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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	dispose_v	general_n	great_a	32	3	2.1110	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08577	A true historie of the memorable siege of Ostend and what passed on either side, from the beginning of the siege, vnto the yeelding vp of the towne. Conteining the assaults, alarums, defences, inuentions of warre, mines, counter-mines and retrenchments, combats of galleys, and sea-fights, with the portrait of the towne: and also what passed in the Ile of Cadsant, and at the siege of Sluice, after the comming of Count Maurice. Translated out of French into English, by Edward Grimeston.; Histoire remarquable et veritable de ce qui c'est passé par chacun jour au siege de la ville d'Ostende. English.	Grimeston, Edward.	1604 (1604)	STC 18895; ESTC S113561	132,698	249

The prisoners that were taken yesterday said that their men had no opinion nor courage to take the towne by assault and that their onely hope was in time to stop the comming in and going out of the ships At night there went out two ships and the enemie neuer shott at them The enemie shott fierie Bullets and stones at the towne vntill midnight The 19. day in the morning being faire there went a Barke out of the Hauen at whom they shott from the batterie that is vpon the Gollet but hurt them not after noone they shotte no more on eyther side The 20. day they of the towne shot furiously against a Block-house where they did see the enemie working and amongst the guards when they changed the enemy shotte so little this day and the day before as there was no man slaine in the Towne but some hurt The 21. of December at the breake of day the tide being spent the Arch-duke gaue a furious assault to the olde Towne with 700. or 800. men the which continued well two houres The assailants with a certaine artificiall fire burnt the Palissadoes but they within the alarme being giuen played with their Canon and Musket through the troopes so as the water rising the enemies were forced to retire to their trenches without getting any thing but leauing behinde them many slaine and hurt they of the Towne issued forth and among other prisoners brought in a Spanyard a man of commaund who being examined by the Generall said that the trueth was the Arch-duke his Lorde had taken occasion to presse the Towne by the weakenesse of the Garrison and small number of Souldiers that were in it and that of long time they had receiued no refreshing of Souldiers and victuals whereof he had certaine intelligence that to this end his Highnesse without loosing any more time had gathered together as many Souldiers as possiblie he could out of Brabant Arthois Hannault and other places and had brought to the number of ten thousand men being resolued to assault it in diuers places the which he did hope to take by Christmas it might chance before if occasion were offred The Generall hauing fully vnderstoode the confession of this prisoner and knowing that it was true for that a little before he had receiued the like aduice from diuers places being conformable there vnto and with all that he had made triall of the weakenesse of his men in this last assault and that he had not souldiers sufficient to man all the places of the Towne to defend them he thought it fit to breake of the enemies desseigne and to auoid this danger and also to gaine some time to entertaine him with a vaine hope and vnder colour of composition to spend some dayes in parle not doubting but to draw it so out in length vntill the succors which he expected were ariued at the least he should haue somtime to set his men in order and in the meane time to prepare al things necessary for the defence of the place for this reason he sends Captaine Lewis to the Campe to make a motion for a peace to demand a truce cessatiō of armes during the conference for assurance therof hostages to be giuen of both sides Captaine Lewis hauing had a good audience of the Arch-duke deliuered all that he had in charge returnes vnto the towne with his answer on his highnes behalfe there came with him Captaine Rabas Gouernour of Escluse a Towne in Flanders and the Sargeant Maior of the Spaniardes to remaine in Hostage for assurance of the treaty At their first comming there was some disorder among the souldiers for want of well vnderstanding esspecially among the Romans or new Gueus these are they which yeelded vp S. Andrews fort to Prince Maurice in the I le of Bomel and turned to his seruice in the yeare 1600. which caused an alarme in the Towne so as the deputies or Hostages retired to the Campe a while after this trouble being pacified Generall Vere sent two English Captaines againe vnto the Campe with whom those men before mentioned returned to treat on the Archdukes behalfe with them of the Towne The Generall propounded vnto them as they said articles very impertinent and without reason that is That he would depart with coulors flying and full armes and that the souldiers should carry away their beggage victual and Canon moreouer he demanded a maruelous great some of mony for the souldiers and some dayes of respight that they might at their ease shippe their goods and Canon and carry them away Ribas made many iournies to know his Highnesse pleasure who yeelded to most part of the articles but he would by no meanes heare of giuing any money to the souldiers and would haue them go away by Land offring to giue them a Conuoy to Breszkins right against Flussingue or neere vnto it to passe at their pleasures into Zeland On the other side they of the Towne would not go from their first articles onely they yeelded some thing in that which concerned the Canon and armes And so three dayes weere spent in these parlies During this treaty and cessation of armes many inhabitants of Bruges and other places both of the East and West side walking along the Sea side came neere vnto the Towne and talked with the Townsmen who shewed themselues vnarmed vpon the Rampars The 22. of December Generall Vere was all day busied in disposing of his guard and in setting a better order among the Souldiers to endure a new assault if the enemie had charged them the enemie was also all the day in armes and changing of his guardes which was the cause they began to shoote againe on either side There came from the Fleete into the Hauen 32. sayle at whom the enemie shott from foure batteteries yea from that which is vpon the Gollet but the greatest harme they did was to shoote through some of them yet all the marchandise and euery thing within them was safe They of the Towne laboured continually in the new Hauen without any intermission no not in the night The night before the 23. of December the enemie shott much vpon the towne and battered it in ruine The same night there entred two small Barkes into the towne without any harme After midnight being a lowe water Generall Vere went forth in person with two Captaines more with him into the olde towne to visit it and to view the scituation and went the round incouraging the Souldiers and commanding them to keepe good guard In the morning they began to shoote on eyther side the enemie shott much at the three ships which had beene pierced During the treatie their Highnesses shewed themselues before the Towne within Canon shott the Infanta was vpon the neerest Mountaines of Sande with twentie Ladyes and Gentlewomen in her traine and the Arch-duke with many Gentlemen and the guardes of his body being so neere as one might easily discerne them

giue it him so hotte as they will burne his fingers This Gentle man of Don Catris saide that there were already about 3000. souldiers slaine before the Towne besides Pioners and aboue two thousand hurt The 10. of September the Lord of Chastillon being vpon the high Bulwarke of Sand-hill with Colonell Vchtenbruch a Scotish Liuetenant and other Gentlemen and men of commaunde at two of the clocke after-noone had his head strooke of with a Canon shotte aboue the teeth his braines flew against the left cheeke of Colonell Vehten ruch and made him to reele a little the Scottish Lieutenant was also greeuously hurt These be ordinarie accidents in warre neither is the the besieger any thing more free from them then the besieged the greater then the lesse the strong and valiant then the feeble and weake That night 30. ships came into the Towne and a greater number were dayly comming the which staied at Flesingue for faire weather to waigh Anchor and set saile The 14. of September also in the night there entred 23. or 24. saile more laden with victuals and munition after the which the enemie shotte furiously but by reason of a cloude and miste which did rise they could not hitte nor hurte any one wherevpon they ceased A fugitiue of the enemies said that there were manie sicke men in the Campe and that the Italians newly come out of Sauoye dyed by heapes that the Canon from the Towne did euery daye kill many men that the Souldiers fledde from the armie by troopes and that many more would goe if the horsemen kept not good guarde abroade and that it was to be feared that if the men of warre were long held in this constraint being ill payed they would mutine The 15. of September the enemy shot almost all night fiery Bullets and Flints into the Towne the which the besieged returned vnto them againe in the same coine The enemie had then but 16. peeces of Canon before the Towne they had sent all the rest to diuers strong places except foureteene which they had sent to Nieuport to be new cast for that they had beene spoiled and broken by the Canon of the Towne They had likewise sent away part of their troopes and those which remained in the armie stood in the water throughout all their trenches At the same time were surprised sundry letters from men of qualitie of Bruges and other parts of Flanders which shewed that they had lost all hope to take Ostend and that the Flemings were much afflicted and yet notwithstanding the bruite was that the Arch-duke would by no meanes heate speake of raising the siege how long soeuer it did continue or whatsoeuer it did cost The night before the Duke of Holstein or Holsatia brother to the King of Denmarke and the Earle of Hohenlo entred the towne with eight or nine saile wherein their baggage was and some Poulder they continued there two nights and two dayes and then returned to Middlebourgh without any annoiance or losse There came oftentimes men of qualitie both from England and France to see the place and the siege but they staied not There went out also 18. or 20. ships without any harme but one that was sunke and an anchor broake The Arch-dukes men made a halfe Moone or platforme in their trenches that are vpon the South at the foote of the Sand-downes meaning to plant sixe Canons thereon to batter the West-rauelin vnder the West Bulwarke where the besieged wrought dayly to make it higher and stronger The same day as the two former they did not shoote so much as they were accustomed the which seemed very strange vnto the besieged The Noblemen whereof we haue formerly spoken went the same day with the Gouernour and Colonels of Ostend to see the fortifications of the Towne and the enemies trenches which are about it The enemy shot 25. or 30. Canon shotte at one vollee against the South corner of Sand-hill and brake a little bridge set vpon the corner to passe vnto the False-Bray which hauing done they ceased whereby they might well see that they meant to giue an assault and to take away all that might annoy them There went some out of the Towne with Loapestaues which brought in a Spanish Lieutenant prisoner who said that many dyed in their Campe and that many fled dayly and more would flie if the Horse-men in guard which scoured all the passages to the ampe did not hinder them as hath beene formerly said There was also made a new Hauen at the mouth or gollet whereby the ships entred with lesse hazard and were more safe They built many houses in Albertus-fort and round about so as it might well be compared to a little towne they thought the Arch-duke would make a Port or Hauen of the Sluce which is neere to vse it insteed of that of Ostend The 18. of September there entred about 24. saile into the Towne laden with munition victuals bowes piles stakes plankes and with diuers instruments and commodities and they went forth by the gollet without any hurt or losse The same day they discharged thrice all the Canons Muskets and small shotte of the Towne in honour of the Queene of Englands birth-day this thundring put the enemie in alarme who presently began to shoote their fierie Bullets and Flints into the Towne to the which the besieged like men of honour and resolution failed not to replie They of the towne hauing placed some Canons betwixt the vttermost Piles and the Rampart which lookes to the enemies Campe and bends towards the Sea were the cause that the Sea swallowed vp and carried away part of the ground so as the opening or the breach of the little Tummel dike grew greater dayly The 19. Generall Vere being cured of his hurt returned into the Towne Almost all this night the enemie shotte fierie Bullets and Flints into the Towne but without any effect About ten or eleuen of the clock when the tyde went out they of the towne to the number of 200. made a sallie vpon the Sands to fier certaine Gabions but beeing too greene or wet it would not take where they lost one Souldier brought home ten or twelue hurt in the meane time the enemies trenches were fraught with shot and their Horsemen were vpon the Sea-shore whether the Canon from the Sand-hill shot furiously beeing a cleere Moone-light At the breake of day Generall Vere sent forth certaine aduenturers to the warre to take some one of the enemies who returned about two houres after noone bringing with them two Wallons which they had taken in the armie who said that the East quarter of the camp had beene fortified with the regiment of Asincourt wherein were 900. men but they were ill payed The same afternoone the aduenturers or fributers brought in a Germane prisoner who besides that which they vnderstoode of the two wallons said that the reason why they had fortified the Campe on the East side

that shall be spoken of on the 7. of Ianuary At night two ships went forth without annoyance It was thought the Towne was now forrified with aboue 1200. men all which labored aboue eight dayes in the fortifications where nothing was forgotten that might helpe the besieged or annoy the enemy That daye there no speech of any slaine or hurt The first of Ianuary they sent new yeares guifts with Musket shot the enemy made 10. or 12. Canon shot at the Towne without any harme doing there was no man slaine nor hurt that day The Arch-dukes men knowing they did but thunder with their Canon through houses already broken grew daylie more colde that day there went no ship in nor out by reason of the great winde a Barke which the day before had stucke vpon the Sands neere vnto the halfe Moone was drawne into the Hauen this night The 2. day there was little shooting on either side onely in the morning they sent some Canon-shot one vnto another but a great raine falling they stayed so as that day there was no man slaine nor hurt in the Towne The 3. of Ianuarie the enemie made two or three shott into the towne and so rested all that night they shott awhile in the day time but hurt no man Generall Vere had sent some Souldiers into the countrie to learne some newes hauing beene sixe dayes abroad they returned this day and brought newes that in the countrie they durst not say but that the Arch-duke was alreadie maister of the towne although his resolution were onely to giue a generall assault within eight or ten dayes the which they held so assured as they durst not hould the Towne but for taken The 4. of Ianuarie they discharged many Musket shott and about midnight the enemie shott 8. or 10. Canon-shott and an houre or two after day 10. or 11. more with one of the which a Smith was hurt in his house with a peece of a Stone and some Souldiers All that day nor night no shippe went in nor out about noone they of the towne discouered in the enemies campe some Noble-man mounted vpon a white Horse before whom marched fiue or sixe foote-men they shott at them and the enemie into the Towne which sport continued two houres and more there were three Souldiers slaine in the Towne and some hurt The 5. of Ianuary they did shoote continually day and night on either part and there were three souldiers in the Towne slaine The enemies made a new Port at their fort which is in the East The 6. of Ianuary they shot much on eyther side according to their custome but they of the Towne more often then the enemy for that they shewed themselues but one or two at a time about foure of the clocke in the after noone the enemy releeuing his gardes they of the Towne shot furiously at them and they answered them with the like there was no man slaine in the Towne but one or two hurt The same day three ships went forth at whom the enemy shot much they did no other harme but brake one of their Masts yet they went away safe The 7. day of Ianuary the Arch-duke battered all the day long without intermission the Bulworke of Sand-hill Helmont Porke-espike and other places neere vnto them with 18. Canons from two of his batteries the one is at the foote of the downes vpon the Cateyes and the other on the South-side thereof all the Bullets waying 40. or 46. poundes a peece the Canoniers did reckon aboue two thousand shotte besides that which was shot on the East-side of the Towne this done about sixe of the clocke at night the tide being spent he gaue a generall assault his numbers were great his horsmen driuing them forward behinde and they came with great fury vpon the olde Towne the which they entred by the West Hauen and by it as also along the shoare they beganne to giue the scalado to Sand-hil hauing first broken and ouerthrowne the Pallissadoes and had to that end carried many ladders with them and light Bridges for an assault the which they fastened in diuers places with such furie as it seemed the towne would be taken Generall Vere with his Brother Sir Horatio were placed in that quarter with a troope of chosen Souldiers to succour their men in case there were need who seeing what past the Generall crost with a part of his troope by the mines into the False-Braye casting himselfe with great cries vpon the Arch-dukes men whom he repulst three times and although they returned alwayes with fresh Souldiers yet could they not preuaile with their Pikes and Muskets against the furie of the English notwithstanding the Arch-dukes men did well and gaue an assault at one instant in all places yet must they needes flie The aduantage of the besieged consisted in the preparations which they had made beeing long before aduertised of the enemies desseigne Vpon the East-side the assault was likewise giuen but about two houres too late for the water began now to rise the which did much amaze the Souldiers for they did see that if they stayed there any longer they could not be releeued by their fellowes which was the cause that they retired the greatest slaughter was made in their retreat for the Canon charged with chaines and small Bullets and the Muskets could not misse so thick a troope The Arch-dukes men gaue an assault also vnto the Fortes of Helmont Porke-espike and to all the English Trenches which Trenches according vnto the Generals order and commaund being weakely manned were easily taken but soone after finding great resistance in the towne at the Polder South-bulwarke and their Rauelins considering that there was no meanes to come vnto the towne that way after they had set fire on the Corps de garde they abandoned the trenches Generall Vere had caused two double Canons to be planted that day vpon the flankes of the West port with some other peeces that were there before the which with others in other places did scoure along the Sand-hil and the West Rauelin and played vpon the comming and returne of the enemies and whilest the assault continued they charged them with chaines and nailes and little sacks full of Musket Bullets which made a great slaughter so as there was a pittifull crie of hurt men and dying and the Souldiers fell one vpon an other pelmel The enemie being hotte at the assault and the water risen Generall Vere caused the sluces to be taken vp the which did coole the enemies courage and he growing more and more assured charged them and put them to flight recouering all their ladders bridges and other instruments which they had brought All about the Sand-hill euen vnto the old Church all about the Porke-espike in the West Rauelin and in the English trenches all was full of dead bodies I speake not of those that were slaine going and comming by the Canon charged with chaines small shot