to get into the Vuchter-end or bleach feelde In this patch of ground were made Blindes and Batteries to dismount the Enemyes Ordinance which playd vpon our Galleries and Workemen from the Bulwarke on the left hand of the Gate and a peece which they had suuke in their halfe Moone In this Feelde also we began to laye over a second Gallerie on the right face of the Bulwarke but the Enemyes Ordinance from the Bulwarkes on the further side of the Gate shot through it 8. or 10. times breaking some of the posts asunder at the entrance of it into the moate yet at the last our Batterie in that Feelde put them to silence and an English Captaine an excellent Cannonnier dismounted their halfe Cannon that daye the Lord of Oxford had the Guarde after which our Men working more safelie in both the Galleries The 13. manye Granadoes were cast into the Towne which threw downe manie Houses The 15. of August in the night the Enemye had a Stratagem to cutt our Trench by the little Mill and Coudwater betweene Count Ernst and Brederoes Quarter and so to haue let in the Water vpon our Approaches to put this into execution Grobbendonk sent out of the Towne some hundred and fiftie firelockes and spades which stole in the night betweene the Petler-Sconce and Count Ernsts Quarter through the inwarde Line where it was not finished and came to the little Windmill by our out Line and there hauing layd an Embuscado of some of their firelockes in a ditch and behinde some bushes fell to worke apace to cut our Trench some 30. foote broad betweene the Horneworke and the Redouts vpon the Line not farre from that place where Count Henry of Berks Men would haue attempted it before But parte of Captaine Brogs Companie hauing the gard in a Redoubt next vnto them gaue fire and the Alarme being giuen Our Horse which had the gard in a House not farre from thence came vp to charge them and giuing fire likewise from that Redoubt they lefte their worke and retreated backe to their Ambush leauing their Spades and a paire of ould Shoes behind them and as they retreated gaue fire vpon our Horse and slew a Corporall and hurte twoo or three more But by reason of the Morrace and the Ditches our Horsemen could not come to charge them neither durst our foote leaue their Guardes and so they retreated backe againe into the Towne some twoo English mile where they fell a cutting Surelie if they had stayd but one halfe quarter of an houre longer or cut the gap not so broad they had effected the busines they came for because the Water was not passing three ynches lower then the top of the Trench and so should haue let in an Inundation of Water vpon vs. The 16. of August newes came to our Campe that the Enemie had taken Amersford The 17. Count William then commaunding the Quarter and Workes of Count Ernst caused twoo Mines to be blowne vp which were made vnder the Horneworke of the Hintemergate also made twoo assaults vpon the Enemie but prevayled not The 18. in the morning the Enemie sallied forth of the Towne neere Pinsens Quarter and robbed some of the Victualers and so departed the night following the Leeftenant Coronell Sir Edward Vere had the commaund in the Trenches And on Sondaye his Excellence who oftentimes ventered his person very much came downe to the Gallerie to see the Approaches a little before the said Leeftenante Coronell was relieued hee went to shew the Prince the Workes and the Sap the Companies being relieued were drawne off as far as the little Sconce The said Leeftennante Coronell Vere hauing showen his Excellentie the Sap and taking his leaue of him walking off with Sir Thomas Conway being a Tall man came an vnhappie Musketshot through the Blind and shot him behind in his head that it perisht his braynes that night being brought to his Tent within some foure dayes afterwardes dyed whose extraordinarie vallour sufficiencie compleat abilities for a Commander as they were well knowne so was his losse exceedinglie lamented by his Excellentie and the Chiefes of our Army My Lord Generall Vere my Lord of Oxford many Captaines Officers Voluntaries and Gentlemen of quality who had beene at his funerall in Bommell returning home that night The English Regiment had the guard in the Approaches and a civill worthy Gentleman of my Lords Companie of Dort one M. Mollenax that bare the sword of the said Leeftenant Coronell before his corps goeing to see the sap was the first that night which followed him the waye of all flesh my Lord Generall Vere bestird himselfe had all his Officers and Souldiers in readinesse that vpon the first occasion if the Enemie had either sallied out vpon our Sappers or Workemen or if they should haue attempted the firing of the Gallerie they might haue beate them in againe Captaine Rookewood of my Lord Veres Regiment as eldest Captaine executed my Lords commaund with valour and discretion had his Granado-Men at hand and placed diuers Musketteirs vpon all flanks to playe vpon the Enemie and to keepe them vnder for shooting vpon the end of our Gallerie and our Workemen and now and then sent them some Cannon Bullets which shot vpon the topp of their Bulwarke and vpon their halfe Moone to keepe them vnder sometimes sending a Granado into the Towne and throwing Handgranadoes amongst them into their halfe Moone Towardes midnight the Enemie likewise did cast Handgranadoes vpon our Blind next to their halfe Moone and set fire on it which brake out into a greate flame but the vigilency of my Lord Vere was such fearing that the fire might take further hould he gaue order that some Souldiers should take shouells and spades from the Workemen and cast earth and water vpon it which caused it to slake and had twoo or three Granadoemen there which paid them with theire owne coine but sure it was good that the Wind blew Southwest for had the Wind blewe Northwest and had blowne stiff as it did it had not onelie endangered the firing of all our Blindes but also our Gallerie which would haue hindered our Approaches and cast vs a greate deale behinde hand And so this daye and night following the Gallerie and Workes were well advanced This daye Sir Harry Hungate got a marke of honour by a Bullet which shot him thorow his buffe Ierkin and grazed vpon his flesh Before our Regiment had the Watch againe in the Approaches the Gallerie was well advanced and they got about three Posts night and daye it was then my Lord of Oxfords turne to commaund who was made Leeftenante Coronell in Sir Edwarde Veres place deceased The Bridge being layd ouer the Ditch of the Enemies halfe Moone The English began to sap and lodged in the left corner of it because of the Trees that laye a crosse in it This night there was discouered an engine vpon a floate from the furthest parte of their halfe Moone by
consent of the Prins but were forced to returne in the Towne againe Betweene the 4. and 5. of Maye in the night there slipt into the Towne some 800. Men which came from Breda by the waye of Vlymen and along Deuteren where Monsieur Pinsens Quarters was afterward and from thence wading vp to the Armepitts in the water got into Sainct Iohns gate By reason whereof his Excellence did cause a Dyke to be made from the Vuchterheath to Pinsens Quarter over the drownedland by Grobbendoncks Koy and likewise along the Busse-Sloate as farre as to Engelen wrought all by Pesants which brought earth and Sande thither in boates with twigs of trees or brush to laye vnder and betwixt the earth that the water might not wash it awaye And so the whole Siege was compassed and shutt in 8. or 10. dayes Betweene the 11. and 12. of Maye Count Ernst did approche in his Quarter as farre as is noted in the Mappe from A to B and there made a Corps de guarde and bargayned with his Workemen to make him a Batterie there of sixe peeces of ordinance which Batterie within tenne or twelue dayes after was made being very neere within Musket shott of the Towne And by reason the water encreased there could be noe neerer approches made at that time because all the ground towardes the Citie stood blanke vnder water to which ende the Enemy in the Citie cut asunder the Cadyke going towardes the Orterdyke noted with the letter D. The 14. daye of Maye our men brought 40. flat Turfe Ships in the Camp to make Bridges The 15. the enemie sallied forth of the Petler vpon the Lord of Brederoods Quarter but were soone drouen backe againe The 16. they of Towne sallied forth of the Towne in boates vpon Count Ernst his Quarter but were faine to retraict not effecting any thing against vs. Aboute the 20. we began to make an out Line betwixt Engelen and Crevecoeur foâ— the safety of our Horse and all the Lines hauing twoo steps The bottome thereof being aboute 16. foote and the top 6. foote broade And by the Vlymer-Bridge his Excellence caused a Sconce to be made against the stragling Souldiers of Breda which was thought invincible The 22. Count William caused some Canon shot to be made into the Towne of 6. and 7. pound bullets and afterwardes hauing perfected a Batterie did continue in shooting with twoo halfe Cannons which sent in bullets of 24. pound and a little peece which shot 6. pound The 23. a Post ventured to get into the Towne but being descryed followed was drownde by the waye but neuerthelesse our people got him dead and brought his secrett Letters to the Prince The Outline of the Siege being thus finished and made defencible then the English and French which were in his Excellencies Quarter broake ground and each Nation striuing for his honour made towardes the Towne to wit the French towardes the greate Sconce Isabella with their Ingeners Mons Porcibal and his Sonne and the English towardes the lesser and farther Sconce called Sainct Antony with theire Ingeners Ian de Bos and Master Humphry The 28. Count Ernst commaunded to make shott into the Citie with three halfe Cannons and suddenly after his Batterie being finished did continue shooting with twoo halfe Cannons which shot Bullets of 24. pound and afterwardes with three peeces more of 12. pound shott The same daye in the night some 30. or 40. Muskettiers sallied forth of the greate Sconce Isabella and did discharge vnder the Ordinance of our Carabins and so retraicted not doeing any thing else The 29. Porcival made a Line which they of the greate Sconce broke in peeces and so was left The same daye Counte William caused shot to be made into the Towne from a second Batterie with three peeces of Ordinance which carryed Bullets of 24. pound and with other three peeces of 12. pound and his first Batterie with three peeces of 6. pound and one of 3. pound also continuing The 30. came forth of the greate Sconce Isabella 40. Muskettiers vnto our approches and discharging theire firelockes mayming some of our men returned againe The same daye those of the little Sconce sallied forth and killed an English Lieftenante and his man with Musket short hurting another Souldier and so were drouen in againe The first of Iune in the night they of the Towne fyred vpon the top of the Church steeple three times pulling vp the fire euery time thrise the French seeing this fell vpon some Workes which those of the greate Sconce had made chasing them out of theire Workes and got manie shouelles armes and other implements The English in the meane time making Waye and Passage towardes the little Sconce drawing neerer and neerer And by reason the water began to diminish fall at this time Count Ernst went forwarde with his approches and made the twoo Lines marked with C and E and made a Corps de guarde vpon F in the Hintemer-Waye This Corps de guarde was finished in fewe dayes after being made Canon proofe and guarded with Pallisadoes The same time the French wonne the Line of the greate Sconce which broke our Line which was made the 29. of Maye At that time were slaine a Leeftenant and a Volantarie likewise Monsieur de Vitre was shot in his shoulder and thigh neere to the Conterscharpe of the greate Sconce Betweene the second and third daye Count Ernst approched with the Lines which are marked G H I to some small millhills K and there made a Corps de guarde which afterwardes was changed and made a Batterie for twoo halfe Cannons On Whitsonday the 3. of Iune the French beganne to shoote with 6. peeces of 24. pound Bullets from a Batterie which was made in the Line of Communication passing from the English Workes to the French for the assistance of on another if need were The same daye at night they of the Towne drewe vp fire againe in the greate Church steeple The 6. and 7. of Iune And whereas the approaches and Corps de gardes in Counte Ernst his Quarter daylie were furthered so he approached from the said Millhills along the Line L and at M made a Corps de garde from whence his men went to the letter N the Line of Communication along the Kadyke to the Quarter of Counte William And the same night approached to the Stonebridge in the Hintemer-Way to the letter O and the 7. they began to sap ouer that Bridge and the night following made the Corps de garde which is marked with the letter P. And the dayes following they did sap towardes the Horneworke at the Hintemer-end along the little Waye on both sides thereof because the Lande laye vnder Water Insomuch that his Grace bargayned to make a Batterie there the 14. of Iune for 3. peeces of Ordinance at the letter Q. and afterwardes another Batterie of 2. peeces at the letter R. The 8. a French Captaine called Monsieur de Vittenval
was shot in the Trenches looking betweene twoo Cannon Baskets and his Lieftennante succeeded in his place The same daye the French began to make Cannon shot of 24. pound vpon the Horneworke of the greate Sconce The 9. His Excellentie caused aboue 140. Cannō shot to be made vpon the little Sconce and into the Citie from the greate Batterie And the same daye some Souldiers came forth of the Towne towardes Pinsens Quarter to take some Horse and Workemen but were drouen backe againe Counte Ernst at this time was advised by his Ingener Matthijs van Voord to make a greate Gallerie directly vpon the Citie from the letter N. betweene the Hintemer-end and the Orter Bulwarke which should be made in this manner The plaine thereof should be a foote heigth aboue water and 12. foote broad betweene the Walles thereof on both sides which Walles should be Cannon proofe And at euery 8. or 10. foote length a Travers to be made also Cannon proofe Which his Excellentie and Count Ernst with the States Committies approoved of And so instantly order was giuen that it should be made To this end the twoo Batteries marked S and T were put forth to be made each of them for eight peeces of Ordinance The Wings or Hinderparte thereof closing togeather and hauing on the sides Corps de guardes for the safetie of the Batteries and so this greate Gallerie was begunne the 8. of Iuly by these Ingeners Matthijs van Voord and Iames Slip. And by reason the Place where this greate Gallerie was to be made was alltogeather a Morrace which was overflowne with Water at some places a mans heigth wee were faine to fill the Waye as we worked forward with brush and earth which was brought thither from afarre of in Cartes And for the more securitie of this Gallerie there were made the Batteries V and W. The same daye at night six Frenchmen went in Armour of Musket proofe to viewe the Conterscharfe of the Horneworke belonging to the greate Sconce but never a shot was made at them The same night the French advanced theire workes to the Conterscharfe of the Horneworke where they began to mine but stopped it againe The 11. came into Count Ernsts Quarter eleauen Companies more of Scotsh This daye the English began to make Cannonshot of 24. pound at the little Sconce from a Batterie that had twoo peeces which shot at the Sconce gate The same daye the French made shot from a Batterie which they made vpon the Conterscharfe of the Horneworke Dito Monsieur de Candale came into the Quarter and had the Watch in the Trenches The 14. the English began to shoote Granadoes out of 2. Morters into the greate Sconce Isabella and the little Sconce Sainct Antony whereof one fell into the Powther Roome of the greate Sconce and with a wondrous greate Noyse like a Thunder clap threwe as it were whole Houses in the Ayre to the admiration of diuers The same daye his Excellentie and the States went vpon the Batterie and sent some Granadoes into the little Sconce which made parte of the Walles to flie vp that wee could hardlie see the Sconce for Dust and Smoake The last night they in the Towne drewe vp fire againe in the Church steeple The same daye Count Ernst went forwarde with his sap along the smale Waye towardes the Hintemer-end raysing the passage with Brush and earth and advanced so much that the 19. the Corps de guarde Numero 1. and vpon the 28. the Corps de guarde Numer 2. were made And to advance the workes of the mayne Gallerie at Numer 3. and 4. twoo Batteries were made each of one peece of Ordinance The 15. His Excell commaunded to let the Water which was stopped at the Dommel to runne rounde about his Quarter And the same daye the English sent six Granadoes into the twoo Sconces whereof twoo made a fearefull stirre among them threw some of theire Hutts over the Walles Forcing the Enemye to saue themselues in the Out-workes vntill the Granadoes had done theire operatiō wee in the meane time playeing vpon them with Cannon and Musket shot as fast as wee coulde The 16. in the night the Enemie sallied forth of the Hintemer-gate and beate the Scotsh out of theire Trenches as likewise those of the greate Sconce in number some 50. or 60. Men came out with Treshing cudgels Pistolls and Clubs and beate the French out of theire Trenches and slewe some of the English which were employed there in making of the French approches The same night the English sent three Granadoes into the little Sconce and did greate endeavour to fill the moate of the halfe Moone with Brush and earth but they of the Sconce threw forth hookes and pulled out our Brush sometimes as fast as we did put it in and cast out firebrandes and Handegranadoes to burne it so that wee had hot worke to prevaile with them Likewise they of the greate Sconce threw forth Handegranadoes and Firebrandes to breake and burne the Gallerie which the French began to make towardes the Horneworke but neverthelesse they got vp that night three posts or ioynts of theire Gallerie The 17. the English were mynded to haue made an assaulte vpon the halfe Moone being they had made a passage over the moate but the Captaine of the Watch being hurte it was deferred The 18. the French began to make a Gallerie directlie vpon the middlewing of the Horneworke The 19. the English began to make a Gallerie towardes the halfe Moone of the little Sconce the 20. they worked forwarde with theire Gallerie by cleere dayelight and sent eight Granadoes into it which made the Enemye call vpon the name of the Ladye Mary most fearefullie and fled into theire Conterscharfes to save themselves The night following they drewe vp fire in theire high steeple againe The 21. were sent 8. Granadoes more into the little Sconse with many Cannonshot everie daye and instant The 20. the French began a second Gallerie on the right hand of the first And the same daye the French broake a myne into the Horneworke The 21. the English broake a myne into the halfe Moone of the little Sconce And began to make a second Gallerie on the right hand of the first The 22. in the night the English went couragiously forwarde with theire Gallerie but they of the Sconce sallied forth and set it on fyre The English neverthelesse watching an oppurtunity suddenlie fell vpon the Enemie insomuch that they had noe time to seeke and returne the same waye which they came forth And so divers of them being enforced to make speed or to be put to the sworde leaped into the moate and there were drowned The same night the English set fyre on theire myne and made an assaulte vpon each side of the halfe Moone but the myne operating contrary to theire expectation they beganne another myne and went forward with theire Galleries The French also gave fire to a myne but effected little At this
time Count Henry of Berck Mustered his Army at Turnhout being in number some 25000. Men foote and horse In the afternoone the French gave fire to twoo mynes more but avayled not The third made such a breach into the Wall of the Horneworke that wee could see the Enemie in it from top to toe And so they should have made an assaulte vpon them but by reason the springing of the myne cast so much earth into the Mouth of the Gallerie that they could not goe forth of it they were prevented and the breach suddenly stoppet againe The 24. and 25. wee did effect little The 26. there was a greate fire in three severall places of te Siege as namely in the Horse Quarter in the English Quarter and in Brederoes Quarter it was suspected to be villany of Traytors but we could not finde them out At this time Count Henry of Berch marching towardes vs lodged his Forces at Sprang Wallwyke Druynen and Loon. At the same time the King of Bohemia came vnto the Siege and went with his Excell into the Trenches and viewed our Approaches Batteries and other Workes The 27. the French passed ouer the moate of the Conterscharpe and made Cannon shott from a Batterie on the right hand of the Gallerie and made on each side thereof a small Batterie The same daye Count Henry of Berch came with his Army to Vlymen and appeared in our sight at seuerall places with his Horse which went vp and downe to viewe our Outworkes In the night they of the Towne caused an Alarme to be made which made vs thinke that the Enemie would haue fallen vpon vs from without and within but they attempted nothing The 28. Count Henry appeared with his Forces in the night neere the Hollands Dyke and by our greate Sconces called the 3. Sisters but we hauing sent them some 10. or 12. Cannonshot they retired backe Our whole Army neverthelesse standing in Battle all the night long The 29. many of the Enemies Souldiers came into our Quarters complayning of greate scarsitie hunger and hardnesse The 30. the Enemye laye themselues in Embuscado neere the Uffrou Sconce and tooke diuers of Waggons and Waggonmen which went forth for Brush Likewise they tooke the House of Hesop and Boxtel where we had some small strength of Souldiers which they let passe with theire Armes and Baggagie into our Camp In the morning came twoo of the Enemies Sloopes to the 3. Sisters and the Hollands Dyke to take measure of the depth of the Water which made our Army to rise in Armes Some more Souldiers of the Enemie comming to vs reported that in theire Campe Cheese was sould for 12. stiuers a pound and a Pot of Beere for 6. stiuers Insomuch that the common Souldiers were allmost famished for want of monnie and foode which caused them to flee from them The second of Iuly Monsieur Fama was shot and dyed of it The Enemye continually buzzing vp and downe sent some 4000. Horse and foote with 800. firelockes each hauing a leather bag of powther to put them into the Towne betweene the Petler Sconce and Count Ernst Quarter and brought along with them Spades Fagots and Plankes to fall vpon a Horneworke of ours not farre from Coudwater but being discovered by our men in the night which stood readie to receaue them the Alarme being giuen They were beate of some of them drowned and others being shot and wounded retreated and lefte some of theire powther baggs behinde them This failling he had other designes by the helpe of twoo treacherous Pesants for the cutting of our Damme The same night these Pesants as theire Guides brought his men along the little Dyke which runnes from the Dam to Boxtel by the Boores Houses but they in the night discovered Generall Cicills Tents which were newly sett vp their harts misgaue them thinking we knew of their plot and so retreated without attempting it parte of a Companie onely hauing the guarde at the poinct vpon the Dyke while the rest of the Companies were drawne to the Line vpon the Heath they might easilie haue effected it Our Men in the morning discouering them as they marched towarde Count Henryes Quarter the twoo halfe Cannons which laye vpon Cicills Batterie let fly at them and slew some of them But to preuent this the next daye his Excell caused abundance of Pallisadoes to be driuē into the Dyke and made a Batterie where they should haue come one and from thence to Berckel Sconce chayned boates togeather ouer the Water setting watch in them by night for the defence of the Damme Count Henry of Berke being then quartered at Boxtel Cromforde and Helforde within an English mile and a halfe of our Line wee were faine to make the nights our dayes and the dayes our nights expecting continually his comming vpon vs with maine Force which oftentimes he attempted but to little effect which lasted aboue three weekes togeather vntill hee left vs. In the meane time the Companies of all Nations beset the Line of Circumvallation some twoo hundred paces distant one from another round about the Army The Horse standing behind them in Battaile readie to receaue him His Excellentie euery night about midnight goeing the grand Round to answere all Alarmes The same night that he intended to put in these firelockes and their powther bags into the Towne and to haue cut the Damme and to haue let in a Sea of water vpon vs which ranne rownde about our Quarters returning from Vlymen with the grosse of his Army he discovered himselfe betimes in the morning assoone as it beganne to be light by the downes and had layd an Embuscado of Musketteirs in a ditch by some trees and behinde the downes he made a halte with his Horse and foote and sends out first some 10. or 12. Horse to entertaine a skermish with some of our Horse which stood readie in Armes without our Line vpon the Heath hauing the Outguarde The Trumpets sounde a Charge and our Cannōs roares from all the Batteries at the Enemye and as the skermish enceased so wee sent them the more Bullets which made divers of their Horsmen to turne vp theire heeles wee seeing oftentimes leggs and Armes flie vp and their Horse roule over one anothers At last there came three troope of Horse which changed Bullets with our Horsemen and still our Ordinance giuing fire among them and our Horse charging them towarde the foote of the downes the fayned a retreate to drawe on our Horse within their Embuscado Monsieur Mauue a French Captaine of a troope of Horse charging home his Horse from the Embuscado was slayne vnder him The Enemy falls out againe with more Horse and takes this French Captaine prisoner The Duke of Bullen seing him thus engaged chargeth with a troope or twoo for to rescue him and while twoo of the Enemyes men were a disputing whose prisoner he should be our Horse charges them againe and drives them to a retreate they not having