the enemie For this dike was distant three thousand one hundred and thirtie foot from Valckenbourg and Valckenbourg foure thousand foot from the towne which together amount to
them returned into Spaine For which vpon the one and twentieth of October the people by tolling of a Bell were called to Church to giue thankes vnto God Sermons were made both morning and euening At night all the ordnance in the town and forts were discharged and the souldiers vpon the rampiers thundred forth many volleys of small shot so that nothing could bee heard in the towne for the noice of trumpets drums and bels They which had no harquebuzes fastened wispes of straw to the end of their pikes which they did set on fire holding them vp into the aire so as the towne and forts seemed to burne for beside the fire which the souldiers made others were kindled on the Rampiers and in the towne The souldiers cried out to the Spaniards how that the Spanish fleet was comming to helpe them to win the North for t euer after the enemie began to lose his courage A certaine boat laden with corne thinking to enter the Hauen was by the wind driuen vpon the North head the enemie shot at this boat and toucht it thrice yet no man was hurt and at last by the mariners diligence it was brought into the towne Euerie day there were skirmishes and euerie houre some new matter or other was performed in the plaine betwixt the town and enemies camp But the Burghers being tired with continuall labour complained saying that they could doe no more whereupon gouernor Morgan aduised the magistrats to impose some tax vpon euery Burgher and with the money hire labourers to end the worke The Burgomaster Manteau assembled the great Councell and propounded to them the gouernours demaund This great Councell is composed of the new Councell viz. of the Magistrats then in authoritie and of the old namely of such as haue beene Burgomasters Sherifes receiuers and counsellers chosen out of euery companie who haue a place in this great Councell The Gouernours demand was allowed and the Burghers were discharged from their labour and the worke which was imperfect was within a while finished There was great want of planks so as they were enforced to teare vp diuers new floares to serue for the workes which after the siege the towne paid for But this want together with that of other necessaries being not fully supplied the Burghomaster Sudland was on the sixe and twentieth of October sent into Holland not onely to my Lords the States but to the magistrats of the town of Dort who during the siege shewed themselues verie affectionat to the good of the towne Certaine Scots lay in a Burghers house called Iohn Dyalle who among other things fit to burne pluckt vp a piece of timber called a summer which supported the whole frame whereupon the whole house fell downe vpon them and slew 3 of them thereupon proclamation was made on paine of life that no souldier should breake vp any timber in any house On the Rampiers of the towne and forts pitch barrels full of chips and straw were placed to giue light if the enemie should in the night make any attempt vpon the towne The seuen and twentieth of October the great bell was rung to publish the Faire or free Mart not in hope that many people would come to it but because the towne is bound so to doe for feare of loosing the priuiledge of the Mart. During this time which continued sixe weekes all fugitiues may boldly come thither traitors theeues and banished men excepted and no man is called in question for debt but onely for that which he shall fall into during the Mart. The day following his Excellencie came into the towne by his presence to encourage the souldiers and Burghers to view the fortifications and to take order for all necessaries belonging to the siege The same day the imposition heretofore mentioned was much raised which did in no sort please the Burghers who vnderstanding that my Lords the States were come into the Isle of Tholen sent the Burgomaster Manteau and William Frauncis the old Burgomaster to them these at tenne of clocke at night went in the companie of his Excellencies seruants to Venusdam and preuailed so farre with my Lords the States as they promised to giue them three thousand florins towards the fortification of Berghen and they receyued one thousand eight hundred in hand The morrow after the Burgomasters departure the enemie forsooke the causie of Matteberg Those of the Island perceiuing it did without any noyce set fire on the enemies campe The time was not long ere the enemie would be enforced with great disgrace and losse to retire For despairing to take the towne he could expect no lesse but to haue his campe ruined by little and little with continuall sallies canon shot from the towne raine foule weather and sicknesse which ensued whereupon on the thirtieth of October hee forsooke the Northland causie Those of the Gueux Gullet were the first that perceiued his departure and came with their boats to their causie where they found none but one Alman who was fast a sleepe who beeing awaked and perceiuing his fellowes to be gone fell vpon his knees and sued for his life then did our men presently breake the bridge ouer the Gullet of Dryanneland Vpon the thirtieth or one and thirtieth of October at night the enemie with fourteene great shalops went to Sea-ward to see if they could take any bootie yet they took nothing but a poore fisherman of Romerswael about noone returned from whence they came our men of warre though they were vndersaile could not ouertake them for they still kept in the shallowest waters His Excellencie Count Solms my Lords Barneâ—velt Egmont Valck Vosbergue and diuers others did the same day come to the Towne The souldiers that they might shew their valours to the sayd Lords made a fallie forth of the North side of the Towne but in vayne because the enemie would not come forth The Burghers Fort was not yet ended The mony before mentioned being graunted by my Lords the States the imposition was lessened and certaine Boores hired to end the worke Our men planted two canons on a certaine place called Boeten-verdriet with which they scoured the valley betwixt the high and nether Northgeest and shot into the enemies Campe so as sometimes with one shot they ouerthrew tents barrels of wineâ— tunnes of Beere and men all at once The enemie to redresse this inconuenience made many Gabions in the valley but to small purpose In the meane time a rumour was spred that the enemie had made a Mine from Holweghen as farre as the towne Dike to blow vp part thereof and though most men thought it a vaine and idle reeport yet because the water in the South Dike was on the sixt of Nouember fallen one foot this fable was receiued for truth The Lord Willoughby with two or three other went directly to Holweghen this way is so low as a man from thence can scarce discerne the top of a pike notwithstanding that
he that carries it should aduaunce it as high as he could and although the enemie was not far from them vpon S. Gertrudes mount yet the lord Willoughbie wold not return ere he had from aboue wel viewed and considered the depth of that way where he found no markes or signes of any Mine The ninth of Nouember the Earle of Northumberland and generall Norris came from England with a gallant traine of gentlemen At their arriuall all the ordnance great and small was discharged and the great Bell was rung The Earle came to see the Low-countries and Berghen-op-Zoom Generall Norris was by her Majestie sent to my Lords the States to procure some aid for D. Antonio King of Portugal for the Queene prepared a mightie fleet to re-establish D. Antonio in his kingdome from whence he had beene expulsed by the Spaniards Vchtenbroeck with fiue or sixe horse galoped forth of the gates towards the Sautwech before the enemies campe and there tooke two horsemen prisoners and a victualler with a waggon laden with beere who in despite of the enemie and before his face they brought to the Towne And to giue some delight to the Earle the English did the next day determine to make a sallie the footmen sallied vpon the enemies campe by the Mine at the powder gate for in hast they had made a Bridge ouer the Dike These at Holweghen did skirmish with the Italians that lay vpon Saint Gertrudes mount the horse sallied at Wouwe gate Parker stayed vpon Wijngaert hill and Poolie in the plaine towards Bourghvliet The brethren Bacx were not there for they had no warning of the sallie The Almans which were encamped on the Rabergh came downe into the plaine at the foot of the hill and made a stand not farre from Wijngaerts hill many retired behind the hedges and bushes others allured our men to come forward Captaine Veer with some thirtie souldiers driues away the Almans from their place of aduauntage Parker assailes and pursues them as farre as the Rabergh and suffereth few of them to escape A young Gentleman Captaine of a foot companie beeing on horsebacke and charging together with Parker was taken prisoner being carried by the furie of his horse into the middest of the enemies campe and was afterwards exchanged for D. Iuan de Mendoza both of them being almost of one age All prisoners that were taken did constantly affirme that the Duke of Parma determined to raise the siege On the eleuenth of Nouember a generall sallie was made on Steenberghens side by all the horse and foot some few excepted who here and there garded the gates and the Rampiers Generall Balfort with sixe hundred choyce souldiers both Dutch Scotch came thither at the same time from Tholen Captain Veer conducted the free booters that were to begin the skirmish Captaine Marcelis Bacx with his harquebuziers marched directly towards the enemies camp Balfort embattailed his troops on the highway of Steenberghen Those of the towne stood in the plaine on the right hand of that highway towards the West The Lanciers went somewhat on the one side towards the Sand-Wegh The footmen which went before with captaine Veer shot furiously vpon the enemies who shewed himselfe open aboue from their fortifications Certaine of the enemies horse made a braue sallie and were as brauely saluted with small shot and forthwith enforced to returne to their campe with losse of some of their horse In this manner was the time spent the enemie still continuing himselfe in his trenches which were too strong for vs to breake into Our men returned into the Towne thinking they had woon honour enough in that for two houres space they had dared the enemie to fight and in a manner halfe assayled their Campe. Of Captaine Veers souldiers foure were slayne and 12 hurt with the enemies shot On the twelfth of Nouember the enemie did set fire on the North part of the campe he likewise burnt the castle of Halteren and the next day about tenne of the clocke before noone they depart from Riselberg and Northgeest where they stood a long time in battaile till their lodgings were burnt and their baggage carried away to the Southward In their march nothing was seen but their ensigns tops by reason of the said hils But comming nere the Ball on the high way called Habergue which leads into Berghen wood there they discouered themselues openly There were they grieuously tormented by the canon from the rampier of the woodden gate It was delightfull to behold how their battaile was broken at euerie shot our canon made so as at last they were enforced to breake their order and to diuide themselues All the night following nothing was heard but the noice of drummes and trumpets to fauour the retreat of the wagoners which brought away the baggage Before day breake the campe towards the South was likewise seene all on fire the enemie retired towards Calmthoudt placing sentinels on diuers hils to giue them intelligence if the townesmen sallied forth So soone as it was day the Lord Willoughbie went forth at Wouwe gate with one and twentie ensigne on foot and all the cauallerie taking two falconets along with him The enemies sentinels seeing this doe presently retire our men doe speedily seaze on the enemies trenches and campe the fanterie makes a stand on the Raberg the cauallerie galops after the enemie and fell in vpon the rereward mocking scoffing them to prouoke them to fight But al this being in vain they returned for it was enough for them to haue reproched the base retreat of so great a Kings campe which was no better than a manifest flight some straungers that were found in the campe were slain two or three women excepted whose liues were saued The Lord Willoughbie assembled all the horse and foot companies captaine Marcellis Bacx excepted who was absent pursuing the enemie with part of the cauallerie whom he sent to seeke intending to honour him among the rest for his valour But being not found and the intended ceremonie not to be delayed because he would performe it in the enemies view the Lord Generall turned towards Veer Knollis Parker and Poolie his countriemen and likewise towards captaine Paule Bacx a Dutchman speaking thus vnto them Seeing it is an auntient and laudable vse that those who haue behaued themselues valiantly in the warres should receiue some acknowledgement of their valour and for that mine owne eyes are witnesse of your prowesse whereof I take the enemie to witnesse who hath often to his great losse made triall what souldiers you are Our illustrious Ladie the Queenes Maiestie of England whose Lieutenant Generall I am and whose commaundement I will now performe doth honour each of you with the order of knighthood and touching all of them gently with his sword vpon their shoulders he sayd Receiue from her Maiestie this remembrance of her good will and affection which all of you by your valour haue deserued
his soldiers to another Corps du gard nere to the Castles great plat-forme where sixteene souldiers more made some resistance who were all slaine This done and a signall giuen Count Hohenlo two houres after came to the Castle with his Excellencies vangard but because the vttermost gate of the Castle could not be opened by reason of the yce his suoldiers entred nere to the Sluce by breaking down a pallisado Hohenlo being entred young Lansauecia made an accord with him to go his way himself soldiers with their liues Within a while after Prince Maurice and his souldiers both horse and foot arriued and with him the Earles Philip of Nassau and Solms Sir Fraucis Veer who commanded the English the Admiral Iustinus of Nassau the Lords of Famas Verdoes and other Captaines And as Count Hohenlo had exhorted the Burghers to returne to the obedience of their auncient Lord and Prince Maurice had giuen order to enter the towne at two gates they sent a drumme who craued leaue that some of the Burgomasters might come and parley who in lesse than an houres space made an accord that the Burghers should redeeme themselues from spoile by paying two moneths wages to the souldiers the summe amounting to 97074 florins In this manner their armes being throwne downe Prince Maurice sent the Lord Vander-Noot Captaine of his gard to seaze vpon the State-house and other places The same night that the first alarme was giuen in the Castle the Marquis of Guasto his horse companie and fiue other ensignes of Italians being affrighted did in disorder breake downe a gate and basely fled forth of the towne notwithstanding that the Burghers who feared the spoile of their goods promised them all ayd and assistance if they would tarrie and defend it but in vaine This was a great disgrace to so noble a Nation which the Prince of Parma reuenged by reproaching the Spaniards some of whom he imprisoned and beheaded certaine captaines among others Caesar Guitra Iulio Gratiauo Guastos Lieutenant whose name was Turlantino and the corporall who had so slenderly searcht the boat The towne and castle of Breda were miraculously taken without any great losse of bloud one onely man being lost who by reason of the darkenesse fell into the water and was drowned of the garrison in the castle fortie were slaine For this victorie all the vnited prouinces and townes gaue publique thankes vnto God in their Churches made bonefires and in memorie thereof coyned pieces of gold siluer and copper with this superscription on the one side how that the towne of Breda had beene on the fourth of March 1590 freed from the Spanish bondage by the conduct of Prince Maurice of Nassau and on the other side was the Dike with the turfe boat which carried the souldiers with this circumscription Readie to win or die and then The reward of an inuincible courage Prince Maurice by the consent of my Lords the States gaue the gouernement of the Towne Castle and Countrie of Breda to captaine Herauguieres with ample commaund to Captaine Lambert Charles the office of Serjeant Major and to other particular Captains and soldiers some of the sayd pieces or medâ—ls in pure gold with sums of money with promise of aduauncement according to euerie mans qualitie and merit the shippers were likewise aduanced and well rewarded The towne was forthwith prouided for according to the Lord of Oldenbbarvelts direction with all kind of muniâ—ion and victuals from Holland for a yeare and a halfe and before ten dayes were expired foure hundred horse and twelue ensignes of foot were sent to lie in Garrison in the towne the Burghers were likewise diuided into fiue companies to keepe good watch And in this manner by Gods assistance the towne is till now preserued from the enemie ¶ Count Mansfelt batters and assaults the Fort of Nordam and is brauely beaten thence on the 14 of May 1590. THe Duke of Parma perceiuing that his Excellencie of Nassau had by a cunning surprisall taken the Towne of Breda from him did for auoyding a greater mischiefe before March was expired said Count Charles of Mansfelt with 40000 men towards Breda to hinder their incursions and secure the Countrie who presently seazed on all the places round about it as Oosterhout Tering and other townes wherein he placed souldiers hee likewise tooke Seuenberghen and other towns where he vsed great crueltie At Terheyden which is a village betwixt Seuenberghen and Breda seated on a little riuer called the Mercke he caused a great Fort to be built with a bridge ouer the riuer thereby to keep victuals from Breda and lay there encamped till the worke was ended thinking thereby to oppresse Breda In May following he besiged the fort of Nordam which my lords the States hold nere to Seuenberghen seated nere the water commaunded by Captaine Mathew Helt who was in the Turfe boat at the taking of Breda And the thirteenth and foureteenth of May the sayd Count Mansfelt battered it with seuen canon made 1200 shot vpon it and gaue a furious assault They did likewise at ful Sea bring a great barke before the Fort mand with good musketiers to anoy the defendants they had bridges likewise wheron to martch to the assault They twice assaulted it and were still repulsed with the losse of two Italian Captaines the one named Horacio Fontano of Modena and the other Giouan Francisco Pageno a Neapolitan with diuers others of name and marke Six or seauen hundred of the enemie died there for by often shooting they fired the barke and as many as were in her were burnt whereupon they were enforced to retire to the great commendation of Captaine Mathew Helt who thereby purchased much honour The vnited Prouinces in the meane time had sent a small Armie into the field vnder the conduct of Prince Maurice and Count Hohenlo with which in May they went to a place called Ouer-Betuwe or High-Betuwe encamping right ouer against NimmegueÌ„ where they built a strong Fort on the banke of the Riuer Waell the better to auoy the Towne they did it likewise to diuert Count Mansfelt from Nordam and to draw him forth of Brabant But Mansfelt not thinking himselfe stong enough came nere to Nimmeguen and hauing intelligence that Prince Maurice his forces began to make a Fort on the further side of the Waell nere to the State-house he marched towards them with his canon beating them thence and ouerthrew the worke new begun an afterwards the better to prouide his armie of victuals he went and encamped on the Mase in the Land of Cuyck So as Prince Maurice tarried there all the Summer to finish his Fort in view danger of the canon of Nimmeguen which with the help of Count Mansfelt plaid furiously vpon the towne Notwithstanding all these difficulties the Fort was made defensiue towards the later end of Iulie and was called Knodsenbourg or Maces-bourg in disdaine of those of Nimmeguen called Knodsendrages which
is as much to say as Mace-bearers because the Burghers when any sedition is among them carried a Mace before them in the strees The Fort was furnished with all sorts of munition ordnance and victuals for sixe moneths and mand with fiue hundred men vnder the command of Captaine Gerard the younger By this meanes they fortified themselues afterward in the Betuwe extending their bounds as farre as Waell intending to force Nimmeguen Prince Maurice placed Garrisons vpon the Riuer Waell from Bommell as farre as the Tol-house or Schenksskonce lodging them by quarters to hinder the enemies passage by the helpe of certaine boats of warre For Mansfelt did daily fortifie himselfe in the Land of Cuyck and seemed desirous to crosse the Waell beeing thereunto earnestly solicited by those of Nimmeguen who were much annoyed by the sayd Fort beeing vnwilling to subjâ—ct themselues to a strong Garrison which the Duke of Parma would haue giuen them The States did likewise cause a new strong causie to be made ouerthwart the lower Beâ—uwe from the Rhyne as farre as Waell beneath Nimmeguen and chiefely by the direction of the Amptman or Magistrat of Thyell called Diderich Vijch who was at the most charge notwithstanding that my Lords the States of Holland contributed many thousand florins thereby to preserue the lower Betuwe as farre as beyond Dort against the inundation of the Rhyne when it swelleth aboue the bankes In recompence of these exploits those of Guelderland as much of it as belongs to the vnited Prouinces gaue to his Excellencie Prince Maurice the gouernement of the said countrie and townes ¶ The taking of the Castle of Heel Hemert and the towne of Steenberguen c. in Anno 1590. AFter that Count Charles of Mansfelt with great losse was enforced to abandon the Fort of Nordam his Excellencie about the end of September came into the field with a sufficient Armie and on the 27 of the said moneth tooke the house or castle of Hemert the forts of Elshout Creuecaeur nere to a place called Engelen after some small batterie and resistance That done he went from thence into Bommeleerweert and on the 3 of October tooke he house or castle of Heel reducing it vnder the States obedience from thence he made hast to the new fort of Ter-heyden which Count Mansfelt had made to bridle those of Breda which notwithstanding the strength thereof was by the canon enforced to yeeld on the 11 of October On the 26 of the said moneth he went from thence towards Steenberghen which being badly prouided of all necessaries endured but 2 shot then yeelded 200 souldiers departing thence on coÌ„position 300 men were sent to raise the siege but Prince Maurice his cauallerie stopt their passage and enforced them to retire to Wouwe castle which was thereby much strengthened but his Excellencie in the meane time tooke the fort of Rosendall After these sodain exploits done in a moneths space prince Maurice embarked 3000 foot an 100 horse and went into Flanders intending some enterprise vpon Dunkirke which hee thought to haue taken in the night by Scalado The enterprise had bin wel coÌ„sidered by colonel Nicholas Metkerke sonne to Adolph president of Flanders but a contrarie wind putting theÌ„ backe twice the attempt was suspected then afterwards discouered hindred yet landing Metkerke shewed Count Solms Sir Francis Veer the place where they thought to haue assaulted the town which whilest they heedfully viewed all 3 of them were hurt this hapned on the 1 of Nouember whereupon they returned with a great bootie of cattel and other things The garrison of Ostend some weeke before had surprised the towne of Oldenbourg mand with 400 souldiers which they burnt and sackt but they could not get the Cloister Tower many other pettie exploits were done the same yere which for breuity I omit The siege and taking of the Towne and Fort of Zutphen done in May 1590. BEfore we come to set downe the siege and taking of the towne of Zutphen which is one of the chiefe townes of the Duchie of Guelderland and yet a countie a part seated nere the riuer Yssell a mile and a halfe from Doesbourg foure miles from Arnham and six from Nimmeguen we will briefely speake of the taking of the Castles of Turnholt and Westerloo which were woon a little before as a preparatiue to the sayd siege As also the equipage of boats and other warlike prouisions necessarie for a siege The second of Aprill the Garrison of Breda with others tooke the Castle of Turnholt therein making vse of a victualler who was wont to bring beere thither He as his cart stood vpon the bridge did thrust the Sentinel into the water and slew another in the meane time the souldiers which were hidden in an old burnt house stept forth killing the rest of the gard and so tooke the Castle In the beginning of May they likewise tooke the Castle of Westerloo notwithstanding it was vnder contribution The young Lord of Merode made his aboad there who beeing one day gone on hunting they layed hold on that occasion and by that meanes did easily become masters thereof finding it fit and commodious to reduce the rest of Brabant vnder contribution and there to busie their enemies whilest themselues should be employed elsewhere At the beginning of August they did cut off a rich Conuoy going from Brussels to Namur The States of the vnited Prouinces hauing now built their gouernement on a strong and sure foundation and so reckoned their contributions impositions and reuenues as they could for certaine moneths in the yeare encrease the number of their souldiers defray the charges and send them to the field prouided of all necessaries and were thereby able to assaile the enemies and to make an offensiue warre So as all the Summer they made their prouisions of Canon great numbers of Boats Gabions Bridges Powder Bullets Tents and other such like necessaries To attend vpon the canon they made choice of skilfull mariners finding those men fit to ship vnship the ordnance to plant and transport it and vpon necessitie and want of horse to draw it with their hands through marshes and ouer causeis and likewise to serue sometimes in stead of gunners The States did likwise send with their gouernor Generall prince Maurice as chiefe commaunder of the armie certaine of the Councell of State to assist him in all affaires as the Venetians make vse of those whom they call Prouidatori He had likewise a skilfull Councell of warre with all manner of officers requisit in an armie Their souldiers were voluntaries well paied skilfull and readie and though they were but few yet for that time they made vse of their old forces not raising new thereby to giue no cause of suspitioÌ„ but they were verie careful to haue their companies ful compleat and did earnestly intreat the Queene of England That her ayd according to the tenor of their contract might not bee wanting
horse baggage whatsoeuer belongeth vnto them the ammunition of war and victuals excepted whether they shall thinke good His Excellencie graunted the like to the Clergie Ladies women children and domestick seruants of those of Coevoerden aboue mentioned And for the better furthering of their departure wagons a necessarie conuoy for their safetie shal be granted them for which the sayd Count shall giue caution for their safe returne to the campe And his Excellencie promiseth in the word of a Prince that no harme either in bodie or goods shall be done to the said Earle or to any other that comes forth of the sayd towne Giuen before Coevoerden on the 12 of September 1592. Thereupon the Earle and his souldiers came forth himself was royally feasted by his Excellencie his kinsman and other Lords of the house of Nassau who discoursed with one another questioning how it came to passe that they being children of brothers and sisters should be so diuided in loue and affection and serue seuerall parties Fiue hundred souldiers that were in health and able to march came forth of the towne and many that were sicke of the bloudie flix It was a strong towne and 9 canon were found in it My Lords the States in perpetuall memorie of the taking of these 3 townes Steenwijck Oetmaersen and Coevoerden made seuerall coynes of siluer and brasse attributing the honour of these victories to God alone The young lord of Nieunoort was made gouernour of Coevoerden The campe remained there till all the fortifications were repayred and the towne prouided of all necessaries Verdugo lay at Velt-huyse and made shew as if he wold besiege Oetmaersen but it was presently fortified On the fifteenth of October his Excellencie with his armie went toward Zwoll and there resolued to march to Emmerijc to encamp nere the Rhyne to be better able to passe on from thence vpon any occasion shold be offered by Parmas forces vnder the commaund of Verdugo beeing readie to besiege â—eyther Groll or Goore or to stop the enemies passage ouer Rhyne but before they could come thither the wayes were all drowned and Verdugos troâ—pes were gone and the greatest part of them as the two regiments of Arenberg and Barlaymont had repassed the Rhyne with fiue or sixe Cornets of horse that were much discontented Verdugo with the residue of the horse Spaniards Italians and Liegeois continued nere to Oldenzeel and fortified the townes of Groll Goore Enschede and Lingen His Excellencie on the 8 of Nouember came to Arnham and quartered his camp in the towns nere adjoyning the ammunition ordnance bridges of boats were put in certain ships to be readie at an houres warning to make a running campe for it was thought that his Excellencie had an intent to crosse the Rhyne and to march into the countries of Valckenbourg and Luxembourg to find the duke of Parma at Spa but the said Prince his departure from thence to Bruxels brake off this enterprise Those of Groeninguen were not yet moued by these exploits nor by the losse of Steenwijck and Coevoerden to come to any agreement with their neighbours the Ommelands and the Nobilitie of Frize-Land notwithstanding that a thousand head of Cattaile had been taken from them in a road and had but one passage left open namely Bourtaign nere to Wedde but Count Frederick of Berguen went thither in winter with sixe ensignes of foot and certaine horse for the countries safetie ¶ A description of the braue and gallant siege of Geertrudenberg in anno 1593. AFter the Duke of Parmas death the king of Spaine bestowed the gouernement of the Low-countries on Count Peter Ernest of Mansfelt by prouiso as they terme it vntill the comming of Arch-Duke Ernestus in which meane time Count Fuentes and Stefano Diuarra both Spaniards were joyned with him as chiefe counsellors And the chiefe of the Nobilitie for more honour receiued great promotions and offices And the better to win the Countries loue the people were put in hope that at the Arch-Dukes arriuall all matters should be well ordered for all men supposed that in respect of his greatnesse hee would not come thither but with an intent ample authoritie commission and meanes to make pacification or to mannage warre in better maner for the countries defence in this hope the people did with more content vndergoe their miserie During this gouernement the Spanish Counsellours would presently haue set the late Spanish crueltie committed by the Duke d'Alua on foot and commaunded the souldiers to keepe no more Quarter as they call it videlicet not to release prisoners in exchange for others of the same qualitie or in paying a moneths entertainement for their ransome but would haue all prisoners to be rigorously chastised by the hand of the executioner This did they the better to moue their owne people for feare of the gallowes to fight to the last man and to be rather slayne fighing than yeeld themselues prisoners But common souldiers who followes the warres more for pay than for honor and makes an occupation of the art militarie wish for no such rigour especially seeing valour at this day is so slenderly rewarded honoured and esteemed Vnder this word Quarter they likewise comprehend not to pay any ransomes or contributions to the enemie This did much trouble the Clergie Gentlemen and Boores who haue the most part of their wealth lying abroad and not in townes beeing rather willing to pay small contribution for their safetie than to haue their goods burnt and spoyled Mansfelt then by the aduice of Fuentes published a declaration dated the 5 of Ianuarie 1593 That no man should after that pay any ransoms or contributions to the enemie nor procure any pasport from him on paine of death but that euerie man should prepare to hinder the enemies incursions to arme and fortifie against him and by the larme bell to assemble themselues to kill and take their enemies prisoners and to hang them vp whereupon diuers souldiers on either side were hanged The generall States of the vnited Prouinces did likewise against this publish a declaration dated on the seuen and twentieth of Februarie wherein they shewed how their enemies the Spaniards being straungers sought nothing but the ruine and destruction of the Countrie together with the peoples bloud and goods entreating and exhorting all men to looke well vnto themselues their Countrie wiues and children to resist such Spanish crueltie and to deliberat thereupon giuing them respit till Aprill following after which time they would keepe no more Quarter but account them al for mortal enemies intending to cause the Authors and counsellors of this rigorous Decree to repent their rashnesse and likewise all townes and villages which following the tenure of Mansfelts letters should arme fortifie and make defence against them together with all those which should refuse to pay such reasonable contribution as they were rated at By this meanes afterwards all these things were on either side permitted Count Mansfelt
Earle perceiuing the enemie to be too strong for him and that he had taken the towne of Ootmarsen and fearing if he should go to encounter Verdugo the enemie might inuade Frizeland he marched with his forces towards the Lecke and knowing that the forces of Slochteren Wintschoten and Wedde with other small Skonses in the vaert or passage could not long hold out against the canon hee sent them word on paine of death not to yeeld the sayd places till the canon were planted against them this he did to win time and to be the better able to finish his chiefe fort vpon the Bourtagne which he had begun to master and oppresse those of Grouninguen and he had alreadie brought it so forward as by the situation thereof no canon could be brought to batter it The rampiers were of the hight of a pike the Dike was at least fourescore foot broad full of water and verie deepe It had fiue bulwarks two of them faced the enemie the storehouse was built and the souldiers cabins made and it was prouided of all necessaries for two moneths and beside they might fetch whatsoeuer they needed from the countrie of Westphalia in despite of the enemie There lay fiue ensignes of foot in it commaunded by the Gouernor Gerard the yonger and if this fort could be kept they made no doubt but in time to take the towne of Groninguen Therefore Count William perceiuing Verdugo to be master of the field and that he expected greater forces vnder the conduct of Count Herman of Berghen he durst in no sort stir abroad but stood on his defence looking for more ayd vnder the comaund of Sir Frauncis Veer and others and his Excellencie had promised him if need were to come himselfe thither with an armie The Grouninguers requested Verdugo to diuide his forces into two troopes and to besiege Reyden and Bellingwoderzile thereby to cut off victuals from the fort of Bourtange and to that end they were readie to send him sixe double canon But he allowed not thereof fearing least Count William comming to Slochteren Skonse would cut off his passage betwixt that and Grouninguen and hinder the comming of his canon and though he should besiege those towns he was in doubt to be daily assailed by him And because Verdugo in that place could not make vse of his horsemen he resolued to goe and besiege the Fort of Bourtange where in a short space he wanted victuals and was enforced on a sodaine to raise his siege causing a report to be made that he ment to besiege Coevoerden and so matched on Groeninguens side from thence craftily taking his way in October towards Count Williams campe to assaile him on the sodaine and vnlookt for which he might easily haue done had not a souldier stollen forth of a little Skonse by which Verdugo passed and giuen th' alarme by which meanes the campe arriued which the same day began to fortifie and intrench and had almost made it defensible the enemie could come no nearer it than within musket shot and onely made some skirmish which continued sixe or seuen houres till night in which time Verdugo sought to draw them forth into the field but Count William would not come forth of his fortifications so as Verdugo was enforced to retire towards Groeninguen with great losse by reason of his long skirmishes Count William lost one Captaine and many braue souldiers the Scottish colonel Balfour was hurt in the foot with diuers others Verdugo perceiuing his attempts on Count Williams campe to be vaine and that winter would driue him forth of the field and finding but small store of victuals in the countrie because that the boores of the Ommelands and countrie of Drent were retired into the forts and townes he marched towards Coevoerden and seeing that the countrie on one side of the towne was high he caused a way to be made within canon shot of it with hurdles and fagots couering them with grauell taken from vnder the mudd in the marshes and on this way he caused two or three forts to be built as farre as the Drossarts house and that of Steenwijck and by that meanes did shut vp the towne passages from those of Coevoerden in that maner besieging them But these forts being wet and muddie many souldiers died in them that winter to the number of two thousand Verdugo with the remainder of his forces went towards Oldenzell where most of his souldiers afflicted with pouertie and sicknesse ran from him both horse and foot Of 2000 Lorraines onely foure hundred were left seuen ensignes of Walons were brought to so small a number as they durst not for verie shame vnfold their colours Verdugo went to Lingen to meet with a new regiment of foot leuied by the young Duke of Saxonie whose Lieutenant Colonel was by the garrison of Deuticum and others taken prisoner and an hundred of his men slaine the rest fled In the meane time Verdugo and Count Herman sent consolatorie letters to the Groeninguers which were intercepted whereby they intreated them to take courage for they were going into Brabant to craue more ayd of Ernestus Count William thus freed from his enemie sent part of his forces to garrison and placed another part at Visflit to keepe the passage of Vrijse against the enemie and himselfe with three thousand men embarked at Zoltcampe and went towards Bellingwolderzill to recouer the Fort of Wedde which they tooke and wholly finished the new Fort of Bourtange making prouisions to send to those of Coevoerden during the frost The Grouninguers in the mean time made readie a conuoy to send to Verdugos forces before Coevoerden but Count Philip of Nassau lay in wait for it with 500 horse and his enterprise being discouered hee tooke but fiftie wagons Coevoerden by reason of Verdugos forts hauing beene oppressed by 300 foot and foure hundred horse the vnited Prouinces did in Germanie leuie a regiment of Almans vnder the conduct of count Euerard of Solms cousin german to prince Maurice together with certaine horse the Queene of England likewise permitted them to raise a regiment of English in her realme who were commaunded by Sir Frauncis Veer Verdugo and Count Herman were busied at Bruxels crauing more ayd of Ernestus The Grouninguers sent a present of siluer plate and twentie goodly horse to count Ernest of Mansfelt which were taken by the States souldiers That done his Excellencie with his whole Cauallerie and two and fiftie ensignes of foot went towards Arnham there to receiue his cousen count Euerard of Solms the regiment of Almaus and certaine horse but their arriuall was delayed by reason of the high waters and bad wayes so as they were enforced to come by boat Verdugo had likewise done his best to assaile them nere to Lippe at a narrow passage He went from Coevoerden with eleuen cornets of horse and certaine foot companies but he came too late because they were alreadie gone These forces beeing come nere to Ysseloort consisting
Most of the baggage was pillaged and the dead bodies stript More than two thousand were slaine vpon the place for the countrie people reported that they buried aboue 2250. The Lieutenant general La Bourlotte with most of his captaines and officers were slaine there and not aboue eight of the victors among whom was captaine Donck who died of his hurt together with captaine Cabilleau of Flanders This gallant victorie was gotten by eight hundred horse but not without great daunger if the enemie had beene discreet and wel aduised There was one thing worthie of note A certaine Roman gentleman whose name was Septimius Fabius who deriued himselfe from the noble and auntient familie of the Fabij in Rome hauing some commaund among the Italians was deadly wounded and lay among the dead those that stript him perceiuing some life in him and that he seemed some man of note notwithstanding that he was much disfigured with his owne bloud and that of others did in compassion take him thence and halfe dead as he was laid him on a horse and carried him to Turnhout where visited by skilfull and carefull Chirurgians he recouered his health and was afterward for ransome set at libertie There were foure or fiue hundred prisoners taken among whom was a young Count Mansfelt Hieronimo Deutico one of Count Varacx his Councel the Marquesse of Treuico his Lieutenant colonel and Serjeant Major Aboue one hundred prisoners died of their wounds And thus his Excellencie returned towards Turnholt and the runnawayes held on their course toward Herentals where some three hundred of them arriued The Generals dead bodie was by his Excellencie giuen to his seruants who carried it to Malines where his wife and children remained and with them sent a letter to Cardinall Albertus where he offered to deliuer the prisoners if he would keepe good quarter But the Cardinall being too long in sending backe an aunswer Prince Maurice threatened to hang or drowne the prisoners if he did not ransome them within twentie daies whereupon he constrained the villages of Brabant to contribute towards it The boores of this countrie called Tielsche-Heyde did after the defeat gather vp all the armor and weapons which they found and laid them vp in a Church those of the towne of Diest commaunded them to bring them thither and as six carts were loden with them some of the garrison of Breda hauing notice thereof tooke them away by force and brought them into the towne on the three and twentieth of Februarie for a greater testimonie or trophee of their victorie The earles Hohenlo and Solms sir Robert Sidney and sir Frauncis Veer whose horse was slaine that day vnder him were highly honoured for their wisedome and valour as also other captaines and commaunders that had valiantly behaued themselues especially Bacx and Edmonds with all their officers and souldiers That night the campe rested at Turnholt where the canon was left the next day the castle was battered and after some eight or tenne shot those of the garrison commaunded by captaine Vander Delft yeelded it on condition to haue their liues and goods saued The castle being strongly manned euerie one returned to his garrison His Excellencie passed through Geertrudenberg and the 8 day after his departure from the Hague he returned thither againe whether he brought 38 of the enemies ensigns and one of their cornets which were hung vp in the great hall and in all places caused thankes to be giuen to God for this victorie ¶ The first siege and taking of the towne of Rhin-Berck in Anno 1597. MY Lords the States of the vnited Prouinces hauing made great preparation for warre did together with his Excellencie and Councell of State resolue and conclude though it was something late to send an armie that Summer into the field and to that end commaunded the horsemen to arme themselues after another manner without launces appointing the light horse or carabins to carrie a Petronel of three foot long others Pistols of two foot in length and to be beside armed downe to the knees inflicting penaltie vpon such as shold want any part of their armes their horse were to bee full fifteene handfull high and the men to weare cassaks The Councell of State allowed 300000 florins monethly for the armie There were two hundred foot companies and one and twentie cornets of horse in the States pay But the fanterie lying abroad in garrison his Excellencie sent but for sixtie and eight ensignes and the cauallerie commanding them to meet on the 5 of August vpon the Rhyne at a place called S Gravenweeert for the Councell of State had determined and concluded to besiege the towne of Berck to haue a more free passage vpon the Rhyne According to this Decree his Excellencie with his trayne and most of the nobilitie went from the Hague on the first of August towards Vtrecht there to prepare and assemble wagons for his journey and on the fourth of Augâ—st arriued at Arnham whether count William of Nassau and his troops came vnto him The counts Hohenlo and Solms came thither likewise with the earles Ernest and Lodwick of Nassau together with young Count Henrie Frederick brother to his Excellencie who was desirous then to trie his first fortune in the warres From Arnham they went to S. Grauenweert where they found thirteene ensignes of English footmen twelue of Scots fifteene of Frisons nine ensignes vnder the commaund of Count Solms eight vnder the Lord Floris of Brederode and 6 commaunded by the Lord of Duvenvoord with some twentie or one and twentie cornets brauely mounted Thither likewise came great numbers of boats loden with ordnance and other necessaries for a perfect campe His Excellencie on the 6 of August caused part of the foot and horse in boats to crosse the riuer of Rhyne and Wael commanded them to tarrie that night at Cleverham not farre from Carcar making a bridge of boats the next day ouer the Waell to passe ouer his wagons with the residue of the armie so as his Ex. arriued the same day at the Cloister of Marienbourg leauing three companies of the regiment of West-Frizeland commonly called the regiment of North-Holland with the boats which in great numbers did the same day set saile and went vp the riuer On the eigth of August Prince Maurice with his armie and certaine field pieces marched before the towne and castle of Alpen commaunded by captaine Bentinghs brother which he summoned This place seated vpon the way would haue stood the enemie in great stead and on the other side haue much annoyed his owne campe It forthwith yeelded Hee committed the keeping of the castle to captaine Schaef with fiftie souldiers and the sayd Bentingh with six and thirtie souldiers departed thence with their armes and baggage so as part of the armie arriued that Euening before Berck The towne of Rhynberck both by nature and art is exceeding strong and not easily to be taken and was at that time beside
Captaines and other officers which lay in strong walled Townes and Castles So as in these exploits he did not onely win nine Townes and fiue castles manned with strong garrisons but three Counties and three Seignories crossing seuen riuers foure with bridges three without and thereby secured the passages on the Rhyne Countries of Zutphen Ouer-Yssel Twent Drent Frizeland and the Ommelands which is in a manner the fourth part of the seuenteen Prouinces of the Netherlands as they are reckoned at that time when Cardinall Albertus had threescore thousand men in pay and himselfe in person in the field comming from Amiens in Picardie in Nouember before Ostend with which he durst not then meddle ¶ A recitall and description of the siege of Bommell and how it was raised in Anno 1599. AFter the conquest of so many sundrie Townes we are next to speake of the siege of Bommell and of the enemies entrance into the Island called Bommels-weert vnder the conduct of the Admerall of Arragon and for better recitall thereof we will make some briefe description of the towne Bommell is a frontier Towne vpon the confines of Guelderland towards the South and stands vpon the riuer Waell on the North side of the Isle of Bommell it is of a reasonable bignesse and exceeding strong by nature it was first walled by Duke Otho vnder whose gouernement the Countrie of Guelderland and the number of townes in it were much augmented The riuer Waell doth not onely make Bommell commodious for traffike but impregnable on the North side and free from all inuasion The Countrie about it is verie low and not alone vnfit for Mynes but for continuance of any long siege for in winter by reason of great waters and ouerflowing of riuers it inforceth the enemie to leaue the field Beside her naturall strength it hath beene euer well fortified with bulwarkes and Towers and is enuironed with a double rampier and dike as the Reader may perceiue by the Map From the beginning of the Low-Countrie warres till this day each partie hath laboured to become Master of this towne in regard of her situation especially the vnited Prouinces because it serues as a rampier against the incursions and inuasion of their enemies and is a strong and sure key to their confines which they likewise fortunatly obtayned by meanes of those of Gorcum who tooke it in anno 1572 and haue kept it till this present notwithstanding the enemies many attempts and daily diligence of the Spanish commaunders who haue often gone about to become Masters thereof and to take it from them As in Anno 1599 when they brought their whole strength into the Isle of Bommell vnder the conduct of D. Francisco de Mendoza high Admeral of Arragon and besieged the towne with the bulwarks and forts round about it And because this siege of Bommell together with the raising thereof is one of the notablest exploits of warre done in the Low-countries we will briefely set downe the most remarkable matters which were there acted intreating the Reader to take it in good part The Admerall of Arragon hauing assembled all his forces lying on the Empires territories and neutrall countries did on the sixteenth of Aprill take a generall muster of them and on the sixe and twentieth of the said moneth brought them before the impregnable fort of the Island called S'Graven-weert whose garrison was so strong and well prouided of all necessaries as it was to be presumed that the Spaniards would not haue dared to hope for the winning of it especially in view of the States armie which hindered them from enclosing it Their weake attempts likewise and the euent thereof shewed that they aimed at some other place and that this was but a counterfeit siege onely to draw the States armie thither that they might be able on a sodaine to surprize the Towne of Bommell and forts adjacent My Lords the States of the vnited Prouinces hauing intelligence certaine moneths before that the enemie would inuade the Isle of Bommell to be able from thence to make his entrance into Holland had giuen order to fortifie and circle the said town with new bulwarkes and flankers and to inlarge the forts of Voorn and Creueccoeur which by reason of their smalnesse were not able to hold out long these workes were alreadie begun in the towne of Bommell and fort of Voorn but not ended by reason the ground was too soft and the waters too high so that the west-side of the towne lay all open the old wals being beaten downe and the new not yet erected as likewise in Voorn for t where the new worke was scarce defensible and would not haue beene able to withstand the enemies furie These things drew the Spaniards into the Isle of Bommell that they might become Masters thereof ere these places were fortified And to this end they came before the fort of S'Grauen-weert to draw as it fell out the States campe thither By which occasion the Towne of Bommel and forts neere adjoyning were not so well prouided of men as was requisit The Admerall of Arragon lying before S'Grauen-weert and amusing the States campe had sent certaine troopes vnder the conduct of Zapena towards Gennip vpon the Mase vnder colour of a conuoy vnto whom he sent a great part of his armie on May day conducted by La Bourlotte The enemie for execution of his enterprise had prouided certaine boats vpon the Mase in which they meant to fall downe towards the Isle of Voorn and on the 3 day of May in the Morning they all embarked themselues and came to the sayd Island But Prince Maurice according to his vsuall care and diligence had aduertised the Garrison of their intent commaunding them to arme and stand vpon their gard who by this meanes preuented the enemies purpose and kept him from making any attempt Whereupon hee was enforced to goe backe with his boats to a place called Litt where he remained that day and the next The fourth of may at night they did with canon shot inforce the man of warre which the States kept vpon the Mase to gard the riuer and to stop the enemies passage to retire thence and to fall downe the streame and caused certaine boats to be brought by land towards Keffell whether they sent their owne fanterie which was imbarked by night and passed on betwixt Rossen and Herwaerde And the fifth of May before day breake they entred the Isle of Bommell where they fortified themselues on both sides the water This sodaine arriuall of theirs did so affright those of Bommell as diuers Burghers fled confusedly forth of the Towne carrying away with them what they could conueniently And to speake truely had the enemie presently after his arriuall in the Island shewed himselfe before the Towne he would haue mightily endaungered it the walls lying open and the Burghers being terrified But by his negligence and staying for the Admerall who was hourely expected with his whole armie he lost
which he shot into the Towne and ouer the bridge but did no great hurt spoyling the houses more than men daily approching towards the waters side that he might be able to reach our bridge with his ordnance and our men to defend it did much eleuat the wings of their trenches Our trenches bulwarks batteries were daily encreased being stored with diuers canoÌ„ culuerins other yron pieces which continually played vpon the enemie doing great hurt among his men so as they drew backe their cabins and Tents to be free from the canon Diuers of the enemies dead wounded men were daily carryed to Sertoghenbuske and other places neere adjoyning which filled the Hospitalls among whom were many Captaines and commaunders beside those that were dayly buried in the fields The foure and twentieth of May the enemie departed from the Isle of Bommell with fiue thousand foot and one thousand horse to fetch in victuals munition and other necessaries and on the six and twentieth he sent foure thousand foot men and certaine horse towards Antuerpe to conuoy the pay for the armie to the Campe and the better to couer his intent he discharged many vollies of shot seeking thereby to carrie away certayne ordnance Thereupon his Excellencie with all the gards went downe lower being followed by six cornets of horse and out of euerie English companie he tooke fiftie men which in all amounted to one thousand three hundred foot and with them embarked himselfe from Worcum and marched far into Brabant but the enemie hauing descried our men retired with all the treasure into Herentalls beeing vnwilling to leaue his aduauntage whereupon Prince Maurice returned to his Campe leauing certayne straglers behind him On the seuen and twentieth of May the enemie receiued his pay in the Isle of Bommell which was thought in value to bee worth sixe tun of gold all the garrisons dispersed here and there ouer Brabant were commanded to come to the campe to receiue their pay The same day our men of warre vpon the riuer dragged vp certaine engins that went vnder water which were carried away by the currant wherewith the enemie thought to haue blowne vp either our ships or bridge they were fiue foot long and one foot broad there were in them sixe Chambers charged with powder verie artificially made with fire-lockes and did beare out a point before which comming to strike against any thing the spring vnbended it selfe and gaue fire to the powder which brake all things neere it in pieces the enemie had made many of these yet they did in no sort hurt either our bridge or ships The thirtieth of May the bodie of the enemies Campe was much enlarged by great numbers of Tents and Cabins for he had newly receiued twelue great canons called the twelue Apostles each of them carrying a bullet of threescore pound weight with which came foure thousand Spaniards and Italians and certain cornets of horse The same day the enemie attempted to crosse the Waell neere to Dreule two leagues beyond Tyell but his Excellencie forthwith sent sixteene foot companies and fiue cornets of horse to stop their passage The same day our double canon and other ordnance plaied fiercely vpon the enemie who did the like vpon the Towne and especially towards the bridge but the bullets for the most part fell in a place called Haeftensche-weert doing no great hurt either to the bridge or men Dailâ—e skirmishes were made betwixt the sentinels souldiers which deserue no long discourse onely our men were commonly victorious Beside those of Bommell the inhabitants of Voorn Heusden Gorcum and other neighbour Townes made incursions vpon the enemie and tooke daily store of prisoners and many gallant horse and in Bommell alone during the siege more than foure hundred were sold. Newes came from Sertoghenbusk that on the eight and twentieth and nine and twentieth of May aboue fourescore wagons of dead and hurt men were brought thither beside those that were carried to Heel and other Townes His Excellencie caused the place where the old Cloister stood to be fortified from whence the enemie might haue greatly annoyed the Towne if hee had come on that side He did likewise fortifie a place called LitsenhaÌ„ began an halfe Moone there that he might from thence make incursions vpon the enemie The third of Iune his Excellencie caused all the ordnance of the Towne Bulwarkes and batteries to be discharged vpon the enemies campe for an houre together which enforced them to retire from before the towne and by night to burne their cabins and by to dislodge In this maner did the canon raise the siege of Bommell which the enemie had begirt for the space of twentie dayes The Spaniards from the beginning had no great hope of this siege but had rather to haue gone before Breda or some other Towne in the champaine countrie accusing La Bourlotte to be a traytor to the king whose negligence had held backe their first intended enterprises Those of Bommel perceiuing the enemies retreat did in troops run to their forsaken campe where they found much baggage armour and other engins many dead men vnburied many hurt men and yong children left behind whom his Excellencie sent after them causing the dead bodies to be buried and the wounded to be brought into the towne to be healed The fifth of Iune the enemies trenches batteries and other workes were made playne and leuell by the Burghers and souldiers with their owne tooles which they had left behind The enemie was so afraid to tarrie in Bommelers-weert as diuers Captaines which were not hurt withdrew themselues to Sertoghenbusk wearing their armes in Scarfes the better to absent themselues the number of them was so great as proclamations were made by sound of drum and Trumpet That all commanders and officers being in the kings pay should returne to their quarter and ensignes and a generall search was made to enforce such to the campe as were vnwilling The enemie hauing abandoned Bommell retired toward Rossem where the Country lay somewhat high and there encamped causing his bridge to be taken away from Creuecoeur and to be carried higher betwixt Alem and Marem His Excellencie to keepe the enemie forth of the Isle of Tiell fortified all the passages and sent 7 French ensignes to Nerines 8 companies belonging to the Lord Vander-Noot and foure of Suesses to Varick He began to plant sundrie batteries and to fortifie the Island called Rossensche-middel-weert and other places he likewise strongly entrenched the Isle of Voorn Both the campes were quiet all Iune because the enemie was afraid to passe on his way and Prince Maurice attended him in vaine each side being busied in making batteries and other fortifications and annoying one another with the ordnance The enemie began a verie great and strong Fort at Rossem vpon a Dike called Lorre-graft in a streight and narrow place of the Isle of Bommel with Curtaines the better to shadow himselfe and to cause the sayd
no great matter but were faine to retire bringing away some 60 dead hurt men most of whom were French-men and to speake truely of them had with incredible valour marched euen into the enemies trenches The enemie planted a batterie at Kessell from whence he plaid vpon Herwaerde and Voorn but did no great harme The 26 of Iulie he tooke one of our men of warre that lay in gard on the higher side of Amelroye and slew most of the mariners These were the notablest exploits done in the Isle of Bommell and places neere adjoyning from May till the 26 of Iulie All August and September both Campes lay verie still being strongly entrenched keeping good gard euer seeking some aduauntage one of another There were continuall mutinies in the enemies campe in regard of bad pay other quarrels The regiments which lay at Driell and other villages did most of them retire to Rossem for feare of being beaten There were continuall skirmishes betwixt our caualerie and the enemies who went about to surprise one another and to driue away the sentinels Our men still made incursions vpon the enemie and on the 10 of August tooke more than 200 horse and much baggage from him who was busied in fortifying his new Fort of Rossem with high and broad rampiers thinking thereby to stop the passage of the riuer Waell to conquer the Isle of Bommel and to open himselfe a way into Holland Vtrecht and the heart of Guelderland Many wondred whie the enemie was so long idle in the Isle of Bommell some thought that he would not retire till the fort of Rossem was fully finished But because the Archduke Albert had promised the States of the subiected prouinces That hee would not burthen the townes and countrie with Garrisons it is likely that hee busied his Armie in the Isle of Bommell the better to keep his promise As also because it was necessarie to keepe the Army neere the enemy for his souldiers beeing seditious and wanting pay it was to bee feared if they departed forth of the Isle of Bommell and should bee farre from their enemies that the countrie of Brabant would be in daunger of spoile and ruine as it hath often happened during these Low-countrie warres These are the most likelie reasons that moued the enemie to keepe his armie so long a time in the Isle of Bommel without any other exploits to these an other may bee added which is that they thought good to tarrie there in regard of the fitnesse of the place from whence they might make attempts on the neighbour townes of the vnited Prouinces as they had alreadie done vpon Worcum Breda and Nimmeguen but by Gods assistance and the carefulnesse of our commaunders it tooke none effect My Lords the States of the vnited Prouinces shewed themselues verie carefull for the defence of this towne yea some of the Generall States and most of the Councell of State came in person to Bommell not without great daunger of their liues for Canon bullets did not onely flie ouer the late Martin de Rossem Lord of Pouderoys house where they were assembled but pierced through it The Prouinces did greatly further this businesse for they furnished the Campe with all necessaries and all that Summer kept two hundred and eightie boats in pay three hundred seuentie nine wagons three hundred fiftie sixe horse of draught there were two hundred and three Bridge-Masters and other officers fit for such seruice To conclude the extraordinarie expence in boats wagons drawing horse munition and prouision for the ordnance and officers thereof did stand the Prouinces that Summer beside the souldiers pay in twelue hundred thousand florins This is in briefe the true description of the occurrents which happened at this siege ¶ A true description and recitall of the enterprises and voyages of the mightie fleet of the vnited Netherland Prouinces against the realmes of Spaine and Islands of Canaries vnder conduct of the Admerall Peter Vander-Does set forth in anno 1599. THe States of the vnited Netherland Prouinces did in the beginning of the yeare 1599 lay a general imposition on their wealthiest subjects crauing the two hundreth penie of their goods which they voluntarily graunted Whereupon they concluded beside their other enterprises to set forth a mightie fleet to inuade the King of Spaines dominions as the Englishmen had often done with good successe And to this end diuers ships were rigd forth the same yeare in the hauens and Merchant Townes of Holland and Zeland and many mariners were taken into pay ouer all the vnited Prouinces Some of these ships were double mand and victualled for a long voyage the rest onely to continue in ordinarie places Those which were double mand were chiefely bound for the West-Indies others onely for the Canaries to conuoy them and to assist them by the way All these vessels were strong tall well built and swift of saile The greatest of them was a ship of Amsterdam strongly built and well furnished for warre The chiefe commaund of these ships was giuen to the Admerall Peter Vander Does a discreet and valiant gentleman well experienced in martiall matters both by sea and land as it appeared in anno 1588 in the defeat of the Spanish fleet and more especially in this present action All the Captaines officers souldiers and mariners were valiant and skilfull men Their ships being readie did set saile on the foure and twentieth and fiue twentieth of May forth of sundrie Hauens and on the fiue and twentieth at night came before Flushing which was the Rendezvous the whole Fleet consisting of 72 saile all of them wel prouided of ordnance munition and other necessaries The Admeral was called Orange the great ship of Amsterdam was Vize-Admerall but being as then scarce finished it remained for a time at Texell and the 30 of May it followed the fleet and ouertooke it on the coast of Spaine before the Sea Towne called Groine The 26 and 27 of May the fleet stayed before Flushing to receiue directions from the Admerall and on the 28 weighing ankor they set saile from Flushing with a Northerlie wind directing their course East-South-East The whole fleet was diuided into three squadrons the first vnder the Admerall Vander-Does who carryed an Orange colour flag the second vnder Iohn Gerbrantsen with a white flag and the third vnder Cornellis Geleyn of Flushing bearing a blew flag as rere-Admerall In this order the fleet departed and on the nine and twentieth came in view of Calice where the foremost ships stayed for those that were behind In this place the Admerall did twice send for all the Captaines to come aboord his ship first to hold a martiall Councell after which two Brigantines were sent from the fleet and the second time to acquaint them with his intent and other necessarie affaires giuing to each of them a sealed letter which was to direct them how to order themselues in any difficulties that should happen This sending for the
hill but returned without any exploit one excepted which fell into the Spaniards hands who did cruelly cut him into foure quarters This inhuman crueltie incensed our men and caused them the same night to doe the like to a Spaniard The Admerall perceiuing the enemies great resistance caused fiue peeces of ordnance to be brought from the Castle which he had woone therewith to make a batterie and by Canon shot to enforce the Towne to yeeld Those of Allagona made a counter batterie attempting by their shot to driue their enemy thence and to enforce him to giue ouer his worke But our men did valiantly perseuer and in a short space planted the batterie notwithstanding that diuers of them were slaine by the townesmen and that night planted three Canon and shot fiue or six vollies into the Towne The 28 of Iune at night the 24 ensignes were embattailed 15 in front and by day break euery man went to his appointed place making preparation to assault the towne the same day The two other peeces were likewise planted on the batterie foure to batter the North Castle and the fifth to play vpon the Falconets and presently began a furious batterie on all sides Foure did continually batter the Castle so as those of Allagona were much annoyed and were enforced to place wooll sacks and barrells full of stones vpon the Castle by that meanes to shadow themselues But this in steed of profiting did most annoy them for when the bullets touched the barrells of stones they scattered them abroad and slew as many as stood neere them So as by this means the Castle before noone was wholly ruyned and the enemies pride abated wherupon the Admerall presently sent foure companies vp to the hils to driue the enemy from those Falconets and to set fire on the Citie gates But they within it perceiuing the extreame danger and their enemies furious assault abandoned the Towne and Castle and with their wiues children money iewells and whatsoeuer they could carrie with them fled into the mountaines The Admerall perceiuing that the enemie fled from thence caused two ladders to be forthwith brought from a Church that stood without the towne the first was too short yet on the other himselfe was the first man that mounted the walles and was courageously followed by his souldiers some ranne presently to the Castle where they found fiue brasse peeces and tooke downe the King of Spaines ensigne displaying that of his Excellencie The enemy had made a mine in the towne gate which as our men came before the walles was blowne vp of it selfe and did hurt to no man they had likewise scattered great store of gunpowder heere and there but our men did sier it And in this manner Allagona the chiefe of all the Canaries was by Gods fauour forcibly taken on the 28 of Iune about noone by foure and twentie Dutch ensignes after it had beene beseeged two dayes battered with Spanish ordnance and scaled with her owne ladders The Admerall hauing most of his men in the towne did againe embattaile them in a void place fifteen in front whither the foure Companies which he had sent along by the hill side to enter the towne came vnto him bringing with them a man of Flushing whom they had freed from prison The Admerall together with him and other Captaines went to the prison of Allagona where they found thirtie six prisoners whom they presently released The Spaniards had carried one English man and a Dutchman away with them into the mountaines who had already been committed to the holy house as they terme it and were condemned to be burnt Toward euening all the souldiers and mariners of the fleet came to the towne and sackt it certaine houses and goods excepted which the Admerall had seized on for his owne vse That night all the Captaines with their companies were lodged in houses apart and kept good gard euerie where for the enemie did often shew himselfe vpon the hills The 29 of Iune in the morning certaine mariners did rashely ascend the hills whom the enemie which was skilfull in the waies and passages surprized and for the most part slew Toward Euening 300 men marched toward the Castle on the South side of Allagona but so soone as the Spanish Garrison saw our men they presently fled to the mountaines In this Castle our men found three canon with other munition and it was manned with some few of our men In the night the Spaniards came secretly downe the hill surprized our centinell and slew him The last of Iune by day breake our men begun to ship the wines and other goods About noone fiue Spanish Captaines came to our centinells with a little flagge in signe of peace and were brought to the Admerall and after they had conferd with him were againe sent back to the mountaines The enemie often times sent in this manner onely to spie what we did whereupon the Admerall would no more speake with any that came but on the second of Iuly proclaimed by sound of Drum that euery centinell shold send back all such as came from the mountaines with flags of truce The first of Iuly a Sermon of thanksgiuing was made in the great Church of Allagona by a minister of the Reformed Religion by whom thankes was giuen to God for their victory obtayned earnestly beseeching him daily to increase it for the glorie of his holie name and benefit of his Church The same day the Admerall sent foure ships to Sea as well for other respects as to trie their good fortune and to lie in waite for certaine Spanish chants The second of Iuly the Admerall commanded that no man without leaue should attempt to goe vp into the mountaines because that the souldiers rash and vnaduised incursions had caused diuers of them to fall into the enemies hands After dinner one of our Brigantines tooke a small Spanish Fisher boat neere to the Island Forteuentura wherein were 7 men which were presently brought to the Admerall who imprisoned them The same night the rest of the goods were shipt and the third of Iuly by day breake our men carried away the Bells ordnance and munition which the enemie had left in the towne aboord their ships making all things in a readinesse for their speedy departure from the grand Canarie that they might put their other enterprises in execution The Admerall notwithstanding the great danger in the mountaines whether the enemie was fled had determined to assaile them and to take away those goods which they had carried thither To this end on the fourth of Iuly in the morning 2000 men marched vp towards the enemie and gaue him a furious charge but after some slight encounter the enemie retired farther vp into the hills into Caues and obscure places by rough and vnknowne waies and our men returned without any exploit and with losse of some 70 men The same day the Admerall did fire the Town of Allagona with all the Cloisters Churches and
houses round about it rasing all the Castles and so in good order himselfe and men left the Towne and returned to their ships We were no sooner gon but the enemies entred it and labored to quench the fire and often times shewed themselues in small troupes whilest our men embarkeed themselues but durst neuer come neere our boats The fift sixt and seuenth of Iuly the fleet remained in the hauen and Road of the graund Canarie as well in regard of contrarie winds and other impediments as also to tarrie for the foure ships which had beene sent to Sea The Admerall in the meane time did carefully visit the fleet and in the places of those commanders that were dead he appointed others He likewise called all the Captaines aboord his ship and conferred with them concerning the commodities of the other Islands of the Canaries Our men burnt one of their owne ships which at the fleets first arriuall had beene battered from the Castle Graciosa the Captaine hauing transported his men and goods into the barke which they tooke in the Road. In this meane time certaine Spaniards came at sundry times to the water side with flags of truce who in a boat were brought to the Admerall and afterwards sent back againe after they had redeemed some prisoners The eight of Iuly in the morning the fleet sailed along the Coast of the Grand Canarie and at the North point met with the foure ships which had beene at Sea So soone as they descried the fleet they weighed anker and did put to Sea with the rest Toward Euening the wind blew hard so as the fleets course was stopt which returned to the South-East point of the Grand Canarie where they all came to an anchor in the view of Tenerif The ninth of Iuly all the boats went on shoar to fetch in fresh water vnseene of the Spaniards The tenth the fleet did againe set saile with a North-West wind and were presently becalmed The 11 of Iuly in the morning the wind againe was faire but comming neere to Tenerif the weather grew calme and verie changeable so as the fleet was dispersed being not able to hold on their course but were enforced to come to an anchor twelue times in one day The twelueth of Iuly the wind was more constant so as the fleet directed it course towards Gomera Gomera is the least Island of all the Canaries and hath a small towne on the South-west part thereof with a strong Castle vpon the shoare Towards euening the greatest part of the fleet came vp together among others the Rere-Admerall Ian Geerbrantson with his white flagge who in the night with two other ships rode neere the towne But those of Gomera began presently to shoot at them so as the said Admerall did speedily fal off and with as many ships as were neere him came to an anchor waiting for the rest of the fleet which was farre off betwixt Tenerifa and Gomera The thirteenth of Iuly before noone the whole Fleet came together and sayled towards Gomera and doubling a poynt to the North-west of the Towne they came to an anchor The Admerall presently sent for all the Captaines and held a Martiall councell acquainting them with what they were to do Thereupon foure Ensignes of souldiers were presently landed in the valley to assault the backside of the towne and to hinder the enemies flight into the mountaines After that the fleet went forward before the towne on which it forthwith bestowed some shot and found no resistance at all Then the Admerall landed 6 Ensignes moe who without any resistance entred the town and Castle For so soone as the enemies descried the fleet they fled away like those of Allagona with their wiues children and goods into the mountaines hauing buried their bells ordnance wines and other commodities heere and there in the fields The foure aboue mentioned Ensignes perceiuing the enemies flight sent a troup of souldiers before to intercept them to take those goods which they caried with them But the Spaniards hauing notice thereof hid themselues in Caues and darke places in a valley incompassed our men Our men thus inclosed on euery side made braue resistance and slue many of the enemie and in the end after a cruell fight made way thorough them and retired to the towne hauing lost some 70 or 80 men among whom were two Lieutenants which had behaued themselues very valiantly one of whom had receiued fiftie wounds in his body After dinner the Admeral placed strong gards euerie where commaunded the souldiers to search the fields where the same night they found diuers pipes of wine In the night our men took a Spaniard who by the Admerals command was committed to the Prouost Marshal to cause him the next day to discouer such goods as were hid but about midnight by negligence of his keepers he escaped so fled into the mountains The 14 of Iuly in the morning our men shipt all the enemies goods and after dinner found three bells more which were buried in the fields The 15 of Iuly in the morning 10 or 12 of our men running rashly vp the hils were enuironed slaine by the enemy The same day the Admerall made a Generall muster and those ships which were not double mand and victualled began to deliuer vp the remainder of their munition souldiers to the other ships in exchange the sick and hurt men were stowed in them and preparation made to send them home into the Low-Countries to carie newes of their victories and purchase gotten from the enemie euen in his owne Countrey After dinner our men found two great peeces of ordnance the one sixteene foot and a halfe long and the other 14 foot The 16 of Iuly after dinner the enemie shewed himselfe sundry times scoffing at the defeat of our men in the valley and in derision bad them to come fetch their muskets which they had left behind them Thereupon the Admerall would haue landed certain souldiers mariners to assaile the enemie the next day in the coole of the morning but in the night a great tempest arose so as the fleet in regard the ships lay neere together had like to haue suffered shipwrack had not some of them fallen off farther to seaward and there anchored so as by this meanes the former determination was hindred and peraduenture the mischiefe preuented which might haue befallen our men if they had gon vp into the mountaines to the enemie The 17 of Iuly 300 men were sent to the said valley to visit the enemie who keeping himselfe hid our men returned bringing with them two small brasse peeces and two barrells of pouder which they found buried in the ground The 18 of Iuly they shipt all the enemies goods those ships which were appointed for execution of such enterprises as were to be made in the King of Spaines remotest dominions were stored with such proportion of Canarie wines as befitted the length of their voyage The
19 the Admerall fired the townes cloisters and houses neere adioyning abandoned the Island and shipt his men whereupon the Spaniards presently came forth of their starting holes to the towne and quenched the fire as those of the Grand Canarie had done The 20 the fleet remayned in the Road of Gomera receiuing instructions from the Admerall what course they should hold he sent for all the Captaines highly thanked them for their good and faithfull seruice and earnestly intreated them to proceed from good to better The 21 of Iuly he sent againe for the Captaines and Commanders and courteously tooke leaue of those which were to returne home making Iean Gerbrantzon their Admerall cōmanding them to follow him and to obey his commandements Then the fleet was seperated and failed with a Northerlie wind The Admerall Vander-Does with 36 ships held on his course South-South-East towards the kingdoms of the Western Indies Iean Gerbrantzon with 35 ships and an Easterly wind sayled home-ward Iean Gerbrantzon till the 24 of Iuly kept his whole fleet together but they were afterward dispersed by continuall tempests and contrarie winds taking sundry courses vnder sundry Admerals euery man striuing who should first get home Sixteene of these ships vnder their Admerall Frederick Arentz did on the eight and twentieth of August in the height of thirtie six degrees and twelue minutes to the Northward of the line meet with two small Spanish ships going from Capo Blanco towards Wolvis In those ships were seuen and fortie men and among those a Spanish marchant fortie seuen Muskets foure peeces of ordnance and were loden with sundry commodities amounting to the value of 60000 ducats and had in them beside foure tun of trayne Oyle and Arabian Gums and two thousand one hundred and fortie Rialls of siluer plate These thirtie fiue ships came altogether about the eight ninth and tenth of September into sundery Hauens of the Low-Countries and were with great ioy welcomed home But Generall Vander-Does with his thirtie six ships went towards the Coasts of Affrick and Guiney along by the Islands of Cape Vert and so to S. Thomas which is an Island vnder the equinoctiall line where they forcibly landed but the inhabitants with their goods fled into the mountaines our men by entrenching and approaches which they had learned in the Low-Countries tooke the Castles The inhabitants did afterward come downe from the mountaines being seuen thousand in number and assailed our men but the Generall repulsed and slew many of them In the end the Island and Towne of Pauoasan with the Castles were sackt and the booty carried to the ships They found an hundred brazen peeces there nine thousand chests of browne Saint Thomas sugar one thousand foure hundred Elephants teeth much Cloth Cotton and other marchandize with a very great sum of money But hauing beene long at Sea and the ayre very vnwholsome and pestilentiall for our men who could not temper and moderat their dyet in that hot Countrey nor absteine from fruits a disease or burning feauer in those parts termed la Madorca which commonly fals on those that come from Europe seazed on them some of them had their grease melted in their bodies as if it had been molten butter as appeared by diuers that were opened many died boath on shoare and at Sea of this disease and among others the Generall Vander-Does which was a great losse to the fleet and vnited Prouinces for he was a valiant Gentleman and skilfull in the art militarie both by land and sea His men buried him in an house in the Island deepe in the ground and then burnt that house with others to the end his bodie might not be found There died likewise his Nephew George Vander-Does sonne to that learned Gentleman Iean Vander-Does Lord of Nortwijck with diuers other land and sea Captaines to the number of fifteen and some 1200 Souldiers and Mariners After their death Captaine Cornelius Leynsen tooke vpon him the Commaund of the fleet and hauing embarked all the goods together with the Gouernor D. Francisco de Meneces he failed homeward sending seuen of his best ships with one Brigantine vnder the conduct of the Captaines Hartman Broer and others to the coast of Bresill with instructions what to doe Himselfe being likwise sick did in Februarie 1600 bring home his ships with the bootie and many prisoners His men were so sick and weake as certaine of his ships through want of men stayed in France others in England and one in Ireland Among the rest one ship that was weakly manned wanted a Pilot the ayre being mistie came to Sluce where it was taken there was in it some money and some foure or fiue hundred chests of sugar The aboue mentioned seuen ships vnder the conduct of Captaine Hartman went to Bresiill where they likewise met with good booty doing great hurt to the enemie and returned home n anno 1601. There was hope that this fleet would haue done great mattsrs but they could not meet with the Spanish fleet which went from Cales to the West Indies and then things fell not out according to their expectation for they were ouertaken with sicknesse by being enforced by contrarie winds to stay long in those hot Countries Their owne profit was not so much to them as the losse was to their enemies They haue put the King of Spaine to great expence they haue purchased honour and made Spaine iealous of other such like inuasions and putting it in feare of losing his Indian fleet These are the principall matters done by this fleet wherein if we consider the experience of the pilots discreet conduct of the Captains and valour of the souldiers we cannot but admire especially if wee looke vpon the great victories obtained by them whose fame hath qualified the Spaniards crueltie against our sea-men and themselues braued the enemy in his owne land and before Groyne declared the admirable strength of the vnited Prouinces and haue sought out the King of Spains future fleet wherewith he thought not only to haue caused the Low-countries but all Europe to tremble hauing challenged and dared it to fight euen in so many townes and castles of Spaine and hath beside so easily woon the Grand Canarie the mightiest of al the Islands the taking whereof cost the last King of Spaine many tun of gold many braue experienced souldiers which Sir Francis Drake could not effect notwithstanding that he in a maner tooke all the sea townes and castles of the Westerne Indies and terrified the whole Spanish world Who would euer haue thought that Allagona the chiefest Citie of all the Canaries wold haue been so easily taken that Gomera would haue been woon without any resistance and his Garrison slaine Is it not a great matter that the whole Island of the Grand Canarie and Gomera haue been ruined the townes castles and houses burnt the ordnance an munition and other commodities brought thence that such great number of poore wretched
meanes perceiuing his enterprise to be frustrate returned towards the Mase In the meane time a rumor was spred abroad in Holland of Bourlottes enterprise so as his Excellencie went in person to Gorcum and sent for forces thither fearing some inuasion because the Riuer there was so frozen as from Dort foure field peeces mounted on their carriages were drawne ouer the Riuer to Papendrecht and vnderstanding that Bourlotte was gon back he went no farther but thereupon commanded Count Lodwicks Conuoy to passe on towards Wachtendonck which was done on the twentieth of Februarie with seuenteene cornets of horse and eight foot Companies which lay in Garison at Wachtendonck with one hundred wagons loden with all manner of munition and other necessaries and ariuing the same night at Bebber they marched 〈◊〉 the 25 of Februarie to Niekerck and the 26 of the same they 〈◊〉 all the wagons into the towne and after dinner themsâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 turned back and came to Marienboom and so euerie man â—â—â—â—ned to his Garrison hauing well and sufficiently victualled 〈◊〉 town which was a very fit place from whence to make incursions into the Countrie round about Coloign and Aix betwixt the Rhin and Mase and into other parts ¶ The fort of Saint Andrew is yeelded vp to the States in Anno 1600. AFter that his Excellencie and my Lords the States had receiued intelligence that the Archdukes souldiers in sundrie places mutinied through want of pay and among others also those of Saint Andrews fort vnto each of whom at a muster on the 15 of Februarie the Archduke somewhat to satisfie them gaue a Doller cloth worth a moneths pay and two pound of bread a day which did in no sort content them who demaunded their whole pay for 30 moneths and proceeded so far in their mutinie as they threw one of their Captaines from the bridge into the water shot one of their Sergeants and enforced the other Captaines to keepe their houses as prisoners yet afterwards they sent them to Sertoghenbusk to see if they could procure them any content from thence Those of the Garrison were Walons and Almans who fell at variance among themselues which of the two nations should chuse an Electo or Protector to gouerne and defend them in all difficulties which might arise and ended their strife by casting lots which fell on the Walons who elected on of their countrimen Those of Creuecoeur on the 17 of Februarie did the like Hereupon the States of the vnited prouinces his Excellencie resolued not to lose this occasion but commanded 80 foot companies to be in a readinesse before Dort on the 19 20 of March with whom he went vp the Mase towards Creuecoeur fort The report was that his Excellencie would goe into Flanders but he went that night to Hemert and on the 21 of March to Creuecoeur And though it were a verie cold season yet he beseeged the said fort making trenches and preparation to plant his ordnance Those of Saint Andrews fort suspecting some attempt would be made on Creuecoeur did the very same day send two Companies thither consisting of one hundred and thirtie men But those of Creuecoeur thought it neither profitable nor possible to keepe the place and fearing to be contemned and casseered in regard of their mutinie and dispairing euer to receiue their pay they yeelded on composition vpon the 24 of March viz that those which came from Saint Andrews Fort might againe returne thither and an hundred men of the other two Ensignes that were in Creuecoeur entred into the Sates pay They were souldiers vnder the Regiment of Count Christopher of Emden The same day being the 24 of March 500 Burguignons of Varrabons Regiment went forth of Helmont and Eindhouen towards Sertoghenbusk meaning to enter into Creuecoeur but vnderstanding that the fort was yeelded vp and that his Excellencies Cauallerie lay in the Countrey round about they craued entrance into Sertoghenbusk but the Burghers iealous of their owne libertie would not permit it whereupon they were beaten by the horsemen of Berghen their Sergeant major and two other Captains taken prisoners with other officers many souldiers 290 of them were slaine the rest of the prisoners were ransomed and set at libertie vpon their Captaines words who promised to answere for them And within fiue dayes after two Cornets of horse one of which was Grobbendoncks Cornet were defeated as they caried a Conuoy towards Antwerp by the Garrison of Berghen The Admeral of Arragon had enlarged the fort of Creuecoeur with three great Bulwarkes and his Excellencie remained there on the 25 of March to hasten the fortifications and to prouide against the enemies assaults and incursions The six and twentieth of March his Excellencie went to Dalem to the same place where the Admerall his Campe had lodged there to fortifie himselfe and thereby to intrench Saint Andrews great fort where the Garison through want of pay were still in a mutinie Before his ariuall there he caused the fluces at a place called great Lit to be opened thereby to drowne the Champaine Countrey of Brabant towards Osse Geffen Merland and as far as Sertoghenbusk So soone as he had brought his Campe to Alem he sent Colonell Gystells with twelue foot Companies to Littoyen and opened the sluce there the better to ouerflow the Countrey He planted 12 peece of ordnance at Maren vpon the frontiers of Brabant opposite to Saint Andrewes fort with which he daiely battered it He repaired the fort at Keffell made by the Spaniards which was wholly ruinate He likewise fortified the Church of Maren round about the higher Countrey of Alem a place called Saint Annes-berg and the Church of Empel to the end that the enemie the Countrie being wholy drowned should haue no meanes to releeue Saint Andrewes fort vnlesse along the causey or from Sertoghenbusk by the way of Empell or from Graue by Littoyen Lit Keffell and Maren where on all sides he should be constrained to enforce the trenches and fortifications By this meanes Saint Andrewes fort was altogether shut vp and inuironed with water which with great labour and trauaile they were enforced to keepe out with their counterscarpes it was so high at the beginning of Aprill as none could goe in nor out of the fort but by boat The besiegers lay in their forts vpoÌ„ the causey in boats The waters being high they could not at first entrench themselues but at last they began to fall The fort was battered on euerie side especially from Maren and that so fiercely as they were enforced to vncouer their houses and manie were beaten downe our men likewise went about to take the mill from them thereby to reduce them to all want and extremity The beseeged did brauely defend themselues shot much yet did no great harme to vs who were too far off well fortified the bullets which they shot weighed fortie and 45 pound weight His Excellencie sommoned them many times but they
of the enemie wanting all necessaries as money garments c. so that necessities had enforced them to reuolt besides they had done their dutie in holding out six weeks expecting aid and other necessaries and yeelded not so long as there was any hope of reliefe and in recompence of their good loyal seruice were to looke for nothing but losse of their pay and arrerages wanting money and meanes to cloth themselues and because the losse of the place should not be imputed to their mutinie nor themselues reproached for it they therefore resolued to serue the States of the vnited Prouinces Neither had they done as they said like to those of Geertrudenberg who sold the towne to their enemie for tenne moneths pretended arrerages and fiue moneths present pay being in no want of money nor apparell for they caused boats vpon the Riuer and the Champaine Country to pay contribution being neither besieged nor pressed by the enemie nay their Lords vnto whom they were sworne would haue maintained and defended their honour and loyaltie giuen them pardon and pasport yea whatsoeuer in equitie they would haue demanded yet all this was to no purpose with them but prouoked by their enemies they did in hatred enuy and couetousnes sell the towne to them whereupon they were in derision termed merchants and banished both by name and surname rewards being proposed to such as could take them and were euery where punished by the gallowes to serue for an example to others In this manner Saint Andrewes great fort which had cost so much money and before with so great an armie had layen a long time encamped fell into the hands of his Excellencie and vnder commaund of the States of the vnited Prouinces a fort which had put the enemie in great hope to haue bin able from thence in winter time vpon the yce to conquer Holland The cause why it was so easily taken proceeded from the Spaniards too much profuse large expence of money who vndertooke more than their treasure could performe and in making a bad account did in that Prouince build a mightie fort to command and bridle their own countrey so as the Archdukes reteined nothing of all their two yeares conquest but only Berck and the vnited Prouinces on the contrary had taken Emmerick which was more profitable to them than Berck to the Archduke yet these two townes belonged to neither of them his Excellencie and my Lords the States did within a while after restore Emmerick to the Duke of Cleues ¶ A Description of whatsoeuer was done from day to day in Flanders in the army of the most Illustriuos Prince Maurice of Nassau Accompanied by the noble high and mightie Lords my Lords the States of the vnited Netherland Prouinces in An. 1600. the 17 of Iuly THe enemie of the vnited Netherland Prouinces with sundry forts hauing blockt vp the Towne of Ostend being master of all the sea coasts of Flanders and thereby for the space of certaine yeares done incredible hurt to the loyall inhabitants of the said Prouinnes and other neighbor Realmes trading by sea my Lords the generall States after the yeelding vp of this great mightie fort of Saint Andrews neere to Rossem in the Isle of Bommell being desirous to pursue the victorie which God had so fauourably giuen them there and elsewhere in the beginning of this yere after mature consultation therupon with the Illustrious Lord Prince Maurice of Orange Count of Nassau Catzenelboge Marquis of Vere and Flushing c. thought it fit by common consent to transport their whole Armie and power into Flanders there to trie their good fortune vpon the enemeie and if it were possible to execute their determined proiects for freeing the sea Coasts with this resolution that the said Lords for the better aduancement of their affaires would in person assist his Eccellencie in this Armie and new expedition The 17 of Iune after that 2000 great and small vessells were rigd forth of diuers places and Hauens of Holland and Zeeland to transport the Armie with victualls warlike munition wagons Horse for draught and all other necessaries His Excellencie went from the Hague to Rotterdam so to Dort from whence he caused all the fleet to saile to Rammekins in Zeeland which was the Rendezvous The 18 of Iune my Lords the Generall States viz. The Lord Iames of Egmont Lord of Kennebourg Schipluy and Maeslant Iohn Oldenbarneuelt Lord of Tempel and Groynenelt Aduocate and keeper of the seale of Holland and West-Frizeland Iacob Huygens Vander Dussen Bourgomaster of the towne of Delft Master Nicasius Sille Doctor of the Lawes Councellor and Pentioner to the towne of Amsterdam M. Geraert Coren Bourgomaster of the Towne of Alkmaer M. Iacob Boellenssz Burgomaster of Amsterdam and Counsellor of State M. Iean de Santen Counsellor and Pentioner of the towne of Middelbourg M. Ferdinand Alleman Counsellor of State M. Nicolas Hubert Burgomaster of the towne of Ziriczee M. Gerart de Renesse Lord of Vander Aa M. Abell Franckena Doctor of the Lawes M. Egbert Alberda Burgomaster of the towne of Gronningue M. Cornellis Aerssen Register to my Lords the Generall States of the vnited Netherland Prouinces All these with their traine departed from the Hague about fiue of the clock in the morning and came to Rotterdam where they imbarked themselues and sailed the same day to Saint Annes-Lant where they came to an anchor tarrying for the tide The 19 day because the wind was contrarie they could that night but reach to Armuyde and because the tide was spent they were therefore enforced to cast anchor there likewise The twentieth about fiue of the clocke in the morning the said Lords landed at Armuyde and from thence went to Flissingue to visit his Excellencie who lay at anchor before Rammekins where so great an armie and such numbers of boats lay as no man liuing euer saw the like together at one time The same day a consultation was had before Rammekin how to transport the army safely into Flanders for execution of the determined proiect and all things being well maturely considered after that sundry matters were propounded in regard the wind was contrarie and for other difficulties which might arise at sea they at last resolued because they would not long bee idle nor put the countrie to vnnecessarie expence nor yet giue the enemie time to fortifie himselfe in those quarters to land the whole armie at Philippine and from thence to march thorough the Countrie betwixt Gaunt and Bruges towards Ostend According to which resolution his Excellencie on the 21 day departed with the armie towards Philippine a fort which the enemie yeelded vpon the first summons to Count Ernestus of Nassau who commanded the fleets vantgard The two and twentieth of Iune about noone his Excellencie ariued with his Armie at Philippine the vantgard hauing alreadie taken the fort from whence the garrison to the number of thirty or fortie were departed without
other armes than their swords The same day his Excellencie in fiue houres space landed all his forces which done he dismissed the boats willing them presently to be gon for feare least after the armies departure the enemie by fire or otherwise should endanger the vessells Then he mustered his Armie and found it to consist of twentie thousand strong and able men His Excellencie likewise rode throw the Armie and demaunded of the souldiers if any among them could complaine for waâ—â— of pay and if any one had not receiued money he willed him to speake because my Lords the States were there present to giue them all contentment They all answered that they were well satisfied saying that they would liue and dye for them and in their seruice The same day the States departed from Flushing towards Philippine and arriued there at the same time as the armie was landed Then they began to dispose the Regiments and to place them euerie one vnder his commaunder and the souldiers were furnished with six daies victualls which they were to carie along with them The three and twentieth day the Armie marched from Philippine towards Assenede a village not far from the t'Sasse of Gant where the vantgard before the arriuall of the whole Armie did by composition take a certaine Castle wherein were some fortie men Those of t'Sasse hauing laid an ambuscado tooke thirtie or fortie of our men prisoners our souldiers likewise towards the euening brought Priests Bailies and other prisoners to the army most of whom they had taken from before Gant The foure and twentieth in the morning the armie departed from Assenede towards Eeckeloo scituate on the passage betwixt Gant and Bruges where seuen hundred souldiers had gone ouer the same morning that we arriued there at night those souldiers were drawne forth of the forts before Ostend to man the t'Sasse because the enemie feared wee would haue besieged the same place The 25 we went from Eeckeloo to Male neere Bruges where our men brought away much cattel and many prisoners from before the towne The 26 we came within Canon shot of the Citie of Bruges and marched towards Iabbeke Those of Bruges with their ordnance plaied vpon our Armie all that day yet did no great harme but onely slew one of his Excellencies Muleters They shewed themselues likewise with certaine troups of horse but durst not come forward so as if our men had bin willing to haue fought with them they could not haue done it with any aduantage On the way betwixt Bruges and Iabbeke his Excellencie had intelligence that the Garrison was fled from Oudenbourg so as on the 27 day the armie marched from Iabbeke thither whither he sent two Companies of souldiers because the fort stood vpon the passage towards Ostend Those which liue in the forts of Plassendale Bredene were likewise fled those of Bredene left 4 peece of ordnance behind them burnt the houses cabbins munition and other necessaries hauing not once seene the enemie My Lords the Generall States with their traine accompanied by Count Solmes with 8 Cornets of horse and the Regiments of French Walons and Swisses together with the Colonells Gistels and Huchtenbroeck who that day marched in the vantgard went on and arriued the same afternoone at Ostend and his Excellencie in the meane time remayned with his armie at Oudenbourg In all our march we found the villages naked and forsaken diuers goodly houses ruyned not one boore to be seene but only the Sexten of Eeckeloo and his wife with two aged and sick persons vnapt for flight The Boores that were hidden in the woods shewed themselues very cruell to some of our souldiers that were scattered here and there vpon the wayes and were fallen into their hands so as our men displayed the bloudie Ensigne which did in no fort hinder their crueltie to vs ward Our souldiers tooke great store of cattell so as flesh was better cheap and more plentiful in the armie than either wine or beere The first night we lay at Assenede a pot of beere was worth six pence the second night at Eeckeloo twelue pence and the next night at Male and Iabbeke eighteene twentie and twentie six In this iourney three Cowes were offered for one pot of beere and yet it could not be gotten At Male a Cowe was sold for three groats and after she was milked he that sold it would haue giuen seuen pence for the milke Whilest we made this iourney by land it hapened on the 24 of Iune that some fortie boats laden with victualls and other prouision conuoyed onely by Captaine Adrian Banckerts man of war sayling from Flushing towards Ostend were set vpon by the Gallies of Sluce who on the fiue and twentieth day tooke aboue twentie of the said boats which being vnladed they burnt The said Captaine did what he could to free them from the enemie but himselfe and one and twentie of his men were slaine in the fight and his ship though much brused arriued at Ostend with some of the hurt men The six and twentieth day the Admeral the Lord of Warmont ariued safely in the Hauen of Ostend with the cheefe fleet wherein were victualls ordnance munition and other necessaries yet by taking of the aboue mentioned boats the Country receiued a great losse which fell for the most part vpon some particular persons who procured it to themselues by being so hastie and not tarrying for the cheefe fleet the which consisted of many braue ships of war To returne to that which was done on land Count Solmes on the eight and twentieth of Iune with eight Cornets of horse and fiue foot Regiments with which troups the day before he had led the vantgard went to beseege the fort called Albertus which stands vpon the Downes some houres iourney from Ostend on the passage towards Niewport it was not very great but well built and strong The nine and twentieth day hauing battered it with foure demy Canon and made a passable breach Captaine Neron that lay there in Garrison did beat his Drum and craued parley in which it was granted that the Garrison should depart thence with their armes and as much baggage as they could carrie away with them but on condition to leaue their Ensigne behind them promising not to serue in Flanders for six moneths The last of Iune the said Earle with the vantgard according to his Excellencies direction went to beseege the Hauen of Niewport and tooke the forts there his Excellencie earely in the morning the same day marched with his Campe from Oudenbourg towards Nieuwen-dam a fort not far from Niewport to take it But his iourney being stopt by reason of water he returned by an other way ouer the Downes towards Albertus fort and the next night tarried there with his Armie The first of Iuly early in the morning his Excellencie marched thence with his Camp towards Niewport and presently gaue directions as well as the situation of the place would
giue him leaue for inclosing and beseeging the towne After dinner my Lords the Generall states receiued news how that Archduke Albert had leuied tenne thousand foot and one thousand fiue hundred horse was come to Oudenbourg Hereupon foure of our Companies that lay in the forts of Bredene and Plessendale withdrew themselues not tarying his comming and the Garrison that was in Oudenbourg which consisted of six foot Companies and two Cornets of horse left there by his Excellencie were enforced to yeeld it vp on composition The like did two Companies that lay in a fort at Snaeskerck vnto which Garrison though the enemie had promised good quarter and that they should depart with their armes and baggage onely leauing their Ensignes behind and the capitulation signed by the Archdukes selfe yet they brake their promise for first diuers horse and foot of the Garrison of Oudenbourg breaking their rancks slew many of them hurt others and disarmed the rest and for a testimonie of their treacherous and bloudie nature did most villanously murder the two Companies that lay in Snaeskercke contrarie to their word and promise Some few souldiers that escaped hauing brought these newes to Ostend my Lords the States did in post aduertise his Excellencie thereof that he might be in readinesse and presently sent more men to Albertus fort which they furnished with victualls munition and other necessaries The second of Iuly the bloudie battaile neere to Niewport was fought whereof we will speake in the next description The third of Iuly about nine of the clock in the morning his Excellencie came in person to Ostend bringing Don Francisco de Mendoza Admeral of Arragon with him as his prisoner And after that my Lords the states had congratulated his Excellencies victorie he requested that generall thankes might be giuen to God which done himselfe with the Admerall dined with the states the armie remayning on the Downes beyond Albertus fort The same day and the day before diuers prisoners men of note brought from the Armie to Ostend were slaine both within and without the Towne by the remainder of the Scots and other souldiers in reuenge of the wrong and crueltie committed by the Enemie vpon our men contrarie to their promise and Law of armes The fourth and fift day whilest the armie refresht it selfe his Excellencie remained in Ostend in consultation with my Lords the states The same day we were busied in burying our dead looking to the hurt and sick souldiers sending them to places where they might be healed in deliuering prisoners Many horse armes and much bootie taken in the battaile were sold many Spanish cloakes cassocks with store of apparell were likewise taken which were not vnwelcome to our men The sixt day in the morning his Excellencie returned with his armie to Nâ—ewport and lay before the towne in the same quarter where he had formerly rested not being able that day nor the night following to doe any notable exploit by reason of the continuall rayne and foule weather After dinner order was taken for sending the prisoners into Holland and likewise the Admerall who by some of the States was conducted aboord the man of wâ—rs Brigantine His Excellencie on the seuenth day receiued letters from Count Frederick of Berguen wherein he craued libertie to send some to search among the dead bodies for some Captaines and chiefe Commanders and for buriall of the dead in the place of buriall Towards Euening the Admerall Iustine of Nassau came to the States with letters of credence from his Excellencie contayning certaine propositions wherein he craued their resolution but the said Lords thinking it necessarie to confer with his Excellencie sent for a conuoy About the seuenth day we tooke from the enemie a certaine halfe moone standing before the towne on the North side of the hauen which was taken with losse of six or eight men on either side The eight day in the morning a Conuoy of foure Cornets of horse ariued and the said Lords departed from Ostend to the Campe before Niewport where they consulted with his Excellencie concerning those propositions which the Admerall of Nassau had made vnto them the day before In the euening 25 souldiers with Lopestaues and halfe pikes were sent to leape the dikes carrying with them two Wagons each of them loden with one boat and other prouision to set on fire on some bridgâ—s on the Southeast side of the towne which in part was effected but not wholly The enemie the same day made great fires vpon the townes steeple and discharged many shot froâ— a Rauelin on the North-side of the towne to hinder the approach of our men wee afterwards vnderstood by prisoners and others that supplies were the same night brought into the towne and in that regard those fires were made The ninth day after that the States had dined with his Excellency they returned againe to Ostâ—nd crossing the hauen on foote ouer a bridge leauing their wagons and conuoy behind to follow them the enemie made many shot at them but did no harme to any man Whilest the wagons passed ouer the said Lords walked on foot for a while vpon the Downes where they saw such numbers of dead bodies as was lâ—mentable to behold His Excellencie hauing intelligence the same Euening that Colonell La Bourlotte was onward on his way with two thousand souldiers to trie if he could enter into Niewport did presently double all the gards and gaâ—e directions to hinder the enemies attempt if it were possible The 10 and 11 dayes no notable matter was done but onely our approaches were set forward as well as the bad and raynie weather would permit The 11 day at night the foot Regiment of the Marquis Varrabon entred the town and the next day they made three fires vpon the tower The twelueth the enemie made a salley vpon our trenches and with such fury as our souldiers were enforced to retire to the principall gards and then the alarme being giuen our men began to skirmish and did in such sort assarle the enemie as they draâ—e him in disorder to the towne gates and slew the Lieâ—tenant Colonell two Captaines and certaine souldiers of the same Regiment The Marquis his Regiment hauing entred the Towne and others likelie euerie day to enter in regard we could not inclose the towne on one side by reason of the broken lands and other inconueniences his Excellencie found many difficulties in continuing the seege and therefore on the 13 of the said moneth he went earlie in the morning to Ostend to propound these difficulties to the States and to craue their aduise After some conference it was thought fit seeing that Generall Wijngaerdens Regiment was newly arriued with fiue new Cornets of horse wherewith our Campe was strengthned to continue the siege and thereupon after that his Excellencie and my Lord his brother had dined they returned to the Campe. During his Excellencie abode in Ostend the enemie had made another sallie on Count Ernestus
was engaged by the enemie captaine Cloet knowing the Earle by his Orange coloured plume charged vpon a companie of Lanciers that were comming to charge the Earle who by this meanes escaped our cauallerie retired to his Excellencie who encouraged the souldiers re-enforcing them with two companies that were with him who constrained the enemie to giue backe His Excellencie sent two cornets of horse to the shore viz. his owne commaunded by Captaine Bael and Generall Veers companie commaunded by Captaine Pembrooke These two companies beeing come to the shoare stayed neere the batterie expecting the enemie Our ordnance charged with musket bullets played vpon the enemie who lost many men and horse and were enforced to quit the Downes and yet they returned againe to the shore and came before the batterie Then the companies of Baell and Generall Veer charged fiercely vpon the enemie who fled and then charged the fanterie likewise so as Baell tooke Sapena prisoner on the Downes and Generall Veers companie D. Lewis de Villar His Excellencies cauallerie on the plaine repulsed the enemie for he did continually put them in order and caused them to charge there where hee saw most need so as in the end our men perceiuing that the enemie began to flie both on the shore and Downes tooke courage and on euerie side charged him who at first began to giue backe and afterward betook himselfe to open flight and thereby our men woon the place of battaile and obtained the victorie diuers pursued the enemie into the Marshes and to the new Dam taking many of them prisoners this battaile was sharpe and bloudie on both sides The Archduke who hardly escaped did in this battaile both of such as were slayne and taken prisoners lose the greatest part of all his commaunders chiefe Lords Noblemen and household seruants together with most of the captaines and officers of his armie videlicet D. Francesco de Mendoza Admerall of Arragon Count Salines D. Lewis de Villar Campe-Master D. Lewis d'Avila D. Pedro de Mendoza Doctour Andrew N. one of his highnesse phisitians Count Charles Rezin one of his Pages D. Gaspar Moragon fiue and thirtie Captaines both of horse and foot two hundred and three Lieutenants ensignes Sergeants Dons Caualiers and others of name to the number of thirtie And beside these we got 8 pieces of ordnance all the munition much baggage and the verie furniture of the Archdukes own Chamber and Cabinet and among other things his Signet and aboue 100 ensignes with certaine cornets and Trumpets The number of the dead on the Archdukes side was 7000 beside those that were afterwards slaine and died of their hurts and his Excellencie lost betwixt two or three thousand accounting those which had beene defeated in the Morning Among other ensignes there was presented to my Lords the generall States a Standerd belonging to 1600 Spanish mutineers made of blew Damaske hauing on the one side in middest of a field the figure of our Ladie in a Sun before whom a Moncke kneeled ouer his head these words in golden letters Aue gratia plena ouer the virgins head was a great golden star and neere to it in golden letters Stella Maris in the middest on her right hand was the figure of a Sun and neere it these letters Electa vt Sol on the left hand the Moone with this inscription Pulchra vt Luna at her feet stood a Turret with these words Turris Dauidis and beneath vpon the hem of the Standard Benedicta tu in mulieribus On the other side was the represention of our Lord Iesus Christ vpon the Crosse ouer his head were these words in golden letters Adoramus te Christe benedicimus tibi in the middest Recordare nouissimatua in aeternum non peccabis and beneath Quia per crucem tuam redemisti mundum All these figures were cunningly wrought euen to the life In this battaile the greatest losse fell to the Spaniards and Italians who were the chiefe strength and glorie of the Spaniards armie who in the Morning did assure themselues of the victorie and that with such confidence as they made no doubt of it but marched on before hoping alone to gain the honour of the day It was a magnificent and gallant victorie for my Lords the generall States his Excellencie and for all the vnited Prouinces but obtayned with much labour and bloud for on his Excellencies side 1000 men were slaine among whom were three Captaines of horse thirteene of foot viz. six English Captaines two Frizons three French one Walon and one Alman with many Lieutenants ensignes and other officers beside some 700 hurt men among whom was the noble sir Frauncis Veer and many other Captaines and officers both of horse and foot As the enemie fleed the Cauallerie came forth of Ostend and slew many of them But his Excellencie who in the battaile had shewed himself valiant discreet for better encouragement to his souldiers had himselfe together with his brother and other Lords there present charged the enemie did in the end reassēble certaine cornets of horse and some foot regiments setting them in order in the place of battaile keeping them for reseruation and seconds if any disorder should arise The enemie being wholly put to rout and night drawing on his Ex. marched to the Church of Westend where with his whole armie he remained that night vpon the plain where the battail was fought and in his Tent supt with the Admerall of Arragon and others who were requested to deliuer their opinions what they thought of these exploits of these new vnexperienced soldiers whom they had so tearmed who could doe nothing but win townes and skonces not daring to shew themselues in open field and whether they thought that they would one day proue tal souldiers with such other like discourses But the Admerall grauely and discreetly knew verie well how to answer and among other discourses at Table concerning the battaile he complained of their owne cauallerie taxing them for not doing their duetie for had not they retreated there was some likelihood that their footmen would haue become Masters of the ordnance with which they might haue obtayned the victorie He complained likewise of their charging all at once and for that they had not reserued some to second the squadrons here and there who should haue put them in order againe when they retreated and with them haue giuen a fresh charge as Prince Maurice had done husbanding his horse and foot not hazarding all his forces at once He highly commended his Excellencie likewise for planting his ordnance but he chiefely praised him for that he had so brauely presented his forces to his enemie sending away all his boats and thereby enforced all his souldiers to fight if they meant to saue their liues and for that himselfe and other commaunders had no more aduauntage than the meanest souldier His Excellencie perceiuing the next day that his souldiers were much burthened with the enemies
whose view the towne was often victualled which Marquesse as he thought on a time with all his power on a sodaine to charge the rereward of those that brought succours was himselfe wholly defeated by Counâ— Ouerstein and sir Francis Veer Whereupon Count Charles of Mansfelt came presently thither from Brabant with seuentie ensignes who in the end on the 30 of Ianuarie 1590 woon the towne for the Bishop of Bauier as it was reported but in effect for the king of Spaine as experience did afterwards manifest that he might thereby become Master of the Rhyne and diuide Germanie from the vnited Netherland Prouinces and likewise to open a way for him to enter into these Countries and to burthen the towne of Zutphen and Ouer-Yssel with continuall contributions In this regard Prince Maurice did againe besiege it on the 10 of August in anno 1597 and after tenne dayes siege tooke it as heretofore hath beene largely mentioned in the description of the first siege whereupon the Bishop crauing to haue the Towne restored to him which was graunted it was left vnfortified and enforced to fall into the Admerall of Arragons hands who easily tooke it with his mightie armie on the fifteenth of October 1598 and with so much the more ease because the Gouernour Shaef and the whole garrison in a manner died of the plague and likewise for that treacherie the by powder to the quantitie of 150 barrels was set on fire this did not onely much diminish the remainder of the garrison but ouerthrew the greatest part of the Towne rampiers neere to Rhyn-port and made a great breach The town was afterward kept by a strong garrison yet prince Maurice did besiege it on the twelfth of Iune in anno 1601 with one hundreth and fiftie foote ensignes and three and thirtie cornets of horse it being a verie important place for these Countries The enemie reported that there were in the towne 900 Italians vnder Iohn Baptista Pecchio Serjeant Major 4 Spanish ensigns 700 Burgonians 1300 Almans 200 sailers fiftie horse amounting in all to three thousand fiue hundred fiftie men among whom were many reuolted traitors They were well stored with ordnance and all other warlike prouision hauing two and thirtie great piece of ordnaunce whereof twentie were brasse three canon and twelue yron pieces There was likewise store of victuals and other necessaries salt and medecines for sicke persons excepted which they extreamely wanted being most necessarie in a towne besieged D. Hieronimo Lopes de la villa borne in Barbarie of Spanish parents was gouernour there he was renowned for a good souldier well experienced and much esteemed of his Countrimen He at the enemies first arriuall incamped round about the towne intrenching himselfe with forts and counter-points He likewise tooke in certaine pastures to feed horse and cattaile which they durst not kill for their owne prouision because they wanted salt to powder them He likewise sanke his owne ship of warre and other vessels cutting the masts a sunder for that the enemie shold not make vse of them His Excellencie presently sent his ships of warre vp the Riuer one of which the enemie sanke These vessels kept good gard euerie where on the riuer Rhyne as far as Cullein and by the way met with certaine of the enemies boats which were sent abroad for prouision The eighteenth of Iune he tooke the Fort that stands in the Island which being weake the enemie soone abandoned The campe was likewise speedily intrenched with dikes Pallisadoes gates and draw-bridges and the waies euerie where fortified both abroad and within against those of the towne who in great troopes made continuall sallies namely on the twentieth of Iune they fell vpon the French with 1500 men diuided into three troopes who charged one after another and after they had fought an howers space were beaten backe and enforced to re-enter not without losse on both sides In this sallie the French Generall the Lord of Chastillon was hurt in the legge and the gouernour of Berck in the face as hee stood vpon a bulwarke to behold the skirmish so as for a time he could not speake but was constrayned to referre the gouernement of the Towne and authoritie of commanding to Captaine Botberg and to an Italian called Francisco Nello The enemie likewise on the eight and twentieth day came with a thousand men to Count Ernestus quarter and with great rumour fell vpon one of our trenches from which he was soone beaten with great losse of men His Excellencie on the contrarie did daily approach the enemies trenches he also made foure batteries and on the first and second of Iulie planted thirtie piece of ordnaunce He planted 2 canâ—n in the Fort of the Island called Middle-weert and two demie canon by which as by the rest from other batteries the Town was greatly annoyed The besieged on the seuenth of Iulie tooke order for their victuals distributing to euerie man a pound of bread a day and began to fortifie the Market and Church making it a place of retreat vpon extremitie They had likewise sent many letters and messengers which for the most part were intercepted so as on the 5 of Iulie they made diuers signes by fires were continually answered with the like by those of Guelders who gaue them hope of ayd wherunto the Archduke seemed to encline raising many men neere to Maestricht and Ruremond who notwithstanding were sent away into Flanders as were the Italian troopes newly arriued of whom first eight hundred were sent towards Ostend then afterwards 2500 more and twentie forth of euerie companie of those that remained behind And yet al these troops seemed to be appointed for raising the siege of Berk vnder conduct of the Earles Barlaimont and Bucquoy who had alreadie made great prouisions for it at Couloigne and hired sundry wagons which they were enforced to send back the enemies intent being onely to encourage those of Berck by a vaine apparance and to cause them hold out to the last and themselues in the meane time to assaile Ostend on the sodaine and thereby to draw away our armie from that siege into Flaunders Notwithstanding of all our armie no man was imbarked for Ostend but the Admerall Duyvenvoord with eight English companies vnder the conduct of sir Frauncis Veer vnto which afterwards twelue other ensignes were added in whose stead other ensignes from elsewhere arriued at the campe on the 22 and 27 dayes His Excellencie in the meane time came vnder the enemie trenches he likewise vndermined the Counter-scarpe on the East-side of the Towne and on the seuenteenth of Iulie hauing drawne great numbers of the enemies thither by a false alarme he fired the Myne which hauing prosperous successe our men presently assailed it on euerie side and tooke the Counterscarpe with losse of one hundred men notwithstanding all the enemies resistance This counterscarpe taken his Excellencie made three Galleries which were brought on as farre as the Towne Dikes and from
with twelue cornets of horse yet the garrison would not giue place nor leaue the Towne Whereupon his Excellencie the next day came thither in person with fiue and twentie cornets of horse fiue and thirtie foot ensignes and foure demie canon which when they within it saw they deliuered vp the towne to the true Lord prince Maurice who placed a strong garrison in it gaue order for fortifying of the Castle causing fiue bulwarkes to be made there which cost more than 100000 florins The twelfth of August with great magnificence he was receiued into the towne as Lord of the Countrie with all due ceremonies he was afterwards receiued into the Castle of Cracow which he likewise caused to be fortified in which he spent eight and twentie thousand florins keeping aboue 2000 men at worke there so as these two places were made exceeding strong and cannot be taken but in Summer or in time of great drought ¶ A description of a long fight at Sea in the Eastern Indies neere to the Citie of Bantam betwixt fiue ships of Holland and the Portugals mightie fleet in Anno 1601. IT is notorious to the whole world that the Staple or principall Mart of Spices as Pepper Cinamon Cloues Nutmegs Macis Ginger and other medicinable drugs of pretious stones as Diamonds Rubies Turkois Emeralds Saphirs and others of Pearle and infinit other rich Merchandise which are only found in the East Indies and from thence brought into these parts hath chiefely beene for many hundred yeares in the famous and magnificent city of Venice where they were woont to be bought and sold and from thence sent abroad ouer all Europe so as the sayd citie and republike flourished and was euerie where famous in regard of the said traffique These Spices drugs and other strange things were transported by Sea from Alexandria to Venice but they were first brought by land to Alexandria with great and incredible cost and danger as well by reason of the long and tedious way as the great Conuoys which the Carauans vsually had to secure them from the incursions of the Arabians who lay in wait vpon the waies All these merchandises were burthened with these great costs and expence to the profit and aduantage of those who transported them from the Indies to Alexandria from theÌ„ce to Venice and from Venice to other parts of Europe where these things were much desired and could be brought hither by no neerer way nor by any other meanes but by land and by these Corâ—uans But within these few yeares by the resolution of certaine bold and valiant Sea men who contemned all the fearefull and tempestious dangers of the winds and seas and endured infinit miseries torments and aduersities a new way hath bin discouered altogether vnknowne to our predecessours by which we may goe to the said Indies by Sea viz. in sailing round about Afrike in view of the Cape of good hope and passing from thence to the other side of Afrike betwixt it the Isle of Madugascar in coasting sundrie Islands the red Sea Arabia foelix and the Persian Sea as farre as Calicut or Goa or else from the said Cape directly towards the strait of Sunda leauing the Isle of Madugascar with many moe on the left hand By this means the said spices druges and other costly merchandize haue beene brought into Europe with farre lesse charge and difficultie so as in Venice the trade hath begunne to decay and doth now flourish in Portugall in the Citie of Lisbone so as wee may say it is remoued from one towne to an other and that it is at this present wholy and alone in the said Citie for all other places must rate their wares according to the price made in Lisbone And because the Realme of Portugal and namely the citie of Lisbone hath for certaine yeares had the said traffique as it were proper to themselues both because they were the first which discouered and found out the said way as also for that their king gaue a certaine summe of mony to the Emperour Charles to buy this priuiledge that the Spaniards should in no sort goe that way by this meanes the said citie of Lisbone with the inhabitants of the whole kingdome are become so rich as perceiuing the great profit which their kingdome and people obtained by this trade haue sought all meanes to appropriat to themselues alone this traffique by sailing into those parts And to this end haue not onely subdued diuers townes prouinces and entier kingdomes in the Eastern Indies subiecting them by force of armes and continually bridling them on euerie side by forts and castles but haue likewise made leagues and alliance with other Kings Princes and Potentates of the Eastern Indies whom they could not subdue as it seemed according to the report which came from thence hither none should trade thither but themselues This notwithstanding some fewe yeares since certaine ships of the vnited Netherland Prouinces tracing the Portugals did likewise passe the Cape of good hope and arriued in the East Indies where by experience they found the contrarie of that report which the Portugals had caused to bee bruted how that none but themselues might trade into those Countries for diuers kings and Islands where the said spices and other costly merchandizes grew were either mortall enemies to the Portugals or else so inclined as they would not to satisfie them prohibit others from trading into those parts which the Portugals considering and being incensed with the Hollanders arriual did with great expence set forth the aboue mentioned mightie fleet to enforce the Kings of those Countries and free Islands where these spices growe not to giue them comfort to trade with any but themselues and on the other side to keepe the Hollanders from landing or taking in fresh water and in a word to assaile and incounter them in such sort as no newes might be caried home of them into Europe Now because this famous incounter and sea battaile happened but in the yeare 1601 and the said fleet was readie in anno 1599 wee will briefely set downe how this Armada was imploied in the interim of the two yeares because for the noueltie thereof it deserues it The king of Calicut beeing a mortall enemy to the Vice-Roy and Portugals of Goa and other places of the Eastern Indies they armed against each other both by land and sea The King had a certaine Indian in his seruice called Cunall a man so fortunat in all his enterprises and piracies as in a short space hee became so famous and wealthie by his continuall booties gotten from the Portugals as those who followed his partie seeing these happie beginnings made him King He had a castle and place of retreate on the coasts of Malauar called by his owne name Cunall or Cuchall where after hee had forsaken the king of Calicuts partie he did so continew his thefts and robberies for the space of 50 yeres with good successe as in
Charles Vander Noot was gouernor there The Generall States of the vnited Prouinces hauing intelligence of the siege of Ostend sent Colonell Huchtenbrock thither with ten companies and entreated generall Vere to go thither with three thousand men which were expected from England but hee made some difficultie therein beeing laoth to goe without his owne regiment and that of his brother whereupon on the eight of Iulie eight companies were sent vnto him and on the fourteenth of the same twelue other companies which had been at the campe before Berck making vp in all one and twentie companies among whom were six English Generall Vere came thither on the fifteenth of Iuly by night and the next day all sort of munition were brought thither by the Lord of Warmont in despite of the enemies canon the report where of was heard into England for the besieged made counter batteries and often brake the enemies ordnance and dismounted it whereupon two double canon and foure demys were sent to them The fifteenth of Iulie two of the Queene of Englands Ships arriued there with new supplies of souldiers Two daies before Generall Veer his arriuall the besieged had made a furious sallie vpon the enemies in their trenches killing many of them to the number of fiue or sixe hundred who were not well intrenched D. Augustino de Mexia was hurt there and D. Hieronimo de Monroy the Campe-Master was slaine in his Tent the besieged lost some 30 men At the same time or thereabout D. Diego d'Idiaques and D. Iuan Bracamonte Nephew to Count Fuentes D. Pedro de Lojas sonne to the Marquesse de Lojas who brought newes of the Kings daughters birth with diuers others were likewise slaine Sir Frauncis Veer being in the towne as chiefe commaunder gaue direction for all matters diuiding the Dutch companies into two regiments vnder the conduct of the gouernour Vander-Noot and Colonel Huchtenbroecke who commaunded in the old towne The seuenteenth and twentieth of Iulie Generall Veer hauing store of men seazed on a piece of land that lay Southward which he fortified and entrenched placing strong gards in the counterscarpes and forts neere adjoyning The two and twentieth of Iulie the enemies canon did so commaund the Hauen as no boats durst enter but the fiue and twentieth of Iulie the gouernour and the Ingeneer Master Dauid of Orleans with other old and experimented mariners found that the gullet would serue to bring in boats by opening a causey or rampier of the counterscarpe that the sayd boats might lye safe in the towne dikes But the Archduke caused boats to be laden with stones at Niewport and elsewhere which he sanke within and neere the gullet to choake it vp but all the labor was to no purpose Those of Ostend made many curtains to secure their men from the canon they likewise filled the fortifications which were made in the Sea with stakes and crosse beames full of stones the better to diuert the Sea waues from the Towne By this meanes the workes and counterscarpes abroad were fortified like the rampiers of other strong townes being garded with rauelins halfe Moons and forts so as the enemie could not bring his ordnance neere the towne to make a batterie or come to the assault they did moreouer secure the going out and in of the boats so as the vnited Prouinces were encouraged to defend the towne sending thither daily all manner of stuffe and workmen to make it more strong therein sparing for no cost The enemies could by no meanes come neerer the town than by the West side along the downes from whence they fiercely battered it and especially the Sand hill This Sand hill was a Bulwarke of double works one vpon an other hauing round about it sundrie rankes of Pallisadoes from the bottome to the verrie toppe all made of fagotts laide one vpon an other with other Bulwarks neere adioyning for it was made to defend the West side which was the weakest part of the towne together with the hauen on that side This Sand hill was so battered with the canon as it seemed like an yron hill for they shot bullet vpon bullet which strake vpon one an other and sometimes rebounded backe againe Neere to the Sand hill was a causey opposite to the sea extending it selfe as farre as the downes where the enemy lay This causey was defended by a halfe moone and by pallizadoes and the Porcuspine by a verie strong fort which the Archduke caused to bee vndermined the better thereby to approach the towne In that regard the besieged on the fifteenth of Iuly perced the said causey behinde their halfe moone and armed the point of it with planks and fagots against the force of the Sea waues and yet they feared that the same opening would haue done more hurt to the Bulwarkes and other workes than it did this onely enforced the enemy by reason of the water to quit sundrie forts By this meanes the towne became like vnto an Island wholy enuironed with the Ocean Sea beeing diuided the breadth of one hundred foot from the firme land and from the enemy who was in great hope that the Sea the causey being perced would doe more hurt to the towne in winter The vnited Prouinces on the contrarie were assured that God by that meanes would preserue and keepe the towne so as they for their parts vsed all diligence to secure it and at Generall Veres entreatie sent three and twentie foot ensignes more thither after the taking of Rhynberck vnder conduct of Earle Chastillon notwithstanding that there were alreadie nine and fiftie ensignes in the towne beside those who were daily sent from England whose number amounted to 2000 men The enemy shot continually into the towne more than euer into any that was besieged so as many men were dayly slaine The vnited Prouinces in September sent thither in lesse than fifteene daies vnder conduct of the Lord of Warmont Admerall of Holland who with his men of warre garded the Seas one hundred threescore and ten boats laden with all sorts of victuals wine beere bread turfe and fire wood for winter not reckoning fiue hundred and fiftie barrells of powder which were there before the siege the said one hundred threescore and ten boats did likewise bring three hundred seuentie three thousand pound weight of fine and course biscuit seuentie seuen thousand weight of match ninetie eight thousand poundes of musket and harquebuse shot with fifteene thousand yron bullets and all maner of prouision necessarie for defence of the towne so as victuals were so plentifull and cheape there as a pot of wine was solde for a groat and the best for six pence and a tunne of Delfts beere for fiue florins By this meanes the siege of Ostend grew so famous as people came from all parts to behold the besiegers and besieged The Inhabitants of Zealand did for curiositie sake goe boldly thither with their wiues and children All manner of victuals were better
Armie and lay in Alberts fort where the Campe was fortified and prouided for winter as if it had been a towne and it was called West end The Infanta Isabella lay at Niewport and on the second of August shee came with eighteene Coaches to the campe beeing seene by those of the towne It is reported that whilest the ordnance plaied fircely on both sides herselfe gaue fire to certaine canons which was reputed for a singular honor They fastened wodden platformes to the shoare on the East side which they fenced with Gabions tied with Cables from thence to play vpon the boats which entred the old Hauen They attempted likewise to stop the sluce of the Causey with wood sacks filled with â—and but those filled sacks sank down to the bottom were caried away with the tide so as all that labor was vain After that by the aduice of Captain Catrice who had bin lieutenant to la Bourlotte and had now his place they resolued to giue a generall assault to euerie corner of the towne contrarie to the opinion of the whole Councell of war thinking at a low water to win the West Rampier of the old Towne and there to fortifie themselues but the besieged had prouided for it and the assault being begun Captaine Catrice was shot in the head whereupon it was deferred and yet his wound was not mortall for he was healed for that time From August to September the Archdukes Camp spared for no trauel nor expence to win the towne which they continually battered day and night ouerthrowing certaine fortifications killing diuers and laming others They likewise came at sundrie times into the trenches halfe moones and other workes from whence by the courage and magnanimitie of our souldiers they were beaten with great losse of men They went about by all meanes to choake the Gullet therein vsing all the cunning that man could inuent to keepe victuals from the town but they could not doe it nor yet by all their attemps cause the besieged to yeeld For Generall Vere and all the Captaines were resolued to defend it by all meanes possible and by their sallies did much annoy the enemie both in his Campe and forts At the same time certaine men went about to betraie and deliuer vp the towne to the enemie but they were bewrayed and executed After Haruest the souldiers on both sides were so badly clad as they were much tormented with cold especially the besieged who kept gard without the town in the counterscarps and forts where the waies were verie dirtie which caused diuers English men to runne away others grew sicke and died the Garrison being so weakned as of seuen or eight thousand there were in December but two or three thousand left whereupon Generall Vere wrot to the States for more men The Archduke lying in Alberts fort and the nights waxing long was desirous to make some attempt sending foure hundred of his souldiers on the one and twentieth of December about midnight at a lowe water ouer the Hauen on the West side along the shoare who passing by the Sand hill gaue an alarme to the East side and from thence at a place called Schottenbergh mounted the rampiers killing a sentinell of Gystels companie and by helpe of a great winde fired a curtein or great heape of fagotts which were layed to breake off the Sea waues and to preserue the Bulwarks foot made on the North side at the end of the falce-bray or out-wal beneath the Sand hils point where the foot of it made with fagots burnt three daies and three nights and could not be quenched by reason the enemie shot so fiercely The same night an Italian souldier that had lost his way was taken betwixt the rampiers and pallisadoes This Italian beeing secretly examined by Generall Vere told him that the Archduke hauing intelligence of the Garrisons weaknesse and how the towne had not of a long time beene supplied with men and victuals had speedily sent for all the Garrisons of Brabant Artois and other places and with these was come before the towne with a firme resolution to assault it in sundrie places namely towards the South and West Quadrant and the halfe moones and that Count Bucquoy should assault the Northwest rauelin of the old towne at a low water which hee might easily doe in the night Certaine other Captaines should assaile the Sand hill and two places of the old towne namely the Porcuspine which was a smal rauelin in the counterscarpe which garded a certaine place called the Biere they retained the water of the dikes which is a matter of great importance The other assaults should bee giuen to the works without the towne to the South-South-East ward called the South Quadrant the Polder and East Quadrant to which some three weekes past the enemies had giuen a fierce assault from whence they were driuen with great losse Generall Vere knowing this in particular did on the three and twentieth of December at two of the clocke in the afternoone send foure Captaines to view the Porcuspine and to bring him word whither it might bee defended against the enemies assaults and as the said Captaines were visiting this place Captaine Lewis Couture came thither about three a clocke with commission from the Generall to craue a parley of the enemie and to send hostage from either side This was done vnknown to the Captains but Captaine Couture found the Archduke verie willing thereunto The Generall to excuse this parley alleadged sundrie reasons viz. that he feared the assault because he was weake in men and they of sundrie nations that hee was loath to come to a generall assault and therefore thought good to beguile and amuse the enemie and winne time till cernaine fortifications in the old towne were finished Whereupon hostages were presently sent from the towne vpon the enemies word namely Captaine Ogle lieutenant Colonell and Captaine Farfax to procure that some others might bee likewise sent from the Archduke to treat And the same Euening the Generall sent the Sergeant Major Carpenter commaunding him to let in on the East side of the towne the gouernour of the Sluce Matho Serrano master of the ordnance and Councellor to the Archduke together with Captaine Ottaigno Sergeant Major of a regiment both of them discreet and well experienced persons with promise that in the meane time there should bee a cessation of armes by land on both sides and not otherwise These two Commissioners from the Spaniards were brought by the falce-braye ouer the Sand hill and so caried towards the new towne But a great tumult rising on a sodaine among the Captaines and souldiers especially because this was done vnknowne to them they were by the Generals commaundement sent backe againe the same way without audience and in the meane time the tide was risen so high as they could not passe on the East side but went through the towne towards the West part where they passed ouer in a boat to Count Bucquoys
quarter with some excuse promising to send back our hostages who returned not to the towne the same night Generall Vere the next day at one of the clocke after midnight in regard of the tumult among the Captaines and souldiers sent for all the Captaines French Scottish and Dutch and after long debating on the Garrisons weaknesse and great want of men to defend the old and newe towns with all the counter scarps rauelins South and East Quadrants together with the halfe moone beyond the Gullet standing towards the Southwest hee craued their aduice by what meanes all these places might bee defended from the enemies assaults demaunding whither the Captaines thought it not fit to race and abandon those workes which were alreadie forsaken vnknown to the Captaines together with the falce-bray or lesser Sand hill where they had alreadie planted one canon and a demy and caried fiue barrels of powder thither the same day All of them thought it fit to race the South Quadrant which was least hurtfull to the towne and to send the men to more needfull places and yet this was not effected because fiue companies came from Zealand on the fiue and twentieth of December The falce-bray which should haue beene abandoned was neuerthelesse by consent of certaine Captaines and in presence of Captaine Saint Clare the Scot vnknowne to the Generall mand with sixe musketâ—ers of Saint Clares companie two other companies beeing appointed to second them if the enemie should giue an assault The next day at nine of the clocke in the morning the Generall sent againe for the French Scottish and Dutch Captaines to his lodging where in presence of Colonell Loone hee made his Apologie in French declaring to what intent hee entred into communication with the enemie the Reader may see the excuses hee alledged in a letter hereafter ensuing which hee wrot to the States The same day and in the same assemblie it was concluded to demaund hostages and commissioners from the enemie for assurance of those which had beene sent from the towne whereupon two Captaines Iohn le Rijck and Charls Cassart with Captaine Saint Clare the Scot were sent to receiue the two aboue mentioned hostages and Commissioners viz. Serrano Gouernor of the Sluce and captaine Ottaigno the Sergeant Major who craued to hasten the businesse being sent into Ostend for none other purpose They were answered that in regard it was verie late and diuers Captaines alreadie vpon the gard they must haue patience till the next day The same night the fiue aboue mentioned companies from Zeland arriued and because it was Christmas day the Archduke sent a Spanish Captaine with a trumpet and a letter to his Commissioners wherein hee willed them to hasten the matter by all possible meanes Captaine Rijcks fetcht the letter and gaue it to Serrano who thereupon was verie earnest for dispatch hee was entreated to stay till eleuen of the clocke and then hee should receiue all content this answere he presently sent to the Archduke In the meane time the fiue companies which came from Zelland entred the towne viz. that of Captaine Iohn Pottey the companie of the Lord Iustine of Nassau those of the Lord Vandernoot Captaine Iohn Piron the younger and Captaine la Corde These fiue companies beeing come into the towne Generall Vere about noone gaue this aunswere to Serrano and Ottaigno how he could not denie but that being ouertaken by want of wind faire weather and other accidents hee had beene enforced to inuent meanes to helpe himselfe and men and through want enforced to come to some agreement But perceiuing that the States of the vnited Prouinces had so well reliued and furnished him with all necessarie prouisions hee could not as then proceed any farther in this treatie with his Highnesse and therefore had no more to say vnlesse some new necessitie should vnluckily surprize him and enforce him againe to craue parley hoping that his Highnesse as a vertuous Prince would not take this deniall to proceed any farther in the treat in bad part for beeing a souldier hee could doe no otherwise for maintenance of his owne honour and that this sleight was commonly vsed among souldiers Thereupon the Spanish commissiioners went their way The Archduke was much displeased with this warlike policie and grew exceeding angrie with some of his owne seruants who had counselled him thereunto By this sleight a rumor was bruted abroad how that Ostend capitulated and it was so confidently beliued as in the Courts of France England that of the States of Holland and Zealand nothing was knowne to the contrarie till such times as they receiued letters from Generall Vere The Burgers of Gant Bruges Dunkerke and Newport came with their wiues and children to the campe thinking that the towne would yeeld but they were all deceiued This did so incense the enemies as they resolued more by passion than reason to giue a generall assault The States of the vnited Prouinces were amased at this treatie and neuer thought that the English souldiers would haue so slipt away through the carelesenesse of their Captaines who gaue them passeport so as fortie fiftie sixtie and more at a time returned into England who were lustie and in health whereupon men and other necessarie prouisions were sent thither which did encourage the besieged The Archduke tired with lying so long before Ostend and deceiued in his vaine hope was persuaded by his Councell to giue a generall assault ere greater forces entred the towne and to this end hee did satisfie and pay manie of his mutiners and vnwilling souldiers making great preparation for an assault hoping to surprise the Sand hill there to entrench himselfe and become master of the old towne appointing the seuenth of Ianuarie 1602 in the afternoone at a low water the time for execution Colonell Gambiotta the Campe master was to assault the new towne and Count Ferneste with Captaine Ottaigno the Sand hill and falce-bray The gouernour of Dixmuide the Porcuspine an other the West and South Quadrants and the North Rauelin and Count Bucquoy with two thousand men was to assault on euerie side Count Triuulcio Alonzo d'Avalos and other troops were readie to helpe and second those that should stand in need the cauallier likewise hauing an eye euerie where The Archdukes felfe stood behinde the batterie of the key and the Infanta was in Isabellas fort This thus appointed a certaine Italian whose lot was to bee one of the first that should giue the assault fearing the daunger swam ouer the hauen by night with his sword in his mouth and declared to generall Vere the enemies resolution concerning the assault whereunto he gaue the more credit because the precedent day and night their ordnance had without intermission plaid vpon the towne so as he gaue order for defence fortifying all places transporting the ordnance and planting seuen great morters at the entrance of the hauen charged with stones and musket shot commaunding his men carefully to doe their
duties and not bee too hastie in shooting but to do it opportunely ¶ A Description of the fierce and bloudie assault made vpon the old towne of Ostend and other forts on the seuenth of Ianuarie 1602. AFter that the Archduke on the seuenth of Ianuarie had with his ordnance all the day long plaied vpon the Sand hill and places neere to Helmont the Porcuspine and others from his two batteries namely that beneath the downes vpon the cauallier and the other to the Southward with eighteene great Canon carying bullets of fortie and fiftie pound weight beside his battery on the East side about 6 of the clock in the euening when it was low water hee enforced his foot men to giue a furious assault causing his cauallery to push them forward First with great noyce they assailed the old towne whereinto they came along by the Western hauen beginning at the Sand hill and so going on with many light ladders and bridges for assault which they carried with them to skale the towne for the pallizadoes which were wont to bee there were all burnt This assault was so fierce and made by so many troops in sundrie places at once as it seemed they would haue taken the towne and made passage through a wall of steele But Generall Vere who had an eye to euerie place together with his brother Horatio who was neere him with a gallant troope of choice souldiers to second and relieue where need should bee marched ouer the mines to the falce-bray where with great cries he assailed the Archdukes troopes whom hee thrice repulsed for as often as they came on with fresh men so often did hee beat them off their shot and pikes doing them small good against the English who at euery time made hauock among them with their short swords It cannot be denied but that the Archdukes souldiers did verie valiantly behaue themselues assailing their enemies on euerie side without feare but their comming beeing knowne and expected they receiued such entertainment as they had soone their bellies full for they in the towne had their cates readie which so soone as the enemies tasted many of them could neuer digest all places were so well fortified as their condition here would haue resembled that of their fellowes in the halfe moon on the further side of the Gullet if they had become masters of the place The assault on the East side was giuen very neere 2 houres too late so as the tide began to rise which did not a little terrifie them perceiuing that if they staid there any longer they could not be relieued whereupon they retired in their retreat a great slaughter was made for our men with great and small shot which could not misse thundred among them The Archduks soldiers gaue the like assault to the Bulwarks of Helmont the Porcuspine and all other trenches belonging to the English wherein few men were which the Generall had done of purpose so as they were easily taken but within a while after forces beeing sent from the towne namely from the Polder and Southren bulwarks with their Rauelins and the enemie perceiuing they could not that way gaine any accesse into the towne forsooke those forts againe setting fire on the corps de gard Generall Vere had caused two double canon to bee planted on the flanquers of the West gate beside the seuen which were there alreadie the which with others scoured the Sand hill and West Rauelin where the assault was giuen being charged with chaine shot nailes and bags full of musket bullets which could not misse the enemieâ— on whom they fell as thicke as haile and made a terrible slaughter the crie beeing so great among those that were hurt as the liuing and dead fell in heapes one vpon an other In the hottest of the assault as the tide was risen Generall Vere vnstopt the Sluces the more to terrifie the enemies who saw pale death on euerie side before their eyes which hee considering would not omit that occasion but with his troops so furiously assailed them as hee did wholy put them to rout taking all the enemies ladders bridges of assault and other warlike engines leauing all places neere to the Sand hill as farre as the old Church and round about the Porcuspine the Westren Rauelin and the English trenches filled with dead bodies the number of those that were slaine by the Canon and smal shot was very great and no lesse was that of those that were drowned in the Sea for many of them were taken vp beyond Callais in France and in Zealand where they were stript the booty was verie great both in monie garments and faire armor and among other a Spanish woman was found in mans apparrell who had been at the assault as appeared by hir wounds shee lay at the foot of the Sand hill vnder hir garments shee had a chaine of gold inriched with pretious stones beside other iewels and monie The Archduke during the assault was in person behind his batteries vpon the Caualliers Those which assaulted the towne had brought victuals with them for two or three daies though in vaine and made all manner of prouisions for intrenchment if their attempt had prospered they had likewise brought sixe barrels of powder to the Rauelin of the Porcuspine to vndermine the towne but they were soone enforced to abandon all for the besieged had of set purpose dismounted the ordnance on the falce-bray and porcuspine because the enemie should not vse them to the townes detriment The assault beginning on euerie side the Archdukes men were gotten on the West side beyond the Gullet hauing many bridges on which to passe ouer at their pleasure and to assault the old towne likewise on that side There was great likelihoode that thiâ— assault would haue had good successe considering the great number of those that might haue seconded whom the besieged could not haue well resisted had it not beene preuented by one that went and yeelded to the enemie and likewise by the rising of the tide this reuolted fellowe ranne forth of the halfe moone and told them that there were but fortie men in it offering to conduct them thither and to giue them entrance which hee did so as they easily tooke it not considering that their aduerse party had done it of purpose to diuide their enemies forces the better to bee able to defend the most dangerous places where the assault should bee gâ—uen being well assured that they could with more ease recouer the said place than the enemy take it The said halfe moone being taken and many men placed in it they presently began to intrench themselues with spades and mattocks which they had brought with them for that purpose but all their labour and diligence was in vaine For the ordnance and small shot from the South side and Spanish bulwarke fel so thick vpon them as heads armes and leggs flew euerie where and perceiuing that the Sea might inclose them they grew fearefull which the
Generall considering sent Captaine Day thither who with great cries fiercely assailed them and with much effusion of bloud draue them thence so as the next day aboue three hundred dead bodies were found in the said halfe moone beside those that were hurt and drowned In this generall assault which continued two houres the Archduke lost in all aboue two thousand men for in the fury no man was spared notwithstanding hee cried out take me prisoner I am an Ensigne Lieutenant or Captaine one promising an hundred an other two three foure fiue yea sixe hundred crownes to haue their liues saued but it was to no purpose for none were spared during the fight but afterwards the heat beeing past many were taken prisoners and great numbers of them brought into Ostend Verie few of our men were slaine and in all but thirtie or fortie and some one hundred hurt these Captaines were slaine Captaine Haeften and Captaine Nicholas de Leur a lieutenant of Saint Andrews fort two English lieutenants one Ensigne two of Captaine Haeftens Sergeants one of Generall Vere his gentlemen and Sir Horatio Vere was shot in the leg There died of the enemies commaunders Count Imbec an Italian who was verie rich and had three hundred pistolets to spend euery day hee promised to giue as much gold for his ransome as his bodie weighed but a common souldier slew him with a poniard Don Durago campe master the Sergeant Major generall who had been hostage at Ostend the gouernor of Antuerps lieutenant Colonell Lewis Gambaliotta D. Alvaro Strugas knight of Malta Monsieur de la Tour lieutenant to Count Bucquoy D. Pedro de Velasco Lewis de la Villa verde were sore wounded His Highnes sent a Drum crauing leaue to suruey the dead who had foure hours granted him The commaunders which conducted the souldiers to the assault on the seuenth of Ianuarie 1602 were Count Ferneste an Italian commaunding 2000 of his countrie men who were to assault the Sand hill Count Bucquoy on the West side of the Gullet with two thousand men assailing the Eastern Rauelin but the tide being risen verie high hee assaulted the halfe moone beyond the Gullet from whence he was brauely repulsed The Gouernor of Dixmuide at the Porcuspine with two thousand men from whence hee was likewise repulsed besides an other Captaine with fiue hundred men on the West Rauelin who was also beaten thence An other Captain with fiue hundred men on the South Quadrant who did nothing The Sergeant Major with one thousand men on the West Quadrant who was likewise repulsed After this because the prisoners said that the enemie would the next day giue an other assault Generall Vere did euerie where fortifie and fence the weakest places He was likewise told that on the one and twentieth of Ianuarie the towne should bee againe assaulted by two thousand cuirasses armed at proofe but it seemeth because they could get no firme footing on the Sand hill that therefore it was deferred as also because the souldiers began euerie where to mutine especially the old Spaniards and Italians by reason of their bad vsage in being led so to the slaughter contrarie to all law of armes and driuen forward â—â—â—e bruit beasts by the horsemen after the Turkish manner against the opinion and consent of all the wise and discreet councell of warre so as it only seemed to be done in despight and brauerie But the Archduke presently caused part of these mutineers to be imprisoned and hanged vp fortie or fiftie of them of whom three were men of note and respect among the souldiers one of them being an old souldier said aloud at his execution that there were foure thousand who would reuenge their death an hundred and fiftie of them were likewise condemned to the Gallies The mutineers of Isabellas fort were sent to Winocxbergue without paye who reduced the whole countrie vnder contribution paying themselues Within a while after the States of the vnited prouinces sent more men to Ostend and furnished the towne with all necessaries notwithstanding the enemies continuall shooting so as wee can reckon that from the first day of the siege which was the fift of Iuly till Christmasse one hundred sixtie one thousand and fiue hundred shot had beene made vpon the towne and halfe as manie from thence The harme done by the enemies Canon was not onely repaired but the town thereby made more strong The Sand hill was so full of bullets as the workemen could not enter the pallizadoes which had iron points meeting many times with seuen or eight bullets in one hole It was a verie hard taske to vndermine the towne by reason that there were so manie trenches and fortifications abroade hindring the enemies approches the Sea did likewise keep them from any long worke To famish the towne was likewas impossible for though the enemie shot on euerie side yet in one day twentie thirtie yea ' fortie boats entred the towne and they had moreouer an other hauen readie by which they might at all times enter with lesse daunger and though all the hauens should faile them yet they might continually bring prouision into the old towne by shallops After this assault the vnited Prouinces resolued to change the Garrison of Ostend euerie foure or sixe moneths so as by little and little the Lord Frederick of Dorp entred the towne as Gouernour and Collonell together with William Edmonds the Scottish Colonell with thâ— Colonels Daniell de Hertaing Lord of Marquette Barendrecht the Lords of Dort and Domervile with their troops of sundrie nations These men so fortified the places of the Corps du gards as the enemie could no more doe such harme as hee was wont and in that regard shot not so often into the towne As these entred the old Garrison departed thence to refresh themselues Generall Vere went away likewise and made a journey into England The going out and in of these souldiers was seldome done without daunger and yet sometimes it was not daungerous as on the seuenteenth of March when fiue boats entred by night without any harme notwithstanding all the enemies shot The next morning at cleere day light nineteene boats richly loaden entred the enemie made one hundred twentie and two shot after them and those of the towne discharged aboue sixtie shot vpon the enemies Canon and Gabions Of these nineteene boats sixteene were touched but no great hurt done onely two men were slaine and seuen hurt In a word they entred sometime with daunger and sometimes without In lesse than sixe weekes one hundred thirtie and sixe boats loaden with all manner of prouision and munition entred the towne A Sea Captaine called Iohn Adrian Caut did on the tenth of Februarie bring 60000 pound weight of match and thirtie barrels of powder thither the like did diuers others so as the town was prouided for a long time Great quantitie of fagots and other stuffe was likewise sent thither to defend the towne from the Sea waues Souldiers were
commonly brought in in great shallops and by that meanes the old Garrison of English and other nations were caried thence in March The Archduke likewise sent for moe men to his Campe with a firme resolution according to his directions from Spaine to continue the siege to the end because it stood him so much vpon as the onely meanes to shut vp the hauens of Zealand and thereby to hinder their fishing and trade yea their passage to and fro into England To effect this he sent for many Gallies from Spain and Italie conducted by Frederico Spinola and hired mariners from Embden and the East parts thereby to take the dominion of the Sea from the Hollanders for it was that which made them able to resist the power of so mightie a Prince This was a matter of great importance not only for the king of Spaines reputation but likewise for the Archdukes Whereupon he sent for more money from Spaine and raised certaine sums in the Countrie He likewise sent abroad for skilfull Ingeneers who were entertained and set on work not sparing for any cost to some of them 100000 crownes were promised These men made sundrie new inuentions to choake the Gullets hauen and to keepe boats from entring as by making plat-formes and Caualliers whereon to plant the Canon by filling boats full of stones and sinking them in the hauen filling baskets full of sand and rowling them into it they likewise made engins of wood and wicker like to Gabions which they tearmed Sawsiges some of them fiftie foot in length and eighteene in height filled with stones and grauell tied together the which they thought by helpe of men to roule into the gullet and with many of these to build a fort They likewise tied diuers woodden beames together and began to make Bulwarkes vpon them which at a full Sea they intended to haue thrust into the Gullet and from those bulwarkes to sinke all ships that passed along with such like other inuentions deuised by skilfull and ingenious men and in this manner did euerie day make some new worke or other But so soone as the enemie finished such inuentions those of the town presently deuised remedies against them either to beat them downe with the canon to set them on fire or to keep their workmen from their labour and when they descried any of these workes they knew well enough how to plucke them into the Sea which at an high water carried them cleane away The siege continuing diuers houses and cabins were built in the campe so as it resembled a new towne by which meanes the enemie was well lodged and the campe towards the West was called the West-eynd In continuance of time the towne was fortified both against the enemies ordnance waues and tempests of the Sea yet the enemie approched by little and little the souldiers cabins were repaired renewed the better to preserue them from the plague and other contagious diseases especially the second yeare of the siege at what time the plague was verie rife both in the Campe and towne The vnited Prouinces notwithstanding this continuall siege which did put them to such infinite charge as our children will hardly beleeue what masse of treasure hath beene spent there viz. in extraordinarie expences one hundred thousand florins a moneth beside the souldiers pay and how these small and weak Prouinces haue beene able without extraordinarie meanes to furnish such expence resolued to keepe and defend the towne so long as they could yea though the siege should continue many yeares The Archduke for continuance of the siege vsed all possible meanes to get money and to that end went to Bruxels in winter and there assembled the States of the Countrie but those of Brabant would giue no money vnlesse his Highnesse did first fulfill his promise to satisfie the mutiners of Artois Hainault and Luxembourg saying that they expected the French so as they of Flaunders onely contributed Those of Brabant likewise craued to bee disburthened of twentie fiue thousand florins a moneth which the champaine Countrie was enforced to giue the Hollanders for their contribution ¶ An Assault giuen by the Archduke on the thirteenth of April 1603 on the Polder East and South Quadrants AFter that the Archduke had continually battered the towne all anno 1602 and by his infinite number of shot done great hurt both to it and the forts slaine many men and yet neuer the neerer to his purpose in regard the besieged made such braue resistance Hee did againe on the thirteenth of Aprill 1603 giue a furious assault on the Quadrants of the East South and Polder so as he tooke them in this manner following The thirteenth of Aprill the wind was so high as it caried away the tops of houses threw down whole buildings and namely the tower where many were slaine The enemy laying hold on this occasion made an assault both on the East and West side with great numbers of men on the East side they pluckt vp about 100 stakes forth of the halfe moone but they were enforced to quit it for they were beaten backe euen to their Quarter they came on the West side as far as the Porcuspine whether they brought two barrells of pitch but they were likewise driuen thence with losse of men They did also with great fury full on the Rauelin of the Polder and were likewise enforced to retreat but they renewed the assault with freshmen and became masters of all these three places videlicet the Quadrants of the East South and Polder notwithstanding that a demy Canon and other iron peeces lay vpon the Polder Quadrant in taking these places they inhumanely slew all they met with the fight lasted some two howers The next day about nine of the clocke at night the besieged gaue a fierce assault to the East Quadrant but were driuen thence with losse of some foure hundred men among whom were many braue souldiers But the enemie in these assaults lost aboue one thousand Continuall trauell and resistance made this truce so famous as it was termed a martiall academie both for Gouernours Officers Captaines and priuate souldiers as also for mariners Pilots Ingeneers Phisitians Surgeons c. so as those who had but continued certaine moneths in this schole became masters in in their arts both for defence and offence Skilfull Ingeneers notwithstanding they had studied a long time in bookes did confesse that in comparison of practize here they were but nouices Phisitians and Surgeons learned more here in a weeke than elsewhere in a yere Pilots and mariners learned here how to guide their vessels to auoid the enemies canon Canoneers were taught here how to plant their ordnance to sink ships vnder saile how to make counter batteries to dismount the enemies Canon which on both sides consumed infinite numbers of men The sixe first moneths the enemie made aboue two hundred and fiftie thousand shot shooting bullets of thirtie or fortie pound weight for all the time the
the Almans promising them great rewards and though Mynes were made on both sides yet he was desirous to get the Sand hill whereupon he gaue an assault by part of the Almans of the regiments of Biglia and Barlaymont and as those that went formost were blowne vp into the ayre by the Townes Mynes and they that followed retiring thereupon hee enforced them to march againe to the charge saying that there were no more mines which they found to be true and so without any resistance took the Sand hill and highly recompenced the Almains hee vsed like meanes against the other forts for all the besiegeds defence consisted in sallies wherby they often draue the enemies forth of those places they had gotten The besieged by meanes of their Ingeneers and by Rafe Dexter the English man who had a long time serued in these countries had behind the bulwarks of the Sand hill and Helmont made a new Sand hill and Helmont which done they diuided the towne in the middest with bulwarks and flankeers a thwart the towne and behind it they likewise intrenched more than a quarter of it towards the Gullet and new hauen with bulwarks and flankeers for their latest retreat naming that place new Troy hoping still to hold out for a time But all these new works being not stedfast and firme could not long resist the Canon for the enemie had alreadie brought his ordnance vpon the Rampiers and battered the new town Whereupon the besieged perceiuing that the Sand hill was lost and that the enemie vndermined the towne neere to the old Church and that it was likely that high tides with an North-east wind would do much hurt because the old towne was their best defence against the Sea they aduertized the Generall States and Prince Maurice who were assembled at Sluce of their condition Their Lordships and his Excellencie considering that by the conquest of Sluce and other places they had now gotten footing in Flaunders and thereby were able to inuade the enemie in his owne Countrie which they had a long time desired and that now Ostend would stand them in no great steed it beeing enuironed and blockt vp with so many of the enemies forts and also a place from whence the Archduke could not annoy them and might easily bee by them recouered so long as they were Lords at Sea These and such like reasons beeing well weighed The States gaue authoritie and leaue to the Lord of Marquet Gouernour of Ostend to capitulate with the enemie for his most aduantage seing themselues were out of feare of the Archdukes forces before Sluce that winter Thereupon the Lord of Marquet with his Councell of war fearing least winter would impaire his composition began to ship away his ordnance munition remainder of victuals and all those whom he supposed might haue hindred the treatie as Preachers Ingeneers Gunners c. Then hee sent two Captaines forth of the town to treat with the Marquis about surrendring it the enemie likewise sending two hostages into the towne At last on the twentieth of September 1604 after much contestation about the ensuing articles the accord was made betwixt Marquis Spinola in name of their highnesses on the one side and the Lord Gouernour Colonels and Captaines in Ostend on the other FIrst that all Church men with their goods and mouables may freely and without impediment depart thence 2 That the Gouernour Colonels Captaines and souldiers of what qualitie or condition soeuer as well within the towne as abroad in the forts the Captaines of ships of war with their officers mariners and souldiers may freely depart with all their vessells loaden or otherwise to Flushing with all their armes ensignes displaied drumes beating match in cocke and bullets in the mouthes together with all their baggage and if they shall want boats for transporting their baggage and hurt men time shall bee graunted them to procure such according as wind and weather will permit which boats shall likewise freely returne 3 That the said Gouernour Colonels Captaines and souldiers may take four peece of ordnance with them and no more without any powder And to this end for better assurance of his Highnesse Captaine Wingaert Lieutenant of the ordnance shall make a reuiew thereof not vnloading any of the boats in the hauen And for conduct of the said boats the Master of the ordnance Gentlemen Conductors Gunners Carpenters Pioners horse and whatsoeuer depends thereon shall freely depart 4 All Officers and Commissaries which haue managed accounts and souldiers pay others may freely depart with the goods armour horse and other things belonging to their office 5 That all Commissaries of victuals and other the States Officers may do the like 6 That the two Captaines Lantscroone and Gystels that were prisoners with all other Officers and souldiers shall be freely released as likewise all Captaines Officers and souldiers belonging to his Highnesse who are prisoners in Ostend Alwayes prouided that the prisoners on either side shall pay their costs and charges 7 That all Burghers victuallers and others in pay or out of pay may likewise freely depart with their armes mouables boats and baggage 8 That the said Gouernour Colonels and Captaines shall this present day deliuer vp to such as the Marquis shall appoint all the old towne with the small plat-formes called Moyses Table and foure hostages in whose stead the said Gouernour Captaines and Colonels shall retaine those whom they haue alreadie 9 The said Gouernour Colonels Captaines souldiers and officers are all of them bound to depart on the two and twentieth of this moneth because it is not possible for them to doe it sooner by reason of foule weather as for sicke and hurt men they may follow after with the baggage 10 If by reason of a contrarie wind the Gouernour Colonels Captaines and souldiers can not depart at the time appointed they shall then be bound to goe their way by land and to that end such wagons as are needfull shall be lent them 11 And for securitie of their persons and boats if foule weather should happen to delay their departure yet that this Article may not be infringed hostages shall be giuen them for their Highnesses who when the boats shall depart shall be safely sent backe to Ostend as also those Hostages giuen by the Gouernour Colonels and Captaines to his Highnesse shall remaine as caution for the aboue said wagons till their returne and shall afterwards be sent safely to Sluce In this manner did the famous siege of Ostend breake vp which continued three yeres and fourescore daies a siege which will be spoken of so long as the world lasteth and will seeme incredible to after ages The accord thus made the enemie entred the old towne and our men into their intrenched workes called New Troy till the two and twentieth of September and then they went away by land according to the capitulation crossing the gullets in sloops and Ferrie-boats Gouernour Marquette the Colonels Captaines and others
were by Marquis Spinola inuited to a banquet whilest the troops were putting themselues in order to march They went along the Sea side after this manner the French led the Vauntgard the Dutch the battaile and the English and Scots the rereward they were in number three thousand all lustie able men they caried foure peece of ordnance with them towards Blanckenberg and the next morning arriued at the camp where Prince Maurice and all the Lords did courteously welcome them taking them by the hand saluting them all as they rode through the troops thanking them for their faithfull seruice done to the commonwealth Then their Quarter was appointed where they should rest the captaines officers and braue souldiers being preferred to good places and largely recompenced Most of the Burghers likewise went their way to Sluce The Baylie of Ostend was made Baylie of Sluce and none taried in Ostend but a few old people Diuers notes were found of the number of those that died at this siege one of Spinolas souldiers that was slaine before Sluce had a note about him of all the colonels captaines officers and souldiers which died before Ostend An Alman gentleman that was at Ostend saith that during the siege there died 15 Colonels seuen Marshals of the camp 19 Sergeant Majors 560 Captaines 322 Enseignes 4911 Sergeants 1166 Lieutenants 9166 Corporals 56366 souldiers six thousand and eleuen Mariners one thousand one hundred nintie sixe women and children amounting in all to 76961. All these died from the beginning of the siege to the last of Iuly 1604 not accounting those that died since This number is great and incredible vnto which the sick and wounded which were sent abroad to the Hospitals may be added Some haue likewise set downe the number of the besieged which was verie great but I think it impossible truely to number them for those that were sicke or hurt were presently sent away but the number of the enemies was far greater yet the besieged had more plentie of all things endured lesse miserie than the Archdukes souldiers who lay 3 whole winters in so cold and moist a place and therefore it is likely that very many of all nations died there Ostend was afterwards visited by diuers men of all sorts who found it an heap of stonss sand there were few houses but many cabins much munition and some 11 peece of ordnance which were vnseruiceable with certain morters and other engins and an infinite number of bullets The Archdukes went thither to see the town which they wonderfully admired perceiued that they had spent consumed huge sums of money time and men onely to wyn an heape of sand and finding it ruinous and inhabitable they gaue order to haue it repayred From thence their Highnesses went in pilgrimage to our Ladies neere Dunkerke to whom many attributed the victorie they gaue order that the houses and Church should bee reedified and the towne fenced against the waues of the Sea and the better to drawe people to dwell there they gaue great priuiledges and immunities to it but the first yeare fewe came thither and at this day they haue neither fishing nor nauigation ¶ A description of the Generall States armie marching through the Dutchie of Brabant vnder conduct of Prince Maurice of Nassau in Anno 1602. THe Estates generall of the vnited Prouinces together with his Excellencie Prince Maurice of Nassau considering that the Archduke of Austria went about by all meanes to reenforce his troopes which hee alreadie had in the low Countries with a new and mightie armie from Italy and with it not only to continue the siege of Ostend but to inuade the said vnited Prouinces were likewise desirous for their parts to shew their fatherly care aswell for defence of their owne subiects as for abating the pride of the haughtie Spaniards and preuenting all his determinations did in the beginning of Iune 1602 with great expence set forth a gallant armie of horse and foot which on the 17 of the said moneth passed master at Elten in the Isle of S Gravenweert at Pauderen and places neere adioining it consisted of more then 5000 horse and 18000 foot with 1930 wagons not accompting those of victuallers 6047 horse of draught General fasts praiers being made ouer the whole countrie the army crossed the Rhyn Waell vpon two bridges made ouer those riuers and marched towards Nimmeguen and from thence to Moocke where his Excellencie as Generall of the army caused some of his troops to passe the Mase and the same night reposed his armie at Moock from whence without any stop hee passed his forces ouer the Mase and lodged at little Linden brauely determining to go and seeke the enemy and to offer him battaile who had alreadie receiued his Italian forces and if God should grant him the victorie hee then hoped to bee able to relieue Ostend which had beene besieged eleuen moneths or at least if hee could not sitly meet with him yet to dare him who seemed to desire nothing more than to meet with his Excellencie vpon his owne territories to reuenge his losse at the battaile of Niewport in Flaunders The whole armie beeing in Brabant the Generall States of the vnited Prouinces made a declaration and caused it to be printed wherein they shewed the causes why they had prepared this army the effect whereof was thus For as much as the Generall States of the vnited Netherland Prouinces haue by Gods grace and assistance of Princes and and Potentates their friends done their vtmost for the serious aduancement and profit of the Netherlands this present yere to free them wholy from the tyrannie of the Spainards and their adherents And because it is iust and reasonable that all prouinces townes villages parishes and inhabitants of the low Countries that groane vnder the Spanish yoak should presently aide and assist them In that regard the administrators of N. N. are intreated and warned for the first and last time to deliuer within three daies after sight hereof into the hands of the deputie of the receiuer Generall of the vnited Prouinces resident in our armie the summe of N. N. in abatement of the contributions wherewith they haue been and still are charged for the freedome of the low Countries vpon sight hereof the said administrators shall send two hostages into our camp for the said paiement with commission to treat with our commissioners as wel in regard of reasonable contributions as for their owne defence that they be not molested by our souldiers wherein these presents shall serue for their safegard and passeport otherwise for default of accomplishing the tenor of these presents we will therin proceed which we shall be verie sorie to doe by way of armes Giuen in the assemblie of the said Lords generall States at the Hague the 7 of Iuly 1602. Here de Hotting a vidit and subsigned C. Aerssens The said Lords did likewise cause this ensuing placard or inscription to bee
for then it will be no hard matter for your Excellencies and vs to cause the Spaniards and other straungers to follow them and to enforce the greatest parts of their adherents to become true Patriots and Countriemen If any shall herein propound some impossibilitie how that your Excellencies cannot safely take this course let it please you to beleeue the contrarie videlicet that if your Excellencies for sixe moneths will assist vs with as much money as the moytie of the auntient and ordinarie taxation of Brabant Flaunders Artois Haynault Valenciennes Lislie Douay Orches Tournesis Tournay and Mâ—lines amounts vnto and to lie still your selues respecting theiâ— Highnesses or else to joyne with vs which we leaue to your Excellencies choice and pleasure we hope by Gods helpe to briâ—g things to such passe as your Excellencies shall judge that there is likelihood of good successe And seeing that many honest people dare not set themselues forward but are in diuers points irresolute your Excellencies shal giue such directions both for gouernment and matters of Religion as ye shall thinke fit and most expedient and yee are not to suppose but to bee well assured that we will not attempt to doe any thing to the contrarie Your Excellencies may likewise be assured that in an action so necessarie laudable and honorable neither your selues or vs shall want the ayd and assistance of our neighbours Kings Princes and common wealthes In which regard wee once againe entreat your Excellencies to forget all passion suspition and bad conceits and with vs to embrace this present occasion as the onely meanes to settle the Low-Countries in their auntient glorie prosperitie peace and quiet not depending on pretended new forces which cannot but cause great ruine and miserie If otherwise we foresee that miseries and mischiefes will grow greater than euer heretofore from which before the whole world wee will cleare our selues Whereupon we beseech God high illustrious honorable noble magnificent learned wise and discreet Lords friends and neighbours to inspire your Excellencies with a desire tending to the common good of the Netherland Prouinces and prosperity of the true and honest Inhabitants thereof From the Hague in hast this seuenth of Iulie 1602 signed by Hero de Hottinga and vnderneath The true freinds and neighbours of your Excellencies The generall States of the vnited Netherland Prouinces By their appointment signed by C. Aerssens So soone as all things which were thought necessarie for this armie were speedily prepared and that certaine Lords of the Generall States and councell of State were appointed to bee present with his Excellencie to assist him in all matters which might happen in the armie videlicet from Holland the Burgomaster of Alcmaer whose name was Gerard Coorn from Zealand Albertus Ioachimi counsellor and pentioner of Tergoes from Vtrecht Gerard de Renesse Lord of Vander Aa from Frizeland Iulius Essinga and from Ouer-yssell Otto Roeck The armie was diuided into three troops The first was that of his Excellencie conducted by Count Ernest of Nassau which commonly marched in the left wing the second by Count William of Nassau gouernour of Frizeland and Groeningue with whom was Count Henry of Nassau his Excellencies brother who vsually marched in the middle or battaile The third by Sir Francis Vere Generall of the English Regiments who led the right wing The horsemen were conducted by Count Lodwick of Nassau Generall of the cauallery and with him the Lord Gray who were likewise diuided into three troops each of which neere to one of the foot troops The wagons and carts were also diuided into three parts the ordnance excepted being twelue demy canons and three field peeces The three and twentieth of Iune the Campe departed from a place called Little Linden and marched in the foresaid order not one behind an other but close together being sometime seperated halfe an houres iourney from one an other and sometimes lesse and was quartered the same day at Sambeer Mullem and Oploo The foure and twentieth at Bleyterwick Meerle and Venroy the fiue and twentieth at Baecken neere to Venlo Brey and Zeuenum the sixe and twentieth at Bingenum neere to Remunde Baxen and Heilhuyse the seuen and twentieth at Aldeneyck neere to Masieres Gestinghen and Ophouen The Reader may consider that by the first mentioned places are meant the quarters of his Excellencies troop the second of Count William and the third of Generall Vere The eight and twentieth nine and twentieth and thirtieth of Iune and first of Iuly the whole campe remained in the said places setting vp mills to grind and ouens to bake and making other prouision in the towne of Masieres The second of Iuly the armie marched in the same order and quartred at Lent and thereabout The 3 day leauing Mastricht on the left hand at Gellick Moperdingen and Eygenbilsen The fourth at S. Heeren-Elderen Heins and neere to Tongren where it staied The fift and sixt at Gelmen Hopperdingen and Rijckel neere S. Torns the seuenth all the troops lodged together at Halmael neere S. Trons The Archduke hauing assembled his armie beyond the towne of Thyenen vnder conduct of the Admerall of Arragon at a place called Hackelduyuel entrenched and fortified his campe with Rampiers and Bulwarks well fenced with ordnance His Excellencie on the eight of Iuly with a great part of his horse and foot leauing the rest in armes together with the wagons and baggage at Halmael crossed a small riuer called Dormaele and a village in Brabant called Nerelant leauing Louayn on the right hand and went euen in sight of the enemies campe sending some of his horsemen to a little riuer called the Gete not far from the enemies Campe to view and to trie whether there were any likelyhood to draw him from his place of aduantage to battaile But perceiuing that hee did not stir his Excellencie and men after some stay on an high place hauing shewed themselues to the enemie returned to his Campe at Halmaell where hee continued the ninth day the enemie not once comming abroad and want of victualls enforcing his Excel to abide there no longer and perceiuing that the enemie was strongly intrenched hauing with them certaine Italian troops newly arriued amounting in all to the number of 20 thousand men together with 18 peece of ordnance he resolued to do that which should be most commodious for himselfe the difficulties of the passages and bad waies were propounded the number of wagons beeing verie great and the labour to iourney greater with such a cariage They found the townes and villages of the countrie of Liege verie vnwilling to giue them bread for money and there were so many men and horse in the armie as sufficient forrage could not bee found for them corne could not bee ripe in a fortnight or three weeks they came likewise too late to hinder the Italians from ioining with the Admerall whereupon they resolued to besiege some towne of importance some propounded Antuerpe but their necessarie prouisions
were not readie for such an attempt In the end they resolued to turne backe and besiege the towne of Graue and there to attend the Admeralls armie Thereupon his Excellencie departed the next day beeing the tenth of the said moneth in the selfe same order as before towards Aix and places neere adioining The heate of that day was so intollerable as many souldiers though the iournies were not long died of faintnesse by the way and others were so weake as they were enforced to tarrie behind yet in the coole of the euening they came to the camp the enemie in all the march giuing no alarmes to our men either by day or night The 11 day the heate continued so as his Excellencie stirred not that day but refreshed his armie The 12 the armie lodged vpon the heath before the towne of Hasselt The thirteenth at Helchteren the fourteenth at Lille the fifteenth at Hees where his Excellencie sent a trumpet to the enemies souldiers at Eyndhouen commaunding them to depart thence which was done The 16 the armie lodged before Helmont Stiphent and vpon refusall to depart which the enemies garrison in Helmont Castle made his Excellencie commaunded a volley of six canon to play vpon it whereupon they presently capitulated and went thence The 17 the armie rested at Vden the 18 at Cassell Esteren Reken and Welp and at last before the towne of Graue which his Excellencie besieged and tooke as shall appeare in the following description ¶ The siege and taking of the towne of Graue in the land of Cuyck in anno 1602. HIs Excellencie according to the resolution of the Generall States brought his armie before the towne of Graue the chiefe Citie of the land of Cuyck seated in Brabant vpon the Mase in former time it belonged to Guelderland but was afterward reduced vnder the gouernment of Brabant beeing ingaged to Maximilian of Egmont Count of Buren The Prince of Orange of happie memorie mariying his daughter bought it together with all that depended thereon and enioyed it a long time but after the pacification of Gand certain Almain troopes lying in garrison there for the Spaniards were driuen thence by the Princes forces together with the helpe of the Burgers The Prince of Parma did afterwards besiege it in anno 1586 vnto whom the Lord of Hemert deliuered it vp Since then the towne beeing strong by nature was better fortified with Bulwarks Rauelins and Counterscarps and is now one of the strongest places of the Netherlands Antonio Gozales the Spaniard was Gouernour there who fearing and expecting a siege D. Inigo d'Otaiola a verie skilfull Captain brought forces thither most of them beeing Italians and Spaniards with some German Companies vnder commaund of Pangus Gallais of Tiroll Lieutenant to Colonell Tyssing amounting to the number of one thousand and fiue hundred men beside the Burghers the towne was well stored with ordnance munition and victuals His Excellencie beeing come before the towne disposed his quarters after this maner himselfe encamped on the West side of the towne on the banks of the Mase on which a bridge was made of two hundred and thirtie paces in lenght Count William lay on the South side of the towne and the English vnder Generall Vere on the West side where another bridge was likewise made ouer the riuer whither diuers boats came presently forth of Holland loden with victualls and all other necessaries for a siege In the meane time newes was brought that the Admerall of Arragon had broken vp his campe at Thynen and was comming with 20000 horse and foot into the Countrie of Liege and from thence to Ruremond and Venlo with an intent by one means or other to releeue the Graue Whereupon his Excellencie spent some time in fortifying his campe abroad especially on that side where it was most likely the enemie would come And the whole circuit of the campe round about the Towne on both sides the Mase partly by reason of the Marshes and partly to enclose certaine high and eminent places which were not fit to be left abroad least the enemie should seaze on them and thereby giue some aduantage was wholly intrenched and fortified with Skonces and Pallisadoes Batteries were likewise made vpon the principall wayes where ordnance was planted Certaine engins were likewise directed to giue signals by fire that the quarters might in the night aduertise one another if any alarme should be giuen All the time from the sixe and twentieth of Iulie till the 3 of August was spent in these fortifications and works which were verie great and many But then in the Euening the musters being taken and certaine wagons and horse for draught sent away they began to make their approches The Admerall in the meane time tarried neere Venlo making shew as if he meant to crosse the Mase to goe to besiege Rhynberck thereby to draw his Excellencie from the Graue who in time preuented him sending his cousen Count Ernest of Nassau with sixteene foot companies thither The Admerall hauing notice hereof departed from Venlo and by easie journeys came on slowly putting men into the towne of Gennep which belonged to the Duke of Cleues The tenth of Iulie he lodged at great Lynden within halfe an houres journey of his Excellencies quarter and there encamped drawing his Campe forth in length as farre as the Mase where he made a bridge and Heumen Castle which he tooke and fortified intrenching his campe before and planting diuers canons The Garrison of Graue had at times made sallies vpon the approches but verie slowly at first yet after they perceiued succours they came forth with greater furie as on the thirteenth day in the morning by day breake hauing first made some signall by fire so as it was thought that the enemie would haue assailed the campe but nothing was done whereupon the enemie was beaten back into the towne with great losâ—e and with little or none at all on our side The fifteenth day the enemie did againe make shew to assaile our campe whereupon the towne garrison made a furious sallie vpon the English Quarter and was againe beaten back in this skirmish wee lost an English Captain In the meane time the enemies souldiers namely the Italians did in great troopes come and yeeld themselues to his Excellencie in regard of the great want and misery they endured and told him that the Admerall approched with his ordnance neere to his Excellencies Quarter on which he meant continually to shoot and thereby enforce him to dislodge vpon this aduertisement diuers fortifications were made whereby this mischiefe was preuented The twentieth day at night the enemie made some shot from a far off both vpon the bridge ouer the Mase and into his Excellencies Quarter hurting two or three men and within a while after he began to dislodge his troopes who caried ladders spades mattocks and other preparations with them comming downe to our trenches betwixt two skonces which stood in the middest betwixt his
ordnance two of the foure Gallies which had boorded Captaine Logier did likewise set vpon the Gallie of Zeland then the other two forsooke Legiers ship and fought with the Gallie of Holland one of these two last forsooke the black Gallie and came to the reskew of the two others which boorded the vice-Admerall Ioost le More percing one an other with canon shot The other ship wherein was Crijn Henrick could not come vp to fight through want of wind but did her best in shoting at the Gallies which boorded the Vice-Admerall and the blacke gallie This fight of gallies continued a long time against ships not accustomed to such fight there beeing eight gallies and foure fregats of the enemies against two ships and two gallies of ours Yet Spinolas gallies fearing that the Zelanders might bee seconded and themselues hauing receiued much losse in their men slaues and oares disparing of the victorie did in great disorder retreat to the Sluce mouth Among their slaine men was generall Spinola hauing receiued many wounds hee was of the familie of Spinola in Genoa a man of great reach and meanes There were slain in this fight eight hundred musketeers souldiers mariners and slaues and manie were wounded yet the certaine number could not be knowne Of the Zelanders thirtie six were slain and 60 hurt their ships and gallies beeing of better proofe than the enemies Among the dead was Captaine Iacob Michiels of the black Gallie and his Lieutenaunt of the thirtie and sixe English musketeers eight were slaine and sixeteene hurt among the wounded was the Vice-Admerall Ioost le More hauing receiued three daungerous wounds the like besell Captaine Legier Peters but both of them were afterwards healed During the fight the report of the Canon was heard to Flushing the Admerall of Zeland the Lord of Haultain presently mand foure men of war and a Fregat making all possible hast to the Sluce mouth but the Spanish Gallies ere they could arriue were gotten in Whereupon our men gaue publike thanks to God attributing all praise to him For without all question this was a valiant act with so few vessels and men to beat eight Gallies and foure Fregats so well manned and prouided The Zelanders in memorie hereof stamped siluer and brasse coine hauing on the one side two ships and two Gallies with this circumspription Laedunt triremes nauibus 1603 and on the other side the Spanish Gallies with this circumscription victae perempto Spinola 16 Maij. Our ships beeing well mand will no more feare Gallies although the Sea be calme as well appeareth by this Sea fight ¶ The taking of Cadsand and Ysendike with the siege and yeelding vp of Sluce in anno 1604. AT the beginning of the yeare 1604 the States of the vnited Prouinces resolued to seeke out the enemie in his owne Countrie and to enter Flaunders hoping to raise the siege of Ostend Hereupon they commanded all Captaines to make their companies compleat giuing forth new commissions to leuy 1500 Suisses and 2000 other footmen His Excellencie of Nassau espying a fit time and occasion sent commaundment to all his forces to meet him at Willem-Stat on the twentieth of Aprill with such number of boats as should bee needfull for such an attempt Thither came Count William Count Ernest Cazimir and Count Lodwick Gunther brethren of the house of Nassau together with Count Henry Frederick generall of the horse The troopes beeing shipt departed on the day appointed from Willem-State towards Zeland whither on the foure and twentieth of Aprill his Excellencie likewise went accompanied by the Prince of Anhalt Count Adolph of Nassau together with the Commissioner of the generall States and Councell of State who were there present to farther the enterprise The fiue and twentieth of Aprill in the Morning the whole fleet consisting of infinit numbers of boats sailed from Zeland to Flaunders where at the passage or entrie called Het Swartegat they landed in Cadsand where in two daies they tooke all the Forts And if at their first arriuall they had entred the Sluce mouth they might with little labour haue taken the Towne and peraduenture by such speed raised the siege of Ostend for at their landing those of Bruges had no forces in their Towne but whilest his Excellencie landed his men and was busied in taking in the small forts of Cadsand those of Bruges made such hast as Spinola from the campe before Ostend sent one thousand footmen to a place called Swint and from Watervliet sent Triuulcio with fiue hundred horse to stop the passage at the Sluce mouth notwithstanding that on the sixe and twentieth and seuen and twentieth dayes we vsed a meanes to passe on chasing the gallies towards Sluce So as his Excellencie beeing out of hope to passe and determining onely to assure the Countrie of Cadsand a Boore told him that by fetching a compasse towards the East-side of the Sluce he might enter Flaunders and shewed him the same night a fit place to goe to Oostburch but there he met with the enemies horse and foot troopes which made him thinke that there was some passage whereupon on the 29 day he sent certaine bands thither which skirmished with the enemies putting them to rout who in the flight shewed our men the way to passe and on the thirtieth day in the Morning his Excellencie went thither and crossing the water took a piece of the causie neere to Coxie where certaine men of Sluce who meant to haue made a fort there were beaten some 30 of them taken prisoners the rest put to flight those of the fort of Coxie did likewise yeeld on cōposition opening by this means contrarie to our expectation away to enter into Flaunders putting vs in hope of good successe notwithstanding that the Countrie round about was much broken Prince Maurice on May day marched with a great part of his armie to Saint Catherins Fort and sent for ordnaunce to batter it but because there was a spring tide that day and the waters were verie high it was afternoon ere the Canon was brought so as all that day hee remained in battaile neere the fort In Saint Catherines fort beside certaine souldiers commaunded by Count Trivulcio were many burghers and boores surnamed Keurlingen these are voluntarie mercenaries leuyed about Gaunt who hauing no quarter nor promise to be ransomed if they were taken his Excellencie to terrifie them commanded that none of them should bee taken prisoners but all slaine and though this did daunt many of them yet they held out that day and one of their Ensigne bearers did passe too and fro on the Rampiers erecting his Ensigne on the breach to the great encouragement of his fellowes who were likewise hartened for that Count Trivulcio who had been at Watervliet with certaine troopes of horse came and encamped with them below the fort where he entrenched himselfe and planted two field peeces to play vpon his Excellencies troops But his Excellencie hauing the same after noone
victualers After that Admeral Heemskerck had taken order for all things necessarie for the fleet on the nine twentieth day they departed all together from Wight but the Admeral with fiue ships at his going forth beeing carried away with the Tyde ranne on ground so as they were enforced to tarrie there one Tyde the weather beeing faire and Sea calme the Vice-Admerall passed onward with the rest of the fleet and told the Admerall that hee would tarrie for him at Plimmouth At floud the Admerall began to float and come off being followed by the other ships and two dayes after arriued in the Hauen of Plimmouth where he would not stay but shot off a warning piece to cause the rest to follow him which was done The whole fleet being together they went with a Westerlie wind towards the coasts of Portugal and Spaine so as on the tenth of Aprill they came to the height of nine and thirtie degrees neere to the riuer of Lisbone The Admerall assembled his Councell of warre nad concluded to carrie the whole fleet into the Riuer to take and destroy all the Caracks and gallions that lay there But the Admerall hauing true intelligence by certaine spies whom he had sent before with a small English ship towards Lisbone that most of the Caracks were alreadie gone from thence and those that were there to the number of eight or nine not readie and all their ordnance on shore vnderstanding likewise by certaine French and English which came from S. Lucars Cales that 16 gallions were alreadie gone thence for the West-Indies and that ten of them were yet in the streit of Gybraltar with certaine other men of war waiting for the low-countrieships which were to comeforth of the streit for they knew that many of them were readie to come therupon the Admerall changed his former determination meaning to seeke out the said fleet in the streit and to that end bent his course to Seaward to get the height of Cape S. Vincent whither beeing come hee met with a ship of Flushing which on the 22 day came forth of the streit the master told the Admeral that in the night he had bin among the Spanish fleet but was cleared from it in the Morning which as he thought directed it course towards Cales for by a Westerly wind they were constrained to come forth of the streit The Admerall receiuing this intelligence held on his course and on the 24 of Aprill sayled neere the riuer of S. Lucars and bay of Cales but they could haere no newes of any ships for the Admerall was resolued to fight with them though they had beene in the riuer of S. Lucars or bay of Cales The euening of the same day he receiued certaine newes of the Spanish fleet by a French man who the same day came from the roade of Gibraltar who certified the Admerall of the fleets being there and of their number and order The same Euening because the wind was Easterly hee bent his course to the the Southward towards the coasts of Barbarie and from thence hee turned towards the coasts of Spaine Comming into the Streit the Admerall called his Captains aboord and acquainted the Councel of war with that which the Frenchman had told him giuing order for all things necessarie and at last couragiously resolued to assaile and destroy the Spanish fleet and thereupon gaue this direction that himselfe with Captaine Moye Lambert would boord the Spanish Admerall the vice-Admerall Alteras and Captaine Bras were appointed to boord the vice-Admerall and so the other ships two together should set vpon the other gallions The two Brigantines with the Barke were commaunded to passe vp and downe thorow the fleet that if any gallions or ships would attempt to escape they should stop their passage and fight with them but the victuallers were to keepe a loofe off and not to come neere the fight This done hee exhorted all the Captaines to beare themselues valiantly to purchase honor telling them that himselfe would be the first should lead them the way whereupon they all promised and swore to follow him though it should cost them their liues and then euery man returned to his ship About noone they descried the enemie in the bay before the towne of Gibraltar lying in the roade vnder couert of the Castle and townes ordnance to the number of two and twentie vessels videlicet nine great and mightie gallions and foure men of warre beside a great ship of Lubeck of foure hundred tunne called the spotted Cow that lay in the roade tarrying for a wind to go to Cales there were moreouer 4 French ships and three which they had taken viz. 2 of Enchuysen and one of Rotterdam whose Mr. called Gouert English was prisoner aboord the Spanish Admeral They had manned all these ships with souldiers against the comming of our fleet For the Duke of Lucars hauing intelligence of our arriuall and passage before S. Lucars and Cales did presently dispatch a post to Gibraltar to warne the Spaniards of our approach the like he did to those of Calsi whereupon they had strengthened their fleet with three hundred souldiers among whom were one hundred Cauallieros that came voluntarily to doe seruice to the Admerall who had seuen hundred men in his ship and the Vice-Admerall foure hundred and fiftie The other gallions were well stored with ordnance and in each of them two hundred and fiftie men at least beside the mariners the first great gallion was called S. Augustin and in her was the Admerall of the whole fleet called D. Iuan Alvares d'Avilas borne at Estâ—rgas an old and experienced Captaine who had a long time serued the King of Spaine at Sea in the time of D. Iohn of Austria The Admerals sonne was Captaine of that gallion The second gallion wherein the Vice-Admerall commaunded was called our Ladie de la vega The third being the Rere-Admerall was termed The mother of God The fourth S. Anne The fifth oâ—r Ladie of the rule The sixth our Ladie of the conception The seuenth Saint Christopher The eighth our Ladie of sorrow The ninth Saint Nicholas The tenth our Ladie of Rosaries The eleuenth our Ladie of O. The twelfth S. Peter In a word they were well prouided of Saints but they did them smal good Our Admerall hauing descried the Spanish fleet giuen order for all matters and prayed vnto God for his ayd and assistance made directly towards them He displayed and made fast his ensigne with nailes because no man should take it downe and promised an hundred Reals to him that would bring him the ensigne of the Spanish Admerall exhorting his souldiers to doe their best protesting that whatsoeuer they could take from the enemie should bee their owne this did greatly animate them but especially the couragious valour of their Admerall so as they desired nothing more than to fight The Spanish Admerall descrying our fleet called for the Master of Rotterdam whom hee kept prisoner shewing him
that gallant opportunitie His Excellencie in the meane time hauing intelligence of the enemies arriuall in the Isle of Bommell made hast thitherward with his Cauallerie and certaine foot companies where he arriued on the sixth of May and gaue order for all things necessarie in the towne commaunding the Burghers still to abide there who by his comming were so encouraged as they alone thought themselues strong enough to withstand the enemie The seuenth of May the Spaniards forsooke the town of Emmerick and joyned with the Admerall who was then marching towards the Isle of Bommell It was supposed that the Admerall had an intent to haue seazed on Heusden a verie strong Towne and seated within an houres journey of Bommell But his Excellencie like a prouident prince went thither on the 11 of May with tenne foot companies and caused the Isle of Hemert to be fortified and intrenched round about The Admerall perceiuing that Heusden was too well prouided did with all his force assault the Fort of Creuecoeur which by reason of the smalnesse was not able to hold out against him Whereupon the garrison yeelded it vp and departed thence with their ensignes and armes His Excellencie hauing intelligence thaâ— Creuecoeur was yeelded returned speedily to Bommell and caused it to be enuironed with many trenches halfe Moones and such like workes By these fortifications the Towne of Bommel in mans iudgement was made impregnable and as many as saw the height and bredth of those workes were amazed for it is almost incredible to see what they wrought in view of the king of Spaines mightie armie Beside these fortifications a farre off the bulwarkes of the Towne which had bin begun were finished and the walls closed vp the Towne being well furnished with ordnance and other prouision in places of most necessitie The Admeral in the meane time lay with his campe at Creuecoeur where he was busied in making a bridge ouer the Mase and a halfe Moone on Heels side thereby to secure the riuer The 13 of May the enemie made shew as if he would haue returned to Heusden whereupon his Excellencie sent 31 ensignes mo thither But he marched towards Rossem hoping to enter into the Isle of Tiell called Tielche-weert to enclose the Isle of Bommell on all sides but Prince Maurice sent ordnance thither and caused batteries to be made thereby hindering the enemies passage The 14 of May Count Frederick brought the most part of the armie before Bommell hauing first run vp and downe the Countrie and done nothing but warned those of Bommell and Voorn to fortifie themselues and giuen them time to doe it He came and sat downe on the West-side where the Towne had beene most open there beginning his skirmishes hoping to enter it but those within it did brauely repulse him During this skirmish the enemie thought to haue entred the Isle of Rossem but all things being there well ordered his attempt had no good successe Then he began to besiege the towne seating his campe at a place called Oensell aboue the Towne and made his trenches at the causey called Oensen-Dijke that he might lie safe from the Towne shot Prince Maurice perceiuing that the enemie meant to set vpon him with his whole power did likewise breake vp his campe which lay in the Betuwe and brought it to Bommell making all preparations for defence sending for all sorts of munition and making sundrie batteries His whole campe being assembled he diuided it verie skilfully and fortified all necessarie places He manned Bommel with eight ensignes belonging to the Lord Peter de Dorp eight ensignes of the Lord Vander-Noot foure ensignes of Suesse and the Lord de la Noiie with seuen French companies and himselfe with his youngest brother Count William and Count Lodwick retired thence He quartered the English at Haesten the Gards at Tuyll the residue of the French at Wardenbourg at Opinen the rest of the Frizons at Hessell Count Ernestus with the Almans the Scots with Edmonds regiment at Voorn and all the horse in the Isle of Tyell and so from thence as farre as Gorcum to keepe continuall watch along the Riuer The Admerall Duuenvoord likewise went vp the Riuer Waell with fifteene men of warre which lay from Opinen as farre as beneath Haeften On the sixteenth of May all things being thus ordered by the States armie the Admeral of Arragon came at last to his campe so as al the power on both sides was assembled nere to Bommel The Spaniards were in number 26000 foot and 4000 horse the States forces consisted of 16000 foot and three thousand horse most of them old souldiers and had a long time bin trayned vp in war and purchased great experience The same night that the Admeral came to his campe he made a furious assault vpon the townes furthest fortifications towards the gate called Oensche port which were scarce finished but he was brauely beaten backe with great losse of his men and among others La Motte was taken prisoner who died at Bommell of his hurt together with Alfonso D'Aualos who was grieuously wounded yet within a while after recouered his health Prince Maurice caused the causey called Oenschen-Dijke to be vndermined that he might blow vp the enemie if he returned to assaile the fortifications This was his last assault vpon Bommell for afterward he kept himselfe verie quiet standing rather on defence than offence His Excellencie on the contrarie was not satisfied in defending the towne of Bommell but did likewise with all his might assaile the enemie shooting on euerie side into his campe and visiting him often in his trenches The workes and fortifications did daily encrease round about Bommell and a bridge of boats was likewise made ouer the Waell before the Towne fiue pace in bredth and foure hundred and fiftie in length There were ten great boats and eight and twentie lesser ones a verie great Ferrie-boat seruing for an opening to the bridge when need was By his Excellencies commaund all mariners that were in the States fleet came into the towne of Bommell to ayd the souldiers to make a furious assault vpon the enemie who was aduertised thereof by two French-men that fled from our side whereupon the mariners were sent backe to their ships The 18 of May Count Lodwick with 8 cornets of horse was sent on Brabants side to surprise the enemies gards but returned without any effect On the one and twentieth at night our souldiers being for the most part English and French did fiercely assaile the enemie in his trenches and slew aboue six hundred men and would peraduenture haue troubled the whole armie had not a quarrell arose betwixt the two Nations whereupon they returned to the Towne bringing Captaine Aldeno prisoner with them with some other souldiers And on their side lost two Captaines and some others who for the most paâ—t were slayne by themselues The enemie at that time was verie busie in his fortifications making platformes and sundrie batteries from