Baron made a stand After conferring with his Captaines hee tooke resolution to deferre their dessigne and returned with our Campe to Sase The besieged being in great distresse for victuals especially for munition and finding the ill conduct of our Generall and Chiefes dispatched out of town their Captaine Mounsieur de Saras and Hauton his Lieutenant who passed with great danger and were forced to swimme many ditches hard by the enemies guardes Being arriued at the Sase bearing with them the townes resolution which was at the first sight of our Campe to sallie on the enemies trenches and so either to receiue their wants into the towne or to escape how they could Saras hauing conferred with the Prince and Baron at Leyden returned to the Sase where they tooke a full resolution either to dye or succour the towne Hereupon they dislodged from the Sase with our armie named before hauing with them some sixe hundred waggons loaden with victuals and munition with skonces made of boards of the proofe of Muskets which ranne on wheeles hauing in them places to play with sundry field-pieces which skonces were to ioyne and to open as pleased our Enginer euery fiue and tenne pases Being all ioyned together I meane in one it might couer at the least three hundred men This skonce was to be drawen with horses on both sides and in the middest vntill we were ingaged with the enemies smal shot then to be pushed vvith poales by the force of men Being parted vvith all necessaries and arriued betvvixt their Campe at Hellingham and the sea the enemies tooke the alarum in all their quarters Arriuing vvithin sight of their Campe they kept their men very close vvithin their trenches and on the side of the vvood so that vve could not see them Our men vvithin the tovvne had made a great salie through the Curtaine in such sort that they might issue out where there was neither guard nor trench of the enemy But a traytour leaping ouer the walls in the night discouered all their intent Whereupon the enemy prepared great quantity of straw which beeing made wet they set on fire in sundry places at such time as their Curriers gaue the alarum of the approach of our army when the townsemen were ready to sally out by which meanes the townesmen could neither see the approaching of our armie nor knew what time they ought to sally So the enemie directed fiue thousand of his best footemen and three hundred horsemen to charge the townesmen if they sallied and the rest to charge our Campe if it were possible vnknowne to the townesmen And so they did by their gouernement and fine stratagem For at the sight of our armie being within two Musket-shot of their trenches Duke d' Alua caused the 5000 footemen and 3 hundred horsemen to discouer themselues before the breach which our men had made in the curtaine withall he commanded the braue Baron Chiffero and Iohn Battisto del Mounto who had quited Hellingham with all his horsemen and was newly arriued in their Campe with others to march on the sea-sands vntill his artillery went off in vollies then to cut into the high wayes betwixt Harlem and our Campe at Sase hauing with them some fiue hundred horsemen and about fiue thousand footemen Also he commanded his master of the Campe Iulian Romero Del Mount Donkus the Barons of Likes of Capers of Frunsberke and Poule Viler to leape ouer the trenches with their regiments and charge our army at the discharging of his artillerie Also Don Iohn de Mendosa generall of his horsemen who was hidden as I said before was commanded to charge our horsmen at the going off of the artillery The Duke with the rest of his army stood in battell within the trenches Our Generall and Chiefes placed our Waggons to frontier the fairest places where their horsemen could charge vs our Wallons Dutch and Flemmish stood within the Waggons in good order of battaile all in one squadron with our horsemen on both the sides towards the enemies our English French and Scots stood some twenty score before the front of our battaile As we were basie in placing our engines I meane our skonces and waggons their artillery went off and withall the enemies presented in all quarters as they were directed At this sight God knowes our courage much abated Notwithstanding the Baron of Battenburgh and Mounsieur de Carlo charged Mendosa he hauing better then eight hundred horsemen and ours not sixe hundred At which charge Mounsieur de Carlo generall of our horsemen was slaine with many others of our best men At that instant the Baron Chiffero and Iohn Battisto came on the spurre towards the Baron of Battenburgh leauing their footemen marching with all speede on the side of ours Vpon their approach the Baron and our horsemen ranne into our Waggons with all the enemies horsemen in their tailes Then Iulian and the rest named before draue in the English and French shot winning our skonces and Waggons and our battell brake and ranne towards the Meere By reason of meadowes ditches diuers escaped into our Nauie which anchored not farre off vnder a strong skonce whose boats rowing from our ships saued many But the Baron our Generall was slaine after he had recouered our battaile with the most part of our men All or the most part of our Cornets ensignes artillery munition waggons engines and baggage were lost Thus were wee ouerthrowen with ill directions and ignorant gouernement What Prince or estate would direct their men of warre especially being more then halfe their owne Countrimen to attempt aboue 26000 good souldiers well intrenched gouerned with great Captaines not being in the whole 6500 footemen and of those halfe poore spirited Burgesses Or what Generall or Captaine would vndertake it vnlesse he were ignorant and without iudgement in martiall affaires Some will say had our friends perished in the towne without blowes it had beene our shame I doe confesse it hauing any reason to fight But being sure to perish both it was our greatest shame to attempt it If wee had kept our selues vndefeated and giuen order to the towne to haue compounded with the enemie their composition had beene the better But being defeated the townesmen were faine to yeeld to the mercy of Duke d' Alua. For the sight of our Ensignes and Cornets so quailed their courage that hauing no other remedy they yeelded to his mercy within foure dayes after our ouerthrow But he executed the most part of them most cruelly sauing the Almaines of Stinbaghs regiment who compounded for the most part to serue the King and Balfort with a few Scottish men who to escape Duke d' Aluaes cruelty promised to kill the Prince of Orange but being arriued with the Prince he confessed his promise and serued him faithfully long after The Spanish mutinies Mounsieur de Herges repulseth them
fiue other Cornets Launciers and Hergoletters Albaneseis and Wallons Count Arenbergue carried the Commission and marched before with Bracamount and other bands of footmen giuing charge to Count Meguen to follow him speedily with the rest Count Arenbergue being arriued within two leagues of Count Lodowick and vnderstanding his forces would haue staid from Count Meguen who would haue been with him that night The pride of Bracamount and diuers of his Spaniards was such as valuing Lodowicke and his forces as nothing they vrged Count Arenbergue with hainous words Insomuch that a number of the basest sort of the Spaniards began to call him cowardly traitour although Count Arenbergue was a valiant expert Captaine and onely would haue staied for more forces For he knew and all the world with him that Lodowicke was a most valiant obstinate executioner who alwaies directed his troupes to fight in good order and so resolutely that at an encounter with the French he and Count Maunsfelt made a discreet valiant retreit The Admirall and his Frenchmen being defeated Bracamount and his Spaniards vrged the Count to approach Lodowicke who was lodged in a Village by Groning hauing on both sides broad high waies both towards Groning and his enemies At the end of the lane towards the enemie there was a great heath with three high waies entring vnto it True it is Lodowickes companions were Germans but of the best sort for fiue hundred of his horsemen were Gentlemen that accompanied him and his brother Count Adolfe of Nassau for good will All his rest were a thousand horsemen which he led himselfe Count Arenbergue being approached Count Lodowickes quarters diuided his horsemen on both sides of his footmen which marched in one squadron conducted by Bracamount Hee placed some fiue hundred shot before his squadron the rest on both his sides Count Arembergue himselfe led the right wing of the horsemen his Lieutenant of Frizeland the left wing He commanded the Herguleters to march before the forlorne shot of his battell on foote and with some fiftie Herguleters to keep as nigh Lodowickes quarters as they could and to keepe centinell at the entrie of the lane into the plaine Count Lodowicks Curriers hauing discouered them at the Nuse Lodowicke aduanced out of the Village commanding two hundred reysters to displace Arenbergues Curriers and to stand in the mouth of the streight Lodowick came with all his forces placed his Lieuetenant Henrick Vausican with a squadron of Pikes some thirtie score in the plaine halfe of his shot on both sides of his squadron aduanced the two hundred reysters thirty score before his battaile placed his brother Count Adolfe with 600. Reysters on the right wing of his battaile and so many more with one of his best Captaines on the left wing the rest hee hid in two squadrons in both the out-lanes leauing in the middle lane a good squadron of pikes with some three hundred shot in the hedges on both sides He gaue charge to the two hundred Reysters to skirmish with all courage gaue directions to his brother to retire softly as the enemie approached himselfe standing with some seuen hundred of the best horsemen hidden in the right lane from the enemie and gaue order to the other wing to run through the pikes which stood in the middle mostlane who had directiōs to shift themselues ouer the hedge as though they were defeated His directions were no sooner giuen but Arenbergues Curriers and his were together by the eares and the Nassauians forced to retire vnder their battels of pikes Arenbergue aduanced with all speed both horse and foote Being neere Bracamount and his Spanish cryed to Count Arenbergue to charge withall Arenbergue and his Lieuetenant charged at once According to direction Count Adolfe retyred bringing Count Arenbergue who had by far the greatest wing on Count Lodowicke So did the other bring Arenbergues Lieuetenant through the lane where the pikes were Lodowicke giuing signe to his Reysters in the third lane to charge withall chargeth himselfe and found Count Arenbergue and his Lieutenant good cheape by reason they were out of order in running after Adolfes troupes His Lieuetenant Henrick Vausichan was broken by the Spanish and Wallons but at the sight of their horsemen which were in route their courage quailed in such sort that valiant Lodowicke ranne thorow them cheape In this place the Count of Arenbergue was slaine all or most of the Tertia de Sardinia slaine or taken prisoners with a number of Wallons and Geldreis Diuers Spanish Captaines escaped by recouering their horses which were led not farre from them So did diuers Wallons and many of their horsemen by reason Lodowicke executed the most of his furie on the Spanish footemen At the returne of the Spanish Captaines that escaped Duke D' alua executed them as I shewed in my discourse of their discipline for vrging their Generall to their ouerthrow Count Lodowicke assayes Groning and the Duke D' Alua ouerthrowes him at Dam in Frizeland AFter this Count Lodowicke ransacked Frizeland at his pleasure insomuch that he besieged the faire and rich Towne of Groning Duke D' Alua hearing this dispatched his Martiall otherwise called Master of the Campe generall Chiapin Vitelli with sufficient troupes of horsmen and footmen being ioyned with Count de Meguen to stop Lodowickes course Duke d' Alua vsed all diligence to gather his whole forces who marched with all speed after Vitelly Vitelly being arriued by Groning Lodowicke retired his siege into one quarter resoluing to giue Vitelly battaile to which end he sent his Trumpets to Vitelly to dare him a small riuer being betwixt both Vitelly kept the passages brake the bridges answered Count Lodowicke hee had no order to giue battaile but to discharge the Towne of Groning delaying the Count politickely and telling his messengers I will send vnto my Generall to obtaine his good will your Master may be assured hauing leaue a battaile will be my first businesse Duke d' Alua being arriued with his faire armie within a daies iourney of Vitelli Count Lodowicke retyred into Iemming a Village by Nuse-heile towards Emden breaking the bridges after him At the end of the Village towards the enemie he left Henrick Vausichan his Lieuetenant with all his infanterie being some eight thousand which were encreased by reason of his good successe at the last battaile This Iemming was a place enuironed with waters sauing two or three large wayes which came into it from Groning On euery way Count Lodowick made trenches placed strong guards ranged his horsemen in foure squadrons making what meanes he could to fill ditches to enlarge grounds to make waies for his horse to fight out of the high wayes in diuers of the meadowes towards Nuse-heile By reason of the streights his horsemen stood behinde the footmen in the great wayes Henrick Vausichan hauing intrenched himselfe reasonably strong with fiue thousand men to defend the place
for want of masters to keepe them and to complaine of their guests abuses seeing also they could not carrie away the one quarter of their goods the most part resolued to stay Desiring the Counts leaue to signifie vnto their friends in Antwerpe aud Brussels how they were constrained to stay perforce in the towne meaning by that meanes to excuse themselues vnto Duke d'Alua whom they feared aboue all the world Euery day some of Lodowickes horsemen ranne vnto the ports of Brussels and vp and downe the Countries as pleased them spoiling and wasting what they listed Often they had great skirmishes but alwaies they defeated their enemies with halfe their numbers in such sort that d'Aluaes Captaines made ambushes for them fiue hundred at a time and the others would passe through them being scarse halfe their numbers This continued some time but d'Alua hauing gathered his forces dispatched Chiapin Vitelly with the most of his Caualrie and certaine regiments of footmen giuing him charge to inclose the towne in such sort as the garrison could not sally forth Being approached Mounts Lodowicke sallied accompanied with the Lord of la Noue and Poyet Sir William Morgan and diuers other aduenturers of good qualitie with all his horsmen halfe his footmen leauing Mounsieur de Roueres in the towne well accōpanied with the rest Being past his Counter scarfe he left Mounsieur de la Noue who gaue order vnto fiue hundred Harquebusiers to hide themselues close in the high wayes some hundred score from the gates Poyet and la Noue stood with two squadrons of horses a little before them either squadron being of an hundred and fiftie the rest the Count commanded to go to ingage the enemy to skirmish Mounsieur de Roueres caused diuers pieces of artillerie to be transported from other Mounts vnto the Mounts that commanded the field towards the enemie The enemie aduanced brauely both horse and foote at which sight Lodowickes Curriers encountred theirs with sundry Cornets But they forced the Nassawians to retire and double their pases towards la Noue and Poyet At this sight la Noue aduanced desiring the Count to giue order to Poiet to stand and the Harquebusiers to keepe close telling him I know the enemy will repulse mee notwithstanding I will charge with your leaue in my retreit let the ambush of shot discharge their voles then Poyet may charge the better cheap The Curriers being hard at hand la Noue aduāced crying to his company Courage turne bridle And withall charging some 400. Launciers Herguleters gaue thē the retreit into our squadrons which aduanced to re-encounter la Noue At whose sight la None retired bringing the enemies full vpon the ambush of shot which gaue them such a salue of Harquebushes that happie was hee that retyred first Withall Poyet charged very couragiously in such sort that the enemies doubled their pases towards their battell At whose retreite the Count wisely retyred his footmen into the towne with his horsemen in good order In the meane time Mounsieur de Roueres forgot not to plague them with his artillery The Generall of the horsemen and Vitelly aduanced their battaile remained halfe of horse foot in armes vntill their quarters were entrenched which they did in a short time For they were furnished with a great number of pioners and all necessaries in such sort that in lesse then fortie howers they assured the one halfe of the towne from salying forth Notwithstanding the ports towards Valentia and Hauery were cleare There stood an Abbey or Cloyster some halfe an English mile from the towne on a little riuer which ran frō the towne to the Cloister The place was not strong nor able to abide the Cannon Neuerthelesse it was necessarie to be kept for betwixt it and the Towne there was good store of grasse and corne with other necessaries to feed horses and cattel Besides they were assured the enemie would attempt this place first Therfore to winne time it was most necessarie to be kept Into this Cloister Mounsieur de Poyet desired to goe with some eight hundred Harquebusiers Although the Count and the rest were loath to hazard his person Notwithstanding the other alleaging himselfe to be but the third person in the towne desired and perswaded them that halfe their footemen should not goe to keepe any place without the company of a principall Chiefe To fulfill his desire it was granted him referring all vnto himselfe being entreated not to engage himselfe further then he might well retyre and assured that Lodowick the rest would quite the towne and all to follow him although they were sure to perish Mounsieur de Poyet hauing possest the place and furnished with about tenne dayes victuals vsed all meanes to strengthen himselfe By this time Vitelly had made the quarters towards Brussels very strong in such sort that two thousand were sufficient to guarde it against tenne thousand For he made there good forts about a quarter of a league one from another with strong trenches that ranne from fort to fort that no horsemen could sally ouer them And their footemen durst not passe those guardes for feare of the Counts horsemen Vitelly dislodged with all his horse and foote sauing the guards which he left in his forts and remained in battaile betwixt the ports of Valentia and Hauery vntill he erected a large fort like vnto the others Hauing left two regiments of footmen in it hee retyred with his Caualrie and the rest of his footemen vnto the next Village some halfe a league off leauing neere halfe his troupes in guard that they might be sure vntill the arriuall of Duke d'Alua Who beganne to set out from Brussels with the rest of his armie artillerie munition and baggage that night about two howers before day The towne and cloyster hauing intelligence sallied out from both quarters some eight hundred footemen with all their horsemen to giue a camisado vnder the conduct of Mounsieur de Roueres Being met in one place they gaue furiously into Vitellies quarter and forced his guardes into their place of armes Mendoza being lodged apart with most of the Caualrie gathered presently his horsemen in order and gaue resolutely into Vitellies quarter which was in danger to be runne through with this Camizado Mounsieur Roueres like a discreete souldier had left one of his best Captaines short of the enemies quarter with some three hundred of his best shot and a hundred and fiftie horsemen for his retreit which saued him and the most of his troupes Mendoza charged Roueres in such sort that happie was he who could returne first Comming vnto his ambush they peppered Mendoza and his horsemen with a salue of Harquebushes that turned them backe vpon the other At which instant the hundred and fiftie horsemen charged them on their backes By that time Vitelly and the most of
direction the garrison aduanced and beeing approached the enemy retired Our men beeing at work the enemy aduanced some 400 shot which entered into hot skirmish Ours followed them so fast that their ambush was faine to discouer themselues for their safeguard at whose sight ours retired in good order by reason halfe our men made a stand for the retreit of those which charged After this skirmish Saras discouering the number of enemies retired the garrison into the towne not without reason For hee thought hee marched to besiege vs and knew no other but that the most of their army might be at Middleburgh or there abouts Our men so behaued themselues at this skirmish that the enemy lost three for one notwithstanding the enemy tarried in the place and after dinner made as though they would take the hill The morning skirmish liked our Captaines so well as they desired the Gouernours leaue to sally Which earnest request was granted vpon condition not to engage themselues too farre Whereupon the Gouernour and the Captaines mounted on the Rampier to direct their fight Hauing resolued Captaine Morgan and our Englishmen had the vantguard To make the skirmish the more honourable we sallied with our Ensignes the French-men were to second vs the Wallones and Flemmings last The whole were in number some 800. Captaine Morgan beeing arriued within a great musket shot from the enemy made a stand and aduanced his shot forwards giuing them commandement to stand also vntill hee commanded them or the enemy forced them Hee placed his armed men on both sides of the bridge leauing a ditch betwixt them and the enemy and stood himselfe with a troupe of gentlemen on the Causway before the bridge The two troupes of French-men and Wallons placed themselues in meadowes on both sides of the causeway leauing their few armed men right against Captaine Morgan They placed their shotte in ditches a little before their armed men sauing some 100. whom they directed to enter into skirmish when the English began Our order was scarce directed but the enemy charged our men very hotly in such sort that all or the most part of both parties shotte were by the eares Notwithstanding that theirs were twice so many ours quit theÌ„selues very valiantly vntill a great squadron of their armed men aduanced which forced our English shot to retire by reason that most of the English shot skirmished on the causeway hard by it on both sides where the enemies could ioyne with them At this sight Captaine Morgan and his armed men aduanced resolutely to the push of the pike and so did the French and Wallones shot flank amongst them their vollies that they plagued them greatly in such sort that the enemy aduanced no further To say tâ—oth they could not ioyne with ours by reason ours kept the ditches and bridge Perceiuing they could not force our quarter the enemy retired but stood fast within a great musket shot of the place Saras perceiuing the enemies minde thinking they would charge againe and fearing wee had lost more then we did sent vnto ours to retire which they did with good order into the towne with small losse in respect of the skirmish which endured very hot and almost the space of two houres In which time our men came twice to the push of the pike Once the enemy had holde on Captaine Morgans Ancient which was rescued brauely by George Browne and diuerse other young gentlemen Master Mackwilliams Bostock with other gentlemen were slaine with some fifty English souldiers and as many or more hurt of the French and Wallones So they killed and hurt some 100. of which were many gentlemen and officers Some prisoners were taken on both sides By the enemies own confession they had slaine and hurt aboue 400. whereof some were of good account The surprize of the Brill in Holland by Mounsieur de Lumay Count de la Marke AT this instant Mounsieur de Lumay otherwise called the Count De la Marke being on the coast of England with the Prince of Oranges directions finding the Sea-men named before I meane Lambert Batelentia Rouchable and Skonall they made a partie betwixt them to take the Brill in Holland True it is the Prince of Orange had intelligence with most townes in Holland but not with the Brill that euer I could learne At this time there were but few Spaniards in Holland in the Brill some hundred in diuers other places so many or fewer Hereupon this Count de la Marke and these Captaines gathered into some eight sayles the most Fly-boats seauen hundred Wallons Dutch some English and Scots all Mariners Arriuing at the Brill they landed hauing Drummes Trumpets and Ensignes with them sufficient to haue furnished thrice their numbers At their sight the simple Spanish Gouernour thought himselfe betrayed iudging that these troupes would neuer haue come thither without intelligence with the townesmen The rest of the Spanish made proude faces as though they meant to abide their furie and siege Notwithstanding they signified a feare vnto the Burgesses in sending their baggage and women towards Roterdam The Count and his Captaines approched with courage and withall landed three Pieces out of their ships with straw pitch and wood He approched the gate and put the same soone on fire In the meane time the Spaniards escaped towards Reterdam Thus was the Brill wonne without blowes in such sort that all Holland reuolted sauing Amsterdam but diuers townes would accept no garrison Notwithstanding the Prince politickely wrote vnto the Count to vse them withall courtesie agreeing with their humors suffering them to doe what they listed as well for religion as for gouernement whereby he gained all their hearts For at that instant the most of the popular were Papists The Count De la Marke had almost marred all with his gouernement For albeit hee was valiant and liberall yet was hee lasciuious wilfull and obstinate in such sort that he would enioy and wench or woman that pleased him Also hee called an Abbot and his Fryers into a Chamber where hee forced them to denie their Masse and to preach against it in case they would not be hanged Besides these he committed many other disorders So as his insolency had almost thrust the Prince and his faction out of Holland The Flushingers growe in iealousie against Saras their Gouernour offering his place vnto Captaine Morgan who refused it for loue hee bare vnto Saras otherwise he had small reason in doing it THe French Wallons and Dutch which were in Flushing had beene for the most part in the warres before and diuers of the basest sort would take any thing they could carry away and liued at farre greater charges to the Burgesses then the English did For indeed the English at that time were rawe and looked for no more then bare victuals lodging and promise of pay
him how all these stirres proceeded from the Prince of Orange and his instruments to ouerthrow religion and to maintaine his estate and greatnesse Besides they sent counterfeit letters vnto the Count as though the Prince or his faction had certified the King often aginst the Count to his disgrace Before these posts arriued the Prince or his instruments had procured the Count and all or most of the Nobility with a great number of quality to meet at Tilmount in Brabant where after a great banquet most of them signed a letter to the King rather to dye than to suffer the gouernment to alter This letter was written very humbly to perswade his Maiestie to stay his Duke D' Alua assuring him to be loyall in all poynts desiring his Maiesty to remember their liberties and customes which his Maiesty was sworne to maintaine in as ample manner as his ancestors before At this banquet all signed these letters sauing the Count Peter Ernest of Maunsfelt gouernour of Luxenburgh and the Lord of Barlemount who politickly promised to doe the like the next morning excusing themselues that at that instant the wine was their master But at midnight they stole post towards Luxenburgh excusing themselues by letters vnto the Prince of Orange that Count Egmond would be deboshed from them by the Spanish instruments and that they would not belieue the contray vntill they heard that his person and men of warre were in battaile against the Spanish It seemes Peter Ernest was willing to second them for hee left his sonne Count Charles as deepe as the best They had reason to feare the Count for the next day he began to repent him of his bargaine taking occasions to murmure and to stirre factions against the Prince But the Prince politickly courtesied him with all fauours in such sort that all fell in a banquet the next dinner at which feast according to their custome there was great carowsing where the basest sort came in great multitudes with glasses in their hands crying to the Prince Count Nobility Viue les gueses viue les gueses le diable emporte les espanioles God saue the beggers and the diuell take the Spaniards After ending the banquet the Prince procured many of the Nobility and of the best sort to promise to second him in the action he would vndertake against the Spanish This being discouered vnto Count Egmond he commanded his horses coaches to be made ready seeming to bee much offended with the Prince of Orange and his faction and withall departed toward Louaine True it is all murthers are villanous but had the Prince credited Count Charles Mansfelt Count Egmond had beene dead I heard the Prince relate his counsaile which was Let vs kill Count Egmond then are we sure all the men of warre will follow you and yours Also his countenance is such amongst them as at his reconcilement vnto the Spanish they will al follow him But for feare of him my father and all the rest would ioyne with you True it is this young Gentleman was the wilfullest amongst them but spake the grearest reason to maintaine the Prince of Orange as it fel out afterwards for without doubt the reconcilement of Count Egmond lost himselfe and all his friends Long afterwards in Fraunce I heard Count Charles speak this also how he would haue wished the Prince afterwards to haue marched with all his forces vnto the edge of Louain there to haue kept the streights betwixt Louain Luxenburgh where Duke D' Alua must pass without all doubt With the fauour of God had the Prince Count Egmond marched thither with their forces by all reason they might haue fought with twice Duke D' Aluaes numbers For there were foure thousand braue Lanciers and light horsemen vnder their charge ready alwayes entertained besides as many more who would haue mounted themselues most willingly with at least twenty thousand footemen against the Spanish and the Prince had they made away the obstinate Count. Besides the nature of the Neatherlanders is to be very willing to second any nouelties much more against a people they hated so much as the Spanish whose forces and policies were vnknowen to them at their beginning Being as high as Lovaine they had bin sure all the Countries and Townes behinde them would haue seconded them with all necessaries For the humour of the Nation is to bee vnreasonable prowde with the least victorie or aduancement with a reasonable armie and deadly fearefull with the least ouerthrow or at the retreit of their men of warre from their enemie The posts being arriued with the Gouernesse and Cardinall who receiued expresse commandement from the King to dissemble his disgrace with the Count assuring him Duke D' Alua should redresse all Count Egmond hauing receiued the Kings letters fell cleane from the Prince vnto the Gouernesse and beganne to make all the faire weather he could vnto the Cardinall thinking himselfe sure This poore Count perswaded all the rest to forsake their Prince assuring them that hee would vndertake to make all well againe with the King in such sort that most of the Nobilitie quited the Prince Who fearing that the variable popular would doe the like resolued to acquaint Count Egmond what the King had passed against them in his Spanish councell and opening his minde vnto diuers of the best sort the Prince procured Count Egmond with most of the rest to giue him audience whose words I heard the Prince himselfe report as followeth Cousins and deare Countrimen it greiues mee to see you so blinded with the Spanish dissimulation which is to no other end but to lull you asleepe vntill their tyrant D' Alua arriues amongst vs who hath so large a commission And this he will not faile to execute to the vttermost which he can neuer doe and suffer vs to liue especially you Count Egmond And resolue your selfe that they who send him with such directions know your courage to be too great to endure your Countrimen to bee made slaues and to suffer him to wash his hands in your kinsmens bloud Beleeue my words it is true what I tell you for there you see his hand whom diuers of you know to be in good credite with the King especially with his principall Secretary And herewith hee cast his letter with other testimonials amongst them telling the Count. Cousin resolue on it if you take armes I wil ioyne with you if not I must leaue you and quite the Country After pawsing a while the Count answered Cousin I know the King hath not Spaniards enow to employ in all his Dominions wherfore you must think he must be serued by others more then Spaniards You are deceiued to iudge the King a tyrant without proofe of cruelty he cannot be so vngratefull to recompence our seruices with such payments Touching Duke D' Alua if it be the Kings pleasure to make him Gouernour
of these Countries we must obay him as we did the Duke of Sauoy and others Touching our gouernment resolue your selfe he will not neither shall alter it more than the rest of his predecessors before him haue done For your selfe if it please you to stay I dare aduēture my credit to make all wel with the King And assure you doth Duke D' Alua lay hands on you I will not endure it Withall he hurled before the Prince and the rest the Kings letters wherein was no want of dissimulation nor of promise of forgiuenesse onely to be assured to bring them sound asleepe vntill Duke D' Alua should awake them Herewith the Count told the Prince resolutely that he would not quite the King If he would not stay it would grieue him to see his house ouerthrowne The Prince answered Cousin I haue been too long by his Fathers chamber and doe know the Kings humors too well and their Spanish gouernement to conceiue that they will pardō such persons as a number of vs here be after entring into such actions as we haue done against them Good Cousin doe you forget how Duke D' Alua was wont to say vnto Charles the fift Hombres muertos no hazen guerra Dead men make no warre For these reasons and diuers other farewell I will not stay their iustice nor trust to their courtesies For house it makes no matter I had rather be a Prince without houses then a Count without a head During these treaties and delayes diuers brawles and bickerings fell out in Antwerpe betwixt them of the religion the Martinists and Papists Twice or thrice a weeke great numbers would bee in armes sometimes before the Gouernesse Court sometimes before the Prince of Oranges house but often or continually in places of greatest note Although the Prince was most politicke yet his courage was nothing cōparable to a number of others if it had without doubt hee might haue hazarded to haue surprized Antwerpe Hauing done it he might haue engaged the rest of the Country For in Gant and in the great Townes was faction for Religion especially throughout the most of the Villages and Countries where was preaching defacing of Images in many places Insomuch that the Papists and Martinists drew them of the Religion out of Antwerpe Notwithstanding they gathered together at a Village hard by Antwerpe called Osterwell where they preached in great numbers in such sort that the Gouernesse and all hers stood in doubt whether it were best to hazard their defeate there or to stay for more forces Being cōsidered how they encreased daily resolution was taken to charge them where they were Intelligence being brought them that the Papists and Martinists with a number of Souldiers did salie to defeat them Notwithstanding they were voyde of any men of conduct or souldiers gaged vnder ensignes or Cornets and all or the most Craftesmen Mechanicks or poore peasants yet they resolued to fight making head with good courage against their enemies But for want of heads to direct them default of armes and munition they were defeated in plaine field Iudge you what they would haue done being in the Towne of Antwerpe hauing with them a Prince of Orange who had with him continually two or three hundred Gentlemen diuers of charge and conduct Besides he was Gouernour of the Towne neuer without a good partie so as the Gouernesse and hers durst not lay hands on him although they knew him an enemy and a fauourer of the Religion To say truth he cloaked it what he could Insomuch as all their parties being often in armes in the great places himselfe went to the strongest which were the Papists and Martinists protesting to them to liue and dye with the Gouerness religion Without doubt his meaning was touching the Gouernesse to be true to his Country and to liue and dye with the Religion For amongst them of the religion hee had diuers instruments some of his best Gentlemen and Captaines who God knowes at that time had but little skill in warres notwithstanding they were assured by them of his good will in such sort that they would haue marched often against the others but for the Princes perswasions to the contrary Sometimes he would tell them their enemies were more in number and in charging them they should ingage their Towne wiues children and goods assuring them if they would goe forward the basest sort would ransacke their houses Since I heard the Prince say that if hee had knowne the warres then so well as he did since he would haue ranged on their sides wishing then his valiant brother Count Lodowicke in his place Pitie or feare ouerthrew the Prince often as I will shew hereafter Great warriers account the pitifull Captaine a foole in warres and neuer cruell vntill hee masters his enemie then hee must bee bloudy to execute if hee cannot liue in safetie This order continued vntill the newes came that Duke D' Alua was marching Then it was high time for the Prince to shift for himselfe Before he arriued the Prince was in Germanie After moouing the whole state of the Empire except the house of Austria hee found little comfort at their hands sauing the Count Palatine of the Rheine and his owne house of Nassau Not without meruaile for those flegmatique people will second no body without money before hand assurance to be payd monethly especially being gaged to serue the weakest partie When they come into the field they will endure neither hardnes nor wants without their due guilt When they haue ioyned battaile they haue often cryed guilt hurled their weapons from them and suffered their enemies to cut them in pieces I doe perswade my selfe all Potentates and estates hyre them onely fearing their enemies would haue them Without doubt if one side hath them and not the other likely it is master of the field they come in such multitudes of Horsemen as no Christian Nation besides is able to furnish Else perswade your selfe 500. hundred of either English Scottish Burgundians Wallones French Italians Albaneses Hungarians Poles or Spanish is worth 1500. Almaines Duke D' Alua being arriued in Loraine Count Peter Ernest Gouernour of Luxenburgh feared him but like a wise politicke man sent vnto him to offer him all seruice Notwithstanding hee kept himselfe in his strong Townes of Luxenburgh and Tyonuill hauing garrisons at his deuotion the Gouernours and Captaines either his kinsmen or assured friends Neither would hee suffer Duke D' Alua to enter those Townes or any other vnder his gouernment of any strength except onely his owne person with so many more as the Gouernours could dispose of at their pleasures Duke D' Alua knowing this man to be a very expert valiant Captaine would not offend him but rather pleased him all that hee might Insomuch as hee procured diuers fauourable letters from the King to encourage him of their good meaning towards him fearing
against the enemie planted diuers field peeces which flanked the quarter where the enemie must attempt Hearing Duke D' Aluaes Curriers aduanced within the sight of the Nassawians guardes Lodowicke sent two hundred Reysters to re-encounter them giuing them charge to stoppe their course what they could to winne time to strengthen his trenches w th were in working with all his hands Being re-encountred both these Curriers fell into a hot skirmish Iulian Romero hauing the vantguarde with Robelos seconded their Curriers with some foure or fiue hundred Horguleters in such sort that the Nassauians were forced to retyre on the spurre At the sight whereof Lodowicke passed some foure hundred Reysters commanded by a valiant man who charged the Spaniards into the squadrons which Iulian and the other led beeing foure regiments of Spaniards and Wallons The grand Prior Duke D' Aluaes sonne commanded the battaile hauing with him don Iohn de Mendosa Generall of the horsemen with Vitelly They passed with all speed through the vaunt-guarde some seuen hundred Lanciers which chaced the Nassawians into their infantrie And withall Iulian and Robelos aduanced with all speed so did the grand prior with his battaile and Duke D' Alua with his sonne Don Frederico accompained with diuers others of great quality seconded the battaile in great march Lodowicke giuing courage to his infantry the base villaines as I shew'd you before cryd gilt gilt according to their simple and olde base customes Iulian and Robelos being Pell mell with them they hurled downe their weapons crying Liue Spaniard bone Papists moy Notwithstanding Lodowicke recouered his horsemen who beganne also to shake and to crye for money True it is at the first approach of Duke D' Alua in Frizeland foure dayes before the horsemen beganne to murmure and to counsaile Lodowicke to returne to Emden Lodowicke seeing this disaster pulled off his caske desiring his horsemen to follow him or to stand to beare witnesse how honestly his brother stoode with some fiue hundred horsemen desiring him to charge those Launces which aduanced hard before them Count Adolfe did it with great courage although halfe his squadron quitted him At which instant Lodowicke cryed to his horsemen All you that haue a humor to liue follow mee Withall he gaue the spurres Some three hundred horsemen followed him the rest ranne away Notithstanding his brother and himselfe with lesse then sixe hundred Reysters draue aboue eight hundred Launciers besides Herguleters into their vanguarde of foote By that time the Spanish Generall of horsemen was arriued with great troupes which soone mastered the Nassawians in which place Lodowicke was hurt very sore in two or three places and his horse also Notwithstanding hee escaped with wonderfull hazard by swimming a riuer and recouered Emden His brother Count Adolfe with the most or all the Gentlemen that followed him were slaine or taken so that scarce fortie escaped of both their troupes All or the most of his infantrie were taken and slaine sauing a troupe which made a composition being strongly entrenched with Henrick Vausichan Notwithstanding the Spanish vsed them cruelly according to their cowardly deserts putting all or the most to the sword winning all their artillerie munition baggage This ouerthrow recōpenced double Lodowicks victorie But without doubt had the base people fought followed Lodowickes directiōs the losse had bin the Spaniards the seate of the Nassauians was such Besides I forget to speake of a ditch which Lodowicke commanded to bee cut in such sort that the water could haue assured their quarter within lesse then tenne howers This valiant Count had reason to draw Vitelli to battaile knowing in retyring before greater forces the courage of his base souldiers would quaile But hauing intelligence of Duke D' Aluaes approach and finding the mindes of his men failing hee had greater reason either to retire without ingaging a fight or to haue fortified a strong passage where hee might haue made head safely vntill the Prince his brother would haue succoured him with more supplies This hee might haue done considering the time and warning hee had since the arriuall of Vitelli vntill the comming of Duke D' Alua principally since the ouerthrow of Arenbergue finding Groning not to bee taken and seeing forces encreasing daily against him But giue him his worthy right to correct his deedes I may bee compared vnto a counterfeit Alexander on a Stage better then to the valiant and discreete Count. The Prince of Oranges first iourney into Brabant TOuching the Prince of Oranges iourney into Brabant I can speake no more than this By the ayde of the Count Palatine of the Rhyne and his own house of Nassau which ingaging the greatest part of his owne Countrey of Nassau he leauied some tenne thousand Reisters and twelue thousand Launce-Knights With those and some two thousand Ramassees of Watlons French and Flemmings fugitiues but a number of them braue Gentlemen of good quality especially the Count of Holdestocke being entred Cleueland the Prince bent his course towards the riuer of Mase resoluing to passe the said riuer by the great and rich Towne of Leige making account to finde some good partie in that Towne Besides diuers of the other Townes of Brabant Flaunders and other Prouinces promised him assistance in case hee would encounter D. D' Alua in the field Hauing passed the Mase being encamped by Liege D. d' Alua vnderstanding his meaning by good espy-alls before his arriuall sent some Captaines of quality who were expert in those affaires both to the Bishops and to the Clergie to aduertise and direct them to defend themselues assuring them if neede required hee would hazard battaile for them This Towne being Neuter and of the Empire onely gouerned by Priests and such men with the assistance and counsaile of Duke D' Aluaes instruments beganne to shew themselues rather enemies then well-willers vnto the Prince Insomuch that diuers sacked and spoyled some baggage and victuals loosely guarded which passed vnder their fauours The poore Prince seeing himselfe so vsed by the Liegrois was vncertaine what to imagine fearing the rest of the Townes would doe the like hauing but small store of munition of his owne and little hope to procure from others Also Duke d' Alua fronted him with a faire armie but not comparable to his especially in horsemen for the Prince had more then double his numbers Notwithstanding Duke d' Alua was on the surest hand by reason all the Townes and passages were at his deuotion Diuers skirmishes passed betwixt both parties but the Prince could neuer ingage Duke d' Alua to battaile by reason he would bee sure to be strongly entrenched especially being in the field and lodged often vnder the fauour of his Townes Hauing intelligence that the Prince meant to enter Louaine to front him in his passage he sent his great Captaine Robelos and Mondragon with some twentie ensignes of footemen Spanish
and Wallons and fiue Cornets of horsemen into Tylmount This Tylmount is within three leagues of Louaine a place of no strength but sufficient to withstand the Princes forces hauing an armie hard by to countenance them For D. d' Alua was encamped within three leagues In the Princes march the garrison of Tylmount annoyed him greatly so that all his forces were constrained to stand in battaile before Tylmount vntill his reregard and baggage were past Insomuch that Duke d' Alua had the better meanes to looke to Louaine but offering them garrison they refused it assuring him they would be loyall vnto the King and him Duke d' Alua politickely contented himselfe fearing by despaire to enforce them to reuolt to the Prince Notwithstanding he vsed them with threatnings that he would looke vnto to their doings assuring them that hee would account them rebells if they would assist the Prince with any necessaries But he doubted not their loyalties in defending the Towne To be the better assured he sent diuers of good iudgement to assist counsaile them as he did to Liege Himselfe retired with his armie neere vnto Brussels to assure both Brussels and Monts in Henault The Prince being encamped vnder Louaine found not them so angrie as the Priests of Liege For Louaine was an Vniuersity gouerned by good natured people and a number of Nobilitie as strangers tearme all Gentlemen were allyed to the Prince or to diuers of his followers Besides at that time the people in generall hated the Spanish deadly in such sort that for all Duke d' Aluaes instruments but for their buttered hearts and flegmatique liuers they would haue opened their gates The Prince perceiuing their peeuishnesse seeing his Orators could not preuaile to make him enter he burnt their barriers and terrified them in such sort that either feare or loue made them to giue a great piece of money with much victuals Perceiuing his fortune that no place would accept him and that Duke d' Alua would aduenture no battel he thought it his best to retire But politickly he and his instruments perswaded their armie that the Admirall Chastilion was arriued in the frontiers of Artois with a mighty armie of Frenchmen and that they would ioyne with them They gaue out also that the Queene of England had sent a great treasure vnto the Admirall to pay both their forces Hereby they encouraged the Mechanick mercenary Reysters to march Hauing intelligence at Valentia a Towne in Henault neere vnto the frontiers Being arriued there the Prince and his armie beganne to take courage partly because they knew Duke d' Alua would follow them no further but chiefly because they might bee presently in France And although the army should mutinie according to their custome as I said before the Prince and his commanders might easily escape and shift for themselues who otherwise should be in great danger For being engaged amongst their enemies they might haue beene deliuered by their owne souldiers to Duke d' Alua either for passage or for money In this place the Prince finding his rutters alert as the Italians say with aduise of his valiant brother hee sent his Trumpets to D. d' Alua to tell him that he would bee the next day fower leagues towards him with fewer in number then himselfe did lead where hee would stay his answere and dare him battaile The Duke lay entrenched within six leagues of the Prince hauing with him some twenty thousand True it is his horsemen did not amount to fower thousand But they were Italians Wallons and Albaneses who in troth were to be valued with thrice as many Reisters yea in my iudgemēt with six times so many being not accompanied w th such Chiefs as Count Lodowicke The trumpets being arriued D. d' Alua hanged one answered the other Well tell thy Master my Master will maintaine his armie continually and thy Master I am assured will breake his within few dayes vpon wants Therefore I haue no reason to fight were I sure to winne the battaile And although I know the valure of my men farre surmounting his yet notwithstanding no battaile can be fought without some losses on both sides For these causes I will not fight Vitelly perswaded him all he could to accept the offer and to fight alleaging the danger not to be great considering the difference betwixt the men Alleaging also that in defeating the Prince leauing his person dead in the field their warres would be ended by all reason For my part I am of Vitellyes mind but the wisest and of best iudgement will be of Duke d' Aluaes For all battailes end as pleaseth the great God Had Duke d' Alua beene defeated he had not onely lost his forces but all his Masters countries The next day the Prince rose from Valentia according to promise leauing all his baggage and worst disposed souldiers in safety by Valentia Hee marched with all or the most of his horsemen and footemen triumphing with drums and trumpets towards Duke d' Alua to the place his trumpets did assigne Duke d' Alua was also in order of battaile but kept all his footemen in trenches with his horsemen sauing the guards which were beaten in by the valiant Count Lodowicke who led the vant-guarde with three thousand of the best sort of Reisters But the Prince and Manderslo his Marshall with diuers others would not march so fast as Lodowicke with the battaile and rereguard Wherefore Lodowicke was forced to retyre being within sight of Duke d' Aluaes trenches raging with the Prince and the rest for not marching to force the trenches Alleaging vnto thē as it was very true it were better to bee defeated in fighting then for wants as they were sure in a short time to be Being retyred they resolued to follow their first determination the sooner the better seeing Valentia would doe nothing for them Duke d' Alua hauing news of their retreit and resolution rose also following them a farre off like a fox in such sort that he would be surely lodged and march safely from hazarding battaile by Peronne on the French frontiers Vitelly ouertooke diuers baggages and straglers in such sort that he put a number of them to the sword who were not guarded by reason of their owne negligence in stragling behinde and aside the rereguarde vnknowne to Count Lodowicke who made the retreit But so soone as Lodowicke had knowledge hereof he returned in such sort that Vitelly and his vant-guarde of horsemen were forced to runne till hee met Duke d' Alua to his disgrace considering his speeches fower dayes before After this the Duke pursued no further and the Prince and his armie entred France hauing no meanes to content his armie but with spoyles of the French which they did not spare as the Prouinces of Champaine and Picardy can witnesse in their retreit to Germanie THis
was the fortune of the poore Prince for want of meanes to nourish his men of warre and will bee of all others vnlesse their Chiefes prouide in time either money or spoyles To say troth the Princes fortune might easily haue beene iudged when he feared to enter Liege For all voluntary armes I meane that are not payed are gone and defeated in short time in case they misse rich spoyles at their first entry into the enemies Countries In my time I remember fower came to ruine with those fortunes Besides this they did some other matters about Zutphen Ruremond and those parts by meanes of the Princes brother in law the Count of Bergues But it proued to small effect For alwaies the Masters of the field commaund all weake places in a short time Wherefore as I said before a voluntary armie must either be enriched presently with spoyles or else assured by strong seats But let the seate be neuer so strong the master of the field will command it in time vnlesse it be some strong port like Flushing Rochell Callice Marsillis Brouage Graueling or at the least some frontier strong place that a State or Potentate dares not assiege hauing no hope to despaire the Gouernour to deliuer it into their enemies hands For example Goorden of Callice being wooed and desired by his Master the French King to deliuer Callice vnto his fauourite Espernon for all his faire words and large offers hee would bee Gouernour still So likewise S. Luke held Brouage also Lamote kept Graueling making his peace as pleased him with the Spanish King and after offending to the highest degree Wherefore in a troubled estate there can bee no surety comparable to a strong gouernment Duke D'Alua abuseth his masters seruice in not finishing the Cittadle of Flushing before that of Antwerpe and in neglecting to place sure garrisons in the sea ports AFter this the poore Prince remained in Germanie God knowes almost despairing to doe any more good against the Spanish but that the Almighty stirred new instruments to maintaine his cause and blinded the Spanish in their affaires As I said before they left the Cittadle of Flushing being the onely port and key of the Neatherlands vnfinished and ended that of Antwerpe All men of warre of any iudgement may easily conceiue had they finished first the Cittadle of Flushing Zealand had neuer reuolted Yea had they placed some 2000. souldiers in garrison in their ports of Brill Medenblike and Harlem with some fiue hundred in the Cittadle of Flushing Holland and Frizeland with the rest of the Prouince had beene sure For the Spanish with their infinite Indian treasure beside the rich Netherlands and other places were sure to be master of the field hauing none to feare or to annoy them but England Scotland Germanie and France Touching England we had neither reason nor surety to haue meddled with their actions without being assured of some of their best ports the mutability of the people is such Touching Scotland I perswade my selfe they would not haue meddled with thē in case they had not bin ioyned with England Touching France you saw the Spaniards meanes so great in those parts that his faction was to be compared to the Kings or any other and would haue beene farre greater if the Guyse had liued Touching Germany their house of Austria compassed the contrary of the best sort in those parts As for Mercenaries we know it by good experience commonly they follow the best purse and by that reason the multitude of that Nation and Swizers had beene theirs Touching the state of Italy either it is his or dare not offend him For the Venecians are no body without Mercenaries The Geneuois are all or the most part at his deuotion the great houses of Mantua Ferrara Parma Vrbin Graftino with all the rest of any qualitie of those stirring spirits are either his seruants or Pensioners Touching the Clergie either his loue or feare makes Popes and Cardinals as pleaseth him Portugall is his Touching Denmarke Sweden The Hauns townes Poland and such like they are either mercenaries too farre off to annoy them or the most of them Mechanicks without Chiefes of any conduct Being assured as they thought of the Neatherlanders affaires Duke d'Alua made his statue in brasse placed it in the middest of the Castle of Antwerpe treading on the Counts of Egmond and Horne with the Prince of Orange looking vnder him for wayes to escape Hee made also peeces of Arras wherein were represented his sieges battailes and actions of armes in one peece his owne portraiture standing like the picture of the Sunne with all the ensignes and Cornets which euer he wanne placed round about him Count Lodowicke surprizeth Mounts in Henault which is besieged and taken by Duke d'Alua AT this time the French King and they of the religion were at peace so that the Admirall Chastilion thought himselfe assured of the King but poore Lord himselfe many others were treacherously handled as the massacre of Paris can witnesse At this time Count Lodowicke was in Paris and finding accesse to the King by the Admirals meanes procured diuers principals of the religion to promise to succour the Prince his brother him against the Spanish To whose demaunds the King agreed most willingly by his Machiauell mothers counsaile who neuer cared what became of any estate or world to come so shee might serue the present purpose and maintaine her owne greatnesse Considering her Machiauell humors she was much too blame in this knowing the French disposition rather then to liue long in peace to fall into fight one with another In going with Count Lodowicke shee was assured that most or all which would goe with him would bee of the religion If they prospered Lodowicke promised some frontier townes to the French for the Kings vse if not they might be glad to lose so many enemies By reason of the Kings and his mothers distembling leaue and master Secretarie Walsinghams true and honest meaning to the cause in generall and to Count Lodowicke in particular the Count esteemed his affaires in good estate Master Secretarie then beeing Embassadour for the Queenes Maiestie in Paris furnished the Count all hee could with countenance and crownes in such sort that the Count resolued to depart into the Lowe Countries hauing the Admirals assurance to second him if his iourny prospered But presently there went with him Mounsieur De la Noue Mounsieur de Poiet Mounsieur de Roueres Sir William Morgan Mounsieur Ianlis Mounsieur de Mouie with diuers other French Gentlemen of qualitie These by the Admirals meanes were to second him presently with sixe thousand footemen and some foure hundred horse all Frenchmen Count Lodowicke sent sundry Gentlemen Netherlanders some known in Mounts in Henault some strangers vnknowne appareled like Merchants Who with their
his troupes were in order aduancing with all speed towards Roueres Notwithstanding Roueres and his braue Captaines especially his Caualerie retyred with small losse into the Cloyster where Poyet was readie to receiue them in order without in such sort that Vitelly pursued no further At this Camisado the enemie lost six for one of the Nassawians by reason Roueres had forced their guardes before the rest were in armes The next day toward night Duke d'Aluaes vantguard was in sight of the Towne but before his rereguard came to their quarter it was nine of the clocke the next morning by reason they marched very slowly and not without reason For they haled with them two and twentie pieces of batterie besides some other field pieces with all the munition belonging vnto them Duke d'Alua being arriued incamped on the riuer side betwixt the meadowes and the hills from the wayes towards Valentia downe to the Cloyster Along this riuer he made strong trenches which assured his armie towards the fields towards the towne he made large deepe trenches impossible to be entred This man would commonly assure himselfe with trenches although the enemies were lodged three dayes iourney from him Now before Mounts hee entrenched all his quarters as though hee meant to bee besieged and not without reason hauing intelligence how Mounsieur Ianlis marched for their succours with seauen thousand Frenchmen and the Prince of Orange making ready a mighty armie in Germany After his arriuall the next day hee prepared to beate the Cloyster vnto which place hee brought sixe pieces of Cannon Mounsieur de Poiet resolued before not to keep the place but to winne time in forcing them to place the Cannon This Cloyster was so neere the towne that none could encampe betwixt it and the towne by reason of the townes artillerie and of wet meadow grounds which could not be entrenched Wherefore Mounsieur de Poyet did most brauely abide this whole dayes batterie and in the night set the Cloyster on fire with a traine and so retired himselfe and his troupes safely into the towne leauing nothing behinde Within few dayes Duke d'Alua beganne to make his approaches in such sort that hee assured the towne from sallying sauing their secret sallies through the rampier bul-workes before he mounted his pieces to beate the forts and defences The towne plagued him greatly with their counter-battery and besides they often sallyed and annoyed them with sundry attempts on their artillery and trenches With much ado after receiuing great losses he made three platformes The middest did batter the port of Hauery the two others the flanks and parts of the Curtaines on both sides On these three platformes hee placed two and twentie Cannons with which and with his Culuerins that did beate the defences he discharged during his siege aboue 24000. shot The furie of all batteries are past at the first I meane within two dayes yea commonly in one For the defendants knowing the place and the successe of the furie will re-enforce their breaches re-entrench themselues in such sort that the assailants can doe small hurt with their approaches The second day they battered and hauing made their breach reasonable as they thought they prepared to the assault The poynt fell by lot to the Tertia of Lumbardy led by the valiant Mounsieur of the Campe Iulian Romero who was seconded by the master of the Campe Don Francisco de Baldesso and his Tertia de la Ligue after him the regiments of Wallons of the Marquesse of Hauery Count Barlemount Messieurs de Ligues and of Capers So were all the rest of the armie in battaile ready to second one another according to their direction with their whole Caualery in order of battaile some quarter of a league from their trenches Diuers had leaue to dismount themselues who accompanied Iulian at the poynt The Count re-entrenched himselfe ouerthwart the breach with a halfe moone Himselfe and some two hundred horsemen stoode at the mouth of the great lane towards the breach the rest of his horsemen were in three troupes making Patroiles rounds we call it from place to place round about the towne As one troupe came vnto him hee sent another out Mounsieur de la Noue stood with the armed men in the midst of the halfe moone Mounsieur de Poyet stood on the one quarter of the moone with halfe the shot Mounsieur de Roueres on the other with the rest At euery corner of the moone they placed diuers pieces of Ordinance laden with nayles small bullets and stones which flanked the mouth of tbe breach Iulians Captaines would not giue place one to another more then the Collonells but by lot After knowing who should lead and the breach discouered saultable Iulian commanded the poynt to the assault which were suffered to enter But being in the middest of the moone they were murdered like dogs in such sort that happie was hee that could retyre first Notwithstanding Iulian aduanced with all courage with his seconds but being on the breach and hauing discouered their trenches and workes within he caused his troupes to retire not without losse For all their small shot playd incessantly vpon his troups At this assault the Spaniards courge was quailed from assaulting any more Iulian escaped with great danger hauing sundry Harquebushes on his armes His Lieutenant Collonell was slaine with fiue of his principall Captaines and the brauest part of his souldiers besides many aduenturers as well horsemen as footemen which were not of his regiment The Count escaped not freely for diuers of his best men were slaine especially Mounsieur de Roueres shot in the head with a musket Duke d'Alua perceiuing the valure and conduct of Lodowicke and his men resolued not to force his breach but cunningly attempted them often with alarmes and counterfeit assaults in such sort that hee spoyled many of the defendants with his artillerie in presenting themselues on the breach At this instant Mounsieur Ianlis was marching with his succours in number as I said before seauen thousand French all footemen sauing some foure hundred horsemen Being arriued hard by Valentia Duke d'Alua sent don Frederico with his Martiall Chiapine Vitelly accompanied with one thousand fiue hundred horsemen and foure thousand footemen himselfe remained in strong trenches with all the rest in armes who being all together were about one and twenty thousand footemen and three thousand horsemen Mounsieur Ianlis although he was a most gallant souldier at this re-encounter shewed small discipline Vitelly hauing intelligence of his march and order Don Frederico being arriued at Saint Gellane some two leagues from Mounts hearing Ianlis was in march and that he meant to passe that way within tenne howers Vitelly desired him to leaue all his men in ambush in that place in troupes on both sides of the high waies Hauing finished his orders
he commanded his nephew Iohn Battisto del Mounte Lieutenant generall of the horsemen to march with fiue hundred horsemen halfe Launciers the rest Herguleters giuing him in charge to march in three troupes softly vntill his Curriers should meete his enemies then to returne one troupe after another without ingaging himselfe to fight vnlesse the enemie would enforce him but to vse all meanes to bring them engaged vnto the ambush then to run with his troupes as though hee were afraid aside of the ambush Hee was not two leagues from Vitelly but his Curriers met the French who according to their accustomed furie charged the Spanish Curriers and they according to their direction retyred before them so did their second and Battisto himselfe with the third bringing them in his taile vnto the place directed By this time all or the most of the French horsemen were arriued charging Battisto his troupes who could first perswading themselues all to be theirs Vitelly like a discreet Captaine desired don Frederico to suffer them to runne vntill they were entred into the ambush of fiue hundred musketiers which stood vnder a hedge where they must passe and being entred to charge them with halfe the horsemen which stood equally diuided on both sides of the way By that time the French were entred the ambush of Musketiers and perceiuing the squadrons of Launciers aduancing towards them they beganne to retyre and to double their pases backe but withall don Frederico charged Iohn Battisto being on the other side turned also so did Vitelly second with the rest in such sort that presently their few horsemen were forced to runne through their owne footemen which brake in a short time for they marched farre a sunder as they said two leagues from their first troupes vnto their last Besides they had no companies of pikes to make any stand especially their horsemen being broken Mounsieur de Mouie escaped into Mounts by reason of the woodland Countries Few returned into France because the Peasants murdred them in cold bloud After the ouerthrow the greatest part of them were executed M. Ianlis with diuers GentlemeÌ„ resisted valiantly but at the last he was mastered carried prisoner into the Castle of Antwerpe Where himselfe and an English Gentleman taken with him named master Iohn Winkfield were executed long afterwards Duke d'Alua hearing that the Prince of Orange was readie to march with tenne thousand Reysters and twelue thousand Launce-Knights besides diuers fugitiue Netherlanders commanded his Officers to strengthen his trenches with all speed as well towards to towne as the field giuing order that all the munition and victuals that might be gotten should be brought into his Campe and that his horsemen should bring in all the forage they could and spoyle the rest For he resolued to stay in the field and at least to amish either the Prince or the Towne giuing charge vnto all men not to ingage any skirmish or fight but to make the town froÌ„ sallying forth The Prince arriued w th his armie mentioned before without any let to speake of vntill he encamped on the top of the hils toward Valentia within halfe a league of Duke d'Aluaes trenches At whose sight the Duke gaue straight charge that none should sally out of his trenches giuing the Prince leaue to encampe quietly without skirmishing That night the Prince sent often diuers troupes vnto the Dukes trenches thinking to keepe his army in armes but none seemed to stirre or to take an alarme The next morning the Prince sent great troupes of horse and foot to procure the enemy to sally standing himselfe with the rest in order of battaile in sight of the towne and of Duke d'Alua but none would sally out of the trenches In such sort that the Prince dislodged with his whole forces resoluing to force their trenches or to lose not a fewe of his best men Being in order of battaile neere vnto Duke d'Alua hee sent his Martiall Manderslo with three thousand Launce-Knights and three thousand Reysters giuing them order to charge the trenches with all resolution Being approached within musket shot of the Spanish and Wallons the poore Almans courage beganne to quaile not without reason finding better shot then themselues within the trenches and their horsemen not seruiceable vpon whom all their glory did rest Notwithstanding that Manderslo and his troupes beganne to retire the Lord of Drume the Princes Lieutenant and Count Holhocke with diuers others of quality accompanied with many troupes of horse and foote marched resolutely and attempted the trenches against reason For receiuing hot salues of musketadoes they were forced to retyre At which attempt the Lord of Drume was slaine with diuers others of quality and a great number of their souldiers both horse and foote THe Prince being retyred into his Campe Iulian Romero with earnest perswasions procured licence of Duke d'Alua to hazard a Camisado that night vpon the Prince At midnight Iulian sallyed out of the trenches with a thousand musketiers and two thousand armed men most pikes all the rest stood in armes in the trenches their horsemen ready without the trenches to second Iulian principally for his retreite if need were Iulian diuided his forces into three troupes The first two hundred olde shot which could keepe their matches close led by a desperate Captaine named Munchecho The second one thousand armed men and shot led by Iulian himselfe The third led by his Lieutenant Collonell and Sergeant Maior whom he commanded to stand fast in the midst of their way betwixt the two Campes for his retreite and not to stir vnlesse some of credit came from him to command the contrarie Presently after his directions he commanded Muncheco to charge who resolutely forced two guards being at the least a regiment of Almaines Iulian seconded with all resolution in such sort that hee forced all the guards that he found in his way into the place of armes beâ—ore the Princes tent Here he entred diuers tents amongst the rest his men killed two of the Princes secretaries hard by the Princes tent and the Prince himselfe escaped very narrowly FOr I heard the Prince say often that as hee thought but for a dog he had beene taken The Camisado was giuen with such resolution that the place of armes tooke no alarme vntill their fellowes were running in with the enemies in their tailes Whereupon this dogge hearing a great noyse fell to scratching and crying and withall leapt on the Princes face awaking him being asleepe before any of his men And albeit the Prince lay in his armes with a lackey alwaies holding one of his horse ready bridled yet at the going out of his tent with much adoe hee recouered his horse before the enemie arriued Neuerthelesse one of his Quiries was slaine taking horse presently after him and diuers of his seruants were forced to escape amongst the guards of
with wolsackes and marchandize which wee returned all into our quarter To say troth these three leaders named before were the minions at all attempts of our troups in those daies The next day after our arriuall at Ardenburgh intelligence was brought that Mounts was deliuered and Mallins taken and sacked and that Iulian Romero was marching into Flanders to as sist the Count of Reux with 20 ensignes of footmen some cornets of horsemen This newes made vs not to take counsell twice for our retrait Whereupon we marched with all speed towards Flushing Our first offer to assiege Tergoose with our sodaine retrâ—it BEing arriued right against Flushing at Newhauen wee made stand where Saras Sir Humfrey tooke resolution to assiege Tergoose which stands in an Iland of Leland bordering on Brabant and Flanders Our shipping being arriued from Flushing wee embarked and arriued the next day at night by Beereland a village of the said Iland After anchoring and giuing directions Rowland York Vtran and Ambrose Duke landed with their accustomed troupes or more albeit diuers were slaine at the exploit of Sluce and the conuoy The brauest youthes desired to goe alwaies with the first in such sort that these were alwaies well accompanied Beeing landed vpon the ditch which inuirons the Iland the enemy perceiuing as it is like our nauy long before wee anchored sallied the most of the souldiers out of the towne and placed themselues in ambush in a village hard by the place wee landed at through which we must passe to goe to the towne After Saras and Sir Humfrey were landed the vantguard was giuen to Captaine Morgan and commandement to York Vtran Ambrose Duke to enter the village The enemies hauing with them their Gouernour a braue Captaine named Pedro Pacheco kept themselues close in the village vntill Yorke and we entred the ambush Then they deliuered a hotte volley of shot vpon vs and withall charged with some 100 pikes in such sort that with much adoe the one halfe of our troupes could recouer the place where Captaine Morgan stood with our seconds True it is the enemy stood in the village round about the way where wee marched and receiued vs at the entry of some 100 of ours into the village out of the narrow way where wee passed and could not march about fiue in a rank wherefore they found vs good cheape Our retrait was so fast that the enemy followed vs vpon the heeles into the troupes which Captaine Morgan led who charged them resolutely with his armed men in such sort that the enemies ran back But wisely hee had placed halfe his men in the village for his retreit who deliuered their volley on Captaine Morgan In such sort that hee staied for Saras and Sir Humfrey who were not within a mile by reason they stood at the first alarum and not without maruell For I perswade my selfe the most of them were afraid I am to blame to iudge their minds but let mee speake troth I doe assure you it was not without reason for the most of vs who entred with Yorke were slaine such as escaped swam and struggled thorough muddy ditches Amongst other gentlemen Edward Argoll was slain by Sir Humfrey his standard The enemy recouered their towne and all our troupes entred Barland some two houres after their retreit The next morning wee dislodged towards Tergoose Our vantguard beeing arriued within halfe a mile of the towne wee made a stand vntill the rest arriued In the meane time the enemies sallied and gaue suriously into our guards forced our first guards to runne amongst our battels of pikes which stood in a large place by the house of the Count Egmond hauing a a bridge betwixt them and the enemy Notwithstanding Captaine Morgan with his braue shot entered an orchard and flanked the enemy which stood on the high ditch beating on our pikes with volleyes of shot Withall Sir Humfrey and his armed men passed the bridge and charged the enemy with great resolution In such sort that the enemy fell to running Notwithstanding our men executed a great number and amongst others three Spanish Captaines with diuerse other officers We lost also diuerse of our men You must think that in those daies few of vs or of the enemy knew the warres so well as since For this Pacheco and his men quited Ziricksea some seuen daies before as a place not guardable Also being Gouernour of a towne hee was to blame to sally with his garrison so farre as Barland especially himselfe for without doubt had Saras and Sir Humfrey knowne of his being there with most of his troupes and therewith giuen a right direction it had cost him his towne besides his defeat Sir Humfrey should haue directed at least halfe his troupes to cut betwixt them and the towne at the first allarum Some may say perhappes there were no waies or he knew of none There were other waies although not so neer Besides a CoÌ„mander that enters the enemies countries ought to know the places that he doth attempt If not he ought to be furnished with guides especially in coÌ„ming to besiege a towne But we were so ignorant that we knew not our owne estate much lesse the enemies For the next day after our arriuall and skirmish we marched to imbarke our troupes alleaging we wanted artillery munition with all other necessaries that belonged to a siege Before our imbarking the olde souldiers Captain Gentoine and Henrie the French-man vsed a fine stratageme They requested Saras and Sir Humphrey to cause all their ensignes to imbarke with the baggage and a good number of souldiers and to leaue in a Church and in a Church-yard and in a great Close adioyning the most of their ablest men and they to keepe close that day to see if the enemie would sally to cut off their rere-guard and straglers As they directed Saras and Sir Humphrey placed one thousand two hundred of their best men in that place which was halfe wayes betwixt our quarter and the imbarking place about a great league from the towne Our ensignes were not all aboard but Pacheco salied with the most of his garrison which might be some foure hundred Being approached our first ambush who were Wallons a foolish Officer contrary to direction discharged a volley of shot on the enemies who were some quarter of a mile before their troupes whereby all was marred Belike our armed men gaue them such sound blowes in the last re-encounter that they desired no more So vpon this volley the enemie retired into their towne and we embarked presently not vnwilling for any thing I could perceiue To say troth our losses might bee in a manner coÌ„pared equal from our landing to our embarking Let mee not wrong our Gouernours too much They said they were aduertized that Tergoose was voyd of garrison sauing some hundred and that they knew nothing
of Pachecoes arriuall Being embarked we arriued at our towne of Flushing where we landed vnder our towne and marched to a Village named Southland three leagues from Flushing in the same Island Before this time Camfier reuolted also vnto the Prince of Orange by reason of their Gouernour Mounsieur de Rouse The Camisado giuen our troupes being lodged in South-land by Mounsieur de Beauoir and Don Rufello where our men defended themselues and ouerthrew the enemie most valiantly with our second siege of Tergoose where we were defeated shamefully by the negligence and ignorance of our Gouernour MOunsieur de Beauoir Gouernour of Middleburgh and don Rufello hearing of our arriuall in South-land belike Pacheco aduertized them that we had receiued greater losse then we did before Tergoose thinking our courage qualified prepared all their forces to defeat vs with a Camisado To doe it the more terribly they prepared a great number of haulters giuing them to their souldiers with a commandement to hang all the prisoners they should take The olde saying is true It is no surety to reckon without an host Being ready after directions giuen they salied out of Middleburgh some two thousand Spaniards and Wallons at the shutting of their gates and tooke the next way towards the sandy hils betwixt Flushing and Southland As God would certaine of the victualers discouering their march cut their Mares out of their Waggons by which meanes they recouered Southland an hower before the enemie arriued which next vnto the Almighties will saued all our troupes Hauing the alarme the enemies vanguarde was in sight which presently chargeth our guards making them to run into the Campe and to quite the sandy hils All their forces seconded with all speede very resolutely forcing our first and second troupes to runne into our place of armes which was neere vnto the other side of the towne in a church-yard and a large streete before it so as they wanne our artillery turning the same towards vs. But resolutely our Officers gathered a sufficient number of armed men into the Market-place who being ledde valiantly with braue Captains charged the enemy giuing them a retreit and defeat beyond our field-pieces Here they came againe with a fresh charge but our armed men re-encountred them at the push of Pike most valiantly in such sort that the Ensigne-bearers Philip Watkins Thomas Louet Iohn Hamon with diuers others brake their Ensigne-staues at the push of Pike So our men gaue the enemie a full ouerthrow driuing them cleane out of the Campe and following them in defeate halfe way to Middleburgh After our men hung a number of them with their owne haulters This piece of seruice was one of the best and worthiest encounters that our men had from that time to this hower in all their warres of the Lowe Countries The enemies were all ouerthrowne notwithstanding many escaped by reason of the ditches and narrow wayes especially the most of their Officers and leaders by reason of their horses and Tades Ours scaped not scot-free for wee had slaine and hurt about two hundred and fifty many of them Officers and amongst others the Captaines Bouser Bedes and Bostocke English besides Wallons and French which serued most valiantly But the chiefe praise next vnto God ought to bee giuen to the English Ensignes and armed men Captaine Walter Morgan serued very well who was ouerthrowne with a Musket shot in the head of the armed men All the rest did most valiantly Some will blame me for the naming of our owne losses but it is a shame for a souldier to write lesse then truth There can bee no braue encounter without men slaine on both sides True it is the fewer the better conduct but the more dyes the more honour to the fight This encounter so encouraged our men that Saras and Sir Humphrey resolued to returne to Tergoose After finishing their preparations and orders we landed at the same Village we did before in number aboue three thousand English French and Wallons for our troupes were encreased with Rowley and his garrison of Camfier Our second landing was in better order then the first by reason our ships attempted the Island in two places but all or the most part that carried souldiers were at the landing place The other being so many vessels in number approached the shore in such sort that the enemy durst not separate their forces to attempt both fearing that the other would cut betwixt them and the towne Being all on the shore we marched vnto a faire Village named Bifling some league from Tergoose where we lodged that night and the next day The second night at midnight we marched towards Tergoose before sixe of the clocke in the morning we were all within an English mile of the towne Finding the inconuenience of our last skirmish in the one place order was giuen to the companies of the Captaines Morgan Henrie Barnard and Vtran to march with all speed to attempt the fort which stoode on the head of the Hauen which entred into Tergoose And if the enemie would not quite their fort then to lodge on the one ditch betwixt them and the Towne where they stoode in battaile on the other ditch to see the effect of our attempting the fort Being hot in skirmish with the fort according to our direction a company of our men began to seek means to pass ouer the ditches to cut betwixt the fort and the towne There was also a way that passed throgh the medows frō the ditch where our battell stood whither Sir Humfrey and Saras sent many to second vs. The enemy perceiuing our resolution to lodge betwixt the fort the towne quitted the fort Notwithstanding York with most of C. Morgans cōpany re-encountred thē on the ditch in such sort that halfe of those who were in the fort were cut off before they could recouer the towne True it is the enemie had reason to quit the fort by reason they were not victualed but from hand to mouth neither was it worthy of any great munition because it could not endure any battery Being entred the suburbs Pacheco salied with great courage and skirmished in such sort that our first troupes were forced to stand for their fellows at which instant the enemy fired all or the most of the Salt-houses Our men being arriued close together we charged Pacheco forced their troupes to double their pases into their gates and withall lodged and placed our first guardes at a Chappell within eight score of the towne where we stayed and made good vntill all our troupes were lodged By reason of our small army we could not assure the one halfe of the towne for the garrison were eight hundred strong all naturall Spaniards commaunded by more expert leaders then our selues Yet hauing made our trenches and approaches wee landed sixe Pieces of
that it was a place not worthy to be kept meaning not sufficient to withstand so great an enemy any long time If that bee true we were not very great Captains at that time for then without fellowe hee was accounted our chiefest souldier By this time the Prince had gotten a sure footing in Holland so as all places of any importance were his Duke d' Alua assieges Harlem where many disasters fell on both sides which siege may be called the tediousest dearest and painfullest of any in those daies DVke d' Alua seeing the people generally ready to reuolt with the lest shew the Prince could make resolued to gather his forces and to charge the Hollanders with all fury swearing to his Captaines and souldiers that the spoile of Holland shold be theirs vpon condition they would execute all they found Hauing prepared a mighty army with all necessaries hee dislodged out of Brussels towards Holland Beeing arriued at Newmegen hee passed the riuers of Wale and Rhyne in the dead of winter and against all reason marched from Arnam towards Vtrick His high Marshall or Master of his Campe generall was Chiapine Vitelly Don Iohn de Mandosa was Generall of his horsemen his Generall of the artillery Mounsieur d' Cressoneir his masters del Campe were Baptista de Mounte Dorkus Iulian Romero Iohn Francisco d' Baldeso Lanchio Auila and Mondragon There were with him also many other of Nobility and Gentlemen of quality as well Italians Almaines Burgonians and Netherlanders as also of Spanish Being arriued at Amsterdam he commanded his sonne Don Frederick Chiapine Vitelly and Mandosa to march with the vanguard and to engage the towne of Harlem In such sort that nothing could passe from it to Leyden or to any other place by land Hauing placed foure regiments of Almaines and Wallons well entrenched in the wood hard by the towne and in the waies towards Leiden Don Fredrick placed himselfe with a Spanish Tertio or Regiment well intrenched in a village and a strong house betwene the towne and the sea and so lodged the rest of his companies that the towne sallies were cutte off sauing on the one quarter which was meadowes marish towards the Meere In the towne were the most of the Princes best Captaines namely Mounsieur d' Saras Steuen Butch Balford Smith with diuerse others of the Scots French Almaines and Wallons Amongst whom were some 200 English in sundry Companies without any Ensigne of their owne The garrison in the whole might be some three thousand souldiers They caused also about sixe hundred Burgesses to carry armes besides two thousand and more of all sorts of people sufficient to supply the place of pioners of which were some three hundred women all vnder one Ensigne The womens Captain was a most stout dame named Captaine Margaret Kenalt Hauing diuided the towne into quarters and giuing charge of euery quarter vnto a principall chiefe they fell to working in great numbers on the weakest parts of the Citie and mended continually some part of the fortifications In such sort that within one month their towne was three times stronger then the first houre the enemy encamped before it They kept also two small sconces on the mouth of the water that ranne from the towne into the meere which assured the passage that waies by which meanes they receiued daily all manner of commodities that pleased the Prince the States of Holland to send them The Prince kept at Delfe in Holland He chose for his Lieutenant of the wars the Baron of Battenburgh for Generall of his horsemen and Marshall Mounsieur de Carlon for Admirall of the Meere for that seruice one Noris Brand. By reason of the Spanish long delaies in their resolutions about their martiall affaires the Prince dispatched away his chiefes with some fiue thousand souldiers and about sixty boyes and cromsters of which sixe were galliots and friggats This army arriued at the Cage within three leagues of Harlem a place inuironed with waters where because the Spanish could not attempt by reason the Prince was master vpon the waters the Baron Battenburgh furnished Harlem at his pleasure with all necessaries There stood in the mayne right against it on the Meere side a village named the Sase where hee landed and entrenched very strongly In that place he encamped with some six hundred horsemen and the most of his foote-men At the Cage there was no danger wherefore he anchored his shipping hard by the shore leauing for their guard six hundred souldiers with the Admirall and one Ashilers By this time Duke d' Alua arriued before the towne with his whole forces artillery and munition amounting in the whole neere to thirty thousand of which might be some thousand fiue hundred horsemen He needed no great cauallery by reason he was assured there would bee but few against him Also those grounds did not serue for great troupes of horsemen to fight in After viewing the strong seate of the Baron of Battenburgh and perceiuing no good could be done vpon his troupes to affront him hee aduanced Iohn Battisto del Mounte with fiue Cornets Italians who entrenched strongly with sixteen Companies of footmen in a village called Hellingham halfe the way betwixt both our companies Afterwards he began to make his approaches carefully sparing neither pioners nor cost to spare his souldiers Before hee planted his battry the towne made many braue sallies killed a great number with small losse to themselues Once they carried diuers Ensignes out of their enemies trenches nayled sundry peeces of battery After placing his battry and playing furiously he gaue two sharp assaults which were defended worthily by the besieged to the enemies great losse of whom a great number of quality were slaine and hurt and amongst others the braue master of the Campe Iulian Romero lost his eye with a hargabushado The enemy often possest the breach but beeing entred their halfe moone I meane the trench which the defendants made ouerthwart the breach within they were murdered like dogges The defendants had diuers fowlers and other peeces loaden with nailes and small shot which they placed on the corners of their halfe moone Those were discharged full against the enemies being entred vpon the breach Also they had placed a great number of small shot in houses both high and lowe full of Cannoners who flanked the halfe moone and besides the halfe moone was double manned with Musketiers Calliuers Duke d' Alua his losses were so great that perceiuing the braue resolution of the defendants hee gaue ouer his assaults and began to myne and to approach carefully with sape and other stratagems Sometimes he would mount Cages on masts made with plankes and such deuices of musket proofe In those hee would place diuers musketiers who by reason of their height did beate into the trenches of the halfe moone
The defendants good Cannoniers plagued those Cages in such sort that often the Cages birds and all fell downe and brake their necks in their owne trenches So at last no birds could be found to sing in Cages where fire-worke and Cannon-shot could annoy them His mynes tooke little effect Some the defendants found with counter-myne One myne beeing passed vnder a bulwarke before it was found and then discouered the defendants made such trenches round about it that the myne being fired and the enemies entered the trench plagued them like the halfe moone so as they were driuen to quitte their myne as before they had done their breach Another time they battered a new bulwarke and the defendants perceiuing they would lodge in it left rampiring against their battery and fell to myning their owne bulwark After making many trenches round about it and placing diuers barrells of powder in their myne the enemies offered to enter The defendants quitted the bulwark sufferd the enemies to enter in great numbers and beeing at the push of pike at a barrier of their trench they fired the myne blew slew and toke at least 1600 and withall sallied into their trenches and recouered their owne ground where their bulwarke stood which they entrenched kept Duke d' Alua his losses were so great that albeit his choler encreased yet the courage of his souldiers much quailed so that the wisest sort requested him to saue his men from such furious terrors and rather to spend a long time either to famish the towne or to procure the Princes forces to fight which he could not doe without meanes to fight by water Beeing in Amsterdam with the resolution of his Admirall Count Bossue and good intelligence with the principall Burgesses of the saide towne hee resolued to cut a passage from the Southerne sea into Harlem Meere which they did and passed some forty fiue sailes whereof most were greater then those of the Princes These they armed and double manned with the best sort of souldiers out of their Campe besides their mariners Anchoring close vnder a fort of theirs not farre from ours they resolued to besiege the two forts at the mouth of the water that came from the towne to the Meere Hauing those they were sure to stop that passage and to famish the town without giuing battel In short time they made a platform to beat thâ—se forts which would hold good if their shipping could stay where they were The Prince hearing their intent commanded the Baron of Battenburgh to prepare all his Nauie to attempt the Spanish fleete By this time Colonell Morgan was arriued with tenne English companies who by reason he was but newly landed stood on some poynts of contract with the Prince But the seruice required haste and the Prince commanded the Baron of Battenburgh to aduance his Nauie with all speede and to vse all diligence to succor the distressed skonces And albeit the English regiment stood on tearmes Colonell Morgan his owne band commanded by Rowland Yorke being arriued some moneth before their fellowes offered himselfe and so did his Lieutenant Captaine Bingham with diuers others to serue where the Prince would command them But their regiment refused to march without money To say troth they were promised to bee mustered and payd at their landing The Baron of Battenburgh wanting souldiers to man both his Nauie and his trenches at the Sase was forced to depart with the Nauie before towards Harlem God knoweth nothing well manned in respect of the Spanish The Spanish Admirall hauing intelligence was ready with his Nauie double manned wanting no necessaries For the faire and rich towne of Amsterdam had furnished them with all wants especially with store of Marriners Being approached within sight one of another we found the Spanish in good order of battaile keeping close together They aduanced towards vs triumphing with Drummes Trumpets and glistering armours with great courage so as the sight quailed the courage of our white-liuered Generall and cowardly Admirall In such sort that being approached neere ready to board each other our Generall and our Admirall shranke out of our first ranke backewards and aduancing their fellowes forwards both themselues and diuers others of our best vessels made all the sailes they could to fly leauing their poore companies engaged to the mercie of their enemies by whom God knowes they were soone discountenanced Our Admirall and Generall with our best â—aâ—les escaped to the Cage as I said before a place of ours where we kept garrison the rest of our Nauie made to the contrarie shore from Harlem Diuers escaped by reason they drew farre lesser water then the Spanish diuers were boarded and burned among others two Hoyes where Yorke and Captaine Morgans companie was Notwithstanding halfe our men escaped with leaping into the water and recouered the shoare Thus lost we our Sea-battaile principally for want of souldiers to man throughly our ships but partly with ill directions and cowardly executions of the Baron of Battenburgh and Admirall Norris Brand. For no Generall or Chiefe can excuse himselfe escaping out of an ouerthrow without staying with the last troupes that fight After this our two skonces were lost and Harlem engaged to be lost without succours by land which could not be without battaile Shortly after the towne beganne to fall to distresses hauing in it at the least one thousand sixe hundred mouths with no meanes to be rid of any of them but through the enemies Campe which they offered to passe often but alwaies they were returned into the towne or massacred in the Campe. The poore Prince perceiuing the distresse of the town sought all meanes to relieue it Hauing no other means he went to Cublick Banquets where he encouraged the Hollanders to take armes and aduenture themselues with his men of warre rather then suffer their distressed Countrimen to perish These poore Hollanders hauing ingaged themselues with promise resolued to meete on a day in the Campe of Sase Being arriued the Baron of Battenburgh and Mounsieur de Carlo Generall of his horsemen tooke resolution to try the fortune of warres with the enemie rather then to suffer the world to cry out that the towne was lost without blowes on their sides and thinking his name to be infamous as indeed it was for the Sea-fight he thought it better to be buried dead then aliue Hereupon hee dislodged from his trenches of Sase accompanied with some sixe thousand footemen and sixe hundred horsemen and hauing with him some thousand Mares Vpon most of the which he placed two shot a peece the rest were led with Boures loaden with pouder and other necessaries which the towne wanted greatly Resoluing to put those necessaries into the towne hee aduanced his forces Being arriued hard by Hellingham a place as I said before which the enemie kept at the breake of day the enemy taking the alarum the
attempt any great siege or seruice before hee had acquainted the King how the world went To that end being arriued at Brussels he dispatched two of qualitie vnto the King either to send him treasure and meanes more plentifully and in better order or to giue him leaue to retire himselfe and to send another Gouernor Iulian Romero winneth Mayston-sluce but dareth not attempt Delfes-hauen IVlian and his succours being arriued and hauing conferred with Baldeso resolued to attempt Mayston-sluce and dislodged from the Hague with their forces named before haling with them sixe pieces of battery Being arriued at the great Village called Florden within a small league of Mayston-sluce they quartred their horse-men with a regiment of footemen for their guardes and departed with the rest to approach the Sluce They carried with thē all the skutes and boats that might be found in Waggons with plankes ladders and all other necessaries that they thought fit to scale and to make bridges ouer the dikes Being before the Sluce with their bridges and meanes they had made to passe the ditches they tooke the great ditch on both sides of the Sluce I meane the dyke the Sluce stands vpon and which keeps the sea from drowning the land Hauing mounted their artillery on both sides of the dyke they dismounted ours within which did beate on the dyke After turning their artillerie towards the seas I meane the riuer of Mase which is aboue a league broad in that place they beat away such vessels as the defendants had anchoring before their fort Mounsieur de Terlon being Admirall and Gouernour of Brill perceiuing their successe departed out of the fort in a skute with great hazard to recouer the Brill presently the enemies passed their boates ouer the dyke into the Mase Being passed it much abated the courage of S. Aldegoundy his garrison not without reason For betwixt the fort and the water their Rampier was worth nothing so as at a high water it couered the dyke of the fort as high as the parapet The enemy perceiuing their successe prepared a Ponton which they builded artificially vpon their boates and placed on it three of their pieces The garrison perceiuing their stratageme hauing no meanes to auoyde it nor hope of succours compounded for their fort deliuering the enemies their chiefe prisoners with their ensignes and armes Thus was the fort of Mayston-sluce lost partly by reason our ships of warre durst not hazard to dismount the enemies artillery which they might haue done shewing their accustomed valour as they did since and before in diuers places but chiefly by reason our men did not cut the dyke on both sides of the fort to haue drowned the Countrey hauing done that the enemie would neuer haue attempted the place By reason of the strength of Delfes-hauen the enemy refused to attempt it To say troth they had no reason to doe it hauing no meanes to approach but on such a dyke and the enemy being so well fortified and manned as their approaches had beene vaine The King of Spaine calleth home the Duke d'Alua and in his roome establisheth Don Lewis de Requesence Gouernour of the Lowe Countries IN this time order came from the King to retire Duke d'Alua into Spaine and to resigne his place vnto Don Lewis de Requesence Commendador Maior de Castillia a souldier of great reputation for counsaile but no body for execution as the battaile of Lapanta could witnesse For this Commendador being chiefe Counceller to Don Iohn de Austria did what he could to procure the Christian armie not to hazard battaile with the Turkes Also being in the fight he aduanced so slowly with a rereguarde of Gallies that he nor his came to any blowes so as both there and in other places alwaies the Commendador was reputed a coward But belike in respect of his wit and mildnesse the King sent him into the Lowe Countries perhaps perswaded that a milde Captaine would winne the hearts of the people farre better with faire meanes then Duke d'Alua with his cruelty But in troth both King and Councell deceiued themselues in calling away Duke d'Alua and in making choyce of such a Generall as the Commendador Maior For by all reason if the Duke had beene royally maintained as he ought he had made his master absolute King ouer all the seauenteene Prouinces To say troth furie and resolution well vsed or executed had been the onely waies to supprsse that nation the Spanish being resolued to subdue them as they were For all other since the witty politicke Neatherlanders did alwaies ouer-reach the Spanish especially hauing such a head to direct them as the Prince of Orange and being so strongly situated wanting no meanes to maintaine warres and resolued to withstand the Spanish to the vttermost rather then to yeeld to any composition For whether the people bee strongly situated or not wealthie or poore few or great in multitudes being resolued to be mutinous and discontented and not willing as I said before to be brought vnto any composition but such as pleaseth themselues God helpe that Prince or State that must be forced to compound with such a a people by any meanes but by the sword which had beene farre more easie in the hands of Duke d'Alua then of the poore Commendador But the emulation amongst Councellers for greatnesse ouerthrew that seruice with many others as I will shew hereafter The Spanish Priests namely Cardinall Granuill the Bishop of Toledo with the aide of Rigomus did perswade the King that Duke d'Alua was too great a subiect By such means rather then any other Duke d'Alua was called home and questioned for many disorders committed aswell in other places as in the Lowe Countries Walkheren besieged with the Princes shipping Middleburgh releeued by the Spaniards diuers skirmishes betwixt the forces of either side Mondragon entreth Middleburgh the Spanish Nauie at their returne toward Antwerpe defeated WHilest Iulian was busie in Holland Mounsieur de Poyet and Boiset Gouernour of Walkheren with his brother the Admirall of Zeland had besieged the Iland with a great number of shippes of warre In such sort that nothing could enter into Middleburgh Armue and Ramkins which the enemies held Messieurs de Beuoir and Don Ruffello being distressed for want of victualls in the said places found means to acquaint the Commendador with their estate Whereupon the Commendador sent for Iulian to come with most of his forces and to leaue Baldeso with the rest in Holland Hauing prepared a Nauy of some hundred saile of ships hoyes and crumsters giuing them in charge vnto the Masters of the Campe Sanio d'Auila Castillan of Antwerpe and Mondragon After furnishing them with all necessaries both double manned with souldiers and appointed with great store of victuals as wel to relieue the distressed places as the army abroad he commanded them to vse all diligence first to enter