contayned in this couenant who soeuer shall be absent ether for their owne or the citties affaires that they may freely returne into the cittie and enioy the couenants that ar made The contry people also who fled into the cittie shall be suffered to retyre them safely into the contrie XIII He who being of another religion within the time of two yeares agreed vpon shall dye in this cittie that he be buried in some honorable place within an orchard in the cittie or else according to the will of his kinred that the corps be carried out of the cittie where pleased him XIV The decrees of the Senat and all the ordenances of the capitall seate not hitherto forbidden be estableshed and take effect XV. VVho soeuer heretofore hath lent mony to the cittie shall be suffered to receiue the rent and to make exchange And yearely that their reuenewes and their other affaires be assisted by the Senat by whom the reuenewes ar to be paid All these thinges whatsoeuer in this agreement ar decreed and written ar agreed vnto ratified and confirmed by the Marquis Spinola and ar subscribed vnto by the legats of the cittee the same Marquis promising that he will endeauor that it be also ratified by the most Excellent Infanta of Spaine sealed with her broade seale within fifteene dayes Giuen the second of Iune 1625. Many whose dispositions were bent to more sharper courses hearing of so good and so fauorable conditions admired the Clemencie of Spinola towards the enimie and some also blamed this pardon They said that this should haue bene handled more seriously and ether to haue put the besieged to the sword or not to haue receiued them to mercie but vpon rendring vp their armes who by their wilfull pertinacitie had brought them selues vnto that point that they had died of hungar if they had bene shut vp but two dayes longer And why should such fauorable conditions be offered them of our free accord to whom euen to giue them their liues was to grant them to great a benefit That at least Spinola shoulde haue expected a litle whilst that had hapned vnto them which ordinarie happens to men thorough their ouer-much partinacitie to make them seeke that and earnestly to beg it which at the first they contemned and that they should first haue craued a composition before of our owne accords it should haue bene offered to them Next why the vnhappie part of the cittisens should be suffered to goe forth safe with their houshould stuffe and their goods before that mony were paid by the Senat to the Catholiques remayning which was ex torted by publique and common oathe to make the workes and to pay the soldiars stipend So wisely seemed they to complaine who tied to their priuat opinions ar wont to measure with the selfe same measure euen the waightiest matters of gouerment not vnderstanding that princes ar to take another course whose principall endeuours ought to be to gaine renowne and the peoples good will But Spinola houlding them to be more wise who ar more gentle in crueltie and that the fame of clemencie was to be preferred before the name of seueritie not ignorant how much better it was for the common good spedely to release then longer to detayne the Kinges armie before Breda by reason of the sturres of French Italians Germans and Danes made more account of the gaining of a litle time then of the no great spoiles of all Breda or of so smale disgrace of the enimies who yet perhaps would haue defended them selues mindfull of that old prouerb That it is better to be at the latter end of a feast then at the beginning of afray And truly he iudged it more expedient to prefer the Maieste and clemencie of his Kinge whose person he bore in this place then ether his owne glorie or desire of reuenge That he held it for a dishonor of so great a number of prouision left behinde and but litle gon away for testimonie of his longe patience and approued vertues there remayned in the cittie fortie three pices of ordnance musquets four hundred fiftie wherof also a hundred and fiftie were suffered to be carried in the place of those that were ouercome hargubushes three hundred of poudre a thousand one hundred thirty fiue pounde matche thirtie four thousand pound of greater balles two thousand of lesser an exceeding number of balles of leade fortie thousand pounde mouldes to make balles of leade fifteene granados two thousand one hundred of greater which they call Bombars three hundred fortie four engines made to cast fire a hundred and fiftie thirtie barrells of pitche poudre brimstone bitumen six barrells of great nayles long forkes of iron eleuen thousand of stakes with double forkes an innumerable number shouells four thousand pickayes or iron pikes to open the earth sixteene hundred whele-barrowes which ar driuen by the hande to carry earth a thousand fiue boates four rolles of cable-ropes fortie graples horscollers a hundred and thirtie four score couple of cart-ropes instruments made of fire also innumerable one linnen bridge or made of canuas gabians of wood or hurdles behind which the canons ar placed very many nor fewer to dispatch the hastie bridge Of all which a written catalogue was giuen to Thomas VVingardius master of the Artillerie Now the detts of the cittisens remayning Spinola beleeued that the States ought to haue so great care of as of their owne credit and authoritie which should be vtterly lost in the common wealth if they but once deceiued any one of the beseeged cittisens and therfore he was not carefull hereof Vpon the fift of Iune the day was appointed for the coming forth of the enimies garrison VVherfore Spinola forbad that none by soldiarlike frumpes or gibes should vse any disgrace to those that departed so modestly did he suppose the victorie was to be vsed Aboundance of wagons and boates being prepared for that day our soldiars were set to watch at three gates of the cittie and of the castle Count Hermanus Bergues with fiue companies of horse went before the companyes of the garison departing vnto Gittenbergue Also betwixt euery ten wagons went a litle company of our horse for the sauegard of the bagage The troupes of horse of Bergaignius led another company of horse who inclosed them behinde In these two scarcely were there any horse besides the ensignes so greatly were the horse decayed The foote men went in the midst Amongst these Iustinus went on horsback one of the beseeged Carolus Philippus le Count accompayning him Euery Captaine had his owne company The Coronels went before the troupes The coulors wer borne displayed the Trumpets sounding before them The number of the foote were three thousand for the sick were carryed away in boates Truly they were a gallant companie whether one respect their persons or their weapons and of greater beautie then ours were to wit they were lodged more stately and more at
their ease then ours were and had store of fire nether did their bread fayle till the day that they departed Spinola attended upon with a notable troupe of Nobilitie betwixt the inward circle of the cittie and the trenche the conqueror him selfe beheld the beautifull pompe of his glorious triumphe He curteously saluted all the Captaines at their going forth and first Naslauius the Gouernor venerable for his gray haires his wife and children the sonn of Emanuell of Portugal and two bastards of Prince Maurices and they againe with constant composed countenāces and voices and with a modest enclining of the banners saluted him No ignominious voice of prouoking one another was once heard but smiled with fauorable countenancs The companies being past all opprest with the congratulations of all the standers by and runing thick together admitted the duties of common curtesie no more cheerfully then modestly according to euery ones due praise for his labor assigned and industrie in so great and so long difficultie of the siege Iohanes Medices was sent to Isabella the Infanta of Spaine who related to her the ioyfull departure of the garison to whom Isabella gaue a rich collour of gould and adia mant being indeed a Princely reward Ferdinandus Guzmannus master de campe of a Spanis Regiment was sent with the same newes into Spaine to Philip the fourth Theodorus Camargius Coronell carried the first newes of the rendring of the cittie into Germanie to the Emperor Ferdinandus The Count of Anholt hearing of Mansfelds departure from the campe dismissed with his presently followed him The fame of the victorie diuulged into France England Italie and Germanie was scarcely beleeued euen by frendes A short fable was spread abroad by the enimies of the conuoyes of Breda and was cryed about by the voice of a common ballet-seller and sould in a printed pamphlet the same day wherein the newes was brought of the rendring therof yea euen from Spaine also letters were brought from the Kinge into the low-contries in which Isabella was admonished that she should consider againe and againe whether it were not more to the purpose to recall Spinola from so long and doutfull a siege so sharply did many write into Spaine to their acquaintance in high authoritie of the dispaire of getting the cittie Isabella the Archdutches resolued her selfe to goe in person to the cittie that was wonne and to visit the soldiars that had ouercome Spinola only keeping the gates of the citie command ther houses villages the tower and the church to be made cleane went to meete Isabella three leages from the cittie Almost all ther horse ether was sent before to Antwerp to bring her on her way or were placed in the midle way to receiue her and she was entertained coming with great ioy and with a triple discharging of the Canons as with a daunce of ioy The footemen diuided into diuers squadrons reioyced with no lesse signe of noice and of shouting upon the gate of Hage thorough which Isabella entred into Breda an Epigrame set upon the gate was reade that taking away the litle word of enuie it pleased him to soften PHILIPP VS HISPANIAE REX GVBERNAN TE ISABELLA CLARA EVGENIA OBSIDENTE SPINOLA HOSTIB VS FRVSTRA IN SVPPETIAS CONIVRANTIB VS BREDA VICTOR POTITVR All the greater ordinances of the cittie went off once twice and the third time The Archdutches forbid bon-fires or any other publique shew of ioy to be made in respect of the reuerence she bore to God till first she had caused Sacrifice to be offered vnto him the day following in the great Church as to the chiefe Author of the victorie The next day therfore Alphonsus Cardinall of Cueua Ambassador of the Kinge of Spaine first said Masse Isabella her wayting dames maides and all the people being present From Masse Isabella went about the Church to behould if any were left of the oulde monuments of religion She found here and there emptie places of the pictures of sepulchers steps of hereticall pietie against their Ancestors that were dead Yet found she whole the notable tombe of Englebert the secon dsomtimes Count of Nassau builded by Henrie his nephue of white and black marble Another which was of Engelbert the First and of Iohn of Nassau the picture of our blessed lady set theron being taken downe and defaced which was done by the instinct of a Sibell Henrie Boxhornes preacher of the word in Breda some times a Flamen priest of Iupiter amongst the high Priests She to wit by the oracle of Sibill after the sixt month of the siege of Breda prophecying that the cittie should yeld it selfe to the enimie vnlesse they would throw downe a picture of the virgin Marie kept at that time in that place which the religion of many of our very holie ancestors had worshiped so many yeares agoe in that cittie but others ignorant in religion durst not wronge it being at that time safe and sound In which thinge I know not what I may cēsure most to be reprehended whether the patience of the benumed Senat and people in suffering so great a wickednes as the treadding of antiquitie vnder foote or their stupiditie in beleeuing or the impudent boldnes of a meane woman against the picture of the blessed virgin consecrated by the noble predecessors of the Nassaues and set upon his tombe for memorie to posteritie An Epigrame or two of the fore-passed taking of Breda being written on the walles of the church iniurious to God and the Catholique Kinge were put out and these were set in their place to signifie the yeare wherin Breda was recouered AMBROSI SPINOLAE VIGILANTIA BREDA EXPVGNATA The sacred ceremonies being ended the tower of the church by night lighhtned almost with an innumerable number of lāternes and fires were seene to burne euen from Holland All the cittie shone with bon-fires and with barrells of pitch Then all the canons shot off againe And which was a more beautifull spectacle there was a circle of continuated shining fires for the compasse of two and thirtie miles thorough the circuit of the interior trenche which Spinola hauing set with stakes straw and fagots commanded the soldiars to gather together and to burne them perpetuall flashes of smale shott shining betwixt which like vnto starres a far off sodainly shining and vanishing made a most pleasant sight The liberalitie also fo Isahella that excellent Princesse shined towards the Church of Breda and towards two Religious orders of Capucins and priests of the Societie of IESVS no lesse then her pietie in sparing and praying to God to gaine that cittie It was the common voice of all that the Infanta by her perpetuall prayers and those of her court and of other places by there cōtinuall prayers in the fortie houre prayers to be made in all the Churches and by powring out her almes amongst the miserable wonne Breda and not with weapons And truly that the
two hundred barrell of heringes two hundred barrells of salted biefe two hundred sacks of salt three and twentie thousand cheese a great quantitie of flower syrope and honny VVith these fables related at the heighest the hollanders went about to maintaine their owne hope and to spread abroad our pouertie Spinola admonished by letters of the danger of the store house which the enimies went about to set afire as lately they had done the Church dubling the watch and cutting about another ditch he caused it to be kept more cautiously hauing transported almost halfe the quantie of the poudre into another new store-house lest if any danger hapned all should be burnt at once and the armie stand in want To prosecute that which rested of the war when the vnited States vnderstood that the treasure house was especially to be prouided for wherof they sought to finde some pretext iudging this to be enough to exact monie besides the tribute that long agoe was set vpon the head of euery one they exacted of all the citties and villages the hundred part of all the prices and marchandise Furthermore the confederates and their companions asked to be numbred by representation six hundred thousand crownes and six hundred for letters of exchance by the treasures which kept the counting hou-houses to be sent to be counted to the States That quantitie of mony being gathered there was enough for the enimie against that time we on the contrary began to fall short of mony in our treasure house for when for the setting vpon Genua the very same time in which the Kinge of Spaines armies were drawen forth were before Breda nor could be with-drawen from thence without disgrace the french armie passed the montaines like as conquerors the fidelitie of many negotiators began to be incertaine among forreiners whom the terror of beseeching Genua did afright and so that which the enemies long a goe had plotted which were at that time oppressed with great penurie of mony Diuers meanes therfore were proposed for collecting monie They commanded the mony of the yeare ensuing to be borrowed of all the Kinges commons The common impositions vpon the citties to be lent afore hand To bargaine with the Captaines of the soldiars that euery one for euery second month should pay their companies their wages as from the Kinge If that should be a heauie burthen atleast the Captaines them selues and their Coronells which did excell in their owne riches contented for two monthes without pay should susfer them to goe forth with their troupes which last thinge many of the Captaines seemed to promise but was thought fit to be omitted for the present least the noueltie should denote pouertee At last it pleased to lay in gage the Kinges reuenues vpon condition of a rent and by this meanes the soldiar was asisted About those dayes the King of Spaine to compose the new combustions of Italie created Gonsalus Cordua Generall of his armie Gonsalus had now bene from the first beginning of the expedition in the campe of Breda and with him and with Count Salazarius Spinola consulted all his councells to others reserued to these two vncouered He although most expert in warlike affaires and famous for the victorie against Mansfeld lately defeated and put to flight yet he here shewed him selfe to be of such behauiour such as vellerius neuer painted for their modestie in act like to those that did nothinge attributing nothing to him selfe and by the same attayning all thinges euer esteeming him selfe inferior to others quiete in countenance and in life and minde alwayes watchfull Newes being brought at this time of the death of the Kinge of England did not a litle hinder the Hollanders and Mansfelds enterprises The English runing from their colours daylie in great nombers fled vnto vs. Mansfeld catching any of ours by his soldiars sent them back without exacting any ransome affirming that he had no enimitie with the Kinge of Spaine VVhich thing Henrie of Nassau noting calling his companies from Rosen dale and gathering together his garisons from all the confines as intending briefly to make an end of that busines lest by doing nothing they should dreame of a defection ordayned the bizonnos or young soldiars to be euery day trayned vp in certaine warlike exercices Spinola that he might haue in due time helpes and companies in a readines commits to the charge of hoogstraet Henrie of Bergues with his horse and with some of the Emperours people athousand hors of the duke of saxonie and 3000. foote of the Regiment of Collato He knowes very well both the Castle and the incorporated Towne and causeth it to be fortified From thence he buildes six greater fortes hard by the riuer of Hoogststrate with certaine spaces betwixt them euen to the campes of Breda In these interualles or spaces which met almost together he placed perpetuall companies of soldiars to the end that in a short time the whole armie might meet the enimie at Breda or at Hoogstrate as necessitie should require He places the Count of Anholt with the German helpes Carolus Coloma and the Prince of Barbancone with the prouinciall companies and with some other extraordinarie of 3000. foote and 1500. horse in the neighbouring villages of Antwerp Maclin and Lyre By reason of the greatnes of that armie and number of the horse so great necessitie began to grow of fodder that the horses were faine to eate hors-dunge or the dry leaues of the trees or of litle shrubbes Oathes enough could not be brought where with so many charrets and beastes of burthen besides the sadled horses of the soldiars might be sustained The sodaine arriuall of the soldiars accustomed to more freer libertie and vnaccustomed to our discipline not content with that former freedome of militarie theft of a peece of mony euery day butrobed the houses spoiled the villages and begā to dishoner our armie as if they were enemies afterwards more insolent to call for their pay that was behind as if otherwise they would refuse to serue us Our cōpanies then which none had euer behaued thē selues more innocently vntill that day instructed rather to hate the enimies then to hurt their owne frendes began also to play as the witts of soldiars ar allwayes prompt to vice the same pranckes which strangers did in mischieuous facts and to accommodate them selues to their libertie Spinola admonishing the Captaines supposing it meeter in such a time rather to pacifie thē to exaggerate the force of those fellowes ordained some few of their heades to be cut off but aduising secretly the Captaines that they should aske pardon of him forgaue them the punishment iudging that that was not a time to take notice therof VVhilst ours remayne dispersed in these places Maurice closed up the last day of his life at Hage happie in this respect that he lamented not a liue the rendring up of his Breda These ar reported to be
diuine succours were more present then humane stratagems none can denie for to whom shall we refer this benefit receiued but to her so well knowen pietie to whom we may rightly proclaime that saying One vvoman hath vvrought confusion in the house of Nabuchodonosor Isabella therfore came into the cittie as a restorer of the ancient religion into the campes as to bestow in those dayes the gifts and guerdons of a Captaine She ordained an Anniuersarie Masse in honor of the dreadfull Sacramēt who began first in the eue of the rendring of Breda and the garison went out on the octaue She gaue to the Capucins to buy a housein Breda four hundred poundes To the priests of the Societie of Iesus who were diuided into four quarters of the campe procuringe the health of the soldiars soules during all the time of the siege she ordained to giue fiue hundred pound to helpe to defray the charges of buying a colledge which she bestowed on them by way of almes To the repayring of an ould Abbie of Nunnes and ruines of the Church of Ginick which Maurice caused to be burnt she gaue no smale somme of monie All which arguments of singular Religion when Alphonsus Cardinall de la Cueua Ambasador of the King of Spaine did signisie vnto the supreme head of the church Pope Vabanus the eight the pope wrote vnto him in this manner following Our beloued sonne health and Apostolicall benediction we felt those your last letters to be those golden phials full of odors which recreat the soules of those that ar in heauen and comfort the diseases of those in earth we tooke breath a litle tossed in the height of the raging sea when we vnderstood Religion to triumphe in the towne of Breda God is not forget-full of his mercies and legions of Angells asist those Princes which fight for heauen verely this victorie is obtained amongst so many conspiring aydes of impietie and difficulties euen of nature it selfe strugling against it that although it will remayne in all ages a famous document of warlick fortitude yet let it be reputed to be the benefit of that almightie warrior For not only the force of the enimie is domted but euen the very raging of the floods And now doth the Prince of Austria gather the excellent frutes of so great a triumphe whilst with powerfull forces she fortifieth religon Nether suPpose we that could be more prudently prouided for then by the duties of Priests and endeuours of those Religious families which yee made manifest in repayring the Abbie of the Cittie And you we blesse perpetually who first the Angels applauding and the Church reioycing performedst the dreadfull Sacrifice of the Masse vpon those Altars which of late heretical temeritie had polluted Furthermore we praise your pietie when being adorned with the purple of Roman splendor shew your selfe worthier in this present occasiō of so great a priesthood Pious purposees may bring you into participation of this triumphall glorie for the fortitude of the Soldiar doth exterminate impietie frō the walles of the cittie the pietie of the Priest from the mindes of the people Only wishing honor to your name we perpetually promisse you our patrocinie Giuen at Rome at S. Maries the Greater vnder the fishers ringe the 11. August 1625. the second yeare of our Pontificat Isabella hauing performed the duties of Religion commanded a whole monthes wages to be paid to the soldiars in the campes and a thousand garments to be made by the name of a donation Then in the ensuing dayes she went about to behould the workes both of the inward and outward trenche as a Reuerencer both of warre and of Religion In the meane space Spinola with a great conuoye set the citie in order spoiled by so long a siege and disposed the houses for placing the garison Isabella placed the Barron of Balancone Master de campe of the Burgundians for Gouernor to rule the cittie The virtu of that man his modestic and vigilance were so well knowen without enuie that the soldiars of all nations affirmed that office of right and merit to belong vnto him The cittisens who had heard only by report of his fame designed the gouerment to him and humbly besought it might be deliueuered him thus virtue cannot be concealed and being knowen is beloued Then was the Senat appointed for the people Henricus Montens from whom the same was taken wrongfully was created Burgermaster excellent in the knowledg of law graue for his gray haires who also administred that office when the cittie by fraude of a fraighted boate was last taken from the Kinge he alwayes was a true maintayner of his fatheres Religion Cornelius vander Locht a man of a peaceable cariage and a keeper of the ancient faith was giuen to him for Collegue The other Senators in virtu and faith had bene approued be the common wealth To the cittisens the same forme of gouerment and lawes were appointed as were to the cittie of Bolduke although at first for many reasons all of them could not be kept The Senat with the furtherance of the Magistrates gaue a publique schoole to be gouerned by the Professors of the Societie of IESVS which order Phillip Duke of Arscote by the commandment of Isabella the Archdutches be her letters was put in execusion All thinges so set in good order the conuoyes being dispatched a gard of three thousand foote and seauen companies of horse being designed the trenches ditches and workes with which Spinola had encompassed the cittie he commanded to be throwen downe worthie to haue bene kept and to haue bene shewed to posteritie but for his vse who was the chiefest of so great a victorie obtayned else should for euer haue remayned Then the armie being sent before by some spaces the Infanta was accompanied to Antwerp The footemen being diuided vnto squadrones betwixt Hooghstrate and Breda saluted her passing by with the applause of militarie ioy The horsmen not far from Hooghstrate placed in the great plaine by Henrie of Bergues skirmished with militarie sports like as in earnest war Fifteene companies set here and there one against another by a mutuall en countring and a fayned fight exhibited that comely aspect of war as the vnexpert almost frame to them selues in their minde The sounding of the Trumpets the runing and retyring of the horses the raising of the dust from the ground the glistering of head-peeces and breast plates the brandeshing of the naked swordes the shoutes of those that ran together the fire and the smoke and the sounde of the gunnes discharged and the eccho of the greater cannons playing also a far off lastly all the spectacles of a fight saue blood and slaughter Metuenda voluptas Spectanti pulcherque timor And which was most beautifull of all Henrie of Bergues him selfe armed from top to toe runing as it were for helpe betwixt two Princes his frendes VVolfangus VVilhelmus Duke of Bauaria Iuliers Oliue
afire ball far longer then an Yrâ—n lact The besieged put to great terror And in particular be the artillerte of coâ—nt Isenburque The states complaining of Grane Maurich His ansvver to thâ—r complainth Neovve leuâ—es of horse A costly Dammad be the in my to eyther â—ocer Breda or drovvne oure campes They Ioyned aninumerable quantitie of barkes and other materiales The vigilance of the count dâ—â—sinburque preuented the presumtion of Stakenburke The Marques continually carefull in preuenting 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 Oure slouses hinderâ—d much the dam. Rare preuensiones and prudent care of the Marques The Marques preuented remedi to hinder the executions of their sluces and vvaters The Marques preuented the plâ—â—ts of the enemy The enuentions of the enimie preuailed nothing against the tempest The preuidence of the senat of Breda They visited the houses and barnes They haue coyned nevv money Lambertut Charles beseeged Gogh vvhose vvolles vveare broken The vvatch vvas dâ—ubled The enemie 〈◊〉 vnâ—vvares Turland defended the castle and one gate of that place Tourland vvas sore hurt Gogh vvas lest The imputie of Lambâ—rt Charlis And his reserued paine That the tovvne should be reputâ—d for neutrall Those of Bredaflouteth at oures The rumor and fame that paseth of Mansfelt The prudent preuentions of the Infanta 〈◊〉 Marques commanded the lovver 〈◊〉 to by reforced Sâ—cceris of the emperor and of the prouinces Don Carles clooma comanded this of the contrie The number of the vvhole army Letters of graue Maurish vvere found Michel rotard explicated â—her meaning Another trince vvas comaunded to be made Other fortificasiones of the quarteres Incredibile greatnes of the fortificationes Presumtion of Mansfeld The letter he vvrote to his aluza Extreame necessititie and victualls vvounder full deere Greate diseases Asistance of the cittisens The gouernor disembled vvith his souldiars The Captaines procured to animate the soldiars Their hops vveare in vayne The mischance of Manifeld in his nauigation Their nevv and ravv souldiars endured gteate miseries Seueral interprises vvere propounded Thre reso'ut soilderes of fugeresri gimâ—â—t The Marques is vvont to giue credit to nothing vvithout good fundament Solemnitie in Breda in memorie of the daie it vvas taken by the hollandes by fraude The vvaters did ouerflovv the camps No smale dammage don vnto our quarters Greate fauour of god Delaying of the prouisions The almayne vvomen vveare of greate seruice The sraise they deserued The enimie begon nevv muented vvoorkes All vvhich vvas broken by the vvatâ—rs And the tâ—mpâ—st aftâ—rvvards Their ships vveare torne in pâ—eces Theyvvere novv out of â—â—p in going forvvâ—â—d vvith the dam. Letteres of Mauriâ—h and Iustinâ— â— cogging â—oore Faithfull to the Marques The garisen of Breda begon to deminishe The Marques came be the enimie is letters The Marques vvas informed of the necessitie of Ansvver of the gouernor of Breda Reforce the tovvne of Balaukt Graue Mauric caused to fire our munition house The constance of the Marques The care and asistance of the prouidor Lasanius The Marques gaue straight order to looke vvel to the ponder Tributs imposed by the Hollanders Asistance of he confederats Inuentions to collect money Den Gonzalo de Corduâ— vvas sent for Master de campe generall of Itallie The death of the King of England Henry of Nassavv ioyned all his forces And the Marques commanded his force to approach neerer to the occasion Disorder of strangers Graue morich ended his daies Hinrie Federtque of Nasavv his brooter vvas elected in his place Sedicion in the quarters of Mansfelt The centryes of Breda spoke vvith oures The besieged tooke a greate comfort at the election of their nevv generall The Marques escaped tvvo dangers The Marques fortified vvith the next adioyning troupe The valour vvhere vvith he proceded 〈◊〉 spiâ—s vvere taken The letter of Hinry de Nasâ—vv to â—ustino In vaine they reioysed Hinrie of Nasavve in vaine tentâ—d the to vvre of â—stâ—rhaut Not vvith standing the burgondianes being fâ—ovv in number they had the viciorte of the enemy They receiued apremiâ— for ther valor and vertue Hinry of Nassavve attempted oure quarteres The assaulting of the Inglesh The order vvher vvith they marched Of vvhich the Marques vvas aduertised Ariued to the forte The Inglish sought moste Valiâ—â—ly Valor of carlos Roma The enemy vver defeated There great destruction The retiringe of the enemy The constance and valour of Coronâ—l Very More fortifications vvere made The besieged did indure great hunger and miserie They begon aâ—alteration and great rumor 〈…〉 but very litle store of bread The Prince of orange vvas much troubled But the Mar quese vvas very vigilâ—nt Another fraud of aclvvne is vvife He also decey ued hinry of Nasavve A copie of the contentes of the letter to Iustino Iohn hanin a silder of stirub by day came to oure campe vvith letters From the to vvre by signes of fire they signified for vvho many daye they had victualls VVelfango Guillielmo Duke of bautar 〈…〉 and bergas came to our camp The Kinge of France is opinion touchinge this siedge Tobaco vvas vvounderfull dere The enemy set vppon oure conuoy Valor of count Herman son to count Hindrick The enemy put to flâ—ght The enemy all the time of the sage coul de not optaine victorie in breaking of any of our conuoyâ—s The Prince of Orange oute of hope Count Henry in the Marques name lought that they shoulde yeald â—rcome to composition Iustinus de Nassau is 〈…〉 The letters of Nassau bâ—ing prudenâ—y found out by the Marques vvere sent by Count Hendrick to lustino By vvhich he promised to render And the Marques the honorable conditions presented by Count Henrick to vvhome he gaue full auctoritis The vvorkes ceased And haueing read the letters of the Marques and of count Hendrick Tyme and place vvas ordayned for to treate of this matter Those of the tovvne presented certaine articles The Marquis and Count Hendrick agreed uppon the articles excepting tvvo The liberalitie of the Marques vvith the besieged Complements The agreement vvas brought to be singned The vvagones and ship pes demaunded vvere granted The condiciones the Gouernor and officeres of Breda demaunded Many acused the beaâ—n gnitie of the Marques And the complaintes they made The condition of preâ—ces and particular personos are diferent The 〈…〉 vvas vvel related The generall is bounde to take 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of his Kinge more then of any particular glorie of his ovvne person The munitio nes vvhich vvere in Breda The Marques commanded that none of the souldiars should â— be the besieged The glorious triumphe of his victorie He vvas no less courtens in giuinge thankes Headuertised of the victory the Infanta and the Kinge of Spaine The success byinge so great many vvoulde hardly beliue â—â—t The Infanta came to visite the cittie This inscripcion vvas put vpt on the gates Hir alteza did forbid that thâ—ovve of mirth should be made til first sacrifice shoulde be made vnto god as the châ—se autor of the victorie The first 〈◊〉 vvas celebrated by the Cardenal de la Cuâ—ba ambasador of Spaine Bouldnes and impietie of sibilla vvife of Boxâ—orinck Thiâ—s vvritinges vver blottâ—d And otheres put in ther place Admirable fires of ioy Liberalitie of her alteza And her pietie and good life Liberalitie of hir alteza to the religâ—ouse A letter of the pope Vâ—bano to the Cardenall de la Cueua The particular care of the Infanta of the army The giftes and liberalitie of hir besovved Balancon trough his aproued vertues vvas 〈…〉 Gouernor of Brede by the Infanta The garison that vvas apointed for Breda All â—ertes of fortificasiones of the campe vvere comaunded to be broken dovvne Militarie sporte â— The ariâ—mg of hir alteza and of the Marques to an vâ—ourp Conde Hindrick remained inhooghstroâ—t to conduct the prouisiones to Breda The tragedie of Dauid vvas represented by the fatheres of the Societie of Iesus Amoste royal gift giuen be his maiestie to the Marques Letters of the Pope Vrbano And to Marques Spinola
tvvelfmonthes before vve couled come to besiedge the tovvne soo that there might be no necessitie to deminish the prouision made for the soilders For the vvinnenge of this tovvne vvhen many thenges did incorage the Marques Ambrosio Spinolas minde many thinges also did vvithdravv itt First the oportunitie of the place did great lie enduce him bothe for the hindring of the frequent enuations of the enemies horsmen into Brabant whiche from thence they moste comodiously desingned to whate parte they pleased As also for the hindereng of al nauegasion betwext the adioyning townes of Breda And the borderinge townes of the confines of Holand and Zeland VVhich is tought to haue beene don with no smale dificultie by reason of some townes that were taken neere at hand with encredible losh to the enemy Further more many other comodities did allure him to attempt to take this towne rather then any other to witt the Zoile of the suburbs fitt for making his trinches and fortificationes eyther to make assault or to entrench Hauing a riuer fit to pass ouer and easili to be damned up whiche being don they who were besiged might easilie be kept from prouition They had woodes nere at hande the fildes were fertile for feedinge Lastly this was considered that Breda being taken Bergen up Som and other townes neere at hand might be taken the more easily On the contrarie the strenght of the towne that was so fortified both be endustrie and nature did discorage him But espesially the great dificultie of transportinge vituales a far of when eyther the enemies was to be a voided with a greate convoy for al oure citties were distant great days Iurneyes on foote or that they might want vituales nor was there behinde them any commoditie of riuer whiche coulde be sayled with shipes to beare prouision vnlesh Breda beinge neere at hand as it were the theator of the enemies citties could be bloked up It was doupted whether that with a great number of VVagones vvith longe and combersom vvayes be reason of the winter prouision and vitualles might be broght vnto us which was manifest coulde nether be don without adoble garde of soilders nor withoute greate danger This was the state of the lowe contries at this time and of oure affaires Filip the fourth King of Spaine did forbid that any peace shoulde be made withe the confederated states Iudgenge that truce to be more hurtful then warr The Archduces Isabela Clara Eugenia Infanta of Spaine wife of Albertus that excelent Prince deceased thought it a disgraseful thinge that the army wherwith the Kinge florisheth in the lowe contries should be Idel and withoute Implomient the repulce of Bergenop some was not reuenged whiche being retained after the sidge the enemies gloried Germanie being quiet from warres rested The strenght of the bastard Mansfelt yea and his verie name was almost extent There was intire pease betwext the Kinges of France and Ingland with the onely enemies of the confedrated prouences there was Iuste cause of hatred Herupon warr was intended against them not for desire of rule but for desire of reestablissinge of religion and recoueringe of there owne Spinola in the 21. of the monthe of Iuly in the yeare athousande six hondereth twentie foure goinge from Bruxeles the time of the yeare beinge proper for warr he corne being reepe gathered an army But he kept him self so reserued in this affaire that although he fulli resolued to besiedge Breda yet if he perceiued it hard to be effected perhapes with a greater army a sit fel oute sent oute by the enemy he oute of euerie place wherin he lay might be able As he iudged fit for the present good to vndertake the same turninge his armye whiche way soeuer it shoulde please him The armie was deuided into thre pattes making a sheow to goe into diuers places of set purpose to deceiue the enemie Spinola goinge oute of his Iourney be montague where that sacred tēpel is of the moother Virgin renoumed troughout the worlde with so many miracles the misteries of the cristian religion being dulie performed and his deuosions beinge made at oure ladie is aulter for the army led the foote men one way and Lodouicus Velascus Count of Zalazarius General of the horse led the horsmen an other way Iohn brauius de laguna gouernor of the castel of Anwourpe with those that came frō markland Ioyned with thies trupes not far from turnehoute whiche Gonzalus de Cordoua master de campe general had gouerned The army beinge hire mustered by Spinola and being founde lesh then it was supposed neuerthelesh he had greate hope of there valor for beinge all chosen men There were in the whole fiftine regimentes consisteng of ahondereth foure score and eightine companies of horse thirtie nine troopes Breeflie eightine thousand in the whole Number II. Num. 2. SPECIMEN OPERIS CORNVTI A. Frons operis cornuti B. Fossa lata passus xxx C. Receptaculum D. Murulus terreus E. Fossa altera F. Lorica decliuis G. Vrbis mocnia H. Fossa moenium I. Opus nouum post aduentum nostrum in Gilsam externis munitionibus circumductum a Bredanis interna allo passuum CXL K. Lorica seu brachia tria fronti et cornibus munitionum praestructa L. Fossa M. Seps sudium in decliui Lorica circum fossam And thies vvere the firste vvoorkes added to Graue Maurish force vverby those of Breda began to doupt the siedge Spinola came to Gilsh a villadge distant from Breda tvvo houres iourney vvith his army Here he consulted vvith many masters de campe touchinge the beseeging of this tovvne asked the opinion of euery one vvhat they tought of the siedge of Breda eche one dissuadeth the assault they afirmed the tovvne to be fortified vvith most strōge vvourkes That the standing vvater as often the tovvn esmen listeth ouerflovveth al the suburburbs the tovvne to be deuided into many partes by the riuer The garison to be increased vvith tvventie eight companies of foote oure armies for ther smale number vvas scarce correspondent to so great an assault vvherunto number vvas no lesh needfull then valor And if the enemy should come behinde to assaulte the army before vve had vvon so stronge atovvne vve muste of necessitie eyther goe a vvay vvith disgrace or so smale an army be exposed to adoble perill both before and behinde The Marques Spinola hauing heard the opinion of the masteres de campe knovving that some stoode for the comanders and others for Inferior officeres and that him selfe vvas freely to dispose vvhat vvas principalli to be don and was to do al thinges according to direction remained in the same place and Informed Isabella the Archiduces whate the opinion of the masteres de campe were She hauinge vnderstoode of so great augmentasion of the garison of Breda made answer that she vvould not tempt fortune with the danger of so many valiāt men that she should be much to blame if shee
estimed not ther liues more deere whome she knoweth to be so willinge that they woulde refuse no danger at hir comaund notwithstandinge leaste so excelent en army of soilders depriued of glorie shoulde returne home and do nothinge that Spinola shoulde consider whate exploite was to be taken in hande for there goode and comoditie Spinola hauinge consulted with Hinri Count of Berges schefe Gouernor of gilders who was with an other army at the rhene sent the sardgent may or Franciscus losanus vvith letters vnto him to aske of him vvhate he thought fitt to be don as also Carlos of Burgondi Baron of VVaken Gran balue of gant captaine of horse shoulde treate vvithe Paulus bernardus fontanus master de campe of aregiment of Valones vvho gouerned the prouince of Flandres vvho might treate vvith him aboute the busines of casant an Iland not far of from sluse They treated longe vvith him concerninge thies thinges and aftervvardes before the Infanta and acordinge to eche ones opinion so baron de VVaken afirmed it to be easy and Monseurde Fontaine to be ahard enterprice fontanus douted it VVaken promised good success not vvith standing fontanus offered him self to put the mater in execution so that his command might be giuen him in vvrithing for his dischardge The Infanta beinge willing in hope of the euent comaunded it to be don and apointed a day for the dispatch therof for thies affaires fontanus went to Bruges Three dayes after waken was sent priuilie but al thinges being no we in aredines the Insanta fearinge the voyadge shoulde not succede well comanded that they shoulde giue it ouer In the meane while Spinola againe consulted with such as were fit and with people of good Iudgement and with some captaines calinge euery one aparte he asked whate they thought of the besidginge of Breda though latelie they had refused to attempt the assault Here al againe one onelie captaine excepted begon to aledge the dificulties of the sidge and that the towne coulde not be intrenched in alonge time The circuite of the trinches muste of necessitie be foure or fiue houres Iurney for the many places of passadge of the cōtrie suburbs which partly are in accessible be reason of the marish groundes partely ouerflovv vvhen the tovvnes men do stop the riuer by asluce Novv so great aspace is to be filled vvith so many standinge places and vvatch vvardes that al most they must needes meete togither or the tovvne othervvise hardly to be blocked up but there vvanted soilders to be deuided into so many partes Further it hath beene commanded to al the townes men in particular that a suficient quantitie of corne shoulde be prouided for the enduringe of the vvinter and sustenance of the soilders lastely it vvoulde be a mater of greate tyme and labor to weakē the towne by famine also abounding with all thinges besides that if a great army shoulde be made for raysinge of the siedge the enemy might come behinde and euen without fight woulde take and hinder oure pasadges and wee shoulde be forced to retire compelled thereto by greater honger and necessitie for there condision and oures is so contrary that they on euery side by the benefit of riuers and citties neere adioyning could easilie a bound with all thinges when al moste no winde can blowe but might be prosperouse for any cariadge by reason of the situation of diueres citties and portes For Seuenberk gentenberk heusden townes of suche as are confederates and lye neere Vnto Breda thre or foue houres distance besides some other encorparated viladges not far of all which are fed with the sea or riuers but we shoulde stand in neede of corne sooner then they of Breda be reason of the longe and hard transporting of corne in aiorney by lande whiche way being but one and very dangerous shoulde betide oure army in case the enemy did altogither blok it up and beseedge it An wourp maklin Lier which are oure neerest townes to Breda distant ten or twelf oures iorney from balduk and herintal vvhiche are the neerest tovvnes and are nine houres iorney one of the master de campes vvas of a contrary opinion vvho not esteeming al thies reasones did therfore thinke Num. 3. Numeri significant horas itinerum * Signum locorum hostilium Hunger would opress the towne wantinge externe helpes and the relife of vituales being hindered woulde soone cause pouerty and discorde amongst the cttisens and the soilders Number III. There were sent to discouer Franciscus Medina Matheus otanus and Don Iuan de Medises who reported that the ground was fitt for making trinches and fortificasiones the water of the riuer good the woodes for fueil and faxina the fildes and barnes fit for foradging but they did earnestli afirme that al those thinges were to be feared whiche were aledged by the masters de campe againste the siedge meane while Losanus returned from the Rhene with letters of Count Hendrick who hauing vnderstoode whate al the masteres de cāpe thought of the dificulties of takinge Breda Proposed vnto Spinola whate he iudged meete to be don concerninge the beseedging of Embrik and Rhes That he was there present with his army his companies somwhate increased and preparinge abridge ouer the Rehn with barkes with a fort Royal adioyned to the same that for the better securitie of both it seemed vnto him that embrik might by taken whiche beinge gotten Rheze woulde woluntarie yealde itself But if it shoulde not like him that abridge should by made for want of boathes that then was Graue and the castels of Rauesten and Genep whiche also might by wel beescheeged at once and that his excelencie shoulde ordaine that whiche he tought moste fitt hauninge firste consulted with Antonius Baron of Grobendunck Gouernor of the towne of Baldukaman expert in the knoledge of those places Spinola hauinge sent backe Franciscus Medina master de campe of aspanishe regiment with losanus declared vnto him that hitherto he approoued of the count of bergas is aduice so far as it concerned Graue Rauesten and Genep and de manding him whate helpe needeth for that enterpreece The count of bergus required that fiue thousand foote and athousand horse shouled be sent te assiste him and with them and the reste of his owne army were sufficient for that affaire But he aduised Spinola to remaine securelie with his army in the villadg of Gilshe an to houlde the enemy in suspēce lest they shoulde drawe fourth some Cōpanies oute of Breda or other garisones to disturbe the seedge of Graue Spinola both glade of the consel and releeinge vpon the Iudgment of so prudent acomander related the busines to the Infanta hauinge sent medina and hauing also called fourth Baron Antonius Grobendunk as count bergus desired he demanded whate he thought of the proposed siedge of the castels of graue rauesten and Genep Hee plainly affirmed that so many Interprises
assaultes out of the towne which had they bene deuided into many partes without dout being exposed to the iniurie and peril of the enemy they had finished the workes nothing the sooner which maner of intrincheng although it gaue respit to the adioyning boores to bringe corne and cattel in to the towne wherwith being besieged they might afterwardes in dure hunger so muche the longer yet wer we of necessitie so to do for the causes which we spoke of the prudent consel of the master de campe Don Iuan de medicis touching thies affaires was of no smale emportance to the Marques The besieged perceiumg this set on fire the rest of the buildinges belonging to the suburbs on euery side lest they should be left fitt for us for the wourking of treacheries or be a let vnto theÌ„ for there shooting it being generalli obserued that there were burnt to the number of foure hondered and fortie houses The 16. of Sept. 1624 Iustinus de Nasaw Gouernor of Breda with the aduise and consulte of certaine of his chefe leaders and other Captaines resolued to make a salli oute of the towne of Breda whiche was the greatest he made during the siege consisting of all choice men and of great hopes and expectation all which he appointed vnder the command and conduct of the Captaine of the garde of Graue Morish a man of great valor and presumtion This Captaine at the very breake of day issued fourth of Breda with intent to hinder the begineng of the fortificacions of the quarter of the Earle of Isimburque wherof Captaine Barri irishman one of the Earle of tirones regiment by his turne had chardge of the watche close to the enemie in open fielde The dutch Captaine issuing oute so earlie in the morning thought verely to defeate the Irish by setting on them as they were asleepe at vnawares and vnprouided but it was the will of God before he came to the place of his pretended execution the faitfull and vigilant Captaine Barri discouered ther coming by a sintinel which he had prudentlie placed on a high three to looke aboute on euery side who espeing them coming presently called to his Captaine aduertising him that the filde was full of the enemie and began to frame asquadron of there pikes Captaine Barri with great expedition prepared him self and dreow on towardes the enemie begining to order and to deuide his shot into troupes to inconter them giuing his officers and soilders the instructiones necessarie for the fight animating them and presenting first of all his owne person wherupon they al resolued with greate valor and mangnanimitie eyther there to die or to get the victorie Then began that bloody skirmish on both sides which lasted for the space of three houres knowen and notorius to the whole armie in which rare act and braue encounter the Irish manifested the valor expected of them slaying the Captaine of the garde of Graue Morish with an enginer togither with many other braue gallantes and valiant soilders cleauing a sunder and cutting off theire pikes with his braue experimeÌ„ted and coragious shot so that at leÌ„ght the furious enemy was constrained to retire with great grife and no redress other then rufully behoulding the field full of dutch frenche and German blood And which is particularly to be noted and to be wholy asscribed to the prouidence and goodnes of almighty God that wheras thos who issued oute of the cittie were of so great number as asoresaied and Captaine Barri with his companies and the shott of Captaine dalahoid and Captaine morri his contrimen and appointed comarads to ioyne and assiste with their forces in all occasiones against the enemy being in all not aboue three hoÌ„dred not as much as one man were killed nor but two or three but slightly hurte Although during those two or three houres space the bulletes flew aboute their eares as thick as hayle and in open filde withoute any shelter or defence Captaine delahoid and Captaine morri seeing that Captaine Barri began the skirmish a distance of towardes the enemy whete his appointed place happned to be that day on the watch with his companie presently delahoid and morri with greare speede framed a squadron of the pikes of the saied three companies with a resolute and magnanimous minde to receiue Captaine Barri and his shott vnder the shelter of their pikes if neede did require and fall togither with their full force on the enemy being prepared and ready for that purpose with final resolution to liue and dye en defence of that place wherunto their soilders coÌ„desceÌ„ded with are solute minde and great courage The valerouse and prudent Earle of Isimburque uppon the firste aduice of Captaine Barri touching the quantitie and presumtion of the enemy drew on vnto the field and with great expedition brauelie ordered and deuided his almain and vallon Infanterie into two squadrons in forme of broad front with amostualerous determintion to incounter and giue battel to the enemy if need did require And prudent lie preuenting that if by chance the Irish shoulde happen to be dispearsed to receiue them in the midest of his two squadrones and order them aneow and fall with the full force of all on the presumed enemy This noble prudent and mangnanimouse Prince of Isimburque with aforecast and câ—siderate resolution comaunded Capt. preston and Capt. gerat whiche were of two Irish coÌ„panies to fall on towardes the enemy to defende a passadge wher he spied soccor comming from the enemy to thos that were recomended to the chardge of the Capt. of the garde of the Prince of Orenge and Capt. prestoÌ„ spienge theÌ„ approchinge neer with great expedition ordered his men and fell on the enemy and begoÌ„ to skirmish and like abraue coÌ„ductor deuided his shott giumg theÌ„ the necessarie instructiones to fight animating them during the skirmish which did continue almost thre houres that at lenght by his braue conduction valor and resolut determination of his soilders the enemy of force were constrained to retire with the loss of many of theires not able to preuent any kinde of redress which to Iustinus de Nasaw then Gouernor of Breda was no smale greef so that this greatest sallie that came out of Breda sence the first day till the last were defeated by onely the ualor and braue condution of the fiue Irish companies before spoken of next under godes diuine assistaÌ„ce which the whole leager admiring woundered much of the victorie considering the great multitude of the enemy against so feow of oures The prudeÌ„t care and great vigilance of the sargeÌ„t mayor GoÌ„mar de furdiÌ„ of the regimeÌ„t of couÌ„de Isimburque as also the Sargent Maior of the Duke de Burnauill truly deserued praise and renoome for ther continual and extraordinarie care and vigilance day and night which was of notable emportance for many respectes which here is
some costly sadled horses acompanied almost with all the nobilitie rode from the campe two houres iourney and receiued him coming with many congratulations and with great sheow of loue There was atent prepared in ahouse wherin though nothing belonging to kinglie glorie and maiestie was yet was ther more militarie ornamentes then cleanlines and cittilik ciuilitie Hither when the Prince came about night hauing discharged all the canons once twice and the third time and the drumes and trumpetes sounding the moone was depriued of the sight of the sun by asudaine interpositioÌ„ of the earth Betokeninge if it may be lawfull to foretel that that Prince most expert in armes shoulde one day become the tamer of the turkish moone Breda hitherto had not bene touched with our cannon nor was the more hurt with so many shott of togither for that our soilders were commanded to shut more for mirth then for destruction and muche shott went ouer the cittie without doing any hurt yea the besieged also had more profitt then hurt by that shooting who from that tyme wer exempted from the paiment of all tributes according to the former custome the next day the prince led about with sundry gardes of Spinola where the enemy saw the people stand togither shott as thick as haile to salute them The day after he rode alone with Spinola to take auiew of the other side of the camp the reste being commanded to stay behinde for feare of danger At that verie time eight yong frencemen of noble houses intending secretly to slip by us from Breda to Graue Mauris is caÌ„pe were apprehended vppon the fenues and were liberallie intertained not as enemyes but as frindly guestes Spinola inuited the more noble of them to his table amoÌ„gst whome was Marques Gringnol vicoÌ„t serius with his broother and Barron blianuill youthes of an excellent to wardnes and after denieng them whate they demanded tould them that it was not his custome to suffer any to pass through his army to the enemies gaue them chois of returning to france or to Breda from whence they came of which last offer when they made election least they shoulde seeme to haue beene more readie to undertaek the labors of the siege then to indure them being carried to Spinolaes tent in acoache led with atrumpet they were sent back to Breda VValdislaus Prince of Poland hauing viewed the workes which vntil that day were not fully finished is reported to haue saied that the dice were cast betwext two great Captaines Spinola ad maurish and that one of them must nedes loose his credit Spinola accompanying him going out of the camp and hauing finished the compliments of curteous salutations recommended hym to count salasarius to be conducted to Antwerp Number VII The next day after the Baron of beauoix coronel of the burgondian regiment was sent with aleauen honderd foote and fiue hondered horse to fortifie osterhaut which the enemy might haue taken to the great in commoditie of oure men The next day when he heard from thence the enemyes drom beath sending out some that might vnderstand it he admonished Spinola of thier coming the scoutes related that maurish disembarked his army at Gintenberge of which his neow iourney nothing could for along tyme be found oute by enquirie many thought that he would take oudenbosk and rosendal it was thought fitt that those places shoulde be taken afore hand least we shoulde haue any enemy behind us fearing otherwise that vitualles coulde not fitly be transported vnto us and also we be kept from free fothering if the enemy should first posessit Spinola supposed that this thing was needles to be preuented Knowing wel that neyther thos places could be fit for them for anambushe nor so daÌ„gerous for our prouision when it should be fetcht the farther of whiche being so far from theire campe woulde be dangerous vnto them in so graeat adistance we being to auoide apassage not vnsecure to us Num. 7. A. Breda B. Custra Mauritij in pago Medoe C. Castra noua Spinoloe D. Niger agger E. Noua Castella Spinoloe F. Stagna ingentia arte facta G. Statio Balionij et Caroli Romoe H. Statio Baronis Balanconij For doutles if eyther Spinola had lost one day by delaying or maurish had so much preuented him by making haste Breda might haue been saued by the commoditie of so smale atyme for betwext derhaid and hage their lay open verie large spaces of land and of wateres wher by with litle labor victualls might haue beene carried into the cittie be wagons vnto the riuer and with litle boates ouer the riuer if those places had first been taken by maurish which might haue bene Don VVithout any difficultie when at that tyme there were no fortes of emportance betwext his army and the cittie except foure litle redutes which were built on the black dike But Spinola now with many soilders tooke the wayes and all the passages betwext thies fortes and the campe of maurish and preuerâ—ed him all hope of passing forward So much doth the celâ—â—itie and the wisdom of the generalls preuaile in warâ—â—â— which wee haue had this victorie Here was agreat plaine filde of shrubbs in which he might haue extended his army at lardge if any fight had hapened This he caused to be taken and posessed with certain troupes of horse the rest of the horse bying placed further of in the fore front of the army Behinde them there was atrinch formed as it were by nature betwext Breda and the shrubbs upon this he planted seauen canons and placed the Infanterie behind it comaunding to cut down the fright of the meadow and of the riuers and with great expedition fild the ditches Vpon the right side he left agreater for t to be defended of the burgondianes which Baron of Beauoix had now almost finished That fort of afoure square forme and of that greatnes that the canons might be planted upon The walles were stronge against the shott of the artillerie six score foote longe in the flank twentie eight foote broad and fiftine foote high There were longe stakes on euerie side streaching out of the woorck to hinder the ascending within there was abanket and aparapet and one step vnder the banket for the comoditie of the shotthe parapet was fiue foote heigh ten foote thick compassed about on the outside with a ditch of two and twentie foote broade so that from the bottome of the ditch to the top of the walle it was twentie fiue foote highe Num. 8. VARIAE MAIORVM CASTEI LLORVM FIGVRAE Dimensiones maiorum Castellorum Not long after a certaine master of the artillerie asked Spinola why he went not of him selfe to prouoke Maurices army not strenghtned with any great fortes shooting of six or seauen canons To whom Spinola answered that it stood not with his honor more lightly to insult ouer the enimie then to carrie him selfe
continuance should be diminished by custome which vses to happen by lenght of time he should often visit the standing places at vnawares not so much for distrust of those that walke the round as that being equall with the soldiars they should be the more willing to vndergoe the labor with the leader Now he tooke care as well for the affaires of the boores as for prouision He as ouer-seer of the fires admonished the soldiars to put out the fire which they had kindled in the barnes He caused those that were more carelesse by whose negligence the slame ill enkendled arose and tooke hould of the houses to watch afterwards abroad in the open aire punisht them in their purse and condemned them to repaire the damage He admonished thē after the maner of Aurelianus that they should liue vpō the spoile of the enemie and not vpon the teares of those of their owne side To doe iustice for the contrie people against the libertie of the soldiar to heare their complaints and to punish the guiltie By which discipline he brought to passe that the inhabitāts of whom there was great care had in the villages that they out of the Churches and steeples wherin they put their wiues children corne and houshold stuffe should giue those thinges to be sould which for feare sake they kept close and shut up and that the labourers of the ground should be exercised without any impediment VVith so great quietnes brought he hisarmie thorough the villages of Brabant with a speciall care which he had of the corne fieldes houses and men The enemie by the fame of so exact a discipline neuer durst so much as once to carpe at our troupes that plainly with what honor the prouinces fulfilled Alexāder Seuerus for his modestie whilst he led his amongst the Parthians had great renoome for his braue conduction and gouernment that name chey talled Bergues of Croac the God of the contrymen By this so great care of the Count of Bergues al though all the corne was carefully preserued yet because by reason of the number of horses the store of grasse was by litle and litle diminished in the cāpe and those horses for the continuance of their labor were spoiled with leanenesse when many did feede on chopt straw and on chaffe wherunto necessitie compelled them to augment their forage Spinola prouided for both these discommodities after this maner Lest the rest of the forrage should faile for the horse in the campe he sent a companie of horsmen to guard those that went too and fro into the wintring places vnto the citties and townes adioyning neerer where they might refresh them selfes for a time whilst victuales and waggōs were made ready for lire And as at that time the forrage for the cāpe could not be spent in which the horses had carried thither prouision he forbid them to goe vnto the campe hauing likewise dismissed as soone as they were vnloaded the wagons and beastes of burthen hence the horses when else where they were better fed by a litle repose were refreshed from their wearines and their leanesse This that Spinola might effectuat the more safely he built a great fort in the village of Barlen three houres iorney from the campe and placed a garrison adding therto one companie of horsmen To this place afterwards did Count Bergues bring prouision with his horsmen here he staid whilst the wagons vnloading went out of the campes hitherto did the companies of horsemen and other of footemen meete them and receiue them Furthermore that in all euents the iorneyes might be the more secure a fort being made by Count Isenbergue in the village of Leurence against Rosendale almost in that place in which the riuer runing betwixt might be passed by bridges or ouer shallow places Furthermore other three were made by Henrie of Bergues betwixt Lire Herentale and Turnhoult four also at Outturn hout in which the soldiar which were too and fro tooke his rest in the night which iorney al though it was far greater then the other by which men goe directly thorough hooghstrat yet because it was far distant from the enemies campes it was thought to be more safe and certaine especialy when but meane grrrisons were left for these two castles Hooghstrat and Turnhoult By this circumspection the wayes were so safe that the contrymen chiefly of Turnhoult accompanied almost with no conway did securely transport victualls to the campe by wagon which libertie of going too and fro when the enemies knew hauing once set vpon them to rob them they spoiled some wagons driuing away their horse and carriars not far from the village of Barlen Graue Maurice meditating in his disease of new exploits hauing not yet laid aside the hope of surprising the Castle of Antwerp once againe vndertakenig anightly enterprise purposed to set vpon it the second time It pleased him to commit this busines to Stakenbrouck gouernor of Graue but his attempt fell out no more happely then the former for there felle continually so great a rayne that their peeces serued to no purpose by reason of the moystnes of their poudre and when the enimie saue fire in the night vpon the walles of the cittie supposing to be betrayed he sodainly retyred back with so great perturbation that leauing parte of his cariage in places not passable he specdely betooke him to flight It is thought that there was a conspiracie of some treacherous cittisens made within the towne who for desire of a new gouerment had inuited the enimie Thirtie were commanded to be banished whom petulancy of wordes made to be suspected but by and by they were forgiuen and some were permitted to tarrie still Graue Maurice therfore when he sawe he could do nothing more against our conuoyes although his armie was diuided into two parts to lye in wayte turned all his care to vex those which were said to helpe to bring the victuals They were taken who were found guiltie of that fact and were soundly punished in their purse nether did they spare those which were tributaries to the confederated estates the rest being deterred with the greuousnes of the punishment Moreouer all the milles round about were broken downe their irons being taken away The bakers and bruars had their bruing vessels and their ouens spoiled we also vnderstood that it was treated amongst them whether it was the custome that those places of the fielde which were kept with litle or few companies of soldiars where our prouision lay should be depopulated and destroyed Some thought it fit that all the places round about should be set on fire to which ours might haue accesse for prouision least they should be commodius for vs to bring aboundance of victualls Others fearing least also we should set fire on their villages and free townes without gard or defence dissallowed of that councell wherfore he opinions benig diuers as it is wont to be in
desperat cases they carried prisoners from Tourenhoult hooghstrat and the adioyning villages some which had relieued our tents with prouission and victuals Spinola requiting them as many as he vnderstood to haue carried to the enemie food and victuales he likewese commanded to be taken and to be punished in eueri place Diuers of these complanied vnto him by messengers as if they were inocent He made them answer that this was the estate of the present war that seing the enemie did by all meanes hinder the bringing of prouision that he also forbid the like and if they would haue him not to hinder them they also should desist from hindring ours but if they went forward in hindring ours he also would goe forward in hindring theirs By these examples and penalties the contrymen and merchants being deterred not daring scarcely to bring any thing into our army but by stealth there ensued for a few dayes a great dearth of bread wine bere and other marchandise which Spinola feared to relieue by imposing on them a lesser price fearing by how much he profited the soldiar so much the more he should hurt by the scarcetie of sellers and of corne which ar allured by aduantage gayne for these causes during those dayes some certaine soldiars which preferred hungar before honestie they cut in peeces for reliefe a most miserable food the carcasses of dead horses and by this necessitie of ours both the lesser famine of the besieged and the greater aboundance of Maurices armie which was relieued by the neerenes of the citties and riuers we were to ouerthrowe them For then there was plentie of prouision in the cittie at a reasonable rate which the state had caused to be set vpon all marchandise nor were esteemed at a higher rate then before the siege least the cittisens and the soldiars should thinke them selues opprest Araser of wheate sould for sixteene shillinges ar easer of Rie for ten of panick for eight of Barley for seauen and oates for as much A sack of salt was sold for eight shillinges Dried stockfishe and a pound of cheese for three halfe pence A pound of greene cheese for a peny A pottle of oyle for two shillinges and a peny A pottle of rape oyle for four pence A pound of beefe for three half pence And by this cheapnes of victualls it was a wonder how long the patience of the beseeged did endure In the enimies campe corne wine food was brought from all parts at the lowest rate VVhether it was not lawfull for ours to haue accesse Spinola that he might succour the necessitie of his soldiars besides the Kinges daylie allowance he comanded to be daylie distributed to the soldiars man by man beere measured out of the magazin or amunision hous which thinge did greatly winne their affection and was also healthfull for them The Infanta Isabella against the rayne and winters winde she caused to be giuen to the senteries which were to watch without any shelter six hundred gownes to the rest hose and shooes almost to the number of eight thousand They of Breda who gladly receiued of others that which they would willingly should befall to our affaires hauing vnderstood of others that our necessities were greater then they were beleeued that for the space of fortie dayes no prouision had come into our armie that the greatest part of our armie was runne away and that the lesser part by far remayned that none now were of force to subsist and endure the brunt of labor and that the rest ether for famine or for sicknes would forsake the siege These and other thinges did the holanderes diuulge abroade There were some also that did more amply and with greater boasting publish the same abroad in print The besieged therfore vpbrayding vs with our necessities brought forth their prouision as boasting of it somtimes with oxen into the suburbs VVhen yet at home casting their accounts they had but ameane quantitie of corne The state least they should quickly consume that which they tought to feede longer upon decreed that no man should brue beere which should cost aboue a crowne They tooke also away the tin and copper furnices from the makers of Aqua vitae lest corne should be consumed by that meanes and that they held out so much the longer But their boasting was rewarded with a iust punishment Number IX Num. 9. Agger Tribuni Wyngardij Agger Baronis Balanconij Agger Comitis Isenburgici The other two bulwarkes of Tettering and Hage this was the midle most and that the least of the three but the strongest by its nere adioyning to the fortes being built al most after the same maner differing only in lenght breadth and corners were kept by Baron Balinconius and Count Isenbergue VVhile those thinges were thus ordered afterwards the besieged made irruptions out at diuersgates and shot the balles of their canons very thick against our workes and against our campes but to litle purpose Our workes being finished when they saw their affaires to stand in hard tearmes some of the soldiars tradesmen and husbandmen for feare of hunger began to yeeld them selfes For being wearied with the present incommodities afflicted with a great plague with long inclosing and change of diet they both had scarcetie of corne and they withall vnderstood that there remayned litle fleshe fishe and cheese Oyle pressed out of rape-seede and dipped in their bread they commonly vsed for their meate There were very sumptuous banquets made to the soldiars by him that knockt the dogges on the head to wit for three half pence ameale For he for acertaine stipend of twentie shillinges a month being commanded to kill all the dogges to auoide the plague furnished a table with those dishes nether had he daylie a few soldiars to be his guesse to dine so well for so litle mony But when this life seemed to many men very hard and grieuous it was made far more insupportable for feare of continuance wherfore they endeuoured to better this their bad estate by flight But Spinola sending a Trumpetter to the Gouernor of the cittie with command hewarned him that none after that time etherin regard of rendring him selfe or of flight should hope for parddon of him but should be driuen back into the cittie or be hanged as many as should come from thence VVithall he commanded all places to be kept with watches by which they could passe priuilie promising fiue and twentie crownes for a recompence to those that cayght them coming out of the towne All for the present being astonished and therfor as it oftē hapneth made the boulder hereby cōmitted them selues to the mercie of Spinola who weeping with all possible prayers entreated them without the fortes that receiuing them they would asist them with meate or else kil them rather then to send them back into the cittie Spinola receiued the wife of a certaine trades-man of
Antwerp together with her litle childe now lately of her owne heade departed out of the cittie commanding the rest that came with her to returne back but afterwards he dispenced more liberally with his owne law sending back none of the fugitiues in to the towne when but few and very seldome any of them issued out He hanged up two boores in the sight of the cittie which in the dead of the night endeuoured to carry thither victualls This fact proued prositable and better then mercie others afterwards being made afraide by this exemple Graue Maurice thinking with a greater number to send victualls to the besieged bringing great quantitie of corne and other prouision to the hauens of the cittie nere at hand he prepares eighteene great boates with flat bottomes which in a calme might goe vnto them which freed from the surging of the seas feared the sandes nothing at all and lye safely at ancre in shallow places To these he makes sides and fore-deckes raised up on ether side and high of thick oake to resist all kind of force and batterie Euery one made after this maner he armeth with four or six brasen and iron peeces furnisheth with many balles of wilde-fire afterwards he loades them with corne barreled vp with great quantitie of cheese bacon and porke All were set with most expert shooters He aduertiseth those of Breda at the same time that with some of their best soldiars they vpon the day appointed should breake out of the towne and should plant them vpon our bridge Those of Breda obeynig this commandment make ready fourteene ferrieboates six wherof they furnish with so many canons and withe balles of wilde fire and appoint three hundred soldiars to stand vpon the shipps they prouide six hundred which might sallie out from the lande neere the riuer VVhich thinge Spinola vnderstanding doth fortifie a bulwarke which he made in the village of heyden with greater garrison by which way the enimie was to passe planteing agreat hedge made of trees furthermore he determined to plant another roe or hedge with greater stakes bound together two thousand foure hondred paces longe betwixt was fair litle forts which he built ouer the blackdik as they call it lest by that water which during all the winter did flowe into the cittie the enemies might passe their prouision for such was the nature of those meadowes that as often as the swelling of thesea raged which alwayes happened euery twelue houres ouer flowing also with land waters they might easily enter into the cittie with flat bottome boates and also made a passage for footemen after the sea was gone out But behoulde the windes which at the first were very prosperous for Graue Maurice to our vnspeakable happines turned contrary the raging also of the sea contrary to its custome did scarce so much as moue the waters and so once againe the diuine power did ouerthrow the enimies designe In the meane while whilst the ships loaden with victuals and soldiars were stopt with the weather the number of cheese and bacon was so diminished by the pilfering of the soldiars that litle store of this his prouision could haue come vnto the besieged although it had hapened that the ships had passed by vs. But a few dayes after the corne which was barreld vp wet with the moysture of the rayne and of the ship began to growe thorough the chinkes of the barrells after it was taken out of the ships and thus the enimies alwayes endured one losse vpon another Afterwards when our men were sent out of the campe to fetch wood and forraige that nere at hand being spent the enimies supposed that our soldiars being dispersed to gather forraige and wood might easily be distroyed by their horsemen and for this cause noted the more dilligently our gathering of wood and forraige They laboured by all meanes possibile about this matter that our men might be depriued of both this seemed easie vnto them because their strenght of horse was greater when as our horse were almost all employed partly in defending the campe partly in bringing prouision and that it was all one ether to put them to the sword or hinder them of their cariage which being lost the siege could not be mayantained hence it hapned by oure daylie foraginges which was needfull when foraige was fetcht from vnuseall and dispersed houses that few forraigers could goe about in to those dispersed and dangerous places which though it did not doe great hurt vnto vs yet it did great hurt to the soldiars to the beastes and to the carriars Spinola least he should leaue any long time so litle a spirt of ioye to the enimie afterwards as often as he was to fetche forraige he expected the returne of the companies whom for Sauegard sake the Count of Bergues brought back within three leages of the campe by whose Saueguard he sent the forraigers from the campe on euery side vnto the fildes neere adioyning Furthermore he so disposed of his conuoyes that when the wagons at Lyre were loaded with corne diuiding the number of horse and foote the wagons being loaden with oates they should speedely transport forriage into the campe which being afterwards vnloaden the soldiars as soone as might be returned back to Lyre to gard the other conuoyes In the meane while the other horses which were in a maner become vn profitable to doe any worke by reason of their labor and leannes were sent into more fertile places in winter to fetch forrage whilst others returned to whom their owne quarters were assigned for their repose So the iorneys being dubled with freshe horses and well fed he prouided forraige and prouision in a short time ouer which officie Alexander Hesius leftenamt of the Artillerie was appointed who vsed continuall diligence and expedition in loading and transporting therof But after the prouinces on whom of their owne willes the cariage of corne and forraige was imposed perceiued the siege shoulde longe indure and alwayes new requestes to be added to the former being wearied with the charge of so many wagons continually sent and seemed after to refuse a new meanes of getting prouision was inuented Ther were hired in all those villages wagons with two wheeles which for their greater compasse one horse commonly but two at the most do draw with greater speede then three do draw those which goe vpon four wheeles although they be lesser The price agreed vpon for euery one which at the first was much greater by reason of the difficultie of the wayes afterwards in better times was halfe diminished So corne was prouided with far lesse charges of horse and wagons with lesse forraige with like expedition equall number and easier price This new industrie conseued Graue Maurice who trusting to the season of the time beleeued that by reason of so deare and so long cariages we should neuer ouercome so great difficulties of corne
especially because winter now was so nere at hande and all the villages being emptied the corne was carried in to the citties and the cattell by reason of the war to be driuen away far off He is reported braging to haue said to his frendes that which once Pompeo said to Dirachius of Cesar That he vvould not refuse but to be esteemed an Emperor vvorthe nothinge if Spinolaes armie departed vvithout shame and therfore he would willingly grante that glorie to him after Spinola had held out the siege the whole winter that he might know more then him selfe and also more then the diuells them selues And indeed vnles diuine succour had continually more asisted our affaires then humaine did and the winter season which vsually was sharp had beene most milde we could neuer haue ouercome so great difficulties with such constancie verelie the aboundance of waters which the townes-men sent vpon our campes during Nouēbre when they shut the flood-gates or sluces of the riuers to poure abroad Aa and Merkam began to cast downe our dikes put vs enough both vnto feare and care Nether did Spinola thinke ether that that war could haue lasted so long or that there should neede so great a number of wagons or that the expences of cariage would proue so great which burthen if the prouinces from the first beginning had seene the whole together before their eies per haps they would neuer haue inbraced that with so good a will and consent as they faithfully sustayned euen to the end of the siege defreying the charges of four hondred wagons as also paynig the wages of the prouinces footemen by which fact they shewed themselues most faith full to their Kinge and haue acquired euerlasting praise Moreouer who could fore-see so many troubles thorough all Europe should be stirred vp only for Bredaes sake It was commonly beleeued that there was not sufficient prouision of corne and victuals for so many thousand heades as were kept in siege before the cittie The cittisens accustomed to plentie and vnaccustomed to war and hungar would not endure or suffer penurie The French Scotch English VVallons Dutch of whome many were placed in garison would neuer expect till corne began to faile some by nature others by custome being greedie of their owne pleasures made us liue in hope of a speedy rendring so easie a thing it is to begin war at ones pleasure but to end it at an others But besides the corne which the cittisens had were man by man commanded to prouide and which were laid up for the soldiars in the common store-house the contry people all the time that we lay at Gilse it not being as then resolued to shut up all the passages at once carried a great quantitie into the cittie for feare of war Furthermore all the Captaines and commanders for the excessiue gaine which they made by asking and receiuing the payes of those that died resolued constantlie in them selues to vndergoe all asperities and so much the longer by how much more soldiars dyed by sicknes and other miseries because by that losse their gaine daylie encreased and not vnwillingly sustained their owne hungar by the wages of the dead getting death by pouertie and gayne by death so much more is gold preferred before fidelitie The number of those that died during the siege was so great that aboue fiue thousand dead bodies were brought in account to Libitine which was the third part of all the heades which were in Breda being numbered at the first to fifteene thousand and so the sparingnes of the dead serued for victuals to the liuing which thing lest we nor the cittisens them selues should perceiue it was prouided from the begining by the Magistrats of the towne that none afterwards thohugh rich or noble should haue the bells runge at there buriall These thinges did not only deceiue ours but for the most part also euē the opiniō of the besieged them selues the Captaines otherwise who were mightie in factiō had after a maner set their faith to sale and many of those that fled from the cittie affirmed that vnlesse the sige were the sooner raised that they could hould out no longer which selfe same thinge was written out of Holland to the Count of Bergues Also a German soldiar who had serued the Hollanders nine monthes being taken by ours and knowen by the Count of Isenburge to be one of his cittie his life being pardoned upon this condition was sent back to Breda that when as thinges were in the greatest extremitie he should returne vnto our armie assured both of his life and of reward after he had bene two monthes at Breda conuersant amongst the soldiars without suspicion being returned he related that the soldiars compelled by necessitie now began to sustaine their liues with horse flesh nor had not corne for two monthes He councelled them that Spinola should more often batter the cittie with his canons at least in shew that they might with the more apparent pretext rendre them selues They ioyfull and encouraged with the relation of these thinges know for certaine what they will and what they wishe esteening the Count of Bergues nether to be deceiued nor the German soldiar to haue lyed in so great a matter nor al the fugitiues to haue bene false they request Spinola to let them batter the cittie with their artillerie He although he knew well enough scarcely any thing was to be got with those engines amongst soldiars inurded to warr the cittisens also euen with custome to cast away feare yet condiscended to their request that on three sides on which so many bulwarkes were close to the cittie the walles of the cittie and the houses should be battered Fhillip Count of Mansfeld oportunely returned at that time in to our armie lately Captaine of a companie to Gustam Adolphus Kinge of Suede renowmed for his famous facts who had led his troupes with great authoritie He hauing added industrie vnto art as vse is the master of al thinges found out that it might serue for great good purpose vnto warr a new kinde of engine which might be fitter for to transport and carrie the balles farther and that with lesse quantitie of poudre To giue order to this busines departing from the campe to Bruxells he caused fortie brasse peeces to be cast also twentie thre murdederinge peeces to send forth balles of wild-fire Thirtie of those lesser peeces of no more weight then a hundred and fourscore pound did euery one carry balles of six pound weight the then greater each one of seauen hundred fiftie pound carried balles of fiue and twentie pound The vse of these although they cost but halfe so much was yet greater and more frequent for the litle ones were easilie drowen with two horse and the greater with no more then four wherasalthe old ones must haue seauen ten or eighteene They carried iron balles only with the third part of poudre further then the ould
one did That abridgment Māsfilds art inuented for he knew so well how to boyle with fire the melted mettall that hauing lesse thicknes of brasse yet was of like hardnes and was also bettet then the greater peeces and their lightnes so much the lesse The balles also although they were shot with lesse poudre yet for the same reasō flew the further for the fire being giuen in the center giues fire to all the pouder at once but otherwise beinge giuen in the furmust part of the bottō driue the ball with greater vehimencie of the peece An other inuention also of this Count was admired Iron balles made with salt peeter of aboue a hundred pound weight he made to carrie seuentie paces further then any other brasse murdering peece These he shot from a far off into the very hart or middest of the cittie wheras otherwise al the force of murdering peeces by reason of the long distance vtterlie died before they came there because our bulwarkes were at lest six hundred paces from the cittie we vnderstood by the run awayes do lesse damage then terror to haue surprised the besieged by the shooting of those balles we also saw hauing got the cittie the great ruines of houses that were ouerthrowen One of the ammunition houses wherin the poudre was keept hauing the top tumbled downe not taking fire fell without doing any hurt likely otherwise to haue brought great slaughter upon the cittie But other balles of the canons where with on a three fould side and on that especially which Count Isenbergue wonne we battered the cittie made such feare that both many houses were left emptie and the assemble was called weekly to church without the ringing of any belle and at an vnusuall houre and at last the soldiars were commanded to goe to their standing places without the ringing of the belles The wife of Captaine Aertsenius that shee might encourage the fearfull mindes of the cittisens when the bullets flew very thick being carried in her coache upon the walles shewing a manlike courage in a womans bodie taught that courage was to stand in steede of a wall The enimies affaires standing in these termes it was commonly saied amongst the people that the confederated States and Graue Maurice were one angrie with another for the ill managing of these matters The States al eaging that because he had left so much time to Spinola to fortifie his tents busying him selfe to beate downe the walles of cleaues that noting being done after two and twentie dayes spent to no purpose he departed from the campe at meade Contrarywise Graue Maurice blamed the States and here after spoke ill af their gouuernment among whom generally in the opinion of all men they altogether made their profit of him That he left it to themselues to iudge whether they had don him more honor then they had receiued benefit from him The states displeased with that speeche and fearing least he would reiect the gouerment cried out together that he was their soueraigne Captaine nor did at all dout of his wisdome and fidelitie but that they had only proposed those thinges which seemed to them to be expedient that he should goe forward to defend the common-welth with the sword to dispose of the war after his owne pleasure that they would make it appeare vnto him how deare Breda was vnto them that he should spare for no impositions were it for no other respect then that it was the patrimonie of the house of Nassau He appeased with this promise and excuse lest he should suffer his diligence to be craued of the common wealth caused a thousand horse to be enrolled and armed at his owne expences Mereouer the States them selues another thousand to encrease the companies which were expected from france further they consult about making a damme wherewith they might shut vp the passage of the riuer of Merka not far from Seuenberge This forsooth seeming to be the only meanes left vnto them to deliuer Breda if as often as the raging of the sea swelled highe accustomed to ouer-flow into the adioyning fieldes and the winter waters which flow into the riuer by the brookes being retayned they should ouer-flow all the groundes and that that standing water was fit ether to send victualls by shipes into the cittie or for distroying of our armie they set therfore vpon this matter of so great importance and of so incredible expences they send to Seuenbergue in great number of boates barkes and cock boates wherof they haue great aboundance to that place wher there is a certaine mouth of the riuer which they call Lamsgate and the side-bankes to the clifts ar full of hollow places All thies boates were needfull to carry the piles Then many ditchers and wourkmen being set a worke they ordaine wood to be cut downe turffe to be cut round about stones trees plankes to be carried boates to be loaded and lastly the piles to be set opposite to ether side of the banke when behould at by an vnexpected frost of three dayes they ar compelled to desist In the very night of our Lords Natiuitie vpon which day they first did vndertake that worke Staken brouck with great troupes of his went to Rosendale and comes behinde the backes of Isenburges companies to see what he could espie he vnderstood by his spies that but a litle ditche being filled it was easie to passe which to fill there needed but some six or seauen spads Glad of this newes takes with him eighteene companies of horse with no more then seauen spades Being come to the place he perceiues that the thinge could not be done with the helpe of a hundred spades yet sending some before he commandes them to attempt the passage Our hors-man that had his appointed standing which watched not far off discharging his peece giues the signe and cryes out arme Stakenbrouck thinking to be bewrayed by the signe commanded to sound al the trumpetes contented only to haue disqueted oure campes ran away All passages being otherwise so stopped by Count Isenbergue with so many ditches with so many boughes of trees and piles fastned in the earth that they scarcly seemed passable to a single man The frost being past the workmen although great difficultie was proposed of dispatching the damme by reason of the swiftnis of the riuer returne to their ommitted worke they sinke three very longe boates of burthen to the bottom loaden with turffe and with stones and casting sagotts vpon the earthe together with the damme begume on both the brinkes of the riuer laying the turffes in order driuing great stakes betwixt to bind the ground they aduance halfe way into the riuer Moreouer in the towne it selfe of Seuēbergue by letting in and letting out the floodes they make sluces on the other side of the riuer that after the floodes had fild the fieldes they kept them vnder water by the height of that poole by
which it was needfull to passe ouer the ferrie-boates full of prouision hauing therfore gayned the ebbing and flowing of the sea they againe prepare those thinges which ar needfull to furnish the ships Spinola pondered that worke with much care and therfore he studeed before all thinges that by the information of spies he might vnderstand in all times by day and night what soeuer was done in that place And as often as the Moone was ether new or at the full which dayes ar wont to cause the greatest raging of the seas he planted more forces nere to the campes of heyden and of hage on which side the irruption was most feared Next he caused the sluces of all the riuers by which the land-waters were brought about heydam into the riuer of Breda to be opened whilst the waues of the sea ouer-drowned all the fildes and being retyred commanded them to be shut and then when they came to worke about their pretended damme lower now by the waters departed he sodainly drawing vp the sluces by letting goe the rest of the force of the water which he retayned sent it vpon their worke and hindred all the administration of their endeuours Furthermore setting mariners by night cut asunder the bankes of the riuer of Merkain sundry places the length of fiue thousand foote for which there was a two-fould reason First that such waters as they retayned by the damme to make the channel of the riuerswell and let out towards heydam he cutting the bankes of the riuer might diuert into the bordering valleys of the fieldes Next that by how much the more water the surging of the sea should bring ouer the bankes into the large spaces of the meadowes it should be returned back with the greater violence by its departure vpon the damme which for certaine so fell out so that by how much the neerer both the sides of the damme approached together so much the higher the sand raised it selfe from the bottome finally asking the aduises of all carpenters and other Inginieres who denyed that so great a damme could be preserued from higher waters yet before all councelles Spinola iudged it expedient to prouide that no place should be left the enemie to pierce thorough Number X. Num 10 AGGER A SPINOLA IACTVS PALVSTRI LOCO Lorica vallis ligâ—eis munitionibus aggeribusque tormentarijs firmatus A. Agger tabulis constratus B. Pons Naualis inter Heydam et Hagam C. Brachia ponti praestructa D. Seps duplex palustri loco fixa E. Vallus quadruplex seu palisade in flumine Merka F. Munimenta idonea imponendis maioribus tormentis G. Loricula nostroruÌ„ trans Merkam These thinges accomplished the enemies not slowlie mended vp againe in the nerer places the detriment of the trenche cut by vs by a double fortification made on ther side at the mouth of the riuer lest we should hinder by our irruptions the disposition of the worke Also those of Breda ether that they might come into some part of the worke and hauing broken the force of their riuers the damme at Seuenbergue might be more easily perfited or that they might recompence the worke attempted in September all in vaine by destroying the trenches with which the riuers ar diuided to let forth water upon our campes they began to make those bulwarkes thicker and to raise them higher This being knowen Spinola seeing he could not diuert the riuer of Merka from his wonted current he maketh a ditch of two thousand two hundred feete longe before the walles of the cittie where a higher ground retayned the waters by which he turneth all standing water by a brooke brought about the side of the cittie into Merka lest the waters should be let up higher into his campes VVhich ditch before it was finished being augmented and strengthened in the riuer by those of Breda being cast downe by the diluge of those waters that were gathered together ouerth rew some of the sluces and fortifications of the walles to the great affrightmeÌ„t of the cittie Also nere vnto Seuenbergue the great force of the water returneing back drowned three ships in the botthome of the riuer which being loaden they had sunke into it and ouer-boare al the piles laid upon them Vnto which thinge that of the diuine protection did succeed because as longe as that ditche was wrought by so many handeslabouring together although they shot continually against our men forth of the cittie yet the shoulder of one only soldiar was shot with a litle bullet Those of Seuenbergue would not yet desist from their designe which they had in vaine attempted the third or fourth time although they vnderstood it was most hard to be effected They who saw the miserablenes of their estate iudged that they went about with a vaine dissimulation to relieue the hope of the besieged They notwithstaÌ„ding bargaine to repaire the vndertaken damme from both sides of the bankes of the riuer To strenghten it they fasteÌ„ straight trees by a line in the riuer filling it up with turffes giuen froÌ„ hand to hand They fil up the spaces betwixt the trees with great stones turffes and boughes of trees Least their labor should be intermitted the turffes digged out of lowe places whence the swelling of the sea drawe back the water they lay up in piles like to stacks that such as by the swelling of the waters appeared aboue they might bring to withe their cock boates Lastly so they striue against both sea and riuer as if they woulde ouercome euen nature it selfe Iustinus Nassau begaÌ„ againe to repaire the bulwarkes at Breda and gaue order to amend the floud-gates and fortresses that were fallen furthermore to raise up the trenches and the walles before our cannons lest the houses should by endomaged by our shooting Spinola although he beleeued now in some sort the affirmation of the Architects or engineres that his kaÌ„pes could not be remoued nether by the ouerflowinges of the chanielles by the waues of the sea nor by the refluxes of the ditches of the towne by which by the cuting of a new ditch he diuerted the water of the fenues into Merka froÌ„ the fieldes yet because he knew the Hollanders to be skilfull in sea matters both by speculatioÌ„ and by practise and saw theÌ„ not desist from their endeuours sent continually spies to Seuenbergue not conteÌ„t with the report of what they found vnless theÌ„ selues had also seene that to be true which they affirmed And when word was brought that the damme for the most part perfected did goe forward and many ships to lye at ancre prepared to carry victualls turned that way whether the win de of Breda carried them once againe by Gods prouideÌ„ce the winde which had blowen prosperously vntill that day turned contrary and so great a tempest arose on the sodaine that the posts driueÌ„ in to the riuer with sledges or raÌ„mers the turffes the fagots and the stones were ouer-borne by
the deluge and the litle boates wherwith they brought the turffes and other materialls beaten one against another and cast on the shore and all nauigation vtterly hindered But afterwards by those tēpests they gayned this by the change of the weather and continuation of the windes that the work of the ondertaken dāme they supposed necessarily to be deferred vntill the next march These thinges vnderstood the Senat lest ether by the continuance of the siege they should want victualls or for want of mony should be vnable to pay the soldiars wages resolued by two wayes to prouide a remedie First to lenghten out their prouision by measuring out and distributing of it sparingly for after that they had once in the month of September taken acount from house to house of the corne they againe in October calculate all the graine in the whole cittie and againe in the same October in two dayes space all that was noted was againe measured setting watchmen from street to street writinge downe the number of people in each familie And when the cittisens were found to haue twelue thousand measures of wheate in the publicque store-house fiue thousand ad fiue hundred head of cattell it was decreed that there should be measured for so many weekes to the soldiar out of the common store-house a hundred and fiftie measures to the cittisens out of their owne heape a-thousand measures eighteene head of cattell to be slaine wherof the pound should be sold for three penns Num. 11. Then they began after this maner to cure the discease of the want of mony The Gouernor of the cittie the Coronells and Captaines and all the Officers swearing how much mony euery one had affirmed that what euery one was able to lend should be coyned a new Number XI Then were four sorts of monie of brasse and siluer made of a four square forme the thre that were of siluer were of two foure and six shilinges those of brasse of a penny halfpeny and a farthing Then was it published by a Cryar that that sort of money should passe currant for so much and be of such a valew as they were declared by their prices In the meane while vnwelcome newes were brought vnto vs of Brocheme a towne of Cleeue Lambertus Charlesius of Newmehe Gouernor of the confederated States vnderstanding of the smale number of the garison and of the fall of the walles gathering men forth of the adioyning confederated places he endeuoreth to breake into Gogh on what side he may and doth attempt it Of nine hundred of ours who were left in garison only fiue hundred were esteemed fit to beare armes the rest being worne out with sicknes or with wearines The fortresses being weakned with the moisture where the ditches of the walles were full of foordes gaue passage to the troopes nor were on that side planted with stakes or with piles Iacobus Tourlandus Gouernor of Grocheme aduertised of the issu of the soldiars of Newmege aduiseth the neighbouring Gouernors of the Kinges townes that they should looke to them selues being him selfe as he thought secure Euer now and then he made the round about the walles and the day before they besieged the towne he doubleth the number of the watche He commanded four-score to gard that place where the walles were broken where it seemed by reason of the ruines a more easie passage did lye open Also what he had vnderstood of the enemies issue whate he had a duised his neighbours what him selfe had done of al these thinges he giues account by writing vnto Spinola which letters of Ioānes Gonsales Gōuernor of VVesel of the vncertaine state of thinges togheter with the letter of Tourland being receiued he checkes Tourland that ether forgetfull or careles of him selfe he vndertooke the care of others when he could not by reason of so great distance of place send succour from the campe in due time The enimie going forth in the dead of the night early in the morning stood vnder the fallen walle of the towne There were four thousand foote and four hundred horse These whilest they laboured to get to the top by the ruines our fourscore watch-men assricted on a sodaine at the presence and number of the enimie forsaking their leader with shamefull feare betaking them to slight gaue way to the enimie to entre in by that place which they had vndertooke to defend They posessing the walles with their weapons a while after sease upon two gates and upon the market The most part of Tour-lands owne forsaking him hardly able to withstand the assault the enimie being now come to the gates gathering together some soldiars of those that fled endeauoreth to defend the Castle and the other Gate of the cittie He sendes to VVesel to Ioannes Gonsales to craue helpe promising both he and his in the meane time to keepe the place Gonsales writ back vnto him that he should still retayne his former courage and auoweth that he should soone receiue succour from him only that he should stand faithfull with much a doe was that day sustained By night when ours couragiously opposed the forces of the enimie at lenght there were beaten out of the gates only the Castle did remaine The next day after perceiuing the succour of a thousand foote who contrary to that which Tourland had aduertised to be done entring by the posterne gate of the Castle by hastning to breake the bridge leauing three hundred on the other-side of the riuer all which were ether slaine by the enimie or came aliue in to their subiection Tourland hauing mended with lathers and boordes that bridge which led out of the castle into the towne and which him selfe had broken about to make a sallie forth into the cittie being shot in the bellie was greuously wounded and so at last in the sight of all the Captaines upon honorable conditions rendred it up Lambertus Charlesius author of that expedition got the victorie but enioyed not the benefit therof very long For after certaine houses sacked Churches robbed Altars subuerted Images burned all thinges diuine and humaine quite disordered lastly nether weighing nor moderating nothing but to doe iniurie at last had this victorie dying of the palsie he receiued worthie punishment for his wickednes It appeared even by the iudgment of the enimie that we lost no great matter by loosing Grocheme nether it was so much intercepted for desire of retayning it but thinking to diuert Spinola from Breda For Breda being now rendred they aggreed with us without any condition asked on the other side that that towne should be reputed for neutral and free Those of Breda notwistanding hearing of that victorie talking with our watche from the walles with a wittie soldiar like wipe bid them be packing to Grocheme About that time it was reported that the troupes which Mansfield had gathered ran vp and downe in the borders of henault and Artois the
bordering prouinces next vnto France The Infanta Isabella albeit she could not suspect that any Prince would entangle her florishing affaires with those forlorne affaires of Māsfield yet because she was not ignorant that the willes of Kinges as they ar violent so to be mouable and vncertaine she according to the greatnes of the perill prepared for war howsoeuer and resolued to resiste strōgly if it were offered she therfore appointed garisons about henault and Artois for the defēce of the confines To those of henault she sent the Count of Emden for their comander Artois she commended to the Count of hoogstrat who was chiefe gouernor therof to be defended She sent the Count of sforza to hasten the Captaines and the Duke of Bauarias companies against the coming of Mansfeld She commanded the corne and cattel to be driuen into the remoter citties she forbid horse to be transported out of the low contries into France as the french had then forbid corne to be carried into the low contries Spinola likewise suspecting that Mansfeld seconded with the french English and German aydes would deflect towards the lower Palatinat commandes VVilliam Verdugius Gouernor of those places to gather in garison a hundred and eleuen free companies of Germans with two companies of horse besides the companie of Captaine Gratfreus admitted into pay with fiue hundred horse In the meane space the soldiars in the wallon prouinces armed them selues with three thousand horse and with almost fifteene thousand foote the companies gathered a new towards the end of sommer were also ready The companies of the Count of Anholt of three thousand foote came with a winge of a thousand horse Baron of Ainsi hastining them the Marques Spinella armed on the borderes withe the emperores socorres who resolued with a willing minde and great desire to encounter Mansfeld with four thousand two hūdred horse and three thousand foote All the Prouinces companies ar committed to the commād of Don Carolus Coloma late Embassador for the Kinge The Prouinces horse were cōmitted to Albertus Arenbergue Prince of Barbancone Master de campe who was for that purpose lately called from the commandrie of the horse These were first wiled to stay at Namure to the end to stop Mansfelds passage if as of late he should come to inuade the borders but vnderstanding a while after that he went about to ioyne him selfe with Graue Maurices companies both of them with the Prouinces companies planted them selfes not far from Antwerp Spinola reioycing to haue so great an armie as the wallons scarce remember euer to haue seene the like for they were censured besides the garisons of the bordering citties to be thirtie thousand foote eight thousand horse yet ommitted no time without solicitude of the siege but that he endeuored by letters intercepted to vnderstand the councells of Maurice and of the besieged For this respect he was not wearied nether with watchinges nor with labor He setteth many in standing and watching places promising thē great rewardes if they could intercept any such letters Three were seene to enter into the cittie our watch being ether careles or deceiued by their celeritie Almost in that place whence thiese were seene to slip by by those that sought a few dayes after a litle purse was found wherin two letters smeared round about with wax against the damage of the water if they were to be caried in by meanes of water Both were Maurices one written to Iustinus Naslauius the other to teState of Breda written with characters abbreuiations al most inexplicable In these when many had trauelled to interpret them only the good fortune of Michaele Rōtartius Secretarij to the Kinge and to the Marques preuayled He by continuall studie both day and night pickt out their meaning This was the substance of one of them written to Iustinus with a shorter discourse Num. 12. Specimen posterioris circumuallationis circulo passuum LII millium Number XII These letters being receiued and Maurices designes made knowen vnto vs calling and requiring so great forces of forraine soldiars Spinola vnderstanding that al that war was intended against him and that he was yet to retaine in the field full three monthes space when Maurice had vndertaken with so great obstinacie to deliuer Breda as though he esteemed the whole good of the common welthe to be placed in the losse of that one cittie breaking downe first those forts which lately being built at mede Maurice had forsaken he resolued to encompasse his armie with incredibile labor with a trenche of wonderfull greatnes in the most wicked time of winter least so great an armie of the enimie should break in behinde him at vnawares as they had appointed at the beginning of the springe That trenche when it was finished in the whole compasse contayned fiftie two thousand paces so much greater was this then that former made on the sodaine contayning no more then thirtie thousand six hundred paces Posteritij will wonder nether would Pompey him selfe or Cesar beleeue it if they were aliue of whom the one cut a trench at the most of fifteene thousand paces the other one of eighteen thousand to goe to Dyracchius And lest any man should thinke that the count should be mistaken it is thought good that the number of the paces thorough euery campe being found out by his owne care and fidelitie should be committed to writing The quarter of Spinola in the village of Genik with that which Salazarius generall of the horse defended at his back were inclosed with a trenche of two and twentie thousand six hundred thirtee three paces That of Balancon with eight thousand six hundred That of Isenburgue with a leuen thousand fiue hundred fiftie four That of Ballion with nine thousand eight hundred thirtiene Now Spinola had begun to compasse within with an other trenche but of a lesser space against the irruptions of the besieged That because the cittie was first rendred was neuerfully finished yet contayned with his imperfect circle sixteene thousand paces But doth of these were ten foote highe the walles arising not vpright but step by step Below fifteene foote thick with abanket and parapet with in for the vse of the shooters below ten foote thicke raised vp fiue foote highe with a ditch depressed without side seauen foote Depe in breadth fifteene from side to side the bottome lyeng open no more then eight foote These two trenches had so much more strenght then the former which in height exceeded not fiue foote in thicknes seauen foote with a ditch nothing broader Vnto both of these greater trenches were built new redutes and batteries to plant canons vpon furthermore were at euery entrie a haulf moone Diuers redutes were also adioyned by reason of the perill and dangerous cituation of the place They were so fortified with new receptacles and with many other workes that none but he who saw them could hardly conceiue the frame of so great
workes so that I. May with out iniurie truly tearme them a very Labyrinth of fortifications The number of all the workes in the campes besides those fortifications which were built in diuers villages ether to defend the conuoyes or to defend the irruptions were a hundred seauentie eight refuges fourscore and sixtine redutes thirtie seauen fortes fortie fiue with batteries reforsed so far did this siege surpasse the renowmed endeauours of Cesar against Alesia and Dyrachium where there were no more but four and twentie fortes without any more fortificationes but atrence VVhilst these thinges began to be set in order Mansfeld hauing gathered together certaine helpes beyond the sea and else where supposing him selfe in despite now to be feared fayning to goe to the Palatinat humbly beseecheth the Archdutches Isabella by letters that she would please to grant him a safe passage thorough her contrie and to asist him with a secret conuoy he had conceited in his head that without any suspicion he should be suffered to passe thorough the Kinges prouinces which way he was of necessitie to goe to gratifie his Master the Kinge of England That he would not attempt the same without aduertiseng hir altesa which she without discurtesie could not seeme to deny but if she should then that he would make his way by force which the equitie of his cause required Isabella hauing often tried the honestie of that so well knowen man thought it best to signifi by silence how litle credit he had with her and how litle she feared his sodaine gathered and vnexpert armie fitter for the plough then for the war nor composed scarcely of any other then of soldiars compelled by force she being fortified with so many and so expert soldiars In the meane space those of Breda whilst they see them selucs entrenched with so great workes both expect with longe hope for Mansfieldes helpe and he tossed too and fro with the sea to tarrie longer then they expected began to groane and to wax wearie For now cheese and stock fishe fayled now they began most cruelly to enhance the price of meates A pound of butter was at halfe a crowne a pot of oyle at six shillinges an egge at three pence halfpeny a measure of pease three pound a pound of Bacon eighteene pence which dearth of victualls the soilderes impatient of want draue them to the dismall eating of dead bodies others for the most part by the vse of vnaccustomed meates became as the Phisitians call it full of scurffe for being wearied with all sorts of euills afflicted with a greuous plague were nourished with ould and with stinking wheate long before prouided against such an accident The cittisens as the labors of the soldiars and assudietie of their watchinges did diminish tooke vpon theÌ„ to keepe the walles of the cittie leauing the outward forrifications to the soldiars from which worke none albeit ould and exempted would admit dispensation Iustinus Nassau least the extreame dearth and want of victualls should cause some vproare amongst the soldiars to the end he might make them the more faithfull to him he chose the more needy artificers to be in the places of the dead soldiars that they might haue wages when now they had no gettinges and might succeed vnto their labors Furthermore acquitting them of euery second watch commaÌ„ding them to watche but euery third night became more gentle and more milde â—lackning the seueritie of the former discipline Then the Captaines exhorted them the preachers of the wourd out of their pulpits besought them for Gods sake that they would not grow faint harted nor by the base title of rendring to submit them selfes to the filthie seruitude of the Spaniard that they should nothing dout of the assurance of Mansfelds coming because he seemed not to be present at the day appointed that therfore they were deceiued that he was nerer at hand then they thought but that the messages could not be brought be reason that all passages were stopped That Spinola was not for hopes sake daylie exercised in making of so many fortifications that he him selfe being witnes he should not vse their owne affirmation that the German French English and Holland helpes were at hand for fear of whom Spinola was busied day and night that it was an argument of vnworthie tendernes not to suffer penurie helpes being so neere at hand and but so litle awhile before they would come that all difficulties were now ouercome and only libertie was expected that the impatience of a few dayes ought not to loose the praise of so great constancie and pouertie endured VVhich thinges being saied the Captaines least they should be conuinced of lying by the besieged or that the miserable condition of the cittie being seene and vnderstood should be brought vnto us by the report of the conuoyes decreed that no Trumpeters or drummers sent by us should froÌ„ thence fourt be admitted within the walles but should expect their answer without and here by the councell of manlianus they should be intertained honorably and liberally to boast of the aboundance of their victualls The Magistrates also looking into euery thinge forbid the confraternities of the cittiesen of all assemblies after the example of Augustus least they should enter into factions vnder the title of a colledge in the knot of some wicked faction The soldiars also were watched of the Captaines as often as many walked about and by their presence the coniurations of those that walked were preuented VVith these and the like remedies was the cittie in perill preserued and the languishing mindes of the cittisens and of the soldiards sustained when they held up their necessities by only hope Now at lenght Mansfeld with his companies of foote approached by sea vnto Gittrenbergue when heauen was once againe seene to fight against him For the windes did so beate the arriued nauie one against the other that many of the ships being broken did serue for nothing then as if all the cold of the winter had bene reserued for that time all the riuers were shut up with a sudaine frost that prouision could no longer be carried to them It is the custome of those of Gittenbergue to keepe at home litle prouision upon the confidence of continuall nauigation and of the neighbouring places Hence by the arriuall af so great a companie of soldiars there was smale prouision of meate for all them the frost forbiding to bring in new Furthermore what with plague with agues with the sea and with vomiting by reason of their long shutting up in the ships with the narrownes of the roome and many fild with the filthie sauor being almost all raw soldiars and vnaccustomed to tempests and stinckes were cast into the waues ether dead or halfe aliue There was counted by some aboue the number of four thousand Some cast into the sea for dead by swiming got to the shore and ar yet liuing in
the towne Many dead bodies floting by the shore side vnburied and more euery where cast up by the sea upon the land breathed forth a greuous plague upon the neighbouring townes of Holland A very sorrowful spectacle to the English soldiars who by the outward soyle whether they were sent for succour were so roughly entertayned But that which befell much more miserably when Mansfeld durst not set a shore those whom against their wills he constrained to take their oathe by the same remedie chiefly they dyed by which they were kept least that they should runn away to wit enkindled by that prohibition Notwithstanding many betaking them to vs by flight vnarmed ragged presented vs a patterne of the rest affirming them selues to be in better fashion then the rest when almost all of them were inuoluntarie and vnexpert in war that they were by and by taught how to handle their weapons when they were to be led in to the field It was saied to haue bene sene that some found amongst them who fild in all the poudre at once into their peeces mouthes euen to the top which had bene measured to them for sundry shots that there was scarce place to put in the bullet so skilfull were they in their pieces It appeared by many letters that those companies were gathered compulsitorilie of the most basest sort of the rascallitie and that in a short time what by sicknesses what by runing away they were so diminished so that of fourteene thousand scarcely four did remayne VVhilst Mansfelds ships were with-houldē by the frost that very season of the yeare admonished us of diuers considerations The fort of Nordame nere to Seuenbergue inaccessible in summer by reason of the waues now to begone vnto on foote by reason of the cold Prinsland also Rosendale and Seuenbergue it selfe were thought might easilie be taken by reason of that weather Dispatching therfore spies on euery side granadose and balles of wild fire were also prepared to cast in to the enimies ships But in vaine when the frosen crust of the riuers which otherwise seemed thick an firme were so weake for the snow in texmixed that scarcely would they carry the waight of two or three soldiars at once The wayes also the snowe neuer lying in one equal height but driuen hither and thiter by the winde into the ditches so that doutfull places could not be discerned from the solid were very dangerous to lead the troupes that were to marche The spies stood in snow somtimes up to the breast somtimes up to the mouth and somtimes fallen or couered in the snow were faine to be haled out Nether their voice nor their hollowing one to another would any thing helpe Three soldiars of fuggeran practised in all bould attempts getting in to the tents of Rosendale after drinking and talking together they had discried the enimies ships betrayed in their returne scarcely escaped by flight one being wounded and taken But else where the fuggerans attempts fell out more happely and a very few of them frequently brought back with them many captiues but the fortune and deceit of war is very variable There were some who besought Spinola that with the companies of Carolus Coloma together with some of his companies adioyned he would suffet Rosendale litle fortified to be assaulted That they knew by the bewraying of the inhabitances that they were so affrighted with the feare of ours that gathering vp their goods would be more ready to rune away then to stand to fight that that might be done without ether damage or any danger if in the meane time our horse might be planted in two parts before Bergenupsome and prinsland Spinola to whom those things best pleased which were done rather with prudent councell according to reason then prosperous thinges done at aduenture treating all thinges with him selfe with more serious examination supposing that thinge could not very much helpe to the acquiring of that notable victorie chose rather to keepe his soldiars safe for the occasion of a necessary combat then ether to feare the whole armie with the opiniō of the enimies audaciousnes or to encourage the enimies mindes by good successe if the skirmish of a few of his soldiars should perchance haue fell out vn fortunatly for in war it hapned often times by thinges of litle moment great alterations of thinges to be made nether was it the part of a prudent Captaine to poursue litle victories with great perills In the fourth of the Nones of March the aniuersarie day of Breda in times past taken by the vninted Peeres by the fraud of a boate was changed This day those of Breda being wont yearly to solemnise now kept so much the more ren owmedly by how much perhaps hereafter they douted to celebrate the same the more seldome more truly after the maner of a solemne buriall then a birth day for discharging thrice towards the euening all their greater and lesser Canons they consecrated the last night to the memorie therof Now the time was come in which the intermitted affaire of the dāme to be made in the riuer was renewed That interualle of time wherin the mariners and the workmen desisted from their labors had roused vp the studies of sundry persons A certaine person vndertakes vpon the agreement of a great summe that he would finish the worke almost despaired He in the presence of those whom the States had set ouer the care of this damme choosing a place not far from the former where the riuer was fuller of hollow places and more narrow he drowned stones tied vnto litle netts lest they should swimme away vpon the stones he sprinckles a certaine kind of binding sand brought as it was reported out of England or France to fill vp the chinkes and to fortifie the damme The affaire seemed to succed better then it did before when by a sudden alteration of the heauens so great force afwater once againe by the ouer-flowing of the Moone of March in which the sea then most of all doth swell was stirred vpon high and so great a deluge of rayne and vnthawed snow flowed together on euery side that the damme begun at Seuenbergue and very many forts of Rosen dale and some part of the suburbs of the cittie of Breda were altogether ouer-turned The wayes also to our campes and some of our fortifications neere to the cittie were so drowned that they could for three dayes be gone vnto not but by cockboates in which time one campe being shut from another they were in great necessititie of victualls when they could not go to one another with their wagons nor was there meanes to haue so great a supply of boates the riuer the shore and the fieldes being all alike Neuer could it otherwise haue bene more clearly knowen by how great mercie of God the armie was conserued the whole winter for if the same extremitie of winter time and aboundance of snow which fell in
this short time of the winters departure had hapned in the former monthes as at other times it was wont to do out of dout we should haue bene forced to forsake the siege for no other cause then only for the sharpnes of the weather for in those few dayes wherein it freesed so seuerely the sinnewes of many were shrunke vp by the force of the cold and some amongst the watches were found dead Some had their handes and feete so stiff that they were faine to haue them sawed of Many carriars also and purweyors of corne who the crueltie of the wayes thorough rayne snow myre and windes had cast back in their voyages made by night were kild in the way by the frost The conuoyes also were so hindred that for the space of three weekes in which the snow and the frostes were dissolued with cōtinuall raynes scarce any victualls were brought besides that which the wiues of the German soldiars brought daylie almost setting their companies in array runing abroad into the incorporated townes brought into the campe vpon their shoulders Of which women who continually performed other duties towards their husbands by fetching wood a far off getting of forraige from all parts dressing their meate washing their linnen carrying their houshould-stuffe when the drummes were beaten such respect seemed to be had of them in the campes that they were not held for any hinderance but with honor were reputed to be mens mules The waters being diminished the enimies endeuours attempted againe with great solicitude of minde to finish the pretented damme Spinola caused the sluce of the riuer of Leure which reached vnto the riuer of Merka to be broken a sunder and commāded certaine riuers to be stopped and diuerted which poured them selues abroad into our campes He caused a trenche likewise which he had placed in the fennie groundes from Merka to hage to be raised higher by three foote lest the standing poole though ouer-flowing might be passed ouer with boates to the end they might breake back the force and swiftnes of the riuer returning from Breda by certaine letts set against it to receiue it from ether banke therof did make within here and there vpon the sides hilles lyingout like horned woorks next before that place where they intended to build that damme before Then they lay before that gaping or gulfe both which appeared in the medst betwixt the horned woorks of the riuer by which the force of the waters now more straitned were caried long beames after a triangle maner fastened in the riuer with a litle space betwixt which the riuer enclosed but a litle broaken Then they began behinde to make the damme secure as they supposed of the successe By their perpetuall labors both by day and night they had now brought the mater to that passe that hauing brought trenches along on both sides of the riuer besides the litle straites of the mouth it seemed almost nothing remayned to be stopped But so great was the force of the immense waters both augmented and inforced that now it disgorged like a most raging torrent which before alwayes passed thorough the loose riuer with such lenitie that scarcly could it be iudged by the eye on whether side it flowed Moreouer the bottom it selfe the sandes boyling vp of their owne accord thrust forth the beames rammed in so that the rāmed stoccadoes wholie slid away And so great a tempest fell at that time that whatsoeuer boates stones turffes fagots and trees were laied in the water to strengthen the damme was all ouerborne and the nauie in which the Duke of Brunswick carried the french horse was greuously torne in pieces euen in that passage not a few quite ouer whelmed many driuen hither and thither which hardely could hould their course So the enimie seeing his so manifould preparations to proue so ill at last iudged it best to giue quite ouer a thing attempted so oft in vaine In those daies with notable craft letters were sent from Iustinus to Maurice and likewise from Maurice and Mansfeld to Iustinus in which many thinges very necessarie to be knowen were discouered to Spinola A certaine person out of the care he had of the common good hauing gotten a countrie fellow skilfull of the places and of the passages and ready to vndertake any thinge agrees with him that loaden with Tobacco Butter and Cheese like to a runne away as though he had craftely cosoned our watch should get to the walles of Breda and should present his seruice to Iustinus to carry letters to Maurice if so he pleased The man being of a fickle minde and greedy of gayne posest at home of nothing but of pouertie sells his faith Being thus instructed as it was agreed got to the walles of the cittie the marchandise brought to those that were so hungrie made the stranger to be very welcome Iustinus greedy of newes enquires many thinges of the campe of the passage he had found out and of the common opinion He as one of a perfidious minde like to Sinonius and concealing his owne a cogger and dissembler of euery thinge telling somethinges truly and lying in others somwhat neere to truth gayned the opinion of an honestman for those thinges which like us we easilie beleeue Being asked whether he hoped by that way which he escaped to finde outsome passage to carry back letters answering at the first fearfully at last he set their affections on fire with faire wordes to vndertake the affaire which one thinge he most earnestly desired vnder the pretence of a refusall He therfore carieth letters from Iustinus to Maurice with a promised reward if he brought back answer from him into the cittie The dissembler promises all diligence but when he cāme into our campes he deliuers Iustinus letters vnto Spinola VVherof the contents were as follow That he reioyced much to haue receiued letters thrice from Maurice by which he vnderstood both that Mansfeld was safely arriued with German and English succours and so great warlike preparations to be made for the releeuing of Breda That he should be carefull as he had promised that there should be corne enough till the end of Aprill or begining of May vnles it should by chance be burnt by fire which the enimies often shot into the cittie That he would shortly finde out new inuentions for corne by searching the granaries of the cittisens That the workes of the enimies ar lately extended from the great trench which lay before the water mille to the campes of Balanconius and placed against the litle tree of Guittenbergue Those campes began to be fortified with workes by Spinola The garison of the ciitie was daylie very much diminished with the plague bloody-flux and with the scuruie That the sick could not be refreshed and cured For want of medicines and wholsome meates That the rest who were in health lost not their courage but looked earnestly for an occasion
to performe the affaire both well and valiantly That the rape-oyle was alwayes first burnt before it was applied to dresse meate with but that there was but litle left Spinola hauing read them and sealing them sendes them by the same messenger promising the fellow a liberall reward if he brought answer from Maurice and from Mansfeld vnto him Maurice supposing that he might securely credit the messenger by whome with so great fidelity he had receiued iustinus letters giueth both answer and a reward for the fellowes paines and sendes him to Mansfeld to receiue also letters from him The fraudulent and cheating messenger bringes both to Spinola and his reward being giuen him getts him gone In those letters Maurice purgeth him selfe of his stay and imposeth the cause of the prolonging of supplies upon the contrary tempests of the yeare beseeching him that he would endeuour to prolong the victualls some weekes by sparingnes but vnto the end of Aprill that he had neede of so much time to gather and to ioyne his powers together that otherwise so extraordinarie charges of the vnited Lords shoulde be to no purpose and their endeuours all in vaine That these indeed were hard demandes but that fortune must be now holpen by industrie especially seeing all the French horse gathered by Mansfeld two only companies desired which weare daylie expected was now come to Bullen and to that end the ships of the States ar gone to transport them by a prosperous winde That the French companies of footepart were brought by Captaine Candale part were in the way as the other companies were both of horse and foote gathered thorough Germaine for the States Lastly the Frenche Englishe and German supplies were to come but a litle after that time which he would haue prolonged by him till after Aprill Mansfeld promised that he would shortly be Iustinus guest that then he would merrely drink his and his valiant companions health That he was come prepared with a hundred companies of foote and fortie of horse nor douted nothing of supplies Spinola confirmed once againe by these letters of the penurie of their prouision and aduertised of the slow coming of their helpes the eleuenth of the Calends of Aprill which was the feast of easter thought good to try Iustinus minde by demanding of him to rendre it up For this purpose he sendes the Trumpeter of Count Salazarius with his letters priuily That he had treated nothing with him touching Breda vntill this day about the quantitie of corne which he had in the cittie but now knowing certainly upon what day he should receiue victualls enough and for that cause it was not meete that he should any longer delay the deliuering up of the cittie that he would make him offer of reasonnable conditions if he would treath with him of a composition And truly if he should require a litle time to expect ayde which notwithstanding for the strenght of their workes and the greatnes of the armie lying round about he might easilie vnderstand that he could in no wise succour the cittie that it should be granted vnto him so that he would now presently treate there of else that hereafter there would be no cause of affording him the like fauour Iustinus hauing called together the coūcell of war reades the letters receiued from Spinola and become proud with the promised coming of supplies and with the encrease of victualls augmented by the death of so many men thus made answer That he was amased hauing read Spinolaes letters and al his so strange demandes but so much the more because he thought that he and so many valiant companions of his could be made afraidwith wordes to whom he affirmed that nothing could happen to be feared except it were a base report That in time it would appeare that by flattering him selfe he was ill instructed of the state of the cittie which he hoped to rendre into his handes of whom he had receiued the same to be kept and defended Spinola least the minde of the wearied soldiar should wax faint by the insolent braging of the besieged which assumed to them so great courage prudently supprest that answer in dead silence VVhich was enough to persuade the shortnes of the remainder of the labor vnto the soldiar it was commonly gathered by suspicions that a Trumpeter was sent to lustine out of the campe touching the rendring of the cittie as many did coniecture willingly albeit many fayned reports and added some feares of their owne to that which they had heard from others when they vnderstood those hopes of Spinola to be deceiued or deferred any longer The composition therfore was left for that time and the coming of forreine helpes was expected In the meane space when all the enimies companies hauing called out garrisons on euery side and hiered citisens for wages set in order in their place were come to Guittenbergue and Sprang and in the same place other soldiars looked for who wintred at Rosendale Spinola suspecting the delay of that time supposing that they did counterfetta coming and that indeed he was but deluded doth fortifie Bolduke Reinbergue VVesell with garisons which he had brought which places he thought might partly be assaulted to with-draw him from Breda He places in Bolduke fiue hundred which Baron Grobendonc Gouernor of that cittie had added for a supply to the companie lately admitted besides the ould garisons He calleth seauen companies of soote from the Palatinat which might helpe the towne of Reinbergue nere adioyning but it was afterwards knowen by the letters of Maurice which Iustinus Nassau had receiued that all their companies sent to relieue and deliuer Breda were not far of from our campes These places therfore being prouided for as afor-said Maurice hauing sent his spies sets on fire the church of Genick wherein were laid six thousand sackes of ground corne with the measurer of oates dwelling nere the fire by the greatnes of the winde tooke hould faster then it could be quenched Two thousand sackes preserued by other sacks laid vpon them were found the day following without any detriment Spinola nothing greeued for that mischance aboue that which was meete and conuenient sending purueyors about to buy corne speedily repayred the losse There were presented to Spinola by Vincentius Lasanius chiefe keeper of the Kinges corne behoulding the fire three thousand sackes of wheate which he kept shut vp in the campe against all mischances The Hollanders so insolently wrote abroad of these losses that what they reported to be consumed by the fire of one church can scarcly be contayned with in the walles of six great churches They faine the numbers which perished in that fire to be two and twentie thousand sackes of wheate and twentie thousand sacks of meale six thousand of barly four thousand of pease and beanes four hundred shoulders of bacon and two hundred vessels of oyle two hundred barrels of butter three hundred bundells of stockfish
of Marquis of Campolatare sent Captaine Camillus Phoenices whilst his were in nede of helpe with a companie for the defence of the litle redout but he could nether by his coming cause those that fled to stand nor could him selfe withstand the enimies violence so that the supplied succour augmented the perill But when Carolus Roma saw him to retyre with others beate back from the redout pulling away the shield from the arme of one that returned because him selfe came without one first vnsheathing his sword and with his shield renewing againe the declining fight setting upon the English strongly resisting with a Cesarlike courage more generously sent them back from whence they came and staid their violence Then they threw thēselues downe by heapes who from the fort those who had cast ours from thēce some began to come to themselues againe many fell wounded and slaine out-right not a few sought to escape and saue them selues thorongh the marshes he who endeuored to carry the colours into the fort pierced with a pike ended his life three who had inuaded ther strenght next adioyning the fort were slaine before the dore of the fort all the rest who fought hand to hand hauing their heades and necks almost cut off died of so faire woundes which faire death they deserued for fighting valiantly worthy to haue ouercome vnles ours had fought more brauely as also for a better cause They which stood further off were maymed with the cōtinuall strokes of the greater canons for the most part rent and slaine in miserable wise in their handes feete and heades when scarce any ball was shot in vaine at them so heaped together which slew not feowe by reason of the diuers turnings of the ditch The hindmost English and French could hardly follow the formost for the narrownes of the ditch but a returning being made they might so had they throngd them selues together VVhich being noted ours enforcing them they by litle and litle did retire back so much the presence of Henrie of Nassau was of force that they should not be troubled with terror or danger The retrait therfore was nothing more trouble some then the coming on so well did all of them keepe their orders Aboue all others in that battaile the most excellēt courage of Cornell Vere standing foremost in the company was admired He stood still with the selfe same vndanted constancie of minde emongst the balles that were thick discharged placing new for those that retired whole for the hurt freshe for the wearied vntill the fight with a slow encountre on ether side was ended although it appeared that eache one was so well exercised in war that what was meete to be done they could no lesse fitly prescribe to them selues then be taught by another Num. 14. Agger Oosterhautanoe planiciei impositus Agger Castello Beauuoxiano adiunctus aduorsus planiciem Oosterhautanam Number XIV Spinola viewing those places which the enimie had got fortified them with stoccadoes and shut up all entrie to the ditch on both sides of the water with this four-square fortification and with other workes of that kinde where he commanded also more artillerie to be placed Furthermore the ould trench which lay ouer against the shrub of Oosterhout almost of the lenght of two thousand paces he commanded to be strenghtned with a thicker wall against the shot of the canons adding some new bulworkes made without side and changing the ould ones And as that space was great which was contayned in the distance betwixt Hage and Heyden he filled with much foote and horse building great houses of straw and clay for standing places The newes of this victorie least the beseeged should not know it our soldiars published from each adioyning trenche crying out in soldiarlike mirth that succours were sent vnto the cittie The besieged smitten at the hart with this report when they nether saw succours come and the freshe remembrance of Maurices losse occurred and the soldiar now eate hors-flesh and other victualls grew daylie dearer so that a poūd of butter was sould for twelue shillinges a Calfe of seauenteene dayes ould for eight and fortie shillinges a litle hogge for eleuen pound ten shillinges a pound of Tobaco for ten pound that the granaries and the chests of all were once againe narrowly searched and some who were found to had hid some corne was taken from them into custodie it was forbidden to the bakers upon a penaltie to sell no bread but only to the Officers of the war the officers to giue no more euery day but halfe a pound of bread to the soldiar that all were forbiddē to haue any bread twice baked because it so might be kept whole and hid the longer for these thinges so me be gon to breake up the bakers houses wherefore an uproare being begunn betwixt the French and the English had not been for the great care of there Coronelles but by and by three of the authors being put in to prison and the former liberty granted of buying bread the seditiō was appeased before it was diuulged The Gouernor and the commanderes by admonishment retayned others in their dutie concerning all the vices of their garisons no otherwise then the woundes of their owne bodies yet after a litle while when necessitie cōpeld them once againe to visit all the barnes and granaries the citie being diuided into two and thirtie barnes least any litle cottage should be pretermitted no more then fiue and twentie measures of meale were found Num. 15. OBSIDIO BREDAE PERFECTA A. Statio Marchionis Spinola B. Statio Magistri Equitum C. Statio Baronis Barhanconij D. Statio Comitis Isenburgici E. Statio Pauli Bullionij F. Statio Baronis Beauuoixij G. Statio Caroli Roma H. Statio Comitis Anholtini I. Aggeres tormentarij interni K. Interior circulus L. Niger Agger vt vocabant M. Agger nouus duplici sepe N. Stagna arte facta O. Fossa a Marchione iacta longitudine 2200. pedum ad deriuandas aquas Number XV. Henrie of Nassau seeing the slaughter of the English smitten and doutfull what he should doe whilst he keepeth those in his campe he had receiued and had lost many by flight takes councell with his whether he should againe make an irruption amongst vs or whether by another or by the same passage or rather whether he should refraine Spinola with all his companies nere at hand expecting the enimie borth by day and night did that especially that he might vnderstand by some signe what at last Nassauius resolued Our messenger being most nimble seeming fit for this purpose to the end he should be knowen to Nassauius as he was to Maurice therfore by practise he came into knowledg when he was kept secretly in our campe his wife going into the campe to Henrie of Nassau complayning much of a sicknes which her husband had got by carying Maurices letters to Breda thorough the winter
waters demandes the rest of that which was promised but was yet vnpaid He ioyfull of the getting of a faithfull messenger promiseth to pay more liberally if now her husband would carry one letter for him into the cittie as he had done many of his brothers The womā alleadgeth hir huslands sicknes and the danger At last the woman consents not vnwillingly and yet as it were against her will promises to do her best to perswade him The wife departs the husband returnes halfe lame as though his feete had bin spoiled with the winter frost Henrie of Nassau agrees with the man as he thought faithfull and deliuers him his letters to carry into the cittie to Iustinus The messenger said that he promised to performe a very difficult matter and receiuing the letters with a reward he so departs Hauing receiued them he presently bringes them into the campe to Spinola and rewarded with a perpetuall stipend he departs Henrie in those letters aduised Iustinus of the late ouerthrow he had receiued whilst he set vpon the fortificiones of heyden From that day he saw vs also entrenched on euery side with a stronger trenche which could not possibly be broken thorough That he remembred for how few dayes the besieged now had victualls left them wherfore lest by delaying of time he should at last be compelled to receiue some disgrace with his companions he should prouide betimes nor would he by his ouergreat pertinacitie ouerthrow the fortunes of all That hauing receiued these letters he should giue a signe by discharging at midnight three canons and by the signification of fires made frō the Tower an hower after how many dayes prouision the besieged yet had left thē Assuring him in the meane space that if any occasion of bringing helpe offered it selfe that it should be embraced of him and of the whole armie There came first into the cittie another copie of the same letter before ether Spinola had receiued his or had vnderstood it by reason of the difficultie to explicat the notes wherwith it was written A certaine horsman of the Count of Styres very skilfull in all the wayes in open day escaped by our armie into the cittie whom those of Breda seing coming receiued him ioyfully with the discharging of nine canons That nightly signe therfore of the sound of the three premised canons was first made before we could certainly know what it signified albeit we suspected They alighted fire eleuen times shewing that they had victualls left only for so many dayes At that time his Excellencie VVilliam wolfangus Duke of Bauiaria Iuliers Cleue and Montz returning from Spaine came into our Campes with desire to see the same Spinola went before to meete him coming far from the campe and departing from his owne Tent he receiued so Excellent a man with as much shew of loue as he possibly could He congratulated him with a festiuall sound of all the canons and with the other applauses of militarie ioy After on other dayes being led about all the workes he much admired the greatnes and strenght of the siege He related that the Kinge of France said vnto him by whom he passed as he returned he could not beleeue that Breda would be taken by Spinola by that siege yet at that time many thinges promised vs a fortunat successe of that siege as the continuall flight of the french from Mansfeld the delay in releeuing the enimie the scarcetie of victualls within the cittie the conflicts of the beseeged with sicknesses so great a dearth of medicaments that of the Tobacco that was brought although else where it cost but four crownes a pound was sould in the cittie for twentie pounds which remedy they vsed against the scuruey besides that space of dayes aboue six hundred horse were driuen from the enimies campes being ill looked vnto as they grased This bootie when Monsieur of Marquet leftenant of the horse had hoped to requite he prepares in number sixty eight companies of horse to set vpon our conuoyes with all at vnawares Sending therefore Captaine Randwick before with six companies the rest lying hid in ambushe set vpon the carriages who without conuoyes contrary to Count Bergues commandment tooke another way draue away the horses ransackt the charrets and the pacques and poured oute the prouision Henrie of Bergues warie of perils albeit he were ignorant of this voyage had al ready commanded some companies of horse to watch all the passages of the wayes lest the enimies should breake thorough by some places at vnawares which that it might be done the more assuredly first he charged very straitly that no Captaine when the watch was should be absent from his companie Moreouer that he should place very far off from the campe the standing place of the centeries Next that some watchers should goe a good space from the standing place before the companie Lastly that some standing horsman should watch before the other watchmen to take notice of the enimies coming which hearing he should giue a signe and should retire vnto the watch They seeing a greater troupe retyred back to the standing place of the rest of the companie The companie prepared their armes and had fought had not the number bene vnequall but at last returned to the campe By this meanes both the coming of the enimie was hindred and the watches though placed a far off retyred them selues without danger and it seemed the whole campe had time enough to arme it selfe By chance that day the enemy met with the Count Hermanus of Bergues sonne to Henrie of Bergues a young man of a great spirit and a patterne of his countries valor He hearing as he was nere at hand a noise and gathering together a smale companie he had bouldly flies into the midest of the troupes of the despoilers passing once and againe thorough the midst of them some he layes vpon the ground and both troubles and terrifies the others These he puts to flight those admonish others of the coming of all our horse and so were their mindes preoccupated with the feare and flight of the first as that they thought nothing of resisting They forsake their horses they throwe downe their burthens and leauing the prey they depart The enimies gathering so many companies together in so long a time of the siege in so wicked and long iorneis yet could neuer intercept so much as one conuoye Henrie of Nassau not slow in his affaires lest he should pretermit as he had promised any industry to raise the sige sent some boores and contry clownes corrupted with mony and with promises to set a fire if they could our campes and store house wherin our warlike furniture was kept Spinola catching some in cendiaries prouideth that his compes receiue no detriment Henrie of Nassau attempting all thinges in vaine and setting the tentes of fire in the village of Dungens the sixt of the calends of Iune retyred by night
campe who whether they ar detayned prisoners in the cittie or in the campes as soone as the conditions shall be signed shall be sent back without paying any ransome but only the valew of their expences made by agreement XI Against the garisons no action shall be made of asking againe any spoiles but all booties shall be reputed al their owne XII After the articles of the composition are signed it shall be lawfull for the Gouernor of Breda to send them by some man of knowen trust to the Prince of Aurange XIII The conditions being made there shall be a truce yet both shall containe them selues in their fortifications as before whether shall it be lawfull to approache ether by day or night XIV First that the pledges be giuen two by two before the garison depart they shall follow the companies to Gittenbergue and shall remaine there the space of twelue dayes vntill the riuer be opened and the couenants be accomplished That time being past if none of the couenants be broken they shall returne XV. The agreement being made pledges shall be giuen on both sides of like number and condition and the cittie being rendred ours shall be restored to us againe XVI It shall be further granted that the pledges giuen by the citty of Breda shall be sent back as soone as the garison shall be brought in to marche away together with the conuoye XVII The Gouernor and the garison of Breda do promise to goe forth of the cittie of Breda on thursday next the fift of Iune early in the morning VVe Iustinus Nassau promise to doe our endeuours that those thinges be kept which ar contayned in the articles aforsaid hitherto so far as they do appertaine to us In witnes wherof with the consent of the Coronells Captaines and the councell of war we haue subsigned the same this present day the day after the calends of lune 1625. IVSTINVS NASSAV The heades of the composition demanded of the Senat and people of Breda I. That pardon and forgetfulnes be both promised and performed of all those thinges which were commirted by the cittisens and inhabitants of Breda of what condition soeuer they be whether committed before or after the recouerie of the cittie in the year 1590. Let no man be enquired of nor let no euill be inflicted upon any no not upon pretext of treason or any fault whatsoeuet II. That the cittisens and all the inhabitants haue power as well absent as present of what cōdition soeuer they be whether subiect to the seruice or oathe of the States or of the Prince of Aurange or of the cittie whether they be free to inhabit the cittie the next two yeares their life in safetie no question made of their religion no obligation to sweare to another religion whilst they leade a modest life far from all offence that they may deliberate for those two yeares space whether they please to make their residence there or to depart But if they shall resolue to depart that they be suffered to goe at their owne pleasure They shall also freely enioy their owne goods that they may ether carry them away sell alienat pawne and ingage them at their pleasure or let them hire them to be receued and gouerned by those that shall redeeme them That their goods who haue dyed within or without the cittie leauing their will behind them or not come to the heires appointed or to the next of their kinred III. That it shall be lawful for euery cittisen and inhabitant whether he be bound or free who after these conditions agreed upon it shall please to remoue his dwelling or to depart from the cittie for any other cause to doe this at what time he shall please by what land by what water with his wife children familie houshould stuffe marchandise and other moueables no impediment whatsoeuer being giuen by no other then by the authoritie of these couenants And for those that will ether make their aboade or will depart into any other kingdomes regions prouinces or neutrall places or subiect to tributes that it be free and lawfull for them ether to make their aboade or to retyre them selues perpetually without any trouble of coming or going for their marchandise or affaires sakes thorough citties and places subiect to the King of Spaine and to haue right and leaue to dispose of their moueables and others and of their owne goods according as they will thē selues But touching the Catholiques returning againe and occupying their houses within the cittie there is no deed of any other prouiso then these present conditions IV. They who to see to their affaires shall goe into the vnited prouinces to them leaue shall be giuen four times a yeare to goe thither admonishing the Gouernor of whom they shall necessarily receiue authoritie of coming and going which he but upon iust cause shall not refuse Next they shall returne from thence within the space of two yeares frō the grant of this agreement that afterwards they may ether goe forward to inhabit the cittie or to plant their dwelling in free places or of tribute And let them enioy these places no otherwise then those already spokē of and the leaue of coming and going and what commoditie soeuer of these couuenants V. It shall be granted to the preachers of the word to depart freely with their wiues children familie goods and moueables without all offence of damage For these thinges that waggons or ships be lent them with time enough to dispose of their affaires VI. They shall be comprehended in this composition who after the cittie shall be yelded did serue the place of a Deacon as also they who boare any ecclesiasticall office VII Also Stewards Aduocates Substitutes Treasurers and others both cittisens and inhabitants who ether haue charge of treasure or of accounts or paying of wages or any other office shall be contayned in these conditions And to haue free power to depart with all their goods houshould stuffe and writinges and further haue right to vse the benefit of this agreement as of others VIII As many martiners as ar in the cittie who haue their ships here which they may take with them shall enioy the same priuiledge IX If there shall not be ships and wagons enough prouided to serue the cittisens and inhabitants who desire to depart together with their goods and houshold stuffe to them with in the space of two yeares it shall be granted to send for from else where for ships and wagons from Holland or other places which may afterwards returne freely in vertu of these conditions X. That the cittisens and inhabitants of this cittie shall be enioyned with no burthens of impositions more then ar iustly imposed vpon those which dwell in greater or lesser citties thorough all Brabant XI That the garison of horsmen and footemen be placed in the cittie after the best maner that may be and with the lest damage that may be to the cittisens XII They shall also be
and Bergues and Rodulphus Maximilianus Duke of Saxonie which three together the sport being ended of the vnbloody war ran together to the coache of the Infanta Isabella conqueresse to salute her with their humble swords Then Spinolaes tents being placed some three miles from Antwerp was brought into the cittie with the reioycing eyes and voices of all that looked for him together with the Archdutches Henrie of Bergues with his companies is lefte to Hooghstrate to carry the rest of the conuoye back to Breda In the last conuoye therefore which was brought into Breda before the enimie departed count Bergius about to haing by the riband of Spinolaes laurell studied to catch the enimie in a snare by the inticement of a few prouokers to battell the rest lying in ambushe which should then sodenly appeare and inuade them But the enimie whether out of prudence or out of feare not coming out of their tents Bergius departed doing nothing Isabella whilst she remayned at Antwerp was drawen with the pencill of rabens that excellent painter and being grauen with an instrument in brasse she saw her selfe crowned with a garland of oake in an imperiall table VVorthie so to be pictured after that noble triumphe nor by no other hand then by that of that Apelles The Conqueresse Dauid was shewed in a Scene by the schoole of the Societie of IESVS after a new kind of modell wherin after euery Act all the historie of the thinge performed was most delightfully exhibited in the liuelie Images of dumme persons VVith Isabella the rest of the Nobles of the Court beheld the same A few dayes after it being vnderstood that the enimie was retired into garison our armie also retired vnto garisones VVhen Spinola came to Bruxells with a few he was receiued with new congratulations albeit he auoided it by concealing his coming against his will and perforce all runing together to meete him Meffengers being sent in the meane space into Spaine Kinge Phillip ioyfull of a double victorie of the recouerie of Breda and of the Bay in Brasile gaue to the Marques Spinola for so many labors employed for so many enimies ouercome without slaughter for so impregnable cittie subiugated amost Royall gift as is the chiefe gouernment of the order of S. Iames for ether that was to be the reward of so great a victorie or the liberalitie of so great a Kinge giuing also greater then could be asked Pope Vrbanus moued with the greatnes of the thinges done at Breda first congratulated Isabella and then Spinola for his fortitude and felicitie with most excellent letters the copies wherof I haue iudged meet to be published both for their singular elegancie as also for the excellent authoritie of the most prudent Pontifice Pope Vrbans letter vnto the Archdukes Isabella Clara Eugenia Our Lord mightie in warre hath lifted up his arme ouer the nations which intended euill to his seruants and the right hand of the omnipotent is glorified in you Triumphing with ioy for the noble victorie of conquered Breda with the same Epitaph we speake to your Nobilitie who hauing surpassed the praises of a womans virtu prosperously turned the forces of the Austriacall power for the defence of the orthodox faith The band of the heauenlie armie fought in your campes and the constancie of warlike fortitude hath taught noble nations inhabiting by the spectacle of so singular a siege no hould in earth to be fortified with so strong helpes and defences which the power of acamp armed with celestiall helpes doth not vanquish You haue combatted with an enimie conteining of perils and with a cunning artificer of vnheard of terror he seemed to studie to send the very Ocean it selfe out of her prisons in to the Austriacall armie He shut vp the raging floods with sea sluces ouerflowed that as it were with a new sea he might swallow up the campes of your Nobilitie But the wicked haue fallen into the ditch which they digged and our Lord hath raigned The Ocean restrayned the surging waues in their ould seates and the floods with-drue them selues Into dry places VVe congratulate this victory to you wished hartely with the desires of the whole Church to which Rome the mother of all Nations applaudeth which the testimonies of histories in ensuing ages will proclaime And truly how well your Nobilitie doth vse them we haue vnderstood by the voice of the report and letters of our ministers Vnlesse our lord keepe the cittie in vaine do the statiōs of soldiars watch and he doth arme those citties with legions of Angels in which the Catholique faith doth prosper the keeper of publique tranquillitie doth predominate we know with what solicitous pietie and with what prudent actes you procure that heresie may be cast forth from the people of Breda the mother of perfidie and nurse of sedition wherefore seeing you leaue no place for Pontificall admonitions we worthely praise and extolle the glorie of your name and with our most exact prayers recommend vnto God your Nobilitie that of so healthfull a triumphe you may receiue those frutes which the Church wisheth and impietie feareth and we bestow upon you perpetually Apostolicall benediction Giuen at Rome at S. Maria Maior vnder the Fishers ringe the 9. of August 1625. the second yeare of our Pontificat Number XVI Pope Vrbanus to the Marques Spinola thus congratulating Heauen triumpheth in the victories of thy Nobilitie whose branches nourished with the blood of heretiques and the head of Catholique Religion crowneth The ouerthrow of Breda will remaine a monument to all Nations and ages of thy virtu Let the whole world know euen at this day those Captaines to be borne in Italie in whom the glorie of Cesar and of Scipio doth flowrish a new Thou hast tamed those enimies excelling in riches mad in anger and desying death The floods shut vp with sluces ar commanded to alter their course and the heapes of fuming waters to enter the campes of thy Nobilitie The fauor of heauen hath thoroughly asswaged them all and the constancie of thy courage Truly that cittie which treason had taken away from the power of Austria fearfull of the light and lying hid in skulking corners that cittie by thy Nobilitie valor and virtu was recouered The memorie of Bredaes siege will remaine for euer and from thence the Captaines of ensuing posteritie shall learne the art of warring and examples of fortitude Amongst the present stormes of tossed Italie and of Princes disscordinge the newes receiued from Breda so far did this ioyfull beame of the diuine clemencie shine to our Pontificall solicitude that we haue determined by the testimonie of our Apostolicall letters to extolle thee as the author of so great a good promising our patrocinie to they Nobilitie to whom we wishe the happines of long life and bestow vpon thee for euer our Apostolicall benediction Giuen at Rome at S. Maria Maior vnder the Fishers ringe the 9. of August 1625. the second yeare
of our Pontificat Great indeed but true praises now confirmed by Pontificall oracle And verely how great that victorie is nether can the enimie as yet feele the wound being yet to greene nor we by the newnes of the ioy can yet esteeme the same according as it deserues such like or greater victorie albeit great ought to be reputed wheÌ„ the contention was not for Breda but for the losse of fame and honor by the rendring of that cittie which in vaine the States vndertooke to defend with so greate commotion of all Europe with calling together the helpes of so many prouinces with the exhausting of so much treasure which hath acquired an immortal name to the Kinge of Spaine to Isabella clara Eugenia Infanta and to Marquis Spinola CHRONOGRAPHICVM REX BREDAM CEPIT QVINTA IVNII APPROBATIO HIstoria haec latinè primuÌ„ conscripta memorabilis est in qua qui attente grata mente considerauerit quae toto Bredanae obsidionis tempore terra marique diuinitùs contigêre non dubitabit cum Debbora in haec diuinae laudis verba prorumpere De coelo dimicatum est contra eos Quapropter eam dignam censeo quae non vno idiomate sed varijs euulgetur quemadmodum hîc eadem etiam Anglicano exhibetur GVILIEL FABRICIVS Apostolicus ac Regius Librorum Censor VVITH PRIVILEGE WIth Priuilege and auctoritie of his Catholike Maiestie as also of donÌ„a ISABELLA clara Eugenia Infanta of Spaine and of his Excellencie the Marques Ambrosio Spinola cheef Generall of their Armies in the Palatinat and lovve contries and of the naual Army of the same LOVANII Ex Officinâ HENRICI HASTENII Vrbis Academiae Typographi M. DC XXVIII END The great extraordinarie socorres and emulation of strangeres The admirable trinches The multitude of fortificasiones Great difficult in tranporting of vitualles Vituales and cariadge desre Vituales and cariadge desre Amarue'ous fauor of god The sâ—reuid of Breda VVhen it came to the house of Nasavve The times the to vvne vvas loste and recouered The situatïon Aa filles his ditches The riuer merka paseth trovve the tovvne The height of the tovvre The number of houses in the tovvne The forme of the tovvne And of the vvalles Iustinus de Nasavve vvas Gouernor The drasats Iohn of Artsens The number of the ordinari garisen The number of citisens ruled be Artsenius Measures of orne ConsideratioÌ„s that mooued the Marques to befidge this ovvne Difficulties the Marques formd in vvineng the tovvne State of the lovve contries The resolusion vvixt vvith the Marques vvent vnto the filds The armie vves de uided into three partes The Marques visited oure lodâ—â— of montague In his rekoning muche leshe people then he sought The Marques consulted vvith the matteres of the campe For many reasones they founde greate dificulties in the besidging of Breda The Marques aduertised her Altesa of al. To conforme vvith the opinion of the masters de campes He consulted vvithe Count Hindrique da Bergas Ademand touching the tâ—ntâ—ng of the Iland of casant Fresent'y the mater vvas reuoked The Marques turned againe to consuite touchingh the besieging of Breda Al denied excpt one an a presented there reasones The Kinges tovvnes vvere far of Only one vvas of contrary opinion to the rest touchinge the be caging of Breda The opinion of those that vvent first to bring resolution of the situation Conde Hindrique propoundes to beseigde reas and embrik Or graue rauestene and Genep The people necessarie to beeleager graue The Marques aduertised hir Altesa And sought for the opinion of Antonius Baron of Grobendonk But litle store of vvater in Gilsen And the thirst of the soilders vvas intolerable The Marque informed of the trueth VVelles vvere digged for scarciti of vvater Other disgrace hapned in the quarter Soilders run a vvay The enemy murmured of the Marques Iy and moked the Kinef Spaine le bohae spanel Conde Iohn de Nasavv sent to socor Count de ber gas brenging alonge vvith him Cowad de AubermoÌ„t aman skilful in this quarters Don lie sento de 〈…〉 folovveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Count 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 took in mondethâ—rk 〈…〉 and the rvvne of Genep His soilders folovved vvith great modestie and obedience He pitched his quarter at mouk Marques of belueder took from the contrie of Graue greate store of cattel Conde Hindrik sends againe to the Marques giuing his opinion of the dificulties in vvining of rausten Graue Iohn pitches his camp on the other side of the mase And count Bergues armed abrige outr the riuer A vvonder ful tempest VVho the enemy is forces vna aua ri tought to fall on the Excell of Grauedendrike Graue Iohn de Nasavv pitâ—ched his camp in acomodions place The stratagesmes of the gouernor of graue vvas in vaine Count of Nasavv ansvvered The Marques tought strang of the dificulties of Graue Hiudrik touching rauesten The quarter of Gils vvas fortified vvith tvvelf reduties This of Breda being deceiued in there presumption turned to bring ther mouables They receiued manie of no seruice vvhich vvas ocation to shorten there victuals He vvent into his brooth camp He fortified wwincâ—â— Benefit found in the delaying Duk de Bullon came out of breda to aside the defence graue The laste in formasiones taken bâ—â—â—unt Hindrik he found it far contrari to the first He receuied the Marques to order He affirmed to those that brught the order that not hing coulde be executed touching graue They ansvvered count Hendrick He gaue then letters to the Marque VVate he resolued touchinge the beeleâ—geringe of Breda Count Hinrik had chard ge to be vigilant and loo kvvelto the borderes of giâ—dâ—rres Graue Iohn marched vvith his troopes vigilant and vvel ordered Some vvith litle respect murmured of the Marques Muster vvas comanded to be paiâ— of the army Neovve leiues vvere raist referred to the charge of condâ— hinnâ— Den Francisco de Medina occupied the dorpe of Gâ—nip Paulo Ballen pitcht his tentes in der â—yde VVho the tovvne of Breda vvas beleagered of 〈◊〉 Squirmishes begon The vvood vvas cutt Certaine houses vvere burnt The corne vvas visited Other fortificattons vve re adioyned The houses next adioyning to the toÌ„vvne vvere burned The Marques tooke posession of Teterns and Hage One of the quarters vvas committed to the charge of Baron de Ballanâ—on x the other to count Isenberge The forme and greatnes of the fortifications Abridg vvas made vpon the riuer of marka The disposition and distance of catch quartier The circuit of the first fortifications The height The reason vvhy so disposed Iustinus de Nasaâ— Governor of Breda comaund dâ— great salli to tempt the quarter of Isimburque The great saâ—li made by the â—nemiâ— out of Breda Captaine Barri had chardge of the vvatch The enemy vvas discouered by a sintinel of Captaine Barri Captaine Barri prepared him self for the fight vvith great expedition The valor and resolution of the soilders The bloody skirmish betvvixt the enemy and the Irish. In the vvhiche the