their Merchants with their goods peaceably to depart the City terrified the Magistrates of Antwerp and aggravated the mutiny of the people But Aldegund had not yet spent out the whole magazine of his shifts of soothing up and complying with the people in which kind hee had a rare gift he promised them to write to the Prince of Parma and soone after to go himselfe into the Camp and if the Spaniards would make peace upon indifferent terms he would omit nothing speedily to effect it And hee writ accordingly Aldegund goeth to Alex. that he might have audience and being admitted as soon as his Excellency had notice from Richardott with whom Aldegund had first conferred that hee was come to treat of peace both for Antwerp Holland and Zealand hee perceived that by the conjunction of so many Provinces which to witt would be a tedious and intricate businesse Who perceiving his subtilty sent him back Aldegunds intent was to get time for the succours which were daily expected out of England Wherefore Prince Alexander using him otherwise with great courtesie dismist him to Antwerp who promised that receiving authority from the Magistrates people hee would forth with return to treat only of the delivery of Antwerp But hee delaying his Excellency suspected that hee craftily protracted the treaty that the besieged might gather the harvest which now began to be ripe from about the Suburbs of Antwerp And wihall commands the enemies corne to be brought to the Camp and Mechlin and therefore determined to frustrate them of that hope also and commanded Ambrose Landriano with his garrison of Viluord together with a company of Boores and Vastius with a party of horse the one to harrasse and plunder the suburbs of Antwerp and the other of Mechlin and to transport the corne hay and what other thing was of any use into the Camp And he himselfe takes the Castles about Antwerp Then hee himselfe with a select company of horse and foot marched into the Countrey about Antwerp and took Burgerhout a strong sconce of the Antwerpians and with the like violence took Bercheme and other Castles and Forts And takes the very Suburbs and bereaved Antwerp of all that part of the countrey even to their Orchards and gardens by that means shutting up both the City and famine together within the City Famine forceth the Citizens to mutiny And indeed the people were ready to have broken out into open sedition the generall clamour in the City being meat and peace When the Magistrates sent divers into the streets who in severall assemblies should divulge that letters were newly come out of France Yet they are encouraged with hopes of succour assuring them that reliefe and succour was at hand from thence Besides some Citizens of Aldegunds favorites said they had certaine intelligence that the Prince of Parma would indeed offer conditions not unreasonable but had covertly covenanted with the Spaniards to give them the plunder of the City in place of their pay And feare of plundering Wherefore they should not by the impatience of a little delay both lose their reputation and the honour of holding the siege untill that day and all their goods and fortunes besides their wives and children exposed to abuse together with the losse of their City and lives But these outward voyces were not heard for the loud barking of their hungry stomachs within and most of the people suspected these French letters to be written in Antwerp and to come only from Aldegunds cabinett For of the Prince of Parma they harboured a more worthy conceit And in the interim there happned a sleight accident but OPPORTUNITY in the least things is of great consequence There was a Noble Matrone lay dangerously sick at Antwerp and for her recovery had present need of Asses milke But Alexanders courtesie upon occasion exhibited there being none to bee found in the City a yong man therefore offered himselfe couragiously to fetch an Asse from the Suburbs although in the enemies possession and had already taken one but apprehended by the Spaniards hee was carried to his Excellency being as yet at Burgerhout Who understanding what the matter was used the youth with great respect and commending his charity commanded the beast to bee loaden with Partridges Capons of Bruges and other fowle of that sort Then delivering them to the youth for the sick Gentlewoman commanded him that hee should in his name friendly salute her and testify that he not onely wished her health and recovery of strength but pray'd also from his heart for the prosperity and happinesse of the Senate and people And indeed that unexpected civility of the Prince to whom the Antwerpians sending a gallant Horse with some juncates and choyce wine Altered their opinion gave publick thanks wonderfully reconcil'd together with the yong mans relation the Citizens good will towards him For doubtlesse THE wisest Commanders of Warre have that weapon call'd Courtesie layd up in their warlike Armory But the delivery of Mechlin concluded the businesse In that City THE TAKING OF MECHLIN after the overthrow at Covenstene Causey there rose a contest between the Garrison fouldiers and Citizens The Citizens oppressed with famine are affraid of the garrison souldiers which after the losse of their corne encreased the Citizens greatly fearing lest they should plunder and forsake the City and then retyre to Block-huse a Castle plac't neere to Mechlin which they had already fortified with Artillery and provision Which as soon as Prince Alexander had notice of hee thought it the most convenient time to attacque the City And forthwith hee ordered Marquesse Renthiacus whom hee made Generall for that expedition with Hicquius and Mottaeus to hast to Block-huse and prevent the enemies designes Renthiacus drawing his forces thither and causing the Artillery speedily to follow after not onely took Block-huse the Presidiaries being not yet entered but Necherspole also besides other sconces placed about Mechlin and pitching his tents Whereupon after the losse of their adjacent forts they yeeld themselves to his mercy demanded the rendition of the City it selfe Which upon agreement concluded with Famusius Governour thereof was yielded to the Prince of Parmas's will and mercy The garrison souldiers being sent away without their colours which were sent to his Excellency who having compassion of the City Receiving from him favourable conditions by reason most part of it were Catholicks agreed with the Mechlinians on very gentle conditions For in place of seven hundred Presidiaries which departed the City hee but substituted two hundred Walloones under Provenus commanding the Citizens to have care of their City together with the Garrison and imposing no tribute on them liberally in his Majesties name gave pardon to the City being glad that within few days with no losse of men hee had restored the Arch-Bishop of Mechlin after a long exile againe into his owne seat there being not
examples which may render me irreprehensible in both and in particular have not severall tuned Horace his Lyre to keepe consort with our English Vyoll sung some yea even the same select parts of that Roman Muse and not the whole worke and have neither been censured nor yet defrauded of their deserved bayes The like may wee say of that learned Caledonian who hath taught Rome to speake her owne language more refined and yet hath at least twâ—se been instructed in the Dialect of his owne Island Nor lastly can the Reader justly complaine for wanting the whole worke both for the reasons before mentioned and especially for that I serve him with one compleat dish as well seasoned as my skill for the present will afford an exact entyre full history of it selfe where the actours and relator seeme to contend which shall beare away the palme And admit the whole Decade be printed yet this part by it selfe may also take for sometimes a small treatise hath gotten perusall when a greater volume hath been cast aside What more to say I have not but only to request thee not to be too rigid a censurer but rather to favour my weak beginnings and if any thing be mistaken any thing defective I shall be as ready to correct as thou to find faults Farewell T. L. THE SIEGE OF ANTWERPE GIve me leave 1854. The siege of Antwerp warranted by Livies example to tel you by way of preface in this part of my work which in the beginning most annuall writers use openly to professe that I am to speake of a siege more memorable by farr how great then ever yet was laid to any citty for never were rivers bridled with stronger bulwarkes nor wits armed with more adventurous stratagems nor by Souldiers who in many sieges had gathered both skill and courage was it ever more gallantly fought Here Castles were erected on violent rivers mines discovered amongst the waters Rivers overflowing rampiers and againe rampires outtoping the rivers and as if the labour of Antwerp siege onely seemed but little defignes were extended by the Generall into other places Antwerp Gaunt Dendermund Bruxels Mechlin With what forces it was begun And at the same time five most strong and potent Cities were all at once besieged all in a yeares compasse subdued These greatattempts with what great forces with what courages they were perfected now I doe begin not negligently to relate Part of the Catholicke army was drawne into the Garisons of Cities and Forts part fought in Friesland under Verdugo prefect of that province and Taffius his Lievetenant against William of Nassau and Martin Schench Count Aremberg and Manrieque had in armes two regiments of Germanes about Colen Appius de Comitibus Manrique a Spanyard but borne in Germany and Blastius Capisuccus with some troops of horse made excursions into Zutphan The Marquesse of Renthi with his Regiment of Walloones guarded Artois and Vaynolt against the motions of the French There were foure Regiments and some companies besides with Alexander Prince of Parma in Brabant and Flanders Besides three Regiments were newly come out of Spaine which as before we related King Philip after his Navall fight at the Tercera Isalands had sent into the Low-conntries And with these forces which amounted to about ten thousand foot and one thousand seven hundred horse for he had contracted the seven Regiments So Alexander writ to the King July 15. which as I sald were but halfe full into five Alexander having first advised with his Councell of warr began the siege of Antwerp Antwerp is situated on the river Scheldt being almost five miles in compasse The Inhabitants of the Citty Its forme and containeth an hundred Inhabitants besides Seafaring people It much resembles the forme of a bended bow whose string is the banke of the river there being not any other Citty in all the Netherlands stronglier fortified It s strength or better appointed against an enemy That side which bendeth into Brabant most high walles from which ten strong Turrets appeare so placed as with mutuall aide they may relieve each other environed with a great ditch of water securely defend The side toward Flanders hath for a trench the river Scheldt capable not onely of single ships but even of whole Navies yea someties there have been numbred about two thousand ships in the port and river whence trafficking with a great part of the world the River playes not onely the Merchant by bringing in all forraine commodities but the warriour also for Auxiliary forces The consultation of besieging it But how much securer the Anwerpians were so much the more cautious were Alexanders Councellours There were present at the councell besides Count Mansfield and the rest of the regall Senate never wont to be absent Mondragonius Billius Olivera and Pacius all Spaniards of Belgians there were Mottaeus Goigne and Licquius for the rest of the Low-country men were absent of others there were Camillus à Monte George Basta and Camillus Capisuccus Most are against it Most of these were even amazed with the greatnesse of the proposed designe and thought the attempt more bold then could be brought to a prosperous end For said they he who would think of besieging Antwerp ought seriously to consider whether hee have sufficient forces wherewith at the same time he may block it up by land in Brabant and by the river on Flanders side For it were in vaine to besiege it by land to which by the river if not from above from Gaunt at least from below to witt from the Sea both provision and reliefe may continually be brought in But the river was so broad that it could not be blockt up by lesse then two armies on either side one Wherefore hee had need of three armies who from Brabant and either banke of the river Scheldt might stop reliefe But that would not be done by reason of his small forces Neither had he sufficient shipps wherewith to hinder the enemies Navie about to enter the river from the sea To these things added Billius that the complaints of the Soudiers more troubled him who being defrauded of their pay not comming from Spaine almost hungerstarved and most of them halfe naked verily were unfit to be brought to a siege of more then one moneths continuance Nor did Pacius and Montius omit that it was seriously to bee thought on whether it were best to begin Antwerp siege leaving Dendermund Gaunt and other holds behind him from whence the enemy with free excursions might disturbe the bringing in of provision unto the Army and the raising of Fortifications Lastly all except Mondragonius Two only excepted and Capisuccus who committed all to Alexanders fortune thought it unsafe and unseasonable to set upon so great designes with so small forces Therefore turning from the siege of Antwerp to besiege Alexander And strive to divert his minde from the siege they stand about him with joynt prayers
and objecting the danger of losing both his and their owne honours they endeavor to subdue his minde in his resolution still immoveable But his opinion is to besiege it But hee commending their care in the first place said that he had reflected on all those things which they conceived to be the greatest dangers Notwithstanding he did not thinke but that after they had heard him reason a little on the matter they would think better of the success Then hee began much after this manner That hee had not the thought of invading Antwerp before he was encouraged by pious men that it would be acceptable to God and had known the Kings minde concerning it Neither did he doubt that human and ordinary helps would be wanting which for the present might perswade the expedition For he certainly knew that the enemies were never in like fear being within few months afflicted with so many and so great losses by the Kings Army viz. Being destitute of the Prince of Orange's counsells out of hope of succour from the French and having lost so many Townes and Castles nere adjoyning to Antwerp And surely when the walls being battered do tremble and shake then with greater certainty may the assault be pursued And from thence had he greater encouragement to assail the affrighted enemies even in their chiefest fortresse of war and to carry that terrour through the strong holds of Brabant not with vain hope that they will for fear of losing Antwerp either slight other places or for fear of losing other places will not be able to defend it Indeed he had but few forces to set upon so many things with but they were skilfull in war accustomed to victory and which is above all conducted by great commanders For unto which of your hands here present might not one safely deliver the charge of an Army FOR by the skill of Captains and prowesse of Souldiers an Army is doubled And be they never so many those be but few who conclude the victory As of a spear how long soever the palm only of the cuspe doth all the execution GREAT forces are not alwaies to be wished for in war no more then great bodies being for the most part subject to many infirmities us'd to be more pamper'd move slowlier and are but fairer marks to be levelled at Nor had he cast over with himselfe so to win Antwerp that it was needfull to imploy many Souldiers about it sith that by land a few troopes of Horse making inroades into the territories of Antwerp between Liere Hochstrate and Breda Townes of the Kings party might easily hinder traffick And by the River towards the Ocean from whence the greatest force of the enemy was to be feared he had determined either to take the Castles on both sides the River or to build new ones and from thence with Canon shot to restrain the Ships passage if not all at least so much as that the Merchants might perceive their losse and the City full of Inhabitants might be wearied out for want of provision Nor seemed those forces which for the present he had with him unable to perform these things Nor did he doubt of their obedience in the work having try'd that his Souldiers were more couragious in battle then mutinous in their quarters But lest they should be discouraged he had lately received a summe of mony from the King which he would divide amongst his Veterans for those that were newly come out of Spain had already received pay Although it was not to be feared but that his Souldiers would willingly undergo the siege of Antwerp from which so great booty might be expected There were many yet in the Army who about eight years since had sufficient experience of the riches of that Empory the yet memory whereof inciting them they will doubtlesse enkindle in their fellowes the desire of like plunder Lastly for security of the Army he had provided that provision might safely from the territories of Wasia be conveyed unto the Camp Nor had he so left Gaunt and Dendermund behinde that the Kings Army had any cause to fear for they would have enough to do to defend themselves from our Souldiers plac'd in Castles newly rais'd thereabout Wherefore seeing that many things for the present invited him no reasons appeared sufficient to withdraw him from it let them leave that only determination to him and with great and constant courages begin the Siege of Antwerp and from whence he forsaw the accesse of all Brabant would follow And they might be confident that the Mother of God patronesse of Antwerp having been wickedly banished from her own City by Heresie they now refusing no perill to restore her to her antient possession would not forsake them in their so pious attempts The Siege of Antwerp once decreed The Siege is decreed rather by Alexander's authority then his Oration command was forthwith given to provide things necessary for it which by reason they were many and in severall places For Antwerp Gaunt Bruxells Dendermund and Mechlin were all at once attempted I thought it worth my labour to prescribe the sites of these places Antwerp by Reason of the River Scheldt sufficiently strong of it selfe How Antwerp is defended by the River Scheldt By the Castles placed on the River banks by the many Forts and Sconces plac't thereon especially towards the Ocean is yet far stronger chiefly by two about nine miles from Antwerp the one called Lillo taking its name from a neighbouring Village Mondragonius by the Duke of Alva's appointment had erected on the coast of Brabant The other called Lief-kenshoeck the confederate Provinces possessed of Antwerpe built on the other side of the River over against Lillo and not long after took Lillo also By commerce of the same River By commerce of the same River with Gaunt Antwerp is joyned to Gaunt distant about thirty miles Dendermund Strengthens the traffick in the mid-way between Antwerp and Gaunt with Dendermund placed also on the River Scheldt But neerer about twelve miles from Antwerp is seated Mechlin And by the River Dele running into the Scheldt with Mechlin under the name of Rupel gives and takes mutuall assistance and with Bruxels 24 miles A little further distant from Antwerp is Bruxells but having opened themselves a ditch or channell fit for navigation they can sail into Rupel and thence sliding into the Scheldt enter Antwerp Prince Alexander well apprehending all these things determined not with severall Armies to lay siege to every City for that by a hundred and fiftie thousand souldiers could not be effected but as he had begun at Gaunt erecting Sconces and Forts a distance off Alexander begins to cut off this entercourse and blocking up the Rivers by which the Cities had their relief by little and little meant to make them feel the miseries of a Siege without the noise of a Siege Therefore sending Plato his Enginere with a band of
Dender which the enemies with a Mill neer the City had fortified and from whence they might easily overwhelm the places neer adjacent Which he had scarce effected having killed about fiftie of the defendants First the sluce is taken and put the rest to flight when from Bruxells side appeared Charles Count Mansfield with five troopes of Horse and some Companies of Walloones and from the other side at Waestmuster Alexander with Pacius's Regiment who forthwith setting guards on the river Scheldt both above and below and environing the City planted his Cannons against the Fort before Bruxels gate Then the City is besieged viz. The gate towards Bruxels The Governour had carefully fortified it Mortagnus with eight hundred souldiers besides armed townsmen instead of Rihovius their Governour who then was absent commanded the City he fortified all places industriously but especially Bruxels fortification strengthening it with most of his Veterans against the force of the enemy especially the fort before the City and from thence they continually shot and not in vain against the Royalists but weakly fenced The first terrour they struck was by the death of Peter Pacius a Spanish Colonell who behinde a gabion From whence shooting they kill Pacius or wicker basket directing a Cannon against the enemy was suddenly slain with a Musquet-bullet piercing his head The same day a little after Peter Tassius overseer of the Army was slain and Tassius being shot also into the head with a Musquet-bullet At the first with great griefe of the Spaniards especially for the losse of his piety and valour who because he had a care of his souldiers necessities as if he had been their Father was commonly called Peter de Pan The Spaniards are thereby incensed but afterwards with so great rage against the enemy and desire of revenge that the Cannons having not as yet made a sufficient breach in the Fort they all contentiously desire the assault ANGER to wit sometimes addeth more force then losse doth diminish They have yet another motive to whet their fury especially seeing the Saints injured The Garison souldiers brought into the Fort with a mimick kinde of state a great Image of a Saint and setting it upon the battlements after they had abused it with derisions and stripes furiously tumbled it down At which spectacle all their hearts were incensed with indignation yea the Captains could scarcely contain the fury of their souldiers threatningly demanding the signe of the onset Whereupon Alexander thinking it best to make use of their heat seeing the front of the Fort to be beaten down and part of the back also Alexander gives order for the assault he chose three souldiers out of every Spanish company which amounted not to above fifty and commanded them being conducted by two Captains of Pacius's Regiment to assail the back he also chose as many of the same Regiment led also by two Captains to follow after he attributed the front to the Italians and Germans and commanded the Walloones to assault the side with scaling Ladders Notwithstanding he deferred the assault untill the next day which was the Eve of the assumption of our Blessed Lady because on that Feast as he advertised the Captains the Queen of heaven assisting them Trusting in the help of the B. Virgin he doubted not but to revenge the Injuries of the Saints Nor was he deceived in his piety And now they begun the assault on all sides with great animosity and contempt of death but especially the Spaniards And for two houres it was gallantly fought on both sides but at length the Royalists prevailed and with the losse of fifteen only of their souldiers took the Fort The Fort is taken but the defendants lost above eightie and the rest fled into the City which although the Spaniards from the higher place commanded yet notwithstanding the strength of the Walls the interiour Bulwarks and especially the Ditch which being very deep and full of water hindred their accesse to the Walls seem'd to retard the conquest Besides the City on a suddain by a sleight occasion but made greater by conceit was much animated There were some Carriages loaden with provision Provision sent unto the Farnesian Camp sent from the Village of Gaure to Alexanders Army when about two hundred and fiftie souldiers issuing out of Gaunt from whence Dendermund had requested ayde Intercepted by those of Gaunt and putting to flight the convoy neer to Alst joyfully brought away the booty But short was the joy of both Cities for Olivera having notice thereof drew forth from the Fort of Wettera some troopes of Horse and meeting them not farre from Gaunt unawares set upon the conquerors and either killing or taking them prisoners but recovered with their overthrow was sent back to the Army for there did not one escape by flight sent back the Carriages to Alexander But the Dendermundians had yet a farr greater affliction for when the River was turn'd and drawn another way which they never expected and thereby the Ditch their chiefest defence drained they were daunted with that unheard of celerity for within five daies with admirable expedition they had seen Bridges built Rivers blockt up Tents pitched the City besieged the Walls deprived of their Trench of water their Fort taken nor any rest either night or day allowed them fearing any longer to provoke the Conquerour they sent a Trumpeter to demand a parley Dendermund delivered to Alex 17. Aug. and delivered up the City the Citizens being fined in sixty thousand Florens the Souldiers which were about five hundred sent away without either horse or armes and the City commanded to receive what Garrison it pleased the Prince of Parma Wherefore three companies of Spaniards of Pacius's Regiment and two of Italians entred the Town Alexander creating John de Rivas Iohn de Rivas made Governour an old Captain of the same Regiment for a noble act performed at that expedition Governour of the City For he committing some Carts made ready in the night-time loaden with Faggots to the forwardest of his Captains to be conveyed into the ditch of the Fort thereby to defend the assailants Rivius was the first that drove the Cart forward against the enemy who having notice of the design had prepared themselves to shoot from the Fort and he was the first and soon after the only man that adventured to advance against a storm of leaden hailstones for two of his fellowes were shot and he also a little after wounded in the shoulder notwithstanding he with a couragious spirit for his gallant exploit and a threatning look stood to his work nor did he desist before he had driven his Cart to the place intended and in defiance of his enemies with all his might did drive the next Cart forsaken by his wounded souldiers even unto the front of the Fortresse Then by Alexander's appointment he was carried into his Tent and in
having thus setled these affairs he brought into the City three thousand Foot and five Troops of Horse under Olivera and created the Lord of Champine lately close prisoner there and twice in danger to have lost his life Governor of the City Alex. orders the state of Gaunt both civill and sacred The Arch Bishop of Mechlin was also sent for to see to the Clergy of Gaunt and to reduce into the City the Priests and religious Families and to reconcile to God and true Religion the desertors of the Orthodox Faith And after this manner the Prince as well as hee then could being otherwise imployed took care of the civill and Ecclesiasticall affaires of Gaunt And thus this City the greatest in all the Belgick Provinces came into his Majesties hands being excellently well fortifyed with Walls And of the Victory of this greatest and strongest City Ditches and Forts against all On-sets of great Armies whatsoever and within no lesse strong by the windings and inclosures of Rivers and Channells by which being cut into many Islands if the Suburbs should bee taken the Citizens may retire into those Islands and cutting downe the Bridges may have them Lastly for safe refuges this I say so great and rich a City besieged rather by the terrour of Alexanders Name then by a few stations of Souldiers plac't about it with very little cost to the King no losse of souldiers was compell'd to receive what conditions it pleased the Conquerer with so great gaine of all warlick Magazine there being caried from thence a huge number both of Wall and field Pieces Military Engines carts Pioneers and other workemen besides shippes and Marriners that Prince Alexander sending a Messenger to to Spaine with newes of the Victory He sent newes to the King to adde something as hee writ to the solemnity then intended as hee understood for the Nuptialls of Princesse Catharine his Majesties Daughter Married to the Duke of Savoy after a relation of the Victory lastly affirmed that he never amongst all his prosperous successe in the Low-countreys had tryall of Gods bounteous goodnesse at a fitter time then in this Victory over Gaunt of it selfe great but shortly to produce a greater Nor was the fruit of this Victory long concealed There were thirty two shipps besides some Barges Shippes brought from Gaunt to finish the Bridg. man'd with five hundred Souldiers brought from Gaunt to be conveyed downe to the Scheldt to Caloo But because betweene Gaunt and Caloo was seated Antwerp before whose workes they were to passe they determined thus to shun it The Antwerpians having opened the bankes of the Scheldt at Lasling and other places And through the fields drowned by the enemies as I said before had overwhelmed the greatest part of the Countrey even to the Village of Borcht a little beyond Antwerp and excepting the Isle of Doele Caloo and some other Forts which were free from the Deluge had covered over with waters all the sea-coast of Flanders Alexander laying hold of this opportunity as soone as the shippes were set out from Gaunt and safely passed Dendermund and Rupelmund Cities now of the Kings party Avoiding Antwerp and being augmented with some Frigots and little Galleys commanded them to leave Antwerp on their right hand and divert their course to Borcht and cutting there the banks of the River to break out into the fields then flowing with Waters And fighting with good successe which they after a short skirmish with the Antwerpian fleet which came thither to stop them killing John Cocke the Admirall and being guarded with a new Fort raised on purpose neere Borcht prosperously performed Then steering towards Caloo and breaking through the Rampire of Blocherse at St. Francis Fort at length at Sebastians the banks of the river being cut and sliding againe into the Scheldt came to Alexander with so much the greater joy to the Army Are conveyed to Alex. for that it was reported the Royall shippes were scarcely passed Borcht when a new navy from Antwerp under the conduct of Tilinius flew into the help of Cocke This Tilinius some dayes before But Tilinius sonne to Lanoy sailing from Lillo to Antwerp whilst the Confederates on every side assailed and disturbed the workmen building the Bridge departing in the night from Lillo made an escape to Antwerp and drew with him three Spanish Barges Not without some booty but seeing the Royalists to have worsted the Antwerpians shipps and already passed the bank of the Scheldt even to Borcht lest that passage and port should hereafter lye open to any more shippes coming from Gaunt with the Fleet that came with him cast Anchor where the bank of the River was opened and there erected and fortifyed a Castle which was called Tilinius Raising a Castle hindered that passage from Gaunt Then returning to Antwerp and consulting with Aldegunde and the chiefest Commanders when they had determined to call from Zutphan Count Holach to move Colonell Morgan to assist them with his English Regiment and againe to demand aid from the French He engaged himselfe to go to the Hollanders and solicite their Navie And expecting the ebbing of the sea in an armed Galley Afterward sailing back to solicite the Hollanders having sent before one of his Barges about midnight escaped betweene the wooden bridges but by and by falling on the Lord of Bills Galley and shippes who by Prince Alexanders appointment kept guard between the bridge and Lief-kenshoeck after some dispute was overcome taken prisoner It taken and sent to the Castle of Tonrney With great losse to the States with no lesse losse to Antwerp deprived of a stout and hardy Captaine then griefe to his father Lanoy Lanoy taken before with that captivity twice captivated But the damage given by Tilinius who by placing shippes neere Borcht had debard the Royalists from thence and so block't up the shippes passage from Gaunt The passage from Gaunt being obstructed was not recompenced by this defeat Which greatly vexed Prince Alexander standing in need of shippes by the interposition wherof the now finished bridge might at length block up the Scheldt and inhibite the passage to the enemies who daily in despight of all danger passed that way and continually transported some provision to Antwerp especially the neerer it drew to winter he feared every thing would grow to a worse condition principally the ice of the river then which as the inhabitants threatned there could not happen a more certaine mischiefe Besides hee had need of more shippes for the defence of the bridge against the enemies attempts invading it either from the sea or Antwerp or from both sides at once Therefore advising but in vaine with those that were best acquainted with the Waters and places thereabouts he himselfe either necessity urging wit or rather as we writ to the King God inspiring it into his minde after he had well viewed and taken
notice of the Countrey all about the River intended following Drusus and Corbulonus example Alexander deviseth another else where who in those places made Ditches he from the Rheine unto the lake of Flevus this betweene the Mosse and the Rheine not farre from the coast of Holland to make a channell capable of shippes from Steken 14. Novem. a Village of Wasia and draw it on even to Caloo And although a great patt of his Pioneers were else-where imployed yet assured of his souldiers obedience for Alexander had attained that that which heretofore was esteemed Might and Authority now became emulation and customary Himselfe the Architect of his owne designe amongst his souldiers and pioneers as one of them laid his hands to the work and a little above Steken whither an arm of Moere a river of Gaunt reacheth He beginneth the Channell opens the head of the ditch and letting Moere into it drawes on the channell to a place And letting the River into it where by reason of the former inundation the Waters were sufficiently deepe five miles distant from Steken Thence bending its course through the fields that were ebber of waters to the Village of Gillis hee brought it between Verbock and the Fort of Devera to Calloo and so to the Army and in fine cutting the bank of the Scheldt disburdened it into the river and built there a Sconce call'd Perla for the defence of this new Port and Haven which in that place hee determined for his shipping And thus though the passage through the Scheldt was obstructed by the enemies yet having opened a new and much shorter cut into which the shipping from Gaunt Drawes it even to the Camp through the River Moere might enter and so be conveyed to the Army hee sufficiently provided plenty of Timber for the bridge and provision fot the Army with great admiration of the enemies seeing so huge a work so speedily perfected and rejoycing of his souldiers highly and not sparingly extolling the Prince of Parma to whose honour they call'd this new Fosse Parma The length of it measuring both the dry land and the over-whelmed fields The length of it was fourteen miles and first The commodiousnesse of it there came from Gaunt that way seaventeen Barks but afterwards as the greatest Rivers of all Flanders do meet at Gaunt so from all places of Flanders all kind of Merchandize began to bee brought to the Camps with no little gaine to the Townes and Villages safely conveying thither and uttering their vendible commodities with the greatest benefit to the souldiers whom all the time of the siege this one channell abundantly supplyed with victualls so as they needed not to leave their Posts and Ensignes But the principall profit of Parma then was Shippes are brought through it to perfect the bridge to bring in shippes to finish the bridge Yet by reason of the frost they were some dayes retarded for the River Scheldt which was almost all frozen up being broken huge pieces of Ice were heaped together which if perhaps with the violence of the Tyde had been dash't against the bridge doubtlesse had dissipated and overthrowne the shippes standing in the midst of the River where it runs with greater violence Certainly some huge fragments of the congealed River forcibly being dash't against the bridge and sticking into the substance of the piles almost half a palme were a sufficient proofe of what strength and firmnesse it was standing immoveable and stable against such sharp darts violently hurl'd by the raging billowes of the Ocean And the violence of the congealed River ceasing they are made use of 1585. But as soon as the Winter began to dissolve and lesse feare of the Ice they returned to their work The middle part of the River as is before signifyed between the Castles lay open little lesse then one thousand three hundred foot To block up which there were thirty two shippes Those shippes were chiefly two of sixty six foot long a piece and twelve foot broad interposed with their sides together evenly placed Thus ordered Nor were they joyned close together but distant one from another twenty two foot and tyed together in foure places at the Fore-deck middle and sterne by Cable-ropes and chaines Besides every shipp from the Fore-deck and sterne was stayed by Anchors so cast that the river swelling up and the Cables loosned by the Marriners helpe the rank of shippes might be raised unhurt But the distance between every ship was made up by beames and boarded by overthwart planks Over these the passage is made fastned unto the hatches whereby there was made a continuall bridge between the Castles of one thousand three hundred foot long flancked also with battlements of firme plancks as was observed in both parts of the Steccada to which this middle bridge was connected To every ship for their defence were attributed thirty souldiers fenced with hurdles and gabions foure Marriners and two double Cannons But for the Castles there were farre more defendants Fortified with souldiers Marriners and Cannons and to every corner of them so many cannons two whereof were plac't for the defence of the Steccada and two for the shippes For the defence of the whole work there were 97. Cannons And for the protection of all the whole bridge there were ninety seven great Gunns Nor was this work sooner perfected but another was dispatched which might be to this a munition and fortification And as before City gates some Forts or bulwarks a little distant from the Walls are wont to be rais'd against the enemies A double defence placed before the Bridge by opposition of which they may be retarded and dull'd that they cannot assault the City it selfe but first tyred and diminished so this new Bulwark as Baroccius the inventor of it reasoned would be a tuition to the bridge upon which the enemies shippes must of necessity run and be intangled before they could freely and in full force assail the bridge And after this manner was the structure of this Machine Before the Navall bridge Of the kinde of structure but about a darts cast off there were thirty three boats placed three and three together their sides somewhat distant one from another fastned together with huge beames layd over and shippes Masts Then three others connected after the same manner but separated from the first three a little distance so againe others succeeded with equall distance even unto the eleventh Ternall Besides from every one of these Ternalls stood out forty beames in a forked order being very long round and their points sharpned with iron which like Pike-men in the front of an Army might terrify with their points set and turned against the enemy those that advanced against them These Boats were fill'd with empty Hogs-heads lest they should be swallowed up either by the streame or tyde these were on either side stayed with Anchors but their Cables
and seven hundred foot not farre off listening to the successe commanded by Holach himselfe enter the City and being divided Holach and his forces enter the City some march into the market-place some lay hand on the Magazine and Artillery many now as secure of the Victory Who fall to plunder furiously spread themselves all over in pillaging this rich City The keeper of the gate joynes himselfe to the plunderers And a Corporall with three souldiers appointed by Holack to look to the gate now supposing the City to be taken lest hee should bee defrauded of the fruits of the Victory basely forsook his station and joyned himselfe to his plundering companions At that time by chance Altapen newly recovered of his sicknesse was at Bolduc and hearing the noyse of the enemies arm'd himselfe and drawing with him forty Lanciers of Elmont his Italian Troop who then was Governour of the City advanced to the Market-place and with his presence greatly animated the dejected Citizens Altapen charges the enemies and fiercely charged the Van-guard of the enemies They fight By and by others also Then the Govemour Elmont followes Altapens example and with both some Citizens joyn themselves others by their own conduct and with mutuall exhortation invade the enemies and taking up armes every where it was all the City over both in the streets and Market with different resolutions but equall obstinacy on both sides disputed These the love of their City care of their wives children and fortunes inflamed against the assailants and robbers these were encouraged with the glory of surprizing the City and the great booties which now were in their hands But whether EVERY one more carefully defends his owne then strives to take others or the armed croud of Citizens increasing for FOR THE most part a few begin high designes but are soon seconded by many the Hollachians were forc't to desist from plunder and fall to their own defence And were yet encouraged with hope of succours Holach being gone to call in more forces which for this purpose lay privately in a Neighbouring Village Holach departs to fetch in more forces But an old man seeing the gate sleighted by the Holachians privily crept down from an adjoyning Turret cutting in sunder the tyes and letting down the Port-cullis shut out and deluded the enemies Returnes with them But the gate being shut he is not admitted being one thousand horse and two thousand foot posting with all speed to the City and even then at the gates whereby it came to passe that the Holachians now fighting with unequall number and courage were all either shut up within the City and miserably cut off Then following the slaughter of the Holachians or voluntarily leaping from the Walls into the Ditch excepting a few were swallowed up by the Waters At which time it is reported that many also of the Citizens as yet ignorant of the delivery of their City in a precipitate flight and with vaine feare of them to whom they themselves were a terrour fell down headlong from the opposite part of the City Walls and so both the victours and conquered were alike drowned But it is more probable that they were not by ignorance of the Victory but guilty of Treason driven to flight that fate Amongst the dead were found Ferdinand Truchsesius brother to the deposed Imperiall Elector and the Prince of Oranges base sonne besides Count Holachs Lieftenant and some German Captaines of Pike-men Thus this City already taken was by one Corporall quitting his post lost and saved by the undaunted courage of Altapen And so accordingly the Corporall flying from the walls received his merited punishment The keeper of the gate punished who by Holachs command lost his head Altapen and Elmont Prince Alexander highly extolling them both were by the Kings letters as signals of his thanks Altapen rewarded honoured together with a gift sent to Altapen As the newes of this defeat entred Antwerp Bruxels besieged is tormented with Famine at the same time almost some horse and suddenly after foot also the reliques of the slaughter given by George Basta Commissary Generall of the horse confusedly fled into the City For Viluord a Towne neer adjoyning to Bruxels not long before being taken by the Royalists and Ambrose Landriano left there to defend it those of Bruxels were miserably tormented for lack of provision Wherefore the Mechlinians and the Antwerpians had thus agreed to releeve them that they should provide provision They of Mechlin and Antwerp send them provision with a great Convoy and these a Convoy But by chance this came to the Prince of Parma's knowledge who appointed George Basta from Tornhout and Edward Lanceavech from Liere Governour of that Garrison to joyne their forces and about Viluord to enambush them-selves But falling on an Ambuscado of the Royalists And now at the close of the evening they saw nine Troopes of Horse and almost thirteen foot companies to march before two hundred Carriages and but a slender guard on the Reer For by reason of the vicinity of Mechlin they suspected not any danger Whereupon the Royalists to make shew of greater forces with great and sudden sounding of Drummes and Trumpets charged the Van of the enemies horse then the foot and horse joining themselves whilst on both sides it was couragiously fought the Waggoneers conveyed away the carriages and drove most of them back to Mechlin Are beaten and put to flight from whence a little before they came whereby the Royalists with greater fury pursuing the fight slew at least two hundred and took many prisosoners but especially of Ragâ—ers horses With prey to the Victours for they brought away above four hundred kill'd and routed all the rest and thought it sufficient so to have disappointed the Antwerpians designe to their no small damage and to have dash't all hopes of releeving Bruxels now in great distresse for want of provision The famine increaseth at Bruxels And indeed the famine in that rich famous and most populous City grew almost intollerable although oftentimes many both men and women were sent out thereby to ease it But most of them by the Kings horse were either by shot forced back into the City or not returning were taken and hanged up but they commanded the women having their garments cut above their knees with that disgrace to return to be with their fellowes hunger-starv'd And truly every day there many miserably perish't for lack of meat yea it is reported that a mother of many children being inwardly tormented with their continuall lamentations A miserable example caused them to drink poyson and afterwards drunk it her selfe thereby to prevent the irksomnesse of a tedious death Discord increaseth as the famine Then discord famines companion entred the City some of the Citizens being in mind to surrender the City others still retaining their obstinacy with hope of help from
fit opportunity of expressing the malice of his galled mind The structure of foure of them He built foure shippes with flat bottomes and high sides both of them much thicker and stronger then ordinary and thus invented to make mines in the Waters Mines made in them First of all in the keele of the ship hee made a wall of lime and brick as it were the floar or ground-work one foot high and five foot broad and extended it the length of the Ship then hee erected walls on each side the compasse of the foundation three foot high and as broad covering them close being first fill'd with Gun-powder tempered by an exqnisite Art known only to himselfe The covering was of Grave-stones Mill-stones and other huge stones Upon this covering hee made another height Vault-wise of Mill-stones and other huge stones also which leaning one to another made a ridge that the slaughter might not onely be straight forwards but on either side within this higher vault he laid Iron and Marble balls chaines blocks nailes knives and whatsoever this wicked witty man thought most damageable Lastly as farre as lay open between the sides of the ship and the wall and roof of the mine he fill'd up with square stones close joined and beams fastened with Iron But covered and hid all these things with strong planks and a brick floore in the middle whereof hee set fire to a pyle of wood that the shippes might seeme to bee set out in that order to burne downe the bridge putting under the Wood pitch and brimstone not to bee extinguished before the mine should be fir'd with the prepared Timber Two wayes of firing the mines hee fram'd two wayes to fire the Mine In some of the shippes plac't matches besmear'd with gunpowder which being privily extended through part of the keele were stretched into the Mine of that length as by a certain measure he had before tryed would continue light untill the shippes should come to the bridge In other shippes hee used those kinde of clockes which are wont by an admirable and pleasant Art to be exhibited in stead of night-watchers to light lamps And so ordered the stratagem that it should continue with a gentle motion of the wheeles untill the ship arrived at the bridge and then with a sudden and violent meeting together of the wheeles and flint strike some sparcles which recived in the bruised gun-powder there scattered taking fire might inflame the train there layd and this reaching to the mouth of the Mine might speedily convey that creeping fire into it Jambell having finished foure shippes after this manner added to them thirteen lesser To these foure greater are added thirteen lesser having within them nothing hurtfull but the Hatches covered with huge fires Nor was this preparation unseene of the Royalists The Royalists in the interim solicitous although they were ignorant of the stratagem who imagined the fleet was in making ready in the City to the intent the bridge might at once be assailed on the one side by the Antwerpians and on the other by the Hollanders and Zealanders Wherefore his Excellency strengthening the Castles and Forts with greater guards and calling to the bridge the chiefe of his souldiers had a watchfull eye to the enemies designes who by how much hee seemed the better prepared to divert the slaughter The shippes appeare from the City was so much neerer to receive it When behold from the City there appeared three shippes brightly shining with fire 8. Aprill and a little after followed others and after those others Then all the noyse in the Camp was arme arme and the bridge was filled with souldiers The shipps were carried down the river two and three together in so orderly a course if they were but to make a shew for they were then governed by Marriners and the fire in every ship shined so clearly that they seemed not to carry fires Their fires made a wonderfull shew in the night but verily to burn themselves and so fire to saile and bee nourished amongst the Waters And truly that night was that Scene acted which might have been a pleasant spectacle if the spectatours had beene exempt from feare and care For the banks of the River and the Castles plac't thereon shined with continuall fires As also the souldiers along the banks The Companies of armed men ranged along the banks made a reflection of the shining light the fiery shippes amidst the Scheldt hurtlesly spitting their flames it was to bee doubted whether they came to be a sport or full of deceit a destruction Then the aspect and pomp of the Commanders and Souldiers shining in bright Armour their weapons drawne and colours displai'd all along the bridge augmented the Pageant Lastly all things composed to the uncertaine pleasure of this new Theater both struck terrour and yet were delightfull they feared and yet had pleasure in the cause of their feare And now these shippes were scarcely two miles off the bridge The shippes approach neerer when the Marriners that conducted them directing their helmes turned those four shipps that were made with Mines straight down the midst of the channell against the bridge not so greatly caring for the rest and forthwith setting fire to the match leap't into the boats to behold a farre off the successe But they wanting their Pilots The lesser having no success did not at all keep one course most of the lesser either dash't themselves against the opposite Machines that were fenced with sharp pykes or running on ground stuck to the banks But of the foure that carried within them ruine one leaking was swallowed up in the midst of the River vomiting onely smoake and Thunder Two others of the foure towards Caloo Nor three of the greater the River being deeper there and running swifter the Wind blowing hard out of Brabant forc't on Flanders coast and there grounded them The fourth is stay'd by the floates Nor did the fourth seeme to have any better fortune being almost cast on Flanders coast and violently driven upon the very farthest part of the floates Therefore the Royalists now shaking off feare especially when the fires began to diminish in many of the lesser shippes Then the Royalists fear is turned to mirth and were almost extinguished wondered at the enemies designes and scoffed with Military jeeres that so great preparation was to no purpose Yea they were so bold as from Flanders side to board one of those shippes that was gravel'd there and try with javelins what might bee within it But when it broke through the floates When that shipp which I spake of last being greater and stronger then the rest easily escaped those sharp pointed Engines broke downe the opposite Machine and came on fiercely against the bridge Then were the souldiers renewing their shoutes againe solicitous and fearfull They were again solicitous And Prince Alexander who having his thoughtâ— bent severall
building and defence of the first a mile from Mondragonius his Fort at a house in Covenstene belonging to a Noble Gentleman of Antwerp hee attributed to Camillus à Monte and named it St. James's The second about the same distance from the first was erected by Valentine Pardiaeus Lord of Mott by his Excellencies command taking its name from its builder was called Mott but for the most part St. Georges But afterwards Valentine departing thence it was kept by Michael Benett an ancient Captaine of a Spanish Company having served in the Warres thirty five yeares The third was committed to John Gamboa and call'd because it was set on pyles without the causey Palata but afterwards Victoria And at Stabroeck where the Causey ends Count Mansfield cast up a Fort hard by his quarters To whom his Excellency joyn'd Camillus Capissuccus whose quarters were not farre off The wonderfull fortifying of this Covenstene Causey went on apace Castles rising in strife from narrow and almost no ground-work or foundation and as it were hanging in the ayre And the enemy opening the River-bank When the bank of the Scheldt being slit above by the Antwerpians neer to the City and below at Lillo by their auxiliary Navy and the fields in Brabant covered with a huge deluge of Water Let part of the River into the lower fields through which the shippes might be conveyed to Antwerp like to another Scheldt then the enemies designe was plainly discovered of bringing their shippes against Covenstene Dyke and with their Pioneers of cutting that Barr to make a Navigable passage through this new Channell to Antwerp in despight of the Farnezian bridge And that the Spaniards might be dubious of this their intent or at least their forces distracted and consequently lesse potent The besieged Antwerpians promised the Hollanders and Zealanders who came to their reliefe that at the same time when they should invade Covenstene with their shippes from the sea and they from the City they also would set upon the Bridge with new stratagems For Jambell and the rest of his Sulphurean comrades had sworne they would not desist till with their various Engines and new battering Rams they had utterly demolished the bridge Therefore the confederates as they had agreed among themselves At the same time the Navy appeareth from the sea puts part out into the fields against Covenstene Causey part into the River against the bridge May 7. divided their fleet consisting of an hundred and fifty sayl into two squadrons one under Holach set out from Lillo into the over-whelmed fields where Ship-masts more fully resem bled Woods then the growing Trees had done before the other under Justin of Nassau tracing the Scheldt now threatning to land on Brabant fide now on Flanders then fiercely alarming the bridge And with the same practises the Holachians sometimes plai'd their Artillery against the Castle of Sanctacruce often threatned to assault Covenstene causey then carried about the sound and terrour of the conflict in every place the Royalists standing alwayes ready armed and provided against them Prince Alexander himselfe being sometimes busied at the bridge sometimes at the causey not taking any rest either day or night But when they especially the Holachians had now spent some dayes in threatning to attempt the Causey and perceiving that the Royalists either deluded with their so often fained assayes or wearied out with continuall labour and watching came more slowly to their colours and seeing in the dead of the night a fire about Antwerp which was the signe appointed to both for the assault five hundred suddenly climbed up the Causey They attempt Covenstene with as great silence as was possible between the Castle of Palata and Saint Georges in which place Benett kept his station of Spaniards and killing the first guard which they found halfe asleep At first with prosperous successe of the Hollachians the Captaine himselfe being grievously wounded and the Sergeant slaine who stood on their own defence and the rest flying to the Castles on both hands they safely possest themselves of part of the Causey Whereupon more of the Holachians by their Generalls appointment came out of their shippes for there were above two thousand souldiers in the Navy when Ortizius and Verdugo two Spanish Captaines came with all speed from the next station and by and by Colonell Gamboa posting thither with a select company of Spaniards from the Castle of Palata re-inforcing the fight not onely rejected them from the causey but pursued them to their shippes But are beaten off either pierced them at hand with their swords or shot them at distance swimming And turning the Artillery from Saint James's Castle against them sunk foure of the nearest shipps With their no small losse and the rest struck with terrour from the other Castles retyred with no small losse to the enemies there being slaine of them above three hundred besides those who as I said with the shippes were drown'd and others who either not skill'd in swimming or over-loaden with their armes were devoured by the Waters And greater complaints against the Antwerpians Yet greater then the losse was the complaint of Holach accusing the Antwerpians who by hanging forth light from a Towre gave the signe of the assault and yet as it were on set purpose came not to prosecute the Victory which hee had begun But they affirmed Their reply they set not forth any lights as a signall of battle but said hee was deceived by a fire by chance kindled in the Tolasian Sconce and so began too rashly to fight Although Prince Alexander in a Letter to his Majesty Not credited by Alexander May 20. construed the matter another way thinking the Antwerpians not assured that the Holachians would attempt the assault for some time deferred the expedition and purposely stayd to see what from that first successe might be expected But these were the first The preparation of the confederates and but sleight assayes of Covenstene neither side in full strength opposing each other Then the enemies stifly conspiring together Greater then ever began the fight which I will so much the more exactly describe because scarce at any time on the Low-countreys in a more dangerous place or with greater uncertainty of the Victory on either side or with braver testimony of daring souldiers or more present assistance from Heaven was it ever more couragiously disputed on the one side the confederates set forth a fleet stronger both in shippes and men and better appointed then ever before being the whole power and strength in a manner both which Antwerp the magazine of warlike Engines as well as of rich Merchandizes and the Hollanders and Zealanders could rayse the greatest part of the Presidiaries being drawne forth of their Cities and forts To set upon Covenstene both from Antwerp and the sea May 26. for this battle and determined day of their publick liberty appointed
there some who desirous to know the inward subtilty And the artificial structure of them was found out entered with prosperous temerity one of the enemies ships and finding the match which conveyed the fire almost entering the mine forthwith extinguished it and made bold to look into the secret vault and shewed it to others no little admiring the rarity of it from whose narrations especially I received these things which before are related But not long were the Royalists exempt from new feare care to wit The last attempt of the Antwerpians from the last stratagem of the besieged for as yet the Antwerpian Engineers had one invention more which they reserved as their latest hopes It was a Vessell of an unusuall bignesse A huge ship and forme whose foundation being not much unlike to Wherryes was so connected together with crosse beams like a greate that the places left between those beames might bee fill'd with empty Hogs-heads the better to support the huge weight that was to be laid thereon Moreover these beams and barrels were covered with thick boards pitched to make a plaine even bottom of the ship the sides were fenced with impregnable battlements and thick ranked with Wall pieces But upon this shipp covered with strong planks there was raised another as it were a Castle built almost foure-square in which were carried above a thousand Musqueteers besides those that appeared not being in the lower ship and those that were exposed to the view in the top-Castles of the mast to shoot as it were a storme of leaden hail-stones from the clouds But it is scarce credible how great confidence the Antwerpians reposed in this ship than which there was never any built at Antwerp with greater industry or expences for it is reported it was seven moneths in building and cost at least one hundred thousand florens so much were they taken with this huge moveable Castle and all secure of its successe that proudly they named it the END OF THE WARR Which they called The end of the Warr. and were willing the enemies should take notice of that glorious Title they gave it yet never was there Engine or stratagem more vainer But took no effect or to lesse purpose For launched into the Scheldt and steered through the cleft of the River-bank at Ostervele into the drowned fields the Marriners could scarcely guide it and no sooner came it neer to Ordam which Fort it assaulted but it stuck fast to the ground and was so gravel'd that from thence it could not by any Art of Marriners any endeavour of other shippes be drawn or removed So THINGS that exceed custome and measure in greatnesse are rather for sight-sake then use and commodity of which the Antwerpians had a sufficient experience Afterwards they termed it expences lost who afterwards with a truer Title call'd this their Fabrick Money cast away and the Spaniards after the first sight and encounter in a military jeere call'd it CARANTAMAVLA viz. a great Bug-bare for children And a Bugbear for children But this was afterwards for then when they heard it was set out of the Port In the interim it kept the Royalists solicitous at the bridge and supposed it to come against the bridge for so the Antwerpians gave it out to detaine the Royalists on the bridge they expressed another front and earnestly prepared all their forces against this new monster which same had divulged Whilst the Royalists were by the many and sundry attempts of the enemies Engines busied at the River The confederates Navy invade Covenstene Causey Covenstene Causey was suddenly assailed by both Navies at once which consisted of above two hundred sayle almost one hundred and sixty whereof were great shippes furnished with Veterans and Cannons and came partly from the City under Consul Aldegund James Jacobius Admirall of Antwerp Aldegund from Antwerp with Morgan and Balfurius two Colonells of English and Scots And Holach from the sea partly under Count Holach from the sea to whom were joyned Justin of Nassau Haulter Governour of Walcheren besides the chiefest of the Hollanders and Zealanders The rest of the lesser ships were some loaden with sacks of earth and wool many with faggots beames hurdles and pyles for the speedy raising of bulwarkes and fences Others with folded bridges for an assault fire-balls Granadoes Artificers and Pioneers besides those that were loaden with store of provision for Antwerp Count Holach was the first First the Hollachians sending fire ships before and frighting away the guards that by the helpe of the tyde set out from Lillo who sent before foure ships with pitch brimstone and Gun powder which the Ship-men privately setting fire to might have some resemblance of shippes with mines and as Bowmen in the Van of an Army might beat off and deterr the Royalists from their centries which took effect For approaching to Covenstene betweene the Castles of Saint George and the Palata the pyles being cut before under the Water as soon as they were set on fire they went off with a horrid but hurtlesse noyse wherefore whilst those that kept guard in that place fearing a terrible storme of stones would ensue a little with-drew themselves the stoutest of the enemies came out of the other ships and in a trice took the Causey Ascend the Causey there being but few there to defend it cut through a passage and that gate being now opened in halfe an houres space amongst a continuall storm of the Artillery from Saint Georges Castle not without the losse of many about eight hundred Holachians possesse themselves of all that part of the Causey And although a little after Simon Padil Colonell Gamboa and Captaine Padilla came in all speed from the next Castles with most of their souldiers to hinder the enemies from fortifying themselves And seconded by the Aldegundians climbing up on the other side yet at the same time Aldegund first charging with his fire-ships then with the Antwerpian fleet and sending fresh men to assist their fellowes the Spaniards endeavours were frustrated for Captaine Padilla and other undaunted souldiers being slaine The chiefest of the Spaniards being slaine or wounded Colonell Gamboa himselfe and many of his men ill wounded they thought it best to retreate and defend the Castles from the huge multitude of the enemies Possess themselves of a great part of the Causey And now the enemies being masters of all the Causey between the Castles of Saint George and the Palata contentiously fortifie themselves and speedily driving stakes into the ground and winding them with boughs of Trees casting to them sackes of earth suddenly rais'd a high bulwark And fortifyed it and fortifyed it with select Musqueteers out of the neerest shippes committing the charge of it to Colonell Morgan And withall the Pioneers open the Causey on either side And at the same time almost an infinite number of Pioneers applying themselves to
Excellency first gave thanks to Almighty God for the Victory and the next day caused the whole Clergy at Divine service to do the like and also a Masse to bee said Thanksgiving to God as his custome was for those that were slaine in the fight in the presence of the Army His care of the dead of the wounded and of the Causey His next care after hee had provided for his wounded souldiers was to amend the wounded Causey which being cast down and opened in at least thirteen places the incensed souldiers besides faggots earth and other stuffe repaired and made up with heapes of the enemies bodies Alexander that hee might give no respite to the affrighted enemies The fetching away of the huge ship hearing that monster of a ship to stay as yet at Ordam and that many Antwerpian shippes repaired thither sent Charles Count Mansfield with five Galleyes seven Frigots and twenty lesser Vessels furnished with Cannons and souldiers Mansfield go eth against it and other ships And Mansfield forthwith loosing from the Navall bridge slipt through the cleft of the bank at Saint Peters Fort into the drowned fields and compassed the enemy with that scelerity that unlesse an unexpected accident had happened in the very attempt Who is a little hindered by a fire which hapned in his ship it was thought not a ship could have escaped For in Mansfields owne galley in which were carried Count Aremberge Marquesse Bontivolio Count Bevilacque and divers other chiefe men of Note drawne with a desire of seeing that Navall Monster that Noah's Ark as they termed it by chance a barrell of gun-powder being set on fire fired also the ship Bevilacque who was neerest to the barrell being blown up and lighting in the water by swimming got to the bank at Ordam almost dead some cast themselves into the waters some were burned to death Mansfield and the rest bore a long time the markes of the fire in their hands and faces But soon after sets upon the enemy takes some shippes Then he comes to the huge ship By this delay for many on every side came in to helpe them most of the Antwerpian shippes escaped to the City except nine that were taken in the pursuit by the Mansfieldians With which prey returning Victours they came about the great ship admiring there appeared not one to defend it of the huge company of sea-men not one Which the Ant werpians had left as uselesse not any inhabitant as in a desolate forsaken City And indeed the Antwerpians had left it as wholly deserted for the day before having taken most of the Cannons out of it when yet they could not remove it they departed and came againe the next day with their Navy to fetch away the souldiers and ammunition and with fire to demolish that heap of wood And the souldiers marriners and part of the ammunition they had removed into their ships but Mansfields sudden arrivall hindered the rest All which though truly related by the prisoners that were taken The assailants feare some tredchery in it yet the Mansfieldians durst not give credit to them and by how much all things seemed more quiet and without danger by so much the more cantious and fearfull they were lest in that wooden Machine as in another Trojane horse some treachery might bee concealed Wherefore they agreed to discharge a Cannon against it They try it to try that way what was within it But the bullet was with silence received into the wooll which stuffed the sides of it and gave it no more motion then if a little wave had dash't against a huge Rock in the Sea At last one more adventurous then the rest as if by boarding it first hee should win the glory of scaling the walls of a Castle and by and by others that they might not bee thought lesse daring and then more in emulation of the former taking with them the prisoners instead of pledges Some enter intending to involve them in the same danger if there were any enter the ship view the severall rooms both above and below observe the hatches and cabines search all places exactly And secure from danger and not finding any signe of treachery now exempt from feare they advise with the Marriners how to draw it thence and bring it to the bridge to the Princes view Wherefore they took away from it what was more loose or fitter to bee removed and being so mangled and made lighter They hale it into the River and in a military triumph they bring it to Alex. they drew it through the over-whelmed fields of Ordam into the Schelde and giving his Excellency notice thereof steered it towards the bridge not without pomp For the other captive shippes haled with ropes led the way then followed Mansfields Navy environing the great ship which came as if it had beene a whole Navy it selfe Then the shippes that met them from the bridge encreased the triumph and coming in Prince Alexanders presence they altogether discharged their Artillery with such exceeding joy of the Army as if in the triumph over that one ship Antwerp now subdued and taken had beene led prisoner in fetters And indeed not onely the common souldiers who as before at the report of this Engine apprehended the greatest feare so now having it present amongst them scoffed and jeered at it and scorned it as a Bugbeare for children but the chiefest Commanders also yea Prince Alexander himselfe admiring the vain structure of that huge Machine which the enemies had proudly threatned would be the end of the Warr made a truer construction of that title With great hope of an end of their labonrs that it was the end of the War but to the enemies whose forces and strength were now exhausted utter overthrow and ruine Nor did they judge falsly for the Antwerpians as soon as they perceived their overthrow at Covenstene this their ship taken and so their hopes on all sides to be frustrated The Antwerpians not willing to endure the inconvenience of a siege any longer exclaimed they would not any longer be fool'd by Holach or encouraged by Aldegund with vaine hope of forraign ayde And it plainly appeared the City being divided into factions would not any longer endure the incommodities of a siege Are punished by the Magistrates Nor did the punishment of some of the more seditious prevaile any thing with the commonalty for some cast into prison were forcibly set at liberty by the people the Magistrates not daring for the future to oppose them But in vaine Whose counsell of expelling the Catholicks thereby to ease the City was not approved by Aldegunde fearing a farre greater and more certaine tumult of the multitude Besides the sudden flight of some of the richest Merchants from the City The Merchants also earnestly desire peace and the Ambassage of the Hanse Cities demanding that unlesse peace were concluded they should permit
any Diocesse in all the Netherlands of so great esteem and reduced a City the Flower of the Belgick Cities and with it the Seigniory of one of the seventeene Provinces to their true and lawfull Soveraigne at that time when having received letters from his Majesty For the restitution of the Castle of Piazenza he renders thanks to the King with Mechlin of the restitution of the Castle of Piazenza which had beene kept by a Spanish garrison he was in condition to render him thanks for his royall liberality with the welcome newes of the Victory But ere long having at last subdued Antwerp The agents treats with Alex about the delivery of Antwerp hee sent farre more acceptable tydings to the King for Aldegund when hee saw the publick affaires in despaire thought privately to provide for himself and hastened forward the Commission intended to the Prince of Parma from the Magistrates and people The agents or commissioners were twenty one the chiefe amongst whom were William Merode Lord of Duffle John Sconhove Andrew Hessell and Philip Marnixius Aldegund himselfe Consull of the City Who being received by his Excellency at Bevera I have heard that Aldegund in the name of them all and in the presence of the Royal and warlike Councell Aldegunds Oration spoke after this manner Wee come not hither most mighty Prince timerously to apologize for our whole years resistance in defence of our owne For who could have conceived the least feare of the most potent City in all the Belgick Provinces from so few besiegers and you your selfe I presume as no valiant man can affect the cowardly would rather have wished then approved of our facility and feare Wee had sufficient knowledge of the number of your souldiers the necessities of your Camp were not concealed from us your Navy not considerable complaints rung through your Army and tumults were daily expected Was it likely that you with ten or eleven thousand souldiers for those were the most with which you first attempted this great designe could have continued the siege of such a City block it up by land and stop passage by water with your horse make inrodes into Brabant and hinder reliefe from neighbouring Cities obstruct so vast a River above against the forces of Gaunt and below against the power of Holland and Zealand invade so many Castles on the bankes of Scheldt oppose Navy against Navy which then you had not any make good the bringing in of provision unto your Army And fill all places with Castles guards and Sconces no surely had you had fifty thousand fighting men nay if every one of your souldiers had had a hundred hands a piece could you have been thought of ability to attend to so many things at once in places so distant and divided in effect so difficult in labour so continuall in necessity so urgent And yet with this handfull of men you have besieged Antwerp both by water and land possest your selfe of Flanders and Brabant by frequent stations every where placed conveyed provision and what else was needfull for your Army at the siege through a channell of your owne making Erected Castles and Forts upon narrow banks and in the overwhelmed fields and what wee onely could believe possible because we have seen it done coped with a River which had the Ocean to assist it yea subjugated the Scheldt or rather the Sea with a Bridge standing against the furies of the swelling Ocean against the violent encounters of the Ice amongst continuall conflicts with our Navies Yet we broke down the bridge not without your great losse yea your animosity thereby increasing in a trice repaired it Wee turned the Scheldt into the fields and sought passage els-where You following the River hither also by a new bridge divided it and objected that over-crosse Causey against our Navies We assayled the Causey digged it through and opened a way there for our shipping yet you replust us thence when wee thought our selves Victours made up the clefts and breaches and obstructed all hope of passage What Engines what stratagems have wee left unattempted What strength of navies what fiery wonders what inventions of swimming Castles can there bee we have not set forth as much as by wit as much as by art could be imagined we have performed The Heavens the Sea hell onely excepted we have call'd to our assistance wee have taken into our society And yet with all these we have neither removed you from our Walls nor struck you with the least feare but rather have ministred new fewel to your incensed breast for the conquest of other Cities and further dilating of your armes and victories You have atchieved most invict illustrious Prince an enterprize than which the past and present Annalls cannot produce a greater We often have read and sometimes beheld that a Generall laying siege to an hostile City whil'st hee forceth and taketh one hath lost another elsewhere You whilst with your Army you straightly attacque Antwerp as if secure of us at the same time in Flanders take Dendermund by force subdue Gaunt by famine In Guelders dis-arme us of Nievmeghen And in Brabam compell Bruxels and Mechlin to a surrender And so whilst you lay siege to one City you extend your victories rising from victories into three severall Provinces at once As if to fight with one enemy at once were too small a taske for your noble spirit But the recitall of all these daily disputes betwixt the besieged and besiegers tends onely to this that it may plainly appeare that we conscious of our owne forces did not rashly undertake our defence nor having had tryall of your fortune do cowardly give it up God and your valour O Alexander have afforded you the glory of subduing Antwerp and posterity will allow us also some honour for not yeelding too hastily One thing as well for yours the King your Uncles sake as our owne wee intreat and earnestly request that as by conquering you have understood how great a City you have overcome so in taking and possessing it you will diminish nothing of the majesty strength thereof nothing of the monument of your Victory nor any thing of his Majesties possession and tribute But diminish them you will if either by confining the Citizens minds to a certaine religion or imposing a garrison of externs over their bodies and fortunes you change the state and Government of the City Antwerp if any City in all Europe flourisheth for the present The number of Citizens and strangers can scarcely bee reckoned The Scheldt as large as it is cannot containe the Merchants shippes of all regions when warr hinders them not Lastly no Empory in the whole world conjoynes associates more Provinces together and wealth of countreyes by communion of traffick The fame of the place will endure as long as solitude of Religion threats of Castles and terrours of a Garrison do not shut up this Sanctuary SAFETY is a nurse to
commerce But what safety can the naked Merchants expect from armed souldiers accustomed to pillage Surely this City hath sufficiently had a lamentable grievous experiment of sacking burning and plundering For the prevention of which outrages that Antwerp may have no just cause for the future to feare your prudence most excellent Prince by this dayes conditions for which we are come hither to treat with you we hope will provide Prince Alex. answers the Agents To these his Excellency in a few words made answer that willingly he accepted of the treaty with Antwerp And as hee referred the valour and acts of his souldiers unto Gods benignity and his blessed mothers assistance so the Antwerpians ought to acknowledge that all their forces leagues with Cities and Provinces and succours from forraign Princes were in vain against the power and right of the legitimate Lord of the Low-countreyes In stating the conditions he would bury in oblivion the Amwerpians Delinquencies for having waged warr against God and their lawfull Soveraigne and incited others of the Low-countreys as with an allarme from that strong hold to defection but would rather have respect to his Majesties clemency and from thence would moderate the chiefest of their conditions And dismisseth them to three Presidents In the interim hee had appointed men of understanding wisdome and no ways partiall with whom they might more freely conferre Therefore they should depart to them to treat of the articles and then hee would deliver the Kings minde not in the worst sence Hee had chosen for that purpose Pamaelio Richardott and Vandenburge Presidents of the privy Councell of Artois and Mechlin and committed every thing to their judgement and wisdome To whom he referred all things except the Articles of obedience to the King and religion the Articles pertaining to obedience due to the King and religion onely excepted which hee with more then ordinary care as he had received an expresse from his Majesty reserved to himselfe for when long agoe his Excellency had proposed it to the King thereby to make the Ant verpians more willing to surrender whether hee should set a certaine time to the Hereticks wherein to dispatch their affaires or to permit them so long untill there might be hopes of their better disposition and reducement His Majesty made reply The King thus expresseth his mind concerning religion that he should not grant an unlimited time what hope or perswasion soever there was of their reconciliation Upon which subject because hee had often at other times treated I thought it best to insert one of the latest letters from Spaine concerning this matter part of which was written with his Majesties own hand In every treaty or parley with Cities or Castles that come into our hands let this be your first and last regard that in these places the Catholick religion be settled without leave to the Hereticks of professing or exercising their sects or doctrines in City or countrey unlesse you grant them some time for composing their affaires and let that be limited concerning which matter I absolutely command that no dubious clause capable of interpretation or moderation be inserted that those may assure themselves who desire to live in our Belgium to make choyce either of the true worship of the ancient Romane faith or after their prescribed time is ended forth with to seeke their habitation else-where Which things if they be performed I put my confidence in the Almighty power to whose honour and service this warr hath for so many yeares been managed with so great losse of bloud and expences that all things for the future will proceede fortunate and that his heavenly majesty will out of his wonted providence always so moderate our affaires that men by their happy successe may understand of what importance it is to put their confidence in the Divine goodnesse and to preferr the service due to him before all secular businesse But if God by reason of our great offences will have it otherwise I think it better to spend all my Kingdomes for his sake then for any humane respect to decline from this if not a lucky doubtlesse a pious determination And truly this firme purpose of his Catholick Majesty was very apparent to be acceptable to God for on the same day these were written by the King which was the seventeenth of August on the same day the Antwerpian agents at their meeting at Bevera receiving their articles delivered up the City When notwithstanding when they begun to treat with the Kings Commissioners The Agents treat with the Presidents they differ about three articles the businesse of their reconciliation seemed to be very intricate and would go but slowly on For they insisted immoveably on these three heads above others That religion as then it was might freely bee exercised that the Castle now halfe down might not be repaired That no garrison of what nation soever might be admitted into the City Yea when they understood that the Commissioners were not impowred to treat about religion they told the Prince of Parma they would proceed no further with them unless they might have power for that also And Aldegund Aldegund promiseth great matters if liberty of conscience be granted amongst other conferences one time staying with his Excellency foure whole houres alone in private discourse concerning this article stuck not to affirme that upon that condition of freedome in religion Zealand and Holland yea all the confederate Belgica might be drawne to the Kings obedience And would take it upon him and was confident for that authority which he had with the Provinces Put Prince Alex discourse with him was wholly to the contrary shortly to produce a great benefit to both parties But his Excellency utterly dashing all hopes of liberty and confusion in religion whereby as hee said the Cities and Provinces divided into sects and factions could neither live in peace amongst themselves nor with God or their Princes Gods Deputies upon earth courteously admonished him that they should consider the daily decay of their forces succours from France by reason of the troubles there past all hopes the subtile delay of the English the invincible power of the Catholick King not to be exhausted by any expences nor tyred out by warr and indirectly hee insinuated some things which might bee of great concernment for his own private interest with hopes of favour from his Majesties clemency And those things hee uttered before Aldegund with such eloquence with such courage and with words wholly dictated to him as hee after writ to the King by Almighty God Aldegund is wonderfully taken with his discourse that Aldegund admiring the vigour of his discourse professed after his departure thence he had often treated with many eloquent persons but hee never met any more efficacious and affable then the Prince of Parma and that with reason hee might use that of Asdruball concerning Scipio viz. that Prince Alexander
appeared farr more admirable to him in presence then fame had set him out for his warlike actions And indeed whether taken with the wordes and civility of the Prince of Parma or wholly hopeless of supporting the siege any longer And is more forward for the surrender by little and little hee made shew that his minde was altered being more propense to treat on the surrender Moreover in a book which afterward he set forth Yea in a book which afterwards hee set forth he extolleth Alexanders virtues and the Kings cause when hee had to the life extolled the deeds performed by Alexander Farneze his mercy towards the conquered sanctity in keeping his Oath and other vertues pertaining to a Generall amongst other things hee added that King Philips subjects could not with a safe conscience take up armes against their King Which confession not rashly uttered in talke but witnessed in writing he being a man of great authority among the States and a grounded Calvinist was a great blemish to the confederates cause And was therefore hated of the confederates Hee thenceforth daily growing out of favour and hated by them was not afterwards admitted to any Government in the Common-wealth But then the Agents and the Kings Commissioners often meeting together The conditions imposed upon the City at the surrender lastly after some debates in the Prince of Parmas's presence the article concerning religion was in the first place confirmed one and that the ancient Catholick profession being appointed to the Antwerpians They were commanded to reedify the Churches which they had rased and to restore the ejected families of religious orders into the City into their owne houses possessions Which Article concerning religious orders when the Agents would thus have penned it that those religious orders should bee reduced into the City which had had their residence in Antwerp in the Emperour Charles the fifths dayes A deceit discovered in them His Excellency understanding by that fraud the Fathers of the society of Jesus whose assistance hee chiefly made use of against the Hereticks to be excluded utterly rejected it and would have all orders equally included In repairing the Castle and in placing a garrison of Spaniards and Italians from whom the Citizens desired to be free hee dealt more favourably Yet the Article was thus That the Prince of Parma should draw with him into the City a garrison of well affected nations and if the Hollanders and Zealanders were reconcil'd to their Soveraigne the City should be exempt from the Castle and garrison for ever after if not he would provide for the safety of Antwerp against the neighbouring Zealanders and others In the rest of the conditions the Prince of Parma being very liberall gave pardon in his Majesties name to the Antwerpians of the high Treason committed against their King restored to the City its ancient priviledges granted the Hereticks foure yeares to tarry in the City to settle their affaires And although hee might with reason have charged the City with the greatest part of the huge expences laid out at the siege yet hee was contented to exact only foure hundred thousand Florens 160000. Crownes nor that to be payd all at once for his souldiers pay It was also agreed that the prisoners on both sides should be released though the Royalists had more then the enemies unlesse they had already covenanted for their ransome Tilinius onely excepted whose case although reserved to the King his Excellency promised to recommend him to his Majesty and to effect that as some dayes before hee had dismist Lanoy into France to be exchanged with Count Egmont so Tilinius should ere-long follow his father Whilst these The articles are read in the City and other Articles being in all twenty seven were read by the Commissioners returned to Antwerp in presence of the Magistrates people with great attention of all there was suddenly heard a huge noise of Cannons from the bridge on the Scheldt the adjoyning forts which still increased when many going out of the City and looking from the banks and towers reported that a cruell battle was then fought at the Farnezian bridge and upon the banks rampires of the River And it being rumoured that the English succours were arrived and had set upon the Royalists the Antwerpians are at a stand about admitting the conditions And without doubt either the French or English succours were arrived by whom the Spaniards being suddenly engaged as unprovided would not doubtlesse long subsist against the fresh and hardy enemy Whereupon many of the people verily believing it as oftentimes HOPE and desire makes men credulous upon new designes and encourage by those that were against the surrender forthwith take armes and constipating the Commissioners demand a longer time to deliberate on the conditions untill they were certified by frequent messengers one after another that there appeared no ayd from France or Navy from England but that it was a joyfull and fayned combat of the Royalists And one of them Seeing themselves deluded they returne againe to heare the conditions a witty conceipted fellow having informed himselfe more fully affirmed that no auxiliary navy was arrived from England but that the Grecian fleet had brought the golden Fleece from Colchos to the Prince of Parma The occasion of the mistake But they being thus deluded and offended with the incendiaries returne againe with the same levity as before they had broken off to heare the articles of their surrender The solemnity of Alexanders receiving the golden Fleece But not a few were drawn with a desire to see that military triumph celebrated in the royal Army for the solemnity of the Golden Fleece which Chaine sent by his Majesty long before Prince Alexander had deferred to receive untill this time that now secure of the Antwerpian Victory he might enter the City more graced by that dignity The description of that celebrity And the souldiers for their love and reverence to their Generall made all things more stately for armed companies ranged in Battalia at their posts were extended from the Camp at Bevera where the Prince then resided even to Calloo and from thence to the Scheldt and Bridge The chiefe Commanders of the Army placed themselves on the Bridge the banks of the Scheldt the Castles Rampires and ships all glittered with armed Regiments Saint Philips fort in the head of the Bridge on Brabant shoare was chosen to augment the pomp To which his Excellency moving from Bevera on horse-back accompanied by the chief of the Nobility and entertained by the way with showes of warlike skirmishes sometimes of horse sometimes of foot when hee arrived at the bridge which resounded with the joyfull Eccho of shoutes and Trumpets hee was saluted with a volley of Cannons without intermission thundering from the Castles Forts and shippes Having passed the bridge and entered the chappell of Saint Philps after Masse sung by
Lodowick Barlamont Arch-Bishop of Cambray hee put on the collar of the Golden fleece received from the handes of Count Mansfield who said hee represented the person of Octavio Dake of Parma and Piazenza in that office with whom about thirty nine yeares before he was preferred to that order by Charles the fifth Then his Excellency departing thence returned unto the Camp at Bevera and againe all along the river-banks the roaring of Candons mixt with the exulting shoutes of the souldiers wishing all happinesse and prosperity to their Generall renewed the joy And it was manifest to all that this Order was never by any Prince received with greater magnificence viz. in the midst of his Veterans and so often victorious Regiments upon the admirable structure of the Bridge on the Scheldt having subdued the most potent City in all the Low countreyes after a siege the most memorable that ever was Prince Alexander was not as yet arrived at the Camp 17. August Alex. receives the Commissioners coming to deliver up the City when hee was met by the Antwerpian Commissioners who the Articles being accepted of came to render up the City Whom his Excellency courteously receiving stayd them with him and sent the Prendents Richardâ—â—t Vandenburge with the Kings Herauld into the City to whom were joyned Captaine Petro à Castro Sanding some into the City to confirme and proclaime the surrender whose office was to buckle on his sword Didacus Escovario Sergeant Major of Mondragonius Regiment and Propertius Baroccius chiefe Engineer to ratifie the conditions already agreed on and to publish the surrender These had directions to view the City both within and without and to make all things secure against the coming of their Prince And the conclusion of the peace being heard at Antwerp With great joy of the people pulling downe the Duke of Alenzons arms they set up the Kings the people entertaine the Kings harbingers with great joy they run up and down the City pull downe the armes and pictures of the Duke of Alenzon and set up the King of Spaines all things were with exquisite diligence prepared against the Prince of Parma's arrivall all things from continuall sorrow and feare were suddenly changed into mirth sports and preparation of joyfull showes And Alex. coming is expected But his Excellency deferred to enter the City yet tenne dayes In which time it is scarce credible what a number of people from all parts of the Low-countreyes The concourse of strangers to see this triumph and to view the bridge especially of the Antwerpians and adjacent places repaired thither Some that they might be present at the triumph of the Conquerer at his solemne entrance into the City many to view the fortifications of the Camp and famed invention of the Farnezian bridge some to draw out in right full proportion the models or portraitures of the workes which as it was reported Coming out of the City to contemplate Alex. works were speedily to be dismantled But none more curiously beheld these things then the Antwerpian Commissioners and those who now having their minds no lesse at liberty then their gates came forth of the City sometimes they viewed the castles erected on the banks then they admired the channell Parma and the Fort Perla at the fabrick of the bridge they were even amazed both hated and yet praised the wonderfull rarity of the work But on Covenstene causey dreadfull yet for the fresh bloud scattered limbs and reliques of mangled bodies they acknowledging their late losse privatly lamented and yet were contented to behold with their eyes what their minds detested But Prince Alexander now ready to enter Antwerp in the first place removed the garrison souldiers from the opposite Haven in the head of Flanders HIS solemn entrance as also from Tilinius fort and lastly from Antwerp it selfe and sent them all towards Zealand without their armes Then he committed the charge of the Catholick Army who had received orders to meet at Stabroeck to Vastins in place of Count Mansfield who then was gone to look to his Regency of Lucemburge And out of his whole army his Excellency selected two thousand foot divided into eight companies of Germans and twelve of Walloones armed with pikes Musquets carbines and three troopes of horse one of Curaciers and two of Lanciers 29. Aug. And commanded them to stay at Bercheme a village of Brabant He sent some before to guard the wayes Hee also appointed George Basta with three hundred horse from Burgerhout to ride out and survey the way hee was to passe The next day marching with his Court from the camp at Bevera and having past the Scheldt hee sent before part of the foot from Berchem into the City under Licquius who placed some of them at Saint Georges gate And the gates and chiefest streets of the City which they also call the Emperours and divided the rest into severall chiefe places of the City that by so many stations lending a mutuall assistance as it were joyning hands they might enclose Antwerp So his Excellency would not onely have the conquered City but the conquest it selfe in his owne power These things thus ordered the wayes both within and without the City being thronged with infinite people the rest of his Excellencies attendance in great state marched forward the horse and foot not so much for the gaudinesse of apparrell or armour The aspect of the souldiers as all of them being old select souldiers for their martiall looks military severity a gallant sight Himselfe the greatest spectacle But Prince Alexander now made famous with the Trophies of so many Provinces and Cities subdued attracted all mens eyes upon him and as the ancients in their triumphs had Ensignes and pictures carried before them so fame waited on him with his titles and prompted the cogitations of the spectatours and as the noyse of his famous acts had represented him to their thoughts more then a man so sought they more greedily to satiate their eyes now in beholding him present He was attended by these great Nobles the Duke of Areschot Casatane Duke of Sermonett the Prince of Chimace Count Egmont the Marquesses of Renthi Varambone the Countess Aremberg Charles Mansfield Altapen others especially Low-countrey men for very few of the Spaniards and Italians were admitted thereby to please the Antwerpians with this retinue and lastly with the troopes of his life-guard whose Captains were Leo Lazarus Haller the Counts Nicelli and Caecius his Excellency arrived at Saint Georges gate He is received before the City gateâ— by a Virgin where hee was met by a Virgin in a habitt and with Ensignes representing Antwerp as they use to shadow it Who lighting from her triumphant Charriot with a company of other noble girles reverently saluted the Prince of Parma and delivered him a Golden key shee prayed the like happinesse to his Nephew now entring victour as
heretofore shee had wish't to Charles the fifth who made his first victorious entrance through that gate Alexander courteously receiving the gift wore it before him fastened to the chaine of the Golden Fleece And is welcomed with divers arguments of joy through the City and through the whole City hee observed not without admiration the sudden setting forth and expressions of publick joy For on the bridge Moere he saw a beaked pillar of a wonderfull height erected with the staua's of Alexander of Macedon and that Roman Alexander placed thereon and in other places divers sorts of Pageants stately arches and artificiall fire-works to compose which showes for pomp and state onely those very same though heretofore so often pernitious Engineers did apply their inventions and hands using the fragments of the Machines a little before prepared for the Warr for solemnizing of this triumph making their art obsequious thereby to appease the Conquerer Prince Alexander after hee had a while beheld commended these and other like preparations with all his attendance hastened to the great Church of our B. Lady He went into the Church And there whilst Te Deum laudamus with musick was solemnly sung hee offered up his private devotions and thanksgiving which And gave thanks to the B. Virgin next to God he openly professed to the mother of God FOR THAT THE EXPEDITION BEING BY HER INSTINCT UNDERTOOK BY HER ASSISTANCE PROSPEROVSLY ATCHIEVED HE AT LAST BE HELD HIS LADY BY THE PIOVS AND PUISSANT ARMES OF THE CATHOLICK KING RESTORED TO HER OWNE SEAT FROM WHENCE SHE HAD SACRILEGIOVSLY BEFORE-TIME BEEN BANISHED WHOM THEREFORE HE DEVOVTLY HONOVRED From thence he departed to the Castle halfe downe and quite desolate and passing through the Army which before the Castle was suddenly composed as well of the souldiers sent thither before as of those who by his command repaired thither out of the City hee made a little stand at the Castle gate and calling to him the Colonels and Captaines Then at his entrance into the Castle he spake thus to his souldiers before hee dispersed them through the City made this short speech unto them By Gods great bounty and your valour O fellow souldiers we possesse Antwerp But that wee may securely keep it I have chosen you out of the whole Army to whose military discipline but especially civility and unoffensive conversation with the Citizens I might commit the safety of the City so much the more earnestly as the Antwerpians were more stiffe and resolved not to admit of garrison souldiers for that they feared if not open plundering though that also they expected at least continuall contests and quarrells which their goods must daily redeeme and would daily occasion I that I might remove that perswasion out of their minds have engaged my faith Nor as I trust will my promise hope be frustrate having made this choice of souldiers whose commanders I know to be men carefull of their owne reputations solicitous of my credit Therefore it shall be your task to keep the souldiers within their limits duties and not to let passe injuries abuses against the Citizens if any happen unpunished but forth with chastise them that the Citizens may heare of the souldiers punishments before the commanders heare of the Citizens complaints So shall concord and a well grounded allegiance bee established in the City Remember you live in the very entrance of Zealand and Holland whose castles may bee seen nay their very words be almost heard from the walls of Antwerp The Antwerpians will have an eye thither if they perceive themselvs insolently treated at home by a forraign souldier WHO sith always he is wont to be a grievance to cities but then especially when newly conquered as more neer looking back on their late former condition Wherefore they will the more intolerably resent injuries from the conquerers and having not yet layd by their acient enmities as if the warr were not yet ended they will with little adoe resume their hostile spirits FOR Torches newly extinguished will quickly take fire I as much as concerns my selfe will have a diligent care that the glorious labours of the Catholick Army be not frustrated by the licentiousnesse of some Thus premonished Then hee sent them into severall parts of the City he distributed them into their severall appointed parts of the City and gave orders that for some dayes as if upon service they should not lay by their armes untill at the next convention having removed the Hereticks he should create new Magistrates Whilst thus things passed with a continued gratulation for three whole dayes at Antwerp the Spaniards The triumph of the Spaniards and Italians on the bridge in honour of their Generall and Italians when they had not admittance into the City yet at least meant some way to participate of the common joy whereof themselvs were chiefest authors they therefore conspired together with such preparation as time would permit to solemnize a joyfull triumph for their Generall upon the Scheldt knowing that the bridge was within three dayes to bee dismantled they determined to passe over with triumph pomp that Machine yet standing and in the interim they chose S. Maries fort at the head of the bridge as it were for their capitoll Wherfore with wonderfull alacrity cutting down what shrubs and trees were at hand they erect triumphant works arches on the bridge adorne the sides and battlements with bowes strow the passage with leaves lastly hang on the boughs emblems and verses such as amongst souldiers could be composed in praise of Prince Alexander Then with garlands of green branches on their heads marching orderly over the bridge and at every arch joyfully discharging their Musquets they enter St. Maries You would think they had had a president hereof from the Macedons the other Alexanders souldiers who after their victory over Nyse on a hill neer to the City were disposed to merriment and crowned with wreathes of ivyes and vines lopped from the wood Alexander the great first admiring and afterwards commending this their new kind of pomp Not unlike to the solemnity of Alexander of Macedons souldiers with joyfull dances on the top of the hill celebrated solemne ceremonies to the god of the wood Yea the Generall himselfe acting his part also with the dancers at the last invited his Army to a magnificent feast Nor was this epulary appendix wanting to the fore mentioned gratulation of the Spaniards and Italians For whilst they render thanks with a joyfull consort of musick and voyces to the mother of the God of Hosts Alexander comes thither from Antwerp in her Castle they received unexpected tydings that Prince Alexander with a train of the nobility was advancing from the other part of the bridge For hee having intelligence how much his souldiers sought to honour him being exceedingly taken with their ingenious good will and affection towards him this warlike man omitted
not And the day after makes them a feast both to grace them with his presence and the day after with a sumptuous banquet to augment their joy And indeed it was a spectacle worth the seeing to behold the Army feasting upon the Scheldt The banquet on the Bridge tables all along the bridge as farre as from Brabant to Flanders sumptuously furnished to see the Duke of Areschott the Marquesses of Renthi Vastius Varambone serving up meat Charles Count Mansfield the Prince of Chimace Maurique Cajatane and Leva all eminent persons and chiefe Commanders filling them wine When in the mean time all rung with joyful shouts of the souldiers wishing life victory to their Generall Prince Alexander Thus the bridge The taking down of the Bridge the day after that solemn banquet adorned as it was with arches of green boughs garlands and emblems with joyfull expressions and exultation was taken downe And it was but fit that the exequies of this victorious Machine over the enemies should bee performed with triumph The materials were given to Baroc and Plato Most of the wood Iron were by his Excellency given to the Architects of it Baroccius and Plato But in Spaine for the joy of that successe contain'd not it selfe within the Low-countreys onely the newes of this victory was with generall gratulation of the Cities received certainly the King His Majesties joy for the taking of Antwerp as Granvell writes was so transported with joy that the ancient Courtiers who always had been in his company affirmed they never saw his Majesty either for the battle of St. Quintins or for the navall fight at Lepanto or at the conquest at the Tersera Islands to have exprest the like content as at the letters of taking Antwerp And I have heard from a person very intimate at Court that the King the same night he received Prince Alexanders letters could not containe himselfe but got out of bed and went privately to his daughter Isabellas's chamber Signified to his daughter whom hee dearly loved and knocking at the door uttered these two wordse ANTWERP IS OVRS and then departed And verily by those letters which I have seen written by his Majesties owne hand in exquisite high terms beyond his usuall custome to expresse his thanks to Prince Alexander it is very evident that his joy was excessive For he was of a setled opinion that Zealand and Holland would at last follow the example and fate of Antwerp and so all the Netherlands would soon return to their own Princes obedience And it was the opinion of many that the Low-countreys would turn to the King And when Idicquesius resident for the Low-countreyes in Spaine gave letters to Charles Coloma a famous warlike man then ready to depart for the Low-countreys it is reported that hee said to him hee might go though ere-long he would return for no doubt but the Low-countreys warr would soone be ended by the Prince of Parma But his Excellency in the mean while applied himselfe to settle the affaires of Antwerp Alex. takes care of the Governnment of the City both civill and sacred And choosing new Magistrates hee created Champine Governour of the City and Werp of the garrison He sent also for the Arch-Bishop of Mechlin to take care of the Church and Clergy and the fathers of the society of Jesus to instruct the youth in learning and true religion shutting up the schools of the Hereticks Then having ordered some other things for the good government of the City his next care was to reward his souldiers labours Going therefore to Stabroeck and mustering his men hee gave them their pay He gives pay to his souldiers a great part of the army having much arrears due to them But if Captain or Officer nay any of the common souldiers had performed any notable exploit such as hee thought they had merited a greater reward And requests of the King rewards for some of his chiefest souldiers by name hee writ into Spaine and making a particular catalogue of their names recommended them to his Majesties liberality to bee further honoured All their names whose famous acts victories Alexander proposed to the King with recitall of how many years they had served in the warrs what how many wounds they had received if I should in this part of my history insert it would no doubt bee gratefull to that warlike nation And verily were it not an immense labour those noble and military spirits deserved to have their valour and Alexanders affection towards them inrolled to posterity This I will say in briefe there was not any one of the chiefe Commanders And prevailes whom the King did not either advance to the order of the Golden Fleece or to some order of Spanish Knights or gave not some more honorable place in the Army or else made not Governour of some Castle in Italy or at least did not encrease his yearly revenue So farr did he condiscend to Prince Alexanders requests Nor permits any to be rewarded by the King under his deserts that when his Excellency had taken notice that in the donative catalogue sent into the Low-countreys Camillus à Monte Colonell and Nicholas Basta Captaine of a troop of horse were not remunerated proportionably to their deserts and had therfore acquainted the King of their daily and faithfull service and what for the one his Vncle Chiapino Vitelli and what for the other his father Demetrius had merited having both served in the Austrian warrs forty yeares his Majesty with new more satisfactory letters according to Prince Alexanders desire honoured them both according to their merits and worth Of such consequence it is to be a General of an Army who taking part with his souldiers in their labours can judge of their travells as he himselfe is by his Prince esteemed for the opinion of his valour But this muster at Stabroeck was not without some mutiny on the other side the Scheldt THE Walloones do mutniy occasioned by the distribution of the souldiers pay so MONEY whether had or wanting is still cause of sedition Those souldiers that staid in the forts at Caloo on Flanders side 20. Octob. being most of them walloones having intelligence that at Stabroeck the Spaniards and Italians had their pay out of the mony lately come into the Camp perswaded themselvs they should receive their debentures For their pay not equally nor nor totally discharged for all the time they had served in the Warres But when they saw but two payes two coats apiece only offered to every man at first they were much dejected then they begun to despise so vile a reward Nor wanted there incendiaries to exasperate the seditious And by one incendiary And whereas they requested but pay something proportionable to their labours was it fit at the conquest of so rich a City that in place of tenne or twenty payes they
should silently sit downe with two only what other victory might bee expected for souldiers worne out with age in the warrs having their bodyes weakened with wounds in which they might yet place their latest hopes If for pretence of civility the souldiers were restrained from plunder of that hostile City having deserved it in the highest degree why is not justice the right of warr supplied otherwise To the Spaniards it was already who having received full pay only felt the fruits of the victory So it is now adaies the Belgians fight the Spaniards conquer and how ever the dy of warr run the Belgians still passe for conquered The seeds of sedition thus sown at Caloo They are more provoked furiously spread through the rest of their quarters on the bank of Scheldt but yet no further then to extrude the Kings treasurers and such of the commanders as stood averse from the fact for neither did they choose them an Electo contenting themselves with the Common-councell of the officers of every company those that were most forward but were also highly offended with the Agents sent from the next garison of the Holanders Yet remained their Generall and King courted them to a revolt whom they therefore rejected not without threats openly professed to stand faithfull to the Prince of Parma and the Catholick party and that what military vertue they had in them as their adversaries had experience they had some should still stand against the enemy as long as they had a life to lose or sword to draw Which answer moved Alexander not ignorant of it Whereby Alex. being more pacified And whereas at the first notice of that mutiny he had intended to reduce them by famine and therefore had commanded some colours of foot and horse of Spaniards and Italians to guard the countrey of Wasia that no provision should bee brought from thence into the Walloone quarters yet he thought it not amisse to deferr it a day or two And using gentler remedies hee sent the Marquesse of Renthi an ancient commander of the Walloones to Caloo to tell them how much they were deceived and informe them that the Spaniards had received no more pay then other nations Sent to shew them their mistake And though they had yet ought they to consider that the money came from Spaine and an externe souldier wants many things in a strange countrey which the inhabitants and natives have ready at home But they were not moved But Renthies words were not regarded by the raging and disagreeing souldiers destitute of a Commander Besides Werp Governour of the Antwerpian garrison certified Prince Alexander that he had notice that some were sent from Caloo to Antwerp covertly to communicate their designes with the Walloone Presidiaries And that there were some already heard to threaten they would not accept of pay unlesse they might have all their arrears But most as yet were free from the infection Neverthelesse it greatly perplexed his Excellency lest Asex fearing lest they should conspire with Walloone souldiers at Antwerp if the souldiers should raise any tumults in the City the Antwerpians should now believe it for certaine to bee the plot they alwayes suspected layd before-hand by the Generall Wherfore with all expedition calling Count Arembergs German regiment from Burgerhout to Antwerp By severall inventions provides for the Cities safety under colour of sending them to Calloo appointed some Spaniards to appeare before the walls he himselfe with a troop of Epirots entred the City And gave an expresse that the walloones who were to keep guard that night in the castle-yard should keep it els-where for his feare was lest all the souldiers in the City meeting there should join themselves and presuming of the opportunity of the Castle artillery should begin the mutiny Then placing the Arembergians before the Castle instead of the walloones he fitly prevented all occasion of the ill-affected Presidiaries who were but few meeting together or raising any tumults And in the morning without any further delay to try their intentions he caused the assigned pay to be offered them And forceth the seditious to returne to obedience Which they some dissembling most of them not conscious all being wonderfully pacifyed accepted Nor had the mutiny on Flanders coast any other effect for provision being stopt from VVasia and commerce with the Antwerpians cut off the tenth day after having first asked obtained pardon they returned to their obedience civility Some of them being put to death Notwithstanding foure of the chiefe incendiaries but upon some other pretended crime which upon inquiry was not wanting were put to death of the Antwerpian garrison with whom no treaty of pardon had passed Or degraded two Captaines and two others who had been sent from Calloo to sow the sedition amongst the souldiers and these two were hanged at Antwerp but the two Captaines for that the crime was not totally proved against them being degraded from their Captains places were sent to fight in Freezland at their owne charges But the Princes expedition in preventing the sedition THE repairing of Antwerp Castle both gained him much love from the Antwerpian Magistrates and caused a greater propensnesse to his designe then in agitation For the garrison souldiers quartering in the Antwerpians houses were now thought burthensome guests and the Citizens The people desire it to exonerate themselves of that unwonted grievance began to wish the reedifying of the Castle But the Magistrates who regarded the publick more then every mans private interest But not the Magistrates who yet being perswaded by Alexanders servants stood out Yet Champine Governour of the City Cosmus Count Masius a Courtier very intimate with the Prince one of his privy-Councell very opportunely began to treat with them and upon occasion beginning to discourse of the Citizens desires which if neglected it was doubtfull they would breake out into a sedition and also promising the Citizens their assistance to his Excellence for the reparation of the Castle the Magistrates mindes began somewhat to alter untill they also partly pacifyed by the Princes late favour partly moved with the conference and fit reasons of those I spoke of And obliged by his benefits referr the matter to his pleasure went to Alexander and rendring him thanks for saving the City from a tumult they did not omit to make mention of the restauration of the Castle wholly referring it to his wisdome Which by much how more gratefull it was to Alexander so much the more he sleighted it pretending and not without just cause the want of money not onely for that fabrick but winter now drawing on for repairing the banks of the Scheldt breaches of the Rampires at last they divided the charges the City and adjacent Villages promising their assistance to repaire the River-banks and Rampires and the Prince of Parma reserving part of the imposed fine towards the repairing of the Castle so the Castle the ninth of November the eighth year after its former ruine began to be repaired Antwerp not refusing a bridle and so great a Bucephalus The Castle is redified 9. Novemb. by the strength and wisdome of Alexander being tamed And indeed the work soon went on with wonderfull celerity for both the old foundations were usefull and the neere adjoyning houses which had been built of the ruine of the defaced Castle being pull'd down the same stones served again for the work His Excellence as soone as the Castle was habitable drew into it a garrison of Germanes A garrison of Germans was placed in it not of walloones as was supposed in pretence as displeased at their late sedition But in very deed that hee might at last bring in the Spaniards to that purpose more easily remove the Germans being Externs then the native Belgians In which he also had a regard that none of the Low-countrey Nobility should be made Governour of the new Castle Alex reserves the title of Governour to himselfe hee therefore declared himselfe Governour thereof having already with himselfe designed Mondragonius for that place Whom then he made over-seer of the work and at his departure from Antwerp created him his Vice-Governour So bringing him in by severall intervalls and as it were degrees to that Office and avoyding by that silent and unperceptible progresse Afterwards by little and little and unperceptibly he gives it to Mondragonius and at last brings in the Spaniards The first designing of this Castle a great part of their discontent at last he openly declared him Governour of the Castle and removing the Germans thence he brought in the Spaniards the City not daring to contradict it and rather inclining to Alexander And thus Antwerp Castle designed first by Margaret of Austria Dutchesse of Parma then built by the Duke of Alva afterwards defaced by the Prince of Grange was at last with the expences of seventy thousand crownes The building Ruine and restitution of it by Alexander sonne to Margaret repaired But before the Castle was finished for that was some moneths after his Excellency with his Court departed to Bruxels Alex. with hi. Court removes to Bruxels the ancient seat of the Princes of Brabant and the Governours of the Low-countreyes having thrice changed his abode for setting out from Namure he removed his Court and Councell to Mons in Haynolt from thence to Tournay in Flanders and lastly to Bruxels in Brabant still providing for himselfe new seats by new Victories FINIS