or sway in these Intestine Warres for I haue my selfe knowne many Captaines and great Commanders in those Warres that highlie esteemed of right Martiall Discipline by experience feelinglye seeing the Inconueniences that ensue by such Corruptions haue the more detested and abhorred them As likewise that famous Prince of Orenge I am able to say of mine owne knowledge and from his owne mouth mutch disliked many of those horrible disorders which neuerthelesse necessitie for want of meanes to pay inforced him to tollerate in some of his Mercenarie Commanders The like appeareth by the Discipline before published by that worthie Prince of Coundy and right Militare Admirall Shattilion who notwithstanding were enforced to suffer many of these things themselues condemned But my meaning indeed is with Reproach to noate all such men of Warre as contemning all ancient and true Martiall Discipline either ignorantly thinke all they see done in these Warres fit to be imitated or Rauenously for their owne gaine and particular profit will not onely themselues be the Exequutioners of so foule Abuses but shamelesly maintaigne such bad new Customes to bee good and Laudible and knowing their skill vtterlie vnable with any Eloquence or Cunning to defend so impious and bad a cause wil either by Mutinous factions violentlie endeuour to oppresse or by false flaunders Malitiouslie seeke to disgrace such persons as they know able to discerne and willing to make their Prince and Countrey trewlie vnderstand see and abhorre such horrible Abuses Neither doo I hate the person of aâ—ie one or other Militare man aliue for any respect whatsoeuer but onlie such Extortions and Corruptions in some of them as I should likewise detest if I should finde the same in mine owne Brother And therefore no particular or priuate respect but onely the great Inconuenience I doubt may ensue and the faithfull zeale loue and dewtie I beare to my most gracious Soueraigne and Countrey hath moued and induced mee aswell while I bare Office of ComptrolemeÌ„t in Militare causes as now also being happelie disburdened of that thankelesse place so plainelie to declare a truth not fearing to incurre or irritate the mallice of so viperous and pestilent slaunderous Enemies as both myselfe haue and all other honest Officers shall finde such to bee as haue vowed their seruice to Madam Picorea so liuelie with detestation painted out in her cullours by that worthie and famous Souldier Mounsieur de La Noüe MAGNA EST VERITAS ET PRAEVALET FINIS PRO LEGE REGE ET GREGE ·LOVE KEPYTHE THE LAWE OBEYETH THE KYNGE AND IS GOOD TO THE COMMEN WELTHE· †These insolent speeches of the people were repressed by a sharp penall â—dict of the States made and proclaymed at Middleburgh immediatly after the losse of Sluce This 23. day in Ostend his Excellencie was like to haue beene slaine with a bullet that strake into a Iawme of his windowe right before him and the Lord Wentworth with the splinters thereof hurt in the face Tâ—esday the Dâ—ke of Parâ—â—seeing the returne of our Armie yeelded to any condition of honorable parting that our besiedged could demâ—nd â—â—che denying them aâ—ie delay or libertie to aduertise the Earle of Lâ—ycester being this day with his Army within one League of their Camp before the Hâ—uen â—outh â—nd readie at the highest spring to enter The Enemie very politiquelie made the Commanders in Sluce belecue our Armie was fled at midnight from Blankenburgh whereas wee marched a way in the day before sunne-set in order of Battaile and no charge or attempt made by any one horse or foote vpon our rereward nor shot disâ—harged after vs but onelie out of the Sconce This surrendry was made two or three dayes before the spring tides were past and the day before the highest spring was come
A Breife and true report of the Proceedings of the Earle of Leycester for the reliefe of the Towne of Sluce from his artiuall at Vlisshing about the end of Iune 1587. vntill the surrendrie thereof 26. Iulij next ensuing VVhereby it shall plainelie appeare his Excellencie was not in anie fault for the losse of that Towne Imprinted at London 1590. To the Reader Concerning this Addition of the honorable endeuours of the Earle of Leycester for the reliefe of Sluce vpon her Maiesties most gracious and great charges in fauour of the States of the vnited Prouinces IF it bee tollerable for priuate men to deliuer in print Apologies of their owne doings while they are aliue mutch more reasonable I think it for the trothe of such matters to be published as being concealed or misconceaued may anie way touch the honor of so Publique a person as the Earle of Leycester her Maiesties Generall and Gouernor of the vnited Prouinces by their owne free election now deceased and not aliue to answere for himselfe Seeing therefore it pleased God so well to blesse his former Actions euen from his entrance into that Countrie til his first returne to England that he had cleered both the Vellow and Bettowe two rich pleasant and most fertile countries of al Enemies razed and defaced al their Sconces and Castles or left thē possessed with souldiers of our own and so greatlie enlarged the Territories contribucions of the States besides the taking in and assuring of Deuxburgh and Deuenter therby also diuerting or remouing the great siedge from Berke in Ghelderland besides the winning of Axell in Flaunders without the loosing of any one Towne Sconce or Castle either commāded by the English or wherin any one English band was garry soned til after his Excellencies departure some priuate pikes and particular ambitious grudges grown between Stanley Yorke and others in those prouinces caused these bad persons for their particular passions in the absence of his Excellencie so much to forget their dueties as traiterously to deliuer into the Enemies hands that Towne and Sconce by Zutphen God hauing I say so exceedinglie alwaies prospered his Excellencie during his abode there to the great honour and renowne of her Maiestie as his most malicious Enemies had cause rather to enuie his Fortune than backbite his Gouernment no one Town Forte Castle or Sconce lost or foyle receaued any way by our nation vnder him till the losse of Sluyce that being the onely thing wherein either his dispiteful Enemies or ingrate friends or folowers strangers or English can finde any coullor to calumniate his militare actions Finding yet in my hands a briefe and true relation of his Excellencies honorable endeuours vpon her Maiesties gratious great and extraordinarie charges to relieue that Towne by me euen at that time committed to writing when these matters were in Action and my self present both at the Consultations and Executions J haue thought it my duetie likewise herewith to Print and publish the same that neither the Honourable Patron of this Treatise now dead by iniurious imputations be vniustlie wronged nor for ignorance of the trueth the world seduced to thinke the Swanne a Crowe or the Dawe an Eagle But conceiuing matters as they are in deede guided by Gods prouidence we may learne in all things to giue him all glorie and modestly acknowledging truly our own priuate Errors and infirmities to endeuour hereafter to amend them ¶ A true report of his Excellencies carefull proceedings for the reliefe of Sluce as it was briefelie set downe while the matter was in action HIS Excellencie arriuing at Vlisshing toward the ende of Iune bringing with him about 30. Ensignes of newe leuied Englishe souldiers found the Town of Sluce beseiged by the Duke of Parma his chiefe forces remayning in the Ile of Cassand where himselfe was for the most part in person the rest in S t Anns Land vnder the commaundement of La Mote salue that his horse-men with some bands of foote were dispersed vpon the Coast and vpon Straites for gard of Dikes and passages in sundrie places These forces of the Duke of Parma were lodged in such a sort that there was no accesse vnto them but vpon narrowe banks the which were in manie places retrenched and cut off in such sort as in respect of the aduantage of the scituation they were wel able to haue answered treble their forces that should by land haue inuaded them By sea they had also by Piles Shippes and boates in shew crossed the hauen and planted certaine platformes of Ordinance to beat such ships as should attempt to enter to succour the Towne Neuerthelesse in the iudgement of the best Militarie men this was founde the onely waie to relieue the Towne and to that end preparation made of shippes of war to enter one or two shipes especially of purpose framed with fire workes very artificially to haue broken any Bridge and opened a passage although it had bene much more forcibly closed than indeed that was True it is that the Admirall Nassau and his sea captaines made the matter verie dangerous and required that the forces by land might be also attempted at the same time and at the first it was by his Excellencie ment that the Camp should haue bene assailed 3. waies viz from Isendick Sconce towards Coxey on Cassand frō Ostend But vpon more deliberate consideration of the scituation of these places it was found that after wee should haue surprized the Sconce of Isendick there was no possibility to martch towards Sluce or towards the Enemies Camp but vpon straight Dikes with sundrie abrupt passages by them fortified in such sort that a verie fewe might haue made head on that side to anie great Armie and not to be passed without great slaughter of our people and long time before we could approche to anie blowes with the Enemie On the otherside of Cassand the coast so flat and farre out into the Sea as there was no landing but as men must wade a great distance in the water subiect to all the shot of the Enemie that might lye couered vnder the marsh banks and then no way to approch the Camp but vpon fortified straights as before It was therefore concluded that the onely way to approch the Campe by land was from Ostend where his Excellencie might in safetie land his forces so march to seeke the Enemie on firme ground in militarie order not confusedly with so great disaduantage as on the other parts In the meane time diuers Burgers of Vlisshing that mistrusted the coldnesse of the Admiraltie and States made offer to his Excellencie that if they might haue shipping they would vndertake to enter the Hauen and put into the Town both men and munition without attending any attempt to bee made vpon the Enemie by land which they sawe to be a matter of great hazard not possible in reason to take anie effect the strong scituation of the Enemies Campe considered The
the Enemie his Excellencie being the same night returned toward the Fleete which lay in readines at the mouth of the Harbor to take the aduantage of the spring tides and to haue entred the Hauen aswell â—o haue deuided the Forces wherewith they of Cassand should haue succored them of Saint Anns Land when wee should charge them as also to put in men and Munition into the Towne With this small Armie of 30. or 32. Ensignes of Foote and foure Cornets of horse we marched on the plaine sands of Flaunders 10 or 12. miles towards Sluce Towne and rested not till wee came to Blankenburgh Sluce where wee found a strong Sconce made to stop vp the passage guarded with fiue or sixe Ensignes of Wallons The Sconce reached from the Marshes down to the Sea and closed vp the passage in such sort that without taking in of that Sconce there was no passage for our Armie to set on their Campe but only at very dead lowe water and that with many difficulties extreame discommodities too long to be particularly set downe Neuerthelesse it was resolued by the Lord Marshall and the Militarie councel that without farther delay an attempt should bee made to hewe downe the Pallizado and by scale to enter and if that tooke not effect then in the Euening at dead lowe water without sarder delay to march by it And albeit the Armie came wearie to that place about noone yet was it resolued the assault should bee giuen before foure of the clock In the meane time the Fort was viewed round by sundrie persons of iudgement and 30. or 40. sâ—â—ine and hurt in the approaches and view therof with the shot both great and small that played continuallie out of the Fort among vs. In the meane time the Duke of Parma being aduertised how nere our Armie was come to his Camp and our Resolution perceaued by our discoueries and nere approaches the Prince rose as we were enformed after with a choice Regiment to stay vsthere which in deed he might ful easelie haue done to an Armie fiue times as great as ours was the scituation of the fort considered But his Excellencie being in the meane time by contrarietie of winde stayed could not reach the Floate but lay before Blankenburgh Slâ—ce beholding the strength of the place and the impossibilitie for vs to passe or to get so strong a plat in any conuenient time to relieue the siedged Towne sent Sir Harry Goodyere a land vnto vs with coÌ„mandement immediatlie without losse of time to returne to Ostend there to Imbarque the Armie againe and speedely to returne to the Floate before the best spring tides should passe to enter the Hauen also to land our Army there vpon them with resolution to put it to any fortune rather than to loose that Towne The 25. at night we imbarked againe at Ostend and the 26. being Wednesday being arriued at the Float we found his Excellencie in consultation with Count Maurice the Admirall and the rest of the Sea Captaines for entring the Hauen who alledging many diâ—ficulties and perrils deliuering many reasons such as they were why they entred not the Hauen according to agreement At that time his Excellencie plainelie and openly charged both Count Maurice and his brother Nassau that when the Burgers of Vlisshing made him the offer long before to haue performed it that they answered they had the best Pilots Captaines and shipping readie in their handes and could and would performe it themselues which they could not well denie yet would not plainly confesse but that it was with certaine conditions Crauing that his Excellencie would first appoynt some with theÌ„ to view the Hauen In the meane time by these their former dalliances the Town being before growne desperate of succour the verie same day while these thinges were thus in debating Sir Roger Williams not knowing vpon what resolution we were called back from Blankenburgh entred into Parley and the Duke denying no demaunds they could set downe of Honorable parting onelie denying them anie time of respite to aduertize his Excellencie because he knewe they might and of likelihood feared they should haue bene succoured by sea before the best spring tides were past The coÌ„maunders of the Towne being of like out of hope of anie ayde by sea aswell in respect of the small comfort retourned from the States by Captaine Hart as also by the strange newes and aduertisements they receaued continually as they say froÌ„ their Enemies being greatlie distressed by their vnhappie losse of the west Dike And seeing how hard a matter it should be with far greater Forces than ours in any short time to defeat the Camp being so strongly lodged hauing most honorable conditions of Surrendrie yeelded vnto by the Duke of Parma they concluded and the same day after our Armie arriued at the Floate whilst his Excellencie was in consultation for entrie of the Hauen viz. on the 26. day of Iulie 1587 they sent away Master Sentliger to his Excellencie with notice of their surrendrie alreadie made and this is the plaine and naked trueth of this action I may not omit that albeit his Excellencie was furnished out of England with Pouder Munition and Money So as there was nothing then froÌ„ the States required but for Money to haue victualls and boates and Skiffes to land our Armie and Carriages to conuey Munition Victuals c. For boates and Skiffes to land our men on those flat Coasts we had not sufficient to disbarke our little Armie in one whole day And for Waggons his Excellencie could not get inough to carrie two daies victualls with vs to Blankenburgh and yet diuers chiefe persons and officers of our small Armie for want of Carriage forced to leaue their Tents behinde them So that for this Action I knowe not what the States could doe more to make the world beleeue the common voyce of the people for their correspondence with the Enemie or smal care for the losse of any Towne in Flaunders to bee to true neither can I imagine what was possible for any Generall either for trauell of his owne bodie both by Land and Sea or for contempt of all perrill to his owne person or by carefull Prouidence and singular Patience being so ingratefully maliciouslie crossed to do more than his Excellencie hath done whatsoeuer common opinion led onelie with bare euents may conceaue of it Another Addition concerning certain chiefe Officers of an Armie Wherein by conference of the repugnant conditions in the Good and Bad both the Officers themselues may the better knowe and indeauour to persoâ—rme their duties and all others also thereby discerning clecreliect what Ranke they bee may yeelde them Honour or Reproofe according to their merites HAuing both by reading conference experience found before I bare office in her Maiesties Armie commaunded by that right honorable Earle of Leycester in the Low Countreyes how manie dangerous Inconueniences ensue where true