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
Flanders and abroad by making it known that when they shall have enthraled our Provinces our neighbours may the more justly fear to be dealt withall accordingly Let us the mean while be fure not to trust them the malice of Princes is then chiefly preparing when they do most conceal it And that they do now deeply dissemble with us in Spain who can know it better then a native Spaniard who is an Ambassador and to whom the Kings most intimate thoughts touching Flanders are known doth not his whole Letter denounce fire and sword against the Flemish and chiefly us who are here and enjoy the greatest Prerogatives but let us primarily remember what hath been often formerly treated of by us and which in this our present meeting is again in agitation They would have all late actions to befelony and to have had it but in thought will suffice to make men guilty thereof Hostrat did adhere to Orange almost in all things and it was certainly thought that Egmont would be of the same mind but he contrary to the expectation of all men shewed how much better it would be to endeavour peace and quiet in the Countrey and to abstain by all means from force What a folly would it be said he for us to move where are our men where is our money where can we hope to have any from the Nobility who are already totally exhausted or from those meaner sort of people who have so unworthily violated the Churches and rob'd the Altars These misdeeds must be attributed to the very scum of people and not to the true popularity The better sort of Citizens and who fit most at ease will not be induced to take up arms but upon necessary occasions Moreover do not we know how great the inconstancie of the multitude is the multitude is apt on the sudden to waver between contrary passions and is always advised either by rashness or abjection And for what concerns our hopes in our neighbours we must believe that considering their own Interests more then ours they will be apt rather to fear then to provoke the enmity of Spain How much better will it be then for us to endeavour to allay the Kings anger and cancelling all memory of late disorders do what in us lies to bring him to his former inclination to these Provinces and to our selves in particular To say the truth the King may with too much reason esteem himself offended by these late novelties For though the fault ought rather to be imputed to the times then to us yet who can deny that the Nobility hath past by many actions of great licentiousness And these last of the common people against the Churches have been such as 't is no wonder if it be generally held in Spain that a will hath rather been wanting in us the Governours of the Provinces then a power to impede them The King may be therefore thought to have just cause to resent them But that he will do it by the means of foreign forces and that he will by violence introduce the Spanish Government into Flanders his own concernment more then ours makes me not believe it Princes ought not to commit that to the uncertain success of violence the fruit whereof they may certainly enjoy by moderation I know how I found the King minded towards the affairs of Flanders when I was in Spain and I cannot perswade my self that he will be disswaded from thence by the particular passions of our enemies Such a one I know Granville to be the Duke of Alva is such a one and it may be that Alva as such a one writes passionately from Paris Neither do I much value Montigni's Letter For in my opinion it is grounded rather upon appearing then upon real threats My vote goes therefore that we ought by all means possible endeavour the Countries tranquility That this doth not only befit the Kings service but the like of the Country and of our selves And that if we do thus he will neither send foreign forces hither nor use any violence to our Government In fine the Spaniards know where Flanders is and those of the Councel who are even most hoodwink'd in their towards us know that in this form of Principality prayers prevail and that here we obey because we will do so All the rest were much amazed and troubled to hear Egmont speak thus They had thought that he would have gone along with them in their designes which were to involve the Country continually in more evils and to increase their own private fortunes by the publick ruines But Egmont were it either that he was won over by the Regents perswasions or that he was thereunto moved out of his own natural goodness or which was of more force with him then all thing else that he was the Father of a numerous family and that he would not seek to advantage himself by the downfall of others was resolved to second the Kings sence by executing the like of the Regents To boot that weighing his services done to the King together with his defaults he could not think the latter such as should make him lose the reward of the former Orange and the rest did notwithstanding endeavour to make him adhere to them in their resolutions by many efficacious replyes but all in vain whereupon much to their grief and whereat Orange did not a little storm the meeting at Terramond was dissolved This division falling out between them Egmont apply'd himself sincerely and the other feignedly to endeavour the peace of the Provinces and to effect it where need should require by the forces which the Regent had already gathered together That they might afterwards expect what time and chance might produce The Regents resolution was that the forces-should move thither first where was greatest cause of punishment They were therefore suddenly prepared to goe against the Town of Valentiennes the Inhabitants whereof were most infected with heresie and occasioned most fear in the Dutchess as well by reason of the apparent signes of disobedience which were already seen as for their being openly fomented from without by the Hugonots of France She therefore gave order to Monsieur Norchermes who in the Marquis of Berghens absence govern'd the Province of Hennault that he should cause so many soldiers to be received into Valentiennes as might serve to bridle the peoples boldness and re-order the affairs of that Town Norchermes marched thitherward and endeavoured to execute the Regents Orders but because the Townsmen were equally doubtfull of being inforced to take in the Garison and Norchermes that he should not be able to constrain them so to do therefore it was agreed before he approached the Town that no Garison should be put in thither provided that no heretical exercise might be permitted there The rabble rout now will and anon will not Norchermes coming near to the walls without any soldiers to the end that he might be admitted to come in and by
the Heretick government which she had introduced within her Kingdom began to totter that a great many Catholicks were still in England that Ireland was almost wholly Catholick and that to cause innovations in those parts particularly in matters of Religion no Prince would be more forward therein then the King of Spain She therefore desired to see her neighbour Countries involved in Heresie hoping that people withdrawing themselves from the obedience of the Church would the easelier be perswaded to doe the like from that of their Prince and that one rebellion added to another affairs should be so imbroiled in those parts as there should be no design of troubling her To this purpose the Hugonot Faction in France was at first favoured by her and now more then ever who joyed to see the progress thereof so great in that Kingdom But her design in this point was chiefly upon Flanders for from thence by reason of the vicinity of those Countries unto hers both before and much more after the Duke of Alva was entred there with his Forces grew the greatest suspitions which she had of the King of Spains power Wherefore she graciously received all those who fled from Flanders to England and nourisht the complaints which they made against the Spaniard and much more the hatred and ill will which they bore them Nor content to favour them in her own Dominions she did the like with the Hereticks of France and Germany with whom she held continual correspondencie and bore great sway But though these offices did help yet were they more then needed either for the one or the other faction That of the Hugonots was already so increased in France as they designed to ground a popular Commonwealth upon the ruines of the Monarchy The government in Religion which they had imbraced was of this form And desirous that their Politick interests should be guided by the like they pretended that the King should permit them to meet in the general and in the particular Assemblies and to treat of what concerned their body apart which was to make a total separation from the State within the State King Charles was then got out of his minority and shewed himself to be both generously and piously given But by reason of his youth the government was still managed by the Queen his mother who set upon by the ambition of the Hereticks and almost no less by the like of the Catholicks did temporise amongst so many and so fierce storms and sought to shun danger since she knew not how to oppose it Arms had already been several times both taken up and laid down and the King had endeavoured to allay the fire of Civil wars by divers Edicts of Pacification as they termed them since the times would not suffer him totally to extinguish it But the Edicts served but to little purpose to restore quiet to that Kingdom since the factions were more inflamed then ever Nor were Arms laid down but that they might be taken up again with more advantage To this end the Hugonots held close intelligence with the Queen of England and with the Hereticks of Germany And because the King of Spain assisted King Charles and did integrally favour the Catholick cause and especially by the Flanders Forces therefore did not the Hugonots omit to foment the Flemish in their bad inclinations Secret intelligence had ever past as we have already said between the Prince of Orange and Coligni the Admiral of France But after Orange his retreat to Germany their practises grew hotter The one of them plotted the ruine of France which was already begun the other the ruine of Flanders which was shortly to begin Nor is it to be said how much the Hugonots desired to see the like troubles ensue in Flanders as France did already suffer under that they might have companions abroad and to make but one cause of two to the end that it might be so much the better defended by common forces and honested by reciprocal examples So that Coligni and the other Chieftains of the Heretick faction used all possible diligence to make the Flemish who were fled into France suddenly endeavour the like novelty which they greatly desired to raise up of themselves in their Country From Germany likewise the Heretick Princes and the Hans-Towns of the same Faction seemed for the same reasons to have the same ends in the affairs of Flanders Yea before the rise of Luthers Heresie all the Princes and the Hans-Towns of Germany which together with the Emperor their head doe compose the body of the Empire were not well pleased to see that the House of Austria first by the addition of Flanders and then by that of Spain should be so much exalted Till then they had looked upon the fortune of that House with an envious eye When Charles the Fifth was come to the Imperial Crown they turned their envy into open fear lest from being Head of the German government he might become absolute Prince of that Empire They saw that how great soever his design might be his Forces were equivalent in greatness thereunto And their fear in this point was rather increased then diminished by the entry of Heresie into Germany For they apprehended lest under the colour of reordering the affairs concerning Religion he might intend to advantage his own Authority the more easily in those which regarded the State Hence in a great part were occasioned the troubles of those Countries hence their so many Dyets and particularly the Accords which insued in point of Religion And though when Charles dyed the House of Austria was divided and that the greatest power thereof remained in that Branch which was transplanted into Spain and that on the other side the Hereticks had great Forces in Germany yet feared they much the neighbourhood of Flanders They suspected that the Forces of that House might upon all occasions be on that side united against them to boot that by the opportunity of that situation they saw too great advantages arose to the Austrians in Germany to continue the enjoyment of the Empire and that in stead of being elective it might become hereditary in that Family and that the possession might remain in the Catholick part with the exclusion of the Heretical They therefore fauthor'd by all the means they might the Novelties which had insued in Flanders in the Government of the Dutchess of Parma They favoured Heresie fomented Sedition counsell'd their chief Leaders and endeavoured by all other means to cause such Troubles in those Provinces as that the King of Spain might either wholly lose them or not quietly enjoy them They termed Flanders the Lower-Germany and reputed it as joyned to the body of their own Upper-Germany by reason of the connexion of Countries the conformity of speech and manner of living and by the community of Traffick and Rivers of which 't is arguable whether the Rhine be more commodious to higher Germany by the longer course thereof or
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
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
do in her name implore the help and protection of the Upper Germany But such recourse for refuge will not avail unless you your selves repute the cause which is now in hand to be common as well to Germany as to Flanders as I at first took for granted And who can doubt it who is not aware of the Spaniards vast designes doubtlesly a desire of Domination doth naturally reigne in all men One will draws on another nor doth what is possest give satisfaction But how immence how immoderate doth this thirst appear particularly in the Spaniards they think not their unknown worlds sufficient to quench it and will therefore extend their Empire still further in those which are known They fix their eyes and their machinations much more upon Europe in particular When they shall have opprest Flanders and have gotten so opportune a seat for their Arms what Province will they next fall upon that certainly which they shall have most reason to fear He who will lay the foundations of servitude well first seeks to beat down the Bulwarks of Liberty Wherefore knowing that they shall be most withstood by the power and undaunted spirits of this Nation which in all things is so united to Flanders they will forthwith bend all their forces hitherward It may then be concluded that the Spanish forces being in Flanders will be always ready to enter Germany and then what will your miseries be when their Colonies shall likewise be seen here new faces new Customs severe Laws more severely executed heavy yoaks upon mens persons and more heavy upon their consciences This point being then granted that the danger will be common amongst us the other will be clear that the cause should likewise be reputed common the rest follows on in consequence One neighbour runs to quench the fire that is kindled in another neighbours house When a river threatens to break in who runs not from all sides to mend the banks the same course ought now to be held all you must haste to help the Flemish since you are the first that are likely to seel the flames of their fire and they who shall first partake of the inundation of so many miseries which they suffer But do not believe that they will linger in expectation of your aids They will move assoon as they shall see you move and their worth and vertue which by so unexpected and cruel a violence is rather stupified then opprest will return with greater vigour then before What cannot armed desparation do what dares it not the entrance will be always easie from these parts into Friesland and into the Provinces of Flanders which are on this side the Rhine that river will with like easiness be at all times past over all the chief Cities will throw open their gates The Nobility and all the whole Country will joyn in the same opinion But I came short when I said that only Germany and Flanders would joyn in this cause France and England and the other Northern Countries will undoubtedly joyn with us since they stand in like fear of the Spanish forces He that commits violence doth not always boast thereof And how oft do we see oppression prove the ruine of the oppressor It may so fall out as whilst the Spaniards do so greedily gape after other mens states they may chance to lose their own The Flemish expect only your assistance to escape so hard a slavery And I in their names do once again earnestly implore it The cause cannot be more just nor more easily helped and it is yours no less then ours All neighbours will take it for their own concernment and the whole North will favour it But as the defence will in the first place fall to your share so the first place of victory will be given to your forces And so by the title of our being oppressed you shall for ever be accounted our deliverers The Crown of Spain never had nor never shall have a fiercer enemy then the Prince of Orange To this his discourse made in publick he added many others in privat He exagerated all the evils which are wont to be said in detestation of great Empires and their Governors and sought by all means possible to imprint those passions in the minds of others which burnt so fiercely in his own He pre'vailed so far with the Diet as even the backwardest amongst them wisht they had helped the Flemish Whereupon it was concluded that such men as were necessary for that purpose should speedily be raised This resolution was suddenly communicated by Orange to his confederates of Flanders and to those also with whom he held intelligence in France and in England They designed to enter Flanders at one and the same time in divers parts The easiest way seemed to be by Friesland as being the most open Country and the most commodious to receive German aids The other side whereon they would endeavour to get entrance was Brabant and Ghelderland confining upon the States of Cleves and Juliers and Liege On the behalf of France the Hugonor intimated hopes that they would cause some novelties in the Walloon Frontiers and the like was promised from England in Holland and Zealand by sea They made no delay much soldiery did just then return to Germany which John Casimere one of the Count Palatines of Rhine had not long before led into France in favour of the Hugonots Arms were for that time laid down in that Kingdom by some agreement between the parties interessed and therefore the aforesaid Germans returning to their own homes Orange and the rest of his adherents thought it very oportune upon this occasion to make use of them for the accomplishment of their designes Such as were needfull being then tane into pay by the Princes and Cities that did intervene in the Diet as many of them as were requisit to boot with the men which they raised in their own Countries began to march under Count Lodovick brother to the Prince of Orange with intention to enter the Low-Countries on the side of Friesland but before he began to move another was heard of towards Ghelderland Lumay and Villiers were two of those Nobles who had shared most in the Covenant Petitions and revolts which had happened in the Dutchess of Parma's time they feared to be punished by the Duke of Alva proportionably to their demerits Havingtherefore through this apprehension quitted their Countrie they would now return again with forces They resolved to put it to a tryal by indeavouring to surprise some important place in Ghelderland They thought Ruremond a fitting place a City standing on the Mause and which might serve them for a passage into Brabant Orange instigated them hereunto for he designed to enter with very powerfull forces on that side and then to settle in the midst of the Countrie Having gathered tumultuously together about 2000 fot and some few horse a rabble of people all of them almost of the neighbouring Countries they
will prove rather so in shew then in substance Why shall not we endeavour the relief hazarding to wade through the drown'd part of the Island A passage of terrible length doubtlesly but yet it may be happily effected if we observe well to endeavour it at the Seas lowest ebb I who so boldly give the advice doe with the like boldness offer to be my self the first that will execute it The quality of the man who was held experienced and known to be faithfull added some force to his proposition though both Avila and Mandragone thought it bore with it important difficulties They knew already by experience that the Country which was drowned and through which they were to wade was neer upon seven miles over that the bottom of those drowned grounds was very muddy that before the inundation happened there were other running waters which past through the Country That in propositions of this nature the difficulties proved alwayes greatest in the practise and how troublesome would so long a passage be what breast or what breath would be able to go through with it and how could the ebbing and the flowing of the Sea be so justly measured as that the Souldiers might not run danger of being lost Nor would their dangers have here an end for if the Enemy should either know of or but suspect such a design they might assault the Kings Souldiers upon great advantage as they should draw neer the dry land and slaughtering them at their pleasure hinder them from fixing their foot there In which case what would it avail them to be well gotten out of the water if they must at last be a prey unto the sword of the enemy Plumart did not at all go less for all these difficulties mentioned by d' Avila and Mandragone But still making good his opinion said his minde gave him that the passage would be safe and that he would be the first that would venture upon it That the chiefest importance lay herein and that the business was to be carryed on with all secresie and done before it was known Avila and Mandragone made then no longer delay Plumart together with two Spaniards and another Country fellow well verst in those parts went and found the passage for their purpose It was about the end of October and the season was yet very fair seeming as if it did also applaud the designe The tryal proving so well they resolved forthwith to venture to succour the Town by that way To this purpose a great many sacks were prepared to carry match and powder and bisket and the souldiers were carryed into a Village called Aggier in that Angle of the Island which lies nearest the firm land most commodious for that passage The people that were to make it were 3000 chosen out of the three abovesaid Nations Avila stayed in another neighbouring Village with Minhere Seroscherche Governour of Berghen and the care of the succour was left to Mandragone They took their time to enter into the water at the first ebb for the time of its being at the very lowest would not serve the turn He commanded the sacks to be distributed according to the number of the souldiers who were to carry them upon their backs to the end that not being hurt by the water the souldiers might at their coming out take some refreshment after their so grert labour and use their musquets against the enemy in case they should meet with any unexpected opposition In War nothing is more requisite then secrecy as well to advantage the fight as to overcome without fighting The enterprise was therefore till then kept very secret to the end that the enemy being taken at unawares might not disturb it The time determined being come and Mandragone being now to make the business known he by way of incouragment spake thus unto the souldiers Fortune could not shew her self unto us my fellow souldiers with a more favourable aspect then when she seemed most to frown You know we have oft-times in vain endeavoured to relieve Tergoes and now when we were in despair of doing it Fortune hath pointed out a way unto us how to do it Do you see this spatioâ—s water Whereinto we are now to enter This in former times was all drie land which hath since been miserably drowned by the sea yet ever since then the waters have been so shallow in some parts as when the Sea ebs it may be waded thorough And that there may be no doubt of this the tryal hath been lately made Which of you doth not know Captain Plumart and his fidelity in the Kings service which of you knows not that he is better practised in these parts then in his own house he accompanied with some others hath past forwards and backwards over these waters through which we are to bring in the relief He will be my guide I will be the like to the first file and so one to another till we shall all come upon drie land which being done the business is effected The enemy will dream of nothing less then of being assulted by us on this side so as astonished at our boldnesse and overcome more by their own feare then by our Forces they will betake themselves rather to flie then to fight and say they should fight how can we doubt the victory These are the same Rebels as at first Rebels no less to God then to the King And altogether as cowardly at their Arms as perfidious in their Cause These are the very same whom we but lately saw besiege Midleburg and in despight of them we relieved the Town by unexpected ways and they running away before we were well got up unto them yielded us the victory without any gainsaying Then 't is only the water that we are now to fight with and to overcome and some of you peradventure will fear this more then you would do the enemy So many miles of drown'd land blind ways through so blind an Element and chiefly the terror which the Tide brings with it These doubtless are all of them dreadfull objects and I confess the enterprise is difficult but glory is not won where there is no danger Yet these are not such as may not assuredly be overcome The Ford as I told you is already found the tryal thereof hath already been faithfully made and the ebb will allow us time enough for our march before the flood come For what remains our patience will be more requisite then our courage and yet our courage will herein so clearly appear as such an action cannot be more apprehended by the enemy nor more celebrated in the mouths of all others We shall be famous throughout all the world as contemners of dangers as vanquishers even of Natures self and of her proudest Element And what shall our deserts be hereby from God what from the King moreover we may hope for great booty from their precipitate running away as assuredly the enemy will do from the
Country free from that violation which had been occasioned in them by Forein Laws That to compass so just an end Holland and Zealand had at last taken up Arms That their success had been alternately various but that yet the greatest part of both these Provinces were in the hands of their own inhabitants That the new Governour was not acquainted with his Souldiers nor his Souldiers with him That his experience in war was not great That he found the Spaniards in mutiny the others but ill satisfied and that monies were very scarce to give them satisfaction That the Empire of Spain by reason of the too great division and largeness of its bulk was so incumbred within it self as it could not furnish Flanders with sufficient Forces to maintain war long Then let the Flemish once resolve to joyn in one and those their neighbours with them who were most interessed in their cause That thus the Country would be soon restor'd to her antient form of Government and her present miseries be turn'd into her formerly enjoy'd Felicity Otherwise how could it be hoped for but that the Flemish divided at home within themselves and forsaken by their friends abroad were shortly to receive all hardest and proudest Laws from the Spaniards Orange gave abroad these conceits as well to incense the Flemish still more against the Government of Spain as also to make the neighbours the more ready to joyn with his brother in his aforesaid endeavours But these practises were chiefly had in Germany and were as usually fomented by the Heretick party of England and France The design of the Nassaw Brethren was That Lodovick should enter Flanders from the side of Germany with all the Forces he could assemble together and that Orange at the same time coming out of Holland should endeavour to joyn those which he had mustered in the Country with the Foreiners To this end very close intelligence was held by both of them in sundry parts of Flanders and by Lodovick particularly in some Cities which were most commodious for him for his passage over the Rivers but of all others he coveted to be master of Mastrick a very fitting place towards the Frontiers of Germany there being a bridge there over the Mause as hath been formerly shewn When Lodovick had got all things necessary for the body of an Army he marched from those parts about the beginning of February not valuing the threats of the season that so he might not lose the opportunity of the Crisis He knew in what straits the new Governour was by reason of the difficulties which were raised against him by Orange and his partakers Having therefore past the Rhine and Mosel he drew near Ghelderland intending as might be conjectured to pass over the Maus and get into Brabant where his brother was to joyn with him 'T was said that he had in his Army 7000 Foot 3000 Horse gathered out of the neighbouring Nations and that his greatest strength lay as it had done formerly in German Souldiers These and all the rest came with great opinion of good success which would prove so advantagious to them as might make abundant satisfaction yea with use for their last unfortunate losses Lodovick had with all industry strove to nurse them up in this belief shewing all which made for his advantage and his Brothers in the affairs of Flanders which might most confirm hope in them both of making large Conquests and of getting the Victory with ease This expedition of Lodovicks was so speedy as the Commendador heard of the effects thereof before he heard of the preparation So as very much troubled at the news and meeting with difficulties on all sides he knew not what resolution to take He saw the Kings men were mightily decreased in their numbers that to muster them together and march towards Lodovick to defend the Land frontiers was to leave all the Sea-side in prey to Orange that to divide his Forces were not to have sufficient to break their designs as it behoved on both sides that to draw them out of the garrisons was not without danger because peradventure they would not be drawn out without receiving their pay at least in some proportion that howsoever it was requisite to make other great Levies shortly which would cost great sums of money that the provisions from Spain were not sufficient to furnish requisite monies for so many affairs and that Flanders was every day more backward then other in contributing thereunto When Rhechesens had advised upon all these difficulties with all the chief of the Army the resolution which was taken was That he and the Marquis Vitelli should not go far from Antwerp where Orange's secret practises did threaten most That leaving a sufficient number of Souldiers in Holland to keep what they had gotten they should only stand upon their defence on that Frontier and that all the rest of the Army being assembled together Sancio d' Avila should lead them towards the Mause to secure the Kings Towns thereabouts and to hinder Lodovick from passing over that River This being resolved upon it was suddenly put in execution Necessary orders were speedily given forth for the making of great Levies of new men in the neighbouring Catholick parts of Germany Burgony and the Walloon Provinces of Flanders But because they were straitned in time they betook themselves to draw the old Souldiers out of the garrisons using all the means they could to satisfie them with hopes since they could not doe in effect This mean-while Lodovick still advanced and halting with his Camp near Mastrick he staid expecting whether he might according to his hopes steal into the City by way of Intelligencer The Commendador fearing this dispatcht away Bernardino di Mendoza suddenly thither with some Troops of horse to which he afterwards added some Foot-companies And the Royalists flocking thither from all parts to make it their rendezvous Sancio d'Avila came thither likewise about the beginning of March who was to be the chief Commander there Thus that City was secured in its obedience to the King and Lodovick was likewise kept from passing over the River on that part He took up his quarters near the Castle of Walchemburg little more then two leagues from Mastrick in divers Villages thereabouts Avila had likewise disposed of the Kings men towards that side accordingly as they came to the rendezvous And in the interim the more to encourage his men and to discover the Enemies courage the better he sent forth Skirmishes almost every day in one of which which proved more bloody then the rest Francisco de Medina who was Commissary-General of the Kings horse was slain the remainder of the loss being equal on both sides But Avila taking his advantage another time took a number of selected Spaniards and Walloons and set upon the village of Bemelen wherein divers Companies of the Enemies German Foot lay and slew above 400 of them the rest sorely confused flying for
being likewise come up had brought the whole burthen of the war on that part hither but the hereticks still giving ground they at last began to run The business was better disputed between the horse of both sides the Kings horse Harquebusiers were so furiously assaulted by Lodovicks Rutters and especially the Germans led on by Schinck who stood forwardest as being first broken and then totally disordered they did not only forsake the place but running away to the next neighbouring Towns they gave out every where that the enemy had won the day The Rutters having discharged their first Volly of shot wheeled about to charge again and make a second more furious assault but the Kings Lanciers afforded them not time who fell on with such violence and did so vigorously charge them on divers sides as breaking their orders they forced them back and opened them In this the foot-wing played their part miraculously by whom the Rutters being gauled on their flank were put yet into greater disorder Lodovick and the Palatine couragiously endcavoured to re-order them and incouraged them by their own examples acting the parts rather of common souldiers then of Commanders in chief But the Kings horse still more inheartned both by the apparent victory of the foot and by the advantage which they themselves continually got did so closely pursue the Rutters as not being able longer to be withheld and fear getting the upper hand of shame they turned their backs and at last ran directly away Fortune would likewise have her share in this battel as usually she hath in all For just as the Rutters began to give back three Company of Lanciers came up to the Catholicks led on by Nicholas Basti by George Macuca and by Peter Tassis all of them Captains and this new inforcement finisht the business so as instead of fighting they fell to execution The Kings men being masters of the field slaughtered the enemy horribly in all places and it was commonly believed that above 4000 of them perisht About 200 of the Kings men were missing This success was particularly innobled by the death of the two brothers of Nassaw and of the Palatine which being all of them joyntly resolved either to make their way by their swords or by indeavouring to do so to lose their lives were slain fighting valiantly The Kings forces got great advantage and reputation by this victory For though the battel was not between numerous Armies yet the chief consequences of Flanders lay at stake on both sides And those which concerned the King being particularly considered 't is no doubt but if the enemy had got the better of the day their Forces being joyned with those of the Prince of Orange would have overrun the Country every where and would have made the Stanshest raise new rebellions But this so important victory was not well gotten when they who had been the chief Authors of it spoyled the effect thereof Instead of expecting their reward from the King the Spaniards to the great disservice of his Majesty would be their own pay-masters The very night after the day of battel and upon the very place where the battel was fought they resolved to mutiny And the effect thereof was seen before the thing it self could be imagined It began at first to be whispered by a few afterwards it was put in practise by many and at last it was fully consented unto by all They complained and seemed much incensed to see their labours so ill rewarded 'T was their hands and their bodies by which Towns were taken Battels won and all other actions of greatest danger done The honour and advantage redounded to the Commanders their reward was only wounds and poverty That their bare pay was given them rather as a reward then as of due Which yet being so far in arrear they could not fully receive How could so miserable a condition be longer tollerated that it was in their own power to satisfie themselves for the monies which were every day promised them and never paid And that therefore they were now rather to have it at their command then to wait for it any longer and that perhaps in vain They made no long delay they in a great hurly-burly flew to their arms and violently laying aside their former Officers they chose new ones This being done they went immediately from Mouch and marched towards Antwerp intending to enter the City and there with all safety and commodiousness to cause their whole pay to be given them Sancio d'Avila and all the Camp-masters used all possible diligence to remedy so great and so unexpected a disorder but they could do nothing that would prevail And because after this mutiny so many others of the like nature insued in the progress of this war whereby the Kings affairs in Flanders were more prejudiced by the arms of his own souldiers then by those of his enemies It will not be amiss to relate here anticipately with as much brevity as may be what is best worthy knowledge in a business which we shall so often have occasion to treat of An Army in the field is a great moveable City governed by Military Laws within walls of Iron this City is distinguished into personages of divers qualities The chiefest place is possest by the Captain-General who hath supream Authority in the Government thereof The other chiefest Commanders follow after him and after them the lesser And in the last place remains the inferior order of common Souldiers who having no share in Command are only to obey In this popular order of the Army if I may term it so do mutinies fall out the usual cause whereof is the want of pay In the meaner sort of souldiers Interest prevails more then Honour wherefore being unpayed first they complain then they grow angry and at last mutiny In long Wars this is oftner seen by reason of the excessive expences which they occasion This length of time makes souldiers mary whereby they have children and in that respect grow still more necessitous and this necessity at last turning into corruption they mutiny many times rather because they will do so then that they have any just occasion to do it The Laws of obedience being then broken this popular order riseth up against their Superiors and out of their body do tumultuarily chuse new Officers This happens usually when the Armys are in the field because it would be almost impossible to compass it with security in Garisons In the change of Government 't is commonly seen that we degenerate from the better to the worse And thus it happens upon this occasion The supreme Command of one only passeth then into the whole multitude which being composed of horse and foot makes a body of each of them which they call the Squadron of the incensed so to shun the always ignominious title of mutiners The Authority consists then in the Squadron and all the command in the united body thereof This tumultuous Commonwealth
thus it proved in what we shall now relate For all of them joyning at last in opinion that Leyden was not to be freed by any other way then by what Boisot had propounded 't was resolved that at all adventures they would follow his advice The chief banks or ditches of the Mause and Isel between Roterdam and Tergowe were presently cut in divers places And at the high-tide the waters began to break in every where and overflow all the grounds which lie between Tergowe Roterdam Delf and Leyden At the sight of this unlooked for inundation the Spaniards were at first much astonished but they were soon aware of the enemies designe The Kings Forts were very many as we have said and divers of them were seated in the lowest places These the inundation did quickly reach and therefore they were quickly forsaken and those who kept them went to joyn with those who kept the chiefest Forts which were so placed as they might be more easily maintained This mean while when once the enemy had pitched upon the aforesaid resolution they applyed themselves apace to get together great store of vessels which should be fitting to relieve Leyden They were very careful to build them with shallow bottoms to the end that they might pass over such grounds where the waters were shallowest the greatest part of them were built in Roterdam by reason of the nearness and oportunity of its situation Whole Holland was in great expectation what the success would prove and therefore people flockt from all parts to help to build boats many of which were to be in the form of Gallies with oars to the end that they might the easilyer get by the passes and assault the Forts which were yet in the Royalists possession These boats were therefore furnished with many peeces of Artillery and such people as were judged fit to fight Whilst they were making this preparation the Admiral of Holland indeavoured with some ships prepared for that purpose to force certain passes and to bring some succour into Leyden for the besieged suffered very much for want of victuals and did very earnestly sollicite succour But his design did not at that time take effect For the waters were not yet so far increased as that his Vessels could come near Leyden All Holland joyned therefore in their prayers That the Sea might suddenly swell higher and that the Province by raising the Siege of Leyden might receive so desired a misfortune On the other side the Kings men were not wanting in securing their Forts and repairing them with earth hay and whatsoever else they could come by of most commodious And hoping that the waters would swell no higher they perswaded themselves that they should within a few dayes finish their business They very well knew the Townsmens necessities and that all their victuals being already spent the affairs within were drawing to great extremity Whilst both sides were in these fears and hopes the time came wherein Nature by way of her hidden causes was likewise to work her effects About the end of September the Sea began to swell exceedingly according as she useth to doe in that season of the year And pouring in at the high Tides no longer waves but even mountains of waters into the most inward channels and rivers made so great an inundation as all the Country about Leyden seemed to be turned into a Sea It cannot be said how much the Rebels were hereby incouraged and the Kings men discouraged The former came presently forth with their Fleet which consisted of about 150 Bottoms a great part whereof were made like Gallies and to these were added many other Boats which served only to carry victuals The whole Fleet was thus assembled together about the beginning of October and put to water in good order to execute ther designed relief the Gallies went on the outsides the other greater Vessels which if need should be were to play upon the Forts in the midst and those which bore the victuals in the rear But there was no occasion of any great contention For the Kings men having valiantly defended themselves in sundry places considering that they were not now to fight with men but with the Elements thought rather how to withdraw themselves into places of safety then rashly to oppose the enemy Yet they could not forgoe their Fortifications neither so soon nor in so good order but that many of them remained a prey either to the sword or to the water And truly it was a miserable spectacle to behold from all parts one slain another drowned and many endeavour to save themselves in the highest places where when they were freed from the waters they were inexorably slain by the Enemy 'T is said that above 1500 of the Kings men perisht thus and most of them Spaniards as those who were chiefly imployed in ordering the Siege and who desirous to bear away the greatest glory fell into the greatest misfortune Thus was Leyden at last relieved after five moneths siege to the exceeding great joy of the Rebels and all that favoured them But howsoever the memory of this siege remained a long time very sorrowfull in the City for about 10000 dyed within the town of hunger other sufferings and all the most unclean vilest nourishment was already so consumed when the relief was brought in and the besieged resolving rather to die then to yield nothing was expected but that the City should give up her last breath and remaining a miserable carkass should be buried within her own wals and houses THE HISTORY OF THE WARS OF FLANDERS Written by CARDINAL BENTIVOGLIO BOOK IX The Contents The Emperour endeavours to procure the Peace of Flanders and sends an Ambassador to this purpose The Commissioners for the King and for the Rebels meet and confer at Pireda Difficulties met with in the Treaty not to be overcome The Treaty is soon dissolved and all hopes of Agreement vanish Arms are reassumed on all sides The Catholicks progress in Holland and in Zealand and with what design Description of the Islands which lie on the East-side of Zealand To take them it is propounded to wade through a large Channel the difficulties whereof are held very great The Commendador resolves to make tryal and hath happy success therein The Kings men take divers Forts Quricksea is besieged the Town begirt and great resistance made but at last those within yield The Commendador this mean while dyes and the Government passeth into the hands of the Councel of State The Spaniards mutiny again who are therefore declared Rebels and are set on on all sides by the Flemish Divers hostilities between them The States cause the Castles of Antwerp and of Gaunt to be besieged The mutinous Spaniards run to relieve that of Antwerp and having secured it sack the City in revenge A General Assembly of the Deputies of the Catholick Provinces and of those of Holland and Zealand which are infected with Heresie Peace and Union insues
thrown in this But Don John thinking it not fitting to pawn more of the Countries revenues to the Queen then what was already pawned and knowing that this was one of Orange his plots he would not suffer the Vicount to move any thing in it The States complained much hereof and began from hence to suspect that Don John would be unwilling to see the Germans depart This suspition increased very much afterwards upon another occasion The Colonels and Officers of that Nation were by orders from the States come to Malines to audit up the monies which were due unto them And their pretensions reaching very high the business met with great difficulties To overcome the which the States sent the Duke of Ariscot to Malines and to that purpose Don John went thither himself in person But all was in vain which afforded new occasion of suspition that Don John was gone to Malines rather to nourish then to remove the difficulties which arose in that business and that his design was to keep the Germans from departing to the end that by their forces he might retain that Authority amongst the Flemish which otherwise he could not get But the wiser sort thought that this difficulty was rather fomented by Orange his Faction that they might lay the fault upon Don John And to the end that the Germans not going away there might be some colour of raising new troubles The truth is that when Don John returned to Brussels jealousies grew so fast on his part as he could no longer dissemble as before He was received by the people of that City with manifest signs of aversion Heez despised him insufferably he found by divers things that there was treachery plotted against his person And that which troubled him most was to see how strait correspondencie the States kept with Orange and that he was as it were the Arbitrator of whatsoever they did Don John's suspition of treachery against his person was afterwards confirmed in him by very good Authors the one was the Duke of Ariscot who seemed to know that there was a conspiracie either to kill him or to imprison him And the other was the Vicount of Gaunt who parting in great haste from that City came to Brussels and acquainted Don John with the eminent danger he was in Yet Don John seemed not to trust these reports doubting lest there might be some cunning mixt amongst them to make him fall upon some desperate resolution by which the accusations laid unto his charge might be the better justified But his occasions of fear still increasing he at last resolved to send the Secretary Escovedo into Spain and for a pretence told the States that he would doe his utmost endeavour to get the King of Spain to send some good store of money wherewith the sooner to satisfie the German souldiers But his true intention in sending him was to advertise the King at full in what condition the affairs of Flanders stood and to let him know what evident necessity he Don John had suddenly to secure his own person Escovedo being gone Don John came to the knowledge how that the Prince of Orange his faction did in several places tamper with the chief German Commanders to draw them over to his side He then delayed no longer he called the Counts of Mansfield and Barlemont in whom he knew he might boldly confide into private Councel and acquainted them with what straits he was in Mansfield was Governour of the Dukedom of Lucemburg and for his great fidelity to the King did afterwards as shall be said divers times govern the Low-Countries and continued his particular government of that Province till he dyed a very old man of above fourscore and ten years old Barlemont who together with his Sons was likewise very faithful to the King had the government of the County of Namures which Province together with the other lay nearest to Lorain and consequently nearest Italy The Mause runs through the midst of the City of Namures and into this River doth another River fall called Sambra which joyns with it in the seat of the same City The passage over both these Rivers is always free by two Stone-bridges which makes the place both more commodious and more beautiful The ground in one side of the City lies high upon the top whereof there stands an antient Castle but naturally strong enough Barlemont opinion was therefore that Don John should take some pretence to go to Namures and should make that City and Castle sure for his own safety for from thence he might at any time pass freely into Lucemburg and there such Forces might easily be received from Italy which of necessity were again to be recalled into Flanders But above all things he was of opinion That all diligence was to be used to win the Germans and break the practice which the contrary party held with them And doubtlesly this was an important point For to boot with the condition of the Souldiers many of the chief Towns might be said to be in their hands they being therein quartered Mansfield leaned likewise to the same opinion But being a grave man and one that did naturally rather imbrace wary then hazardous councels he would willingly have tarried till Escovedo might have been arrived in Spain and have more clearly discovered the Kings mind for then Don John might with more safety effect his He said It was not to be doubted but that the possessing himself of the Castle of Namures would be like a generall Alarm which would make the Flemish flie to their Arms in all places And what else could Orange his faction desire how would they rejoyce to see that Don John should be the first that should use violence and how hard would it be to be justified To boot that Justification would peradventure be more needfull in Spain then in Flanders That Principality had miseries mixt with its happiness one of the greatest whereof was That conspiracies were not credited till compassed That then it was better to wait for answer from Escovedo and in the mean time to be very vigilant in the shunning of all danger That God doth protect good causes as it was assuredly to believe he would doe in this which might be said to be more his then the Kings These reasons of Manssilds bore such force with them as Don John did for a few days suspend the resolution which he was advised unto by Barlemont But knowing that preparations to troubles increased every day more and more in Holland and the dangers against his person still more and more in Brussels he would no longer expect the perfecting thereof and therefore resolved to go to Namures as soon as he could Being thus resolved the greatest difficulty was to find a pretence for his going thither For the City of Namures was not so near Brussels as that under a pretence of hunting or any other colour it could handsomly be done These two Towns are distant almost two days
into greater slavery then ever That Arms were taken up for driving out the Spaniards but not for that the Country should be more tyrannized over by the Flemish themselves To what other end did Orange his ambition tend What other designe had his adherents That Arms were at first taken up in Holland and Zealand under spetious pretences And finally it was not enough that the Inquisition should be hindred but that in lieu thereof the new sects of heresies should have defused their venom throughout all those parts should have alienated those Provinces from the Church and begun manifestly to alienate them also from the King That the former disobedience made way for the second the one not being to be severed from the other That in the interim Orange under the name of Governour did retain almost the whole authority of Prince That by the same cunning he had rather forced then gotten the Government of Brabant That now under fals pretences liberty of conscience was demanded thorowout the whole Country And with what intent unless it were to make Liberty fight against Liberty to wit the unjust Liberty of Heresie against the legitimate Liberty of the Church to the end that the latter being opprest the people might the easilyer withdraw themselves from their Allegiance to the King That it was time now to dive into the knowledge of such ends and not only to know them but to break them Let Brabant and Flanders be of another opinion and let those other Provinces joyn with them the Country of Walloons would still continue in the sole Catholick Religion and with safety to its Priviledges in their sole Allegiance to the King of Spain These words full of indignation were soon accompanied with acts as angersom For the two Provinces of Henault and Artois would not assign over Landresy Quisnoy and Balpema to the Duke of Alansons men as was ordered in the agreement made between him and the States and with the same resolution denied to pay their share for the Souldiery This commotion of the Walloons made those of Gaunt rage horridly as those who were naturally most given to revolt and had more readily received Liberty of Conscience allowing all advantage to Heresie amongst them and taking up Armes they resolved to use force against the Walloons John Casimire after having spoken with the Archduke Mathias was at this time gone to Gaunt In this his coming his chief aim was to get money for his Souldiers who not able to move for want of Pay did not at all advance but talked rather of mutinying then of fighting The Gaunteses did in part satisfie his desires and favoured by him took so much heart against the Walloons as they resolved more then formerly to force them to joyn with them The Province of Flanders is divided into two parts The one and which is the greater part and wherein Gaunt and the other chief Towns and Cities are contained is called by the name of Flemicant because nothing but Flemish is spoken there The other which is the lesser but which hath in it likewise many good Towns is called Gallicant because the French tongue is commonly used there The former lies towards the Sea and the other towards the Walloons Country The Flemicant part of the Province went hand in hand in all things with the Gaunteses and the Gallicant inclined towards the Walloons as being more addicted to the Catholick religion then to Heresie As soon as the Gaunteses had taken up Arms the Walloons did the like and divers acts of hostility were committed by both sides in particular the Walloons entred the Town of Menin situated upon the River Lisa which divides the Flemicant part of Flanders from the Gallicant and here they began to fortifie themselves and to prejudice the adverse Country The Walloons would not notwithstanding for all this their difference with the other Flemish either acknowledge Don John for their Governour nor any wayes adhere to the actions of the Spaniards which caused some of them to take unto themselves the name of Malcontents This was a name taken at the first by some of the prime Nobility from them it spread abroad into divers of meaner quality and was finally used by every one of that Country Many of them wore a Chaplet of Pater-nosters and of Ave-Maria's about their necks to shew that they would keep good Catholicks and all of them did generally declare that they would continue loyal to the King when they should be restored to their former Government This was the so famous Faction of Malcontents which afterwards proved very advantagious to the Kings affairs as shall be seen in the pursuit of this Story Orange was not this mean while so blinded in endeavouring his advantage by Heresie but that he clearly saw how great a prejudice such a division might work He desired the Heretick Army might prevail but yet that the Catholicks should have all their due rites for the satisfaction of those that would not abandon them Wherefore he failed not to use all possible means as also his own and the States authority to compound the aforesaid differences To this purpose the Lord S. Aldegond went with some other personages of quality to Gaunt but the people there listening more to their Ringleaders who were seditious and for their own private interests more inclin'd to foment then to finish the begun differences would by no means be brought to alter their resolutions Thus stood the affairs of Flanders when the Duke of Alanson came in with his Army which was more expected then well received by Orange his own faction for he brought not so many with him as he was tyed to do and those but ill provided of what was necessary for their own maintenance Alanson had found it more easie to raise men then to raise money for he had little or none of his own And the King his brother being neither able nor willing to assist him openly for the reasons touched upon before his hopes fell very short likewise on that side And the King of Spain had again renewed his complaints to the King of France for this business of Alanson He had likewise done the like in very sharp tearms with the Queen of England for the assistance she had given the Rebels in Flanders And for Germany he complained likewise of the Emperour because he had not used more effectual means to hinder John Casimires expedition and all these complaints wrought this effect that express personages were sent from each of them to see if it were possible to bring the Affairs of Flanders to some good agreement The King forbare not to make great preparations for War but he would much more gladly have seen peace in Flanders so as it might have been done without prejudice to Religion or to his honour Nor were there wanting some of his Councellers who interpreting Don Johns actions worse then before thought him to be in a great part the cause of all the new Tumults
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
make for our advantage For the most of us having resolved to imbrace the Refoâ—med religion doubtlesly the Queen of England will in that respect much more concur in our defence then will the Duke of Alanson who is a profest Catholick Together with this advantage in matter of Religion we shall also receive from her all other things which we stand most in need of her Kingdom abounds in People nor wants she Mony proportionably How much ought we to esteem her so near and so potent Maritime forces We may by that means expect at all times all manner of Aid in a very few houres and by that means that Country will be joyned to ours as well as if we were both one firm land And how much is England and our Province already joyned in Commerce May not the English-House here in Antwerp be envied by their own hamber of London And if we consider the Form of Government how much more conformable to ours is that of England then that of France For in France the Kingly power may be said to be almost absolute whereas in England it is so limited as in al affair of greatest weight the Princes there can resolve of nothing without the supreme authority of Parliament Which ought to make us expect a much more moderate government certainly from the Queen of England then from the D. of Alanson who hath already too much drunk in the too haughty and Kingly spirits of France This my short comparing of the present condition of these two Kingdoms doth sufficiently discover my opinion touching the business now in hand Yet all private opinions ought to submit to the publike interest And so shal I do when the contrary shal be approv'd of by this most wise Assembly for I have no consideration of any foreign good which is not altogether subordinate to what concerns our selves This discourse wrought very much upon the Deputies But the Lord of St. Aldegonde one of those that was deputed for the Nobility one of the best esteemed amongst all those of the Flemish Union took upon him to defend the contrary opinion And spake thus I wish it had pleased God most worthy Deputies that our calamities had not clearly taught us what the remedy is to free us thereof This remedy consists in having one for our Prince who being amongst us in person may rather with a Fathers then Princes affection imbrace maintain and govern the concernments of these our Provinces as if they were altogether his own And to pass by the more ancient examples let each of us consider what happiness they enjoyed in more modern times 'T is very well known to all how they flourished under the House of Burgony And that out of no other respect but for that the Princes did then of themselves and in their own persons steer the Government and shewing themselves from time to time in almost every of our Provinces did both give and receive such satisfaction as was most to be desired by each in each of them The Government then altered and began to grow worse under the House of Austria nor was it to be otherwise expected by reason of the many States and Nations which fell under the Empire thereof A great bulk cannot long maintain it self and when one part thereof is wrested all the rest are usually out of frame So in States which are too far divided a sunder the good of Government not being able to be joyntly united in them all the most remote must needs suffer therein and afterwards those that are nearest joyned will rescent it But notwithstanding in the times of Maximilian of Philip the first and of Clarls Flanders enjoyed such a share of their own personages and presence as look how much it sometimes suffered by reason of their absence it reaped other whiles as much advantage by their being present And each of them did still retain as well the sence as the bloud of Germany and Flanders Countries both of them almost alike seated and of the same nature The â—ow King being afterwards born in Spain and being become a Spaniard more by will then by birth he resolves to keep there and not to absent himself in any manner from thence What our miseries have been since then and what those in particular which we have suffered through the pride and cruelty of Spanish Governours we may all very well know since we have all too well tryed it Then to conclude as I said at first that the only help for these our Provinces consists in having here a Prince of their own to govern them I confess I cannot see who can be fitter for that purpose then the Duke of Alanson The Dukes of Burgony descended as it is well known to all from the Royal bloud of France then since Fortune presents us again with a new Prince of the same bloud wherefore should not we greedily imbrace the occasion of receiving him would not the very Government be by this means rather continued then any other of a different Form instituted How great a part of our Provinces do yet retain the French tongue and the Customs more then the tongue Are not all the confines of the Walloons and half the Province of Flanders it self called more by the word Gallican then Flemican so as in respect of the conformity of nature 't is clearly seen that the French are much more conformable to us then the English who had never any dominion over us That France is now in great turmoyls cannot be denyed but what better remedy then this can be found out to rid her of them to wit by drawing Alanson himself out of her and with him so many others who at the present do molest that Kingdom In which case it is not to be doubted but that the Duke will abound sufficiently in Forces and that the King his brother will largely maintain them in so just a Cause Every one may clearly see how much better these of France will be then those we should receive from England France doth over-abound with people every where especially in gallant Cavalry The coming from thence into this our Country can receive no impediment neither by the seas nor wind since both their confines by land joyn together And how opportune for us ought their neighbourhood now to be thought since almost the whole Walloon Provinces being re-united to the King of Spain the French Forces will prove very commodious on that side to force that Country to return to their former Union with our other Provinces and to joyn with us in chusing the Duke of Alanson for our Prince For what concerns all the other rubs me thinks they may be easily removed As for the Kings having no children his age is such as may certainly promise enough The mean while the Duke his brother will likewise marry and have sons of his own to succeed him but say that the Duke were to succeed unto the Crown wherefore may not we in such accse oblige
manner as it will be too hard a matter for any Foreign Nation to land there much more hard to keep there when they are landed That Kingdom is inclosed and fortified on all sides by the Sea the Havens there are but few and any Fleet may be easily kept from entring thereinto The English yield not to any Nation of the world for skill in maritime affairs and their maretime Forces together with those that will be added to them by Holland and Zealand may without doubt oppose whatsoever Fleet Spain can set forth at least by way of defence But say that our men were landed in the Kingdom how can we hope to establish them there Usually in the making of Conquests some internal disposition is required and there is a continual necessity of external aids to maintain them There can no safe correspondencie be hoped for from the English it being a Nation which will suffer no other Government then its own And succours from elswhere will be so hard to be effected so expensive and so uncertain as the Forces of Spain which are already so distracted will never be able to supply them Hath not your Majesty experience by your marriage with Queen Mary how much the English doe hate all manner of Foreigners and how contrary all the Laws of the Kingdom are there unto Is not the Rebellion of Flanders sufficient to let out the best blood of Spain without adding thereunto that which you shall suddenly see arise in England Then since there is so little hope of any good success in this affair methinks it were better to let it alone and so to resent the wrongs done unto you by the Queen as fighting with her at her own weapons not to come to open war upon her States If war shall be made and the design not succeed how much more will she oppress the Catholicks of England and of Ireland How will she foment the troubles in Flanders nourishing still her own desire of usurping the government thereof And how much more justly shall she plot all manner of mischief with the Hollanders and Zealanders to the Crown of Spain in the Indies and in all other parts So as by this enterprise no glory or advantage will redound to your Majesty but shame and loss Let your Majesty therefore bend all your might to end the Rebellion of Flanders The Duke of Parma's Army being reinforced by Land and the Provinces of Holland and Zealand being set upon by Sea with the same Forces which would be imployed against England your Majesty may safely believe to see that Rebellion subdued and the Church restored to its former right as also your Royal Crown If in the mean while the Queen of England shall continue to aggravate her offences yet more against your Majesty then may you resent your self against her in open war with more expedition more advantage and more happy success The former success will doubtlesly very much help the other where as on the contrary if the design of assaulting England misgive as it is to be feared it will for my part I fear and I wish my fears may prove false the Rebellion of Flanders will never have an end The Duke of Parma being desired to signifie his mind in this point seemed to incline to this second opinion And howsoever if the business concerning England were to precede he said that some Port or Haven in Zealand was first to be won and this out of two very important reasons The one that upon any occasion the Spanish Fleet might have some safe and near refuge and the other that the Kings Havens in the Province of Flanders might not be hindred by the Hollanders and Zealanders in the Duke of Parma's transporting his Army into England The King staggering between these two opinions was a while in dispute with himself which of them to follow But in fine it appeared that the securing of England did so absolutely draw with it the putting an end to the Rebellion of Flanders as it was resolved in Spain to make all the speed and all the greatest preparations that might be for the execution of this enterprise The King was afterwards the more encouraged herein by the disposition he found in the Pope not only of approving but of favouring the design Sixtus Quintus was then Pope who appeared very zealous in maintaining the universal cause of the Church In the particular of England he considered what had befaln in the time of Pius Quintus by whom he had been made Cardinal When Pope Pius found that the Queen of England grew still more perverse in prosecuting the Catholicks and to doe all ill to Religion both at home and abroad he at last published an Apostolical Bull wherein was contained such punishments against her as the Church in like cases had alwayes wont to inflict But instead of being thereby bettered the Queen grew more cruel and impious Nothing was seen or heard of in that Kingdom but a perpetual irremissible fury against Catholicks some were banisht others imprisoned others deprived of their goods together with their Country and many bereft both of goods and life The Priests were chiefly persecuted and Heresie triumphing over their punishments and to see their Ministery already wholly routed out 't was thought the Queen intended fully to extinguish all the remainder of Catholick Religion and all the footsteps of that Piety which for so many Ages had so exceedingly flourisht there Nor was her hatred towards the Church bounded within her own Dominions it was known how greatly and how continually she fomented the Heretical factions of Germany France and Flanders to nourish troubles there and particularly to beat down the Catholick religion by her means likewise Scotland was greatly subverted and her beheading of the Queen of Scots who had been alwayes very zealous in the Catholick cause was generally detested by all the Catholick Princes of Europe and in particular had caused much horror in the Pope Wherefore joyning this with many other actions whereby the Queen did so cruelly afflict the Church and disturb the publike peace almost every where he considered he was not to let slip the occasion now presented of favouring the King of Spains aforesaid enterprise thereby to advantage the Catholike cause universally over all Europe and particularly in England and Ireland To this purpose he thought it fit to make a Subject of England Cardinal and this was Doctor Allen who was one of the antientest and most qualified Ecclesiasticks both for learning wisdom and goodness of all those of that Nation that were abroad Allen was then at Rome and the Popes intention was to send him into Flanders and then into England in case the design should succeed there to exercise such Ministerial duties as should upon such an occasion be most needfull for the service of the Church and particularly for those Catholicks The Pope being thus minded the King applied himself with all fervencie to the business and to make very
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
those would certainly be wanting which had at all times been and might still be the greatest and readiest for the service of Religion in that Kingdom That he was therefore inforc'd by all means to return to Flanders but that he would leave such a strength of men in behalf of the League as the cause thereof might not onely be alwaies sustain'd but by new achievements be still more advantaged The Duke Du Mayne finding this to be Fernese's resolution earnestly desired him that before his departure he would at least endeavour to take in the Town of Corbel upon the Sene so as that River might be free likewise for the bringing of victuals to Paris The Legat Cajetan was at this time gone from France upon the death of Sixtus Quintus and had left in his place Monsignor Sega a Bullonian Bishop of Piacensa a Prelate of great worth for divers imployments of Nuntiature and for other negotiations which had won him great honour This Monsignor di Sega was induced by the Duke Du Mayne to make the same intreaties which he effectually did to the Duke of Parma who was unwilling to hazard himself in a new siege especially knowing that the chief Commander in Corbel was a Frenchman and a very gallant souldier called Rigant who had given proof of his worth in Flanders under Monsieur de la Nue. Yet not to give further occasion of jealousie to those of the League he resolved at last to besiege that Town and encamped before it about the midst of September Corbel lies upon the Sene on the left side and hath a stone-bridge which passeth over to the other side the Town is but little and no waies strong having walls after the ancient form without any barworks the defence thereof consisted therefore in the valour of the souldiers and in the example which they should receive thereof from their Commander The Duke of Parma was not long in drawing neer it with his Trenches Those within the Town fallied out and couragiously resolved to oppose him Rigant's vigilancy was very great he was alwaies the first at undergoing labour at incountring dangers and in whatsoever else was necessary as well in action as in command insomuch as the Duke had already lost many men and the siege proved much longer then at first it was thought it would have done But resolving to see an end of it suddenly after a great Battery he made it be so furiously assaulted as Rigant being slain the Assailants entred the Town and cutting the Garison in peeces did with great hostility plunder it The Duke was notwithstanding troubled about it till the midst of October following and had not Rigaut been slain in that assault the Town peradventure would not have been taken so soon Corbel being taken the Duke suffered his men to rest till the beginning of the next moneth he then betook himself to return for Flanders and the more to deceive the Enemy he went not the neerest way through Picardy but through Campania thinking that the King of Navar would quickly follow him and that it would be best to leave the King in doubt what his intention in retreating might be He kept the same order in going out of France as he did in coming into it He divided his Army into four parts to the end that each part being less incombred they might all of them proceed on the faster and upon occasion be the readier to succour one another He gave the Van to the Marquess of Renty the first Battle to Monsieur de la Motte he kept the second Battle for himself and gave the Arrear guard to George Basti In this last part was the greatest danger likelyest to consist for the King of Navar might infest them behinde this was therefore furnisht with select men and in particular Peter Cajetan was placed therein and Alonso Idiaques with their two Brigadoes of Foot The Duke of Parma being gone from Paris he was not well got into Campania when he might hear of the loss of Corbel and not longafter the like of Lagny so ill were they kept by the Parisians who had taken upon them the care thereof Upon this occasion the Duke was again intreated to stay and to return back to the recovery of those two Towns But he being scandalized to see his pains slighted through so much negligence to boot that his necessity of returning into Flanders did daily more and more increase would not any whit delay the pursuing of his intended journey The King of Navar was by this time got to Compigy a Town which lies towards Champagnia and Picardy and having here gathered together a choice number of Foot but more Horse wherewith the easier to infest the Enemies Camp as they retreated he past on and followed them He lost no occasion of drawing neer them and of endeavouring to indamage them or any waies to molest them he set on them sometimes on the sides sometimes on the front but oftest on their back sometimes onely threatning sometimes suddenly assailing them but never adventuring upon any greater engagements by reason of the too much inequaility of his Forces This his altering of places and of assaults did not notwithstanding make the Duke of Parma any whit vary his order in marching His Squadrons marched the same pace kept the same distances environed on all sides with the carriages which served for well fortified Trenches ready to fight if provoked but still upon such advantages as might cause the Enemy repent The way was continually cleared by the Carabines and their quarters were every night very carefully fortified Thus did the Duke of Parma march amidst slight skirmishes for some dayes He was already entered into Picardy The King willing to have one other bout with the Duke sent some Squadrons of Horse against the Dukes Van about the end of November the Dukes Horse came out to oppose them and the dispute grew very hot Of the French the Baron of Biroune in particular shewed himself very forward who unwilling to yeild to the greater power of the Enemy was so engaged amongst them as his horse being slain under him he had undoubtedly been taken Prisoner had not the King himself despising all danger rescued him and fetch'd him off The night coming on ended the dispute The next day the Duke of Nevers came in to the Kings assistance with some new Forces which he had gathered up thereabouts and some other Forces from elsewhere came likewise in to the King The Duke of Parma was at this time about Guise upon the utmost confines of France towards Flanders Here did the King again assault the Duke in the Rear At first the Dukes Carabins came forth against the Curassiers and the former not able to withstand the Curassiers had been ill handled had not George Basti come in unto them with a great Squadron of Lances and beaten back the shock of the Curassiers But these being again reinforced by some of the Kings men and on the other
defend themselves and to draw all the Country thereabouts into contribution for their maintenance till they should receive full satisfaction for their pay The Town St. Paul was pitcht upon for a very fitting place to this purpose Going therefore unexpectedly thither and not meeting with almost any resistance they fixed there At the first hearing of this riot Count Charls was minded to reduce them by force But doubting afterwards that when the rest of the Nations being come nearer them should more narrowly consider the Spaniards design they would rather imitate then impede it he thought it better to shun so great a hazard Which served to defer but not to evade the danger as shall be said in its proper place These were the successes of the King of Spain's Forces upon that Frontier of France And now to proceed with the peculiar affairs of Flanders The United Flemish failed not to make use of this occasion which made so much for their advantage The Duke of Parma being dead and finding the King more eager then ever in his designs upon France they used all the means they could to be early in the field with a potent Army Wherefore the winter being over and Count Charls being gone with so great a part of the Army into Picardy Count Maurice deferred not moving but discovered his design of entring with his Forces into Brabant He desired particularly to secure Breda better as a place which belonged properly to his Family and which had so luckily fallen into his hands by surprisal as you have heard And being of opinion that the too neer neighbourhood of St. Getrinberg did threaten continual danger thereunto he therefore advised that by all means that Town might be likewise recovered and so that first acquisition be the better ascertained by the advantages which this second would bring with it which would certainly be very great by the importancie of such a place This opinion of Count Maurice was very much approved by the Councel of War of the Confederate Provinces The business being therfore resolved upon by the publike authority of the whole Union he forthwith applied himself to make such provisions as were requisite for such a design He used all means he could to keep the Royalists from being aware of it Marching several wayes he seemed as if his intentions were to turn now upon Groninghen towards Friesland now upon Sluce or Dunkirk in Flanders and now upon Balduke or Graves in Brabant The Royalists therefore ran from all parts to defend these places Wherefore their Forces being the weaker by being divided St. Getrinberg could not consequently be so provided as was fitting to sustain the siege which was afterwards laid unto it At last Maurice discovering his true design threw himself suddenly into Brabant and began to fall to work with very great Forces both by land and water St. Getrinberg lies towards that out-skirt of Brabant which is subject to Holland The seat thereof is very strong it hath the Mause on the one side with its name turned into Merwe and of such a breadth as being there ready to fall into the Ocean the Channel thereof seems rather a Sea then a River There falls also into Merwe on another side another little River of but a short course called Donge and it terminates the course neer the walls of that Town yet is the bed thereof also so broad and so deep as it is capable of any whatsoever Vessel The other places thereabouts are likewise so lowly situated as men walk more upon the top of the banks then upon the plain ground The manual fortification is answerable to this of situation wherefore by reason of these prerogatives this place is held to be of greatest concernment not only in Brabant or Holland but even in any other Province of Flanders Maurice being then incamped with the said Forces before St. Getrinberg he begirt the Town on the land-side with divers well comparted Quarters and he added thereunto a good number of Boats by water to block it the better up on that side also and to end his work the sooner In every Quarter he began a Fort-Royal intending to joyn them together with other smaller Forts and to make Trenches and Ditches from all these on all sides so as the whole outward Line should be perfectly inclosed and munited In the inward Line also the like care was had of flanking and fortifying it where it was the most needfull the better to curb the besieged And because all these Works required extraordinary diligence and labour Count Maurice had with him in his Army above 3000 Pioners who were only to be imployed in digging Ditches in raising Trenches making Forts and in doing whatsoever else the Siege required of manual work This was the first Siege which was undertaken by Prince Maurice in a more exact form then all others till this time and in the success whereof he propounded greatest difficulty unto himself He therefore desired very much to effect it that by the taking of such a place the fame which he had already won in military affairs might be increased The aforesaid Works were then begun and pursued with incredible diligence And the Souldiers often vying with the Pioners in their labour and one Commander with another and Maurice himself with them all they had soon raised the outward Fortifications in such sort as they had small cause to fear any harm that the Kings men could doe them And Maurice had all the commodity he could desire fully to perfect both the outward and the inward Line And truly till then there had hardly been seen any such works The Forts were raised very high with earth the Trenches and Ditches were every where answerable Many great Palisadoes were added for the greater security in divers places and every Fort was well furnished with Artillery So as the place was invironed with almost as noble Fortifications as any it self had And yet the more to take from the Kings men all hopes of succouring it Maurice made the land be overflown in divers parts to make the difficulty the greater in endeavouring it Thus was the Siege ordered In the Town which was besieged there were about 600 Burgonians and 400 Walloons good men but not enough for the present occasion nor the condition of the siege Monsieur de Messiers commanded the Garrison of the Town in stead of Signor di Vatervid who was Governor of the place and who upon some occasions of his own was then in Spain To boot with the want of Souldiers the City was not sufficiently provided of victuals nor of warlike ammunition to make such defence as was needfull When the Enemies Camp appeared Messiers gave a present account to Mansfield of what condition the Town was in and prest him very much for speedy succour Nor did he forbear providing the mean while to make such preparation for resistance as became a valiant and faithfull Commander to doe He made the Townsmen labour together with the
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
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
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
his place with other subordinate Officers Before the Confederates incamped about it the two Counts of Lippa and Hollach had made great offers to the Garrison to perswade them to put it into their hands shewing that they had a community of blood which did also render the interests of the Nation common between them But the Garrison though they had failed in their obedience yet would they not be failing in their faith wherefore they rejected all offers and betook themselves manfully to defend the Town Nor did they come short in their deeds For the German Camp having sate down before the Town and besieged it many dayes they found the Defendants still more stout and resolute in making resistance wherefore they were at last forced to rise from before it little to their honour Count Lippa did notwithstanding raise a Fort on the opposite side of the River and put many men into it to incommodiate that Town and intending to besiege it again if it should be needfull From Reinberg the Camp past to Res which was the only Town almost that remained to be restored to the Duke of Cleves and the Kings party gave continual hopes that it should be speedily restored But the Germans either not believing them or else desirous to doe somwhat with their Arms resolved to besiege it The United Provinces did still press them very much and shewing that they had a great desire to be interessed in their cause they sent a certain number of Horse and Foot to Count Hollach to be imployed in their service Count Lippa incamped then before Res about the end of August and besieged it on all sides Ramiro di Gusman a Spaniard commanded in chief therein and had with him little more then 80 Souldiers some Spaniards some Germans some Walloons Just over against the Town on the other side of the River there stood a Fort to secure that Pass the better so as some Souldiers must also be imployed there And because the Garrison was not sufficient to defend both the Town and Fort the Governour sent to the Admiral desiring him that he would with all speed send him some more men The siege being begun the Germans fell to fortifie their quarters where it was most behovefull The Count de Lippa was quartered on the lower part of the River and Count Hollach above These were the two chief Quarters and both of them began to open their Trenches Count Hollach an old Souldier and one well verst in sieges would have had them have past some men over the Rhine and so at the same time to have straitned the Fort which was possest by the Kings men on the other contrary shore fearing left by that way as it not long after hapned the besieged might receive succour But were it either through ignorance or through the emulation of the other Commanders his advice was not followed The Trenches were quickly so far advanced as they were not long in falling joyntly to their Batteries A great Bank ran along the River to defend the Town and the circumjacent grounds from being thereby overflown Upon the highest part of this Bank the two Counts caused divers Peeces of Artillery to be planted by which commanding the Town they began to play upon it furiously afar off Then placing many great Guns nearer hand they came to a nearer oppugnation wherein Count Hollach being better verst all things were better performed on his side He plaid particularly upon the point of a walled Bulwark and at the same time advancing with his Trenches he was confident he should soon be able to make a happy assault there The Garrison was not this mean while idle but had endeavoured by frequent sallies to incommodate the Enemy in divers sorts Yet were not the numbers of their Souldiers any wayes answerable to their need of defence Wherefore Gusman continually sollicited the Admiral to send him some succour which was ere long done for 700 choise Foot coming at the silentest time of night to the banks of Rhine where the aforesaid Fort stood they past over the River and got without any disturbance into the Town This increase of Forces did so increase their courage that were within in the Town as they resolved to sally out suddenly with good numbers and to assault the Count de Lippa's quarter where there was less opposition made The one half of the Garrison sallying out in three equal Squadrons they assailed the Enemy on that side with such resolution and valour as they not being able to resist them began quickly to give back and soon after to fall into manifest disorder The more these were disheartened the more were the others encouraged So as the first blow being seconded by another and the Garrison continuing still manfully to fall upon them they made the Enemy forgo many of their Trenches and coming to their Batteries they unhorst some of their Peeces they nail'd up some others and being of necessity afterwards to retreat they carried a Demy-Canon in triumph with them into the Town In this action about 200 of the Enemy were slain and but very few of the Garrison This bad success did much augment the discords between the German Commanders one complained of another but almost all of them blamed Count Lippa and the weakness of his government And the confusion disorder and fear was so generally spread throughout the whole Army as no obediance being given nor discipline observed the Commanders were forced two dayes after to raise the siege More shamefull councel could not have been given nor could it have been more shamefully followed For the Camp retreating without any manner of order and the Souldiers striving who should get furthest from the walls of Res much Baggage was left in their Quarters many Carriages left in the fields and some Barks loaded with victuals abandoned upon the River Nor failed the Garrison to come out upon such an occasion but fell upon those that went away last slaying many of them putting many of them to flight and rendring the Retreat still more base and more confused The Army having raised this their siege came before the City of Emrick but being here still molested by the souldiers of Res and the discords amongst the Commanders still increasing and the complaints amongst all the rest the people began to disband and afterwards wholly to dissolve The United Provinces sent Count William of Nassaw Governour of Friesland to the German Camp a very grave and valiant man and who was full cousin German to Count Maurice that he might endeavour to compound the differences and to reduce them to some better discipline but he could do but little good So as Autumn being already advanced and great store of rain being fallen in such sort as the Army could no longer keep the field about the end of November it of it self did wholly disband and to compleat their disorders a good part thereof did at last mutiny for want of monies as they retired to their own
the first into Holland the truest and most intrinsecal end whereof was that he might have a share in what was to be done and specially to cause jealousie in the Spaniards and by this means to induce them to make use of him and to make him Arbitrator in the differences The King of France was then in his chiefest greatness and prosperity and enjoying his Kingdom in perfect peace and honour after having arrived thereat through many difficulties all which he had overcome with incredible constancy and valour He considered the Affairs in Flanders after several manners on one side he could have wished that the war might continue and that thereby the affairs of Spain might still be impaired even till at last they might lose whole Flanders On the other side he saw himself well stricken in years his children very young and that in case he should fail fresh troubles might in a short time arise in his Kingdom which might chiefly be fomented by the Spanish Forces of Flanders that the disorders of those Forces were not so many but that if the war should continue very necessity would force them to finde out a remedy nor the danger of their losses such as might not be evaded by the power of so great a Monarch which made him desire to see Flanders without war and the Spaniards without Forces so near at hand Neither did he like that the United Provinces who were already become so formidable at Sea might by their growing too great be as dreadful at Land For the Hereticks of his Kingdom could from no part else be better fomented to rebel The King amidst these various considerations had his eye fixt upon these passages of Flanders and because his authority was very great in the United Provinces he beleeved they would never come to any accommodation with the Spaniards without his consent At the first he seemed to be averse to the affairs in hand though to say truth he did not well know what he had best to do but he did this of purpose to enforce the Spaniards to put the Negotiations into his hands Great dexterity and cunning was requisite to the leading on of these designs He therefore chose for this so important affair the President Jannine a man of great experience and abilities and one who was then chieflyest employed by him in State affairs He sent Mr. de Rosse along with Jannine who was then extraordinary Ambassador into Flanders to continue afterwards his ordinary Ambassador in the United Provinces Having both of them exercised their Offices in the entrance into the affairs spoken of they stayed in Holland Jannine did diligently observe the whole carriages and wrought himself every day more and more into the affairs which still increased the jealousie of the King of Spain and the Arch-dukes who then began to see clearly that it behoved them to have recourse to the King of France his mediation who already had complained to the Commissary General in his return to Flanders that the King of Spain and the Arch-dukes had proceeded so far without his knowledge in the aforesaid business Almost the like passions and artifices appeared in James the first King of England who was newly come to that Crown The same reasons appeared in him for desiring the continuance of the war in Flanders as did in the King of France for the King of England being strong at Sea and confiding in the strength of all his Kingdoms situation as also in the conformity of his ends with those of the United Provinces in favouring heresie he could not much fear their Forces though they should grow greater He was the more secure likewise by having Flushing and the Ramechins in Zealand and the Brill in Holland Sea Towns of great importance in his hands as pawned for monies lent by Queen Elizabeth to the United Provinces and for that their chiefest strength consisted in English and Scottish souldiers who were in their Army He foresaw he should have greater cause to be jealous of the Spaniards if being free from the war of Flanders they might endeavour to molest him in any part of his Dominions especially in Ireland an Island which is almost wholly Catholick well-affected to them and much dis-affected to England Out of these reasons it was believed that the King of England desired the war in Flanders might continue But being a great lover of Quiet and much given to Hunting and to his Book and wholly fixt in warring by writings with the Church it was therefore judged he would not at last shew himself totally averse to see the affairs of Flanders in some sort pacified To boot that not being able for scarcity of Monies to give any considerable succour to the United Provinces his power would be but small in perswading or counselling the continuance of war since he could not much assist it by his Forces Yet it very much imported those Provinces to preserve his friendship were it onely that they might raise souldiers out of his Kingdom Wherefore they entertained his Ambassadors which were sent into Holland at the beginning of this Negotiation with very much respect and treated with them with all confidency The King of Englands end in sending of them was almost the same as was that of the King of France To wit that he likewise would have a share in the business which was in hand and to enforce the Spaniards to make use of him likewise therein The King of Denmark sent likewise Ambassadors to Holland as also the Prince Elector Palatin the Elector of Brandenburgh the Lantgrave of Hesse and other German Heretick Princes who all of them seemed to shew their good affections towards the united Provinces in so important an occasion These businesses which were thus begun grew very hot in Holland every thing was in motion and great was the expectation what the united Provinces would resolve as well touching the second ratification come from Spain as also whether they would continue or break the Treaty But of all others Count Maurice of Nassaws thoughts were most busied at this time His father the Prince of Orange being dead he being yet but a youth of sixteen years of age had got into all his fathers Military and Civil employments with the great good will and approbation of the united Provinces And encreasing no less in valour then in years after so many enterprises and prosperous successes his authority grew daily greater amongst them He had won it by arms and he thought he could best preserve it by arms And by means of the publick trouble of war he hoped some favourable conjuncture might the easilier be opened unto him of making himself one day Prince of those Provinces It is not to be doubted but that his ambition carried him thus high for his Father was very near attaining thereunto and his own deserts being added to his Fathers his hopes ought rather to be augmented then diminished To boot with the Supreme Government of the Army he had
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
kinde of clauses instead of making it more clear This form is not onely sufficient but best And if it be not sufficient with the contrary party think you that if the Spaniards would not observe the Truce for some other end of theirs they would ask your opinion first before they would break it And that they would first argue whether they have any right over you or no This is the custom of private suites not of publick Causes The controversies whereof are at last reduced to Field Forces where hee that overcomes hath the right and no account of the victory is given So as you need not care what interpretation the contrary party will give to those words wherewith they do acknowledge you to be free That which imports you is That your people hold themselves to be confest to be free by those words not to be made so And that the Princes your friends understand them in the same sense So as if it be needful to fall to arms again your people may be more ready then ever to reassume them and that your Friends may shew themselves more disposed then ever to favour your cause But it is too well known how much more easie it is to use constancy in troubles then moderation in prosperity Tell me I beseech you those who are the most zealous amongst you when did they ever think that the King of Spain and the Arch-dukes were to condiscend to Treaties so advantagious for your Provinces And will you lose this so happy occasion Shall vain shadows prevail more with you then essential reasons Shall seditious Papers which are every where scattered abroad be of more validity amongst you then the sincere and wise Counsels of two Kings who are so affectionate unto your Cause Now is the time then to resolve upon and to embrace this agreement which is now offered Do you see how the Swissers have fared Take them for your example And by the similitude of their affairs and yours hope for the like success The Swissers took up arms at first against their Princes not being able longer to undergo the grievances of their Government nor were they above two or three Cantons at the beginning and those the weakest amongst them but their People gasping for Liberty and defending it with equal vigor both of body and minde they made invincible oppositions to their Enemies Forces till being unconquerable by the Forces of the other Cantons and the strength of their own Alpester situation their Enemies despaired of ever subjugating them At last they ceased fighting and from tottering agreements they came to a firm and continual peace And who will now dispute the Swissers Liberty Why may not your Provinces hope for the like success The severity of the Spanish Government made Holland and Zealand take up arms at first their People valiantly withstood their Enemies The Sea Rivers and the strength of their Natural situation fought for them your other Provinces came in afterwards unto them and all made such resistance to the contrary Forces as there is not any example to be had of so long a war The successes have been various but at last they have proved so propitious to you as a Treaty of accommodation was sought for by your Enemies and now we are upon the point of a long Truce which if it succeed will doubtlesly prove very advantageous for your affairs and will easily be hereafter renewed upon the same advantages or turned into a perpetual peace which may prove yet better for you That which I have hitherto said seems to me to be sufficiently clear In fine there will be no doubt of your liberty by this Clause which is propounded Nor is it less to be doubted that a Truce will be more advantageous for you then unnecessitated to subject your selves to the uncertain events of a new war Fortune is generally seen to have too great a sway in war and that mocking at humane arrogancy she too often makes the more powerful give way unto the weaker and losses insue where victories were expected To witness which and pass by so many other examples What more memorable president can you have thereof then what so lately befell here before your own eyes in the Arch-dukes own person at Newport Where instead of being Victor as it was assuredly hoped he was overcom wounded and very near being taken prisoner By means of this Truce you will escape so many and so-dangerous uncertainties of war you will in the interim establish your Government the better you will ease your people of their disbursements you will continue your former Traffick into the Indies and you shall finally see an end of those hateful titles of Perfidiousness and Rebellion which hath hitherto been given by a great many in the world to your motions and proceedings in arms And who can doubt but that your Provinces will hereafter willingly concur in such expences as shall be needful since they will be so easie in comparison of what they have been And so much the more willingly by how much men do more naturally desire to enjoy quiet then to live in troubles and by how much liberty is the sweeter after having made tryal of servitude And surely it is to be believed that those to whom the Government of your people shall be committed will use the same care and vigilancy in the administration of publick affairs in time of Truce as they have prudently done hitherto in the time of war their chiefest care will be still more to establish the present concord which is the soul which gives life unto the body and the heart which maintains it and hence proceeds that miraculous temper which of many makes but one and of but one many but yet such as whether they be severed or conjoyned do alwaies conspire to the same end Thus your affairs being well ordered within your selves you shall have little need to fear forraign dangers and thus your Truce being at last turned into peace as 't is to be hoped it will be my King shall see the same success in your affairs as he hath seen in his own and whereby his Kingdom is now made happy to wit after war peace after troubles rest and after the sacking and burning of Towns and all the other miseries of Arms the commodity security and felicity of quiet and peace The Majesty and presence of the King of France himself seemed to break forth in the President Jannines countenance and words He afterwards gave what he had spoken more fully in writing to the end that the People might come to the better knowledge thereof and that they might the easilyer effect the agreement which was in Treaty The like offices were done by the Ambassadors of England and to overcome fully the pertenacy of the Zealanders it was resolved that Deputies should be sent into Zealand in the name of the six other Provinces to induce that Province to conformity with the rest which after muc difficulty was
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