foure thousande horse of Spaniards Italians Almaynes Burgonions and others With this armie hee encamped before Mastright to stay the enemie for passing ouer at the Maze hee made also a bridge ouer the Maze that he myght euery way cut the enemie from victuals The Prince of Orange tooke by assault Arenberg The prince taketh certaine places and Ep pen two townes standing betweene Coloigne and Duren and Hormeson also belonging to king Philip where his Ma. garnison was staine which caused the Duke of Alua to spare none eyther yet to receiue any to mercie But as the prince marched still for ward the Duke knew not whether he wold into France to ayde the Prince of Conde or whether he would come downe into the lowe countries howbeit the Princes armie coasted the riuer of Maze euen vnto Stockum where he passed the ryuer to meete with the Duke of Alua his campe Whyle these matters were in hande the Duke of Alua caused aproclamation to bee made in Antwerpe that euery man which had or knew of any goods belongyng to the Gueses shold tell it to the Lorde Treasurer or to the magistrate and officer of the place where those goods were vpon paine that whosoeeuer concealed them or suffered them to bee carryed out of the Countries shoulde pay the valure of the saide goods The one thirde part whereof shoulde bee to the Informer and the rest confisked to his maiesties vse but hee that was not able to restore them shoulde be arbitrarily punished This Proclamation caused great mischiefe In the ende of September the Duke of Alua came on Mastright side The Liegeois woulde haue taken vp a certaine passage for the stopping of the armie but the Prince marched with his people on the other side and although there had beene a controuersie between the bishop and the Liegeois yet they agreed by a coÌ„mon consent to leuie sixe ensignes of men for the defense of the citie The fifteenth of October the Orangians discomfited certain ensignes of Aluaianes But when the Prince had passed the Maze bee marched forwarde the twentieth of October leauing on his right hande the towne Tilmont and passed the riuer whiche diuideth the lande of Lieg from Brabant seeking all the wayes he could to fight with the enemie howbeit the Duke of Alua had no will to hazard it and therfore fearing the Prince of Orange his forces kept himselfe in his trences before the Citie of Mastright But Don Fredericke of Toledo his sonne came one day out of the campe with sixe Culuerines foure thousand shot and an hundred men at armes but no great matter was exployted saue that in skirmishing many on both sides were thrust out of wages When the Prince sawe that Winter drewe neere and the time passed away without giuing battaile to the Duke of Alua who lay in his Trenches before Mastright although at the first the Princes armie might haue fought and discomfited the enemie had it not beene through euill counsell or els that the Lorde GOD would not suffer it because hee woulde further punish the lowe countries for their horrible and grieuous sinnes But nowe againe to our purpose the Prince meaning to auoyde the vnprofitable charges in the consuming and spending of victuals money and munition thought it the best Councell to forsake for a time the lowe Countries and make a voyage into Fraunce where the Marshall Cossey pursued him with two thousand shot two hundred horse which was to his great hurt Whiche thing the Marshall dyd at the request of the Duke of Alua and followed the Prince euen vnto Cambresie The Frenche woulde gladly haue had the Germayne horse men to haue come downe into Fraunce But the greatest number of them returned home into Germanie for want of pay and taking their way through Champaigne entred into Lorayne and beeing come neere vnto Straesbrough they diuided themselues not well pleased with theyr pay and thus ended this warr betweene the Prince of Orange and the Duke of Alua who euer sithence hath continued a more tyrannous persecutor in murderyng emprisoning cuttyng off of heads hanging burning confisking of goods publishing of Proclamations and Commissions and bringing in of newe Bishoppes as at Leewarde in Friselande where Cunerus Petri was ordeined the first bishop the first of February 1568. And afterward were very solemnely ordeined certaine others in the prouinces of the low Countries Nowe this tyraunts great persecution and tyrannie aforesaide continued from the yeere 68. vnto the yeere 72. When as the miserable and comfortles inhabitaunts of the lowe countries had through Gods assistance and mercy some ease of their calamities by reason that the saide Duke obstinately persisted in demanding of the tenth penny without regard of the complaints of all the Estates of the lowe Countries thinking thereby to heape vp suche an infinite treasure and keepe a continuall mine of golde and siluer to withstande all kinges princes and potenrates that woulde oppose themselues against his vnnaturall tyrannie And although the Lorde hath suffered this tyrant to bee a scourge to plague the lowe Countries which sometimes so notably florished yet hath it been to none other end but to aduertise vs that we in the time of our great prosperitie wallowing and tumbling in all worldly pleasures forgot the Lorde our God and that forsaking our wicked life through the chastizement of this rod wee might frame our selues to newnesse of life according to his most holy and blessed commandements For the good God chasâ—iseth all those whome hee loueth neither hath these lowe countries been onely so greatly scourged through the tyrannie of this cruell and vnnaturall monster but hath also visited them with a most fearefull ouerflowing of waters Insomuch that the first of Nouember in the yeere 70. were drowned in Hollande Zealand Friseland Gelderland and others many thousandes of people and an innumerable multitude of cattaile for mans sustenance This wounde Gentle Reader is healed and almost for gotten but the tyrannie of the Duke of Alua is yet in force Wherefore let vs beseech the Lord our God to deliuer vs out of the handes of this tyrant to the ende wee may serue and honour him in peace and tranquilitie all the dayes of our life And heere an ende of the second Booke The thirde Booke of the Histories of the troubles in the low Countries wherin shal be set downe the second inuasion of the Nobilitie Gentlemen and other fugitiues and banished men into the same IN the first and seconde bookes Gentle Reader hath been declared vnto thee what hath come to passe from the yeere 1566. vnto the yeere 1572. and the very first originall of this present warre But in this thirde shall bee described all the matters that haue fallen out from this yeere 72. vnto the taking of the Councell of Estate in Bruxelles which was put in execution by the Lorde of Heze Captaine of the same citie the 4. of September 1576. by the ordinance of the Estates of Brabant And nowe to
Rhyin fiue great gallies and well appointed boates howbeit they wanted maryners As these thinges in this wise most lamentablie stoode the most mightie God and Lord of Hostes who on extreeme necessitie neuer forsaketh his hauing compassion on his miserable afflicted ones woulde needes she we foorth his strong and out-stretched arme for the deliuerie of his desolate people out of the hands of a Tyrant Wherefore he sent the windes his Ministers The waters by reason of the windes arise vp merueylously who so violently blew vp as that the waters arose and wonderfully ouerflowed For besides the great ouerslowing of the waters the Northeast winde wonderfull violently blewe vp and brought againe the fallen water vpon the face of the earth who so prospered the Southeast winde as that it draue the same water towards Leyden Insomuch that the Princes armie which before as abouesaid had but niene ynches of water had then aboue two feet and an halfe and was able to passe euen at the first ouer the high fieldes vnto Ryrkweigh aforesaid if at any time they saw the water faile theÌ„ then would ten or twelue men goe out of euery ship and so lighten her that she might flote afterward passed ouer Kirkweigh wherefore they tooke their course towardes the quarter in the night betwixt the first second of October after they had giuen a false alarme vnto Stompwyke way The order of this armie of the princes by Sea The order of the princes armie at Sea passing ouer the said high Territorie was ranged placed in maner as followeth The Admiralles of Flushing Ziericksea had followyng ech of them fifceene gallies which spred themselues abrode like two winges And first Admirall Boysot accompanied with the Colonell of the guard had the leading of the left wing on Soeterwood side because it was thought that the greatest force of the enemie lay there The Admiral of Zericksea had in his company master Citadell Bultran captaine Paule Duyrant and others The vice Admirall was placed on the right side of Suyten accompanied with the Baron of Noieles master Cornes Bourchart and with Captaines Henrie Grenu Philip de Asseliers master of the ordenance and warlike munitions was appointed to tarry with the great ordenance eight or ten gallies vppon Norta for the keeping of the victuals vntil such time as the said admirals had gotten Ryrkweigh aforesaid that then hee shoulde follow and brauely salute the Soeterwoodens with the greate ordenance which ordenance was charged with pretie little bags stuffed full of leaden bullets to wit 300. in euery bagge finely and artificially couched and those to be dispearsed amongest the thickest of the enemie When all things were thus orderly arranged placed the armie departed about midnight the day aforesaid and the Gallies and ships were seuered an harquebuze shot one behind another hauing in the middest about eighteene or twentie Barkes laden with Pyoners and all kindes of tooles for entrenching to the ende they myght so soone as it was possible fortifie themse lues at the said Church way But the Spaniardes had appointed so great a watch in their small vessels as that it might haue serued for the whole bodie of a ward And when they saw the Admirall somewhat neere they called aloud and said Who is there who is there but not a worde was giuen them vntill suche tyme as the Admyrall was gotten within Gun shot and then he so saluted them with the roaring and thundring of the Canon as that the night seemed to bee day This watch answered them againe with caliuers muskets and certaine faulconet shot and then left their vessels by little and little retyred still playing with their small shot vntill they had goten to the body of their ward which was entrenched at euery corner of the way Then salied they brauely out on euerie side fiercely deliuering their muskets against the OrengiaÌ„s but the Zealanders so resaluted them with such on haile of Bullets as that they were driuen with great losse to retyre to their trenches leauing there behinde them onely a few souldiers to maintaine the skirmish who soone after also made their retrait The Orengland skirmish brauâ—ly against the Spaniards for the French Captaines the captaine of the guard Bultran and Bourchart went on land and entrenched themselues on Soeterwood side and Grenu Ladriere and others on the right side In the mean while that they were quietly entrenching of theÌ„selues before the day breake the Zealanders plaied froÌ„ their ships with their canons vpon the Soeterwoodens but chiefly where they saw any fire or light and shot fier also into some of their houses The Maryners french souldiers which were on land cast fier likewise into diuers of their houses The captaines aforesaid returning on both sides from the skirmishe stucke thicke into the grounde all alongst the way stakes with long yron pykes at the ende of them to the end that the enemie being once driuen from that way might neuer returne thither againe Now when the Orengians had taken this Churche way entrenched themselues placed a ward there they gawged it in three places to make a way for the passing of their gallies In the mean while the ships laden with victuals being about an huÌ„dred were sent away and arriued all neere the armie two excepted which going out of the right way fell on the dry land and so consequently into the handes of the enemie And surely here is one thing greatly to be considered of that in the feates and deedes of armes of so great importance doone in the sight and middest of the whole force of the enemie there were not aboue fiue or sixe men of the Princes side slaine But to say truly this was Gods worke and not mans for the good GOD when it pleaseth hym keepeth and defendeth his euen in the greatest and most perillous dangers to the ende hee woulde shewe vnto Tyrants and proude men that hee is able to abase and throwe downe the power and strength whereof they so highly bragge that thereby he might make his glory magnificence and prayse appeare the greater When all the whole armie by Sea and victuallers had passed that way The Admirall of Flushing directed his course towardes the meere bridge Neuerthelesse after he had sayled a little way where he thought to haue found it deepest it proued very shallow And then the Zealanders shewed themselues to bee men of great stomacke for they for the vnburdening of theyr ships leapt presently into the water and like men that had rather haue carried theyr vessels away vpon theyr shoulders then to haue leaft them by that meanes got to Meerbrough When the Spaniardes and the rest which lay encamped about Soeterwood Church in diuers Trenches had seene the next day in the morning which was the second of October that the Prince his armie had not as yet directed her course towards Leyden thought that because they saw all on a light
maner to doe you suche seruice as 〈…〉 agree with your honourable liking 〈◊〉 so moste himbly take my leaue Besechyng 〈◊〉 Lorde further so to rule and guide your harte and mynde continually in his faithe feare and loue as hetherto he hath doen that his glorymaie be aduaunced his Churche and this commonweale partly by your meanes in peace and Godlinesse preserued and mainteined London the xv of Marche 1583. Your Lordships moste humble in the Lorde alwaies to bee commaunded Thomas Stocker TO THE HIGH NOBLE Honourable and wise Lordes my Lordes of the Estates the Deputies Presidentes and Counselles Burroughmaisters Scoutes or Marshalles Maiors Bailiefes and to al other Officers and Ministers of the Prouinces whatsoeuer vnited to the lowe Countreis your most humble and obedient vassall and subiect Theophile wissheth Grace Peace and loue from GOD through Iesus Christ his only beloued Sonne our Lord. SEyng my good Lordes that all Princes Rulers and Gouernours are the ordenaunce of God and as Sainct Paule in the 13. to the Romaines and diuers other places of the holy Scripture witnesseth vnto vs Carie not the sworde in vaine but for the preseruation and maintenaunce of the good and the resisting and punishyng the wicked and vngodly Well then haue my Lordes the Estates and Magistrates of the Prouinces vnited to the lowe Countreis deserued all honour and commendation who after the wonderfull dissentions and breaches of certaine of the Prouinces and Cities that separated them selues from the greater nomber bothe forgettyng al their honor and othe and condescendyng and agreeyng to the Enemie haue not onely continued their vnitie but haue a greate deale more confirmed the same and therefore when I throughly coÌ„sider of the great constancie and stabilitie of the Estates of Hollande and Zealande as also of the marueilous greate fidelitie of my Lorde the Prince of Orenge who ioynâ—ly and altogether very faithfully haue performed all office duetie in the maintenaunce of the warres against Tyrauntes I could not possibly but commende and set forth their deserued honour commendation and praise aboue all the rest of the Nations whatsoeuer that haue been so wonderfully aduaunced and renowmed aswel by the Auncient as also by the late Historiographes And therefore in my poore opinion and iudgement I can not see how the confedered and vnited Prouinces maie doe better then to followe the waies and steppes of the Hollanders and Zealanders in euery poinct and condition in makyng warre and standyng against the force of all the rest of the Lordes and Princes of the other fifteene Prouinces For if thei had otherwise doen thei had neither wonne honour nor yet gained any thing els thereby For what a more wholesome better profitable and necessarie thyng could thei haue taken in hande then to fight and make warre for the Religion and defence of their Countrey by which meane thei might keepe themselues from the horrible oppression of bloodie Tyrauntes seeyng the very Heathen haue gotten them selues great honour by defending of their Countrey Wherefore sith the defence of a mans Countrey is so good and honourable a thyng and the defence of Religion a thyng farre more excellent and of greater importaunce there is great reason the Magistrate should wholy endeuour hym self to defende his good and faithfull Subiectes But what way maie any Common weale most fitly be defended wheÌ„ as there reigneth suche greate discorde and dissention among Subiectes Surely there are twoo meete kyndes of meanes to bee had and vsed amongest three estates of men for the defendyng and vpholdyng of a Common weale in peace and vnitie And first of all the Magistrates are to obserue twoo thynges for the defence and maintenaunce of a Commonweale in tranquillitieâ—to wit Iudgement and Iustice By Iudgement in seuerely and not rashly vsyng the sworde giuen vnto them by God for the punishyng of the wicked and offenders to the ende the good Subiectes might bee saued harmelesâ—e and preserued from all oppression and iniury They are also to haue a diligent care not to shed innocent bloud for feare that the bloud of the Innocentes crie out to God against them for vengeaunce and so he require the bloud of them at their handes For in the booke of the Cronicles it is saied vnto the Iudges Beholde ye Iudges what you doe you execute not the Iudgement of men but of God you doe Iustice when as you pronounce true and right Sentences in defendyng the Wydowes and Fatherlesse in doyng of them speedie Iustice not corruptyng the Lawe either for money or rewarde and not giuyng iudgement to the hurte of any of the parties either for want of not knowyng the cause or els through ignoraunce Wherefore it is a moste necessarie thyng for Iudges to be learned in the Ciuill Lawe whiche thyng Plato the Heathen Philosopher well considered when as he saied That that Common weale was very happie whiche was gouerned by wisemen and Philosophers Secondarely two thynges are necessarie in euery Christian Churche to the ende that no offences or dissentions arise amongest the people The first is the pure and sincere doctrine of the worde of God with the true administration of the Sacramentes neither addyng to or takyng fro any one of them for it is written in the Apocalipse That that man is cursed whiche either addeth or taketh awaie any thyng from the worde of the Lorde The other is that discipline and iudgement be straightly kept in the Churche of God without tolleration or dissimulation or without respect of any persone or persones That all Whoremongers Dronkardes and all other whatsoener that doe continue and abyde in greeuous and grosse sinnes be excommunicated and cast out of the Church to the ende the whole Churche be not corrupted and infected by them and others take offence at their doynges Thirdly 〈◊〉 sect of the anabaptists ariseth in diuers places there are two thynges necessarie to bee obserued in euery particuler Familie or housholde The first is that fathers and mothers of housholdes must bryng vp their Familie of honestly and not suffer their meney to want thynges necessaâ—orie For S. Paule saieth that that man is worse then an Infiderawhiche prouideth not for his housholde The other thynâ—ing of the correction and chastesing of their children and seruaâ— tes who are to bee corrected and kept in awe For Salomon saieth He that spareth the Rodde hateth his Childe For youthe is compared vnto yong Trees because whosoeuer he bee that will haue straite yong Trees must set a very straite staffe harde by euery of them And so if yong youthes be well taught and brought vp from their cradle in the feare of the Lorde and in his waies and pathes those youthes I saie will become very honest and feare the Lorde Now then my good Lordes if these three estates of men were well brought vp the worlde would bee at a sarre better staie then now it is for then we should bee sure to heare no newes of so perilous ciuill warres sheddyng
were whether President Counseller Boroughmaister or whatsoeuer officer els were enforced before the Inquisitors to take knowledge of as many as were preseÌ„ted vnto them punish al those that were fauourers of herefie and heretikes Furthermore the Inquisitors tooke a note of all merchants artificers poore or rich that were any way suspected of the reformed religion The Inquisitors are commonly Franciscanes or preaching Friers which take a note of al suche as come not to confession or that offer not to their boxe giuing a copie of theÌ„ to the new bishops whose officers as vshers Sariauntes first of al by coÌ„position burdened the poore soules who soone after were enforced to flee the countrey if they would not be taken so put to death as by experience often was seene At that time it was noysed all the low countrey throughout A brute rumor of warres in the low countries supposed to be a most certaine truth that Duke Erike of BruÌ„swike had leuyed a mighty army both of horsemen footmen to plant the Inquisition in the low countries by force of armes accordingly as he had before by the deuise purpose of the Cardinal of Granuelle enterprised to accomplishe so by that meane meaÌ„t to make a conquest of the prouinces of the laÌ„d of Belgique and abolish al priuiledges and franchises and in the end make an absolute kingdome of it for this cause was the charge committed to the rulers and captaines who had receiued money of Duke Erike for the leuying of men of warre These newnes engendered such a great feare in the hearts of the people as that the notablest richest merchaÌ„ts of the countrey Many merchants got theÌ„ away into other countries got packed vp al their goods together went away into other laÌ„ds insomuch that the artificer had no work to set himself vpon al reÌ„ts reuenues decreased many cities townes were vnpeopled so that it was a lameÌ„table thing to see into what a miserable estate the low couÌ„trey which before was the Paragon of all trade of merchandise not the like in the vniuersal world to be found was fallen now become thus sodainly desolate ruined Againe there were certaine gouernours officers of great authority wealth who first considering of the horrible effect tenure of the letters manifestly declaring that in case there were any man that would oppose himself against the meaning of those letters not ayde the Inquisitors for the accomplishing of their commssion that he whatsoeuer he was should be deposed from his estate another placed in his roome next of al they seeyng the fury and wrath of the people to be greatly moued through such disorderly charges and tyrannies and become so outragious mad that they would not spare any magistrate or officer whatsoeuer And last of all considering that they coulde not with a good conscience in such a case be both plantifes Iudges they were fully resolued to yeelde vp their offices into the kings hands if he purposed to persist in that his intended opinion On the otherside the ancient enemies of the house of Burgoin woulde in no wise let slip this occasion but carefully and dilâ—geÌ„tly sounded the heartes of the enhabitaunts of this low Countrey to see if they could by any meanes possible make them shake off their sidelitie from their Prince Lord hauing gotten men for that purpose to she we vnto them howe insupporlable a bondage that is by which all other franchifes priuiledges and other ordinaunces are defaced and broken and that there shoulde be other Lawes and Statutes appointed after the manner of Spaine which should haue full power and authoritie ouer their moueable and vnmouable goods their wiues and children yea that all the goodes which they haue so long possessed should now be no longer theirs but shoulde themselues also be brought into flauerie and bondage Howebeit they tolde them that this thing shoulde not take effect before such time as his Maiestie shoulde submit himselfe vnto the Inquisition Neither did they forget to shewe the great dammage and losse whiche the countrey was like to receiue through the want of the recourse and company of the Marchantes seeing that marchandize is the very nurse of these Prouinces and that by reason of the trade thereof in other partes the enhabitantes of the lowe Countreys should be ready to starue And that which is more that the bondage of conscience wherunto they shoulde be alwayes tyed was nowe concluded vppon Moreouer they compared all these thinges to other prouinces and regions with their franchises and liberties saying that these prouinces farre passed all other in trade of marchandise and goodnesse of Ground and further tolde them of the great commoditie which other prouinces receiued from these lowe Countreys and coulde not be without them Neuerthelesse their fidelitie and constant loyaltie to their prince was so great and wrought so in them as that they gaue no eare to such suborners but aduertised the Magistrate to be ware of this fetch and drift and preueut it howbeit they were no whit the more abashed for all this neither knewe they what was best for them to do or what best to be left vndone Now for the better vnderstanding of the cause why The bringing in of the new Bishoppes and in what fort these new bishops were erected we are to know that the Priestes Inquisitors for their better assurance of the bringing in of the inquisition into king Philips dominions considering that certaine ecclesiasticall prelates in some measure fauoured the Protestants and were in great authoritie and very rich they therefore greatly enuied them for it For which cause the Inquisitors imagined to erect a newe estate of prelates and to deuide the Archbishopricks Bishopricks Abbaies Pryories c. into many partes And to this ende in the yeere 1558. was appointed at the request of king Philip by the Exclesiasticall estate Francis Sonnius a Doctor in 〈◊〉 and sent to Rome Sonnius sent to Rome who hauing set foorth the noblensse of the lowe Countries and the great riches of the Ecclesiasticall prelates there wrought his matters so wisely as that hee compassed this much That Pope Paule the 4. of that name by the aduise of seuen Cardinalles appointed for that put pose gaue the saide Sonnius audience and graunted him his demaund Whereupon they tooke from the Archbishopricke of Coloigne whose dyocesse was ouerlarge the Bishoprick of Vtrecht made the same an Archbishoprick wherunto they subiected fiue other Bishops to wit the Bishoprick of Deuenter in the countrie of Tranfisselaine the Bishopricke of Harlem in Holland the Bishopricke of Leauwarden in Friseland the Bishopricke of Middlebourgh in Zealande and the Bishoprick Groening in the countrie of Wedde All which plates are farre distant from the Citie of Coloigne neither doe their languages agree with them of Coloigne and therefore the sentences pronounced at Coloigne could not wel bee
countries should be franke and free from the daunger of ciuill warres And so long as the subiects saw al things goe well forward they alwayes continued constaunt in their obedience and fidelity and although the Brabanders who heeretofore flourished in all kynde of trade of merchandise had in the former warres beene in great perill and daunger yet for all that they gathered a greate peece of money so that it is too too manifest that the king was well assured agaynst all the force of any Monarches and Princes and that which is more beyng reconcyled with his enemies he was not onelye discharged of all the debtes whiche grewe by reason of the warres but also in a very fewe yeeres attayned to woonderful great wealth prosperity and honour For when his Maiesty was raysed vy to so high a degree of honour forren Potentates Princes feared him because his subiectes so honoured and reuerenced him and his Maiesty was thought to be the most mighty Monarch yea so farre passing al others as that it must of necessity needes bee granted that whatsoeuer they were that would goe about to impeach and disturbe this his so great good felicity must vndoubtedly by this notable vuyon be oppressed and beate downe Iusomuch that all they haue greatly offended whiche haue busied themselues about matters preiudiciall or hurtfull to his Maiestie and the common weale and done such thinges as are worthy punishmeÌ„t to the example of others wheÌ„ as the warres being suppressed they haue renewed fresh coÌ„motions and caused ciuill warres and therfore the Prince of Orange doth verily and stedfastly beleeue that they which haue brought the countrey of Brabant into this extreme misery calamity bondage ought likewise to be punished and chastised And sith the Prince of Orange is publikely in the Indit ement accused by the Attorney generall to be the original first mouer of the alterations happened in Brabant he is coÌ„ten ted to abyde the paynes in the said Inditement expressed if so be it bee true that the Attorney hath set downe The sayde Attorney generall affirmeth that the Prince is ambitious and of an vnbrydeled mynde to gouerne whereuppon ensueth that hee hath a purpose to take vppon him and enioy an other mans office and Estate and hath pretended nothing els in al his counsels and affayres For the confutation of this article as the originall and chiefe poynt of the complaynt of the Attorney generall it is sufficient that he referre the matter ouer vnto all such as know the prince of Orange by whom it may be vnderstoode if euer hee was desirous of rule and besides that he hath well gouerned his goodes and possessions whiche by Gods grace were lefte and geuen vnto him by whiche hee hath more increased his honour and reputation then by any other charge that euer he had And al men know that if the Prince had sought and hunted after his owne particular gayne that hee had a farre better waye and meane to haue heaped riches together by which hee might haue come to estimation and authority there held him then to be at great charge and expenses in Court in hope to come to authority by others procurement so that all the world knoweth that the prince in all his actions and behauiour neuer sought his owne particuler benefite And besides the Prince neuer once thought to drawe awaye his Ma. subiects from their obedience due vnto the same notwithstanding that the people alwayes most earnestly loued him but contrariwise continually to keepe them in a good liking of his Ma. but the very cause in truth of this their estraunging them is the cruelty of the commissions newly published This then is the onelie waye and meane that maye bee saide that the Prince euen to the last cast hath alwayes shewed his good and sincere affection vnto his Maiesty his lowe Countries and it must of necessitie be graunted that the Prince at no hand hath at any time ment to take vpon himselfe any authoritie ouer his Maiestie which as some thought might more commodiously haue been conserued in tranquilitie and peace whereupon followeth that the Prince his meaning was farre otherwise For his Maiesties authoritie coulde no way haue been peaceably conserued if so be the Countrey of Brabant should hane been conserued in her auncient and former prosperitie but by consenting to the exercise of the cruell Inquisition For he ment to oppose him selfe agaynst the sayde Inquisition All which his actions doe witnesse that he is no whit ambitious but cleane contrary For long before that time hee had resigned his dignitie of the Counsell of Estate as also the dignitie of the kinges chiefe officer of the treasure that arose vppon penall Statutes which is the meetest office of all other to binde the Estates to be beholden vnto him Yea hee was offered to take vppon him the gouernmente of altogether if hee woulde haue accepted of it whereunto all the rest of the nobilitie laboured most carefully to attayne But the Prince so abhorred this Ambition as that hee resigned these two dignities into his Maiesties handes when he considered that hee coulde doe his Maiestie but slender seruice in counsell by reason of certaine beastly dealings which bereaued him of the meane for that seruice Neuerthelesse when his Maiestie had appointed him to be of his Counsell hee so duetifully administzed this function and dignitte as his conscience witnessed vnto him to be necessarie to each mans most profitte although he afterwarde perceiued that his Maiesties loue altered and abated through the practise and deuise of one or two noble men But after that his Maiestie had aduisedly euery way considered of the Prince of Oranges good and faithful seruice as he departed out of Zeland towards Spaine hee most earnestly besought the said P. to be of his counsell who after long excuse accepted thereof Nowe when as the Prince saw that they helde on their olde course and far otherwise then his M. had commanded and appointed him two yeeres after or neere there about he agayne besought that he might be discharged Wherefore the â—e we deuises were more and more set forwarde which were the causes of the beginning of the troubles and commotions By which the Inquisition was somewhat moderated and a fresh surceassed But as in these Countries the Regiment of Aimaines as a necessary thing was brought into them for their defence and safegarde they were suffered to haue Sermons as well in the Townes as in the fieldes abroade and namely in diuers places some except where the reformed religion had been alreadie accepted of in the Countreys neere there about kept the exercise of the sayde religion secretly whereby the sayde reformed religion dayly encreased in this so populous Countrey so that at the last in fewe yeeres the name of the Inquisition became very odious considering that by it aboue fifcie thousande had been put to death in Europe and a greater number were enforced to forsake their goodes kinsfolkes and
souldiers And ouer and besides fiue companies of the Regiment of the Count of Arenbergue Howebeit all these people could doe Counte Lodwicke no hurte because his armie dayly encreased The Duke of Alua sent thither Sir Iohn of Ligny Count Arenbergue who was newely come out of Fraunce with a Regiment of Spaniardes and fiue ensignes of Almaynes to set vpon the enemie whiche hee did in deede but to his great losse before the Count Megue was come The first skyrmishe was very brauely handled in a place where a thousande shot of the Count Nasious lay in wayte for the comming of the Count Arenbergue Howebeit the night separated them and the Spaniardes retyred vnto their Campe but the Count Nassou in the night raysed his Campe. When the day was come the Spaniardes thought that the Count Nassou and his people had fled and therefore they followed them But when Count Lodwicke vnderstoode that there were no more horsemen but Curtius Martinengo his bande hee charged the Count Arenbergue with three hundred horses and ouerthrewe tenne ensignes of Spantardes and fiue companies of Almaynes The Count of Arenbergue for the sauing of his honour defended him selfe valiantly Howebeit his horse was slayne vnder him and he falling to the grounde was suddenly surprised by a shotte and slayne The Count of Arenbergue â—layne notwithstanding that hee cryed out and sayde saue my life for I am a Count but all woulde not serue and so his noble blood was there splite Certayne of the Spaniardes fledde vnto a Monastery not farre from the place where the ouerthrowe was giuen called Heiligher Lee to hide and saue them selues Howebeit they were forthwith sette vpon where at the very first assault was slayn Count. Adolfe of Nassou Count Adolf of Nafsou slayne count Lodwicke his brother and his Chauncelor The rest of the Spaniardes and Almaynes saued them selues in the town of Groening By this ouerthrowe the Duke of Alua lost sixe peeces of great Ordinaunce with all their munition but chiefly the count of Arenbergue who was all his comfort Ouer and besides the great store of money which they had brought with them for the paying of their souldiers their plate and other ritches which the Nassouans made good butin of This battell was fought the 23. of May 1568. betweene Heiligher Lee and Winschote in Friselande The Count of Arenbergue was buried in the Church of the saide Monasterie and the Count Adolfe at Welden The 29. of May the Duke of Alua caused a Proclamation to bee placlaymed at Bruxelles That all such as were departed their Countrey shoulde returne to their place of aboade vppon payne of confiscation both of body and goodes The welthie fugitiues were expressely named howebeit fewe or none returned because they hoped of a better way and a more conuenient time to do it This discomfiture greatly greeued the Duke of Alua but hee was auenged for it vpon the noble men and Gentlemen and other welthie Citizens whome he had in prison whose liues he tooke away For the first day of Iune he caused eighteene Gentlemens heads to be striken off in the Horsemarket at Bruxelles The tyrannie of the Duke of Alua. to wit Gysbert and Thierry of Batenbourgh Barons Peter de Andelot Philip de Winglen Maximilian Cocke Philip Triest a Gantois Iohn de Blays Bortholomew de Val Sir Beyma a gentleman of Friseland and Harman Galama a gentleman of Friselande also Iames de Pentan Ferdinand Peletier Constantine of Bruxelles Iohn de Rumaul Lewis Carlier of Cambray Peter and Philip de Altz brethren The next day beeing the seconde of Iune were put to death the Lorde of Vilers and the Lorde of Due who were taken at the ouerthrowe of Dalham Quintin Benit and a minister of the worde named Cornille Nyeen a very learned and famous doctor vpon all these persons aforesayde vomited he vp his cholor The thirde of the saide moneth hee caused to bee brought foorth the Count Egmond and Philippe de Memorencie count of Horne knights of the order two very famous gentlemeÌ„ both for their language and honour as also for their notable feaces of armes especially the Count Egmonde for the good seruice which he had done his Maiestie in the viage to Saint Quintins where the Constable and many other Frenche noble men were taken and afterwarde in the voiage to Groening where hee valiantly ouercame the Frenche to their great losse both of men and otherwayes Howebeit all these his notable good and faithfull seruices stoode him in no stead These two Countes were brought from Gand to Bruxelles in a wagon with a conuoye of tenne ensignes of Spaniardes and a bande of Horses and ledde to the markette place of Bruxelles and lodged at an house called the Breadhouse about three of the clocke in the after noone and there were indited and sentence pronounced as followeth The Duke of Alua his highnesse Marques of Coria gouernour Lieutenant and Captayne generall for his Maiestie our redoubted and beloued Lorde in his lowe Countreys and Lorde chiefe Iustice in the Counsayle of life and death ouer his Maiesties prisonners hauing seene the Attorney generall his declaration and information and also the mynutes documentes depositions and letters by him exhibited but especially the confession and propositions of the prisonners their answeres and defence and the billes by them exhibited by which the L. that are But nowe to returne to my first matters whiche I was in hande withall The Count of Egmond his answere vnto the sentence when the Count of Egmond hearde of this seuere sentence hee saide Truely this is an harde iudgement I do not beleeue that euer in all my life I haue so offended his Maiestie as to haue deserued so seuere sentence Neuerthelesse if so be that I haue offended I beseeche the Lorde that my death may take away all my sinnes to the ende that neyther I nor none of mine be any more dishonored and that my deare wife and feare and my innocent children suffer no more torment after that my bodie and goods shall bee confisked my good seruices haue deserued not to haue any such grace granted vnto me But sith it is the pleasure of almightie God and my Lord the king that thus it shal be I wil patiently suffer death And afterwarde he wrote vnto the king this letter The Count Egmonde his letter to the king I haue hearde the decree of your Maiesties sentence giuen vpon mee although I neuer eyther ment or thought to commit any thing that might be hurtfull vnto your person seruice or the ancient Catholike religion But I take in good parte what so euer it shall please the Lorde to lay vpon mee and if I haue during these troubles in the lowe Countreys any way offended or suffered any thing that might haue happened to others and not to my selfe the same hath come from a loyall and faithfull heart to the honour of God your Maiesties seruice and as the time required Wherefore I most humbly
Pystols on thē crying together with one voyce you haue libertie libertie graunted you the Prince of Orange is come to ayde you and you shall bee set free from the tenth pennie and all other charges wherewith the Duke of Alua woulde burden you This cry dured certaine houres with such a marueilous noyse as if thousands of souldiers had entred the towne But count Lodwike hauing long time taryed for his people and sawe that none of them came hee himselfe went out to vnderstand the cause of theyr so long tarrying and what were become of the horse men but they were out of the way in the woods from whence the Count Lodwike conducted them vnto the towne of Mons to the number of fiue hundreth and euery man a shot behinde him who beeing entred the towne first tooke the Towne house and set themselues in order of battaile In this sorte then tooke they the Towne whiche was in truth a kingly deede of a noble and famous Count and woorthie euerlasting memorie to winne by sleight and pollicie a towne so strongly fortified The same day also was the citie of Valencia surprised Valencia surprised but not many dayes after the Duke of Alua tooke it againe For as hee had sent thither Don Iohn de Mendoza with a certaine number of horse men to make prouision for the Castle that was but yll furnished with victuals and munition hee who in the name of Counce Lodwike had surprised the citie vnderstandyng of the commyng of the Spaniardes foorthwith contrary to the opinion of all men especially of the Spaniardes forsooke and least the towne who thought not so easilye without besieging to haue wonne it The Duke receyuing newes of the taking of Mons would not beleeue it trusting more to the letters whiche hee had from the Frence king by which he was aduertised that count Lodwik had been a few dayes sithence in Fraunce howbeit by the continuance of the newes hee did assure himselfe that the Towne was taken whereupon hee was cast into such a rage as that he tare his garmentes and troade vppon his cappe stormyng and chafyng as if hee had beene out of his witte and mad But as the Duke of Alua was altogether put by for resistyng of his enemies the Lorde of Lumay gotte hymselfe by little and little to bee master of the Cities and townes of Hollande who freely yeelded themselues vnder the protection of the famous Prince of Orange although hee himselfe was not there for euery man desired to bee deliuered from the slauery of the said Duke and of the Spaniardes The Citie of Enchusen standing in the North partes of Hollande was the first that opposed it selfe agaynst the tenth penie and the tyrannie of the sayde Duke and it was by reason of certayne souldiers which were in the shippes of warre whome they of Enckhuysen and Amstelredame had armed For as vpon the tenth of Iune 1572. Boshuysen Captayne of the sayd Shippes was entered Enckhuysen to furnishe his Shippes with victualles and other warlike furniture there entred by little and little many souldiers thinking to take the Towne which dealing the Citizens perceyuing made them packe out of the Towne and tooke the sayde Captayne Boshuysen prisoner whome after a while they released out of prison But as the Citizens were thus troubled and fearing the receiuing in of souldiers for the enforcing of them to pay the tenth penie they sent for Count Lumay his souldiers and put themselues vnder the obedience of the famous Prince of Orange and within a while after the townes of Alkmer Horne Edam and Memmelicke did the like When the townes of Hollande that lay nearest the Briell hearde of this they in like maner sette open their gates to the Princes people and submitted them selues vnder his obedience sauing they of Schoonehoue and Amstleredam who stoutly resisted But the Lorde of Lumay besieged Schoonehoue who seeing the breach made rendred so that all Holland yeelded to the sayde Lorde except Amstelredam which the saide Count besieged once or twise but it was in vayne and vnprofitable for it was ouer stronge neyther could hee euer wynne the Citizens heartes because they were very obstinate papistes Whiles the Count of March plaied his parte in Holland The Count of Ber◠inuadeth the Countrey of zurphen the Count Berge the Prince of Oranges brother in lawe leuied men of warre and tooke the Countie of zurphen the Townes of Dortcum Doebrough and zurphen and in the Dutchie of Gelderlande Hardwyke Ter Elberich and Hattum But in the Countrey of Twent Oldezele Goer and others The Count of Berge seeing the good affection of the Citizens of the Townes passed on like a Conquerer and came downe into the countrey of Oueryssel besieging the Town of S. Lawrance 1572. The towne of Tampen But because the Citizens were vnprouided of victualles and munition they rendred the Towne and so afterwarde did they of Swolle Hasselt and Steenewyke Townes of the Countrey of Oueryssel Whiles the lowe Countreys were assayled on euery side by the Lordes Gentlemen fugitiues and banished men of the said Countreyes the D. of Alua bent only all his forces against Counte Lodwyke his chiefe enemie and had sent into the borders of Fraunce a sufficient number of Spaniardes to fight with and discomfite the French that were sent by the Lordes of the reformed religion in Fraunce to assyste Counte Lodwyke who were betweene seuen and eyght thousand men whome the Spaniardes The ouerthrow of the French at Chieurayns the 17. of Iuly 1572. ouerthrewe at Thieuraine in a great broade fallowe fielde for want of good conduct and tooke their chiefe Captaynes Maister Ienlis and Maister Iumelle the one of which was carried to Antwerpe where without being sicke that any man knewe hee was one morning founde suddenly deade and the other to the Castle of Tournay who was deliuered in exchaunge for another prysonner being a Spaniarde After this discomfiture The Duke of Alua besiegeth Monts the Duke of Alua him selfe went and encamped before Montes and very straytly besieged it And the Count Lodwyke valiantly defended it still looking for ayde from the Prince of Orange his brother Amongst these exploytes The Gueses in uade Friseland there was likewise another inuasion made in west Friselande by the Gentlemen and the reste of the banished with their trayne amongest whome euen from the first beginning was captayne generall the Lorde of Newderworinter and after the Count Iust of Schouwenbourgh who were receiued into the Townes of Sneecke Boelswerd Franique But the Court of Friseland taking part with the aduersarie called from Groening the Lorde of Billi to bee an ayder against these Gueses who came with a iolly companie of well appointed Wallons and was receiued into the Towne and Castle of Leewarde into the Castle of Harlingue and into the Castle of Stauere The first enterprise that the Gueses tooke in hande was against Doccum for they came with good stoare of souldiers and Countreymen and
draue away the Wallons which lay in Garnison at Doccum Now there were fiue of these Walons whiche had gotten vp into the Church steeple shot at as many as went abroad in the streetes Which when the Gueses saw they set fire on the steeple to cause the said Walons to come downe howbeyt there was but one of them burnt and the rest tarried still in the steeple vntil the 16. of September 72. when as the Walons draue the Gueses out of Doccum and recouered the Towne which was burnt and sacked so that the Citizens were in great misery for they are alwayes the men that are driuen to the wall and paye for all When the Lord of Billi acunning an expert man of warre perceiued that the Gueses souldiers for the most part were coūtrey men and Prenteses who were vnacquainted with discharging of an haguebuze he made voyde theyr seconde enterprise which they tooke in hande at Stauere where the Gueses had besiged the castle For hee came with his Wallons The castle of Stauere ayded and draue them from Stauere and so set fire on the towne But as the Wallons returned from Stauere with great butin the Gueses of Sneecke Boelswerd and Franique gathered themselues together to take away the butin from the Wallons ouerthrowe them but so soone as the captaine of the Gueses was stricken from his horse with an harquebuze shot all the rest fled and the other Gueses were driuen from the fortes that stoode vppon the baucke and other places with shame enough hauing gotten neither wealth nor yet victorie on their enemies The Prince had once againe assembled a very great army about Duyibourgh who passing the Rhine tooke by assault The Prince winneth many townes the fourth of Auguste the Towne of Ruremonde and passing further into Brabante Louayne rendered to him and Malynes with many other Townes were surprised After that hee marched on towardes Montes in Haynault to ayde Count Lodwike his brother A massacre at Paris the 24. of Aug. 1572. Howebeit the massacre committed at Paris and in many other Townes in Fraunce so altered the case as that the Prince retourning by Malines with his armie vnto the Rhine discharged his armie himselfe with a small companie of men of warre went into Holland whether he was sent After the long battery of Mants Monts in Haynault rendred Count Lodwyke seeing no way how to be holpen fell to a part and the 21. of September rendred the Towne to the Duke of Alua vpon certaine conditions to wit that Duke Lodwyke should be sent with a safe conuay vnto the borders of the empire Which thing when the garnisons of Malynes Duremond and others which kept them to his vse vnderstood they forsooke the same townes went theyr wayes The Duke of Alua returning with his army from Mouts Malynes sacked came to Bruxelles and sent his souldiers to sacke Malines which they did the 1. of October notwithstanding that the cleargie and all the Citizens of the towne receiued thē in with banners streamers displayed to appease their fury but all was in vaine For the Duke had giuen the souldiers the Towne who wholy spoyled it killed many citizens and defloured great store of women and young maidens The Prince being come into his gouernement of Holland trauelled in all hee coulde about the affayres for the warres and the Duke of Alua cleane contrary sent Colonel Mondragon with twenty ensignes of Wallons into the I le of South Beueland where they arriued at a lowe water marke through the conduct of certaine traitours to theyr countrie and raysed the siege from before Tregoes which was greatly distressed straitly couped vp The 21. of Nouember the Duke of Alua his armie came before the towne of Zurphen Surphen taken without resistance which was taken without any resistaunce for the citizens had set the gates wide open for them to come in at But so soone as they were entred the Duke exercised very great tyrannie both vpon the citizens and also on the souldiers hanging some and strangling and drowning other some in the riuer of Yssell This tyrannie of the Duke so greatly feared the rest of the Townes that the count Berge forsaking all the Townes which hee had gotten fledde from thence with all his souldiers And so did likewise the count Scauwenbourgh in Friseland in memorie whereof they of Sneecke enprysonned their Patrone the Lord of Netherwormter whom they had sent for and with great solemnitie receiued into the towne Duke Fridericke the Duke of Alua his sonne A massacre at Narden and Lieutenaunt came from zurphen towardes Narden in Hollande where hee so cruelly and vnnaturally handled the Citizens that had yeelded them selues as that it is a fearefull thing to thinke on and that against all the lawes of armes eyther in Christendome or heathenesse For when the Spaniardes were entered and louingly receyued and had been as well entreated as was possible there was immediatly after proclaymation made by the sounde of the Droombe that all the Citizens and enhabytauntes of the Towne shoulde come to the Hospitall Chappell where shoulde bee declared vnto them suche ordinaunces as they must line and direct them selues by But when the miserable Citizens were come thither the Spaniardes murdered euery mothers sonne of them sackte and burnt the towne rauished the women yea and murdered some of them and left the rest liue in great Martyredome Nowe when I call to minde the wonderfull woorkes of God I can not passe ouer but tell you howe that after the murder and massacre of Narden and the whole Towne on a flaming fire a young ladde of the age of seuen yeeres was saued by running out of the gates of the Towne into a little garden full of roots The father of this Boy was murdered and his mother beeyng rauished was hanged vp by the armes of the tyrannous Spaniardes and when the fire came and tooke holde of her house shee being tyed by the armes coulde not get away so that shee was burnt in her owne house This young ladde hauing not eaten any thing for the space of three whole dayes together wept bitterly both for the death of his Parentes as also by reason that hee was hungerbit But God who neuer forsaketh his sent him reliefe for the very same night there came vnto him a well fauoured young man in white apparell who gaue him whereon to fedde and sayde Weepe no more my fatherlesse childe for I will neuer leaue thee Eate and be of good cheere for they that haue murdered thy father and mother shall haue a double plague light vpon them Thy teares shal be turned into toy and gladnes and their laughing into teares and mourning And forthwith the young man vanished out of sight Thus wee see gentle reader the mercifull and bountifull goodnes of God who neuer forsaketh his but keepeth them as the apple of his eye After the massacre and murder at Narden
with the enemie Wherefore our men in the euening sayled thence and so rested themselues for that night There was also in the eauening a skirmish vpon the Sommer way and at night were two alarmes sounded The tenth day of Aprill were sent out of Scaelwyke gate foure Postes to the Princes shippes The same day the euemie had made a long trenche which raught from the wood hard to Fuyke so that none could come out of the towne but must needes fall into their lappes The 11. of the saide moneth the Princes shippes were come to Hemsteede whiche made the townes men thinke that they woulde set som men a shoare so that for the helping of thē there issued out of the wood gate about 150. souldiers out at the water gate about 500. and out at Scaelwike gate 200. But although the vessels approched not yet the souldiers were hoatlie chased backe and two of the Captaines were hurt by their owne souldiers The same day seauen or eight of the enemies had desperately gotten vp vnto the fort or Bullwarke with two ensignes crying victorie victorie the towne is ours But the ward so lustily repulsed them as that one of the ensigne bearers was left behind dead with his ensigne The 14. of this moneth in the night came three messengers thwart the fieldes in at the wood gate and so did also three other messengers the night following The 15. day the townes mē put the fourth Gallie to the Mere being 180. feete by the keele And the seuenteene day were three messengers sent towards the Prince The 18. day of Apryll entred Ierome Serrates and the L. L. Rosoni Bordell Dorhem Maligau and others to the number of fifteene and with them certaine men laden with powder The 19. day the Princes shippes had set on lande at the corner of the fiue houses two thousand souldiers to skirmishe with the enemie But by reason of the long wayting for the Harlemians nothing was done The same day was an aduenturer sent towardes the Princes shippes who although he was hastily pursued by the enemie thwart their campe yet maugre theyr heardes hee returned safe and sounde The same day at night Captaine Baufoure with his scottishmen and certaine citizens salying out at Scaelwike and Sparewouwer gates made a camysado and tooke by force Rustenbourgh house and dispatcht a good many of the enemies The 20. of Apryll there came from Fuyke certaine Spaniards some by Gally and some by lande to recouer Rustenbrough howebeit they were so lustily repulsed by the townes men as that they were faine to retyre The same day were sent from Harlem to the Prince foure Postes or messengers And the 21. of the saide moneth an alarme was giuen to the towne The 22. of this moneth they that were taken in the trenches of Rustenbrough were hauged without Scaelwyke Gate The same day the Ships of the Mere brauely skirmished howbeit to small purpose And the next day there reentred at Scaelwike gate foure postes and others sent a way out at the wood gate The twentie and foure of the saide moneth entred in at the wood gate 24. Citizens of Harlem bringing with them powder and then was an alarme sounded at the towne The same day at night issued a good number of Englishmen Scottes Walons and Pyoners and went towardes Spiquerbord hole but returned without doing of any thing and so leuelled the worke begun The 25. day of Apryll at fiue of the clocke in the after noone the enemie came in on three seueral partes to skirmish vppon Rustenbrough but was faine for all that in the end to retyre The same day the enemie gaue the alarme to the losse of some of theyr owne conpanie The next day there departed from Harlem foure postes in one Barque towardes the Princes ships but the 27. day came into Harlem two small vessels laden with powder thwart the fields ditches And immediatly after was an alarme giuen The 28. of this moneth the townes men about eight of the clocke at night blewe vp a myne whereupon certaine Spaniardes and others were well cooled whiche was the cause that made them discharge eighteene Canon shot wherewith they flue Captaine Henry Lassens and one Christopher Scagen Gentlemā The same day went out foure souldiers to surprise certaine warders to wit the one beeing neere the wood and the other in the way to the wood but because the saide warders coulde nor see the way to bee gone before it coste them theyr liues The next day there went out enbarqued at Scaelwike gate certain messengers and sayled towards the princes ships where they arriued without stay as well appeared by a token of the fier which they gaue The last of this moneth salied out the Princes guarde to skyrmish with the enemie in whiche their captaine Margotin was flaine About this time the townes men had coyned certaine peeces of gold with the armes of Harlem on the one side their owne posey on the other Vincit vim virtus The first day of May entred into the towne two men who being chased by the enemie forsooke both their vessels wherein they had 800. li. of pouder which they thought to haue brought into the towne And the second of this moneth entred a boy of fifteene yeeres of age in at the wood gate as a messenger with eight pound of pouder saying That the Burroughmasters of Leiden had sent him and that he was to haue back with him two messengers of the towne This boy was kept prysoner as one sent by the enemie The third day of this moneth was a through search made in all the citizens houses both rich and poore about the making of an Inuentorie of all the victuals that were not of any greate importance and of Sope and spices Sope was sold for sixe or seuen souls the pound homely butter at foure souls the pound and an egge at halfe a patart The fourth of this moneth the Walons began to mutyne because that Captaine Vemi in executing the lawe had hanged a Walon in the night and therfore the souldiers of the Lord of Dorein came and offered their harquebuzes harde to his brest to the great hazarde of his life For they woulde needes knowe of him who was the Authour of this executing of iustice howbeit the vprore was in the ende appeased by reason of the freeyng of another souldier that was prysoner The sixth of May the enemie of Fuyke fiue with shot sixe or seuen Cowes of the towne because they fed neerer them thē they were wonted but in recompence thereof the Townes men flue three of their souldiers withshot The next day they which lay in the wood salyed out to take the Cowes of the towne howbeit the Souldiers of the towne kept them safe enough from that This night salied out of the little gate of the wood fiue or sixe souldiers who slewe one of the watche The eight of this moneth the enemie shot with the greate ordenance quite through the great Steeple hard adioyning
noone came in a Doue or flying Poste with Letters In the euening was a great lyght made vppon the lowest pynacle of the Tower wherevpon at eleuen of the clocke at nyght yssued a great number of people out of the Towne to assyste those whiche came from our shippes with powder All that night the great Ordenounce was heard to shoote off very terribly But the greatest losse fell vppon our owne people For they hearing the noyse of our men which came out of the Town and seeing them thought verelye they had bene the Enemye by meane wherof manye lost their lyues and cast al the powder into the water This noyse and crye and shooting off of the great Ordinaunce lasted all night long so that the Alarme sounded in euery corner of the towne Neuerthelesse the townesmen brought away with them two or three prisoners one of which by the report of the enemy self was a Captaine They like wyse whiche accompanyed those that went to the shippes and were bringing of pouder to the towne sayde that in their first issuing out towardes the shippes they lost 16. or 20. of their men The 26. of the saide moneth the enemy attempted an other skirmish for the driuyng of the towne cattle howbeit they were wel yuough met with al for they left there in pawne a Seriant of a bande and two or three other Souldiers and but three of the to wnesmen onely hurt At the same tyme one of the countrey men from whome the enemy had taken away his Cowe went to the woode and there tooke an horse in exchaunge and brought him home The 27. of the sayd moueth at eight of the clocke at night the enemy set vp a Gallowes on the plat fourme and hunge vp certayne Citizens and Souldiers whom they had taken the second night before when as they thought to haue come into the Towne with the pouder Some they hunge vp by the necke and some by the feete which deede so moued our Souldiers as that they also set vp a Gallowes on the toppe of the Bulwarke in the sight of the enemy where they hunge vp Maister Lamhert Maister Quirin and a Priest Adrian Groenenthuich and the young ladde whiche came from the wood notwithstandyng that the latter two were condemned to bee scourged and whipped and the boye besides to bee burnte in the face all whiche accompanied the other fiue Souldiers that were taken in the wood But maister Quirin his daughter and a Walon that was brought from the wood were drowned in Backnesse ditche These twelue were exeruted without the consent and leaue eyther of the Magistrate or Captaynes Ouer and besides they had taken the same night Sir Iasper and Sir Reynold Roothoofte Doctor Elsen and the Preacher of the Spittle The 28. of May the enemy comming with 63. ships fought on Harlem Mere with the Princes shippes and put them to flight with the losse of 21. vessels on whiche victory the enemy had the night before greatly tryumphed The same day the enemy assailed the forte whiche stoode vpon the side of the mere where they were thrise brauely repulsed howbeit when they of the forte saw that the shippes had forsaken them and lefte them without eyther victuall Munition or pouder they rendred vp the Peece with the safetie of their liues and goods The 30. of May the enemy blewe vp a Mine so that thereby three of the towne were slayne and Captayne Vemi with Cochim were in great hazard of their liues Then sounded the Alarme and Captaine Vemi who was as it were buried with the earth was by the help of the pyoners recouered and another Souldier with him And another Souldier that was caste beponde the â—leftblank returned to the towne by reason of the smoke without any hurt yet he was saluted with many a shot The first of Iune the enemy againe hunge vp vpon theyr platfourme tenne or eleuen men And the next morow issued out of the towne 40. shot to see if they could find out them which laye in the wood but perceiuing the number of the enemy to be ouer many for them to deale withall they retyred without executing that their enterprise The third of this moneth the enemy had mounted a faire square Cage fast tyed with cordes to the toppe of foure shippe Mastes all open both aboue and behinde and full of holes out of which the Harquebuziers might shoote howbeit they had not shotte aboue twise but that the townesmen had so beaten their cordes wherewith it was bounde as that it hunge all on the one side and the rest fell from the toppe to the ground and two or three of the enemies with all making therewith an horrible shoote by reason they fell from such an heigth At the same tyme a Citizen and two messengers more were sent to the Prince carrying with them certaine Doues for the bringyng backe of letters The 4. of Iune the enemy caused the townesmen to fallie out of the Bulwarke whereupon it cost sixe of them their liues And the next day commaundement was giuen that the Citizens should eate nothing els but Graynes howbeit it was lawfull for the souldiours to eate wheate bread as they did before The seauenth of the sayde moneth the Townesmen founde a Mine of nine faddomes deepe dygged vnder sainte Iohns Bulwarke to bee blowne vp where they founde a dead man a Moryon and a white lofe But the eigh day came in a Doue sente from the Lorde of Batenbrough by whome hee wrote that hee much merueyled that they had not receyued Letters by those Doues which came before from him and that the Prince woulde shortlye sende them ayde which was but a colde comfort to the poore Citizens The nienth of the same moneth the Townsmen gaue the Enemie a breakefaste from out of the Wood-Gate beecause they sayde that they had neyther bread nor beere in the Towne The tenth of Iune were sixe of the Sworne men chosen for the continuall looking to and vnderstanding of the Letters sent by the Postes in the ayre beecause the Citizens were not well pleased that that businesse was so slenderly looked vnto The same day were killed with a Cannon shot Peter Iohnson the carpenter Simon Score and two young children This daye the Enemye blewe vppe a myne howbeit there was no hurte done But yet through the fauour of the Smoke the Townsmen wanne also an other mine of them The eleuenth of this Moneth the Deane of the Chanons of Harlem and manye other Citizens beeing in the Campe of the Enemye desired to come to a parle with the Townesmen but they woulde none of that they thanked them Howbeit the nexte morrowe the Enemies came in great number out of the wood to take the Towne kine but after that they had loste eyght souldiours and wee one they retyred The same daye in the after noone the Enemy returned for the execution of the sayde enterpryse But hauinge gotten sixe of the kyne within their possession sixe of the Towne
parled with the Enemy at the place aforesaid The next morow they againe set vp the black flag vpō the Tower to signifie vnto the ships their great penurye distresse The same day returned one of the flying postes with letters from the Prince aduertising them that hee meant the night following to victuall them The same night al the souldiers in the Towne issued out at Scaelwike gate in a Camisado looking ettery houre when the shippss should set their men on land for the ayding and relieuing of the Towne but it was al in vaine The next day the Townsmen parled againe with the Enemy to wit 6. on either side where was the Count Bossu the Count Ouerstein foure others on the Enemies behalfe and Steinbach Iohn Fliet Rosoni Sohey Pellican and Cornelius Mathew on the behalf of the Towne but they could not agree For the souldiers would at no hand depart the town without their armour and weapon The 5. of Iuly at noone the Princes ships shewed thē selues to the townsmen wherupō the citizēs a great number of the souldiers salied out of the town to assist thē which thing the Enemy seeing gaue the Alarm before the bulwark the alarme bell also sounded out so that the enemy was forced to recyer then discharged they the 8. last canon shot bullets of 10256 which had beene discharged vpon the towne frō the beginning of the siege euen vnto the day The 6. of that month was a white flagg set vpon the Tower and they also sent by plaine force in a smal vessell acaptaine of the Towne named Nycholas Barnard to the Prince of Orenge his shippes carrying with him foure Doues and a Letter to the Prince of Orenge aduertising and praying him that he would send victuals by the Barques because they were no longer able to abyde the famine The 7. of the said month came a letter frō the Prince of Oreng subsigned also by the last post praying thē to haue patience for a day or two he would by the helpe of God rayse the camp of the Enemy Which newes greatly reioyced the citizens soldiers of the Town albeit euery man before was ready to haue quite and cleane forsaken it for many of them had giuen away their goodes and apparel to them that would take them and besides the souldieres spoyled some of them of al they had insomuch that it was a lamentable case to see the misery wherin they were The same day also the souldiers forcibly set vpon a lombard or vserers house and tooke away all the goodes he had for they looked euery houre when they should leaue the Towne The 8. of Iuly returned a flying poste with letters from the Prince conteining that he trusted the night following to ayde the Towne that his ships shoulde giue a false Alarme to Fuyke howbeit the whole force lighted vpon them which lay in the wood which newes wakned the geatest part of the town aboue 2000. souldiours citizens watting looking for thē had put on whit shirts to giue them the camisado that they might therby helpe the rest which enterprise as then tooke not effect which greatly discomfited the townsinen seeing that what by reason of famyne and want of victuals they were wōderfully weakned The same night the princes ships gaue a false alarm to Fuyke shooting off their great ordenance wtout doing of any thing that auayled Ther was at the time so great a famin in Harlē as that many died of hōger The 9. of Iuly came in a flying poste bringing newes that the Princes people were discomfited at Mannepat whereupon certaine captaines were of the opinion that the best way was for euery man to prepare him selfe to be gone and leaue the town with the women and children onely in it but yet they did not so for when the women vnderstood that they meant to leaue them and then chldren in the towne they forthwith so disorderly rann about weeping crying as that no good course could be taken therin The 10. of the said month the soldiours of the towne prepared them selues once againe to forsake the towne And for the making of the way sure they first appointed seuen Eusignes for the vauntguard the very body and strength wherof should be altogether shot next to it should the magistrate the swornmen the citizens with their wiues children folow for the rerewarde they appoynted nine other Ensignes Howbeit this enterpryse tooke no effect by reason of a letter which came frō the enemy in the wood containing that as many as were in the towne should be receiued to mercy wherupon the Almain captains soldiers giuing credit therunto this deuice imediatly ceased The same day the Spaniards in tokē of victory had placed vpō their bulwark the 9. ensignes which they had the day before wonne frō the princes people The 11. of Iuly in the euening 4. or 5. Ensignes of walons al shot cōcluded to go out at Scaelwik gate in deede the greater number of thē were already gotten out with many citizens and swornmen so that there was scarse any man left to defēd the breach which was a difordered confused kinde of dealing but because ther were none of those ready at hand which had charg of the letting down of the bridges euery man retyred with great trouble and anoye between the citizens and soldiours in euery quarter And surely if God of his especiall grace had not miraculouslye kept the town the enemy might easily haue surprised it for ther was not a soldiour left at the breach betwixt 11. 12. of the clock at midnight The same day the Townesmen wrote an answere to the Enemie in such sorte as that the messenger went and came backe twise In which day the soldiours had most cruelly murdered M. Quintin his daughter and the sexten his wife of the Church which may be an example for all such as think to do thē selues good by the misery of their neighbours felow citizēs The 12. of the said month in the euening Steinbach Rosoni Christofer Vader 2. Burroughmaisters agreed with the enemy to render the towne vpon composition howbeit this compositiō no whit pleased Rosoni and therefore he foorthwith aduertised the other Walō captaynes who immediatly opposed thēselues against it and pulling vp the draw bridge woulde not suffer the persons aforesayde come in neuerthelesse at last they came in greatly encouraging the citizens souldiers saying that Don Fredericke would shew them greater fauour then they eyther hoped or yet looked for The 13. of the said moneth Proclamation was made by the soūd of the drum that al the companies shuld assemble thēselues at a certaine place where they were asked whether they would tarry in the towne with the fauour or disfauour of the Duke of Alua or els depart without armour and weapon wherupon answere was made that they had rather abide in the towne stand at the curtesie of the said
aforesaid vnderstood that the Spaniards were comming on to seeke them out they marched on and encountred them at Moquerhead The battaile at Moquerhed where a great many of theyr souldiers hauing nothing els in theyr mouthes but money money refused to fight whereupon these valiant Noble men with the rest of theyr people were enforced of necessitie to abyde the charge of the enemie loosing there both tourney and life at once after they had the fourteenth of April 1574. valiaÌ„tly fought it out When the Spaniardes had wonne this victorie The mutinie of the Spaniards in Antwerpe they againe mutined for their pay but by the aduise of Sancho de Auila they were conducted to Antwerpe where they ioyntly entred into the Castle the 26. of Apryll receiuing to their contentment froÌ„ the great commendator which hee had extorted vppon the Citizens of Antwerpe the summe of foure hundred thousand florins vsurping on them all kinde of crueltie and warlike licence libertie Moreouer the Lorde of Champigni gouernour of the sayde Towne was by them enforced to pack out thereof with all his Walons and because they feared the shippes of warre whiche lay there neere for the defense of the citie well purueied of all fortes of munitions they made them depart and ryde farder off from thence Whereupon the Flushingers being thereof aduertised A vietorls of 〈◊〉 Flushingers surprised them on a whitsunday when as the Spaniards were feasting and banqueting in al their iollitie tormenting mastring the poore Citizens of the citie After the discomfiture of the aforesaide Lordes the Spaniardes beeing aduertised that the Towne of Leyden LeydeÌ„ besleged the second time sithence theyr departure was vnprouided of victualles and munition they encamped before it and planted theyr batterie the twentie and sixt of May and more straitly enclosed it then they did at the first For the Spaniards had built in diuers places aboute the water side 22. Bulwarks in either of which were â—woor three peeces of great ordenance The historie of which siege here after ensueth Nowe before such time as I take in hand to touch and handle the principall matter I am Gentle Reader to beseech thee not to take in euill part my summarie declaration of this warre of Hollande and Zealande although it bee heere before described And first to beginne with all The Duke of Alua hauing seene that the taking of Mons in Haynault the wonderfull departure of Count Lodwyke of Nassou with the mightines and strength of his armie and the horrible murder at Paris had made readie so open a way for his blooddy tyrannie hee like vnto a seconde Antiochus full of all pride and arrogancie pursued his victorie and to beginne withall hee in October first sacked the Towne of Malines After that because hee woulde shewe his furie and insatiable erueltie hee the sixteenth of Nouember caused aboue fiue hundred men and women to bee murdered hanged headed and drowned at the Towne of Zurphen and within a whyle after hee committed another farre more cruell and horrible slaughter at the Towne of Narden where hee slue as it were all the whole Towne after hee had made them manie faire promises and bereft them of theyr armour and weapon pursuyng afterwarde with tyrannie the Townes of Hollande Howbeit the Almightie God whose mercy is alwayes most seene in the time of necessitie toke them into his protection myraculously sending vnto them the Prince of Orange as a second Iudas Machabeus to resist the blooddie tyrant Nowe it is well enough knowen by the Stories whiche haue gone before what the bridge was ouer which he entered into the garden of Holland before the citie of Harlem for the coÌ„mitting of his cursed murders here before largely enough set downe after it had abidden the siege for the space of eight moneths where Don Fredericke the saide Duke his sonne was generall of the campe who followed the fathers owne naturall inclination hauing for all that lost at that siege aboue twelue thousand men through the valtantise of the Harlemians after that the towne was rendred vnto him through the discomfiture of the princes armie and extremitie of the famine caused aboue two thousand three hundred souldiers to be executed by the sword halter and the water who valiantly had defended this towne insomuch that the Gentle Reader may manifestly consider that at that time the Hollanders were euen vp to the chinne in the water readie to be drowned and sincke to the grounde For through the losse of Harlem Alkemer and Leyden they were all in great danger Howbeit the Lord God who commonly deliuereth his from oppression depriued the Spaniards of their reasonable vnderstanding when as through their mutinie they leaft pursuing of their victorie which caused the Hollanders to take courage againe vnto them fortified their townes and by a common accorde agreed to abide susteine a defensiue warre for the defending of their wiues children and to hazarde their bodies and goods for the benefit and welfare of their countrie Which in very deede cleerely appeared by them of Leyden who according to the right custome of warres burnt and pulled downe halfe a myle about the towne all the houses castles villages monasteries and trees thereby to fortifie their towne and weaken the enemie And so likewise had the Alkemerians done And to speake the truth the yeelding vp of Harlem was a great losse to the Hollanders but on the other side whosoeuer will consider and weigh what townes and fortresses of the enemy the Lorde God hath giuen deliuered vp vnto them shall find that their conquest hath byn greater then their losse For they conquered the castle of the Rammekens in Zelande called Zeabrough wherby they not only became maisters ouer all ZelaÌ„d but obtained the key of the Sea and of all the low countries And shortly after the L. Lewys of Boyset Admyral of the quarter of the sea for the Prince of Orange wanne a iolly victory against the armie by Sea which was set foorth of Antwerpe where tenne of the greatest ships with the Admirall of the enemy were taken besides those that were sounke and the souldiers which were cast ouer the boord saue only their Captaine Iulian Romero who saued himselfe by swimming where they lost aboue 1500 of their best Souldiers as well Spanyardes as others The iolly victory likewise in North Hollande which the valiannt Captayne Nicholas Ruychauer of Harlem had against the Armye of Amsterdam where were taken Prisoners the Count of Bossue and with him many moe aswel Spaniards as others that were in the Admyrall whiche they thought inuincible I will here for this time passe ouer the siege of Alkmer and the shameful retraite of Don Fredericke after he had giueÌ„ 7. assaultes And also the Duke of Alua his retrayte into Spaine and howe to his shame the proud Image which stood in the Castle of Antwerpe was destroyed and carried away Besides the Arryuall of the greate Commendator of Castile Don
downe dead although they had beaten one another with shot along time together which dealing the Citizens greatly suspected When this false skirmish was finished the Englishe men approched neerer the towne to wit betweene the Citizens Trenche that ranne betweene Boshouse bridge and the towne so that the Captaine and certaine with him came into the Towne making this contract with the Citizens That when the saide Captaine shoulde see himselfe and his put to the worse by the Spaniardes that they should then retyre vnder Hay gate where the greatest parte of the great ordenance was planted But so soone as they shoulde see the Ensigne taken from the gate that both he and his shoulde drawe towardes the side for then they meant to discharge all the great ordenance vppon the enemie But time shewed that this conclusion no whit liked the English men For they were no sooner out of the Towne but that they marched towards the enemie with ensigne displaide where they were vpon a certaine condition reuerently receiued Howebeit an harder matter befell them immediatly after for they had not beene there very long but that they were commanded to put out theyr matches and the horsemen that came from Forscote drane them before in chase vpon the Spaniardes whiche thing certaine of them to the number of thyrtie two or thirtie and three seeing amongest whome were certaine officers both Englishe Flemish retyred themselues againe vnder the towne who not long after got into it The rest were had to Falkebrough where theyr armour and weapon were taken from them before Torenfleete house and the next morowe being vncased of their gallant apparrell were carried to Harlem where som of them were put to be Pyoners and some of them passing through Flanders returned into England But heere I am not to forget one thing that some of these souldiers which coulde not tell by what meanes to get into the Towne chose rather to leape from the scluse into the water and so drowne themselues then so vilanously fall into the handes of the enemie By this meane then was the towne of Leyden in foure or fiue quarters besieged and the enemie had built round about it sixtie and two fortes When Leyden was nowe in this estate the Citizens had foorth with aducrtised his Excellencie lying at Dordright of the matter Howbeit the Prince hauing aduertisement heereof before theyr letters came to his handes sate in councell with the deputies of the Estates of Hollande which were there present and so the 27. of May wrote to the Leydens as followeth His Excellencie hauing delibered with the Estates aforesaid thought it most expedient That Colonnell Chester who was at Falk brough with 600. souldiers or there about shoulde if it were possible enter into Leyden which by that meane mighte take away all hope occasion either of the besieging or assayling of it any longer Ouer and besides that the Magistrate shoulde cause all the beggers and impotent persons to depart the Towne which might rather trouble then ayde them in theyr distresse His excellencies aduise to the Leydens And besides to take such order for the sparing deliuerie of their victualles as that they might serue them for 3. moneâ—hes exhorting them of himselfe that they would valiantly behaue themselues as hee fully and wholy trusted they woulde and in the meane whyle that his Excellencie and the Estates woulde not forget to seeke by all meanes possible theyr ayde and deliuerance from the enemie And although that this could not so soone be brought to passe as they wished yet not to be thereby discouraged but rather constantly persist in a short trouble and distresse then yeeld themselues to an euerlasting thraldome and misery And to that ende hee would haue them consult and take aduise together discreetely and wisely weighing if they could in so needfull a case to withstand the time of the saide three monethes for feare of falling into the mischiefe and miserie of the Harlemians and if so be they were able to withstand the said three monethes that then they should giue two nights ensuing at midnight a signe with fire to the ende the answere might not come to the enemies hands The day before that they receiued this answere The Leydens had alreadie made proclamation that all the women chyldren and strangers passengers should get them out of the town And Butter Mylke Flesh Bread such like necessary thinges were set at a reasonable price The Brewers also were forbidden to brewe any beere aboue twenty and fiue souls the barrel which thing alas was euill obserued The 30. of May they answered the said letters much like as followeth That as for Colonell Chester and his souldiers The answer of the Leydens to his excellency that the matter stood in another state as they had written to his Excellencie in their former letters which were intercepted And as for their victuals there shoulde bee no fault in them but that they would stretch them out to the vttermost neither would they suffer any vnprofitable person consume them if it were possible for them to doe it Howbeit that they were not able to abide to tarrie so long notwithstanding that they would write to him hereof more at large in the meane while repose all their trust and confidence for their deliuerance in the assistance of God his Excellencie and their fellow brethren confederates In that they would not giue any tokens with fire was because the enemie should not thereby any way suspect their extreeme necessity and so the rather more strictly inclose them thereby stop those wayes which are now free and at libertie for their messengers to passe And besides they sent for pouder and wrote that they were reasonably well determined to keepe the Towne and therefore would put their Citizens in pay They sent also vnto his Excellencie the copie of certaine letters which the enemie had written vnto them by which they vnderstood that the enemie had small hope of going forward in forcible maner Last of all they most humbly besought his Excellencie to haue a fatherly care of them as their trust was in him and hasten their deliuerance but yet not so as that the ouer hast therein might breake the necke thereof The Prince of Orange being greatly troubled for the town of Leyden because it was vnfurnished of souldiers and by reason also that it was not according to his commandement sufficiently purueyed for of corn other warlike munitions fearing likewise that his letters of the 27. were by the enemie intercepted wrote vnto them the 29. another to the same effect with this addition An other lettre sent by the prince of Orange to Leyden That if they well considered of the strength of their Towne although that the Euglishmen were not with them yet that they might very well keepe out the enemie for 3. monethes for if they were of one mind consent it was impossible for the enemie to take them
part of his Citizens were Musketters Maister Iohn Duuenword captaine of the Aduenturers or Freebutters issued out by the Fleet the one halfe of his people being appoynted with long staues called Sprittes and the other halfe shot And Adrian Scot went out at the Rinbrough gate The two Companies of Maister Iohn Does Lorde of Northwike with Bartholomew Hauies tooke in hand to see vppon the Fort and trench at Boshouse bridge At the place called the Sand were placed a good manie of Pyoners Now when all thinges were thus prepared and set in order and a rewarde set downe for the first that entred the fort for euery Spaniards head so soone as the fire was lighted they all at once with a great noyse and crie on euery side set vpon the Fort especially the Companies of the Lorde of Northwike and of Bartholomew hauies The 60. Spaniards which were in the fort valiauntly defended them seues with their muskettes but the townes men were gotten so neere the Fort as that they pushed at them in the fort with their foresayd long staues so soone as they had discharged theyr Harquebuzes The Citizeus of Leydeu surprise the Spaniardes fort they fel vpō the enimie In the meane while the citizens approched with their fire works to wit with vials of glasse full of gunpouder brimstone hauing lighted matches hanging without them and cast those vials into the fort of the enemy whereupon the Spaniardes were enforced to forsake their trench or fort where the citizens entred there slew their enemies who in the destroying of the fort were rosted there aliue and buried by the Citizens without hauing mercy vppon anye although they very lamentably cryed vpon them Misericordia Misericordia And the Pioners aforesayd were so busie against the enemy at a trench neere Poeley bridge as that they came not time enough to lay flat the forte and therefore the Citizens themselues did it During these exploites by reason of the signe of the fire aforesayde Alarme was sounded through all Baldez his Campe insomuch that they of Lammen came to helpe thē of Wadding so did like wise the horsemen of Leyerthorpe Forscote Wassenar who with a few of those which scaped gaue three assaults vpon the lost forte but they were with shame and losse inough lustely repulsed Now because the Citizens meant not to keepe the saide fort but raze it if it were possible and to shewe that although there were no souldiers in the Towne yet that necessity daylie experience made a souldier being also of necessity driuen to retyre by reason of the force of the enemy which came vppon them they after this braue skyrmish of two houres retyred them felues towards the towne Thus the 29. of Iuly they made ready hande speedy dispatch of an hundred Spaniards Italians or neere thereabout It were ouer long to write of the continuall skyrmishing that was there The Leydēs are ouer forward in skirmishing both on the 14. 15. of Iuly by reasō of the multitude of the kine that went thereabout beyng very neere to the number of 700. For the Citizens were growen now so warrelike and forward in skirmishing as that the Magistrate was inforced to call them from it with the sound of a bell And here is to be vnderstood that none of Baldez campe euer tooke the value of one Towe but that it cost the liues of some of his souldiers especially before the trench without the wood gate because they wēt ouer planchers where they were cut off from the way so that the 8. of August there were in the place 8. spaniards staine 3. taken prisoners there was not taken from them during the whole siege but 1. cow 3. young calues And it was a maruellous thing to see how this kynd of cattel had the wyt to saue themselues vnder the Towne in the time of necessitie for by vse they had learned to know the shooting both of the Harquebouze and also of the great ordinaunce During these Exploites An attempt against Delft Baldez people which lay at Haye and therabout attēpted the Towne of Delft which they thought to obteine by reason of certaine intelligence conference that they had with some of the town but they were therein deceiued because that these inhabitants faithfully dealt in the matter in aduertising the magistrate therof So that a bāket of gūpouder was prepared for the spantard for if they had once entred the gate they had euer after beene excused for the eating of victualles But as the keies of the gate were not so ready at hand as they ought to haue byn besides the draw bridge was so long before it could be let downe which might be by reasō of the feare that tooke some of them who had commission to do it as that the spaniards wētbacke being terrified by the great ordinance of the Towne but it came too late for there was no hurt at al done Neuerthelesse notwithstanding al these enterprises attēpts and besides the great distresse of the Leydens yet was it not long before but that there began a treatye of peace and for the same intent and purpose were first sent to Vtright although vnder another colour Maister Iohn Matenes Lorde of the riuer and the Aduocate or Counseller at the lawe Trelon And after that Maister Philip of Marnisse Seignior de Saint Aldegond who came out of prison by the consent of Maister Champigni But because this matter is already set downe in print I wil send the gentle Reader thereto if he meane to vnderstand any further thereof After a fewe dayes had been spent in this warhope of peace that the Deputies both of Holland and Zelande with Seignior Saint Aldegond who according to his othe became Prisoner againe had exhibited their request vnto his Maiesite in waye of a Supplication conteyning these two poyntes That if the lowe Countries might be rydde of the straungers which were in them then the Estates of Holland and zeland and their adherents would submit themselues to the general estates besides seeing that the other deputies were gone back to Vtright that the siege of Leyden continued their victuals went very low therfore his excellēcy the estates discretely wisely weighed cōsidered which way Leyden might be most commodiously holpē Neuertheles whē they saw that there could come no ayde by lād but with great hazard by reasō of the strait besieging strēgth of so many trēches or bulwarks the multitude of the enemies without the hazarding of a great number of people forsomuch as the greatest part of al the chāpion countries was destroyed the enemies of the Hollanders to possesse the coūtries least annoyed And besides that a great deale of corne hay by reason of the edict published in Iuly was had into the townes of the Princes part his excellēcy the estates fully wholly agreed not so much to esteem what might
become of the rawnesse of the low countrie lay it wast for the deliuering of those that lay oppressed in Leiden to declare vnto the enemy what power and will they had to wit that they had rather ouerwhelm the whole countrey with water The prince and the states conclude to ouerflowe drown the whole country with water and beare the losse as it is thought of 300000. crownes of the soune then suffer their fellow brethren members of one publike weale to be trode vnder foote and depriued of the libertie of their countrey And therfore I say it was concluded vpon and declared by a common accord That better is a waste then an vtterly lost countrey and so agreed that the scluses should be taken vp that all South Holland if it were possibly might bee laide vnder the water both by the laying open of these scluses as also by the cutting of the Dykes which stand eyther vpon the Maze or vpon Yssele procuring by this meane a Sea to ebbe and flowe vppon the firme lande that they might after the water was become once nauigable sayle to Leyden for the victualling and ayding thereof And to bring this matter to passe were deputed M. William de Palestine and Daniel de Wingard who hauing ful commission for the executing hereof departed forthwith from Roterodam with a great number of Pyoners The 3. and 4. of August his excellencie and M. Paule Bushe an aduocate of the countrey of Holland accompanied with certayne of the estates went vpon the chappel dyke of Yssele wheron stood a fort very wel furnished with souldiers cutting downe of the bank in about 16. places so that the formost gate was answerable vnto Issilmond And betweene Roterodam and Delfshauen was likewise a great deepe gate cut through which ran woonderful aboundance of water The scluses at Roterodam Scledam the 5. scluses c. were altogether pulled vp so that Roterodam scluse yeelded maruellous store of water Whē these dyke banks were cut downe Admirall Boysot is sent to take vp men 〈◊〉 the ayding of Leyden the scluse laid wyde open his excellēcy sent into zeland for Admyrall Lewis Boysot and after he had deliberated and consulted with the estates and throughly considered of all the meanes that might be as in what maner with what number of people with what ships artillary Leyden might be soonest ayded and rydde of the enemy he departed towards zeland for the doing hereof And in the meane while there were certain flat bottommed vessels many gallies also made ready for that seruice During these exploytes Baldez hauing encompassed Leydē with his souldiers gaue not ouer the practising of his subtil and threatning exhortations as wel by words as also by this Letter written the 30. of Iuly from Haye the briefe content whereof hereafter ensueth That the Leydens should beware not to suffer themselues to be villainously abused by friuolous and vayne wordes And that they had also caused it to be published abroade amongst their citizens how his Ma. sought a kind of iniurtous seuerity desire of reuenge against them where contrariwise hee shewed all the grace and mercy that was possible as appeared by those of Leydē 100. persōs moe at Vtright els where that this mercy gate stood as yet wide open for them if they would hartily call for the same But if they would still perseuere in their obstinacy that then they were to looke for al disgrace punishmēt cruelty to be presētly laid vpō thē Insomuch that the cōclusiō of this letter was as it were much like vnto Rabsakeis when he cā before the city of Ierusalē Harken saith he what the great king of Assyria saith to wit the great commandator Take heede you be not abused and seduced by Hezekia to wit by your Prince of Orāge leane not vnto a weak shaking reed which is not able to stay deliuer you neuer regard any thing that he biddeth you doe for the Lord will send you a meane for your deliuerance neither shall your Towne of Leyden fall into the handes of the great Commaundator Giue no eare to the Prince but beleeue me that his maiesties intent and purpose is not to depart from before the Towne vntill such time as he hath brought it vnder his obedtence and besides let Delft also know and all the reste of the other Townes that they shal be besieged which the Delftians if they be not wilfully blind may welinough perceiue And therfore see you trust not to the prince of Oreng his ayde for if you do you shal but abuse your selues with a vaine hope But shew you me thus much fauour as to render your selues into my handes be you the first and you shall be sure to obtaine grace mercy The Leydens made no answere to this letter neyther were they any whit the more afeard or discouraged But according to the example of the Bethulians and Iohel his doctrine they fell to prayer and fasting being expresly commaunded by the Magistrate not once to thinke that they deserued any thing by reason of this fast And besides they ordeyned certeine lawes and ordinaunces and the 2. of August they were commaunded to take vp all their horses out of the medowes and stable them in the Towne to the ende their milch kine might feede the longer abrode and at that time they began to kill the kine that were dried vp And the fift day they made ordenaunces concerning their flesh victual and Graynes which they then began to bake which kind of foode although they esteemed not of it so well as of bread yet cost it more then the rye bread for a pound of it coste 13. Holland pence and euery man was allowed halfe a pounde therof a day The Leydens standing in this estate wrote to his excellency the 21 of August The Leydens write a letter to his Excellency as foloweth That his excellency right wel vnderstood by their last Letter in what state they stood that theyr graines would serue them but foure dayes longer whereupon it appeared that they had made a verygood reckoning for 3. mōths to wit to liue the first 2. month with bread the third in misery pouerty And that the greater sort of the cōmō people drōk water by reason that the grains was baked into bread And besides that they greatly marueiled that they neuer receiued Letters from the estates their confederates and therfore supposed that they had cleane forgotten them seeing they knew how greatly their letters would increase the weake courages of their citizens beseeching God in the end of these letters to giue them an inuincible patience and to his excellency wisedome and courage for their ayde and deliuerance But before these letters were dispatched the Leydens had receiued letters from his excellency by which he aduertised thē of all that heretofore hath bin said and how hie the water was already risen wherat they greatly reioysing highly
caused to sounde the retraite Nowe this retraite could not bee without the losse of the princes people especially of those whiche were with the Admyrall of ziericksea There were amongest this company certaine French gentlemen Captaines as Catteuille Durant and Guileresse who were too too forwarde with theyr souldiers against the enemie for they had gotten with their barkes behinde the turf heapes not farre from the enemies houses trenches thinking to haue set them on fire But the Admyrall retyring without any noyse and not knowing them to bee so farre foorth the enemie perceiuing them to bee there so lustily assailed them with such a great number of boates as that Catteuille Guileresse and seuen souldiers moe by reason of the reculing of their barke were drowned But Durant and certaine souldiers with him saued theÌ„selues by swimming neuerthelesse the enemie as it was after well knowne receiued a farre greater losse through the shooting off of the great ordenance For their boates were full fraught with their dead hurt and gald men and carried to Vtright Insomuch that some scoffing fellowes iested and saide That fryers Gray was very deare ware because that whosoeuer woulde goe to the Popes heaueÌ„ must needes bee buryed in a Fryers Minors coule and the time was that they would put them coffyn all into the coule when as they carryed them very vnsauery from the campe as commonly it fell out both at Amsterdam and also at Vtright where they are buried in the body of the Church And although the princes armie had with the great ordenaÌ„ce merueilously annoied the enemie as had also the valiant souldiers of the Colonels of the Baron of Noyelle and of the Captaine of the guarde yet it shoulde seeme that they wonne no great matter by it For the water rose not so high as they looked for and that was by reason of the infinite thousandes of hassocks which sucked vp the water the winde also serued them to no pur pose and besides the enemie vsed many and sundrie meanes to draine the water aside Moreouer the said bridge was marueilous strongly fortifâ—ed and againe the boates which had the demie canons in them woulde otherwise haue beene trimmed so that it seemed all that cost and trauell to be vtterly lost and themselues at their wits end Howbeit the Lorde God purueyed for them two maner of wayes to wit first by reason of the Nottheast wynde which blew vp a mightie gabe the 18.19 20. dayes of September secoÌ„dly through the good counsell that was giuen to M. Peter Wastell one of his Excellencies counsell who in this dealing was very diligent and carefull for as he was deuising with two countrie men they told him that they needed not passe by that bridge seeing they might passe the way called Segwart lying betweene Soetermeir and Benthouse When the councellour heard thus much he tolde it to his Excellencie and returning to the campe sate hereupon in councell with the Admiral Noielles the Captaine of the guarde and with certaine estates of the Admiraltie and they all concluded as abouesaid And heereupon Admyral Boysot accompauied with Wastell aforesaide with the guard eight gallies and senentie souldiers directed his course that night towards Segwart way and there arriued before such time as the enemie had any vnderstanding of them for the vice Admyrall lay with the armie before the said Soetermeir bridge Nowe when they had gotten this way the Captaine of the guard desired Citadelle an Italian Gentleman and the Baron of Noielles Lieuetenant to fortifie and entrench with Vawgiraut and halfe the souldiers on Benthouse side And master Bochart with Captaine Ladriere and the other halfe of the souldiers on Soetermeir side And the meaning here of was this that although the whole force of the enemie should sodenly breake vpon them yet thought they hereby safely to returne to their ships howbeit all in vaine for the enemie seeing himself deceiued had no great stomacke to ferrit them out and the Almaines who lay at Benthouse so soone as night came shewed a faire payre of heeles they which lay at Soetermeir in the morning forsooke their trench retired towards Leyden to wit towardes Northaske Soeterwouwe Kyrkwegge Weyport carrying with them their artillarie and fortified themselues in manie houses Now the treaches in Segwart way were not finished withoute the great trauell of the princes people who labored all that night vp to the knees in the water the wind mightilye blowing at the North-East The next morrow Admirall Boysot sent the Captaine of the guarde to looke for the armie which through Gods mightie hand arriued there without the losse of any one man The Almaines aforesaid were no sooner gone froÌ„ Benthouse but that captaine Ladriere had gotteÌ„ their trench When the Princes people were passed Segwart way hauing set on fire the houses which stood on Soetermeir way Captaine Cret an Orengian arriued at Soetermeir with three companies of souldiers and the arke of Delft This Arke The arke of Delft was a strange buylt and trymmed vessell well furnished with great ordenance but very noysome to the armie by reason of the lownes of the water insomuch that they thought once to haue burnt her but because shee had in her betwixt fifteene twentie peeces of greate ordenance they founde the meanes to bring her to the foresaide place that ryding there shee might keepe the passage This Arke was built of two shippes ioyned together and was rowed neither with sprites nor ores neither yet oriuen with the helpe of any sailes but by wheeles wrought within her so very strongly built all ouer as that no musket shot was able to pearse her She was of burden able to beare fiftie lustie men for defence and twelue to turne the wheeles The next morrow they were determining whether they should goe on or tarrie a while longer The Admirall Boysot thought it best to pursue the enemie reculed and to the ende that both the Leydens and also the enemie might descrie him a farre off hee was resolued to take this enterprise in hande with twentie Gallies and appoynted the rest of the armte to follow him Wee haue heeretofore spoken how the vessels which beare the demie Canons were riuen with the force of the Canon But because they had neede of them they were speedily new calked pitched and tallowed at Delft and beeing trimmed with leadde and salt bydes against the force of the pouder they folowed the armie the thyrde day after The Admirall hauing sailed not passing a myle from benthouse was tolde as it was ghessed that aboute the waters which ranne downe towardes Norta that the enemy might strengthen himselfe in certayne houses thereabout howbeit when they had inquired after it the thing was found to bee farre otherwise wherfore he mad towards Norta and got him euen within a musket shot thereof where hee might perceiue how that betweene two or three hundred well armed Almaines had left two houses and were
the better mainteining nourishing of this dissention the encouraging of the faithles discouragiug of the godly valiant withall for declaration that the wordes aforesaid of the impossibilitie of their deliuerance were true the aforesaid de Wibesina certaine other fugitiues of the towne had euen for the vp shot written the 22. of September to the Leydens the summe whereof ensueth That theyr great affection loue A letter of the hispaniolized fu gitiues to the Leydens enforced them once more to write vnto the Leydens willing theÌ„ to take heede that they brought not their towne to extreme misery calamitie when as all hope of grace shall fayle theÌ„ And therefore wished theÌ„ not to trust ouer much to theyr owne wisedome by their ouermuch crediting of the ayd which they lookedfor froÌ„ the prince of OraÌ„ge And to the end they might see howe greatly they desired theyr deliuerance from all wretchednesse and miserie they verily beleeued that they should bee able to sende them passeport for three or 4 persons which might come visite his maiesties campe to see if they might possibly deliuer them either by water or lande and in the meane while offered to sende some of theyr companie for ostages to the towne Or if it pleased them to send certain to talk of the matter they would also finde the meanes that it shold so bee and woulde as much as was possible helpe them both with theyr act and councell Wherefore they aduised them not to neglect this aduertisement and send an answere by the bearer heereof Beseeching in the ende God to preserue them and so inspire them as that it might all turne to a good end Subcribed thus By your good friendes to the vttermost of our powers I.V. Matenesse of Wibisma Cornelius de la Hoogh the sonne of Nicholas Nicolas Oom Iohnson Butenwegh Bartholemew Alewiis Gerbrant Meessens Rene the son of Iames. Vnto the reprochfull wordes aforesaide A most noble couragioue answer of certaine citizens to those of the campe and to these letters and slaunders which the enemie dayly spake certaine Citizens in the ende standing vpon the Rampares answered the Machabite saying You altogether builde all your reasons vppon our famine and that it is impossible for vs to bee ayded and deliuered You call vs dogge and cat eaters Wee tell you that wee want no victuals you beare that in our Towne are both dogges kine and horses And if wee should in the end want these yet hath euery one of vs a left arme to eate and reserue the righte arme to beat the cyrant and the rest of you which are his blooddy ministers from our walles but if at the last our force shall not bee strong enough and that the Lord God meaneth by your haÌ„ds to punishe vs for our demerites which wee through the confidence that wee haue in his diuine goodnes hope hee will not do yet will wee neuer forsake his holy worde nor yet giue ouer the defense of the libertie of our countrie choosing rather when wee are at the verie worst to set our Towne on fier then that it shold any way be gainefull vnto you and we become your flaues For it is more tollerable for vs to bee flaine in fight with the Machabees then to see the miserie of our people and indure your tyrannie both in our bodies and consciences an answere vndoubtedly worthie eternall memorie whereunto and such other like were the good Citizens encouraged by their wiues For there were a great number of them which rather would haue dyed of hunger in their houses then to haue yeelded into the Tyrantes handes because that the tyrannies of Narden Surphen Malyues Harlem were yet fresh in their heads We are now to returne to speake of the princes armie whithe we left at Norta where it was faine to stay a few dayes for want of water because the enemie lay in the chanel towards Soeterwood and also at Soeterwood and thereby stopped the said chanell This lying still of the armie pleased no whit such ydle persons as commonly will doe all things with their tonge although they haue no experience in the whole world in warrelike affayres most reprochfully crying out and asking why the Admyrals went not on whiche in very deede they might haue done if the ships had had winges seeing that the water in these furmost fieldes was not aboue niene ynches deeep the gallies drew a foote and an halfe or two feete Wherefore the captaines required his Excellencie beeing now whole to come to the armie His excessencie commeth to see the fleete whyther about that very time indeede he came His comming greatly reioyced the armie but no whit the enemie who perceiued it by the triumph of the Canon The order of the armie marueilously pleased his Excellencie and gaue foorthwith order to seeke for the way which was to be gawged to wit the Ryrkweg which thing was done by a gentleman Orengian named Bultran and the vice Admirall Cornelius Nycolsons accompanied with Iust the Moore who made report thereof to his Excellencie The determinetion of theâ— confedâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the reuictualing of the towne the Admirals and Colonels Afterwarde the way how to gauge it was appointed But because it pleased not the Lorde that the water shoulde waxe higher nor none other winde blow then at that time did whiche made the water lower they were resolued to thrust in by stealth into the Towne thirtie or fortie Barkes laden with bread For the doing wherof captaine Grenu offered his seruice And afterward when his Excellencie had commanded the Admirals Colonels and captaines to make al the possible speed that might be he returned to Delfr Although the Citizens of Leyden had conceiued some good hope for their deliuerance as well by the letters froÌ„ the Estates the twelfth of that moneth as also by the hearing and seeing of the effect of the great ordenance yet because they had not long before that neither receiued or yet sent any letters by reason of the great war de that was about the Towne they sent two messengers who arriued the 26. of September about the Admyral to declare vnto him the extreeme necessitie of the Citizens whiche was in deed very great but yet not so great as they said and also to see the estate of the armie whereof they themselues if it were possible should come back to make report to their fellowe Citizens if not that then they should send letters by the posts of the ayre for to that end had the messengers aforesaide carried with them sixe old doues Nowe as the messengers thought to returne towardes the Towne with the Admirals letters they founde all the passages belaid and therefore were driuen of necessitie to returne howbeit the Admir all Boysot Necessitie the inuentrix of a cunning policie had sent his letters the 27. of SepteÌ„ber by a flying poste hauing written to the townes men that by the grace of God he
would procure their ayde and deliuerance praying them to remaine constant not lightly and vnaduisedly receiue in any victuals without they saw himselfe or some assurance from him for he feared that the Spaniardes vnder his name might by some stratageme abuse and deceiue them A flying messen ger arriueth at Leyden The first flying messenger arriued at Leyden the 28. of that moneth which the magistrate by sound of the bel gaue the people to vnderstand the 29. day he read the letters opēly Declaring vnto them how that his Excellencie himself had been with the armie to giue order for their deliuerance and that he had him commended vnto them all beseeching them yet for a while to continue constant for the Lord of Hostes woulde send meanes to deliuer thē These letters greatly gladded and incouraged the people prayfing God and incessantly as the other confedered Townes had done made their prayers vnto the Lorde Now this great ioy was not without some mixture of sorrowe because that before and the same very day the winde blew vp at the Northeast which caused the water to fall rather then ryse so that the princes armie thought that they had as it were lost all hope of deliuering them if the inuisible meanes of God to wit the great flowing of the water which began that 29. day lasted vntill the second of October had not holpen them Wherfore the Admirall Boysot wrote vnto his Excellencie that if God of his mercy did not help both with wind also with the rising of the water and by suche meanes as no mā was able as yet to perceiue that he sawe not which way possible to bring to passe the reuictualling of the towne for this time and feared that after it woulde be too late considering that there was not a beaste left and that there were but two dissributions moe to be had and these but to last for right dayes Insomuch that the misery besides the pestilence diseases and discord was in the towne verie great as he vnderstood by the messengers and as was also after found to be most true For many of them had not in seuen weekes space eaten one byt of bread drunke nothing els but water Horse flesh also was then as good meat with the wealthiest of them as mutton is at this present Cats and dogs amongst the aduenturers Strange kinds o◠meates whiche the Leydens did cate and others which lay at the gates of the Towne were thought to be delicate meate and so eaten It is impossible to describe vnto you all their maner of cookery although many tolde mee of it Some of them eate vine leaues mingled with Amell floure and salt There was great difference in the leaues of trees therefore they made sundrie kindes of meates of leeke blades rootes and roote stalkes and the roote leaues which fell to the ground was a very ordinary kinde of good meate Rootes and skinnes cut in small gobbins and sodden in butter mylke was an ordinary and common meate for manie Gentlewomen were driuen to eate their little pupprelles in whom before they tooke great pleasure To the place where the flesh was wonced to be cut out and diuided the poore children came and eate blood rawe the peeces of the flesh which fell away in the diuision All the old rottē shoes in the towne which lay in the dirt were takē vp eatē forthwt. The Poore women were seene sitting vpon the dounghils with their clokes cast ouer their heads gathering vp of the best bones they coulde finde and carryed them home to their houses And they no sooner founde the least stalk of a roote but that they immediately eate it vp The young boyes oftentimes sucked the bones which the dogs had gnawne Euery woman that lay in childbed was fain to be pleased with a quarter of a pound of bisket a day Some women againe were so honger bitten as that the childe in theyr wombe was almost pined to death The blood of the cattell was gathered vp out of the filthie stinking gutters of the towne The prices of certaine victuals in Leyden and eaten Neuerthelesse their drinke was somwhat more to be borne withall for beside the water they had Beare made of Dates which cost an Holland pennie the pot Yea some made drinke of the very huskes of the graines mingling therw t hearbe Grace Rue in steed of Hemlock Othersome dranke vineger water mingled together so that whē the town was freed at liberty there was scarcely any vineger to be had A pound of butter was worth xv souls A yellow carot one souls a rootstalk halfe a souls a Peare or Apple a grote There was offered for a sacke of wheate an hundred florins Ouer and besides this great misery the plague was so ryfe all the Towne ouer as that there dyed of it almost sixe thousand persons The young children which were staruen to death said as it is written in the lamentations of Ieremie Where is the bread where is the wine and so fell down stark dead in the streetes or betweene their mothers armes The insupportable calamitie and miserie of the Leydeus and therefore after that many young children were faine to eate horse flesh The men which could scarscely go ouer the bridge were enforced to ward as good as naked and in their returne founde neither wife nor children aliue They that were wont to goe with their dizaines to the warde came backe againe with eight sixe and sometimes three Noble women and their children which were wont to be clad in silkes and fed vppon the most delicate meates dyed of very hunger There was a dead man brought and layde before the gate of the Buroughmasters thereby to shewe hym as it was thought both closely and expresly that hee had beene the cause thereof therfore that it apperteined to him to seeke the mean to preuent it To bee short the extreeme miserie in the Towne was such as is impossible for mee to describe and set downe But they who after the deliuerance thereof had seene their leane faces and small and feeble legges might easily haue witnessed the same And now to returne againe vnto the Princes armie it had not needed to haue tarryed long at Norta if it had beene certainelie knowne that the Leydens coulde haue held out longer time Againe the Prince and chiefe rulers of the armie knewe right well that the neerer Winter drewe on the greater abundaunce of water woulde ensue And the generall of the armie knewe well enough also that hee must passe betweene Soeterwood Suyten house and so did the enemie likewise and therefore had especially placed his whole warde there In the meane while many thought it best to attempt by night Soetermeir Meere way towardes Stompwyke way but it was to no purpose because that all the ditches and chanels lay in and out crokedlie besides the Spaniard also warded there The Papists aforesaid had lying vpon the
when the enemie vnderstood furiously battered the town with the Canon made a breach and foorthwith gaue the assault so that at the thirde attempt the towne was taken and at their entrie they slue all the Citizens and souldeers and burnt the greater parte thereof The 12. of the saide moneth Schoonhour rendered as the enemie vppon the soden encamped before the Towne of Scoonhoue his Excellencie sent thither the Captaine of the guarde a french Colonel a man very well experimented as well in warre like Affayres as in matters of state who had very faithfully doone to the said prince and Estates of Holland and Zealand many good offices and seruices And although that this Towne was no way able to holde out both by reason of the weake rampares as also because of the faint hearts of many of the Citizens yet this Colonel so nobly saued his honour as that hee attended all the day long for the assault where a breach through the force of 23. Canons was made 300 paces broade But the next morrow although hee wanted able men for defence yet hee in such sort repaired the Rampares breach as that hee made an honorable peace sauing his people both with bag and baggage The great conunendator beeing assisted by the treason of certaine Hollanders passed The enterprise of the coÌ„mandator vpon the countrey of Sconwenuâ— contrary to the opinion of the whole world at a low water marke through the Iles of Saint Anne Philippeslant and Duuelant the 28. of September the yere aforesaid where gouernour Boysor was slaine After that hee tooke by assault and force the fort of Bommenem but not without the great losse of his Spaniardes and then encamped before the Towne of Ziericksea The eleuenth of Februarie 1576. the Prince wanne Crympen for t which greatly auayled him for by it he preserued kept Swyndright and all the rest of the places nere aboute Roterodame and Dordright During these exploits The death of the commaneator the Commandator died at Bruxelles the fift of March of the Plague wherefore the gouernment of the countrie was committed by his Maiesties appointment to the handes of the councell of Estate In May the yeere aforesaid Ziericksea rendered Ziericksea was by reason of famine rendred to the Spaniardes although all the Hollanders Zealanders had done what they could to helpe and reuictuall it but all was in vaine The Spaniards at that time beginning againe to mutine for their pay thought to haue surprised Brurelles for they presumed to haue good store of butin there Howbe it when the Citizens hearde of it they so well looked about them The Mutinous spaniardâ— enter the towne of Alost as that master Spaniard went without his purpose wherfore they tooke the way to Alost where they entred without any resistaunce in the end of Iuly dealing with the Citizens as if the Towne had been taken by assault sacking and iniuring theÌ„ as if they had been their enemies The Estates of Brabant considering of the outrages infolences and rebellion of the Spanish souldiers complamed of theÌ„ to the councell of Estate but where they thought they shoulde haue been punished the councell bare most with them although for the further abusing of the said Estates The spaniardâ— proclaimed rebels they were by the saide councell proclaimed rebels against his maiestie and the lowe countries without setting any other order in the matter which caused a generall reuolt of all the low countries an vnion of Holland and Zealand with the rest of the prouinces as more at large shal be set foorth in the fourth booke of these histories The ende of the third booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE of the Histories of Troubles wherein shall bee set foorth the vtter Reuolte of all the lowe Countries and the vnion of the Estates with Holland and Zealand and many other thynges thereon ensuyng NOw the Estates of Brabant as in the Booke next before hath beene declared beyng not well pleased with the iniurious dealyng of the Spanyards and the little care that the Counfell of Estate had certaine of the Prelattes therefore sett doune a decree the 4. of September 1576. that the Lorde of Heze Captaine of the Citie of Bruxelles and Glymes with the ayde of the Citizens should apprebende the Counsell when thei were altogether at the Court The Counfell of Estate made prisoners and be taken as Prisoners by the Estates of Brabant whiche thyng was executed but especially vpon those whiche were suspected to be Enemies to their Countrie supporters of the Spanyards as namely the Countes of Maussield and Barlmunt the Counsellour Assonuille and the Secretaries Berty and Schaberge who were lead all prisoners together When these men were thus apprchended Monsier the Duke of Aniowe the sunne of Fraunce and onely brother to the Ryng beyng required by certaine persons of aucthoritie in the name of the Estates of Brabant that it would please hym to accept and receiue them into his protection against the tyrrannie of the Spanyardes which in deede be did and to that ende made preparation for the Warres verely mondyng to aide them And in the meane while the Estates aforesaied of Brabant greatly solycited the rest of the Princes of the lowe Countries to ioyne with them for the driuyng and beatvng out of the Spanyardes and other forraine and straunge 〈◊〉 from out of the saied Countries And the first whiche ioâ—â—ed 〈◊〉 them were 〈◊〉 naulters by the aduise and counsell of the Renneberge and the Barron Frezin Thei of Flaunders Lyle Doway Artois and the rest of the Prouinces ioyned likewise with them and treated together of an euerlastyng vnion Now as the Spanyardes traueiled this waie and that in the Countrie of Brabant committyng many wronges Glymes was sent with certaine Ensignes and about sixe hundred Horse in poste to surprise the Spanyardes whiche laie betweene Louaine and Dielmunt How bee it the Spanyardes put hym to flight where was slaine the Captaine of Delft who so valiantly defended hymself with his Souldiers as that this victorie cost the Spanyardes the settyug on Sone after the Spanyards went towards Mastright where through the vnfaithfull dealyng and cowardise of the Almaines The tyranny of the Spanyardes at Mastright thei entred who she wed them selues the very slaues to the Spanyardes tyrannie forgettyng the auncient honour of the name Almaine whiche tyme the Spanyardes sacked and accordyng to their olde maner of dealyng committed all tyrannie and villanie In the ende of October Monsier Champagny beyng Gouernour of the Citie of Antwerpe The sacking and massacre of Antwerpe agreed with the Estates and so did likewise the Count Ouersceine with his Almaines and thereupon the Estates sent thether the Marques of Hawre Count Egmunt and Monsier Beercele with a iollie companie of Souldiers for preseruation and defence of the saied Citie against the force of the Spanyardes then liyng in the Castle But when Sacho of Auila Captaine of the saied Castle
fielde besieged Campen and because he would lose no tyme he sommoned the Toune and hauyng refused his offer made a fearfull batterie vntill suche tyme as he had made a Breache howbeeit when the Almaines sawe them readie to giue the assaulte thei fell to a parâ—e and in the ende departed the Toune the 20. of Iuly in the yere aforesaied The Castle of Hawreche taken The Castle of Haurech beyng besieged and battered by the Frenche on the behalf of the Duke of Aniowe was yeelded vp the 26. of Iuly Howbeeit the Spanyardes who were come the ther before for the raisyng of the siege were repulsed with greate losse of their people And the same tyme had the Duke thruste in a Frenche Garrison into the Tounes of Soignie Mawbuge and Reusse whiche the enemie had forsaken When the Archeduke Mathias and the Estates had arered a greate and mightie Armie The Campe of the Estates pitched nere Rimenant vnder the conducte and gouernement of the Count of Bossu a valiaunt and stoute manne and verie warlike he pitched his Campe abount Rimenant in Brabande whether Don Ihon meanyng to plaie double or quite came purposyng to set vpon the Campe. Howbeit this seconde enterprise had not so good successe as the first because it coste agreate number of his Spanyardes liues so that he was enforced through the notable endeuour and diligence of all these whoÌ„ the Count had sent to fight to retier where Maister Norris Colonell of the Englishmen and Maister Stiward Colonâ— of the Scottes hauyng resisted and pursued the greatest foâ—ce of the enemie shewed theimselues so valiaunt in Armes and warlike feates and so couragious and stoute as that thei carried awaie the whole praise and commendation of this victorie whiche was wone the first of August 1578. Mensire de la Noue one of the valiauntest Captaines that euer was in our daies accompted and in France moste famous for his notable deedes of Armes was sent by the Estates to be Marshall of the fielde who acceptyng of this charge came to Antwerpe to the greate contentation of all the men of warre In August the yere aforesaied Signiour Archies beyng by his highnesse and the Counsell of Estate A Tumult pacified at Matencâ—a sent to Valencia to make inquisition about certain particuler matters concerning the common benefite of the saied Citie there arose a greate vprore and controuersie emongest the common people the one side takyng parte with the saied Archies and the other with the Magistrate for remedyng and appaisyng whereof his highnesse sent thether Seigniour Richardot one of the priuie Counsell a verie learned man accompanied with an other Commissioner where through his mediation after many conferences had there was a commen and generall assemblie of the people held so that the 17. of August those troubles were appaised and the Citezens therevpon went forthwith euery man vnder his Ensigne puttyng of their Armour and weapon after thei had kept watche and ward eight daies and nightes together one against an other not without the greate daunger and hazard of a miserable and lamentatable effusion of blood The Generall Estates meanyng to dooe all thynges for the best thei An accorde with the Duke of Aniowe to the ende thei might repulse the enemie with the greatest force treated with the Duke of Aniowe about that matter The Duke bounde hym self to leauie tenne thousande footemen and twoo thousande horse at his owne coste and charge for the space of three monethes and that tyme beeyng expired and the warres not ended that he would continue to aide them with thre thousande Souldiers and fiue hundred Horse and manifest hym self an enemie to Don Ihon and his adherentes wherevpon the Estates named hym the defendour of the Countrey promisyng further to preferre hym to all the reste if so bee thei were enforced to chaunge their Lorde and Prince giuyng him besides the Duchie of Luxembrough and the Countie of Bourgundie and for the sauftie of his people and hymself the Tounes of Landersey Quesnoy and Bauais besides many other Articles conteined in the accord for that behalfe made and published at Antwerpe in the presence of the Prince the Estates and Aâ—â—assadors of the saied Duke the 29. of August 1578. As the Campe of the Estates laie aboute twoo Myles from Louuaine Count Bossu departed thence A Skirmu hard by Louaine with twoo thousande Harquebouziers and two thousande Horse and commyng nere to Louuaine where the Enemie was either parte shooke of their shotte and coupled them selues together in a braue Skirmishe The Vicount of Gaunt and Lanowa charged the Enemie with the men at Armes and chased them harde vnto the Rampars sides of the Towne so that some of their Tippettes were there turned vp and so were diuers of the Frenche likewise The saied Count had a greate desire to besiege this Towne but because he wanted three or fower thousande Pyoners and thirtie or fortie Canâ—ns for the winnyng of so greate and large a Towne well funished with fiue thousande Souldiers he left of his enterprise as a thyng deuoide of all reason The saied Army drawyng towardes Champaine tooke the Castles of Mote and Sart the first by assault after it had beene once sommoned by the Canon and the other by Composition For Genap and Niuelies yeelded them selues without the sommons of the Canon Theâ— of the reformed Religion A supplication exhibited for the hauyng of the exercise of the Religion exhibited a supplication for the hauyng of publique exercise but especially the Antwerpians first desired of Archduke Mathias his excellencie and Counsaile of Estate certaine Churches whiche request greatly amazed the Lordes Howbeit the Suppliauntes were so many in nomber and so importunately vrged the matter as that when his highnesse had asked counsell of the generall Estates it was thought to be necessarie for the common quiet and preuentyng of all inconuenience to graunt them the Castle Chappell named the Moabites because the Spanyards built it the Iesuites Church half of the Friers Franciscanes Churche of the Iacobines and Sainct Andrewes so that by licence the publique Sermons began the last of August 1578. And afterwarde through the continuall exhibityng of Supplications of all the lowe Countreis the peace of Religion or free libertie of the Religion was permitted and proclaimed the Copie whereof ensueth It is knowne to all menne The peace of Religion that the tyrannous Commissiones long sithence Proclaimed aboute the cause of Religion by the perswasion counsell and aduise of Straungers especially of the Spanishe nation without hearyng of the Estates of the CouÌ„trey in that behalfe and besides beeyng with moste intollerable crueltie entertained and obserued haue been and presently are the verie originall of all the controuersies emongest vs consideryng that by those occasions the Priuileges Lawes and laudable Customes are sondrie waies broken and troad vnder foote and lastly by the enemies of our Countreis haue caused moste lamentable warre to bee beganne to our vtter
Citezeins of Leeward who had woonne the Castle with ensigne displaied And that whiche is worthie the laughing thei had put and enterlaced al the Friers of the Citie emongest the Souldiers all behinde the Ensigne so that the poore Friers whiche were not wonted to marche in order of battaill were greatly amazed and so had out of the Citie In this sort was ouerthrowen and razed the Castle of Leeward hauyng continued 79. yeres For it was built in the yere 1501. and was destroied and razed as before hath been said the first of February 1580. The 2. Harling Castle rendred of February in the yere aforesaied the Captaines Ihon Bouma Ihon Veruew and Owen Grouestins besieged the Castle of Harlyng howbeit thei of the Castle resisted for certaine daies and sometymes so shotte of their Artillerie into the Toune as that three men were slame there withall But after thei had seen certaine letters whiche were written vnto theÌ„ and vnderstoode the content of them thei rendred the Castle the 5. of February in the yere aforesaied Whiche the Citezeins pulled doune to the ground and filled vp the Diches Thesame yere Harlyng newe gate and the Scluses beganne to be built and was then also finished and afterward the Toune was fortefied with Bulwarkes whiche before tyme had neuer a one The same yere and moneth Stauere Castle razed was the Castle of Stauere thro wen doune and razed All these thynges were executed by the good counsell and appoinctment of the honourable Lordes the Deputies of Friselande To witte by Seignior Rienich Caminga Seigmor Sipppe Meckema Doctor Baert Ytzerda Ihon Oedzinga and many others of the Nobilitie to the ende that the whole Countrie of Friselande might bee the better conserued in peace against all treason and that all meanes might be cutte of from the Enemie to serue his turne for commyng in into the saied Countrey Seyng thei had considered that their own Lieutenaunt had conceiued in his mynd to render the Countrie vnto the Enemie by treason as hereafter shall more at large be declared The 19. I puilyng doune of Images at Leeward of February there began newe warres against Images and Churches in the Citie of Leeward and al the Monasteries thereof There were also certaine Priestes driuen out of the Toune Neuerthelesse this warre against Images was not made onely in Leeward but in all the Cities and tounes of Friseland besides followyng therein the steps and examples of the Hollanders The goods moueables of the Monasteries wer sold bestowed vpoÌ„ the warres for the ibertie of the Countrie The 3. of Marche 1580. The Count of Rennenberg sheweth hymself a partaker with the Malcontentes beganne a greate and miserable sedition in the Citie of Groenyng aboute fower of the Clocke in the mornyng For George de Lalaing Countie of Rennenberg hauyng taken parte with the Malcontentes and renouncyng the vnion of Vtright wherevnto he hymself had putte his owne hande as manifestly appeareth by thesaied copie shewed then in very deede that whiche long tyme before he had conceiued in his mynde For as vpon that daie all the Citezeins of Groenyng whiche tooke parte with the Malcontes weare on their left armes white Scarfes and at the tyme prefixed came to the Market place so sone as the Drommes had souÌ„ded the Alarme where an harquebouze was shotte of and the Gouernour there on horebacke with a naked sworde in his hande saiyng Now my good fellowe Citezens ê™ he let me at this tyme haue your aide and let vs accomplishe that whiche tendeth to the seruice of his Maiestie and our owne defence to th' ende we might vaÌ„quishe and ouercome our enemies And he had no soner spoken these wordes but that al the Malcontentes ranne forthwith to the houses of the Citezens that were of the reformed Religion breakyng doune their doores and takyng the Citezens prisoners In this meane while the Gouernours horsemen roade throughout all the streates and there could no manne soner put out his heade at a windowe but that he was by and by hausled with a Pistoll and emongest all the reste there was one manne of estimation who had sometymes been a Counsellour named Iames Hillebrandes who saied to the Gouernour is this the parte of a faithfull gentleman so inciuily to deale with his subiectes And the woordes were no sooner out of his mouthe but that he was shotte into the head with a pistoll and so died of the blowe There were also in this sedition an other man and a womanne slaine The Gouernour still persisted in his wicked purpose and went on in takyng those of the reformed ReligioÌ„ prisoners In so muche that there was greate miserie and calamitie All those of the Religion in Groenyng are made prisoners and wonderfull weepyng and wailyng of women and children For as it is thought there were at that tyme of the reformed Religion about three hundred Citezens taken of whom some were kept in Churches and other some in straight prison And in this maner reuolted the Citie of Groenyng against all the whole Countrie and tooke parte with the Malcontentes whiche caused the Citie to bee encompassed and besieged on euery side WheÌ„ the Leewarders heard of the certaintie of this newes the Magistrate and all the Citezeins did wonderfully stomacke the Catholikes in so muche that thei were once bent to haue dealte with theim euen as the Groemgistes had dealte with those of the reformed Religion howbeit after some deliberation had the desisted from that purpose not meaning to vse any such or the like Tyrannie but onely shapped vp some of the Catholikes within their owne house and afterwarde banished theim the 7. and 8. of Marche 1580. When thesaied Count of Renneberg had gotten the greater parte of Friselande he came and encamped hym self before the Citie of Steenewike in the Territorie of Transisselaine howbeit gentle reader I meane not to frustrate thee about the successe of this siege in shewyng vnto thee the goyng foreward of the same as by the historie ensuyng thou maiest see After that the Armie of the vnited Prouinces 1580. vnder the conduct of the Count of Hohenloo was the 17. of Iune 1580. ouerthrowen and discomfited by the Malcontents vnder the conduct of Marten Scheuck in the lande of Hardenbergue The Citie of Groening was aided and rid of their Gouernour the Count of Rennenbergue And although the saied Count of Hohenloo had at an other tyme leuyed a reasonable greate company of Souldiers both on foote and on Horsebacke and so repaired his Army yet was it once more discomfited the 4. of September about Linigen by the said Malcontentes whiche was the cause that many of the Cities fearing the force and power of the Enemie were driuen to receiue Garnisons into theim for their defence And when the Count of Rennenbergue sawe that he had not men of warre enowe to assaile certaine renowmed Cities and of some importaunce he was againe strengthened with 11. Ensignes of Footemen and certaine
Horsemen vnder the charge of Hans Storiff of Enbricke wherevpon he caused his Army to marche towardes the Citie of Oldenzeel whiche Citie not meanyng to tarrie the siege rendred to the saied Count of Rennenbergue the 24. of September When thei of Steenwike heard of this thei receiued in a Garnison and Souldiers for their defence against the Enemie and so fortefied their Citie and Rampars still lookyng for the Army of the Euemie who planted his siege before the same the 18. of October about noone with 20. The Siege before Steenwyke companies of Almaines and others and 1500. Horse Wherupon that Euenyng two of the Gates of the Citie the one named the Giest Gate and the other Onniger Gate were with Earth and Trees fast rampard vp against the force of the Artillary of the Enemy The self same daie the Souldiers of the Toune sallied twise out to skirmish with the Enemie and so also did thei the 19. daie ensuyng and caried home with them fower Prisoners Towardes the Euenyng the Enemie passed the Riuer of Ae with eleuen companies of Friselanders and entrenched about the Chappell Steendicq The 20. daie there issued out of the Citie certaine Souldiers at the Wood Gate and had wonne and defaced the little Trench about the Chappell cariyng home the butin with them whiche Trench the night followyng was made vp againe The same daie in the Afternoone thei againe sallied out at the East Gate and after thei had skirmished with the Enemie thei caried backe with them three Prisoners and two Horses The 23. of October in the night the Enemy marched towardes the Kuynder to the ende thei might light vpon the two companies of Ihon de Eschede and Roeloff de Laughen whiche thyng thei performed For the next daie ensuyng as thei returned to the Campe thei trailed at an Horse taile iust before the Toune one of their Ensignes The 25. daie there was a braue skirmishe where the Enemie receiued a notable losse bothe of Souldiers and Horses and our men returned to the Citie without any losse cariyng with them two Prisoners and three Horses The 28. daie of the saied Moneth the Count George de Lalayng as Gouernor for his Maiestie in Friseland sent a Trumpet to sommon the Citie for the yeeldyng thereof whom Captaine Conrade aunswered that he kept the Citie for his Maiestie the Estates and the Prince of Orenge and would defende it against whom soeuer came Commaundyng the Tumpett to bee packyng without thei loued to be hausled with a Cannon shott The Count of Rennenbergue beyug stirred with this aunswere caused three peeces of greate Ordenaunce to be planted whiche he had that daie receiued and that euenyng discharged against the Citie three of the same Cannot shott This daie at the instaunce of certaine good honest Citezins was an ordenaunce made and a price sett vppon Victualles in maner and forme followyng whiche was proclaimed and afterterwarde set vp vpon one of the postes of the Toune house And first it was ordeined that no man should Brewe nor sell any Beare aboue halfe a Patart the pot of Steenwike measure A pounde of Larde was priced at three Sous A pounde of Butter fower Sous A pounde of Creame Cheese two Sous A pounde of course Cheese one Sous and one Lyard A Stockfishe two Sous sauyng a Lyard Twelue pounde of waightie Rye bread sixe Sous A measure of Eastland Graines eighteene Sous A measure of Countrey Graines sixteene Sous A measure of Barley fifteene Sous A measure of Buckweyt foreteene Sous A Bushell of Salte twelue Sous A pot of Beare called Iupenbere seuen Sous A pot of Rennishe Wine nine Sous A pot of Frenche Wine fiue Sous Whiche was proclaimed and commaunded to bee straightly obserued by the Enhabitauntes of the Citie The 29. of October were sixe greate peeces of Ordenaunce moe brought to the Campe of the Enemie and planted to batter the Citie withall whiche was in deede doen the next daie followyng so that thereby thei had no vse of the twoo Milles of the Citie The same daie the Citie understoode by Captaine Herman Olthoff his man that the Enemie meant to giue them a liuely assault The Citezens make them selues ready for the assault and therefore euery man prepared hymself to giue them an hot repulse and to that ende thei brought al the brewyng Vesselles in the Citie to the Rampars which thei had filled with hot skaldyng water and Lime for the washyng of the heades and bodies of the Enemie Thei prepared also all kindes of necessary Armour and Weapon to defende themselues against the force of the Enemie in so muche that the Souldiers and all the Citezens were fully determined to receiue and withstande the assault of the Enemie who in steade of assaulting the Citie cast vp his trenches from Giest Gate euen vnto Onniger Gate The first of Nouember a Messenger was sent to the Estates to aduertise them of the estate of the Citie And about 10. of the Clocke in the night there issued 26. valiaunt Souldiers vnder the conduct of Ihon Vorberg Captaine Cornput his Lieutenaunt who charged the very body of the Watche whiche laie betweene Giest Gate and Onniger Gate and there so pretely well cooled the courages of 24. men of the saied Watche as that 20. of them were leaft dead in the place and three caried awaie prisoners and one of them whiche would not goe was hurt vnto death and left without the Citie where he died that night but he that was in the watch saued himself with a light paire of heeles The 2. of the saied Moneth in the night the Enemie cast vp the Trenche betweene the foresaied Gates as if he would haue made there some Mount and therefore thei likewise within began to make an other Mount about Giest Gate and then were the Captaines quartered for the defending of the Rampars The same daie also were twoo deepe ditches made at Giest Gate because thei feared that the Enemie would vndermine the Citie The 3. daie at night issued certaine Souldiers and suddenly fell vpon the Pyoners certaine Countrie men and Souldiers whereof many were slaine and afterwarde thei retiered to the Citie with their butin The 7. Daie thei sallied out at the East Gate and brought awaie two Souldiers and a Victualler Prisoners leauyng behinde them vpon the waie many hurte men which would not goe with them Thei caried also awaie with them in despight of the Enemie fiue Kyne and a Souldiers wife The same daie in the afternoone there was the like sallie whereat was a liuely skirmishe so that by reason of the retraict of Captaine Oltholffe his Ensigne bearer and of Captaine Herman Olthoffe they were bothe hurt The Ensigne bearer also of Captaine Cornput standyng vpon the Citie Rampere was with a Cannon shot slaine in the place The 9. daie the Messenger returned with Letters from the Prince and the Estates to the Citie promising to ayde the Citie and raise the Campe of the
Enemie And againe the night followyng came in two Citezens saiyng that the ayd was commyng on whiche should helpe the Citie The 11. daie the Horsemen of the Enemie trouped on from Onnen by Westwyke towardes the Wood who were brauely hausled with greate Ordenaunce from the Toune to the greate losse of their people The 12. of the saied Moneth there was a sallie and a Skirmishe made to the hurte of the Enemie in whiche one Willyam Dorth Captaine Olthoffe his Sergeaunt was hurt to death and dyed the next morrow On which daie in the Sermon while there came to the Gate a man at Armes on Horseback very wel armed who was receiued into the Toune But when the Souldiers sawe that he was none of the wisest or rather a counterfeit thei thrust him out of the Gates after the Sermons were ended and slue him with Harquebouze shot keeping behinde with them his Horse and Armour The 16. and 17. daie the Enimie battered the Toune and thesame Euenyng in token thei had obtained a victorie of Hegemans people the Enemie trailed an Ensigne at his horse taile and made Bonefiers rounde about the Citie as though thei would haue assaulted it with fiers The 18. The fire taketh holde in Steenwyke daie the Enemie shotte fier into many places of the Citie in so muche that at one tyme the Citie was all on a light fier by reason whereof there were 70. houses burnt By this fier was muche victuall and other Munitions burnte to the greate losse of the enhabitauntes Diuerse houses in Onnigerstreate through the greate diligence of the Citezens were saued and so had there been also in many other places if the souldiers had not garded the Rampares because the Enemie costed all alongest one side of the Citie with Ensigne displaied as though he would haue giuen the assault whiche he might easily hatte doen by reason that in many places the Diches were hard frosen vp The Enemy sommoneth the Citie Thesame daie about the Euenyng the Enemie sent twoo Trompetts to sommon the Citie in his Maiesties name and to yeeld it self vnto the Prince of Parma as Captaine Generall and to the Count of Rennenberg as Lieutenaunt and gouernour of Friselande and so thei should depart with bagge and baggage Whom Captaine Frauncis Platte in the name of all the reste of the Captaines answered That thei kepte the Citie in the behalfe of his Maiestie of Archduke Matthias of Austriche as Captaine Generall of the Prince of Orenge his Lieutenaunt and of the Estates And that thei had none other thyng for the Count of Rennenberg to commaunde but Bullettes and pouder and therefore wished theim quietly departe without thei liked to be saluted with Cannon shotte Thesame night a messenger was dispatched towardes Campen to declare vnto them what losse thei had receiued by fier The 19. daie the Enemie moste diligently went aboute to shoote fire again into the Citie but it was to no purpose This night there came a messenger into the Citie who saied that he had cast awaie his letters whiche he had of the Estates because he feared as he saied thei carried no good newes with theim and within one houre after there came in the taile of hym three other Citezens agreyng all with one voice that there was no aide in the whole worlde ready for thei saied that the people of the Hegemans was discomfited and the Scluse and Bloczeell forsaken wherevpon the nexte daie followyng ensued greate trouble and dissention For A diuision in Steenwyke many of the Papisticall Citezens and others cried out and saied that it was reason a Oromme should bee sent to the Enemie and the Citie to bee rendred vp Howbeit there were certaine Souldiers and all the reformed citezens whiche would none of that who bothe with faire speeches also with threatnyng wordes said that thei would rather kill one an other then thei would so yeld vnto the Enemie consideryng that thei had no want of victualles In so muche that many honest and constant Citezens did weare that daie bothe Armour and weapon vnder their cloakes Some others greeuously accused the Prince and the Estates because thei had not holpen certaine Cities whiche had been besieged as Dopslach Delffziell Couerdē Maestright Harlem and Ziericzea could largely witnesse neuerthelesse the reste stoode stoutly to their trckle so that in the ende the trouble and sedition was suppressed And sone after there came a Dromme to the gate bringing letters from captaine Gedeon Pameren praiyng that he might haue his souldiers deliuered for other prisoners or els for a monethes wages whiche was graunted hym In the euenyng the Enemie very diligently sought to shoote more Fire into the Toune but it was to no purpose This night came in the faithfull and vertuous seruaunt of the Countrie Matthias Kies bringyng with hym good newes saiyng that the Estates were makyng of the moste diligent preparation that was possible to aide the Citie Some hope of ayde as also it appeared by the letters of the Estates whiche refreshed again the hartes of al the white liuered knightes of the Toune and this night Herman Henricx and George Waterwike with one of Hans Vrancquebourg Souldiers were sent out of the Citie The 21. of Nouember there issued aboute the daie breake out of the Easte gate 70. shotte who laie hidd in a secret place vntill some of Westwike Campe came that waie And then with the aide of the horsemen of the Citie thei sette vpon theim and caried awaie with theim 11. horses with a Charrette and Chariot and a victualler slayng suche as would not goe with them This victualler had about him in gold to the worth of 20. Florins and when he was examined he saied that he thought in his opion that the Enemie meant to plant the greate Ordenaunce in Eastwike and batter the Citie on that side or els cast fier into it for the doyng of it the more mischiefe but it proued nothyng The 22. the Enemie sent a Dromme for certaine prisoners whiche thyng the Captaine of the Toune denied hym for that daie because he vnderstoode not of the sedition that had been in the Citie by reason of the ill newes and former fier The drōme saied that the Counte by reason of this refusall would hang all those prisoners whiche were ours and that thei should heare of other newes shortly but he was answered againe that if thei so did thei would in like maner deale with the prisoners whiche thei had of theirs The 23. daie the Enemie beganne to caste vp a mightie and strong Trenche from Eastwike aboute the winde Milne hill and towardes euenyng he brought thether three companies of Souldiers But as the horsemen trouped on the side of the Citie some of them were slaine with Musket shotte and thesame daie thei beganne to fill vp the East gate with yearth and ramforce the Rampares and Vauntmures betwixte the saied gate and Onniger gate In the Euenyng the Enemie made a false Alarme and
Prisoner who was recouered by two bandes of Horsemen and two Ensignes of Footemen but yet thei caried awaie the Harquebouze with them This night before Midnight were seene two signes of fire and an other after midnight accordingly as the Messengers were enioyned to doe the meaning whereof our Captaines right well knewe The 14. daie the Enemie she wed hymself with foure Squadrons of Horsemen The Count of Rennenberg goeth to see the Horsemen who at last put them selues in order of battaile At whiche tyme the Counte of Rennenbergue came thether who wheeling about went from him the Enemies dischargyng all their Pistolles to honour hym withall Then the Tounes men discharged a greate peece of Ordenaunce against the Troupe and against Westerwyke Campe also and likewise against Haustroyffe quarter where he lighted from his Horse There was also another token of fire that night seene towardes Scluse The 15. The Souldiers of the toune breake the Ise daie because the water in the Ditches was hard frosen ouer the Souldiers went out to breake the Ise and in the meane while there went ouer fower of the enemies driuyng an Oxe before them towardes Eastwyke Whiche thyng when our men whiche were breakyng of the Ise saw went and tooke away the Oxe from the enemie and although many of the Souldiers of the Enemie came thether to recouer it yet did thei nothyng in it because our Souldiers had in haste driuen it to the Toune This night about 11. of the Clocke the Enemie sounded a great Alarme bothe with Drommes and Trumpettes And at that tyme also was fire cried at Giethorne and soone after many houses were seene on a light fire in so muche that the Enemie discharged three Cannons for the watch word that the Horsemen might get together There was also a greate noyse of aboue an hundred Cartes and Horses heard whiche came out of the Countrey of Drenthe but when the daie appeared bothe the cartes and also the carters were cleane gone for thei whiche had set Giethorne on fire came not nere it A forte of of Carted The next Morrowe in the euenyng Stuper his companie had broken the Ise betweene Onniger Gate and Giest Gate and so euen vnto the Wood Gate This night likewise was a greate noyse bothe of Cartes and Horses in the Enemies Campe. The 17. daie issued out seuen Souldiers to entrappe some of the Enemies nere vnto the Easterne bridge three of whiche were vpon Fredericke Lutgene his lande and the other fower in the Banke ditche But so soone as two of the Enemies of Easterwyke Campe sawe that the aforesaied three would needes charge them thei purposed forth with to saue thē selues through the lightnesse of their heeles Whiche thyng when the other fower sawe thei left their ambusshyng and tooke the one and the other eskaped with leapyng ouer the Riuer of Ae. When thei had brought the prisoner to the Towne he was examined who saied that our people had been at Giethorne and taken Ortho of Sauton Drossat of Harderwike prisoner slaine his sonne gréeuously wounded his guarde corpes and put his Souldiers to flight And besides that our mē were come to Meppell with 23. Ensignes of Footemen whom the Enemie thought to remoue going thether but with 10. Ensignes of Footemen a certaine nomber of Horsemen but it was all in vaine And further he said that the knight of Nieuorte was in the Countrey of Groenyng with a great nomber of Souldiers There was also a Dromme sent to the Enemie to knowe whether he would redeeme his Souldier with a raunsome or no. And he saied that he would howbeit he threatned for all that to hang him so soone as he had hym if so be that thei of the Toune would not doe it before but thei of the Toune accordyng to their custome and former promise would not doe it and the reason whiche moued the enemie to cause him to be hāged was this that he went from the Campe without their leaue and licence The same daie the twoo Souldiers whiche brake the Ise of the Ditches set vpon a Souldier of the enemie who had giuen them some occasion hauyng none other weapons about them but the tooles wherewith thei brake the Ise one of whiche named Ihon Montiew as he was coupled to the enemie was slaine with an Harquebouze shott and after he was dead the enemie gaue hym many a stappe with his dagger The crueltie of the enemy criyng with a loude voyce wee are the Souldiers of Suater and thus will we handle all the rest of you ye Horse eaters This their crueltie restranged the hartes of many from them and encouraged many to withstande them to the vttermost This night about twelue of the Clocke came into the Toune our three Messengers of the Citie bringing newes that thei had left at the Blacke Scluse 36. companies of Souldiers and at Bergmer Bridge 300. horse comming to ayd vs. There was also a token of fire made vpon the Tower which when the Enemie sawe he discharged a greate peece of Ordenaunce but thankes be to God did no hurt at all and the bullet was founde in the Churchyarde The 18. daie being rainie and mistie there was a sallie made to know whether the Enemie that laie so still was strong or no and after thei had skirmished a while thei retiered on either side by reason of the mist But about eight of the Clocke at night the Enemie gaue a false Alarme and shot of twise The 19. daie the Enemie shott of thrise whiche was as it was thought a certaine watch worde for three Horsemen came from the Wood and the Enemie sounded the Alarme and there might be seene many Souldiers marche without weapon from Westerwike towardes the Wood. This night about midnight came into the Toune certaine Messengers with charge and letters of Colonell Norris an Englishe man aduertising them that the Enemie had been the 18. daie with 11. Ensignes of Foote men and sixe Cornettes of Horsemen at the Blacke Scluse After that the Army of the Estates was retired from Meppell the Enemie thought to haue discomfited and ouerthrowen the three Companies whiche were left at the saied place howbeit thei met there with suche an encounter as that twoo of their Captaines were slaine in the place two Ensignes taken about 500. Souldiers slaine the Armour and weapon of 500. men left behinde A discomfiture of the Enemie at the Blacke Scluse and an Ensigne bearer taken prisoner and because that after the entre of these Messengers a token of fire was giuen vppon the Tower the Enemie shott of a greate peece of Ordenaunce The twentie daie there was so greate an hurly burly in the Campe of the Enemie as that thei might be heard criyng euen to the Rampars of the Toune money money but because certaine of our Captaines went out with some of their Souldiers into their emptie trenches to vnderstand something more of this hurly burly some of the enemies perceiuyng them
out to keepe them plaie And besides the Giethornistes plied the Enemie daie and night with Alarmes And at night twoo messengers came in who brought promisses of their deliueraunce bothe by letters and by worde of mouthe and a further aucthorisyng of Harman Olthoffe The thirteene daie of Ianuary a bill was made of all the Kine Horses Swine Corne and all other kindes of Victualles And a skirmishe also was betweene our Giethornistes and the Enemie And at night twoo signes of fire was seen at Giethorne and the night followyng the Enemie had twoo Alarmes giuen Aboute the daie breake the Enemie called to our Watche and asked theim if thei had eaten all their Dogges and Cattes tellyng them further that thei would before it wer long come into the Toune and hang vp Olthoffes Souldiers vpon the Rampares and besides that our lookyng for aide was in vaine because we were like to haue none and that we should bee deliuered euen as Delfziill was where in deede our aide was moste manifestly to be seen whiche woordes thei spake to discourage the Souldiers of the Toune The fourteenth of Ianuary there came out from about the Bulwoorkes about thirtie horsemen shockyng firste on towardes Eastwike Trenche and anon towardes Westwike somewhat nere the Artillarie of the Enemie but it was to no purpose for the Enemie laye quietly in his Trenches This night about nine of the clocke sixe messengers wer sent to wit foure Souldiers and twoo Citezens to haue some assurance of aide from the Counsell of the warres And afterward the Giethornistes gaue the Enemie three seuerall Alarmes and so thei did the next night followyng The fifteene daie of this monethe George de Lalyng sent by a Dromme a despitefull letter to Captaine Ihon Cornput and besides there were certaine letters written in Frenche by the Prince of Orenge and sent to the Duke of Alenson whiche were intercepted and the Commentaries that were made of them These letters caused many mutinous Souldiers to mutin because thei might not knowe the contentes of them The sixteene daie before Dinner there issued out certaine horsemen and harquebouziers and brought home with theim a Countrie man of the lande of Hessen who knewe nothyng of the estate of the Enemie About noone the Enemie came forthe to anger the Ise breakers wherevpon certaine Souldiers set vpon them in skirmishe where thei hurte some of the enemies and emongest the reste was an ouer hazardous Walon slaine and pitefully dealt withall in the reuenge of Ihon Montieu of Northdike In the afternoone an other sallie was made as before where thei got a Page prisoner who gaue them sufficient knowledge of the estate of the Enemie This daie also was there a greate controuersie betweene the Magistrate and the Captaines aboute the Souldiers preste And this night came backe the sixe messengers aforesaied who brought newes that vpon Fridaie next our aide would be at the Wood. The eightene the Campe of Giethorne remoued before the daie breake and came to the Wood settyng many houses on fire where the Roiters and the Campe of the fower companies were driuen awaie Then the Tounesmen sallied out in greate nombers brauely skirmishyng on euery side where many on either parte were slaine and taken prisoners After this the Enemie marched very strongly towardes the Wood The Englishe men ready to set vpon the Toune meanyng to charge the Englishmen and discomfite them but in the ende he was enforced for all his iolly cannonyng of about three score bullettes bothe vpon them of the Toune and vpon them in the Wood to retire with greate losse And his losse had been farre greater if the Tounesmen and their assistauntes had had any watche woorde betweene theim Then beganne the weather to breake vp and thawe and to be very Mistie whiche greatly aduauntaged the Englishmen and those whiche laie in the wood Who in the night retired from the wood to Blockzill giuyng vs notice thereof by the signes of fire The nineteene of Ianuary the Enemie a freshe sommoned the Toune by letters containyng that all Straungers and honest Citezens should bee licensed to departe with their bodies and gooddes but that he would haue the periured ones to be deliuered into his handes that he might execute the Lawe vppon theim Braggyng and boastyng further in liyng maner that our aide had charged the very weakest corner of his Campe and were with shame inough repulsed and chased cleane awaie left many of their weapoÌ„s behinde them had lost much of their victuall besides certaine of their Captaines He called also for the prisoners and threatened likewise to hang our prisoners ere many daies were at an ende Howbeeit Captaine Conrade of Steenwike and others who were appoincted for that purpose answered hym againe by worde of mouthe that it was not lawfull for them so to forget and breake their othe because thei had sworne to the vnited Prouinces to keepe the Toune so long as thei had any life within theim and therefore would obserue the same still lookyng for whatsoeuer it should please the Lorde God to laie vpon theim And as concernyng the prisoners thei answered by letters that thei were contented to keepe the accustomed lawe of Armes and therefore desired to haue in writing a specification from the prisoners because thei neuer thirsted after their blood and that if thei hung any of them thei should be assured that thei would doe the like Whiche letters were sent by a prisoner who vpon his othe was sent from the Enemie to them of the Toune and was afterward deliuered with the reste of the prisoners The 20. daie there came two messengers into the Towne bryngyng newes of certaine succour The same daie the Enemie offered to obserue the lawe at Armes as was meetâ— to witte to deliuer a prisoner for a monethes wages or els prisoner for prisoner There was also a Copie taken of that despiâ—eful letter of the Enemie and put vppon a Poles ende without the Toune whiche was pitched before his Campe smally for his honour and pleasure These saied Messengers declared that the cause why our succour retired from the Wood was for want of Victuall and Pouder and did further assure them that the Lord of Nieuorte was marchyng on with 1800. men to ioyne with the Englishe men for our ayde At that tyme likewise the Enemie sent the Tounes men worde that if thei would forbid their Souldiers the committyng of iniuries that he would also doe the like to his The 21. daie the Enemie raunsomed and also deliuered certaine prisoners for a Monethes wages He wrote likewise letters to the Captaines wherevpon might easily be coniectured that he sought by cunnyng and practise to sowe dissention amongest the Companies The 22. daie the Enemie as before deliuered his prisoners by the Dromme This night were certaine Messengers a fresh sent to declare the necessitie of the Toune who in the mornyng made a signe with fire that thei were saufly got thether The 24. daie a peece of Ordenaunce was heard
shott of fower tymes towardes Sainct Ihons Gate and many Harquebouzes also wherevpon our men issued out of the Toune but to no purpose And about the euenyng thei made an other sallie in whiche thei tooke a Victuallers wife of Groenyng who tolde them all the historie and successe whiche the Enemie had against the Lorde of Nieuorte and that he was returned to his Campe with greate losse and merueilous shame whiche thyng fell out happely The English meÌ„ driuen of necessitte to cate their horses bothe for vs and the Englishe men whom the Enemy had so distressed as that thei were driuen to eate their horses In so muche that our case stoode in poore estate had not the Lorde God prouide for vs the assistaunce of the Lorde of Nieuorte and his Friselanders The 25. of Ianuarie in the mornyng a sallie was made and two Countrey men taken who confirmed all that whiche the woman had saied All this daie was as greate shootyng of of Harquebouzes heard about Giethorne as was on the daie and night immediatly before And the Enemie also had set two houses on fire about the hye water Milles. He was also seene retieryng from the Wood with his baggage and this night was heard a greate noyse of Waggons and in the mornyng were a greate nomber of the Royters Waggons seen about the great Ordenaunce The 26. daie was a sallie made but all in vaine because that the Royters of the Enemie were ouer hastie in the chargyng of them And about the euenyng were seen a companie of Souldiers marchyng towardes Giethorne and at night were seene signes of fire There were likewise at sondrie tymes heard both of Cannon and Harquebouze shott aswell at Blockzill as also at Sainct Ihons Campe. The 27. daie were sallies made both euening and morning wherein a Page was taken who at large declared how the Enemie had been euill dealt withall at Sainet Ihons Campe and that his Souldiers mutined for their wages yea some of them would not sticke to saie that thei would teare in sunder their Ensignes And at night was a greate fire seen at Giethorne The 28. daie the Tounesmen sent a Dromme for the delinerie of certaine prisoners but it was to no purpose for the Enemie had other matters to doe This daie were fower sallies made whereof three were in vaine but in the fourth a Musquetier was taken who saied that the Souldiers helde a councell for their wages whiche was promised them within fower daies or els be brought into a better corner There were a great many of Souldiers seene marchyng to and fro laden with their baggage This night two Messengers came in and three went out from whom the signes of fire were seen The newes were good whiche thei brought from Sainct Ihons Campe and besides that the good Knight of Nieuort came with three hundred Wagons laden with Victualles The 29. daie certaine prisoners were deliuered vpon a Monethes wages and some without raunsome but spoyled of all their apparell The night ensuyng came out two Messengers and the last daie of this Moneth the Enemie beganne to cast his Trenche on the North Common and then was there two sallies made the one at the Wood gate and the other at Ouniger gate where one of the enemies was slaine and an other taken prisoner This night retourned the twoo last Messengers with the Lorde of Merodes Lieutenaunt Gouernour of Friselande named Adrian Mennickes The first of February the Enemy shewed hym self with ten companies of Souldiers in Westwike and with one Ensigne in Eastwike where he caused the place to be changed and caused also certaine peeces of Artillary to bee brought on the other side he brake likewise the Cannon Stockes and placed them in the plaine fallowe fieldes about Westwike keeping the depth of Ae altogether on hye This night also went out two Messengers but the Enemie chased them in again with heaue and hoe The seconde of this Moneth to witt the night followyng the saied Lorde of Merodes Lieutenaunt retourned towardes Oldmerct assuryng vs that we should eftsoone see our ayde The third daie the Enemie beganne an other Trenche adioynyng to the other in North Common This daie thei visited euery house and tooke an Inuentorie of all the Victualles and thei whiche saied thei had no Victualles the Victualles whiche thei had were taken from them and giuen to the Souldiers This daie came fliyng into the Market place three Partriges whiche the Souldiers tooke and eate whiche was a notable token sent from God betokenyng the tyme of the deliueraunce of the Citie for within three weekes after we were deliuered euen as Captaine Cornput had interpreted it The fourth daie the ayde came accordyng to the said Adrian Mennickes promise from Oldmerct to the Wood and the Enemie was driuen awaie by our Horsemen And after that the whole force of our Armie came together Then the Enemie shot of twise at the Toune And when he had so doen he planted his Ordenaunce vpon the Trenche in North Common He shot of also ten tymes at our ayde and yet did no hurte but our Ordenaunce paied them a little otherwise to the no small losse of his people This daie was begunne a Rampart at Northe newe gate by whiche our ayde meant to victuall vs for thei encamped at the foote of Hiddyngberg on Steenwike Toune side The fift daie beyng Sondaie a sallie was made and in the skirmishe yong Conrade the sonne of Captaine Conrade was slaine with an Harquebouze shott And on the other side thei in the Wood had a braue skirmishe with the Enemie then the Enemie couragioufly got vp against our men vnto the toppe of Hiddyngberg but he was lustely receiued and beaten backe to his losse Whiles the Enemie laye in the Wood Captaine Conrade and Ihon Berenbrooke sallied out and seâ—te Easterwicke Campe on fire and after retourned with a â—ollie spoile And the Enemie had discharged three score Cannon shot at our Armie The sixte daie the Enemie was driuen with all his forces to keepe a continuall Warde because our people oftentymes skirmished with them The seuenth daie our Souldiers tooke a prisoner who tolde vs that Captaine Snater was slaine the Sondaie before as he was leadyng his menne against our Succours But at this sallie it was twentie to one that the Enemie had not gotte Onniger gate but he was lustely and courageously resisted and repulsed This daie the Magistrate and Captaines Thei of Steenwike make a newe viewe for victualles made a newe vewe for Victualles as aforesaied and the same date was greater stoare of Victualles confisked in poore mennes houses then in riche and all because thei were hidden This night retourned into the Citie fower Citezens who brought good newes of certaine â—â—de and deliueraunce The nineth daie our menne and the Enemie coupled together in a braue skirmishe who loste many horses The eleuenth daie of this monethe was an other skirmishe made so that our menne receiued three companies of
Souldiers And the nexte morrowe in an Alarme set fire on the Cannon stockes whiche were on the Mill hill and Common The thirteene daie the Enemie caste vp an other Trenche in the saied North Common keepyng Steendicque Trenche And although that this Trenche was hurtfull bothe to vs and ours yet was there nothyng saied nor doen against it So that the night ensuyng the Enemie beganne to caste vp an other Trenche in Ysueene waie holden all in with the Riuer of Ae whiche greatly hindred vs because that the messengers whiche were gone out of the Toune were enforced to retourne backe The fourteene daie the Tounesmen on the daie tyme had giuen vpon the Tower a signe of fire whiche thei of the Wood might well see whereby thei vnderstoode that Victualles grewe skant in the Toune And besides for want of Wood thei were faine to pull doune their houses to make theim fires The Tounesmen also sallied out vpon the hindermost Trench whiche was caste vp in Ysueene waie but it was to no purpose For thei were repulsed by the other Trenches because that thei whiche laye in the Wood would not once helpe them So that thei were driuen to retire without bryngyng to passe their purpose and deuise The fifteene daie fower Citezens entred the Toune without staie whiche was a woonder because the Enemie had sette a watche rounde aboute the Toune not aboue a stones cast one from an other This daie a signe with fire was giuen that the Tounesmen were readie with their Bridges to passe the Riuer of Ae accordyng to the Generall of the Armies commaundement The Tounesmen also caste vp certaine Trenches in the Garden diches on the Northe side of the Toune out of whiche the Souldiers of the Toune might skirmishe with the Enemie In the meane while the Bridges were with all possible speede laied ouer the Riuer of Ae to the ende that our aide should not haue any occasion to staie and in the makyng of this Bridge there fell out a meruailous straunge case For whiles the Citezens aboute nine of the clocke at night were busied aboute this Bridge the Enemie in the nexte Trenches tainted fower of them with the shot of one Harqucbouze one of whiche was Captaine Conrade and yet not one of them once hurte The sixteene date the Enemie made a Trenche of WagoÌ„s against our Garden Trenches and the nexte morrowe a sallie was made out of Onniger gate wherin was taken a Souldier and a woman whiche woman was examined and forthwith a Dromme was sent towardes the Enemie to knowe whether he would deliuer the prisoner or no whiche he vtterly refused The night following the Enemie had a notable Marme giuen hym as if our aide would haue marched vppon hym but all in vaine because the Enemie with all diligence mustred hym self with all his forces vpon Northe Common The nineteene daie The Enemy chargeth them in the Wood. aboute the daie breake the Enemie armed hym self with all his forces to charge them in the Wood but he was so lustely repulsed as that he was driuen to make his retraict The twentie daie aboute 200. persones came to the Toune house criyng out for bread Not one 〈◊〉 of bread left in the toune and eche man had for his share one peece for hym and his Familie because there was a morsell of bread more left in the Toune This daie euen at broade noone daie came into the Toune fower Citezens and three souldiers who in despite of the Enemie came betweene the Warde and the Trenches and although the Enemie commyng out of his trenches pursued them yet was there not one of them once tainted nor hurte whiche so encouraged our aide that thei purposed the next daie in the mornyng to reuictuall the Toune The 21. day of this Moneth thei in the Wood The Toune reuictualled in the vâ—ewe of the enemy laded certaine Souldiers with Bread and Cheese and sent them the very same waie that the rest aforesaied had gone and although the Enemie skirmished to stoppe their passage yet passed thei in despite of hym with more losse to hym self then to our men and brought to the Toune about 250. Loaues and 150. Cheeses The night ensuyng thei of the Wood beganne to cast a newe Trenche some what nexer the Toune And in the daie the Enemie with all his forces pressed nere to Steendicque Common but it was not knowne for what cause He very busily trauciled also to bring his Artillarie behinde Easterwike but it was to no purpose This daie in the euenyng came a fliyng Post to the Toune with a letter And the night followyng the Enemie made a forte of Wagons at the passage where our men caried ouer the bread and Cheese The 22. daie the weather beganne to thaw and the Tounes men beganne to cast vp a newe Trench within the new Bridge without North newe gate About noone a skirmishe beganne to be coupled betweene the Roiters of the Wood and the Roiters of the Enemie In so muche that nine of our men issued out of their Trenches and came to North Common chasing out of the one of them the better parte of their Launces whiche caused the Enemie crye Arme Arme throughout all his Campe suddemly rushyng with all his forces vpon the Common how be it thei in the Wood would at no hande retire although thei were but a fewe Roiters and an handfull of small shott but most couragiously made hedde vpon the Enemie drawyng towardes the Toune waie wherevpon the Souldiers of the Tnune in suâ—he sorte issued out to helpe and ayde those of the Wood as that the Enemie receiued hurte enough And although the Enemie by reason of the multitude of his Royters wonne a passage yet what with those of the Toune behinde and those of the Wood before thei were gallantly hansled with Harquebouze shott and in the ende so handled as that his Souldiers squared somewhat out of order in so muche that it seemed rather a battle then a skirmishe for otherwise could not the Roiters bryng their souldiers to the fight And therefore many valiaunt Officers Captaines of Horsemen and others of name were there slaine In so muche that thei were driuen by reason of the raine to retier in order of battle This daie also the Cannon on either side plaied her parte lustely and the forte of Wagons whiche the Enemie had made the night before was broken in peeces and caried to the Toune About foure houres after the Enemie was got to rest The Towne againe reuictualled thei of the Wood had reuictualled the Toune with a pretie sprinklyng of some 75. Busshelles of Wheate Meale Cheese and Pouder Now the Enemie would by no meanes trouble them by reason that the Tounesmen had assailed the very nerest Trenche of that passage in whiche were two Ensignes of suche noble courage as that thei wonne the Trenche tooke the Artillarie slewe 17. Souldiers and caried awaie the rest that were hurt as prisoners yea and had drawne awaie
Artillarie and all had not the force of the Launces staied them for thei were not halfe well prouided to goe awaie vpon the spurre and againe the night commyng suddenly vppon â—hem euery man retiered hym self to his strength But because the Enemie had fought but ill that daie the next night he forsooke his seuen Trenches vppon Northe Common and Steendicque and drewe awaie his Artillarie The 23. The siege raised from before Steenwike of February whiche was the daie of the deliuerance of the Toune aboute the breake of the daie three Engishe men came out of the Wood and passed betweene the Trenches but when thei perceiued that there was neither watche nor warde within them thei came to the Toune and tolde them of it then issued out of the Toune many men and lookyng into the Trenches founde neuer a man but the seuenteene dead men whiche laie there and three dead Roiters before the Trenche Within a while after the Enemie set fire on his Campe and hauing before daie sent his Artillarie with his footemen before his horsemen stoode in order of battle vntill the afternoone in the plaine fallow fieldes of Onnen vntill suche tyme as the Englishe Colonell generall of the Campe came with his Colonelles Captaines and Officers and a fewe horsemen to passe by Steenwike in the tayle of the Enemie who as yet brauely mustered and shewed hym self And then was the Toune throughly victualled with all thinges necessarie and deliuered from the straight siege The slege of Steenwike lasted fower whole monethes whiche it endured fower whole Monethes together and therefore we can not sufficiently enough praise our good GOD who hath so louingly and mercifully dealt with vs moste miserable wretches The 24. of February the Armie of the Estates departed from the Wood and marched towardes Oldemerct to expulse the Garnisons whiche the Enemie had thrust in into Ruynder Lemmer Sloten and many other places moe whiche afterward was performed In so muche that all these places were againe restored into the handes of the Estates and vnited Prouinces Vnto whom I beseech the Lord of his mercie and grace graunt wisedome prouidence and strength daiely more and more to continue their blessed enterprises to the ende thei maie with force resist their enemies prouidently guyde all their affaires and maintaine this debonaire people with all wisedome and equitie And thus gentle Reader I conclude and ende this present Historie reseruyng the reste of the affaires whiche shall succeede for the beginning of an other Booke and if it shall please the Lord our God to graunt me that his fauour I will surely make thee partaker thereof FINIS A Table conteinyng the principall matters conteined within this Historie of the troubles and Liuill warres in the lowe Countreis A. AMbassadours sent to the Kyng from the Councell of Trent 7. An aduertisement or warnyng of those of the reformed Religion 21. Articles digested into forme and order 22. An abolishyng of the Inquisition and Commissions 25. Arragon will not receiue the Inquisition 44. Alkmere besieged 101. Arke of Delfte 126. A lustie Captaines linelinesse reuiued men halfe dead 127. Admirall determineth to batter Lammen forte 134. B. Braband Priuiledges most excellent 3. Bryngyng in of the newe Bishoppes 5. Brute and rumour of warres in the low Countrels 4. Boisleduke besieged by the Count of Megne 37. Briel taken by the Lorde of Lumay 75. Bishoppe of Harlem halloweth the greate Churche 102. Battaile by Sea 102. Battaile at Moquerhed 103. Boysot the Admirall sent to take vp meÌ„ for the aiding of Leyden 118. Baldez and his companie take a faire paire of heeles 132. Boysot the Admirall entreth Leyden 155. Baldez writeth a fewe Latin wordes vpon his departure froÌ„ the siege before Leyden 136. Baldez his Souldiers mutine 138. Baldez Souldiers marche to Vtright Ibidem Buren besieged and rendred Ibidem C. Count Menssield garnisonneth Antwerpe 39. Counsell of troubles erected 49. Castle of Antwerpe built 50. Citation against the Count of Hooghstrate 52. Count Arenbergue slaine 65. Count Adolf of Nassou slaine Ibidem Count Lodwike his aunswere to the Emperour 70. Count Lodwike raiseth his Campe. 71. Count Egmond his aunswere to his Sentence of condemnation 67. Count Egmond his letters vnto the Kyng Ibidem Count Bergue inuadeth the Countrey of Surphen 77. Castle of Stauere ayded 78. Count de la Roche his letters to the Leydens 121. Citezens most noble and couragious aunswere of Leyden to Baldes Campe. 128. Calamitie and miserie of the Leydens insupportable 130. D. Doctors of diuinitie appointed in euery Cathedrall Churche 5. Duke of Alua appointed Generall of the Army for Flanders 29. Disputation at Antwerpe 31. Duke of Alua commeth out of Spaine 49. Duke of Alua his order in the goyng of his voyage Ibidem Duches of Parma goeth out of the lowe Countrey Ibidem Duke of Alua taketh awaie the keyes from the Gauntois 50. Duke of Alua sheweth his authoritie to the Estates Ibidem Duke of Alua aideth the Frenche 51. Duke of Alua tyrannizeth 65. Duke of Alua writeth to the Bishoppe of Munster 71. Duke of Alua demaundeth the tenth peney 74. Duke of Alua besiegeth Monts 77. Don Lewis de Requesens commeth into the lowe Countreis 102. Duke of Alua plareth the bankerupt 103. Delft attempted 117. Diuers speeches vsed about the cuttyng and pearsing of the Dykes or Bankes 119. Discorde in Leyden by reason of the famine 127. Death of the Commandator 139. E. Encrease of those of the Religion 2. Examination or tryall most cruell 46. Egmond and Horne prisoners 50. Englishe men driuen out of their forte 106. Enterprise of the Commandator vpon the Countrey of Sconwene 139. F. Forme and maner of the Inquisition 44. Flusihyng reuolteth 75. Frenche ouerthrowne at Chieuerane 77. Fugitiue Hollanders letters to the Ley dens 109. Fliyng meslenger arriueth at Leyden 129. G. Gueses demaund reiected by the Regent 37. Gueses discomfited and put to flight Ibidem Greate patience in those of the Religion 1. Gueses inuade Friselande 77. Gertrudenbergue besieged 102. H. Harlem besieged 79. Harlemians for the redemption of their Citie paie to Dom Fredericke 240. thousand Florins 99. Harlem yeelded vp to the Duke of Alua. Ibidem J. Inquisition the very well spryng of the ciuill warres 2. Iewes put to death a childe of two yeres of age 43. Ihon Biancu the mutinous Spanyardes Eletto slaine 138. K. Kynges Armes broken doune 16. Kyng of Spayne ought to pawne his kyngdomes to make warre for the lowe Countreis 114. L. Luther the Author of the light of the Gospell 1. Lorde of Brederode exhibiteth a supplication 35. Ladie Regent her aunswere to the same supplication 36. League of the Knightes of the order 37. Ladie Regent tollerateth the Sermons 28. Letters of the Kynges vnto the Ladie Regent 29. Lorde Brederode taken for a Rebell 38. Lorde of Brederode fleeth from Amsterdame 39. Leyden the first tyme besieged 102. Leyden besieged the seconde tyme. 104. Leydens aunswere to the Prince 107. Leirdame besieged and
of the said moneth the enemy neuer giuing ouer vndermyning caused the townes men also to plye it with counter-myning as fast and gaue foorth with fire thereto sending thereby a great number of the enemies into another worlde The same day by the aduise of the Borroughmaisters and Captaynes of the towne was ordeined that a newe Ditche and Rampare shoulde bee made like an halfe moone for they were afearde that the enemie woulde vndermyne the saide Forte or Bulwarke whiche in the ende they beate downe which Ditch and Rampare was with one consent and great diligence begun and finished so that there was no man absent at the doing of it but Borroughmaisters head Officers Captaynes Lieuetenants Citizens Souldiers Souldiers wiues and Pages laye at it daye night Insomuch that it was quickly dispatcht made an end of The eleuenth of the sayd moneth an Almayne comming from the entrie of the woode passed by boate ouer Spare and giuing a signe with his Cappe came towardes the Towne desiring to comein and beeyng in the Towne asked for Captayne Steinbach shewing Letters whiche were written vnto him Wherefore hee was brought to the said Steinbache his lodging who foorthwith brought him to the towne house where he was throughly examined and after put in prison The 12. day of Februarie arriued a boate laden with victuals which came from Leyden and the next day beeing the thirteenth of the saide moneth there came a messenger with letters from his Excellencie vnto the Magistrate The 14. of the saide moneth there came in the conuoy of 40. harquebuziers 2240. Rasieresof corne and other victualles and the next day came in a boate laden withe turues very good fyring in the lowe countries The 16 day came in a great Barke laden with bread and fishe But the next day beeing the 17. came in twentie and eight small boates loden with victuals and foure hundred souldiers the greater number of them in double pay vnder the charge of captaine Christopher Gunter The same day also were foure or fiue alarms giuen because the euemie offered to giue the assault setting fire on the myne whiles they stood about the Spittle in order of battaile with ensigne displaid although the firing of the myne stood them in small steed which was the cause that the assault began not The 18. day of February the first Gally of 84. feete by the keele hauing a boord in her certaine souldiers got into Harlem Mere. The same day also entred in foure or fiue small Boats laden with victuals one other laden with two peeces of brasse which came from Leyden The 19. of the saide moneth there arriued a boate laden with ten yron peeces pouder shot and victuals The same day arriued at Penninkfer the little Gallie of Amsterdam with foure or fiue small boates to the intent to cut downe the banke or dyke for the getting in into Harlē Mere who were incountred with the little Gally of Harlem and other small boates and by that meane stayed In the meane while the townes men fired a myne which they had cast vnder the Bulwarke whereupon ensued a braue skirmishe The next day fled out of the towne a Wallon whome before they had taken prysoner into the Almaines campe The 21. of the saide moneth the Amstelredamians returnes from Pennykfer with their boates to accomplish the work which they had begunne who before had fought with the little gally of Harlem There were also certaine horse men sent from Harlem whi the came out of the Sparewouwer gate vpon brydges and tooke one of the enemies Boates fraught with men the greater number of whiche were slaine and the reste hanged at Fuyke The 24. of February the Harlemians sent two of their Gallies to Fuyke and the 25. they receiued two brasse peeces from the Dordrightians one of which carried a bullet of fortie foure pounde weight and the other of thirtie and foure or fiue yrou Serpentines The same day entred fiue small vessels laden with victuals and graine to wit with wheare rye barley beanes and pease The 26. of the same moneth the great Gally of Harlem got before all the rest of the men of warre and entred the Mere where shee fell amongst a dosen men of warre of Amstelredam whereupon foure or fiue of them began to assayle her to haue clapt her a bord before such time as she perceiued that they were their enemies so that shee lost some of her men But Captaine Gerard the younger beeing hurt saued himselfe and his lieuetenant in a small vessel leauing his people in danger whome the enemie foorthwith ouercame an houre or two after the losse of the great Gally came the little Gally of Harlem vnder the charge of Captaine Iames Antony with other sinall men of warre who valiantly recouered the great Gally and wonne of the enemie a new Caruell killing as many as were within boord saue three whome they brought to Harlem one of them beeing a Gentleman of Louayne named Ranscot and the Harlemians returned to Fuyke hauing playd the tall souldiers The same day also entered into Harlem certaine small vessels laden with victuals The 27. of the said moneth the saide Gallies once againe met with the enemie and put the Amsterdamians to flight wher vpon the Harlemians stopped the hole which the Amsterdamians had made with boates stones and other things The last of this moneth very early in the morning the townes men fyred a little Myne that was digged at Saint crosse gate to the losse of some of the enemies The third day of Marche the Harlemians set a woorke and played with the great ordenance before named for as the enemie had made a platforme before the Fortor Bulwarke Iohn Coningham the Scottishe Lieuetenant played so lustily with the battery as that in halfe a day hee had beate it smooth to the grounde The same day also entred into Harlem two small vessels laden with victuals and powder The fourth of March the enemie gaue the alarme and in the meane whyle victualles entred into the towne And the next day the Chase of Harlem entred the Mere hoatly appointed The seuenth of the said moneth the townes men had beaten downe the enemies platforme The same day also a Proclamation was made that no assise shoulde bee payd of any thing within the towne The eight day entred into Harlem two ensignes of English men and Wallons which were quickly sent away againe because it was thought that there were about foure thousand souldiers in the towne The nienth day◠as Captaine Enchuise and his horse men enbarqued wherefore the townes men skirmished against the enemie that laie in the wood and so did they likewise the xi day but to small purpose The twelfth of Marche came victualles into Harlem and alarme was giuen But the fourteenth of the said moneth the Harlemians fired a myne which dispatched some of theyr enemies amongest whome a Spaniard couered with earth was retyred howebeit hee neuer spake word and soone after dyed The
same night a Walon came out of the wood to the towne who was immediatly sent to the prince of Orange The eighteenth of the said moneth the enemie had made readie to assault the towne about noone and the townes men sounded the alarme but there was nothing done Howbeit the next day the enemie had fired a myne but with no hurt or losse to the towne And the 20 day the townes men plaid the like part and the very same effect followed They likewise thought to set fire on the platforme but it had no good successe The 22. of Marche which was Easter day the enemie stood in order of battaile both about the Spittle as also in the higher linkes and in the wood Wherfore the Burroughmasters and Captaines commaunded the alarme to be sounded but nothing was done The same day salyed out of the wood gate fiue or sixe horsemen and 120. shot to make play with them which lay in the wood howbeit they were repulsed with the losse of two souldiers and a few hurt men The same day also came into Harlem in three ships 70. last of corne which are 1625. razieres The 24. of this moneth Maryne Brande Admirall of the Mere brought with him two prisoners who after they had been racked were hanged about Fuyke The 25. of the said moneth at niene of the clocke in the morning salied out of the wood gate about 200. Walons to skirmishe with the enemie which lay at the entry of the wood and got the outwarde trenche of the enemie but because they were not strong enough they retyred to the towne without doyng of any great exploite saue that they hung two souldiers But when the Burroughmasters vnderstood the state of that quarter The Colonels and Captaines determined to surprise the same quarter in the after noone with niene or ten ensignes which was executed at foure of the clocke in the afternoone by sixe companies of souldiers and many citizens who salied out of the water gate about 200. French and Walon souldiers that salied out of the wood gate where after they had shakeÌ„ off their shot they coupled the skirmishers together In the meane while issued out the aforesaid Chase of Harlem certaine small men of warre with her and thereby surprysed the enemie in three or foure places who hauing once discharged their great ordenance tooke their heeles howbeit the townes men followed theÌ„ for life froÌ„ thence to Faert killing slaying so that they flue a thousand of their soul diers a great number of which were meÌ„ of estimation wealth as appeared by the rich iewels apparrel that were brought to the towne And besides the townes men burnt aboue 300. tents and carried their great ordenance out of the field to wit 5. Falconnets 2. brasse peeces with great store of munition pouder and niene ensignes which the souldiers in the euening to the shame and despite of the enemie as it were in great triumph carryed with drummes fifes alongst the new Rampares in the end placed theÌ„ vpoÌ„ the _____ Ouer besides all this they brought to the towne about 30 horse a great number of Cowes calues garments clokes great store of plate rings gilt Morions an in numerable nuÌ„ber of corselets harquebuzers swordes To bee short ther was neuer a souldier of the town but had a good large butin For there was a druÌ„mer that had 200. duckets for his share Which victorie was wonne with the losse of a fewe men for the townes meÌ„ lost not aboue 8. amongst which was one Captaine Derdeind a Walon a very valiant wise man who had doone great good seruice about the fortification of the Towne had in this victorie with his souldiers brauely charged the enemie The 26. of March the townes men had placed in the morning vpon the bulwark 11. ensignes which they had aswel the day before as also at other times got from the enemie But the 27. was slaine from the platforme with a musket shot Thierry Braesseman Launcelot Brederode his Lieuetenant The 28. of this moneth the ships of warre were gotten to the other side halfe way to Easterpe The 29. of the saide moneth were gotten into Harlem Mere thirtie and three shippesand seuen gallies of the enemie whiche woulde haue bereft vs the Mere hauing cut downe the dyke about the Terbert house And the Harlemians had with great speed by reason of a prosperous winde got to the Mere the thirde Gally vnder the charge of captaine Binchorst and also captaine Iohn Mantegnault who with certaine citizens sayled towards Caghe where the rest of their ships lay The 30. day of Marche the enemie had beganne a fort neere Fuyke for the safetie of their ships the last of the said moneth the enemie fyred a myne howbeit no hurte came to the Citie thereby saue onely that the Alarme was sounded by reason of the batterie The first of Aprill there came into the towne a Barque laden with powder which came ouer the fields that were ouerfloweÌ„ The same day the souldiers destroyed S. Iohns Abbey which stood whole and sound till then The second of this moneth came thirtie and eight sâ—ippeâ— Gallies of Amsterdam before Fuyke where from morning vntill the euening they did nothing els but shoote off theyr great ordenance The fourth of the said moneth the townes men hunge vppe without Scaelwyke gate eleuen souldiers whiche were prysoners and drowned a woman And the sixt of the said moneth a Poste came in at the wood gate whiche immediately returned The same day the enemie blewe vp a mine howbeit the towne was no whit hurt thereby The seuenth of the said moneth the townes men salied out at Scaelwyke gate thinking to haue cowpled together in skirmishe but it was to sinall purpose And the eight of the same moneth the townes men fired a myne but it auayled little The nienth of this moneth came as it were about an hundred of the Princes ships from Caghe towardes Fuyke And the harlemians hauing a dosen well appointed shippes first sayled with a great large vessell vnto a bridge neere vnto the wood where shee stayed without being able to passe or yet stirre And the second which was a Caruel flayed against the low dyke But as two hundred souldiers or there about salying out of the water gate to set vpon the enemie were liuely repulsed the souldiers which were in the great vessell and in the Caruell came out of them and some of them came on shoare in a boate leauing both the ships in the power of the enemie The others seeing that the bridge woulde not styrre forsooke also both their vessels and in skirmishing retyred to the towne with the losse of sixe or seuen of their companie in the meane while our vessels kept them of Amsterdam whiche lay before Fuyke play by reason of the Northeast winde the fort of Fuyke where the Spaniardes were prouided of great ordenance they coulde not come to grapple