courage for the pursuite and exercise of Armes whereby they became Lords and commanders of al the chiefe nations Empires states and kingdomes of the world And againe for the chastisement and confusion of them the Lord raysed vp to Armes and warlike courage the rude and barbarous multitudes of the Goths Hunnes and Vandales And so the Turkes of a small people and of the sauage Scythian kinde to be the most cruell and noyfull spoylers and destroyers that euer were vpon earth to subuert all the ciuill states and Empires of Asia and Affrica and to subdue and depopulat ▪ the noble Empire of Greece and the kingdom of Hungarie Tamberlan a heardman with the rude Scythians to chastise Baiezet the Turkish Emperour and all his dominions ▪ And lastly the Spanyard to chastise France Italy Germany and lowe Duchland And now let vs farther beholde with discretion what worke the Lord is entred into by Armes in these last dayes of the worlde And how martiall prowesse and industrie hath mightely serued to aduaunce the name and glorye of God and to giue passage to his Gospell where it lay prostrate and troden vnder the feete of Antichrist and his consorts For when the time was come in the yere of our Sauiour Christ 1517. that the Lord set foote on earth to restore his Sanctuary he beganne his businesse by a poore ministrie vnder the couert protection of the most worthie prince Duke Frederick of Saxonie and so encreased vnder the defence of the most noble Princes Iohn Duke of Saxonie Philipe Lantgraue of Hesse of the famous and warlike cities Augsborough Strasborough Vlmes Magdeborough c. And when the champions of the kingdome of darkenesse vnder the conducte of the most renowmed Emperour Charles the fifth seemed to renge the hoste of Israel vnder a terrible victory then did the Lorde of hostes bestirre himselfe and frustrating the counsailes and dispersing the forces of his enemies he vanquished the troupes of the Philistims by the Armed hand of his chosen captaine Maurice Duke of Saxoni who vy the vertue of Martiall prowesse ayded by the Lord God of hostes brake the teeth of the vngodly and restored the worde of God to a free passage throughout all Germanie So did the Lorde preuaile by Armes in Surike by vertue of which also wydened the passage of his gospell into France and by the force and power of one poore towne there holdeth possession for his Sanctuarie maugre the might and malice of all his enemies This being the most glorious effects of Militarie industrie in these saide countreis to the enlarging of Christes kingdome for the saluation of many and comfort of the whole worlde praise the inuincible Arme of our God mighty and victorious in battell and see yet a greater worke then all these nowe a doing by force of Armes for the ciuill libertye and for the freedome of true Religion in lowe Dutchelande where the hande of the Lorde hath bene so apparant fauourable that in all the progresse and successe of these warres it may be saide This is the worke of the Lord our God in the sight of all the Heathen and it is marueilous in our eyes Let vs therfore examin some part of those affaires see how Iacob hath preuailed in his warres by slow and vnexpert souldiers against the most famous arrogant implacable enemies of the gospel of Christ and then let the swinish fooles that contemne martiall profession stoppe their mouthes and be ashamed For the heauens doe reioyce the worlde is comforted and Israel shal be glad through the victories of God purchased by the fidelitie prowesse of his valiant men at armes When King Philip had wearied his good subiects of low Duchland with fained pacifications in the aduantage wherof the defendants being taken vnprouided vnarmed were daylie spoyled and murthered they fell to armes for publike defence stoode vpon their gard but béeing ouercome by the false promises of the faithlesse Regent the Duches of Parma they accepted conditions of agreement and while they rested vpon the same came the Duke of Alua accompanied with chosen forces and tooke the countrey in charge as Lieutenant to the king He planted his bands of warre in all the stronge townes and holdes through out the Lowe countrey he apprehended the Counties of Horne and Degremont and executed them as captains and chiefe pillers of the Mutiners He builded the Castell of Antwerp for mastering of that proude citie and renged all the whole Lande vnder feare and oppression minding to bring the people vnder extreeme exactions for the nourishment of their own plagues seruitude I mean for the maintenāce of the kings forces fortifications throughout for the holding of the people in subiection to what yoke or ordinances so euer should be enforced vppon them Wherein the Duke missed the Tracte of that wisedome and pollycie that was famed to bée in him For this tirannous porpose coming to common apparance then reuolted the Holanders and Zelanders in an vnlikely state to stande to theire cause But the Lord God of hostes that had stirred vp this quarel meaning to proue the force of his blowe by an vnlikly host against the troopes of the prowde and dredfull warriers his ennemyes did shewe himselfe sufficient able to confounde the mightie by the weake the prudent by the foolishe the industrious by the slowe the courageouse by the cowarde the glorious by the vile the noble by the churle and the King by the vassale the rich and imperiall by the poore and seruile multitude For comparison beinge consideratly made of the Holanders and rude Zelanders with their King hee mightie in powers both by lande and by sea standinge in continual redines they weak and vnprouided both for lande and water he in renowmed armes stronge experimented and politique they naked and of al other their Kings people and subiects contemned for their natural slowenes cowardise ignorance dronkenesse and most vnwarlike spirites the King infinite in artillarye munitiones treasures and eke in frends lieutenantes commanders martiall bands of incomparable fame and approued value the mutiners easye to be exhausted of their monie vnfurnished of all habilementes of warre of trained Soldiers and experimented Capteines and hauinge their neerest neighbours yea and them of their kinred and alience to bee their moste fyerse and noifull enemies And in this vnequal match to entre warre it woulde haue seemed a motion in the mutiners proceedinge rather of a desperat rage then grounded vpon any reasonable hope to preuaile to any other effect then to the thraldome and confusion of themselues and of their posteritie Howe be it the Lord that commandeth his Soldiers and capteines that beare armes in the quarell of trueth and righteousnesse not to feare the multitude of their enemies stoode by the Hollanders in their honest cause and hath iustified their quarell wil maintaine it to the ende as it seemeth at this day
For hee hath in the behalfe of that contemned people naye rather to make good the glory of his great name against the vanity of flesh blood brought impossible thinges to a marueilous prooffe Els coulde it not haue come to passe that poore litle and weake Vlushing shoulde haue famished and subdued the riche large and strong Citie of Middlebourgh aided by the riche and mightie townes of Antwerpe and Ansterdam and eke of Tregose and Barowe and garded with 2000. approoued Souldiers vnder the commaundement of that famous Gentleman Mont Darragon who was driuen by distresse of victuals all the forces of the king being not able either to relieue him or to succour him to render vp the town departing from it with 1400 men of war in armes wherby the whole Island of Walkeren came entirely vnder the direction of the Prince of Orange to the inspeakeable comfort of the cause publike For by the benefite of this victory the Zelanders vtterly vanquished the kinges forces vppon the Sea and bet him quite from it whereby the Brabanders and Flemings were put from their fishing and traffike other then vnder the courtesie of the Zelanders which so endamaged all the continent of the lowe countrey that the inhabitaunts finding themselues pressed in an extreeme wrenche betwixt the warres of their neighbours and the oppression of the Spanyardes they fell in conclusion to ioyne handes with the mutiners in a more conuenient and a farre better policie and in a more assured hope that by a generall consent in Armes they might redeme their countrey froÌ„ the power of the oppressers and driue the Spanyards with their adherents out of the lande then to nourish the warres against their neighbours in whose discomfiture and subuersion stood the thraldome of them all in whose victorie the libertie and desired restitution of the one and of the other should rest assured Herevpon proceeded the generall reuolt of all the lowe cuntrie yea rather enforced by the good successe and prowesse of the Hollanders and Zelanders then willingly accepted of them of Flanders Brabant and of other Countries for anye free zeale to the cause publike But blinde were the heartes of them that did not see that the Prince of Orange and his poore vnexperimented adherents were the very Army of the Lord God of hostes who will neuer faile to breake the Jawes of his aduersaries turning their wisedome to folly and their glory to shame which was fully accomplished in the Duke of Alua that dreadfull and renowmed chieftaine of the Papistes For had not hée bene ouercome with a very tirannous madnes hee woulde not haue entred his gouernement in Belgia with oppression murther pillage and intollerable decrees vpon the people that were by easier prouocations then these stirred and ready to breake out in Armes in mind rather to dye in the field for the defence of their ancient liberties so dearly purchased and defended by the blood of their forefathers then to yeeld themselues and their posteritie vnder the heauie yoke and arrogant domination of so implacable people as bee the Spanyardes which might well haue bene considered in the wisdome of the Duke of Alua but that God blinded him with the might of his Prince and the opinion of himselfe that if this whole Countrie of lowe Ducheland should in generall consent fall to Armes and withstand their Prince by vyolence and that they were not to bee reduced to obedience but by extreeme warres and infinit charges after much blood and spoyle of the lande the King should reduce them to his yoke and subiection by the sworde that euen so and by that wearisome and cruell meanes he must euer after reteine them their posterity in his obedience which would be an intollerable charge to him and would set downe a continuall pillage and oppression vppon the Subiectes whereof should ensue the orderly decaye of the common wealth and nourishe a perpetuall malice in the people against their Soueraigne Lorde and continually pricke them to tumultes which at the last shoulde eyther set them free and reiect their Prince or els vtterly confounde them by the increase of their tyrannie and miserable seruitude which also would eate the king out of his inheritance But had the Duke called to memorie howe apt this nation hath bene in olde time to fall to warre in quarell of their liberties and for defence of their ancient compositions and how they shooke of the tyrannous Soueraigntie of the French kings yet more gentle and profitable then this of the Spanyards and howe dearely and painefully the French kings haue in times past forced their obedience and coulde not but were at the last after much warres and many bloody victories quite shut out he would haue endeuoured his wisdome and labour to reconcile them by mollifying the gouernment and by gratious gentlenes and bountie rather then proudlye to presse downe the yoke that had already wearied them which cannot prosper nor long endure for the Lord God in his Justice hateth tyrannie and destroyeth tyrants from the face of the earth and vsually destroyeth the roote and branche of euerye cruell grinder of the faces of the poore and casteth him of for euermore And farther he fell into this ouersight that he exceeded so farre in the proportion of the kings charges by fortifications and superfluous supplies aboue all the leuie and receiptes that were to come in by all the pillage dueties and lones that he could deuise that he ranne indebted to the men of warre aboue xxxiij Monethes paye whereby the souldiers became disordered spoylers at the last so mutinous that the Spanyardes forced their pay and bound the Duke to shamefull conditions and for his last farewel he was forced to kéepe his lodging vnder gard durst not present himselfe openly to the men of war at his departure out of Belgia vntil the Commander Don Lewes de Requezes the new lieuetenant had giuen his promise in the wordes of the king and set downe an order for the soldiers full pay With these errors he ioyned many faultes in the direction pursuit of these wars which turned to the aduauntage of the poore defendauntes but much to the disgrace discredit of himself Immediatly vpoÌ„ the getting of Harlam the horrible massacher there done the Spanyards mutined for their pay putting away their coÌ„manders officers of sworn loyalty they chose vnto theÌ„selues a coronel captains other officers at the opening of the day they tooke vp their ensigns marched toward the wals of Harlam making vpon them that garded the vnrepaired breaches of the same they draue theÌ„ to abandon their charge folâ—â—â—â—â—d theÌ„ with match in the cock into the market place there Monseur Lamot don Iulius Rhomero who with fiue ensignes of footmen possessed garded the town being assembled with their companies departed with their people leauing the town to the possession of the mutiners which standing stiffely vpon the
demand of their ful paye finding the Duke slow ouersterne to yeelde to the same they fained that they would kéepe the towne to the vse of the States of Holland the prince of Orange that they would surrender it to Monseur Delorge which brought the Duke into such a perplexitie that hee passed conditions with the mutiners such as danted his glory and hautinesse more then any one matter that euer happened to him in all his life Thus was he impeched and could not neither did he seeme to be desirons to folowe the opportunitie that the victorie ouer Harlam did present to the great aduancement of his seruice had he folowed it with like industry expedition For the terror of that atchiuement eke of the ouerthrowe of the countey Batenburgh with the Princes armie had opened vnto him al the Gates in Holland had he hotly pursued the aduantage geuen After he had reconciled the mutiners set al things in order in Harlam hee went forth to beset Alkemer where he arriued vpon the day of a great faire holden in the towne which was therefor filled with the country people yong old with catle without garde of men of warre without store of victuales or of any other habilements of warr sauing the Captein Richauor through great perill industrie entred the towne with 500. men of warre The Duke battered the towne in soundry places assaulted it fearcely was repulsed he cōmanded the seconde assault as the Spaniards made towarde the wall there fel a very terrible tēpest of haile rain wind and thunder that so danted the Souldiers that refusing the seruice they turned vpō their Commanders and would not forwarde for the former attempts were deerely bought The Duke seeing the Capteins to sley their own souldiers for their disobedience commanded retrait and so the assailants returned to their lodgings minding to gather better courage against the next day But the tempest continewed al that night and powred down such aboundance of raine that by the morning their cheef enchamping ground was al vnder water most of the peeces that battered lay suncken vp to the axiltree for the softnes of the ground might not then by no meanes be recouered Wherevpō the Duke dislodged himself encamped farther frō the towne in a dry soile from whence also within a few days he remoued quite away after that hee had spente full sixe weekes in that siege to his great losse dishonor for by that day that hee gaue it ouer the Towne was not victualled for sixe dayes This was the Dukes last attempt in Holland and this his repulse much hardened encouraged the Hollanders to stande fast in their cause Hee had so farre exhausted the Kings Treasure and his owne money that he borowed 12000. gylderns of his host in Amsterdam to bear his charges into Spaine Thus this great Duke that came into Belgia so glorious and dreadful is daunted returned into Spaine with shame and discredite Then succeded in his charge Don Lewes de Requezes greate Cōmander of Castile who practising to mingle hypocrisie and bloud in one drift and policie that was to snare and to confounde the Prince of Orange hee preuailed in both lesse then he hoped For he could no more preuaile against Israel then did Fernando de Toledo Duringe his gouernement was the Kinges nauey and all his forces by sea quite vanquished and broken First as they relieued Midleburgh by Estecaple vnder the conduct of S. de Beuoys in which exploit perished viii or ix shippes great and small At the conflict by Rhomers wall the Papistes making forth to the fight vnder the gouernement of Iulius Rhomero they were discomfited with the losse of xvi or xvii boates of warre aboue 1500. of their most chosen Soldiers where that valeant Iulius flyinge the terror of the Zelanders hardely saued his life recouering to lande by a Scute where also the Commander stoode lookinge on the fight with a crosse in his hande and a Frier at the right side of him prayinge together for the good successe of the batell wherein it appered that the Lorde hearde them not yet were the Zelanders sore spente and weakened with ix weekes colde wynter lyinge on shippeboorde thinnely clothed as thinnely dieted with browne bread cheese redde heringes and small beere in all poyntes inferiour to their ennemies but God was with the poore against the prowde and mightie to him be the glorie and the praise Upon Whitsondaye next folowinge the Zelanders invaded spoiled the rest of the Kings nauey in the riuer of Andwerpe The Papistes once beséeged the citie of Leyden for the space of sixe monethes and preuailing not they departed Nowe being enformed that the Towne was vnfurnished of men of warre and none woulde receiue and vnstored of victualles and none would prouide but reiected the commandement of the Prince in both these pointes they come agayne and shut vp the vnarmed city with such forces that the prince and states were not able to make any resonable attempte to succor the distressed Towne by land which made them to fal in deuise to drowne the countrie preparingé an Armada of small boates wel appoynted for the purpose whiche after dificult passage on the moste part of their way were stalled at Sonterwold xi dayes in wanne hope for want of water to carie thē through their appointed voyage The Admiral Boysot hauinge one day dispatched a post to the Prince lying at Delft with letters to certifie his exellencie of the vntowardnesse of their attempt the beseged in that while destitute of al maner of victuals were in an inclination to talke for compositiones with the ennemye But the Lorde that woulde bring them to vnderstande howe much he was on their side and euer at hand with them that faithfully truste in him in the same very night next folowinge the saide dispatch of the post with the Admirals comfortelesse letters to the Prince when that all their councelles were shutte vp in a hopelesse dungel came a mightie wynde from the Northe West which draue the Ocean sea to runne in at the sluces breaches of the sea walles so violently that in the drift of one tide the water was flowed vp three foote and a halfe deepe where it was not a shaftment déepe at the dispatch of the saide post Then did the Admirall so besturre him that he the next forenoone dislodged them of the first scoute so them of Leiden Dam and of Leiden Dorp and so terrified all the ennemies dispersed in scouts to the number of 12000 ▪ men of warre that they ranne away from all their standinges and abandoned the siege in a flyinge feare And the Admiral poursuinge the occasion with great industry and courage arriued with his shallowe and vitorious nauie at the walles of the hungrie Towne And forthwith sent aduertisements to the Prince of this most happie and vnlooked successe within xxiiii