spent in veiwing these liuely tokens of Gods fauor on the day following command was giuen that publike thanksgiuing should bee rendred both in the towne and army in which I blesse God I had a share and on Munday-night with 3. volleyes afâ—er the manner heere it was made knowne very cleerely to Antwerpe and the enemies army some of our cannon hauing very wide mouthes vppon the sabbath was brought in Dulken the once Gouernour of Grol a Iesuite with him so dayly diuers prisoners who had come on shore on diuers parts Nor did wee at this time thinke our labor ill bestowed to ride from place to place to looke on either their Punts sloopes or our men bringing in the spoyle som telling their freinds how hardly they had escaped and shewing their chayne gnawne bullets som with rapiers som scarfes one with Count Iohns leading stasse another with a buffcoate most laden with Antwerpes beere Amongst diuers other things there came to my hande a knife of the keur lings who are som of their company about Bridges that neâ—her giue nor take quarter vpon which was engraven in Dutch Rithme Make hast from Bridges Prince of Aurania Honnor your M r the king of Hispania Let our flaunders alone come not heere to pillage For wee haue for you nor citty nor village vnder which was pictured the towne of Bridges the Prince running from it on horse-back Surely as the deliuerance was great so the purchase especially of amunition was not a little as wee shall shew by the particulars following And now mee thinkes by this time I saw the mother of Sisera looking out of a window crying through the lattesse why stay his chariot-wheeles so long Iudg 5. 28. etc. surely shee is much deceiued if she thinke they are deuiding the spoyle Thus the Lord ouerthrew Pharow his host in the red sea for his mercy indureth for ever The weeke following the Prince commanded most of the prisoners to bee set vppon ships without fayle or rudder by the head at Berghen till order should bee taken for ransome the poore women at Antwerpe who had their husbands in the Service with their heauy complaynts at Bergen gates made vs know how welcome those tidings were at Antwerpe the last weeke the Drossart of Breda treated for their deliuery and so they are departing home you may iudge with what ioy they shall bee intertained and presently vppon the miscarriage of the enterprise their army marcheth both from Prince-land and Rosendale whereof 32. companies of foote are gone for Breda and 10. of horse Vpon Thurs-day wee had generall thanksgiuing in our churches expressing our ioy by fires guns etc. The sum of the officers taken by vs. Colonels Lieuten Col Sargeant Maiors men of great note 19. Captaines 26. Lieutenants 10. Ensignes 28. Sargeants 23. Officers about the Canon 6. Som other officers Church men 11. Land souldiers 3151. Sea men Captaines 12. Lieutenants 15. Quarter Masters 7. Shippers 1. Sailors 820. Coming out of Antwerpe in all they were mustered aboue 6000. The number of the shipping come to our hands Shalloopes whose provision generally was 6. brasse Peeces 8. Murtherers 4. Dunder busses besides Lether Peeces 36. Punts with one halfe Canon and two three quarter Canon 10. Pleyts whose lading was Lope-staues Nayls Ice-spurs 10 Horses Hardles Beesbridges etc. ⧠⧠9. Other Amunition ships whose lading was Powder Beere Deales 7. That which I offer by way of observation cannot bee much Time wyll not afford it Yet these things briefly take notice of 1 That Reuenge is no Sluggard Malice is vnwearyed For wee vnderstand this worke practise haue bin vnder hand these 6 yeares 2. Reuolters from Religion prooue her sharpest enemyes witnes besides Iulian Count Iohn who will bee the Ring-leader in any designe that may make nothing of what hee formerly profest 3 To expect better then Stratagems tending to ruine from a popish enemy doth argue either ignorance of their courses or groundles Confidence 4 Security hauing lost the vse of reason will deny the Conclusion rather then beleeue the danger As wee saw when our people could hardly beleeue the enemy to be the enemy though he lay before the Ports 5. High men are Vanity Low men are a Lye which was playne when wee saw neither the great Commander nor the comon souldier could helpe vs the enemy out-brauing vs the whole day 6. The Creature cannot bee sufficient for our succor for he is not allwayes a present helpe in trouble wee could neither command wind nor tide where as either of them might haue done vs much good 7. The Lord often layes the reine on the neck of his enemyes they goe long vncontrold these went all day in the face of our Army vntouched 8. Sudden Prosperity is no signe of lasting Happynesse These Spiders had no sooner framed their web but it was swept downe 9. The Lord brings his greatest workes about by Accident the tide not servng which wee longd for our ships could not come vp with them by day so escapt a scowring Their Admirall putting out a light when he was on ground brought the rest into the same net they seeking a neerer way by the Fosse-mere lost their way with many such like 10. A poore creature is many times made the Lords great host as Pharaohs Lice agaynst him and a hand full of mist throwne amongst these 11. Feare vnfits a man to know what hee should doe disinables him to doe what hee knowes otherwise they might haue made head vpon the water or the shore gotten good quarter for ought wee perceiue 12. Cruell men haue often their punishments giuen them out in proportion they devising new boates they shall perish in their boates they will bring haltars for others which may serue them selues the gallowes set up for Mordecay serues Haman 13. The Lord answers his servants some times in the very thing they aske in our fast before the Prince went into the field wee made vse of that text that petition of Dauids Psal 83. 15. So persecute them with they tempest make them afrayd with thy storme behold wee haue our answere 14. Outward strength humane policyes are no sufficient Bul warks agaynst Battryes from heauen it was easily seene here was no want of skill in this designe the preparations were not ordinary but what are Tifney-walls to a Canon-shot or their plots to Gods mist 15. Feare is an ill guide though a quick post many hundreds of them leauing their owne strength betaking them selves to the mercy of an enemy 16. God like an Indulgent Father striues to reforme by shewing a rod Dauid had the same measure when hee Confesseth Lord thou hast shewn me affliction we saw what might haue bin our portion wee felt not what the enemy intended wee deserued 17. Diuine Providence which fooles call Foutune will serve it selfe vpon Let vs sleepe the enemy wake let them attempt let vs study to prevent let them bee strong many wee weake few let them goe on wee looke on let them deuide the spoyle to euery one a damosell an office before they come where they are yet Prouidence will serue it selfe vpon all this 18. It is remarkable that the Lord doth sadly make the servants of Idolls to know that ther Maisters or Gods are nothing In this attempt they will set forth vpon Saint Crosses day it being by their Almanack the eleuation of the holy Crosse their Generall of all their Army being called by that name and Count Iohn the Leader of the Nauall troopes being free of that Company Such Crosses let the enemyes of God euer carry with them hee had one he wore on his brest before he hath now another for his back I wish i may doe him good at his hart 19 The Lord doth not bind himsele to any particular meanes that wee many times vse to often trust vnto either for our deliuerance or the confusion of our enemies wee iudged of one meane he vsed another in this great work as was playne to be seene 20. It is admirable to see what a man or people may receiue in poynt of Honor doe like wise in matter of Action if the Lord goe out with them as this is notable this Prince of Orange neuer yet since hee had the command went out but hee returued triumphing the Lord euer make him triumphing victorious in his cause The Vses wee may make in a word are these 1. Let vs euer heereafter learne to know the creature by their owne names not to call a horse or a man a God or a water or fort a Sauiour wee may take vp â—he words of the repenting church Hos 14. The more fatherles the more merry or the lesse wee Idolize vpon our selves the greater succor we may looke for from heauen 2. Since the Lord can rule guide dispatch ouercome workes of this nature so well since hee hath thus graciously appeared in 31. as formerly in 88. let both England Holland bee willing to giue him the helme into his owne hands for euer I wish his quarrell agaynst vs all bee not that wee haue vsed him too much like a Comon-man wee see though wee had never receiued his word that his place is at the sterne let not Religion lackquey to Policy Kisse the sonne least hee bee angry Psal 2. 3. Giue him who hath done all deserueth all all the glory Ioseph may haue any thing in Potiphars house but his wife in Pharaohs but his throne as tender is the Lord of his honor glory as they of either Shall wee euen greiue his good spirit more shall wee euer slight his sabbaths can it bee 4. See that prosperity sâ—ay not our foolish harts the skill will bee how to improoue the mercy Sisera is then vndone when hee his careles in Iaels tent who was a Neutrall such is outward prosperity good bad may share in it the wisdome is how to vse it hee need walke warily that goes on a glassy sea with iron shooes But the wind is fayre the sea-men call the Dutch printer is weary hee craues pardon for his faults I must end before I am halfe way the mayne This at least may saue the writing many letters You may trust the Intelligence for the Truth to the God of Truth I commend You. In whome I am your lo. kinsman H. P.
DIGITVS DEI. OR GOOD NEWES FROM HOLLAND Sent to the wor. ll IOHN TREFFRY AND IOHN TREFVSIS ESQVIRES As allso to all that haue shot arrows agaynst Babels Brats and wish well to Sion wheresouer NON NOBIS DOMINE Printed By Abraham Neringh Printer in Rotterdam by the ould Head ANNO. 1631. S RS SInce my condition lot fell in these parts of the world which for a long time haue beene Sedes belli I haue not bin altogether negligent in taking up such observations as might either draw mee to a more serious consideration of Gods prouidence dispensing it selfe into many particulars some more secret some open to euery eye or such as might by their presentment unto mee of the worlds vanity turnings make mee see the glassie brittlenesse shiftlesnesse of the creature so perswade to a stronger dependance uppon the creator a Being that hath happinesse in it selfe Not hath it bin the least of my care to cast an especiall eye uppon the seuerall victories vnparaleld deliuerances if wee take up all circumstances which this state hath bin honored with In the compasse of three yeares or there about I haue seene strange turnings returnings of prouidence ebbs of State that left vs at least the wise-hearted hopelesse of a flood and then agayne high waters that haue left many thoughtesse yea carelesse of an ebb heere haue I seene an enemy slighted at a great distance too much feared neerer hand many mountainous designes which haue prooued mole hills in execution heere haue wee seene men looking one way the Lord bringing the thing about another sometimes God destraining for his glory where men would not giue it him other wayes In a word heere hath bin imploiments for all kinds of spirits all kinds of men heere the sad heart hath had matter to feed those black vapors that cherish melancholy heere the freer spirit might hâ—ue a time to lauish it selfe out in warrantble ioyes refreshments heere the magistrate hath had worke enough to aduise the people to bring in their assistances the souldier hath had enough how to deuise how to execute to his greater advantage and those that waite vppon the tabernacle haue had no reason to bee idle where dayes of attonement as well as the dayly sacrifice were to bee attended on sometime wee haue bin slipping with Dauid beside our selves and our comforts while wee fretted at the foolish and saw the prosperity of the wicked sometimes with the same good-man wee were as those that dreamed to see the downe-fall of the vngodly what chaff they were before the wind Truly S rs wee haue seene much of Gods faythfulnesse sufficiency wee ar to bee blamed if wee have not also seene our owne inability nothingnesse But whiles I haue let my meditations travel from one place to another they haue lodged longer in these two viz first in the consideration of our selues 2 o of the enemy in the former whereof wee may take up matter of wonder that the Lord continues vs instruments of his glory the subiect of his goodnesse bounty who may iustly take shame to our selues that wee ar no more sanctified in our drawing neare unto him or doe sanctifie him soe little alas S rs strangers that looke uppon us may thinke that wee are his onely iewell since wee are kept so safely but the truth is our beauty is but blacknesse our deformities are the speech of neighbor nations by the openesse of our folly wee make the daughters of the Philistims reioyce Nor haue wee lesse worke in the contemplation of the enimy being the center to which subtilty cruelty dilligence in euell with many other the like as so many lines haue their confluxe What great cost haue they byn at in the not yet subduing a handfull of people nay which is admirable that which hath bin the coÌ„ mon breake-back to other states countryes hath bin the supplying of their treasures heere filling of their Magazins I meane their Army They haue had heere many plowers plowing uppon their back yet there remaines noe signe of a furrow I wish wee saw noe steps of their sin I will not heere discusse in what coyne the Lord hath bin paid for his kindnesse nor what procâ—ede they haue returned of their talents concredited to them I haue inioyed this common ayre with them and haue had my share in their particular merties I cannot bee silent What a hand wee saw out of heauen by the surprize of Wesel and the Bosch following that as if the former mertie had not bin enough for theÌ„ Heere I will not treate I haue formerly advertisd about them what mertie the Lord hath sent them from the sea what siluer trophees from the enimy hath bin brought is not now my purpose to speake But since the Lord by an especiall hand led me to looke vppon the beginning end of this late deliuerance I shall aduertise therein according to truth in which I may not seeme it may bee soe particular as some may expect because I dare not call Opinion Fayth nor so exact in tearmes because a stranger to the Language though a freind to Souldiery but this I shall doe I will labor to shew truth in her nakednesse or at least in her owne apparell and the order I shall propose will bee this First I shall present the bare history 2 ly some obseruations from it 3 ly I shall add some vses wee may make of it and first for the history Whilst the Illustrious Prince of Orange after a triple victory viz Groll Wesell and the Bosch had sate downe the last summer to refresh him-selfe euen la den with honnor Sanballat and Tobiah I meane they of Spayne and Flaunders rose early went to bed late eating the bread of carefulnesse in coÌ„plottiug the raising their honnor out of the dust where Hee had buried it as an instrument in Gods hand the yeares before and surely if strength had answered their reuengefull spirits the mischeife had had wings before wee should haue knowne it was hatchd For heerein they far outstrip their enimies that their waters run deepely and silently Now that you may vnderstand what they had in their eye that should exhaust so much of their treasure this yeare and perswade with their cleargie like the neighboring channels soe fâ—eely to emptie themselues into the common sea I shall acquaint you with Marques Spinolaes last will and testament left in the hands of the Infanta at his departur out of these wars Two things hee aduised out of his loÌ„g experience best observations that might infest the States whereof the first was that the current of their commerce with forreine parts might be stoppd or at least lessened therfore would that from Dunkerk Osten other parts ships should bee set forth for the intercepting them in the narrow seas which counsaile the world obserues hath bin taken that with noe
clock ours followd them had the Princes owneship to leade them the way about 4 came some of our fleet that lay by Falconesse followed them made in all about 25. saile they passed betweene Tertol Tergoose on the one side whereof a godly minister before General Morgan came had wiâ—h much earnest persuasions drawne this neighbors into a reasonable order for their owne defence on the other side not only 20 companies of the Princes awaited them but also the Boores or country people were in great readinesse being generally men of very good abilities in point of souldierie But it seemes that was not the white they shot at wherefore they past on beyoud Zereikzea before our ships could come neere shot of them about 9 ' of the clock at might the friday aforesaid the Princes ship shot by a village calld Ould Kerke in short time brought her peeces to beare vppoÌ„ them in so much as wee haue it by credible testtimony that with one broade side shee killd 23. men other ships of ours came vp with them like wise gaue received such rough intertainement as passeth among men at such times a ship of Zeland had by one shot from the enimy 4 men slayne 4. hurt our musketeres came not up to doe much seruice for these reasons 1 in such a hurry of businesse uppon the water command could not so easily passe besides that command they had was to seconde the ships that were prouided to fight at length moreouer the worke continued not so loug as to make vse of all our men The Princes ship receiued shot 2. in the sayles 1 in the midship quitted herselfe well some 5. or 6. more did the like but it playnely appeared the enimy seemed not much to regarde fighting rather longing striuing to bee M r of his designe therfore continually steered of their course till towards morning the whole night being exceeding fayre for one houres space noe more the Lord east a mist uppon them by which they themselues confessing it they were much distracted lost their way diuers of them came on ground and the most of them at Muschle-creeke not far from Steenbergen the vangard being at this time within one houres time or two at the most of the place they aimed at diuers of them blame Fortune and their pilots but in truth as some of them accknowledgd to myselfe the blow was from heauen and to proceede this confusion taught vs who was their Generall viz Count Iohn of Nassau who would rather venture the Infantaes displeasure then pay soe deare for his entertainment heere againe as hee had lately done at Wesell Insomuch that hee with Prince Brabenson and some other cheifes left the fleete and heere I must remember a complement was put vppon Count Iohn at his departure from Antwerp and embarquing after many benedictions from the Infanta and questionlesse much water sprinckled uppon him and his company to praeserue him from the displesure of S r Neptune etc. The Liuetenant Generall of the horse had a cringe with him to this purpose S t quoth hee the designe you are ingaged in is weightie the cost hath bin great for the aduancing of it and it will require a whole man but I must tell you I conceiue not Count Iohn to bee That Man and so they parted And since wee haue spoken of Muschle-creeke I must tell you of a passage that concernes the said Generall of theirs where by I may put you in mind how fooles oracles may prooue wise-mens truths not long before this attempt Count Iohn sending a Trumpet to our army wished him if the Prince should aske what became of their shallopes to answer that they meant shortly to come eate some Muscles hee came to y â— place indead but I suppose hee had not time to fill his belly or if hee tasted them I thinke hee hath not yet disgested them that he cannot much reioyse at his banquet Some other sloopes followed their Generall to Prince-land and fired them at landing so that betwene Willemstadt and Musclecreeke I saw diuers of the hulls of them lying by the shore the rest quirred their boates with what speede they could feare giuing them wings and confusion and distraction taking away their wits the reason they giue for making this great haste to the land is because on these in-land waters they could expect noe quarter and euery worme will reade us a lecture of the sweetenesse of life 1400. seing a horse-man vppon a dike gaue themselues to him a great conquest for one man Divers in landing were drowned many stript them selves to swim and so came naked to our army most of their ships by the morning light were found in new Fosse-mere where they lay that day with our ships by them Wee shall not neede to write what they returned the Preists for their benedictions but certainely many Tuns of diuels and especially to the Preist who had the cheife hand in the plot and did boaste great of carriing shipps under water and promising to bring their souldiers into Berghen which hee did truly performe You must conceiue what a suddayne change heere was when our men came to take possession of their vessels they scrambled away in the mud which mynds me of a merry answere of the Prince to one that told him the Preist would bring their men vnder the water hee sayd he then must send to Zeland for some fishermen to prick them vp vpon their Eel-speares By 8. in the morning newes came to the Prince of their forfaking their boates whereupon he commanded diuers companies to march towards Steen-berghen to enconter them supposing they might make head but before our men were vpon their march tidings came that most of them had giuen them selues prisoners by 11. of the clock the first sight of them wee saw was 4 or 5. Captaynes with 2 Capuchins presented to the Prince with whome hee enterayned neere an houres talke who all blamed Count Iohn for his starting at a pinch The Capucians were presently begd by the Duke of vensdome into whose tuition and fauor they were soone returned the next sight that was presented to vs was a fat trumpetter of Count Iohns in a carr there followed him the Captaine of the Princes ship on horsebacke behinde a Gentleman with the colours of the Admirall of their fleete being a Burgoignian crosse which hee presented to the Prince after him followed in two diuifions the prisoners garded by a troope of the Duke of Bullen which were betweene 2. and 3000. before the last diuision was a wagon laden with their Officers and this was obseruable that among all these and 900. more wich lay at Steen-bergen there was no English at all but they were all Dutch and Wallons these were sent to such places as the towne of Berghen had to entertaine them in especially an old peice of a Church receiued most Thus the saterday was cheerefully