even one of the chiefest of all Flanders That from that Line of the Confines which was towards France it lay far enough inward in the Kings Territories but yet not so far but that it might be easily succour'd from without That it might easily be made very strong being on one side in a very low and spongy situation and well provided of Walls and Ditches on all other parts That being near the very Province of Flanders and that of Brabant it might easily further the Tumults both in the one and the other of them and consequently make the fire more lasting which was to be kindled in so many parts He therefore with much fervency apply'd himself to the sudden regaining of it and hoped well therein by his having so easily recovered Valentiennes He saw that Lodovick of Nassaw might be succoured on two sides to wit by the way of Germany by the Forces which Orange prepared and by the way of France by the Forces raised by the Hugonots these were doubtlesly the nearest and therefore likely to be the speediest The Duke therefore resolved to make his quickest opposition on this side of France hoping that when he should have interrupted that succour he might more easily impede the other but such and so grievous commotious happened suddenly in Holland as they put upon him new and greater necessities and rendred him much perplext touching what he was to resolve upon The Town of Eachusen had there led the way first to open disobedience which Town lies very opportunely for situation as lying upon the point of a great Gulf which the Sea makes in Holland towards the North and no less for the quality thereof and number of shipping which are continually built there and which makes it one of the best and most esteemed Arsenals of all that Province Nor was it long ere other greater revolts followed For Dort Harlem Leyden Gouda and almost all the other Cities and chief Towns did at once the like except Amsterdam which continued then and long after in Allegiance to the King Great raising of Arms was likewise heard of in Germany and that Orange having past the Rhine grew still stronger in men intending to enter Flanders again by the same way he did before To obviate so many evils which threatned him in so many several parts the Duke of Alva betook himself suddenly to raise great levies both of horse and foot and gave order for the taking of 5 or 6 thousand horse into pay in High Germany the chief care whereof was had by Henry Duke of Brunswick formerly imployed by the King upon like occasions by Salentine Count of Isemburg Archbishop of Cullen who shewed himself very faithfull to the Catholick Cause and the Crown of Spain and by Peter Ernestus Count of Mansfield who came originally from Germany and who had yet many friends and kindred of great esteem there he gave order for the raising of 18 thousand foot in six Regiments to wit 3000 in the Upper and 3000 in the Lower Germany The first were taken into pay by Ottone Count of Erbestein by George Baron of Fronsberg and by Nicholas Purvighliere all of them natives of the same Country And the latter by Giles Count of Barlemonte by Maximilian Count of Bossu and by Lancelot Count of Mega all of them the Kings Vassals in the Provinces of Flanders These levies required great store of money whereof the Duke was very much exhausted But he had represented unto the King the affairs of Flanders to be in so dangerous a condition as he was in some sort presently furnisht therewithall for his necessities and the King promised him to see him continually furnisht with what should be requisit for maintaining the Churches Cause and his own which was now become one and the same in those Provinces The new Insurrections which had happened in Holland bore with them very bad consequences to boot with the former in Zealand And the Novelties which had succeeded and which still grew greater in the Frontiers towards Germany and France required powerfull and speedy remedy The Duke of Alva consulted therefore with the chief Commanders of the Army to what part it was best to bend the Kings Forces or if by dividing them they might suffice for both occasions 'T was generally thought that there were not enough to be divided And as for the turning to the one or the other place Marshal Vitelli Camp-Master-General who was greatly esteemed in the Army as well for the prerogative of his Place as for his Valour was of opinion that they were to bend all their Forces immediately towards Holland and Zealand saying That by good reason of War Forces were to be turned thither where their imployment was of greatest consequence And how much did it most import first to secure the Maritine Country That in those parts which lay more inward in the Country the people were neither so infected with Heresie nor so inclin'd to Rebellion And though some loss might be suffered by the Forces from Germany and France it was to be hoped that they might be easily regain'd That the Hugonots Forces were of no substance of themselves nor was it to be thought that the King of France would favour them if for what might concern the good of Spain at least for what might respect the service of his own Kingdom so grievously infested by them That the heretick Forces of Germany which were to enter Flanders were to be esteemed of the same nature being tumultuously raised ill provided of men and worse of money more ready to pillage then to fight and that prey and pay failing they would soon forgoe their obedience and insteed of carrying their Colours against their enemies they would turn them against their Commanders That for these reasons it was to be believed that the noise was greater then the blow would be from either of both those parts and that those foreign Forces being soon scattered by the opposition made by the Kings Towns which to that purpose were with all diligence suddenly to be munited Mons would easily be recovered as also whatsoever other damage might insue in any other part upon those Frontiers But on the contrary how firmly was heresie radicated both in Holland and Zealand how much were the people alienated from their former devotion to the Church and to the King That by reason of the Sea and Rivers Merchandise did very much abound there as also monies and victuals and that every Town there was so strong by Nature that allow but a little time to Industry every Pass would require an Army to overcome it and every Siege almost an Age to finish it That by the opportunity of the Sea new Forces might continually be sent unto the Rebels on those sides from Germany and France But especially from England And they being Masters of the Maritine parts what advantages might they by other designes work unto themselves in the more inward Countries What difficulties would the succours
King of Spains power And none of them were well pleased to see the Provinces of Flanders joyned to his Crown which by reason of their situation circuit and opulency were of such consideration as when they were only in the hands of the house of Burgundy had oft-times reduced France to great straits and troubled England and the near adjacent parts of Germany more then once In France after the unfortunate mischance of Henry the second who was wounded as he was running a Tilt and died at the celebration of his daughters marriage with the King of Spain and his sisters with the Duke of Savoy Francis the second succeeded in the Crown whilst he was yet a child The Government of the Kingdom was therefore wholly in the hands of his mother Catherine of Medicis but so distracted and so full of factions as it could not be in greater disorder nor more confused Heresie which was first in secret and fraudulently crept into France shew'd it self now bare-faced And her Fautorers hiding their own ambitious ends under the deceitfull visard of conscience proceeded from their first Court-contentions to the taking up of arms to the great detriment of the whole Kingdom Those hereticks were called Hugonots nor is it well known from whence that word proceeded and Lodovick of Burbone Prince of Conde made himself the chief head thereof he was brother to Anthony King of Navar first Prince of the bloud-royal and his chief rather guider then follower was Jasper di Coligni Admiral of France who proved afterwards the plague of that Kingdom and at last his own ruine But the chief heads who maintained the Catholick cause were not less suspected and especially those of the house of Guise out of a received opinion that under the specious zeal to religion they hatched divers designes of bringing themselves to greater power France whilst thus afflicted within her self could not contribute much to the afflictions of others Yet it was evidently discerned that what fomentation from thence could be expected to the troubles of Flanders would never be wanting especially by the instigation of the Hugonots In England the succession of that Kingdom and of Ireland was fallen to Elizabeth daughter to Henry the eight Queen Mary who was wife to Philip King of Spain dying without issue Mary was not more resolute in restoring the Catholick faith in England then Elizabeth was in resuppressing it incited thereunto by the example of her mother Anne of Bullen and for fear lest by the Laws of the Church her succession might prove illegitemate from which fear she thought her self secure under the Dogmata of heresie Elizabeth making Religion thus subservient to State Interest would have heresie to be received throughout all England and Ireland And detesting the Pope and King of Spain by which two she might be the most indamaged she likewise endeavoured to prejudice them as much as she could She therefore persecuted the Church infinitely in England and was very intent upon all those sinister successes which might befall the King of Spain especially in Flanders where his power was nearest unto her and from whence she did most suspect it From those parts of Germany which lie nearest to Flanders all those heretick Princes who were there Masters of any States or Dominions shewed the same disposition against the Church and the King of Spain But the most considerable amongst them and of whom the greatest fear was had for that he was more amidst the Austrian Forces of Germany and Flanders was the Prince Elector Palatine of Rhine 'T was therefore much to be feared that from these external parts all the inward commotions of Flanders were upon all occasions to be fomented This was the condition of Affairs and the disposition of minds in Flanders when the King was there and upon his departure for Spain I will take my rise in the History which I undertake to write from hence after having with as much brevity as I could acquainted you with what hath already been said The King was resolved to go for Spain to the which he was moved not only out of his particular natural addiction to those Kingdoms as out of mature wisdome and advised choice He saw his vast Empire hardly well setled and consolidated after the so many voyages and great pains of his Father and finding it composed of so many members and so far divided one from another he thought it expedient that he should share out and disperce the vigor and spirit of government from out the principall part thereof as doth the heart in humane bodies and certainly Spain was to be reputed not onely the most important but the fittest place for this purpose there wanted not moreover many other urgent necessities which required the Kings presence and particularly those which were occasioned partly by the danger of Heresie which was already begun there and partly by jealousies of the Moors wherewith Spaine was greatly infected and with whom it was greatly feared that upon any intestine commotion the neighbouring Moors of Africa would joyn themselves The chiefest business which before the Kings departure was taken into consultation was to whom he should leave the government of Flanders in his absence Two Ladyes neerly allyde unto the King by blood were taken into consideration the one was Christierna Dutches of Loraine who was daughter to a sister of the Emperour Charls the fifth and the other Margaret Dutches of Parma naturall daughter to the same Emperour great was the contestation before it was resolved which of the two was to be preferred Christierna was the elder very well known in Flanders by reason of the neighbor-hood of Loraine praised for her great wisdom in having worthily discharged the Government of that State remaining still a Widdow and the afore mentioned Peace of Cambray which by her means she being there present in person was managed and concluded had very much increased her reputation By which successe Flanders being freed from the molestation of Arms she won more upon the affection of the Flemings Orange was chiefly for her out of the hopes he had of marrying one of her Daughters and therefore labored her Election as much as he could hoping also by that marriage that the government of Flanders might be more sway'd by him then by Christierna But the Kings inclination bore him at last to like best of Margaret as she who had been born and bred up in Flanders and who having her Husbands Estates of Parma and Piacensa in midst the forces of the Dukedom of Millan in Italy and resolving to send her onely son Alexander to the Court of Spain promised a more absolute dependency upon the King where on the contrary the house of Loraine by reason of the condition of the Country and more in respect of interest was inforced to depend almost wholly upon the Crown of France besides the great desire which the Flemish themselves shewed to have Christierna for their Regent made the King Spanish officers
Kingdom and especially in the two Cities of Tourney and Valenciennes On the side of Germany the Hereticks sought in like manner to infect Friesland and all that neighbouring part of the low Countryes within land But the infection was greater which was brought both by Sea and Land into Holland and Zealand by meanes of the commerce which the Cities in the Baltick Sea had in Amsterdam and in Midleburg both of them places of great Traffick as also in many other towns of great Traffick both in Holland and Zealand Great was the commerce of Traffickers likewise into both those Provinces from England And Hereticall Ministers entring on all sides under the profession of Merchants they accompanied their seditious writings with words of mouth yet more seditious reproving the Flemish in particular of their too much remisness and patience in bearing the yoke which as they said was laid upon their consciences That Germany had thrown it off long ago as they might see even against the forces of Charls the fifth that England had now happily done the like and that the reformed Religion made daily great advancements in France that they might then know their own power and how to make use of it that the Regent was a woman wholly in their power Granville a forreiner and hated by the Country that the King was far off and but little hopes of his ever returning thither in person and to what end did the disarmed Authority of the Princes serve but to make them be the more scorned and lesse feared The Heretical Ministers and other Sectaries fill'd the ears and mindes of the Flemish in all parts with these conceits which infused impiety and sedition And in concourse of time it was discovered that Orange held intelligence particularly with the Admirall of France which was contracted upon the occasion he had of entertaining himself in France with Henry the second as one of the hostages of Philip the second in performance of the Peace of Cambray as hath been said and time produced at last that Orange took for his fourth and last wife a daughter of the same Admirals though the Admirall was then dead as shall be said in its due place This correspondency in endeavours between them was easily contracted by the similitude of their natures For both of them were very Ambitious and Fraudulent and did equally endeavour to advance their own private Fortunes by the publike ruine In fine in the opinion of all men the one was born to be the cause of France's misfortunes the other of the calamities of Flanders And both of them by their Tragical ends shewed what punishment is reserved for those who losing all respects either of Lawes or God do erect their Altars here below to Ambition and impiety and to the Idols of other immoderate and blinde Humane passions The Kingdom of France was at this time involved in great troubles Francis the second was dead whom Charls the ninth succeeded at the age of ten years Catherine of Medicis mother to them both retained the chief place in Government in Charls his time as well as she had done in his Brothers who not able to sustain it but by intreaty or prayer was forced to devide it sometimes with the Catholikes sometime with the Hugonots But still in danger of the Ambitious designes which was discovered in both the parties France was never agitated with greater Tempests then these And the Hugonot faction prevailing then continually more in the Kingdom 't is no wonder if the Hereticks took the boldness to foment the evils from that part which were a hatching in Flanders expecting that by the conjuncture of times and actions they might come from secret fomenting to open conspiracy A midst so many forreine Plots and home difficulties the Regent was every day more straitened in matter of Religion On the one side Granville encouraged her to have the Edicts executed one the others side the Governours of the Provinces desired to be excused shewing that the number of the Hereticks was already too great and that in many places the Magistrates themselves were infected with Heresie It was known notwithstanding that they did not what they might have done were it either that they desired some dishonour and shame might redound to Granville from such disorders who had the chief stroke in Government or that the King should be the more inforced to seek for remedy therein by their means They continued their former complaints against Granville and discovered an apparent hatred and scorn of him as was particularly seen upon a certain occasion which was thus At a certain Feast there hapned to be Count Egmont the Marquess of Berghen who was likewise one of the chief Lords of the Country and Governour of Henault and Min Here Montigni Brother to Count Horne and divers other of their Friends where a discourse hapned were it casuall or premeditated upon the Liveries which the Pages and foot-men of the Lords and other chiefest of the Court wore here one of them rising up said Why doe we not all make one and the same Livery which by the similitude of our colours may denote the conformity of our mindes the proposition was instantly entertained and lots being drawn who should chuse the Livery it fell to Egmont and he chose one with a certain Odde Coule or Hood which in Flanders are Buffonelike and are wont to be put on the heads of Fools or Jesters Many others of the Court presently took up this livery and for divers dayes there was no other work done in Brussels The Dutchesse was hereat offended for none doubted but that this habit had relation to the Cardinals habit and that this was done in derision of him Besides it might be feared that this might be the beginning of a league and union within the Court which might soon spread abroad throughout the whole Country to the great prejudice of the King The Dutchess laid this particularly to Egmonts charge who excused it as a thing which had hapned casually and without any intention of offending the Cardinal and much lesse of proving prejudicial to the Kings service They then left off their Coule and took for their common impressa a bundoll of Arrowes tide up together which was an impressa often used in the Kings coyn They would have it beleeved that this signified their joynt union in the Kings service but it was generally thought that this union had for its end the defence of publike Priviledges and their conformable sense to conspire unanimously against Granville nor was it long ere this conspiracie broke forth for people growing still more haughty not being able to discend to dissimulation as neither was the Cardinal on his behalf nor yet to any sort of going lesse especially when he saw himself so bitterly provoked Orange Egmont and Horn together with divers others combined joyntly together against him and these three in particular resolved to write a letter to the King which was to this purpose How
that the Dutchess was not much troubled to see Granville gone as one who was upheld by the King in too great Authority with her Yet the truer opinion was that she was very much grieved to be deprived of such a man and one so well experienced in the affairs of Flanders To boot that upon any sinister events whereof many and of very great moment did ensue after his departure he might have justified her behaviour therein unto the King and have easily freed her from those accusations which were afterwards often laid unto her charge in the Councel in Spain THE HISTORY OF THE WARS OF FLANDERS Written by CARDINAL BENTIVOGLIO BOOK II. The Contents The Nobility are glad at Granvilles departure Factions in the Councel of State The Regent makes the Councel of Trent be received Orange opposeth it and shews an unquiet disposition Heresie begins to appear bare-faced in Flanders The Inquisition still more detested Egmont goes into Spain The King persists in his former resolutions Egmont returns and the Country is distasted The Nobility do in particular conspire and form an Instrument in writing by the name of Compromise or Covenant Some of the chiefest meet together at Breda a Town belonging to the Prince of Orange The Dutchess grows very apprehensive of these proceedings She understands that a great many of the Nobility meet together to present her with a Petition she endeavours but in vain to hinder the delivery of it Brederodes Oration to his other Companions They present the Petition They take upon them the name of Beggers And why they do so The Marquis of Berghen and Monsieur Montigni are sent into Spain and are not admitted of by the King The practise and profession of heresie is publickly introduced in Flanders The Nobilities audaciousness in defending it Their assembling together at Getrinberg The Regent endeavours to satisfie them And is at last inforced to take away all manner of Inquisition The hereticks and unquiet people are hereby encouraged From whence they come to open violencies against the Churches WHen Cardinal Granville was gone from Flanders occasion of complaining did rather cease in Orange and the rest then a will to complain And therefore seeming very well satisfied with this the Kings resolution they made publick demonstrations of joy in all places That now the Country was freed of him who sought to oppress it The Councel left in its former dignity and the Regent her self in the reputation which was due to her in the Government That Flanders had not a sorer enemy then the Cardinal nor the Nobility a more malitious interpreter of their actions to the King Let him in Gods name carry that pride and arrogancy which he so much joy'd in somewhere else and let him exalt himself where either the obscurity of his birth was not known or where the splendor of others was less esteemed of They accompanied the Cardinals deperture with these words full of bitterness not yet satisfied with the hatred which whilst present they had in so many sorts shewed towards him On the other side they shewed all due observancy to the Regent they never intermitted commg to Councel neither did they let slip any other occasion by which they might reconcile her unto them and make her their protect or unto the King We told you before that the President Vighlio and Barlemont did side with the Cardinal in all things in Councel he had made the King have a great good opinion of their fidelity and wisdom as also the Councel of Spain so as when the Cardinal was gone 't was soon seen that the Regent confided more in these two in many resolutions then in all the rest and 't was easily to be judged that she had Orders from the King so to do and that though the Cardinal was gone yet his Councels remained still in Flanders Vighlio was an upright man and no less pious in matters of Religion then faithfull in what concern'd the King And where it was needfull he opposed the ambition and arrogancy of great ones more then became his condition Succeeding then in Granvilles sence and encouraged thereunto by the esteem which was put upon his Councels in Spain he forbore not to put the Regent in mind How little cause she had to confide in those great ones who having no other end then to make themselves every day greater could not receive any addition to their Authority which tended not to the diminution of the Regal power That their eyes were now upon France and by the example of those Contrivers of Innovations they would introduce the same troubles and Faction into Flanders that they might afterwards fall out within themselves who should have the greatest share of their Country when they had made a prey of her Was there any doubt but that all those pretences were false which they had made use of to remove Granville from Flanders How had he offended them unless they would esteem themselves injured by the service which he had done the King and which with such loyalty and constancie of mind he had alwayes endeavoured to sustain not regarding their complaint nor threats That she would be soon enough aware of this For one pretence failing they would raise up others and after having warred against the Kings Ministers of State they would bare-faced make war against the King himself This speech of Vighlio's proved a prophesie so fully was it confirmed by the event Nor was it long ere just as he had foretold Orange and the rest took up new occasion of Complaints in a business which fell out in Religion and 't was this The Councel of Trent was already published and the controversies which arose between the Catholicks and Hereticks in matter of religion were truly determined by that divine Oracle of the Church neither had her sacred Decree brought forth less fruit in the reformation of Ecclesiastical discipline Of all the Princes of Christendom the King of Spain had made it his particular care to see that Councel take good effect He was alwayes fixed and unalterable not to admit of any Religion in his Kingdoms and States but the Catholike profession For his Territories being so far divided one from another he thought that they might be the easilier united in their obedience under him by the bond of an uniform zeal which might equally fasten them in their devotion to the Church The Councel then being ended the King was resolved for what concerned his Temporal authority that the Decrees made thereby should be observed in all his Dominions and therefore had given such orders as were needfull to the Dutchess of Parma to make them be received and observed in Flanders She propounded this to the Councel of State and there wanted not some who presently opposed the proposition They said That the Conncel was in many things contrary to the priviledges of the Provinces that the Ecclesiastical government would be too much advantaged thereby that the strictness thereof did too much
to send a Commander in chief thither with a foreign army They said that the King would find greatest obedience they sought to honest as much as they could the Covenant and the Petition and though they detested the popular insolencies against the Church yet they would make it be believed that it was done out of ignorance or levity but not out of infidelity That therefore the King should come himself in person and that imitating his father and his fore-fathers in his benignity he might expect answerable effects in their obsequiousness from the Flemish The King himself had long nourisht this opinion of his going into Flanders and such a speech was spread abroad in Spain and such was the preparation of ships which were built in Biscay to make that voyage as it was given out as all Europe did firmly believe it and to say truth the aforesaid reasons being well considered it could not be judged but that the King had some such thought but oft-times those councels which are advisedly taken are out of necessity past by The consequences which made against it being therefore put into the contrary scale it appear'd almost impossible for the King to resolve upon such an action And first to keep a long time aloof off from the heart of his Monarchy bore with it those important considerations which were toucht upon in the beginning when it was shewed for what reasons the King resolved to make his residency in Spain And a double fear did still continue as well of the Moors who were spread thoroughout all those Kingdoms as also of some dangerous infectious heresie which might be brought amongst those people But suppose the King had been free of those suspitions how should he have gone into Flanders by sea or by land with or without forces by sea he must depend upon storms and wind and upon the meer will of fortune which useth to make her greatest sports of the most eminent amongst mortals And the King himself not many years before had experienced the danger of sea-voyages in his return from Flanders and had not his own example been sufficient that of his Grandfather Philip was yet very fresh who by the violence of the winds was thrown upon England and detained by force many days in that Kingdom Upon which occasion he notwithstanding received all fair entertainment and Courtly hospitality from Henry the seventh which the King could not exspect from Queen Elizabeth who did rather conspire with his enemies to his prejudice On the other side the journey by land seemed very difficult for the King was of necessity to pass through the Countries of several Princes and would depend with too much danger upon their wills The King of France would peradventure consent that he should pass through his Kingdom and would perhaps have received him with no less friendly demonstrations then King Francis had done the Emperour Charls the fifth but the hereticks wherewith all the parts of that Kingdom were then almost infected would have opposed his journey and would doubtlesly have made the event prove dangerous It remained then that he must land in Italy and afterwards take his way either through Savoy or by the Switzers so to enter into the Country of Burgundy and Lorain and from thence into Flanders On both which parts he was likewise to pass through the Countries of strangers and to coast so near upon France and Germany as he must needs be subject to many sinister accidents which easily might have befaln him These were the difficulties which were taken into consideration if the King were to pass into Flanders either by sea or by land with only his Court attendance But how much greater were to be feared if he should pass with an Army since carrying with him so great a â—ne as the occasion would doubtlesly require all States would be jealous of so great Forces and peradventure would have raised Forces likewise and instead of friends have become enemies lest that which was termed a passage might turn to an oppression Then the Councel of Spain not thinking it fit that the King should go himself in person into Flanders for the aforesaid reasons it remained to see whether it were better to send some warlick Commander thither with an Army or laying aside all asperity endeavour to compose the affairs by fair means The King was much at variance within himself upon this point He was naturally given to love quiet he loved the Flemish and would rather have been beloved then feared by them knowing very well how much securer the Garison is which Princes have in their subjects hearts then those of Citadels or Cities moreover that he might be very uncertain of what the event of his forces would be against a people by nature so fierce so far remote from all the rest of his Dominions and who were invironed on all sides by the Crown of Spains greatest enemies and enviers But on the contrary he saw how little good fair means had done as yet since the authors of the begun disorders had rather been incouraged thereunto then otherwise by too much tolleration and might likely if unpunished grow worse and worse Nor were the Kings Councelless at a stand then the King The Councel of Spain was then full of many eminent personages Amongst the rest Ferdinand de Tolledo Duke of Alva and Gomes de Figheroa Duke of Feria were in great esteem both with the King and Councel Feria chiefly for Civil affairs and Alva for Military actions who was so excellent therein as the first place in the profession of Militia was unquestionably given to him by all Spain These two were of differing opinions Feria thought it better to reduce the Flemish to their duties by fair means and Alva by force Upon a certain day then when the King himself was in Councel to resolve what was to be done in this so important business The Duke of Feria spake thus The cure of an evil most glorious Prince lies chiefly without all question in knowing what it is Cities and Monarchies are born and die grow sick and are cured as humane bodies are so as if diligence be used in the private indispositions of one onely man how much more necessary is it to be used in the publick maladies of whole Kingdoms To provide then for the evils wherewith Flanders is afflicted 't is very necessary first to know their causes And this without all doubt ought chiefly to be attributed to the terror which the Inquisition and the Edicts have infused into that Country The Flemish have apprehended and do apprehend now more then ever to have their consciences violated by such ways and to undergoe all other greater affliction and misery and this it is which hath made them fall at last into so many and so hainous outrages That under which Flanders doth at the present labour is if I may so call it a Frenzie of fear which is fomented by such as are ambitious and turbulent that they
of the Covenant Petition and of the violences used against the Churches and the Catholick religion He forthwith accompanied the terror of his Threats with the severity of Punishment He caused the Prince of Orange his brother Lodovick Count Hostrate Brederode and Colemburgh and the rest of the prime men who were gone out of Flanders to be publikely cited to appear before him within a certain prefixt time upon pain of rebellion and the loss of their goods in case they did not appear He caused a great many others of all sorts to be imprisoned in sundry parts of the Provinces who were fallen into the aforesaid faults and they were in so great numbers that all the prisons throughout the whole Country were on a sudden full of them To imprisonment he added Death and made the market-places the places of execution to the end that the publikeness thereof might infuse the greater terror At the same time he designed divers Citadels and began to lay their foundations where he thought either the situation of the Towns or the condition of the Inhabitants did most require it The first was placed in Antwerp with five royal Bulwarks upon the Scheld upon which River the City is seated to hasten the which he went in person to Antwerp and made the City contribute towards the expence thereof giving them assured hopes that as soon as the Citadel should be put into a posture of defence Lodroneas Regiment of High-Dutch which were there in garrison should be removed He began to build a Fort in Flushing the chief Haven of Zealand and which opens and shuts the entrance into the Scheld He designed another in Groninghen upon the confines of Germany and another in Valentiennes which lies towards France But unless it were that of Antwerp the rest were not built for so many troubles arose from so many parts as the Duke had not fitting opportunity to doe it He notwithstanding secured the Frontiers on all sides by good garrisons against all innovations which might be endeavoured from abroad and within he disarmed many of the most suspected Cities and distributed forces in divers parts where he thought it most needfull to curb the Flemish more straightly This so rigorous a beginning of Government put the Country every where into such fear as it was on a sudden abandoned by a great number of people of all sorts they were reported to be above thirty thousand Those who were no wayes concerned were affrighted to see the faults of others so severely punished and they groaned to see that Flanders which was wont to enjoy one of the ealiest governments of all Europe should now have no other object to behold but the Terror of Arms Flight Exiles Imprisonments blood death and confiscations The people fled to the neighbouring parts of Germany to France and England But those of best quality retired to Germany drawn thither by Orange who encouraged them more then all the rest to follow his example and run his fortune And who from thence did answer the Dukes citation in writing refusing to submit himself to his Tribunal as to that of a Judge too much suspected and of too inferior a condition to take cognisance of such a cause saying that he was a free Prince of Germany and therefore in the first place a Subject to the Emperour and that being a Knight of the Golden Fleece he was only to be judged by the King himself who was the supreme Head of that Order Hostrat answered almost in the same sort save only that he left out the reason of being Feudatory to the Emperour for he had no estate in Germany Horn had some estate of that nature and therefore his Mother when he was imprisoned had suddenly recourse to Caesars Authority and had from thence procured favourable offices in her sons behalf to the King and Duke of Alva The like is done by divers Princes of Germany in Orange his behalf and those that were joyned with him in the same cause for indeed the Catholike Princes were no less displeased then were the Hereticks of those parts with the Dukes severity and that such an alteration should be made in the Government of Flanders with which Country they had such conformity both in language customs and laws The King promised all fair intreatment so as the Citation might be obeyed But none of those that were cited daring to trust and the time of citation being already elapsed the Duke proceeded to punishment and amongst other things he made Colemburghs house in Brussels be pull'd down to the ground in memory of the detestation of the seditious practises which were there chiefly woven and concluded Orange was Master of divers fair Towns in sundry Provinces of Flanders The Principality of Orange is in France though not subject to that Crown and of a great many likewise in the County of Burgundy in Brabant amongst others he had Breda a noble pâ—ace having a stately Castle in it and of such consequence as the Duke of Alva would suddenly secure himself the better thereof by putting a garrison into it To the confiscation of his goods the Duke added the retension of the Count di Buren a Youth of twelve years of age who was the Prince of Orange his eldest son and who was then at the University of Lovain following his studies and under pretence that the King would have him follow the same studies and exercises in the University of Alcala d'Enares he sent him well guarded into Spain Orange and his companions together with other Nobles who were fled from Flanders exasperated at these proceedings did what they could to shew their resentment Their chief end was to raise Forces and lead them into Flanders hoping assuredly that when any Forces should appear from without they that were within the Country would suddenly rise This was therefore hotly endeavoured and it was managed by their Adherents in almost all the Provinces of Flanders The Duke of Alva's government infused horror into them and by all dreadful exagerations they endeavoured to make the people abhor it From without they themselves endeavoured by all possible means to draw other Princes to favour their cause From England 't was known the Queen had a great inclination to foment whatsoever novelties which might happen in the Low-Countries She considered that if the King of Spain should possess them peacefully his Forces would be too formidable both by sea and land throughout all Europe That she in particular was greatly to apprehend his Forces by Sea since England and Ireland would be as it were invironed by the Fleets which might be maintained on the one side in Spain and on the other in Flanders That the King would not be backward in molesting her having opportunity to doe it as he who knew she sought to indamage him as much as she might as he had already had several experiences These outward dangers appeared unto the Queen to be the greater when she considered also those within She saw
to the lower by her breadth In these respects their friendships adherents and allyances were very great in those parts Moreover divers of the best Families of Flanders derived from Germany and amongst others that of the Prince of Orange who afterwards married with the house of Saxony as hath been said The heretick Princes held therefore their streightest corespondencies with him and to him did discover their most intimate sence of the affairs of Flanders because it was most conformable with his own Orange being afterwards gon to them by reason of the Duke of Alva's being come into Flanders he still indeavoured to increase in them a resolution not to tollerate that oppression which he in the most horrid manner he could invent affirmed to be already introduced by the Spaniards amongst the Flemish Affirming that this cause was common to both the Germanies he mingled the Interest of Religion together with that of State and by the strength and vivacity of wit made dangers a far off seem very near at hand He chiefly propounded a meeting between those Princes who were most to dread the Spanish forces in Flanders the Queen of England assisted him herein by her authority and the Hugonots of France by their practices So as the resolution was soon put on and divers Hans Towns joyned therein likewise by sending their Deputies thither particularly those which are situated upon the Rhine in which by reason of their neighbourhood with Flanders the aforesaid power of the Spanish forces was most dreaded Of the Princes the Count Palatine of Rhine was most remarkable his State lay nearest to Flanders he had the best forces and being past on from Luthers heresie to that of Calvin he held greater corespondency with the hereticks of France and with the Queen of England The rest were the Duke of Wittenberg the Landgrave of Hesse the Marquis of Bada the Marquis of Durlack and some neighbouring Counts besides those of Nassaw The King of Denmark and the house of Saxony sent likewise their particular Deputies to the Diet. Business doth still proceed slowly which is to be agitated by many either they differ in their ends or agree not in the means or for the most part are lost through confusion But their progress is more slow then ordinarily in Germany where negotiations are not had without much prolixity more by writing then by word of mouth and where more time is spent in banqueting then in business The Diet proceeded on then but slowly and by reason of the variety of opinions many difficulties were met with in the things proposed Whereupon the Prince of Orange being all on fire himself and that he might set others on fire likewise spake one day thus It is not assuredly any waies to be doubted most Noble Princes and worthy Deputies but that we now treat upon a common cause The one and the other Germany are sufficiently united in situation tongue name traffick life and in all things else And who knows not that in former times they both made but one body their people do chiefly affect liberty And though in Flanders the Prince be heriditory whereas in Germany he is elective yet almost the same preeminence is due by them to their States as is here attributed to your Dyets But how oft and with how much labour and danger hath it behoved the one and the other Nation to oppose themselves to the avaritiousness of their Princes I will leave the pursuit of ancient affairs that I may come to the more modern and those of Germany that I may descend to the present affairs of Flanders When the Emperour Charls the fifth was dead every one knows the King his son's chiefest desire was to leave those parts and settle himself in Spain Being there wholly transformed into the sence and Customs of that people he grew desirous to govern Flanders after the same manner and Empire as Spain was governed And what more imperious Minister of State could he leave behind him with the Dutchess of Parma then the Cardinal Granville Did I say Minister of State nay rather supream Governor since whilst he was there the Dutchess bore only the name of Regent the whole power lay in him base Burgundian The first Author of Flanders's mischiefs and who deserves chiefly to be punished since the fault was chiefly his The Government of the Ecclesiastical and Temporal affairs was suddenly altered in divers sorts by absolute Authority but chiefly by new Edicts still more grievous to the conscience and by introducing the Inquisition The secretest Oracles are come from the Councel of Spain and are executed by secret consultations in Flanders If the Nobility have complained their complaints have proved vain to Petition is counted treachery to seem troubled rebellion and the casual headdy giddiness of the common people a premeditated insurrection of the whole Country In fine nothing but to have a pretence to use force against Flanders was expected in Spain And what more light pretence could be taken then to go about to suppress those tumults which were seen to cease almost assoon as begun When so suddenly hereupon the Flemish are insolently declared in Spain to be rebels to God and to the King and a foreign Army marches to cause Flanders to be treated hereafter not as a successive Nation but as a Conquered Countrey And who could be better chosen to execute such violences then the Duke of Alva the most haughty minded man of all Spain Flanders greatest enemy and who knows better then any other how to extinguish all remainders of religion and in lieu thereof to use all sorts of Tyranny And just so it fell out He hath begun to raise Citadels in the chiefest Cities he hath placed Garisons every where the places of execution run down with bloud in all Towns no more home-Laws are heard of but forein ones The Country is almost unpeopled by exilement imprisonment and running away And nothing but gastly looks complaints misery desparation and calamity is seen every where In this deplorable estate is Flanders at the present How much more happie then is Germany which enjoys her former libertie and which abhorring all forein force knows no other Empire then her own I partake of this felicity for from hence I derive my bloud and my first stem remains still here Nay I am more hated in Spain then any other of the Flemish by reason of my German spirit I am held to be the contriver of Conspiracies the head of sedition the pestilence of those Countries Their greatest anger thunders against me and the severest punishments are already fallen upon me Thus they seek to turn my glory to infamy And what greater glory can there be then to maintain the liberty of a mans Country and to die rather then be inslaved I then most high Princes and Noble Deputies who am both a German and a Fleming after having laid before you the miseries of the Lower Germany whose tears and supplications I bring hither with me
and Monsieur de Lumay and some other Flemish of good quality together with many German Commanders of great consideration The Army was well enough furnisht with Artillery and ammunition for war but had not so much mony nor victuals as was needfull This being understood the Duke of Alva resolved to make his Rendezvous at Mastrick the most commodious place upon the Mause that he might oppose Orange where it should be most convenient There were come unto the Duke from Spain at this time 400000 Crowns and 2000 Spanish Foot which being all of them new Souldiers he placed in the Garrisons and drew out from thence the old ones His eldest son Frederick came likewise then to Flanders to whom he gave the command of all the Foot The Rendezvous being appointed the Kings Army was found to consist of 16000 choise Foot to wit 6000 Spaniards the rest all Germans and Walloons and of 6000 Horse some whereof were Spanish some Italian some Germans some Burgonians and some Walloons and those Train-Bands of Flanders which were commanded by Carlo Philippode Croy Marquis of Haure The Duke removed the Camp afterwards from Mastrick to Haren a great Village not far from thence and seated likewise upon the Mause And here he made a Bridg of Boats that he might have free passage overfit at all hours and receive victuals the better from all those parts This place was almost in the midst between Liege and Ruremonde upon which two Cities Orange his designe was likeliest to be Ruremonde is in Ghelderland as hath been said It stands upon a little River called Ruer just where it fals into the Mause 'T is rather a place of great circuit then much people but the situation thereof is of importance by reason of both those Rivers Liege lies upon the same River a little higher The Mause hath not a City upon it of larger circuit nor better peopled 'T is divided by the River but joyned together again by divers Bridges The Bishop governs the Inhabitants there as well in temporal as in spiritual affairs being also Prince thereof though the City enjoy such ample priviledges as the form of Government therein partakes more of a Common-wealth then of a Principality 'T is one of the most Catholick Cities of all the North fullest of Ecclesiastical goods and most devoted to the Apostolical See Orange desired to try Liege first he wrote to the Magistracy omitting to write to Gerardo Grosbech who was then Bishop of the City and a personage of great worth thinking that he adhered too much to the Kings and the Catholick cause But the same mind and zeal appeared to be in the Magistracy for they determinately answered That the City would not receive in any foreign soldiers and that they had men enough of their own to defend themselves against any violence that should be offered them This practising of Orange with the Ligeois and his marching with his Army towards that City made the Duke resolve likewise to draw near it with his But Orange his designe upon Liege proving vain he without trying Ruremond turned suddenly elsewhere with intention to pass the Mause where he might best foard over it The river happened to be very low that year for the climat of Flanders which even in Summer is very rainy and moyst was of some late months more drie then usual Having found the most commodious foard and making use of the night season Orange in great silence past his Army over the river just against Stocchem in the State of Liege Which when the Duke heard he forthwith went thither also and drew near Orange with his Army Their designes were notwithstanding very different Orange would have fought at the very first for finding himself much streigthned in mony and victuals and with men who he was rather to obey then command he thought he could not long maintain his Army And nothing being done as yet in Flanders in favour to him he knew that if he should not have some favourable success by way of battel the Countrie would hardly rise having so powerfull an Army as was that of the Duke of Alva's within its bowels The Duke out of the very same reasons shun'd giving or battel He saw that Orange in losing a battel could lose nothing but his Army whereas he together with the loss of his Army should hazard the loss of all Flanders Resolving therefore rather to coast along by his enemy then to fight him and to vex him so with sufferings as at last he should disband of himself he only kept near him And because it was already evidently seen that Orange his intention was to enter into Brabant the Duke provided the places of greatest danger with all things needfull which were Tilemon Lovayne and Brussels and had an eye also to all other parts where there was any cause of suspition The two Camps being thus quartered Orange moved towards Tongueren a great Town in the State of Liege intending to possess himself of it and there to get victuals for his men But the Duke did so secure it as Orange durst never assault it Getringberg a very good Town in the same Countrie was more easily perswaded to let him have victuals and to receive his soldiers into the Town Which it soon repented by reason of the insolencies which they committed particularly against the Churches and sacred things Departing suddenly from thence for that it was not tenable He quartered upon the confines of Brabant hoping that when his Colours should be seen so nigh at hand the malecontents within the Countrie would likewise display theirs But the Duke flanking still upon him and streightning him now on one side now on another did not afford him one minutes rest Chiapino Vitelli had the particular care of the quarters which he was very diligent in taking and muniting To which purpose he had a great many pyoneers in the Army and upon occasion he would make the very soldiers work within the Trenches In these the Camps approachings one unto the other in their quartering and disquartering and particularly upon occasion of forrage there happened almost continually some skirmishes between the soldiers of the two Armies Nor was there any considerable advantage got on either side for many days But at last one action proved very bloudie Brabant is watered by many small rivolets which fall almost all of them into the Demer which inlarged by their accessions doth at last disgorge it self into the Scheld Amongst other the Geet runs into it Orange being advanced into Brabant he could not pass this river so speedily and with such caution before that a good part of his Reer ere it could re-joyn with the rest was in danger to be assailed upon great advantage by the Dukes soldiers who did not lose that oportunity The Camp-Masters Romero Bracamonte and Bigli advancing with their Spaniards and Walloons gave violently upon the enemy who seeing the danger had tumultuously fortified themselves in a Village upon the
old Souldiers so well disciplin'd and so nobly born as were his Let him then go out of the Trenches and fighting in so just a cause and with such valiant men he might be sure to overcome The Archbishop of Cullen was particularly of this opinion who being of a warlike mind was come in person into the Camp But the Duke still firm to his old Maxim not to fight with Fortune which in all humane affairs is ever fickle but especially in affairs of war and battel answered in words befitting such a Commander That the end of those who govern an Army was alwaies to overcome but not alwaies to fight And that he should have fought sufficiently when he should have overcome Orange being thus deluded of all hopes of bringing it to a day of battel apply I himself wholly to the relief and the Duke wholly to keep him from it and this was the chiefest indeavor of them both Orange propounded unto himself the consequences of preserving such a place as Mons was and the Duke the importancy of re-possessing himself of it Orange had assur'd his friends that he would succor and relieve it and the other had signified no less assurance in Spain that he would hinder him from so doing Each of them argue the future from the present success And warring one against the other rather out of privat hatred then the publick respect each of them fervently desired to compass their ends with reputation and glory the more to thwart the adversaries designe with loss and dishonour Orange was much afflicted to find himself amidst the aforesaid necessities which did foretoken that if he did not very speedily relieve Mons his Army would immediately moulder away he had no money to maintain it nor was it any longer nourishable by rapine and fearing every day lest the souldier might mutiny he knew that in such a case his own forces would be more prejudiciall to him then those of his enemies And doubtlesly he ran hazard either of being brought into great agony by his own men by actual imprisonment or through greater perfidiousness and avarice of being delivered up into the Duke of Alva's hands which was the most hideous thing his thoughts could suggest unto him Without any further delay then chusing out 2000 of his best horse and 1000 of his best foot he sent them with great resolution towards that part where he thought they might easilyest enter Mons on the side of Jumampel He divided the horse into two squadrons and by them sheltered the foot which he intended to put into the City and disposed of all the rest of his Army so as might serve upon any occasion which fortune might present of battel But the Kings men who had very well furnisht that pass before and especially with some Spanish Colours under Sancio d' Avila and Julian Romero did so gallantly oppose the Assailants and were so advantagiously seconded by the Artillery which from the Fort commanded the Champian as Orange could in no ways compass his intent The conflict was notwithstanding very fierce and was accompanied by a double tempest of Canon-shot wherewith the Kings men played continually upon the Enemy both within and without they being no less playd upon by the others likewise both from within and without but few of the Spaniards were slain Of the Enemy about 300. Orange despairing of bringing in any relief on that side removed his Camp that very night and lodged in the Village Hermenes upon the bank of Trulla not far from St Sinforiano The Duke of Alva turned such forces likewise as were requisite on his side thitherward to hinder the enemy from all relief on that side Nor was it long ere he made them lose all hopes thereof Orange his souldiers were quartered in great disorder especially the Germans all other things also in his Camp were in much confusion nor was it any wonder For the souldiers being for the most part pickt up here and there without pay or the curb of discipline they obeyed no longer then they listed The Duke of Alva was very well informed of all these disorders and wants amongst the enemy which he suddenly made advantage of Having himself viewed the Germans nearest quarters he resolved to assault them that very night hoping that fortune would befriend him in their change of quarters He gave the charge thereof to Norchermes who was then very much imployed by him in Vitelli's absence he being gone out of the Camp to be cured of his wound The business insued thus A thousand Spanish foot were pickt out and the Camp-Master Romero was chosen to conduct them who though he was very good at Councel yet was much better at execution To these thousand Spaniards as many Walloons were added to secure the retreat where need should require In the deepest silence of night the Kings men began to move and that they might be known from the enemy in the dark they went with snirts uppermost The Germans were then in a great deal of carelesness all of them fast asleep so as they were slain before they knew they were assaulted they thought som tumult had casually hapned amongst them but being disdeceived by their wounds and bloud and suddenly seised upon by confusion and fear they betook themselves rather to flight than to fight The Kings men at the same time they assaulted the Germans the more to increase their terror and loss had fired their quarters the fire burst forth on a sudden in sundry parts and burnt many of the enemies So as it was questionable whether more of them perisht by the Sword Fire or Water whereinto many of them did blindly precipitate themselves So to shun one death met with another and the Kings men having continu'd slaughter a good while they were forced at last to retreat for the Enemies Camp was by this time in Arms. In this action about 500 Germans were lost and some few of the Spaniards who not observing well their orders were either borne away with too much heat of fighting or were not well acquainted with the places of retreat But the Enemy was hereat so affrighted as forgoing all obedience and discipline and leaving behind them great part of their baggage they of their own inclination betook themselves presently to be gone They stormed against Orange for having abused and betrayed them and that instead of returning home loaded with spoyl and booty they were now to carry away nothing but sufferings and disaccommodations Amidst these outcries which tasted more of threats then complaints Orange being strangely confused and being reduced to a condition rather of obeying then commanding raised his Camp and marched towards Malines The Duke was councelled by divers not to let slip so fitting an occasion of falling on the enemy whilst they retreated in disorder But he answered with the vulgar Proverb Let us make a Bridg to them that fly and shew'd how that without doubt Orange would within a few days be forced to quit
the Country That it was sufficient for him that he had compast his end in the same manner as he desired Orange left a strong Garison in Malines intending to keep that City which lying in the heart of Flanders might serve him for many purposes His Army afterwards wholly disbanding and he luckely escaping out of their hands whom he now suspected more then the enemy he at last by way of a fugitive rather hiding himself then retiring got to Delfe a City in Holland there to put on such new resolutions as time and necessity should administer When Orange was gone from about Mons the Duke of Alva began narrowlyer to begirt the besieged He re-inforced the begun batteries and used all other necessary diligence to the end that being rid of this siege he might the sooner also recover thole other places which Orange had made himself Master of The besieged did notwithstanding valiantly and constantly defend themselves for some days but at last all hopes of succour failing them they resolved to yield having received such honourable conditions as upon such occasions are usually articled and agreed upon between the vanquishers and vanquished Count Lodovick went sick out of Mons and passing into Holland to see his brother he departed suddenly for Germany to move every stone there which might serve to disturbe Flanders Whilst affairs went thus about Mons many important novelties had happened in Holland Zealand and in other places Monsieur de Seras was Governor of Flushing being sent thither as hath been said by the Prince of Orange and many hereticks were come from the neighbouring Countries to joyn with him He therefore borne away with greater designes and desirous in particular to lend his helping hand to the besieged in Mons by entring into Flanders and afterwards into Hennault betook himself thereunto He gathered together 3000 foot and easily imbarked them in the maritine coasts of Flanders he had not notwithstanding sufficient Artillery to force any place wherefore he placed his hopes more in the peoples rising then in his own forces But the Duke having used all needfull care to secure that Province and Seras meeting with good resistance in all parts he came from thence almost as soon as he was entred and laid aside all thoughts of doing any good on that side The chief end of the tumultuaries in Zealand was to possess themselves of Midleburg They thought that the Town of Targoes placed on the Northern parts of one of those Islands called Southbeverlant would be a hindrance herein unto them This Town was guarded by some Spaniards and Walloons and Midleburg might better be relieved by the Kings men from thence then from any other part Seras applying himself to get this place brought a good number of men with him and endeavoured to enter it by force but he found such opposition as he soon forsook the enterprise And being despised by his own men for these two unfortunate successes as also for some other things those of Flushing would no more receive him nor the rest any longer follow him so as he was fain to forgoe the Province with as much shame as he was at first received thereinto with honour At the same time that Count Lodovick had possest himself of Mons the abovesaid insurrections had happened in Holland and except it were Amsterdam the whole Province was almost revolted To the Brill where Lumay had raised the first tumults of those parts many heretick souldiers were come from the neighbouring Countries especially from England People were likewise raised by the Rebels in other parts of the Province who fortified divers other Passes which lay more inward in the Countrie to the end that they might be Masters of the best Avenues on both sides The Duke of Alva had taken with him to the relief of Mons and to oppose Orange almost all the whole Army as hath been said especially the Spaniards in whom he did most confide So as Holland being as it were abandoned to the will of the tumultuaries it was no wonder if having so large a field to break forth in into novelties they were both so easily contrived by them and so easily executed Divers notable alterations to the Kings prejudice arose likewise in the contiguous Provinces of Utricht Friesland Overisel Groninghen and Zutfen At Orange his entrance into Flanders many of the chiefest places in each of them followed him and his fortune not meeting with almost any opposition by the Kings men And the people baited by the spetious titles of common good run almost from all places to assist his cause as if it had been their own The Count de Berg one of the chiefest Lords of all the Low-Countries had married a sister of the Prince of Orange who had great adherencies particularly in Friesland and the parts thereabouts He was likewise apparently inclin'd to favour heresie and joyned with Orange no less in Councel then in Bloud He therefore came into the aforesaid Province beyond the Rhine at the same time that Orange past from them to the other more inward Provinces and made divers places of importance rise and placed Garrisons in some of them which were most considerable either for their Situation or Inhabitants amongst others the City of Zutfen was fallen into his hands which gives the name to that Province and which being seated on the River Isel is held for one of the chiefest of all those parts He had taken and sackt the Town of Amersfort upon the Frontiers of Holland and indeavoured thus to draw the people by force where they would not of themselves be wrought unto it to joyn with him Orange and the other Flemish exiles It is not to be believed how ill they observed their promise which Orange in the aforementioned Manifesto made to the Catholicks in point of Religion For the first thing the hereticks did when they were entred into any Town was to violate this promise nay growing more outragious then ordinarily against Ecclesiasticks and especially against Votaries not content to use scorn they proceeded to rapine to imprisonment to torments and with unheard of cruelties even to death The end which to the praise of Martyrdom some Franciscan Votaries made in the Towns of Alckmar and Gorcham was very memorable The affairs of the abovesaid Provinces were at this pass when Mons was delivered into the Duke of Alva's hands A little before this siege was ended the Tumultuaries in the heat of the advantages they had gotten and whilst the Duke was busied about Mons with all the Kings forces had resolved to attempt the taking of Tergoes in Zealand They despaired of getting Middleburgh if they had not Tergoes first Putting therefore 8000 Foot together many whereof were French Germans and English and being provided of Artillery to batter they shipt the one and the other at Flushing with all other things necessary for the enterprise and from thence went to the Island of Southbevolant and incamped themselves underneath Tergoes
always had the same end they have not so soon been entred but they have been beaten out to their slaughter and shame and to our everlasting glory and honour And upon all these occasions experience hath sufficiently shewn how much valour exceeds numbers order before confusion and what advantage th y have who fight out of the zeal of honour over those who bear arms only for rapines sake The same will certainly be seen in this present conflict since our conditions and the conditions of our enemies are not the same Ours by being bred so many years in the wars and the knowledg how to defend a good cause being added to the favour of the cause which we defend and that of the Enemy in bringing new men to all military actions and in basely maintaining wicked causes under rebellious Captains The narrownes of the place makes much for our advantage which will not suffer their Horse which are more then ours to have too much the better of us and yet ours shal be so well fenced by Foot as that advantage shall supply the other default And that weak Trench which the Enemy have raised for defence of their Foot what doth it argue but an abjest fear in them an evident desire rather of flight then of fight We on the contrary shall assault them with our wonted resolution and undauntedness shall assuredly have the like success as formerly in overcoming and they in runing away This Speech of Avila's was received with great acclamations by the souldiers Whereupon he with the other field-Officers disposed their orders thus For the more safety-sake he placed the foot towards the River on the right hand and divided them into proportionable squadrons lining the Pikes with shot where it was most convenient He divided the horse likewise on the left side into divers squadrons and munited them toward the field-side with a good wing of Spanish and Walloon musketiers the better to break the enemies greatest force which was to be expected on that part The Camp-masters Consalvo di Bracamonte Fernando di Tolledo and Christopher Mandragone who had brought with him his Walloon Regiment which did remarkable service that day had the chief command of the foot And the chief places in the Cavalry were supplyed by Bernardino di Mendoza and John Baptista de Marchesi del Monte with whom were other Captains of try'd valour The German Harquebusiers under Schinck were placed in the front together with those of other Nations and after them the Lanciers which made up the greatest body of the horse and this was so executed as if the enemies Rutters should charge upon the Harquebusiers the Lanciers might charge them To boot that the wing of Musketiers which flankt the Kings horse on the outside might be of great use to break their first violence as hath been said The enemy this mean while had not omitted any thing which might make for their advantage in the battel Lodovick had his brother Henry with him who had likewise a warlike spirit But Christopher one of the sons of the Prince Elector Palatine was of great preeminence in their Army He commanded all the horse and the whole Government of the Camp was almost equally had between him and Lodovick They left some foot-companies to defend the Trench which hath been spoken of and which lay nearer the river on the left hand On the right hand they composed a great squadron of the other foot in good order and extended their horse towards the hill as far as the narrowness of the place would permit them and made thereof one choice squadron apart wherein were the two Generals and Count Henry Which made it be doubted whether they did this to be in that part of the battel where victory was most to be hoped for or in case they should be worsted so to make their way sooner through the enemy and joyn with Orange who was already come with great forces to Niminghen The two Generals as they ordered their squadrons were not wanting in encouraging their souldiers They affirmed that this was the day which must free the Flemish from slavery the Germans from jealousies and which would throw a thousand rewards upon them the souldiers for obtaining the victory of which no doubt was to be made That the new Spanish Governour trusting little in himself and peradventure less in his men would not be in person where the greatest danger was That he was constrained to draw his people out of their Garisons almost by force who howsoever came rather with a mind to mutiny then to fight and were so lessened in their numbers as they were able to make but a very weak body of an Army How much did they exceed the enemy especially in horse And how great would their storm be That when the victory should be got on this side it would the more safely be had on the other side where the foot would notwithstanding so signalize themselves as they needed no other to assist them in overcoming That the enemy being routed and made to fly Flanders was to be wholly at their disposal And what Laws would not she be ready to receive having the Prince of Orange with his forces on one side theirs on the other or when they should be all joyned together Holland and Zealand invincible Provinces in the defence of their Country would certainly share in the fruits of so happy a success as also every other Province which would cordially joyn with them in the same Cause That in such Provinces as would prove refractory the sword should do what fair means could not effect and as they should be joyfully received by those so should they find rich pillage in these That every souldier should therefore enter the combate with firm resolution of being victorious And that adding one incitement to another every one of them should think they were looked upon by the eyes of both the Germanies which expected by means of their valour that day the one to recover what she had lost the other to keep what she had feared to lose When both Armies were ordered in manner aforesaid they began to skitmish Avila advanced 300 foot part Spaniards part Walloons against those who guarded the Trenches on the other side who coming forth with a proportionable number received the Kings men with much stoutness but these as being more experienced began to get advantage over the others driving them back into their Trenches and endeavouring to fall in with them Here the fray grew hotter and each side received new courage accordingly as they received new succours But the Kings men still prevailing they at last got upon the Trenches and of them Captain Diego di Montesdock was one of the first that was slain Then the chief squadron of the enemies foot began to move Whereupon the others making a stand who before began to give back they fell all again a fighting and for a while did manfully withstand the Kings men whose squadrons
military administration And indeed he was a Commander of very great renown who to his honour won first in the Wars in Italy had made the like correspond which he did purchase in the wars of Flanders But this loss was added unto by another of much greater importance which insued within a few days after to wit the death of Rechesens the Commendador who about the beginning of March falling suddenly into a violent feaver died within five days at Brussels His bodily sickness was preceded by a great malady of mind for being brought into a very great streight for want of mony he was not furnisht with any from Spain neither was Flanders any ways able to supply him there withall In so much as a little before his death a part of the Spanish horse mutinyed to the Countries great indignation for which he was forced to suffer the people to reassume their arms which were formerly taken from them by the Duke of Alva knowing that they would have done so of themselves though he had not given them leave Four ordinary ships were at this time only come from Spain with some few souldiers the maritine preparation from thence not any ways answering expectation By reason of all which obstructions the Commendador had reason to fear that the siege of Zurickzee would end unfortunately and that other sinister events would befall the Kings affairs in Flanders Whilst thus agitated in mind he fell sick and died with a reputation rather of great goodness then of great valour and of being fitter for peacefull imployments then for those of War in the manageing whereof so great a Paragon as was the Duke of Alva proved to say the truth too disadvantagious to him Many and especially the wiser sort of Spaniards thought that a mixture of them both might have done well if joyned together the one had been wholly imployed in Military the other in Civil affairs Here insued one of the greatest and most tempestuous agitations that ever Flanders felt in the whole pursuit of the war which we will now describe You shall see a Government without Government the whole Country about to revolt the Kings Forces at enmity within themselves and his cause more oppugned then defended by them More Governours then one bear his name at once in Flanders and use his Authority the Provinces of various sences and no less differing Councels Neighbouring Princes manifestly aspiring to the Government thereof A new introduction of foreign Forces No publick nor no private faith observed Cruel sacking on one side fatal sieges on the other More then hostile violence and fury every where and in fine the successes in these revolutions of affairs will prove such and so strange as will doubtlesly move great curiosity here in the expectation of them but much greater compassion towards Flanders hereafter when they shall be come and seen One of the greatest mischiefs which the affairs of Flanders suffered by the death of Rechesens was that he died without declaring who should succeed him in his Government He had a Patent from the King to that purpose with a blank left for the name But he was so suddenly surprised with the violence of his sickness as he could not do it It was notwithstanding discovered by some appearances that he would have left the Military Government to Count Peter Ernestus Mansfield and the Civil Government to Count Barlemonte which two of all the Lords in the Country were those the King did most confide in and from whose valour and wisdom most might be expected The Commendador failing thus the Councel of State took upon them the Government who presently dispatched away an express to Spain to give the King an account of what had happened and to represent unto him at full the present condition of the affairs of Flanders The King approved of the Provisional resolution taken by the Councel and declared therewithall that he would forthwith send a new Governor and such a one as should be fully to the mind of those Provinces The administration this mean while began by the hands of the Flemish themselves But nothing is more to be despised in Government then wavering and divided Authority Nor doth any thing hurt more then interessed and disagreeing Councels And it is seen in the Government of Kingdoms that State-Ministers by their private passions do usually ruine the common Cause The Councel of State had no sooner taken upon them the Government but great troubles began to be seen in all things for their orders were not observed as they ought to have been and the orders themselves were given with apparent discord which appeared much more in their minds then in their Votes Philip de Croy Duke of Ariscot Governor of the Province of Flanders did for his Nobility riches and adherence hold the chief place amongst those of the Councel And with him the greatest part of the Councel did go along in their Votes All these leaned towards the Liberty of the Country as well out of their own nature as out of a particular alienation which they had to the Spaniards Orange was not this mean while idle neither but seconding by his lively wit the favourable conjuncture from the very day that the Commendador died he incited all his followers in all the parts of the Country to imprint such opinions in the people as might draw them most to be of his mind Alleadging That this was the time to reunite all Flanders in one will That by fortune and more by justice the Government was now in the hands of the native Flemish and therefore it was not to be suffered to pass any more into the Spaniards hands That the yoke of so sore a servitude had lasted too long already imprisonments confiscations deaths sackings firings and so many other deplorable calamities too long That Liberty would notwithstanding be so much the more welcome by how much it was formerly more desired Then let the Flemish resolve unanimously to recover it and so to enjoy it with the greater contentment That the Cause could not be juster in it self nor of greater applause both within the Provinces and in all other places Finally to what worser end could affairs be brought since though the designe should not succeed the present miseries were so great as greater were not at any time to be expected Out of what fault shall we declare this Rebellion If the Spaniards have fallen thereinto by mutinying this is not the first time they have done so nor will it per adventure be the last War causeth expence Expence want of Pay Want of Pay the Souldiers anger and the Souldiers anger Mutiny As long as the wars continue these disorders will fall out other Countries have had experience of it as well as ours hath now But when was it ever heard that in such a case the Mutiniers were esteemed Rebels aay how often have whole Armies rather commended then condemned their cause insomuch as at last it hath been thought the best course
arise on all sides and from thence troublâ— The Queen of Navar passeth by the Frontiers of Flanders towards France Don John goes himself in person to receive her and to carry her to Namures Upon which occasion he makes himself Master of the Castle of that City The States complain hereof unto the King They resolve to call the Prince of Orange into 〈◊〉 and receive him with unusual honours Which causeth jealousies in the â—â—st of the chief Nobility who therefore determine to offer the Government of Flanders to Archduke Mathias He accepts of the offer and comes thither privatly Orange his opinion and the opinion of the States General touching his coming They resolve to accept of him for the Governour of the Country The Flemish take up arms on all sides against Don John And endeavour to besiege Namures The Kings men return speedily into Flanders And a battel insues thereupon near Geblurs wherein they have the victory The proceedings of the Kings Forces Preparations on the behalf of the Flemish do encrease continually more against them To this end an Army is raised in Germany by the Palatine John Casimere And the Duke of Alanson prepares another in France John Casimere moves first and being come to Brabant takes Diste The Flemish quarter themselves strongly in the fields to expect the arrival of all the foreign fâ—râ—es Don John marches with all his men towards them but cannot draw them forth to battel His hopes of seeing the enemies foot soon dissolve By favour of the he etical aids the Flemish sectarists demand a general liberty of conscience and obtain it The Catholicks are much scandalized hereat A new action of the Malecontents Some accommodation of the affairs of Flanders is again endeavoured by tht Emperour by the King of France and by the Queen of England but in vain Alanson exters the Country with his Army Orange doth all he can that the Flemish and the foreign forces may joyn Don John fals sick dies And leaves the Prince of Parma in the administration of the Government The Prince of Orange was as the Oracle of the Provinces after the agreement made between them so as he was the main wheel upon which all their resolutions were turned wherefore the Councel of State and Deputies of the States General desired to know his opinion concerning the coming of Don John and in what manner he would have him received into the Government before they would take any resolution therein Whereupon Orange began a long discourse the substance whereof was this That the larger Don Johns promises were the more they were to be suspected That it was apparent the Spaniards end was to cheat the Flemish and to lull them asleep that they might the more easily oppress them That Don John was not to be received day otherwise then upon such terms as their obedience always preserved unto the King the former Government might be restored unto the Provinces That therefore in the first place all the Spaniards should be expelled That the Citadels should be all demolished and put into the hands of the Flemish That no Authority at all should be granted to Don John not so much as over the Militia of the Country That the States General should retain the prerogatives due unto them That to this purpose they might have a power to meet once or twice a year to preserve the priviledges of the Provinces And that Don John should resolve on nothing without the Authority of the said States General That it better behoved him to trust the Flemish then the Flemish him And that howsoever it was not to be believed that the King would ever pardon them since he held himself too much injured by them That therefore they ought to consider his anger together with his forces and put themselves into such a posture as since they could never secure themselves from the one they might not at least be opprest by the other This was Orange his opinion which he desired to distill into all the Flemish And this was the foundation which he even then laid of that Commonwealth of the United Provinces which hath been since so formed and established in these our times by powerfull forces and of which we formerly sent a particular Relation from Brussels to Rome which together with some other writings of ours touching the affairs of Flanders were afterwards published by Ericio Puteano our very good friend and the worthy successor of Justus Lipsius no less in learning then in place and in the Inheritance of his fame no less then of his labours Orange hoped by this means to make himself Moderator and Arbitrator of the Government and assisted by the present conjuncture of time to make himself at least as good as Prince of Holland and Zealand if he should not arrive at the Principality of all the Provinces joyned together in one body And peradventure he would not have missed in his designe had he not been slain as shall be said in its proper place and so had the thread of his life as well as that of his hopes cut off This answer increased such jealousies in the Flemish as not thinking themselves sufficiently united by the agreement made at Gaunt they resolved to make another union which should be more strict and more efficacious They therefore drew up a Declaration in the name and Authority of the States General wherein repeating the calamities suffered by the Spaniards they did again confirm the confederation of Gaunt promised to observe it inviolably and declared all such to be Traitors and infamous persons who should in any whatsoever manner countervene it This Writing or Declaration was afterwards signed and sealed in every Province by every Magistrate and Governour and was imbraced with great applause by the whole Country And because Orange had chiefly minded them that the States should put themselves in Arms shewing what danger they were again to expect from the Spaniards therefore the States General betook themselves to raise new men which they brought together in a good body under the command of Count Di Saleigne of the Vicecount of Gaunt and Monsieur de la Mota to Vaures a Town between Brussels and Namures very opportunely seated especially to withstand Don John The States General made likewise divers expeditions into Germany France and England to pray aide in all those parts and to make the cause of the Flemish common with all their neighbours A considerable sum of money was sent from the Queen of England who under hand shewed her self well inclined to greater demonstrations On the part of Germany the greatest confederacy was had with John Casimere one of the Count Palatines of Rheine and the thing desired was to furnish him with monies whereby to raise men in that Nation and lead them into Flanders On France's side they did not only endeavour to raise the Hugonot Faction but to draw likewise the Catholick party to be of the same mind under the Duke of Alanson brother to
with him was Orange who treated with him at large in that City and many Articles were agreed upon by which he bound himself to govern The first was That the Prince of Orange should be given unto him for his Lieutenant All the rest tended to make his Authority subordinate to that of the States General so as he could not in any whatsoever manner do any publick action without their will and consent The States and the said Mathias did afterwards by their Letters to the King endeavour to procure his approbation of that Election endeavouring to honest it in manner aforesaid and by divers other colourable pretences But this mean while the States forbare not to prepare forces and they turned them chiefly towards Vaures a Town between Brussels and Namures as hath been elsewhere said here they resolved to make their Rendesvouz resolving to befiege Namures So as when they should have possest that Pass towards Italy as they had already done the other of Mastrick towards Germany there might be no passage left for the Kings men who were to enter into Flanders either by the one or the other in an hostile manner This was the resolution of the States General and this was Orange his particular opinion who governed all things then according to his own will But when Escovedo was come to Spain and the other news of the novelties happened in Flanders being likewise advertised continual consultation was had there touching what was to be done in the affairs of that Country The King considered on the one side that to return to arms again would be to return to the former vast expences and excessive difficulties and that his enemies and those that envied his greatness desired nothing more then that he might re-enter upon a War of which he should never have an end and wherein he was to spend the flowre of his Militia There were not wanting some in his Councel who did no approve of Don Johns retreat to Namures and of his surprising that Castle as if he had done it not so much out of necessity as out of choice that he might have Forces in his hands and gather thereout more advantage to himself then to the Kings service But on the other side it was considered that if Don John should not be presently succoured and that with powerfull forces the Kings affairs in Flanders would be utterly lost the plots which were practised to that purpose both within and without being too apparent To boot that there was no way seen whereby to come to a peaceable agreement but by preparing with all possible power for a new War These opinions being then justly weighed it was resolved in Spain that Orders should be given to all the Kings Officers in Italy immediately to send back those forces into Flanders who were some months before come from thence and who were now almost all of them in the State of Milan or in the Kingdom of Naples At the same time Commissions for the raising of horse and foot were sent from the King into Burgony Lorain and the nearest parts of Germany And it fell out luckily that Count Charls Mansfield son to Count Ernestus did then lead back a body of 4000 foot from France which he had formerly brought into that Kingdom for the service of that Crown So as the Kings Forces began to found aloud in divers places which afforded the Flemish sufficient matter to think upon Their chief designe was as we have a little before said to besiege Namures and to be Masters of that Pass which was of such importance Wherefore the States endeavoured with all diligence to bring their men to the Rendesvous in Vaures And Commanders were already provided for the Army which was a gathering They had made the Lord Goygni Camp-master-general the Count de Laleigne General of the foot the Vicecount of Gaunt General of the horse and Mr de la Motte Master of the Artillery But the strength of their forces did not as yet answer to the eagerness of their design and therfore they labour'd very hard to get potent succours from their neighbours abroad and to advantage their Cause as much as they might These endeavors were had as we have formerly said in Germany France and England From Germany the Palatine John Casimire promised to bring a great strength of men if they would send him mony to pay them In France that King would not meddle with the revolt of Flanders they having been too busie in the Domestical troubles of his own Kingdom Nor could the Duke of Alanson much favour the Flemish by his own Forces They therefore placed all their chiefest hopes in the Queen of England And doubtlesly they might be better helpt from thence then from any other part both with men and mony Wherefore they turned their chiefest endeavours thither and to give it the greater weight and reputation they sent a solemn Ambassy to the Queen the head whereof was the Marquis of Haure The Queen her self desired that this clamorous appearance might be made to the end that she might the better honest unto the King of Spain any aid that she should give them through the publick complaints of the Flemish A firm Confederacie was by this means made without much difficulty between the Queen and the Belgick States the substance whereof was That each side should assist other interchangeably with proportionable Forces by Sea and Land The Queen obliged her self thereunto with present effects and with declaring that she would not suffer Flanders to be opprest And on the contrary the States promised to assist the Queen whensoever she should be molested by the common enemy She suddenly sent an express Ambassador into Spain to justifie this action of hers unto the King and sought to honest it by making known how much her interest was concerned in not suffering her Neighbours to be opprest especially the Flemish with whom the English had alwayes kept good correspondencie She shewed the King that he ought rather to be well pleased then offended with what she had done in their assistance for that otherwise they might peradventure through despair have thrown themselves into the hands of some other neighbouring Prince She exhorted him speedily to send some other Governour of his own blood in stead of Don John but chiefly to comply with the Flemish in their so just demands and fairly to compound the affairs of those Countries to which purpose she offered on her side to use her best and most powerful mediation When she had satisfied this her palliated respect to Spain she failed not readily to perform her true designs on the behalf of Flanders she suddenly raised the monies which were needfull to raise the intended Forces in Germany under John Casimire which were to be most of them Horse and gave order that a good number of Foot should be sent out of her own Kingdom The monies being received John Casimire was not slack in using such diligence as was behovefull Nor
which had happened since the so solemn agreement made between him and the Provinces as if that he had desired to govern rather armed then unarmed and that he believed he might compass some of his own ends easilyer by troubles then by quiet So as by reason of these jealousies which were had of Don John and which had got a little rooting in Spain peace in Flanders was the more desired by the Spaniards Wherefore about the end of August all these Ambassadors met in Antwerp The Count Zuarzemburg from the Emperour President Belliure from the King of France and from the Queen of England Walsingam her first Secretary and with him another called Gobham But it was soon seen that Cesars endeavours wanted authority and the rest candidness For both England and France did sufficiently desire to have the troubles and disorders wherewith Flanders was afflicted continue Nor did this opinion prove vain The meetings were more for shew then substance and their endeavours ended almost as soon as they were begun to boot that in very deed the difficulties which were met with on all sides were very great Each party would justifie all they had done and all that they pretended to Wherefore all Treaty of Agreement being suddenly broken they continued in their former heat of preparing for war The Flemish regained Ariscot and Nevile and tryed but in vain to recover Lovain On the other side the French entring into the Province of Henault besieged Bins and after some assault took it and put it to the plunder But these were businesses of small importance in respect of what the Rebels hoped for from the union of so many Forces which they had received to side with them from all parts Orange laboured more then all the rest to bring them together and herein his adherents used likewise their best diligence Miserable Flanders every where so full of Arms and so lacerated as it was questionable whether she were more afflicted by her own or by foreign Forces and whether those or these in seeming assistance bore the most spetious title Don John this mean while kept with his men within his quarters which he had fortified without Namures to withstand the assaults of the enemy These Fortifications were about two miles and a half in compass and did so much the more shelter the City so as that passage towards Germany and Italy was very well secured and his Army very well provided of all things necessary for the maintenance thereof Wherefore Don John hoped shortly both to receive powerfull aid and to see those disband which the enemy had assembled together for their service These were his designs these were his hopes when in their very hight he fell sick his malady so increasing as he died within a few days When he was near his end he sent for the Duke of Parma and after having in a very affectionate manner recommended the Kings service to him he substituted him in his own place not any ways doubting but that by the so many Prerogatives both of bloud and valour which met in him the King would suddenly confirm him in that Government Thus dyed Don John not being yet full thirty three years old The Emperour Charles the Fifth was his Father and Madam de Plombes a Lady of noble birth in Germany his Mother The Emperour before his death gave the King his Son great charge of him who at first had in his private thoughts destin'd him to an Ecclesiastical life but afterward changing his mind bred him up in the Military profession Wherein by three memorable enterprises he eterniz'd his name In the first he bridled the Moors Audacity in the second the Ottoman Pride and in the third the Fury of the Flemish In each of these his successes did much exceed his years He overcame the Moors when but yet a Youth he abated the edge of the Turk at the very entrance into the flower of his age and he did so master-like suppress the Belgiques as greater skill could not have been shewn by any whatsoever antient and most perfect Commander He had in him very excellent gifts both of body and mind In his aspect Majesty and Grace strength of Body to undergoe labour He was affable with the Souldiery vigilant answerable to his Command wise in the greatest difficulties but having a heart much willinger to encounter then to shun them Many could have desired that he had been less amorous and not so easie to believe reports He was so greedy of Glory as many judged it to be an aspiring after Empire Which made him at last be envied and so far suspected as made his service to the King doubtful as if from being Governour he had aspired to be Prince of Flanders and that to this purpose he had held private correspondencie with the Queen of England and proceeded more secretly to express negotiations of Marriage Which was cause why his death was thought to be rather procured then natural But whatsoever the business was wherein truth might be overclouded by Calumny He dyed with the fame of singular valour and great applause Worthy assuredly to have lived longer and not less worthy to have proceeded from a Conjugal bed and to have commanded rather as absolute Prince then as a subordinate Officer Finis Partis Primae THE HISTORY OF THE WARS OF FLANDERS Written by CARDINAL BENTIVOGLIO The Second Part. BOOK I. The Contents The Prince of Parma is confirmed Governour of Flanders by the King The Prince thought first to draw the Walloon Provinces to side with the King by the way of negotiation but in the interim he applies himself with all fervor to the management of Arms. He stands at first upon his defence The Foreign Forces vanish Alanson returns for France and John Casimir for Germany The Prince here upon passeth from the defensive part to the offensive He resolves to besiege Mastrick The description of that place The Royalists endeavours in oppugning it and the resistance made by the Defendants The Royalists at last prevail and the Prince is master of the Town An agreement between him and the Walloon Provinces It is endeavoured to reconcile all the other Provinces likewise to the King but in vain Small successes of War on all sides The Flemish think of choosing a new Prince and to cast off their obedience to the King of Spain This is chiefly fomented by Orange Their Deputies meet together in Antwerp to this purpose and there is much consultation about it Some of the Hereticks are for the Queen of England other some for the Duke of Alanson The Catholicks opinion in this point The Assembly leans much more to Alanson The Deputies depart and return to their own Provinces to make each of them severally resolve fully upon the choise The war continues this mean while on both sides The King would have the Dutchess of Parma return to Flanders and why She is not well come thither when she earnestly desires to go back to Italy which
she obtains leave to do The whole Government of the Country remains therefore in the Prince her son The Flemish Rebels agree in their former resolution of chusing the Duke of Alanson for their new Prince What followed thereupon and with what conditions THe Kings Army was much afflicted for the death of Don John it is hardly to be believed what sence of sorrow was shewed for it for many days throughout the whole Camp The news thereof coming to Spain the King staid awhile before he would confirm the Prince of Parma in the Government of Flanders He very well knew the Prince his Military worth But then again he feared lest that his warlike spirit might not rather make him desire the continuance of the war then to see those Provinces restored to peace which the King desired above all things always provided as hath been often said that all due obedience were given to the Church and the like to his Crown Moreover the King had had it often formerly in his thoughts to send the Dutchess of Parma back again into Flanders if it should prove needfull to remove Don John from that Government He called to mind what satisfaction her former Regency had given unto those people and to make it prove the better again he thought to place her son the Prince of Parma with her for the part of Arms thinking that the Government being thus tempered the people would be much better pleased and his service might on all sides be better done The King therefore was a while doubtfull what to do in this case But because speedy remedy was to be applyed to the evils of Flanders and for that the King could not doubt but the Prince of Parma would with all loyalty and devotion do as he should be by him directed therefore without more adoe he approved of Don Johns Declaration and confirmed the Prince in the Government of those Provinces The Kings Army was greatly rejoyced to hear of this choice thinking that by the proximity of his bloud and by his greater resemblance in valour Don John might seem to live still in the Prince Wherefore Fernese applyed himself wholly to the Government committed to his charge His first resolution was To endeavour by all means possible to draw the Walloon Provinces over to the Kings side He considered of what importance it would be to have so great and such Catholick forces within the Country side with the Church and with the King And that on the contrary Rebellion and Heresie could not be weakened by any means better then by this He therefore began to endeavour this by several ways He treated chiefly with the Nobility who enjoy particular prerogatives in the Walloon Provinces and to whom the vulgar sort do usually adhere when the States do meet But notwithstanding this overture of a Treaty did not at all allay his ardency to War Putting on therefore Don Johns resolution he determined likewise to keep within those quarters wherein the Army was fortified about Namures and to expect there till the enemies forces should vanish especially the foreign aids which out of the reasons formerly alleadged he thought would not be long a doing Nay his hopes thereof were the more increased for that the dissentions grew every day greater amongst the Flemish He therefore attended the guarding of his quarters the keeping of his souldiers in perfect good discipline and did at the same time very much sollicite the King that he would speedily provide moneys for the necessaries of the Army and send over new men This mean while the disorders grew daily greater amongst the Flemish Rebels For divided in divers sorts amongst themselves both in affairs of Religion and in other things which respected the State of one common cause they had made many particular ones and every Province having its own particular ends few of them joyned any longer in their resolutions as they ought to have done with the rest The chiefest contestations were between the Walloons and Gaunteses as hath been said nor was it ever possible to find any means how to accord them Whence falling from words to blows neither of them paid their Contributions first agreed upon to the common Cause being kept from doing so by the necessity of converting it to their own peculiar uses The Faction of the Malcontents grew this mean while still the stronger for almost all the Nobility of Henault and Artois had wound themselves thereinto The Gaunteses and their adherents received their greatest indammagements from this Faction nor could there be a greater contrariety then was between them The Malcontents seemed more resolute then ever to continue in their Catholick purity and their due Allegiance to the King and the Gaunteses shewed themselves full as resolute to have only the contrary exercise in point of Religion and in all other things shewed their abhorrition of the Soveraignty of Spain So as by reason of this variance between the Confederate Provinces their first Union was mightily weakned Together with their want of money they began daily to be wanting in their Souldiers and not being able to maintain their own home-Souldiers much less able were they to maintain those very many that they had received from abroad Wherefore the French and German Aids did no more service but instead of easing the Country ran out licentiously on this side and that side and failing of their Pay paid themselves with large usury by Rapine insomuch that it was doubted whether they might not fall from tumultuary Free-booting to some downright Mutiny This necessity and these dangers were represented to the States by Casimir and Alanson who desired instant remedy But such evils could not be helped unless provisions were had first for the discords which were the occasion thereof which by reason of the aforesaid difficulties were become irremediable though the States and in particular Orange used all possible care and diligence to compose them It was clearly seen that the greatest novelties arose from the Gaunteses wherefore at the States desire John Casimir went again to Gaunt and used all the most efficacious means he could to reduce the Gaunteses to a more moderate sense But all was lost labour especially by reason of the obduration of those Ringleaders who for their own self-interest did the more willingly nourish sedition in that City This was the cause why John Casimir by Orange his advise resolved to go himself to England to perswade the Queen to be more firm in favouring the Flemish with her assistance especially in point of monies But the Queen after having received him very honourably were it either that she would not further offend the King of Spain or that she could not really be at further expences sent him away with bare terms of good Intention and with ambiguous hopes which were soon after resolved to the negative John Casimir being returned from England to Flanders without any good issue in his Negotiation found many of his men already disbanded and the
rest ready to doe the like unless he would reconduct them to Germany Alanson's French forces were likewise much lessend and the Commanders authority on either side did but little avail to retain the Souldiers in their due obedience when once they failed of their Pay Insomuch as both of them were inforced to return almost at the same time Alanson to France and Casimir to Germany leaving it questionable whether of them had with greater hopes undertaken the expedition or ended it with less good The Foreign Aids being thus vanisht the Flemish Forces were likewise suddenly dispersed into sundry parts Fernese dallied then no longer but thinking that it was now time to pass from the defensive to the offensive part resolved immediately to take the Field and to endeavour such success to the Kings Forces as might most strengthen his Cause The Enemy had no more Forces to withstand the Royalists in the Field wherefore Fernese was forced to betake himself to some of their chief Towns by the gaining whereof greater advantages might derive unto the King Consideration being had hereupon in the Councel of War they pitched upon one of two important Sieges either that of Antwerp or that of Mastrick But there was great opposition in the Councel concerning which of these they should resolve upon To perswade to the first it was said That the Acquisition of Antwerp was much to be preferr'd before that of Mastrick That Antwerp lay in the heart of the best Provinces of Flanders and for its so many Prerogatives was esteemed the nown paramount of all the Country that by it the Scheld was commanded in particular so noble a River and so seated as having its Ebbs and Floods it may seem to partake more of the Sea then of a River That from thence a man may soon be in the heart of Holland and Zealand in which two Provinces Rebellion was first radicated and they were the first which ought to be reduced to their obedience That Antwerp and the Scheld had abundantly furnisht Forces which had so often been imployed by water against those Provinces That Zealand was the chief Sea-Port of Flanders which was by all means to be opened for the receiving of such Aids as were to come by Sea from Spain And that though the siege of Antwerp was likely to cost more time more mony and more blood yet all these were to be esteemed but light losses in respect of making so important and so desireable an acquisition But it was said on the contrary That first of all they were to secure the Pass of Germany That from thence the Flemish Army had alwayes received their greatest aids And by what pass but by that which by her Bridge over the Mause the City of Mastrick doth so advantagiously open and shut How oft had that place been made a Rendezvouz not only to receive Aid from Friends but to repulse the Enemy That in the siege of Antwerp it would prove a very hard business to master the Scheld by any whatsoever Bridge by reason of her breadth and depth and by the force which the ebbing and flowing of the Sea would adde thereunto And yet that was the first thing that was to be done to cut off the relief which would be hourly brought to the besieged by that way That on the contrary in the higher parts towards Mastrick the Mause was neither very large nor very deep nor held she any commerce with the Sea so as that River might be shut up above and beneath whereby all succour by water might be cut off from the City and doubtless the Camp would hinder all relief by land That when this Siege should be ended there would be much greater hopes of happily effecting the other And that finally the present conjuncture of affairs did require that the easiest enterprise should be first undertaken and the Army so imployed within as first to secure the Aids which might be received from abroad This opinion at last prevailed and was willingly imbraced by the Prince of Parma He saw that really the Army was not sufficiently furnisht with Arms and provisions to besiege Antwerp wherefore he bent himself wholly against Mastrick resolving to doe his utmost to make himself Master thereof This mean while the year 1579. was begun When the sharpest part of winter being over the Prince began to assemble his Army and about the end of March marched to effect his premeditated design The Kings Army consisted of about 15000 Foot and 4000 Horse all of them men trained up in war and much more considerable for their quality then for their number When the Flemish Rebels had discovered the Prince his resolution they failed not to provide with all diligence for that City being as resolute to use all means for the defence thereof as the others were for the taking it Monsieur de la Nue was then in Flanders with the title of Lieutenant under Orange He was one of the chief Heads of the Hugonot Faction in France But that Kingdom being at this time in some sort of quiet he was come into the Army of the Confederate Flemish and had with great esteem the aforesaid place conferr'd upon him and moreover was made Governour of Mastrick Wherefore he very much laboured the preservation of that place which he thought would chiefly consist in procuring succour from without He therefore thought it not best to keep within the Town believing he might be more serviceable abroad But he did so order it as such Commanders were placed there as questionless would make stout and manful resistance These were Suarzemburg di Herle a Dutch-man and Sebastian Tapine a French-man both of them advised and resolute Souldiers and who were to expect their fortunes only from the hazards of war They had with them about 500 Foot part Flemish part French part English and to them were added a great number of Country-people who were to be imployed in such manual works as should at any time be requisite for defence of the Town to which the Townsmen seemed very well disposed The Kings Army was this mean while drawn near Mastrick and when the Prince of Parma had distributed the Quarters they begon to fortifie them in such order and with such advantages as are used in the best regulated and straitest sieges We have formerly in this our History described the Situation of this City but rather in general then in particular wherefore that you may the better understand what is now treated on it is requisite that we give you here more particular and more distinct knowledg thereof The City of Mastrick lies on both â—â—des of the Mause but not in an equal proportion it is larger on the left side of the River and not so large on the right side The one by reason of the largeness of its circuit retains the name of the City and the other being of lesser compass is called Vich The former looks towards Brabant the other towards the State of
munite it on the one side and to Mandragone on the other Mansfield therefore fortified the Village of Cowstein from whence the counterdike was thrust out and that Fortification was called the strong House he inlarged and heightned the counterdike where it was most needfull he planted a little Fort upon the one side which was called La Motta because Signor de la Motta had the command thereof He made also another on the other side and named it Palata because for want of earth it was made of pales which want was found almost every where in fortifying the counterdike so as they were fain to supply it with fagots and other such like materials Where the counterdike joyned afterwards with the chief dike of the river Mandragone raised a Fort and called it the Cross in relation to the position of the place which was almost of the same form and because 't was doubted that the enemy might make a great cut in the chief bank of the river beneath Lillo which might have more prejudiced the counterdike Fernese caused three Forts be raised in that place which for that they were triangular were called the Forts of the Trinity All these Works which we have named were made from time to time according as need required which we have here set down the better to present them before your eyes and to give you the clearer intelligence thereof The Prince had shut up the Passes towards the land side about Antwerp which coasted upon Brabant by Garisons which were placed in Hostrat in Herentales in Breda in Lira in Diste and in divers other Towns by which Antwerp was kept from being relieved on that side Particularly the horse scoured the whole Country every where not only out of a bare intention of incommodating the Antwerpians but to keep them from having any communication with those of Brussels or Malines so to make both them Towns fall the sooner into their hands The fiege being thus ordered on each side the river it remained totally to block up the same river which was the chief business and which brought with it not only the greatest advantage but also the greatest necessary and met with greatest opposition The Marquis of Rubays General of the horse was of great authority and esteem in the Kings Camp Wherefore Fernese gave him the chief care of the bridg and gave unto him likewise the command of a great many men of War which were a preparing to facilitate the enterprise Rubays was not wanting in acting his part in all these imployments He was in action both day and night he uncessantly divided his labours now on this side now on that with infinite industry and valour So as by his dilligence all necessary provisions for the building of the bridg did in time so increase as all the Army began to hope to see their work soon brought to perfection Whilst the Kings Camp was amongst these labours and difficulties the besieged within the City were not agitated with less uncertainty and perturbances From the very beginning of the siege they had sent expresly into Holland and Zealand and to the rest of the Confederate Provinces to desire the best and speediest assistance which could be sent them from those parts But knowing that they could not receive sufficient succour from thence they had sent particular personages into France and into England to do the like in those Courts and endeavoured to interest both those Crowns again if it were possible in their cause They had good hopes from France but the effects were not answerable That Kingdom was still full of troubles and that King would not more irritate the King of Spain who was already too much incensed for what the Duke of Alanson had done in Flanders They received greater hopes from England and might much more easily come by them But the Queen after Alansons death willing to make such advantage of the Flemish as she could not do before made them believe she would assist them but was very slow in doing it It appeared at last that her end was to see them reduced to such necessity as they should be inforced to throw themselves into her hands and contenting her self at first with a bare title of protection she might come more easily afterwards so to be totally master of them These practises from abroad proceeding but very flowly and with much ambiguity the Antwerpians hopes consisted chiefly in succours from Holland and Zealand Provinces which were nearest them and which by their naval forces might best disturb the siege especially by way of the river Nor were these parts wanting in doing what possibly they could to this purpose But the work about the bridg advancing every day and the Forts of the Kings Camp being already increased on both sides and Rubays having commanded his barks to withstand those of the enemy victuals could not so freely be brought to Antwerp by water as formerly And all passes by land being shut up they had less hopes of any relief from thence Their wants therefore still increased But the Inhabitants were chiefly afflicted to see that Commerce began already to fail and that by continuation of the siege they were likely to be totally deprived thereof And peradventure not without danger of new plunder and firing which was that that they most apprehended calling to mind what they had undergone not many years before in that kind by the Spaniards A great part of their people especially of meaner sort lived upon Merchandizing and Traffick wherefore they began to complain very much of their already sufferings and of those yet greater which they daily feared more and more And those who were of better condition were not well pleased to see themselves thus incommodiated And those that were of the best condition and wealthiest amongst them the more they feared to lose so much more did they desire to avoid the danger thereof And though they did all of them abhor to return again under the Spanish Command especially those who were most infected with heresie yet well weighing all Interests they preferred that of their lives and estates before all other respects The meaner sort of people began already to speak freely of these inconveniences and dangers and whispers were heard to the same purpose amongst the more civiliz'd people So as wavering thus in their minds it appeared that they could not but grow very cool in sustaining such a siege so vigorously as they ought to do Il Signor di Santa Aldegonda was chief of the Magistracy which governed the City by the Title of Burgamaster Before Orange his death he was put into that Office that he might particularly advance Orange his ends as he had always endeavoured to do and as we have often told you And when Orange was dead there was not any one that more partially maintained his memory nor his passions with more vehemency then did Santa Aldegonda Wherefore occasion being one day offered when the Magistracy was much
Gauntesses resolved to come to an agreement which followed about the end of September the preceding year They obliged themselves to give all due obedience unto the King to admit onely of the Catholick profession as formerly to rebuild the Castle which was slighted on the side which lay towards the Town and to pay twenty thousand pound for maintenance of the Kings Army and Fernese on his part did in the Kings name grant them full pardon they were restored to their former priviledges and those who would not profess the Catholick Religion had two years space allowed them to be gone and to carry away their goods whether they would That in the first place their Provinces did in all integrity of soul thank her for her having been so gratiously pleased to favour them and protect them against the King of Spain 's violence since the very first time that he used any against them That be continuing more then ever to oppress Flanders and those Provinces not being able of themselvs to defend themselves from so powerful and cruel an enemy were inforced to seek for necessary protection elsewhere That therefore they had resolved to fly unto her for it A Princess so conjoyn'd to them in territories so united in religion and so interested in the cause That to say truth they were then in a very low condition that notwithstanding they were yet possest of Oestend and Sluce in the Province of Flanders which were both of them Maratine Towns of great concernment That Holland Zealand and Freisland Provinces which lay all of them upon the Sea were yet wholly free from the Spaniards and that within land there were yet many of the most secure places under their union and a great part of the best of the Country That they doubted not but that so puissant a Princess as she would Patronise their defence much more out of magnanimity then out of Interest so as leaving the first part to her and considering themselves the second they represented unto her how great an advantage the addition of such Provinces and particularly those of the Maritine Coast would be to England And what doubt could it be but that these two Naval Forces being joyned together would give the Law by sea to all the Western yea and Northern parts That they then offered to submit themselves wholly to her Soveraignity so to injoy not onely her ordinary protection but to be defended by her absolute authority as by their Princess hoping that she would be pleased to admit of such an offer under such fair and reasonable conditions as their people were to enjoy according to the moderate form of their ancient Government for what remained she might assure her self that the Flemish would alwayes vye for Loyalty towards her with the English in readiness in concurring to all her greater exaltations and in joy to see all her ends effected according to her own desire This was the substance of their Proposal Having said this by word of mouth they presented it in writing to the Queen who graciously received it and did in as gracious a manner reply That she would with all attention study to send them back as speedily as might be to their Provinces well satisfied That such an offer bore with it matter of great conseqnence and that therefore she would take particular care that it should be diligently discust by her Councel The English had at first seemed very much to desire this But as usually seen things move more then such as are but meerly imagined so when the weight of this affair was seen nearer hand the Councels differed much in their opinions concerning it Some more boldly were of opinion That so fair an offer was by all means to be imbraced That the United Provinces had already lawfully made themselves their own Soveragins out of their so requisite necessity of not being able to suffer the King of Spains so great oppression They might therefore lawfully dispose of that their Soveraignty as they should best please That they had once already confer'd it upon the Duke of Alanson and wherefore might they not now confer it upon the Queen The King of Spain would undoubtedly be scandalized hereat and would peradventure make war again upon England But how oft had he already offended the Queen Were not the Insurrections in Ireland fomented by him had he not a designe to do the like in England Did not he favour the Queen of Scots Cause as much as he might and did not he upon all other occasions shew his ill will to the English That if he would fall into open war with the Queen it was to be considered how greatly her usual strength at sea would be increased by this new Maritine addition of Flanders Let therefore the King of Spain assault England when he should please he should finde it as secure in forces as inexpugnable by situation But there wanted not those that were of a contrary opinion They said It was the common concernment of all Princes that their subjects should keep within their due obedience what a ruine would it be to Principality if the rendering or denying of obedience should be at the Subjects pleasure That hitherto the Queen had favoured the Flemish not as free people but as those that were opprest that she might still without proceeding any farther do the same justly for the future but to acknowledge a Soveraign power in them and then to accept of that Soveraignty offered by them was an action of bad example for other Princes and particularly of very dangerous consequence for the Queen her self How much more just reason would the King of Spain have in such a case to make her taste of the same evils at her own home How great a disposition was there generally thereunto in Ireland And how great in the so many Catholicks which were yet in England By her example the King would doubtlesly pass from fomenting secretly into open invasion To his Temporal Forces the Pope of Rome might likely enough add his Spiritual ones And it would then be seen what would be got by making so uncertain an acquisition in neighbouring Countries when by doing so certain hazard must be run at home in her own Dominions Amidst these two contrary opinions there was one in a middle way between them which was That the Queen without accepting of the Soveraignty or using any other title of Protection should assist the Flemish with a good strength of men That for security of the expence which she should be at in assisting them they should put some good Town of Zealand into her hands and some other also in Holland And that the Forces which should be maintained by the United Provinces should be under his command whom she should send in Chief with her men Thus having gotten footing in those Maritime parts and her Authority likewise being in the above said manner extended further within Land the Queen might wait for what time would produce who is the
1200 Horse all of them almost Spanish were imbarked in the Fleet amongst the which there were above 2000 Voluntiers all of them of the best Families of Spain Of so great expectation was this enterprise and so much had the King laboured to have it perform'd in the gallantest way that might be The Fleet was to set forth about the beginning of May and to hoyst sail To hasten the which the Marquis of Santa Croce was gone to Lisbon where he was seised upon by so sudden and so fierce a disease as he dyed thereon in a few dayes space A great loss and whereat the King was very much grieved who presently substituted Alonso Peres di Gusman Duke of Medina Sidonia in his place a Personage of a very great Family in Spain but one who had never been out of those Kingdoms and who was no wayes knowing in the maritime profession He made haste to Lisbon to execute the Kings commands but howsoever this change of Admiral retarded the expedition for many dayes insomuch as the Navy could not get from Lisbon in the Haven whereof the rendezvouz was till the end of that moneth John Martines di Ricalde one very much verst in Sea-affairs was next in command under the Duke nor were there wanting other Commanders of very great experience who governed the particular Squadrons into which the Fleet was divided At the same time the Kings Army in Flanders was in a fitting posture for the design on that side All the new men which were expected were come and a great many of the Gentry were likewise come to fight under the Duke of Parma upon this occasion He gave a very honourable reception in particular to the Marquis of Burgaut a Prince of the House of Austria There were come thither from Italy Don Amadeo of Savoy Don John of Medicis Vespasian Gonzaga Duke of Sabionetta together with divers other Italians of very good quality And from Spain the Duke of Pastrana with divers others of very good esteem in that Nation also But to return to the Fleet. As soon as it was well got out of the Haven a great Tempest arose which did greatly disorder and divide it and was cause of the loss of some of their Bottoms that were rowed with oars which could by no means be saved So as it was necessary to gather the Fleet together again which could not be effected till the midst of July at Corugna in Galatia not without great labour and suffering It put forth again to Sea from hence The Generall went in a Gally called St. Martin famous for the Victory which the Marquis of Santa Croce had got in it in the business of the Terzeri This ship was the Capitana or Admiral and from this did all the other ships receive their orders The Fleet advanced with a favourable wind and about the end of July came within ken of England Nor did the adverse Fleet delay appearing which consisted of not above one hundred Men of War all of them very much inferior in body to those of Spain but much superior in nimbleness and agility As soon as the Spaniards were entred into the English Channel Luis di Gusman was instantly sent by the Duke of Medina Sidonia to the Duke of Parma to let him understand of his arrival in those parts and to sollicite him to doe what was requisite on Flanders side The Spanish Fleet desired nothing more then to fight and to grapple with the Enemy wherefore as soon as the English Fleet appear'd the other put themselves in order The Ocean never saw a more glorious spectacle then now The Spanish Navy put it self into the form of a Half-moon there being a huge space between the one Horn and the other The Masts Sail-yards the towring Fore and Hind-Castles which were seen to rise up in such an height and number from so great Piles appear'd a Horror full of wonder and made it be doubted whether it was a Wood upon the Sea or Land and whether of those two Elements had the greatest share in so glorious a sight Thus was the Fleet ordered It came but slowly on even when their sailes were full and the waves seemed even to groan under and the windes to be weary in ruling such a weight Their end was as I have said to come up close up to handy blows with the adverse Fleet thinking themselves much too good for them the difference between their ships and souldiers being considered but the design of the English was clean otherwise they desired to shun all formal battel knowing their disadvantage therein They considered that if they should be worsted England would be lost whereas if the Spaniards should come by the worst all their indamagement would consist in the loss which they should thereby suffer The English therefore resolved to annoy the Spaniards onely aloofe off and to wait till some one of so many great Machines might quit the company of the rest which then they might assault for they thought it impossible but that this might happen among the Spanish ships either by some tempest or change of winde or some other accidents which are usually seen in Navigation and it was not long ere they met with such an occasion for a great Galleoun of Biscay falling on fire it was forced to tarry behinde as likewise the greatest Galleoun of Andalusia the main Mast whereof broke in two Wherefore Sir Francis Drake invironing both the one and the other of them with divers of his ships took them both In the first which was torn and consumed was John di Guerra pay-master to the Fleet with good store of money And in the second Pietro di Valdes Camp-master of a Spanish Brigado and a very valliant souldier This first loss was a great one and did forebode others which ensued In the beginning of August the two Fleets were in sight one of another again it fell out that the Galleoun St. John of Portugal wherin was the Admiral John Martinus di Ricalde was divided from the rest The English did not let slip the occasion of assaulting it and were likely to have â—ane it had not the General himself with his great Galleoun St. Martin come into the aid thereof which for some hours did almost it self alone sustain the violence of the whole adverse Fleet. The English ships had a great advantage as I have said in being so manageable and dexterous they were equally nimble in assaulting and in retreating they tack'd about with all windes they joyn'd and then sever'd again in an instant as it made best for them And their building was chiefly advantagious in that they could easily shun the banks of sands whereof the English Channel is full and all the Sea Coast thereabouts To this was added that their canon shot did seldom or never miss whereas the Spanish ships which were built so very high did still thunder in the air without almost ever touching the English vessels and therefore the two Galleouns of the
Marne he made Laigny in particular be guarded a good Town having a large bridge and Corbel upon the Seene on the same side which is a great Town and provided likewise of a bridge He caused likewise the places of greatest passage upon the Oyse to be guarded And thus Paris being kept from victuals on all sides it was reduced to the utmost necessity of Famine When the King heard Fernese was on his way and that he already drew neer Paris he called together all the chief of his Army and exhorted them that they now would make their accustomed military worth appear more then ever He said That the Duke of Parma was now in France with the Forces and sense of Spain That the true intention was to oppress that Kingdom under pretence of defending the League and that the Duke came with so great Forces to effect it as soon as he could That those of the League who called in such assistance were perfidious and the rest no less perfidious who made so false a cloak thereof That therefore such opposition as was fitting was to be made by those that were true French-men by birth and faithfull to their legitimate King against the Forces of these Rebel French and the Spaniards their enemies That it was Gods pleasure the Crown should fall upon him and that he hoped the Catholicks should very shortly receive such satisfaction as they desired in matter of conscience That the adverse forces were great but his no whit inferior Nay for number and goodness of horse he was far above them That therefore he desired to come to battel as soon as might be And that he thought to endeavour it on his side was a no less generous then profitable resolution That when the enemy should once be routed they knew not where to get new Forces and so the battel being won the war might be said to be ended That on the contrary if any ill should befall his men he could much more easily return again into the field But why should they doubt victory were not many of the Spaniards forces of Flanders joyned with the Rebels of France in the late battel of Yury yet where the cause was justest there was the greatest valour shown and there did fortune smile That doubtlesly the presence of so gallant a Commander as was the Duke of Parma in the enemies Army ought to be considered That therefore it was more necessary to use all such preparations as should be thought most advantagious upon such an occurrency not only in point of valour but also of discipline That to this purpose he had called this Councel wherein were so many and so famous Commanders in War He desired them that they would speak their opinions as well for what concerned the continuing of the siege or the raising of it as in the other point of provoking the enemy to battel That he would ground his opinion upon theirs nor should his acts come short of those words which he now had spoke The principal and most esteemed Chieftains of war that were with the King were the Duke of Monpenciere Prince of the bloud the Duke of Nevers the grand Prior the Marishals of Aumont and Bironne the Lord his son Messieurs de Ghishe and de l' Avardine who were all Catholicks The Duke of Tremullia the Vicecount Tureine and Messieurs de la Nue and de Chatillion who were Hugonots It was first considered whether the Kings Forces were sufficient both to continue the siege and to march to withstand the Duke of Parma And it was joyntly resolved they were not sufficient to do both these at one and the same time Wherefore the common opinion was that they should raise the siege and go with their whole strength to incounter with the Duke of Parma and to endeavour by all means but also upon all advantages to provoke him to battel That very oft and in very many wars the most cry'd up Commanders had raised sieges that to do so now would little advantage Paris if thereby the Duke of Parma might be kept from relieving it for that numerous people would soon consume whatsoever victuals they could at the present receive from the inlarged Country that the relief being hindred the King might soon reassume the siege and that then that City would immediately fall into his hands and he should with the greater glory compass his designe The King was very much troubled to think he must be inforced to rise from before Paris but conforming himself to the opinion of his Captains and to what his own Military experience did dictate to him he raised his Camp on the last day save one of Auguct and marched towards where the Army of the League was quartered In the Kings Army then was above 20000 foot and above 6000 horse His whole body were French except it were some Dutch and Swissers All the cavalty were choice men for the better half of them were Gentlemen who served upon their own inclinations and much more out of honour then for gain The King went from Paris to lodg in the Village of Celles some four leagues from thence This Town is situated in a spacious Champian having notwithstanding some appearances of waters and woods about it From this plain you mount by easie ascents upon two little hils betwixt which when you have gone a little you afterwards descend towards Maux The King possest himself of all that Champian about Celles till he came to those two little hils And the Army of the League was come to lodge on the other side towards Maux where the Duke of Parma had fortified himself in all places where it was necessary and the King of Navar failed not to doe the like on his side Who was not well got thither when desirous to make his Enemy acquainted with his intention to fight he sent a Herald with a Challenge to the Duke Du Mayn telling him That it would be much better to end all the Differences by another pitcht Battel then to carry them further on to the Peoples so great misery The Duke du Mayn excusing himself that he could not give the Answer for that he had not now the supreme Command sent the Herald to the Duke of Parma who returned answer That he was used to fight as he thought fit himself and not at the pleasure of his Enemy That he would not refuse battel when it should not become him so to doe and that upon other occasions he himself would offer it when he should think good There was only the two aforesaid Hills between the Kings quarters and the Dukes wherefore their being so near caused some skirmishes daily The Duke kept four whole dayes in his quarters in which time he himself had several times advanced towards where the King lay to the end that he might the better and more distinctly observe his Quarters He then began to move with his whole Army He had with great secrefie resolved to cozen the Enemy and
according to custome they fell to work upon their Trenches and to prepare for Battery The ground was rather moyst then dry on the one side and therefore they began their works there where the ground would best permit them so to doe The two Camps contended in the making of them and especially in that of Flanders the Spaniards Italians Germans and Walloons strove according as usually to outdoe one another in opening and in advancing the Trenches The besieged made some sallies but with weak forces and weaker courage by which it was judged the City was not in condition to make any long resistance One of their best defences was a Ravelin without the walls built about with good stone and furnisht with a Platform The Batteries were therefore chiefly turn'd upon that Ravelin Nor was it long ere they fell with their Trenches into the Ditch where Mines being joyn'd to the Batteries so great a breach was soon made in the Ravelin as it was now thought fitting to make an assault Which hapned luckily The Spaniards and Walloons did herein particularly signalize themselves and of all others the Camp masters Luis Velasco a Spaniard and Claudius Barlotta a Walloon Barlotta and divers others were wounded and some were slain The Ravelin being taken those that won it lodged there and planted some peeces of Artillery upon it to play upon the Town nearer hand and with the more terror A certain strength of Horse and Foot was still maintained by the Apostolike Sea who were commanded by Appius Conti who plaid his part valiantly But a quarrel arising between him and the Baron Chateaubrain a Lorainer and Colonel of the Germans and falling from words to blows Appius was wounded whereupon he quickly dyed to the grief of the Army which held him in great esteem This occasioned some disorder in the Pontificials for Chateaubrain's German Regiment was maintained by the monies of the Apostolike Sea Yet was the Siege so hotly continued by all parties as those within were within a few dayes reduced to parley and at last yielded upon honorable terms their hopes of succour failing them though the King of Navar had often endeavoured it but more by stealth then openly After the taking of Noyon the Duke Du Mayne went suddenly towards Paris The Catholick States-Generall which followed the League were then met in that City and this meeting was chiefly had for the chusing of a King that would be obedient to the Church and who would preserve that Kingdom in the antient Religion The two aforenamed Officers of State Mendosa and Tassis were then in Paris for the King of Spains service in the business then on foot and a little before Don Diego d'Yvara was come thither likewise on his behalf a man of courege and who was likewise thought very fit for the conducting of that business But to give it the greater reputation and advantage the Duke of Feria was at last sent by the King of Spain to Paris A personage who to the prerogative of his family had the addition of all others which upon such an occasion were to be desired Their chief endeavour was to overthrow the Law Salique which excludes Women from succeeding to that Crown In which case the Infanta Isabella the Kings eldest daughter was to have succeeded as daughter to Queen Isabella who was the eldest daughter to Henry the 2 King of France and who had been formerly wife to the King of Spain And as for a Husband for the Infanta since she could not have one of the House of Austria as the King her Father would have desired but it may be all in vain by reason of the invincible repugnance of the French it was discovered that in such a case the King would condescend to the choice of some one of that Nation and particularly of the House of Lorain upon which the League in France was chiefly built It was foreseen by all the aforesaid Agents how much advantagious it would be for the maintaining their negotiation that the Flanders Forces which entred France in favour of the League should be vigorous wherefore they prest this point hard upon the Governour Mansfield and upon Fuentes who as we have said was next under him But these on the contrary represented That the affairs of Flanders were not to be abandoned that the Enemy began already to move with potent Forces on that side and that it behoved to maintain the Kings cause there likewise as much as might be And yet the event shewed in a short while that the thus dividing of the Kings forces did so weaken and disorder them as that they did little or no good in France and were the cause of very great losses in Flanders And that which greatly increased the disorders was that almost at the same time divers Mutinies broke forth by occasion whereof the King of Spain was more indammaged by his own Souldiers then by his Enemies Now to return to the affairs of Picardy When the Duke Du Mayn was gone from Picardy Count Charls parted from thence likewise and went with his Camp towards the Sea-side into the lower parts of that Province where there were yet some places which held for the King of Navar and especially the Castle of Rue strong both by situation and handy-work as hath been said And because to besiege it would be a business of long time and which did require greater Forces then Count Charls had with him he therefore contented himself with making easier acquisitions Hembercourt a weak place and more within land and S. Vallery more considerable as being seated upon the Some where that River falls into the Sea fell into his hands Here when the Count would have made Further progress he must sheath his sword by reason of a Truce which was at that time made for three moneths between the King of Navar and the Duke Du Mayne Arms being laid aside in Picardy the Count distributed his Army in the parts of that Province which lay towards Artois The expences which the King of Spain was then at in France was excessive wherefore the Souldiers being but slowly paid it was impossible to keep them from rapine so as those parts found more of damage by the cessation of Arms then they had done in the time of war Neither did the mischief rest here licentiousness increasing every day and pillage degenerating by degrees into disobedience at last they fell into divers mutinies The first fell out amongst the Spaniards which being first practised with great secresie was soon after concluded and except it were the Officers and some Souldiers of more respect then the rest it was exactly performed by all others They murmured according as is usual to see their labours so ill requited And to honest their Error they endeavoured to excuse it by Necessity Having then gathered together a sufficient number of men and horse they designed to possess themselves of some of the nearest Towns in Artois and there afterwards to fortifie and
to grant peace and not to receive it and that then his grace and goodness to such wicked and obstinate Rebels would appear to be voluntary and not inforced But how much more arrogant would they become by such an invitation now and into what contempt would the Kings Authority fall The opinion of the Flemish Councellors was notwithstanding followed For the Archduke thought good to give them satisfaction believing that it would likewise be satisfactory to the whole Country But it was soon seen that Fuentes was not deceived For the Letter being received in Holland with but small respect and they that brought it but little listned unto the business was soon at an end and the two Councellors at Law were dispatched away and answer was made by the States Generall to the Archduke by rather a long writing then Letter The answer extended chiefly into bitter complaints against the meanings of the King and Councel of Spain Against the Officers maintained by the King in Flanders and against the Spaniards who had warred and did still wage war in those Provinces In the paper all the most fatall businesses that had happened were rip'd up and all the blame laid upon that Nation They shewed how that all former negotiations of peace had always been fraudulent on the behalf of Spain And finally they concluded That the United Provinces would not listen to any new Treaties lest they might be deceived but that they were resolved to maintain their Cause till their last gasp that they might preserve that Liberty which they did so justly enjoy after being freed from that slavery which amongst so many miseries they had formerly suffered They therefore did not delay drawing out into the field Count William of Nassaw had been before this as we have said on the other side the Rhine with many men and though Verdugo had always stoutly opposed him yet most commonly William got still some advantages in those parts especially in securing those passes whereby the siege which Prince Maurice intended to lay to Groninghen might be made the more easie All things necessary for this purpose being then prepared about the end of April Maurice past over the Mause and the Rhine and made his Rendezvouz at Suol a Town near Deventer in Overisel Here Count William joyned with him and Maurice going soon after from thence with aboundant provisions of all things which concerned the determined siege he went towards Groninghen and with his whole Army incamped before that City Groninghen as it hath been already said lies upon the utmost bounds of that Confine which joyns together the Lower and the upper Germany there is not in that part of the Low-Countries a more noble City then this either for the number of Inhabitants for the quality of buildings or for the frequency of Commerce It formes the body of a Province which lies about this City and which takes the name and almost the whole Government from thence It is seated low well provided of a wall and ditch It hath some works within the circuit thereof after the modern fashion and the rest are for the most part of the antient form It enjoys very large Priviledges And the Citizens thereof desirous out of a sense no less of Liberty then of courage would themselves alone defend the City and would not admit of any other souldiery amongst them And though a little before when they were threatned with this siege they were at last perswaded to receive in five foot Colours which Verdugo had sent them into an outward Borough yet would they not till then receive them into the City John Balen the first Burgamaster and chief Magistrate had the chief Command there both in Military and Civil affairs He and all the rest did shew outwardly a great resolution of resistance but Maurice did not notwithstanding want friends within the Town and many Hereticks being mingled amongst the Catholicks the former did secretly desire a change of Government and it was discovered that they would willingly have assisted therein nor was it doubted but that such intelligence had caused Maurice more willingly undertake this business Yet was the Catholick and the Kings Party much the greater in Groninghen who sent away express Messengers to Brussels to pray succour from the Archduke wherein they were seconded by Verdugo But Count Maurice hoping that the Kings men were not able to send relief at least not so soon and Count William having secured all the Passes better then before he betook himself with greater diligence to the siege He infinitely desired to effect this business by the which gaining so noble a City and a Province so opportunely seated he might at the same time advantage so much the general Cause of the whole Union and his own particular glory He had with him divers valiant Commanders who had accompanied him the year before at the siege of Getringberg to whom he assigned out the chief Quarters and Maurice took up his own quarter where the greatest difficulty of the siege lay He then fell to fortifie all quarters and within a few days the fortifications were such both on the fields side and towards the Town as those about Groninghen being compared with those which were about Getringberg it was not easie to be judged in which of the two Maurice had more signalized himself In so much as not fearing any succour which might be brought by the Royalists from without he applyed himself wholly to perfect his inward works He had great store of Artillery in his Camp with which he infested the City on all sides making the trenches the mean while be the more speedily advanced that he might the sooner come to a formal battery The besieged shewed a ready willingness to defend themselves and the souldiery which were lodged in the Suburbs had very well munited themselves and going whethersoever occasion did most require they were a great help unto the Townsmen who had placed a good number of Artillery upon their walls and by incessant shooting indeavoured to anoy the enemies Camp and to hinder their works as much as in them lay They indeavoured likewise to indamage them by sallies whereof they made divers which proved very bloudy on both sides but being in a short time come unto the ditch Maurice forth with made his batterys by which bereaving those within of their defences he consequently brought them into greater straits They had planted a Counter-battery upon a new Ravelin which they had made the better to shelter one of their gates and had placed thereupon 6 pieces of great Canon Maurice had inforced the siege most on that side which was thought to be the weakest The besiegers saw how much is imported them to be Masters of the Ravelin and the besieged how much it concerned them to defend it in so much as all indeavours being made on both sides to these ends the whole weight of the oppugnation was soon brought to that only place The enemy at the last fell
thereof together with the Prerogative of calling himself Prince of Cambray Baligni being thus become Lord of that City he began to be diligent in fortifying it and muniting it with Bulwarks Arms Ammunition and Victuals He foresaw the Tempest which was likely to fall upon him from the King of Spains Forces in Flanders if ever any occasion thereof should be offered And doubtlesly as that was the greatest advantage which France had reaped in those parts during the troubles of Flanders so could not the King of Spain benefit himself better upon that Confine then by reducing Cambray to its former condition In former times the City of Cambray had been as it were a strong Bulwark to the whole Walloons Country against the French assaults on that side And the Emperour Charls the fifth the better to secure himself thereof had by the Archbishops good will who was Lord both spiritual and temporal of that City built a strong Castle there which was better furnished and fortified afterwards by Baligni He kept the two neighbouring Provinces of Hennault and Artois in great subjection grieving them with quartering indamaging them with inroads putting them to pay contributions and using other great violences against them such as if greater could not have been used by a declared enemy at least not by a bad neighbour They therefore greatly desired to see that Town return under the King of Spains devotion And had offered all possible assistance to Count Fuentes to make him the willinglier resolve upon that enterprise But in the mature agitating thereof in the Councel of War there was some opposition found and there was great ambiguity in Votes Monsieur de la Motte General of the Artillery and a man of long experience and known valour was particularly against the Enterprise He said That the Kings forces were not as then strong enough to be thought proportionable for such a siege That the City of Cambray was of a very large circuit and very well munited with flanks and ditches on all sides That the City was secured by a very strong Citadel and that it was to be believed that neither the Citadel nor City would want either men ammunition or victuals requisite to make resistance That on the contrary the Kings Forces being well considered it would clearly appear that they were not sufficient so to begirt such a Town as that as it ought to be That if it were not well surrounded with Trenches it could not be kept from being relieved and say it should be perfectly incompassed was it not to be believed that all means possible would be used by France to force those Trenches That lesser Interests gave way to more urgent necessities That there could be none of greater consideration for France then to keep Spain from making so important an acquisition That therefore it was necessarily to be supposed that the King of France laying aside all other affairs would bend all his Forces to keep the City of Cambray in Baligni 's command which was as much to say as in his own That the agreement between him and Du Main was still in hand which the King would endeavour the more that the concord might be made in such a conjuncture of time Neither would the United Provinces lose that oportunity but seeing the Spanish Arms in Flanders more languishing now then ever they would certainly apply themselves to some important siege which they might as easily effect as designe These were the Objections made by Monsieur de la Motte against the Enterprise But the new Camp-master-General Ronye was very stiff for it shewing himself the more to be a Spaniard in his opinion lest he might be thought to be too luke-warm as being a Frenchman He said That the Provinces of Hennault and Artois had made large promises of assistance toward the effecting of the Enterprise And that it was to be hoped all the rest of the Walloons Country would concur thereunto That therefore the Kings Forces might be so increased by such and so opportune helps as they might be sufficient to make such a siege and manage it as it ought to be That the City of Cambray seemed very much to hate Baligni and that he was acknowledged by the people thereof rather as a Tyrant then a Prince Wherefore by reason of the iealousies within he would be the less able to withstand the forces without That it was doubtlesly to be believed the French would not omit doing of any thing which might keep the Town from being lost But that the King was already so deeply ingaged in Burgony and was so prest upon on one side by the Duke du Main and on the other by the Constable of Castile as he would hardly free himself of that trouble That the King being held in play so far off there was small fear to be had of his Captains that were nearer hand And what a madness would it be thought in the Duke du Main if when he might better his condition the more amidst Arms he should so slightly forgoe them That if in the mean time the United Provinces should make any opposition they might be met with forces sufficient to suppress them That all men were usually set upon in their highest designes by hopes and fears That in this hope was to have the upper hand And why should they not hope to find a friend of Fortune since their Cause was so just For what remained that the recovery of Cambray was of so great consequence as all the expences the King of Spain had been at in the present occurrences of France might be thought well imployed if only thereby Flanders might be again possest of such a Bulwark as this in that so suspitious corner Fuentes inclined to this opinion being naturally full of high thoughts and desirous to innoble his Government by some extraordinary success He therefore acquainted the Provinces of Hennault and Artois with this his resolution moving them the more to assist him He easily drew over likewise the Cities of Torney and Lillo with the Countries which lie more inward upon the Walloons to be of the same mind But the Archbishop himself seemed more desirous of this Enterprise then all others VVho also offered some monies towards the effecting of it hoping by the King of Spains power and protection to return to his City and enjoy his former Government thereof VVhilst these aids were preparing and that divers other necessary provisions were made to the same purpose Count Fuentes resolved to enter Picardy with those men which he had already gathered together so parted from Brussels about the beginning of June Being come upon the Frontier his first design was to get Chatelet a strong place and so near Cambray that unless he could bereave the enemy of it it might much hinder the intended enterprise He treated likewise at the same time with the Town of Han to get it into his hands it being a place seated advantagiously likewise thereabouts Monsieur
last routed and dissipated them Wherein notwithstanding the Foot had a great share who advancing and letting flie with their Muskets on sundry sides upon the French did more facilitate the success in opening and breaking their squadrons and in making a bloody slaughter But it proved particularly most bloody against the Foot for they being quite abandoned by reason of the Rout given unto the Horse were almost all of them cut in peeces with a great desire of revenging the blood which the French had drawn of the Spaniards in the aforesaid assaults at Han. And for the same reason the like cruelty was used against the Horse after they were routed and defeated Yet the third Squadron of the Rereward got almost all safe off For San Paul and Bullion seeing what ill success the other two had retreated without further fighting and did it so early as they could not be pursued Whilst they were thus busie on this side the besieged failed not to sally out upon the Spanish quarters endeavouring to overcome them and then joyn with the French that were without But they met with such resistance as all they could doe was in vain And thus Fuentos had the victory on both sides Few in his Camp were either hurt or slain On the contrary few of the Enemies Foot were saved and great slaughter was made amongst the Horse Many Prisoners were likewise taken and of those many of the chief men One and the chiefest of them all was Admiral Villers when contention arising amongst those in whose hands he was and he offering a very great sum of money to satisfie all their greediness John Contrera a Spaniard who was Commissary-Generall of the Horse fuller of rage then anger made him be cruelly put to death An action whereat Fuentes was highly displeased Another of chiefest esteem amongst them that were slain was Monsieur de Sanseval who was Lieutenant-General of Picardy of a noble family and of high deserts in war Many others of the prime Nobility of those parts were either taken prisoners or slain And Fuentes were it either to boast his victory or civility sent the bodies of Villers and Sanseval to the Duke of Nevers that they might be honourably burried by their friends according to their merits Fuentes having gotten this Field-victory returned with more fervencie then formerly to besiege the Town and the besieged seemed as resolute in the defence thereof Count Dinax was Governour of the place and he had a very numerous Garison in the Town composed almost altogether of Gentry who were resolved rather to die then yield Resistance was made in the Ditch as you have heard and though the Spaniards had won the little Ravelin yet the French did still defend themselves there with Galleries and such other works But Fuentes resolving to force the Town as soon as possibly he could placed a great Battery almost close to the Counterscarf and began to thunder furiously from thence upon the walls He planted likewise some Artillery upon the rise of a Hill which from above shot point blank upon the French much to their prejudice and might continue doing so without hurting the Spaniards when they should make an assault The wall was plaid upon for many hours and a great part thereof with its platform being thrown down insomuch as the breach was almost levell'd those without presented themselves to make the assault and those within to receive it Fuentes ordered the Assault on his side thus He made 3 Squadrons the first consisting of 600 Foot and the other two of not full out so many The second was to second the first and the third the second The besieged on their behalf likewise prepared to make all manly defence with military order and resolution The chiefest for valour and birth were placed in the first Files who keeping close together and well arm'd seemed like a great high bank covered with iron And a sufficient breach being made those without marched to the assault The first Squadron advanced first and with great courage endeavoured to get footing upon the wall that was beaten down but it was so much better defended then assailed as the second Squadron must come in to assist the first Then the combat began to be very fierce for those within being likewise reinforced with fresh succour they did renew their resistance with more ardor then before In the heat of the conflict like waves successively now these now those were seen to give way Pikes were succeeded by swords and swords by all manner of other close fight which not only the desire of defence but of offence might teach upon that occasion The ground was all covered with dead bodies or such as were sorely wounded and those who were unwounded seemed much more desirous to dye then to live Blood ran down every where all was full of horror and death And the conflict was so various between hope and fear as it could not be discerned to which side the fortune of the day would turn Thus did the combat for a while continue But Fuentes resolving to try the utmost made the third Squadron come in and those within were likewise invigored with new aids insomuch as it is not to be said how fierce and how uncertain the fight was for a while Yet the assailants began already to prevail by reason of two manifest disadvantages which the assailed suffered under The one was the great slaughter which was made amongst them from aloof off by the Artillery that was placed upon the little Rise while they fought at nearer distance The other that the place where they fought being very narrow they could not make way one for another nor keep such order as they ought to have done Not being therefore able any longer to resist they were at last inforced to yield But they still gave back with their faces towards the Enemy and with so great undauntedness as the most of them at least the better sort chose rather to lose their lives then their station The Castle being forced the Victors soon entred the Town and the Gates being opened all the rest of the Camp came in who straightways pillaged and plundred it all over in hostile manner Great was the number of those that were slain and great the number of prisoners But the Plunder proved not to such a value as did any ways satisfie the Souldiers avarice which was the cause as it was thought why the Prey not answering their hopes some houses were despightfully set on fire which firing a great many others the whole Town would quickly have been consumed had not Fuentes come in himself in person and remedied the disorder Count Dinax the Governour of the place whilst he gave proof of great valour dyed in the Assault And his Brother Monsieur de Ronsoy was so sore wounded as he lived not long after All the rest of the better sort were slain or taken prisoners Divers Captains of the Spanish Camp were slain and many-inferior Officers
and their souldiers shewed themselves ready to do what upon such an occasion might be desired of them They came to within sight of the Gate vvhich lies tovvards Dorlan and vvhich is called Montrecurt about the break of day there vvith great silence they possessed themselves of a certain Aâ—â—ey vvichin less then a mile of the City they took likevvise another place yet neerer the City where was a little Hermitage from thence those that were clad like Peasants advanced towards the Gate with their Cart and Sacks full of Apples and such other things as have been spoken of This mean while the Citizens opened the Gate and surveying the Country about with their wonted negligence They stayed in the Court de Gard under the same Gate but the souldiers were so few in number and so unfit for such an office as the Gate could not be more weakly nor more negligently kept It was now Lent and Sermons being usually made in France early in the morning almost all the people were then at Church Francisco d' Arco had the command of those that were clad like Peasants and who were to make the surprise he who as you have heard Portacarrero sent to Brussels to negotiate the business with the Cardinal Baptista Dognano a Milonoise was another chiefly imploy'd and Captain la Croy with particular diligence attended upon the Cart who was a Burgonian The rest were almost all Walloons who by reason of the neighbourhood of Frontier were better known both in the language and fashion of the Peasants of Picardy But were all of them Souldiers of tryed fidelity and valour As they drew neer the gate these mingled themselves with other Country people who entred the Town at the same time either to buy or to sell commodities Wherefore entring more easily with them into the Ravelin which covers the Gate they stayed under the Arch thereof and one of them letting the Sack fall which was upon his shoulders the nuts and things that were in scattered upon the ground those of the Guard ran in and mocking either the simplicity or poverty of the Peasants began to scramble for what was on the ground the Cart came in this interim which being made to stay by him who guided it at the first entrance into the Gate the horses were presently fastned lest frighted at the noise which was to ensue they might run away elsewhere with the Cart. Francisco d' Arco was to give notice to Portacarrero of the Carts being entred by the shooting off of a Pistol which he failed not to do for carrying two under his counterfeit habit he discharged one of them in the brest of one of those that kept the Gate Which when he had done his assotiates did the like and seising upon some Halberts which belonged to the same Corps de Gard they so behaved themselves as they slew or deadly wounded all those few French who had the custody either of the gate or of the ravelin For the better security of the Gate it had two Perculleses which over-hung it they were guarded by a sentinel who let them both down the first was easily kept from falling to the ground by the Cart but the second broke it all in peeces and almost quite shutting up the passage brought the Assailants into great straits when the other who were hid in the Hermitage came in with all speed who securing themselves first of the Raveling without and suddenly taking away all hinderances within made themselves Masters of all the avenues to the Gate The noise was already grown so great as many of the neerest Inhabitants taking up arms and hastning thither began boldly to oppose the assailants who increasing still in number and in courage easily overcame all opposition insomuch as having won the first Avenues to the City and fully secured the Gate as also the contiguous walls they afforded time for the rest of the Foot and Horse to come up and fortunately to perfect the premediated design Nothing is so prejuditial or doth more endanger surprises then giving way to fall suddenly and tumultuously to plunder for in such a case the Townsmen within may either take up arms or the Enemy may come in from without so as the Assailants may be easily supprest by reason of their being disperst and disordered amidst rapine and other military licentiousness For this cause Portacarrero commanded under penalty of the severest punishment that none of his men should dare to fall to plunder the City till the market places chief streets and all the Gates were fully taken and well guarded which being by him performed in great order and the souldiers in much obedience they fell to plunder of which they found such and so great store as few the like was met withal in all the vvars of France and of Flanders Count St. Paul Governour of Picardy vvas in Amiens at the time of the surprisal but he vvas got out as the Assailants first entred providing in great haste for his ovvn safety and leaving his vvife there vvho vvas presently set at liberty by Portacarrero and used with all respect and honour The plunder lasted one whole day and nothing else of cruelty was used nor of dissolute licentiousness There were not above 100 of the Inhabitants slain and three or four of the assailants and some few others were hurt At the news of the surprise and plunder many other souldiers of the neighbouring Spanish Garisons came flying in to partake of the plunder and who afterwards helped very much for the defence of Amiens for Portacarrero would not permit them to go out again Yet for greater security he disarmed the Citizens and with great vigilancy ordering all things every where as best befitted the safety of the City he together with the rest of the Commanders and all the souldiers prepared with all courage to sustain that hard and dangerous siege which he foresaw would soon befall them by the King of France This mean while the King had speedy advertisement both of the surprise so boldly undertaken and of the happy success thereof It is impossible to relate how much he was afflicted at this his mischance and how much he was inwardly tormented in his mind particularly in the point of Honour He seemed to be much offended with himself Had he so quelled the Rebelloin of France and so supprest the League maintained by the Spaniards to the end that breaking into war with them their sole Forces should triumph over his How many victories had Fuentes got the year before sometimes by sieges sometimes by open field-fight and how many other great acquisitions had the Cardinal Archduke lately made was not that of Calis sufficient by open siege but that the other of Amiens must issue by surprise What two other Towns could the Spaniards have desired whereby they might receive more advantage in the affairs of France both by sea and land The way was short and free between the Gates of Amiens and Paris Nor did
the Rearguard he made his Army march leasurely and in good order off The French endeavoured more then once to indammage the Rear but the Flying-Squadron facing about and with miraculous discipline now handling their Pikes now their Muskets and being sheltred by the Horse likewise on both sides all the Enemies assaults proved vain Thus they marched for above two houres after which the Cardinals Camp being free from all molestation took up its quarters with all security and was by degrees divided in the neighbouring Frontiers of Artois At the Armies retreat the Cardinal signified to the besieged in Amiens that it being impossible to relieve them they should immediately surrender the City and not lose any more men to no purpose He infinitely praised their pains and promised them reward leaving them to make such conditions as they could at the surrender Which when they came to be treated of were granted them by the King in as ample manner and upon as honourable terms as could be by them desired He highly commended the worth they had shewed in defending themselves which had made the like of his Army appear in oppugning them The Marquis Montenegro marcht out of the Town with 800 sound Souldiers and above as many more that were wounded and was very graciously received by the King at his coming forth as also the other Commanders that came out with him When the King came into Amions he presently caused a strong Citadel to be designed there which was soon after built that it might serve for a greater curb to the people and be a greater safety to the City Then leaving Picardy he went to Paris where he was received with great applause by that multitude of people for his new atchieved glory in having so happily conducted so difficult a Siege for having hindred so powerfull a Succour and recovering a City of so great consequence to the interests of that Kingdom The Cardinal Archduke being retreated to Artois he presently sent some of his Forces to take Montalin the onely Town which remained in the French hands within the precincts appertaining to Calis and from whence Calis was much incommodiated The care of the enterprise was given to the Admiral of Aragon who finding the place not very strong nor yet well guarded took it within a few dayes The King of France was already gone from Picardy nor was it known that he had as then any further end upon that Frontier Wherefore the Cardinal resolved to leave Artois likewise and to give some satisfaction to the Province of Flanders which did very much desire that Ostend might be besieged The Cardinal would therefore go thitherward himself and causing the Town to be well surveyed he thought it was impossible to keep it from being succour'd Wherefore as also because Autumn was already well advanced the Cardinal determined to leave the enterprise till a better conjuncture Nor having any other in which it was fitting to imploy his Army at that time wherein there was hapned a new Mutiny again he resolved to send it to its winter-quarters and came himself with his Court about the end of November to Brussels But the United Provinces lost not the opportunity this mean whiles which offered it self so favourably to them The Cardinal by reason of the siege of Amiens being gone with so many Forces towards the Frontiers of France and having left the peculiar affairs of Flanders in a forlorn condition Count Maurice took presently to the Field And having speedily raised about the beginning of August an Army of 10000 Foot and 2500 Horse together with a great Train of Artillery and whatsoever else was requisite for his designed ends he went to besiege Reinberg a Town situated upon the left side of the Rhine It had but few Souldiers in Garrison and was but weakly provided of all things else Wherefore Maurice coming without any difficulty to the Walls and playing upon them with his Cannon he forced the besieged in a few dayes to surrender the Town From thence he went to before Mures a Town not far from thence but somwhat remote from the Rhine And meeting with the like weak defence he with the like easiness won it He this mean while had thrown a bridg of Boats over the Rhine and passing with all his Army to the other side he sate down before Groll a strong Town both by nature and art He found some greater resistance there yet many provisions being wanting which are most necessary for sustaining a siege having dryed the Ditch on one side and threatening a furious Assault he forced the Defendants to deliver up the Town From thence he turned to Oldensel a weak Town which he therefore soon took And no Town remaining now at the Kings devotion in those parts but Linghen a place well flanked and fortified by a good Castle Maurice incamped before it and besieged it straitly on all sides Count Frederick de Berg defended it which he did very valiantly for many days But that place being but ill provided as were the rest he was forced to surrender it upon very honourable conditions So to boot with Reinberg and Mures all the whole Country on the other side the Rhine fell in a short time under the Dominion of the United Provinces which in acknowledgment of so advantagious successes did forthwith give the same Town of Linghen with the Territories thereunto belonging which make up a very noble Lordship to Count Maurice and to his heirs for ever About the end of Autumn Maurice returned with his men to their quarters and passing himself afterwards to the Hague he was received there with demonstrations of great joy Which afforded new occasions to such Provinces as were yet obedient to the King to complain and grieve considering that for the interests of France which were very uncertain the self-affairs of Flanders were so much neglected And they were more scandalized that to defend the Catholick cause in that Kingdom for the advantage of strangers the same cause was abandoned in the Kings own Country suffering so great a part thereof to fall into the hands of Rebels and Hereticks who by all the most desperate means would implacably maintain their double perfidiousness against the Church and King Thus ended this year and the year 1598 insued memorable for two of the greatest events which could then have hapned The one Peace concluded between the two Kings after so bitter war and the other the Marriage between the Cardinal Archduke and the Infanta Isabella the King of Spains eldest daughter to whom the King her Father gave the whole Low-Countries for her Dowry As concerning the Peace Pope Clement the eight had mediated it awhile before moved thereunto by the same zeal whereby he had already so happily reconciled the King of France to the Apostolick See and afterwards indeavoured to reconcile the two Kings by making such a peace as might conduce to the establishing of universal quiet in Christendom To this purpose having first wisely
such a City for the Catholick Religion the monies being paid and divers Priests and Votaries being admitted into the City who might excercise Ecclesiastical Rites those Citizens were freed from being burthened with a Garrison It was hoped that the Catholick Religion and the exercise thereof would daily increase in Wesel wherefore the Apostolick Nuntio for that coast of the Rheine who usually recides in Colen went thither and was there received with great respect and honour though the event shewed afterwards that all this was done fraudulently only to give way to the present necessity as shall be said in its proper place The Admiral passed with his Army from Burich to the other side of the River but very slowly for they had not as yet made a Bridg of Boats as they intended to doe The Admiral would not therefore longer delay providing of winter-quarters for the Souldiery The Town of Res lies six leagues from Wesel upon the same side on the lower part of the River It is one of the best Towns in those parts and the Inhabitants for the most part are Catholicks The Admiral endeavoured by fair means to get some Souldiers into it but the Townsmen refusing to receive any he was forced to use threats and brought his Artillery before the Town at the sight whereof they granted the desired Quarter The City of Emrich did after the same manner receive likewise a Garrison This is the greatest and most Catholical Town in all the Dukedom of Cleves and not above three leagues from Res. Emrich stands very near the River Ysel upon which the United Provinces had many important places The first which presented it self was Desburg the taking whereof would have afforded the Kings Camp conveniencie of entring into the Velo an Enemies country which was very fruitfull and where they very fain would have been and which was also one of the straitest Orders that the Archduke had left at his departure But the Enemy fearing this had caused Count Maurice to come to those parts with good Forces Considering therefore what opposition they were to meet withall and the difficulties of the Siege it self and especially the Year being so far advanced the Councel of War did in no sort think it fit to make that attempt The Admiral turned therefore against Dotechem a little weak Town not far from thence but commodious for the better securing the quarters in Westphalia The Town was plaid upon for some few hours and the Kings men prepared already for the assault but the Defendants without any further opposition yielded of themselves The Castle near Sculemburg fell also into Velasco's hands the Generall of the Artillery and therefore very fitting to preserve the acquisition of Dotechem And because so great rains had fallen as the Army could keep no longer in the field the Admiral resolved to quarter his men in the best Towns of Westphalia as he had done in the Dukedom of Cleves And he soon had his desire For fair means not prevailing such force as was thought necessary without much difficulty was likewise used in that Country Yet it cost the Kings men some blood to get into some places And particularly as Velasco would have storm'd the Town of Dorst he himself was wounded by a musket shot in the arm The Admiral chose Res for his own winter quarters He placed the Count Bucquoi for Governour of Emrick which being so neer Schinks Sconce and other places belonging to the Enemy had so much the more need of a valiant Commander as the Count was though not long after being too forward upon a certain occasion of fight he fell into the Enemies hands and was taken prisoner Whilst these affairs were in hand the year 1599 began And in the interim it was noised every where that the Kings Army was by force quartered in the County of Cleves and in Westphalia both which belong to Germany In former times those parts as also the Countries of Juliers Liege Colen and Trevers and the other adjacent parts were suffered to stand Newters both by the Spaniards and the United Provinces both of them receiving friendly Quarter only by the way of passage Wherefore seeing the Neutral right violated so openly and in so wany places it is not to be said how much all parties interessed were offended A good part of Westphalia is subject to some Ecclesiastical Principalities especially to those of Munster and of Paterborn which were at that time enjoyed by Duke Ernestus of Bavaria Archbishop and Elector of Colen and also Bishop of Liege The Dukedom of Cleves was also under its own peculiar secular Prince who being at the present somwhat shallow-witted suffered himself to be wholly governed by his Officers These two Princes were most scandalized at the Kings Army as being thereby most injured But the Elector of Colen by reason of the good correspondencie which he had always held with the King of Spain in the affairs of Flanders inclined not to rescent himself by Arms nor to joyn his Forces with those of the other interessed Princes wherefore he could have desired that remedy might have been had fairly by the way of Treaty On the other side the Duke of Cleves Officers were it either of themselves or that they were won to do so by the other Princes were of opinion that they must joyn their Forces and openly fight with them and that making up a good body of an Army they must at least drive the Kings men out of those places of theirs which they had possest themselves of and by this present remedy secure themselves from all future invasions This advice was chiefly given by the Elector Palatine of Rheine whose Territories lying very neer those parts where the Kings men were lodged and knowing how much his family had ever favoured the insurrection and heresie of the Low-Countries was therefore more affrighted then usually at this success The Landtgrave of Hesse seemed to be agitated equally out of the same considerations of neighbour-hood and heresie nor were some Hans Towns upon the Rheine less moved out of the same reasons It being then made a common cause chiefly between the Duke of Cleves the Elector Palatine the Landtgrave of Hesse and many other Counts and Lords of quality who were comprehended under the circle of Westphalia they all endeavoured to draw the other circles of the Empire into the same cause or at least the nearest circles which were consequently most concern'd Great was the commotion every where but it being thought fittest first to use Treaty before Arms recourse was had unto the Emperor who was easily perswaded to use his Authority in such manner as upon this occasion he thought best He therefore published a strict Edict wherein he commanded the Admiral and all the other heads of the Kings Army that they should forth with restore those Towns which they had taken and march with all their men out of all such places as did any waies belong unto the Empire He mediated
as they could and securing them better then formerly by oblique Windings and Redouts But the besieged willing to use all their force to the contrary sallied out on divers sides about the midst of May against the Royalists and in such numbers as it might be thought rather an intended Battel then a Sally The Italians and Walloons were quartered upon the Bank above Bomel the Spaniards in certain Pastures and the Germans Burgonians and Irish were quartered on another side The Enemy being recruited by new men which Count Maurice had sent unto them from the other side the River sallied out about Noon at once against all the aforesaid quarters and that they might the more indamage that which was quartered upon the Bank they placed above 30 Barks loaded with Artillery in the River just over against it The first assault was made on that side by 3000 Foot and 400 Horse and 4000 Foot with a proportionable number of Horse divided into two parts gave on upon the other quarters The Kings Camp was very vigilant so as the Enemy came not so suddenly out but they were ready to receive them The fight was therefore very resolute on both sides the Enemy striving to get into the Kings works and the others valiantly defending them Nor was the business less hotly disputed between the Horse nor did the Artillery of both parties forbear to play at the same instant violently But the Enemy at last not being able to have the better of the Royalists they resolved after three houres fight to retreat The number of the slain and of the wounded was much alike of both sides and the action well considered was cause of greater noise then loss of blood The Enemy returned the next night to assault the Kings men thinking that they should find them the less provided for that they would not in likelihood expect so suddenly such an assault The charge was notwithstanding only upon the Italians and Walloons And truly it came so unexpected as at the first falling on many of both those Nations were slain and wounded and Avalos the Italian Campmaster was in particular sorely hurt The Enemy had the better of the Assault for a while But the Kings men rallying together and reassuming courage did so well defend their Trenches as the Enemy not being able to injure them retired They were notwithstanding much inheartned by finding their numbers still so increase so as within three dayes after they returned to make a brisk assault upon the Kings men and resolved to make it by night to the end that it might come so much the more unlooked for and be the more dreadfull Monsieur de la Nue was come from France with many Hugonots to serve the United Provinces He was son to the late Monsieur de la Nue a so cry'd up Commander and of whose valour you have often heard in divers parts of this History This man in his military comportment proved himself worthy to be the son of such a father Count Maurice therefore gave him the chief charge of this new sally and would have it performed chiefly by the French Foot together with a select number of English which in all might come to about 5000 Foot The assault was chiefly to be made against the Works which the Kings men continued to make upon the bank and in those neighbouring parts La Nue therefore sallied out couragiously and assisted by a fog gave so fiercely on upon the Royalists as he put them in disorder The Walloons had the Van with the Camp-master Achicurt who had then the command thereof He and his men failed not to make all possible resistance till being himself sorely wounded and the Enemies force still increasing he was forced to retire and to crave a new recruit of men But the noise of the Assault had already caused those of the Royalists who were nearest hand to move and had given the Alarm to those that were further off so as the whole Army was in a readiness to fight Some Companies of Spanish and Italian Foot were to come first in to the assistance of the Walloons These stopping the fury of the Enemy did stoutly sustain them and fresh men coming in they secured their Trenches And the Enemy despairing of doing any further damage when the day began to break retreated in very good order being pursued by the Kings men to beneath the Fortifications and wals of Bomel and the fight continuing still fervent on both sides The siege had by this time been laid twenty dayes and no considerable progress had been made And it was plainly seen that the enterprise would prove totally vain since they could not keep the besieged Town from being relieved and that Count Maurice was thereabouts with so great Forces The chief end of the Kings men in endeavouring to get Bomel was that they might have a strong Hold upon the Wahal so as they might command the Pass of that River and might introduce themselves into the heart of the Enemies country and especially into Holland Despairing then of the enterprise of Bomel the Cardinal propounded that a Fort Royal might be raised in some part of the same Island whereby they might reap the same end Where the Mause and Wahal met first together and then imediately part again they shape a certain point of ground which delating it self a little doth afterwards grow straiter from thence doth the Island afterwards inlarge and extend it self till the two aforesaid Rivers meet again and inclose it it was therefore propounded unto the Cardinal that a great Fort should be raised in that narrowest neck of ground by which they should possess themselves of all that Avenue which lay between the one River and the other which might prove a great curb to the Enemy and which would keep them more in awe then that of Schink would have done for that it was nâ—â—rer their very bowels then the other was The Cardinal was mightily herewithall pleased and causing it to be well discussed in the Councel of War it was with a general applause agreed upon Nor herewithall contented he would go with some of the chief Commanders to the very place it self and there put on his last resolve which was That by all means the Fort must be raised and must with all speed be begun The Cardinal resolving upon this presently raised the Camp from before Bomel which was done about the beginning of June and the charge of seeing that effected which was resolved on was chiefly given to Velasco Generall of the Artillery The siege being abandoned the Camp removed to the Village of Hervin and came coasting from thence to the place where the Fort was intended to be built Count Maurice having discovered the design past over likewise a little higher upon the contrary shore and staid just over against the Kings Camp He afterwards placed many Peeces of Artillery upon that side and with them began immediately to annoy the Kings men who were to begin the
men with all diligence as they could assemble together they made them all come into the same Province that they might make use of them against the Enemy and oppose all their designs A good part of their men had mutinied as you have heard and therefore they could not make so great a Body nor so vigorous Forces as so weighty an occasion did require The Spanish mutineers who as you have heard were in Diste were contented to come unto the Army with 800 Foot and 600 Horse provided they might serve under their own Commanders and Officers It was impossible to bring the Italian mutineers at Hamont to this because they were not yet wholly agreed nor gone to Verte as you heard before they were to do By reason of these mutinies and for that the Arch-Dukes souldiers did still diminish they could not assemble on their sides above 12000 Foot and 1200 Horse These came marcing apace and before the Arch-Duke's was come to Gaunt Velasco General of the Artillery was already march'd forwards towards Bruges with 3000 Foot and 300 Horse the rest followed under the two other chief Commanders The Admiral of Aragon General of the Horse Count Frederick de Berg who supplyed the place of Camp-master General in lieu of Count Mansfield who by reason of his great age could no longer exercise that place in his own person The Army was made up of Spaniards Italians Germans and Walloons together with some Burgonians and Irish. The way by which they marched led them close by the walls of Gaunt which the Arch-Dukes were well pleased withal that they themselves might appear in Person whereby the more to encourage the souldiery upon this so great Emergency They therefore went out into the field and the Infanta getting on horse-back and followed by all her Court on horse-back likewise she presented her self before the colours where in particular the Spanish mutineers were She was endowed with a Princely aspect and masculine valors and being so long bred up amidst the chiefest negotiations of the world in the School of such a father she was very knowing therein and capable thereof Suffering her self first to be fully seen and the Army being much joyed with her presence she by her weighty and sprightly words did yet more enharten them against the Enemy Saying There were never any souldiers who fought in the defence of a more just cause That many of them had been in Flanders from the very first beginning of the war and therefore knew how oft by all convenient waies the King her father had endeavoured to reduce the Rebels to their due obedience That now they had peculiar Princes of their own separated from the Crown of Spain according to their ancient desire and were notwithstanding still more obstinate then ever in their Rebellion That they warred likewise against God more then against their Soveraigns having opposed from the beginning and still continuing to oppose Heresie to the Catholick Religion That therefore neither she nor the Arch-Duke could any waies doubt but that the souldiers of that Army who were all of them so Catholick so valiant and so Loyal would shew themselves to be the same men in the present occasion as they had alwaies been formerly That to boot with the certain reward that their service which they should do to God bore with it they might also assure themselves to be rewarded by the Arch-Duke by her and by the King her Brother with whom their cause went joyntly hand in hand That they should not doubt of pay For monies were expected from Spain and some large sums were hoped for from the obedient Provinces of Flanders But that if all other waies should be wanting she would make use of her own Jewels to that purpose and of the very Plate she used for her own service These words were received by the Army with incredible applause each souldier striving who should shew himself most ready to dye for the Infanta with his sword in his hand and especially upon this occurrency Nor was the Arch-Duke wanting in adding what he thought fitting to continue the souldiers the more in their present good disposition declaring at last that he would be there himself in person and run the same fortune with them The Army being marched on the Arch-Duke went likewise from Gaunt and about the end of June came to Bruges where the whole Army was mustered The first counsel they took was to regain the Forts which were faln into the Enemies hands in consequence whereunto that of Audemburg was suddenly set upon with such resolution as the defendants either for want of Forces or want of courage did immediately surrender it From thence the Catholicks went and with equal violence assaulted the other of Sneascherch and being withstood by those within the Fort was soon stormed and all the Garrison put to the sword By this example the Enemies did of themselves forgo the Forr of Bredene From hence without any delay the Army marched towards the Fort St. Alberto which was the greatest and best provided and marched towards the Enemies Camp Count Maurice did then send 2000 Foot the most of which were Scots with some Troops of Horse commanded by Count Ernestus of Nassaw to possess themselves of a Pass wherein he thought to entertain the Catholick Camp longer thinking that it would not so soon advance towards his Army These souldiers of the Enemy gave at unawares upon the Catholicks who finding themselves so much superiour in numbers and with such advantage of fresh success soon routed the Adversary and made a bloody slaughter amongst them This happened on the second of July in the morning and they had yet a considerable way to march before they could come up to the Enemies Camp to assault it Wherefore the Arch-Duke desired to know what his Councel of war thought fittest to be done Velasco the General of the Artillery was so far behinde with above 3000 Foot as he could not come up time enough to the rest of the Army when the Arch-Duke would notwithstanding have marched speedily to the Enemy Who were likewise lessened in their numbers by reason of the late loss of the Scots by reason of those that were either lost or left in the Forts for that Maurice at his coming to Ostend had added to the former Garison thereof When the Archdukes Councel of war came to speak their opinions it was variously disputed Amongst the Spanish Commanders Camp-master Gasper Zapena was particularly well esteemed of for his valour and for his long experience which notwithstanding made him always rather imbrace cautious then hazardous resolutions He was clean against falling violently upon the Enemy then He considered That they were to make above an houre and a halfs march before they could come to where they were that the Catholicks would come thither after their journey and their that mornings fight And what military Maxim said he is it that doth teach to fall with blind resolution upon an
succeeded his Father in the Civil Administration of Holland Zealand Utricht Overisel His brother Count Henry General of the Horse of the united Provinces and the Counts William and Eâ—rnestus the one of them Governour of Friesland and Groninghen and the other Governor of Ghelderland were all of them of his House and depended on him almost in all things so as the whole Government of the united Provinces as well Military as Civil may be said to be in his hands and his domestick power was the greater by his great friendship and alliance with Forraign Princes The Negotiation in hand made nothing at all for his present condition nor for that which peradventure he had an intention to raise up unto himself And say he had a minde to have hindred it at the beginning what colour or what pretence had he so to do Since the united Provinces in the Proposal made by the Arch-dukes for a Treaty had gotten all that they desired when the first ratification which came therefore from Spain proved vain Maurice began to hope well in the begun breach of the Negotiation by occasion thereof augmented the coÌ„mmon jealousies He inlarged himself very much and with great fervency in calling to minde their late good successes so many mischiefs cruelties and horrible in humanities committed as he affirmed by the Spaniards together with many other things to make all manner of Treaties with them suspitious and to encrease the hatred which those of the united Provinces alwaies bore to that Nation And though the second ratification was come in very ample manner yet did not he go less in continuing to do the same hoping to make this second appear likewise faulty in many things The time drew near of giving their resolution therein concerning which they had had many meetings at last one day when the Councel of 〈◊〉 States General was fuller then usual by reason of the importancy of the business 't is said Count Maurice spoke thus How much most worthy Deputies I have alwayes desired the prosperity of our Republick all my precedent actions which have made me appear no less my Fathers competitor then his son in her service may sufficiently manifest I have not laboured less then did my father in all wayes procuring the common good and if he lost his life in the publique cause I have exposed my self to no less dangers in the defence thereof and certainly it would have redounded much more to my honour and glory to have died amidst Arms then it did to him to perish by the hand of that base and detestable Paricide who so unworthily slew him None therefore should more rejoyce then I to hear our Provinces declared to be Free-States even by our Enemies themselves did I not think that all these proceedings were but couzenages whereby more easily to draw our Liberties again into their subjection I apprehended this even from the beginning of these practises so that as I have hitherto ever abhorred them so do I now abhor them more then ever and think it now more necessary then ever to break them wholly off and to throw back this second ratification with the same resoluteness as we did the former How many tricks and how many cheats the Spaniards have alwayes used in their like Treaties is too well known to us all But what need we look after past-times hath not the like been seen and is it not now seen in these present negotiations The first ratification came in general terms nor did it contain any thing of ratification but the bare name The second is come since which is likewise so defective as in my opinion it ought in no way to be excepted Do you perceive how the King would have it sent in the Spanish tongue a tongue unknown to us the true meaning and efficacy whereof we do not understand Do you observe how he uses the same subscription as he useth to his Vassals Not having changed any of the other things excepted against And the addition of the last clause doth it not evidently enough shew his pretensions that it shall wholly depend upon his will whether we shall be free or no As if from the time that the Duke d' Alva that Fury and Firebrand of all the troubles of Flanders and after him the other Governours had bereft their Countrie of its priviledges brought forein colonies thereinto put the whole Country to fire and sword and given sentence themselves against our Liberties and we had not known how to defend it by our unconquered Forces We then are free whether the King declare us to be so or no. And our pretence to this Declaration is because it is due to us from all the world and due to us by him absolutely without any conditional limitation of insuing agreement as he pretends in the additional clause so as it is now too well seen that the Spaniards treat with their wonted frauds and that they would pretend they can never lose by any whatsoever accord that should insue the right which they presume to have over our Provinces that they may afterwards expect new opportunities to oppress them again it may then be granted that it is not any publique respect but their own particular necessity which induceth them now to come to agreement with us The necessity I say of their disorders which doubtlesly are so many and so great as we may expect their utter losing of Flanders What darkness what obscurity is it then that doth possess our senses or what hoodwinkt and untimely wisdom is it which teacheth us to intermit and slacken the course of our Victories whence they are nearest and most certain their Army is in very great confusion without any discipline without any obedience corrupted by perpetual mutinies And if the war continue we shall doubtlesly see the whole body of the soldiery mutiny and then their whole Countrey will rise How great a part thereof does there already abound in our sense We on the other side have a flourishing Army well disciplin'd well paid and well provided of all things We have the assistance of France of England and of the greatest part of Germany We maintain a Cause then vvhich none can be more just nor can there be more constancy desired in our peoples wills to defend it To these our advantages by land our other progresses at sea do fully correspond What greater blovv could the Spaniards receive from us then that which we have given them in the East-Indies What will the other prove vvhich vve are preparing for them likevvise in the West To this end to boot vvith the publicke forces particular Companies of the richest Merchants of all our Provinces are oppointed so as when we shall get footing there to what straits and hazards shall we reduce the Spanish Fleet On the contrary side how much both publick and private advantages how much honour and glory shall our Common-wealth receive thereby Our having gon round the Sea where ever the
almost after the same manner he had at this time made also a new League with the united Provinces and though his Authority was nothing near so great with them yet was it such as it might much impede the proceedings of the new Treaty for a long Truce and he had already complained to the Spanish and Flemish Ambassadors who were resident in England that the King of Spain had sent Don Piedro de Tolledo to Paris putting thereby so great an esteem upon the King of France and that he had made no manner of address at all to him For these respects the King of Spain resolved to send likewise Don Fernando Girone who was then in Flanders and who was one of the chiefest Commanders in his Army to the King of England who seemed to be very well satisfied therewith and made large promises to intercede for the continuing of the negotiation in Holland being thereunto perswaded by his natural addiction to peace as also for the aforesaid Reasons Before the Catholick Deputies departed from Holland the Ambassadors of France and England began to set again on foot this new Treaty of a long Truce insomuch as the Ambassadors meeting one day Jannines in the name of both the Kings made this insuing Proposition in the Councel of the States General That both their Kings had alwaies considered the affairs of the United Provinces as their own particular concernment having maintained them all this while as such by their Councels and defended them by their Forces but that the end of War must be Peace That to this purpose the United Provinces had been assisted by both of them and that both of them were therefore much troubled to see the Treaty of Peace which was begun thus broken and that they thinking it howsoever much better for the United Provinces to enjoy a commodious and honorable quiet then to return to the former difficulties and dangers of war were pleased to propound unto them by their Ambassadors joyntly a long Truce instead of Peace That notwithstanding in this Truce in the first place and before all other things it should be declared both by the King of Spain and by the Arch-dukes that it was made with the united Provinces as with free Provinces and States unto which they made no pretence at all and that they should be left Free in point of their Navigation to the Indies That both their Kings did believe that the United Provinces might be content with a Truce which was to bring with it such important advantages for them and not onely these but peradventure some others also That greater difficulties were to be foared on the other part but in case the war were to continue by reason of the Spaniards fault the Forces of the United Provinces would be thereby the more justified and both their Kings still the more obliged to mantain their Cause The States General took time to advice upon the whole with their Provinces The Ambassadors with like conformity applyed themselves to the Catholick Deputies who having lost all hopes of Peace did very much desire to come to some other accommodation or composition so they willingly listned to this new proposal of a long Truce though they thought many difficulties would be met withal in Spain touching the form thereof They promised the Ambassadors notwithstanding to use all the diligence they could to overcome them and having received assurances from the Ambassadors that they would do all good offices for the continuation of the Treaty and especially from Jannines on whose means and authority they did chiefly relye they at last went from the Hague after having been eight months entertained there and went to Brussels The Negotiation of the Truce lying then chiefly on Jannines hand he did all he could to perswade the United Provinces to allow of it in the same manner as had been propounded by him and the English Ambassadors Those Provinces seemed well inclined in general toward the Truce though they wanted not some amongst them who would have had the King of Spain and the Arch-dukes make the same renunciation in the Treaty of Truce as they pretended unto in that of Peace but the wiser and more moderate men amongst them considered that this would be too unjust a pretention due regard being had to the difference between a Truce and a Peace This difficulty proceeded chiefly from Zealand and was Fauter'd by Count Maurice by reason of his abovesaid power in that Province and the almost absolute dependency which Maldereo the particular Deputy of Zealand had upon him Maldereo had been a menual servant of the late Prince of Orange and to say truth the Interest of Zealand did accord with Count Maurice his particular ends for the Traffick and wealth of that Province was greatly increased by the war the choice Marriners who had served and did as yet serve in the voyages to the Indies were likewise Zealanders and next unto Holland certainly this was the chiefest and most considerable of all the United Provinces The same difficulties out of the same reasons were insisted upon by the City of Amsterdam in Holland but it was thought that at last the rest of that Province would prevail over the particular opposition of that City in a favourable acceptation of the Truce which Zealand did still pertenaciously resist And Maldereo very zealous in the cause endeavoured to make those words suspected wherein the King of Spain and the Arch-dukes were to denounce the United Provinces to be Free-States in form abovesaid Whereupon one day that this Clause was treated on he with great fervency broke forth into these words Are we Free-men or still Subjects If we be Free-men why ought we not to be publickly acknowledged for such Shall it depend upon the Spaniards to allow us what sort of liberty they please now that they cannot impose that slavery upon us which they would To wit a liberty more servile then our former servitude since it must depend upon the interpretation of their own words Do not we know what interpretation they have already given to those words Do not we know that they take them in such a sense as doth not take from them any pretended right to our Provinces At this rate we shall get nothing more by this long Truce then what was had in the bare suspension of Arms And yet this Truce shall rather look like a Peace and it may so fall out as by often prolongation it may at last be insensibly turned into the nature of a Peace Then as in the Treaty of Peace we did pretend in the first place That that absolute abnegation should be made by the King of Spain and the Arch-dukes which is now Treated of so ought we still to pretend unto it and in that form which may clearlyest declare our Provinces to be Free and Soveraign Shall not he ackowledge them when all the world Treats with them as such To what corner of the Earth or of the Sea is it that
the Fame of their Liberty together with the Fame of their Forces is not flown Let the Spaniards then do the like or let all Treaties be broken That necessity which enforceth them to come to agreement with us will likewise compel them to do it in this manner So since we would make no greater advantage of this their necessity with our swords in our hands as we ought and peradventure might have done we shall at least come by it by this contestation of Treaty in such manner as the victory of words can most promise These reasons against the above named clause and many others against the Truce in general were exagerated by Maldereo or rather through his mouth by Count Maurice who laboured by all other means and used all his industry that this Treaty of Truce might prove vain as the other of peace had done the same things were scattered abroad by his followers giving out many printed papers to this purpose not owned by any they seemed to distrust the forraign Ambassadors and it was whispered that though the two Kings advised to Truce yet for their own self-interest they would not totally forbare assisting the United Provinces though contrary to their Councel they should reassume their Arms that howsoever it was requisit to return to Arms since it was undoubtedly to be believed that the present necessities being over the Spaniards would no longer observe the Truce That in the mean while the people of the United Provinces cheated by the abusive names of Peace and Quiet would lose their former vigour and constancy That they would hardly be brought to contribute those monies afterwards for the war which at first they did so willingly part withal And that all these would be seeds to produce pernicious discords amongst their Provinces Lastly they concluded That though the Spaniards should observe the Truce it would be requisite howsoever to keep their Frontiers still well look'd unto The which being so many and the jealousies on all sides being now likely to prove so great the expence in time of Truce would be well nigh as much as in the time of war How much better would it then be to continue the war and not to lose the present occasions which did all of them so smile upon them and frown upon the Spaniards Affairs leaning already towards discord and the Zealander Deputies threatned openly a separation from the rest of the Provinces if contrary to the form of common Government the rest would resolve upon Truce without the particular consent of Zealand Jannines loitred now no more but judging this a fitting occasion to shew his experience and force of his advices one day when their contestations grew highest 't is said he spoke to the Deputies of the United Provinces in this manner Neither did my King ever think worthy Deputies that so long contestations could have had place here amongst you in so great an Union nor did I ever beleeve that such distrust were to be found here as some of you seem to have of my behaviour I will speak of mine own leaving the English Ambassadors either to justifie themselvs or make their just complaints For what concerns my endeavours I will onely say Execution is the onely share I have therein So as to mistrust them will be much more to offend my King then me And to say truth what greater injury can he receive then this He having alwaies shewed himself so partial to your Commonwealth as he hath almost never made any difference between the interests of his own Kingdom of your Common-wealth When he was hardly yet come unto the Crown and had hardly after so many Domestick and Forraign oppositions setled his own affairs the first thing he did was to assist your Provinces From that time to this he hath not been wanting in aiding you with Monies Men and Counsel and to make your Cause appear the juster in all other respects by his owning it Doubtlesly he pretended to assist a just Cause but the justest actions do not alwaies prove the most useful Nay these of yours might have been thought the more dangerous by how much their power is the greater who take themselves to be offended The liberty of your Provinces may be said to have sayled into the Haven chiefly by the sayles of his favour And because we cannot now establish it upon the Anchor of Peace my King endeavours at least to fasten it upon the Anchor of Truce which may prove as advantagious to you Let us then consider whether such an Agreement may be truly advantagious to your Affairs Which when it shall be known as I hope it will sinister discourses will then soon cease which if they do not it will appear at least That they proceede from particular passions vailed over with the semblance of Publick good The business is then touching the making of a long Truce and whether the chiefest endeavour ought to be That your Provinces should be therein clearly acknowledged to be Free We Ambassadors think the clause by us propounded sufficient to that purpose That the King of Spain and Arch-dukes should declare that they made Truce with your Provinces as with Free Provinces and States unto which they make no pretence at all But there are some amongst you who differ from us in opinion thinking it to be too generical and dubious and who would have the King of Spain and Arch-dukes make the same absolute renunciation now as was pretended unto when there was a Treaty of Peace I cannot notwithstanding part from my first opinion for it appears to me that to boot with the difference that there is between a Peace and a Truce this Declaration may be thought to make more for your liberty then the other Tell me I pray you Have not you alwaies declared That you have taken up Arms against your Prince infored thereto by necessity And that the war on your side could not be more just because it could not be more necessary And by the same reason have you not set your Provinces at Liberty by your own Authority Then if you pretend upon so good grounds to be free what need you now that the King of Spain and the Arch-Dukes should make these renouncings Do not you see that such like renouncings of right would presuppose it to be more manifest on their behalf And that in such a case much more should be confest by you then granted by them Do not you know that they can grant nothing to the prejudice of their successors Kingdoms cannot otherwise make any contract nor Kings make any alienable part therein And since they give the laws to others they must likewise in this behalf receive it from their Crowns How much better is it then that your Provinces be declared by the King and the Arch-dukes to be free by a general clause and that the agreement which is now spoken of may follow with this presupposition of your Liberty without making it doubtful by any other
to suffer something in accommodating them then to run hazard of greater dangers by going about to punish them too severely I heartily wish that in the like cases as also in divers others of the world Necessity prevailed not too much above Reason Kingdoms give way and Empires bow to this force To this we must now likewise submit The Spaniards are too much incensed to see Flanders every where so hatefully bent against them they storm already for being declarea Enemies how much more will they doe so when they shall be declared Rebels The other Spaniards will flock to defend the Mutiniers and will make this a common interest And with whom is it that we shall contend What Nation is there to be found which hath been longer trained up in Arms more acquainted with blood and more accustomed to fight and overcome To what a rage will despair carry them I therefore am of opinion that this wound is to be cured by the accustomed ways Armies as well as humane bodies are liable to infirmities And if this may be easily cured we ought not by danger of so great an impairment make it our selves incurable The Reasons alleadged by Vightio and divers others other Considerations offered by the two Counts did no whit avail to alter the opinion of the opposite part of the Councel which was the more numerous and the more powerfull But these accusing the other of perfidiousness injuriously said that they were Spaniards and no longer Flemings and broke forth into open threats against them Nor were they long in putting them in execution taking new pretences and still palliating the appearances thereof the more they imprisoned the three above-named Councellors as also Signior d' Asonville and made the Duke of Ariscot President of the Councel I hey then proclaimed on Edict of Rebellion against the Spaniards the Contents whereof was in substance this That all the mischiefs of Flanders had proceeded from the Spaniards That to have the total domination thereof they had taken away the government from the Dutchess of Parma and given it to the Duke of Alva That from that time forward the Country was opprest in all parts by sad and fatal chances Amongst which that of Mutinies was to be accounted among the most fatal That one of these was now on foot in the very heart of the Provinces and that under pretence of having their Pay the Spaniards design was generally to devoure the substances and to drink the blood of all the Flemish That therefore the Councel of State which by order from the King did now govern judging it necessary to withstand with Arms this threatening ruine had therefore put on the most convenient resolutions That notwithstanding in this so great necessity there were some Councellors who shewed themselves averse to the common good so as the rest had thought fit to secure them That the Spaniards desired now more then ever to bring in the Inquisition into Flanders That out of their zeal to the Kings service the Councel of State had published this Edict whereby the aforenamed Spaniards were declared Rebels to the King and whereby it was ordered that they should be pursued every where and slain as Enemies The Edict concluded with an invitation to all the Provinces to joyn in the same sense and opinion since the same was the cause amongst them all It is not to be believed how much the minds of the Flemish were moved after this publication and how as if the Edict had been a general Trumpet which had summoned them they strove who should shew themselves readiest to goe against the Spaniards and drive them out of the Country The Councel of States chief intention was to call together the States Generall to the end that the resolutions which they had already taken might be of greater authority as also those which they should hereafter take Nor was there need of any great trouble herein At the very first invitation every Province except that of Luxenburg as hath been said shewed themselves willing to meet in this General Assembly either by express Deputies or by open consent In Governments where the Kings Prerogative and the Subjects Priviledge doe interfere the one fide is usually glad to get the advantage of the other And therefore in Flanders Princes have alwayes been unwilling to have the Generall Assembly of the Provinces meet it being a time wherein they pretend rather to give Laws then to rceive them And on the contrary the Provinces have always imbraced such occasions wherein by the meeting of their whole body together they might keep the power of Princes within its precincts And the Flemish did this now the more readily for that they thought it a fit conjuncture of time having no Kingly Governour amongst them who might oppose them or at least be over them When then the Edict against the Spaniards was published and the convocation of the States Generall made Hostility began suddenly on all sides The chief design of the States was to have Mastrick and the Citadels of Antwerp and Gaunt in their possession hoping that by their examples the other Castles would soon doe the like On the other side the Spaniards studied chiefly how to keep all the aforesaid strong Holds and Towns but especially Mastrick and the Citadel of Antwerp for the reasons above mentioned Many Souldiers were mustered together in Gaunt to besiege that Castle and a greater number were gathered together in Antwerp because they thought that would prove the harder work The Governour Champigny and Colonel Erbestine had already discovered themselves to be for the States and received all that came into the City who were sent from them But the States chief endeavour was to keep the Spaniards and also such Germans as adhered to them from meeting together The Walloons as natives of the Country did already intirely obey the orders of the Flemish Nay after the surrender of Ziricsce those Walloons who were at the taking thereof seased upon their Colonel Mandragone and kept him forth-coming The Flemish Commanders did then to the aforementioned end shut up all the Passes and fortified them and placed many men about them in sundry parts The Spaniards on the contrary were very diligent in getting together as many of their Forces as they could and to quarter themselves in some of the most commodious parts in Brabant From this opposition of designes they came quickly to the like of arms and the first effect thereof fell out about Lovain The Spaniards had assembled together a good strength of horse in the parts about Mastrike towards the Country of Liege and came towards Lovain that they might get to Alst and by new endeavours try whether they could get the mutiners from thence or no and make them joyn with the other Spaniards Which they refused to do till they should have received their full pretended pay The Councel of State had notice of this their moving and speedily dispatched away the Seignior di Glimes with
those that assailed them and came the better to where their help was required They also soon discerned that they were all false Alarms that were given without and that the true Assault was made only in one place To this was added that Count Bucquoy not finding the water of the aforesaid Channel so low as he believed he could by no means pass over them Yet the Catholicks did for a long time continue their assault but the Defendants advantages still increasing the Assailants were at last forced to give over with great loss for there were above 600 slain and wounded part of them being Gambaloita's men who was slain himself and part belonging to Durango who was sorely wounded Nor did those within let slip the occasion of prejudicing yet more the Catholicks as they retreated For plucking up some of their Sluces by which they both received the Sea-water into their ditches and let it out again they turned the water with such violence into the Channel which the Catholicks had passed over before they came to the assault and which they were to pass over again in their retreat as many of them were unfortunately drowned John Bentivoglio Knight of St. John's Order our Brother who was but a little before come from Italy after having served the Emperor some years in Hungary was in this action and therein gave such trial of himself as the Archdukes not long after honoured him with a Company of Lances The year 1602. was already begun and with so bitter cold weather as many advised the Archduke to give over the siege of Ostend as a business which might be despaired of But he would not be perswaded thereunto thinking the Kings honour and his own too much engaged not to continue that siege still and bring it to a good end Wherefore he resolved to raise a great Platform in St. Alberto's quarter which might command the Town as much as might be possible on that side and gave new orders that Bucquoy should from St. Charls his Fort advance with all possible speed that great Bank which was designed to command the Channel of Bredene as we touched upon before Having given out these directions and leaving the Spanish Campmaster John di Rivas a valiant and well experienced Souldier to have the chief government of the Siege the Archduke retired to Gaunt to make such provisions against the Enemy as were requisite who on their side made very great preparations that they might be early in the field with great Forces The Treaty of Agreement which had been formerly on foot and almost at the same time broken as we told you then between the King of Spain and the Archduke on the one part and the Queen of England on the other was this interim continued by many means Great desire of coming to some good correspondencie appeared on both sides And the Queen being now very full of years did particularly shew her self every day more and more inclined thereunto When in March she fell very sick of which sickness she dyed after she had lived 70 years and reigned 4â— Thus dyed Elizabeth Queen of England and Ireland who so much afflicted the Church and who so long and by so many wayes fomented the War which we describe She was Daughter to King Henry the Eighth by Queen Anne of Boloign After the death of her Father being bred up in Heresie she was much made of by her Brother King Edward the Sixth who was likewise a Follower of the new Sects which were formerly introduced by his Father But Queen Mary who soon restored the antient Religion succeeding him Elizabeth ran hazard of her life and was either imprisoned or confined all her Sisters Reign who dying without issue the Crown came to Elizabeth The marriage of her Father with Anne of Boloign was always detested by the Catholick Church wherefore she openly maintained Heresie and persecuted the Catholicks And to secure her self the better in her Kingdom she was not content to favour Heresie in her own Dominions but still joyned with the Heretical Factions of Scotland France Germany and Flanders endeavouring thus to keep her neighbouring Countries still in turmoils that she might be the more quiet at home For what remains it is not to be denyed that by Common opinion such gifts both of body and minde concur'd in her as would have been worthy of the highest praise had she so much illustrated them by the true Religion as she did eclipse them by false worship a comliness of Aspect graceful behaviour weight in her words or a winning speech and a pleasing greatness both in her private and publick actions She was endowed with a rare understanding and wit which made her be a great friend to learning to the choicest and most delightful whereof she applyed her self she was particularly so ready in the Latin tongue as she was often pleased publickly to make use thereof and therein to receive the applause of the most learned in both the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge it may be no marriage was ever more coveted then hers Many Princes in several parts of Europe did for a long time strive to be her husband hoping that the refusal of the one might facilitate the pretences of another and she very cunningly still nourished hopes in them and endeavoured divers waies to honest her excuses thinking her self so much more worthy by how much the more she was pretended unto Coming at last to her declining years those seeming appearances ended and then it was clearly seen that she being full of haughty thoughts not caring for issue would never receive a Companion in her Bed because she could not admit of a Companion in her Throne She exercised her greatest enmities with the Pope of Rome and King of Spain as may have been seen in this our History she kept good correspondencie with all the other Potentates of Europe and was by the most of them continually much honoured She was a woman of a manlike spirit infinitely intent upon Government and desirous of retaining the chief hand in managing thereof as she had the prime authority Great were her expences both within and without her Kingdom It is not to be credited how much she spent at home especially in keeping England well munited with Naval forces being ofttimes used to say That her well arm'd ships in that Island were her Armies and her Citadels She enjoyed good health and that so long as none of her Predecessors lived so long as she and but few reigned so long And although she detested the Queen of Scots whom at last she put to death yet she was pleased that her Son King James who was likewise fallen into Heresie should succeed her and unite the Island of England and Scotland into one body which whilst divided had formerly for so many Ages been cause of so many discords wars and calamities on both sides THE HISTORY OF THE WARS OF FLANDERS Written by CARDINAL BENTIVOGLIO The Third Part. BOOK VII
The Contents An Agreement is made between the King of Spain and the Arch-dukes on the one part and the new King of great Britain on the other The siege of Ostend continues and with what success Frederick Spinola comes into Flanders with a Squadron of Gallies And his brother Marquess Ambrosio Spinola comes thither likewise with 8000 Foot raised in Italy Both their intentions to advance themselves by the military profession But Federick is slain not long after in a Sea fight Count Maurice prepares great Forces besiegeth Graves and takes it A new mutiny in the Catholick Camp The Arch-duke resolves to turn his Forces against the mutineers Maurice comes into their aid and secures them from all danger With their Forces and his own he besiegeth Balduke The Arch-duke goes in person to relieve it whereupon Maurice retreats from thence Slow proceedings about Ostend The siege thereof is put into the hands of Marquis Spinola Who with great fervency embraceth the managing thereof Maurice the mean while incamps before Sluce Spinola marcheth to relieve it but not succeeding therein the Town is lost Spinola returns to the siege of Ostend and at last ends that enterprise He goes afterwards into Spain and returns from thence made Camp-master General of the Catholick Army in Flanders He opposeth divers of Count Maurice his proceedings then suddenly passeth the Rhine goes towards Friesland and there takes Oldensel and Linghen And soon after Count Bucquoy takes Vachtendonch Spinola goes again into Spain and is sent back by the King into Flanders with addition of Honours He passeth again with his Army towards Friesland takes Groll and Reinberg and forceth Maurice afterwards to raise his Siege from before the same Town of Groll JAmes King of Scots succeeding Queen Elizabeth came forthwith to London which is the Metropolitan City of England where his arrival was celebrated with great demonstrations of joy the Scots and English contending by usual and natural emulation who should glory most the one for having given a new King to the English or the others for having got him from them But amidst these mirths the Catholicks were much afflicted who soon lost all hopes of being better treated in matter of Religion as the new King in the latter time of the Queen to make them well disposed towards him had made them believe they should be For even from his very first coming to London they found they should suffer no less bitter persecution under him then for so long a time they had done under her That he might unite the two Nations together as much as it was possible the new King would be stiled King of Great Britain comprehending thus both the Kingdoms under one Title and endeavouring by all other means according to the Form of that Heretical Government to establish himself at home in all security He then applied himself to Foreign Correspondencies knowing how much the well grounding of these would contribute to his own domestical affairs He renewed the Confederacies which the late Queen had with the King of France and the United Provinces of Flanders And with the like inclination which she had shewed a little before her death of coming to some agreement with the King of Spain and the Archdukes he heartily gave himself to continue the Negotiation wherein the King of Spain and Archdukes did not refuse to correspond on their behalfs So as the business growing every day nearer an end it was not long till they came to mutual splendid Embassies by which such correspondencie was at last established as the so contrary Interest between them in point of Religion and matter of State could admit of Which we have thought fit to touch upon only here not to digress too far from the particular affairs of Flanders Then that we may return to the Narration thereof the chief business which did then depend in those Provinces was the Siege of Ostend The greater the difficulties appeared of bringing it to an end the more resolute was the Archduke to endeavour it by all possible wayes being particularly instigated thereunto by the Province of Flanders which shewed it self very ready to continue all the largest Contributions which to that purpose could be thereby subministred The Archduke when he came from that Siege had left the care thereof as we told you to the Campmaster Rivas who failed not to use all diligence in daily advancing the Works The most important whereof were two The one the great Platform in St. Alberto's quarter which was raised as fast as might be to annoy incessantly the Old Town of Ostend from thence by many Peeces of Artillery And the other the great Dike already begun in Bredene quarter with intention of leading it on so far as it might command the great Channel and so hinder the continual and large succours which by means thereof were received into the Town from the Sea To make this Dike a great quantity of those Sauceges which we spake of before were made use of and were much greater then the former To the first and largest foundation which was well incorporated with wet sand and other condense matter others of the like sort were added till the Dike was grown to the height it ought to be and the breadth thereof was very extraordinary great To boot with the ordinary Plain thereof upon which two great Canons might stand abrest there was a great Parapet raised in it against the Town to shelter the Souldier and which being in divers places furnished with Artillery did greatly indammage the Enemy likewise on that fide This work was made in a sandy and low situation and whither the Sea at full Tide came so as it cannot be said with how much expence labour and loss of blood this work was advanced Whilst such diligent work was had by Land touching the Siege of Ostend Frederick Spinola did continually scoure that Sea-coast with a Squadron of Gallies which he had a little before brought from Spain Frederick was come to be trained up in Arms in Flanders in the Duke of Parma's time And though he had not then any particular Imployment yet was there generally great hopes had of him in all those occurrences wherein his wit industry and capacity did plainly appear He had learnt by experienced men that by maintaining a good Squadron of Spanish Gallies upon the Coast of Flanders the Hollanders and Zealanders might be very much prejudiced in their usual Navigations in those Seas and Gulfs It was considered that those Vessels which frequented those parts were either Fisher-men or Merchants that the Gallies by their nimbleness might continually infest that passage that to boot with the great prejudice which the Enemy might receive thereby by Sea they might peradventure receive more damage by Land for the Gallies might at all times run into the nearest Sea-gulfs land men pillage their Villages and upon good success attempt some important surprise whereby they might get footing in Zealand Which if it should so fall