The Burghers and souldiers men and women young and old went forth of the gates and stroue who should run first into the enemies campe visiting whatsoeuer they found there and with admiration beheld the greatnesse of the campes circuit the workemanship thereof and euerie man got his bootie for the enemie had left behind him shouels picke-axes wagons tunnes muskets harquebuses pikes armour and all sorts of other prouisions The souldiers and poore townesmeen found wood enough to burne all winter for the props boords of their lodging were onely a little burnt on the out side The whole towne greatly rejoyced for this suddaine and vnlookt for departure of the enemie And because it is the duetie of all good Christians to attribute the honor of all benefits to him from whom they receiue them the sixteenth of Nouember publique thankes was giuen vnto God for so great a deliuerance prayers were likewise made for the prosperitie of the Church and Towne That done the magistrats thought good to proclaime from the towne-house that the thirteenth of Nouember should yearely be kept holie-day because the enemie on that day retired At night bonefires were made Nothing could be heard but the report of canons and small shot sounds of drummes trumpets and bels and joyfull acclamations In euerie street and on the Rampiers pitch barrels were burnt and no place was free from fire workes cast vp into the ayre The towne made a great feast whereunto the Lord Willoughbie gouernour Morgan Captaines old magistrats and the chiefe Burghers were inuited In a word nothing was foregotten which was vsuall in feasts and publique triumphs The towne did afterwards bestow on the Captaines great square pieces of gold which the townes armes stampt in them and the names to whom they were giuen with the causes whie This is the true description of the whole siege together with the sallies and other occurrents which happened during that time and lastly the Duke of Parmas retreat from before Berghen-op-Zoom as it was set downe by Iacob Baselis the younger and imprinted in the said towne in Anno 1603. The Towne of Tilemont in Brabant taken and sackt HAuing hitherunto made a perfect description of the siege of Berghen-op-Zoom and how the enemie raised his campe from before it we are now to set downe the valorous actions of certaine souldiers of the Garrison of Berghen done in the yeare 1588. The States Garrisons and those of his Excellencie Prince Maurice of Nassau lying on the frontiers did the same yeare make sundrie incursions into the enemies countrie doing much harme by fetching in contribution defeating conuois and other such like hostile actions Among those exploits which deserue most commendation the surprisall and taking of the towne of Tilemont is to be reckoned Tilemont is scituat in the Duchie of Brabant nere to a small riuer called Geert some 3 leagues distant from Louain and S. Tron It is a great and spacious towne famous in former time for trade of merchandize as yet appeares by sundrie auntient writings A certaine Serjeant of a band with an hundred foot together with nine horse of Bacx his companie which lay in Berghen had made an attempt vpon Borchloon though with bad successe yet being vnwilling to returne without executing some notable exploit they went forward through a great troope of enemies marched directly to the towne of Tilemont wherein were fiue or sixe ensignes of Spaniards Notwithstanding all these forces and that the towne was great and large they found meanes to enter it where they expulsed the Spaniards tooke three ensigns from them and carried away with them as much pillage as they could beare and so left the towne The enemie hauing notice hereof did with foure hundred men attend their returne Our men brauely resoluing not to loose their bootie did by force passe through the middest of them and with their spoile returned safe to Berghen a matter almost incredible and yet verie true which braue and resolute souldiers should neuer forget but still striue to imitate The Garrisons of Heusden and Geertrudenberg did the like with eight hundred men both horse and foot euerie horseman taking vp a footman behind him and in that manner went to Tilbourg nere to Boisleduc where part of the Duke of Parmas forces lay whom they dislodged and slew many of them the rest fled to a Church whom our men durst no longer pursue fearing the Garrisons nere adjoyning and so with their bootie returned home About the same time threescore and tenne souldiers that lay in Zeland went ouer into Flaunders there defeated the conuoy of Courtray strengthened with a troope of twentie horse beside the foot together with thirtie merchants on horsebacke and hauing gooten a rich bootie returned home to their garrisons ¶ A true description of the towne and countrie of Breda in Brabant together with the admirable taking thereof on the 4 of March Anno 1590. BEfore we come to the taking of Breda it shall not be impertinent briefely to set downe the situation thereof Breda next to the foure chiefe cities of Brabant is among others one of the principall hauing the same franchises as the townes of Tilemont Louvain and Niuelle It stands in the land of Kempen eight miles from Antuerpe sixe from Boisleduc or Sertoghenbusk sixe from Berghen-op-Zoom and two from Geertrudenberg in a plaine abounding with corne the fields and medowes beeing inuironed with trees and the countrie wood die there are some woods as Vlpeu the New wood and the wood of Lies through which two small riuers runne which emptie themselues into the Dikes of Haeghdijck and runne vnder a water Mill into the towne One of these two riuers will beare boats beyond Ginneken and towards Hoochstrate it is called the Aa within below Breda the Mercke We find in auntient Registers that the Danes possest and dwelt in a certaine Fort or Castle which by permission of the Lord of the Countrie of Breda they builded in the Crowes wood where Herons doe now breed Henrie Lord of Breda assisted by the Lord of Weesmaell and the Marshall of Brabant vpon some controuersie tooke that castle and wholly raced it in Anno 1124. There are in it diuers goodly houses belonging to Gentlemen a verie beautifull Church on the North side whereof the Counts of Nassau haue built a goodly Chappell wherein is a stately monument of Renatus of Chalon and in a vault vnderneath it the Tombes of the auntient Lords of Breda of Count Engetbrecht Count Henrie and of the aboue mentioned Renatus The towne of Breda is of a reasonable bignesse and beautifull structure yet in former time it hath been much disfigured by fire for in anno 1534 on the 23 of Iulie a thousand houses were burnt downe to the ground And because it was the chiefe abode of those of the house of Nassau they haue beautified it with many goodly buildings as especially Count Henrie of Nassau who was a braue and
in the time of winter in anno 1593 assembled his forces vnder the conduct of his sonne Charles vpon the frontiers of Fraunce nere to Guyse sending them into Fraunce there to employ them In the meane time my Lords the States of the vnited Prouinces sent Count Philip of Nassau into Luxembourg with foure thousand horse and foot hoping to take some townes there as S. Vit and others which he effected not but caused all the garrisons to be drawne forth of Brabant For so soone as the news of his being there came to Bruxels all the horse and foot both Spaniards and Italians were taken forth of the townes of Liere Malines and other places and were sent in great hast to the Countrie of Luxembourg conducted by Count Barlaymont Count Philip hauing notice thereof retired and in the meane time burnt many villages in the Countrie and likewise leuied great exactions in the countrie of Limbourg bringing many places vnder contribution sacking the town of Hanuijt in Brabant and hauing got much money horse and a great bootie they returned to their Quarter In the meane time the States of the vnited Prouinces resolued to besiege the town of Geertrudenberg a dependant on Holland though seated in Brabant nere the Mase on a riuer called the Douge This towne in ann̄ 1589 was by certaine traitors sold to the Duke of Parma for 15 moneths pay notwithstanding all honest and reasonable offers made vnto them whereupon they were all as traitors to the countrie condemned to be hanged wheresoeuer they should be caught most of whom were executed The sayd States had of a long time on sundrie pretences kept victuals from thence by way of licence and in Februarie did cut off a Conuoy of all necessarie prouisions that was going thither and hauing intelligence that the gouernour was gone forth to meet the Conuoy and that two did striue about the gouernement they thought this occasion might greatly profit them and thereupon gaue commission to Prince Maurice to enuiron and shut in the towne with his Cauallerie which he did all the forces being returned from Luxembourg and the captaines hauing re-enforced their companies and on the nine and twentieth of March he begirt the towne both by land and water at such time when the Spaniards most doubted the siege of Sertoghenbusk or Graue And because this siege is verie memorable and famous we will relate the most remarkable matters for the towne was strong manned with more than a thousand old souldiers and well prouided of all necessaries His Excellencie lying before the towne did at first quarter himselfe on the West-side thereof with the regiments of Count Henrie his younger brother of Count Solms Groenevelt and Balfour Count Hohenlo encamped towards the East in a Village called Raemsdone beyond the riuer Douge towards Oosterhoude with the regiments of the Lords of Brederode Lokres and others euerie regiment presently fortifying his Quarter The Spaniards had a Fort abroad within musket shot of the town vpon the causey of Steelhof which secured the passage to the town Count Hohenlo did presently intrench before it brought the channel of the riuer into those trenches and with great danger of his life tooke the free accesse of the fort to the towne from the enemie and planted the canon in an Island opposit to the conuoy and fort Whereupon the captain and garrison perceiuing themselues to be cut off from the towne yeelded the fort on the sixt of Aprill and for their labours were imprisoned by the Marquesse of Varembon The Fort being woon his Excellencie made two bridges ouer the riuer the one on boats verie strong and broad and the other vpon masts that the two campes might helpe one another which by reason of the marshes lay a good mile from each other On both sides the bridges before the towne he placed ships of war to keepe continuall watch For the riuer was as a dike defending a great part of the camps trenches there being diuers water mils and sluces to keepe the dikes of their trenches continually full of water but by reason of the high tides they were often hindred in their workes On the waters side they enclosed the town with an halfe moone made with boats of warre lying at anker made fast by cables and supported by small boats wherein watch was kept Without the said halfe moone ships of warre went too and fro keeping good gard Within it certaine small boats stood sentinel beneath the towne these tooke a Spaniard swimming that carried letters from Count Mansfelt and others his Excellencie gaue him his life and sent him backe to the enemies to tell them how he was intrenched Without the halfe moone towards the West and East of the towne the boats that brought victuals lay and were shrowded from the enemies canon The campe on the water was a German mile in length euerie campe hauing his boats of ammunition and victuals The mariners had likewise their campe apart and behaued themselues valiantly by carrying wodden canons and emptie boats by night nere to the shore and Key to cause the besieged to bestow their powder in vayne whereof they had great need His Excellencies campe on land was enuironed with high rampiers and deepe ditches without with foure great and strong Bulwarkes on each of which lay two canon Such was Count Hohenlos campe extending it selfe two miles in circuit and fortified with trenches bulwarks strong rauelins and broad dikes Without the campe many stakes were pitched in the ground and in each of them an Iron pike called Turkish ambassadors so nere to one another as a man could hardly put his knee betwixt The chief high waies were fortified with strong forts and rauelins stored with ordnance so as an hundred canons were planted there vpon the waies caltraps were laid and deepe pits made stuft full of powder Being thus intrenched abroad against the enemie they likewise began to fortifie themselues against the townesmen bringing their trenches vnder the Towne-walls they planted their canon and made galleries vnder whose couert they might come to the towns rampiers The besieged beside their rampiers and caualleries had two strong rauelins on the Land-side opposit to which lay the Zelanders and souldiers of Vtrechts batterie which did so oppresse the towne as euerie house almost was shaken especially the Prince of Orange his Palace which was vtterly ruined For making of these great workes and fortifications the States had sent certain hundreds of boats prouided of al necessaries and though the boores wrought in euerie place for pay yet most of these great workes were done by souldiers according to the manner of the auntient Romans not by constraint but for daily hire and those dayes they were not vpon the gard each of them was imployed in what labour he best liked getting tenne or fifteen souls a day by meanes whereof they wrought so hard as they made themselues inuincible against the kings power which came to relieue the towne So great good order
Captaines and other officers which lay in strong walled Townes and Castles So as in these exploits he did not onely win nine Townes and fiue castles manned with strong garrisons but three Counties and three Seignories crossing seuen riuers foure with bridges three without and thereby secured the passages on the Rhyne Countries of Zutphen Ouer-Yssel Twent Drent Frizeland and the Ommelands which is in a manner the fourth part of the seuenteen Prouinces of the Netherlands as they are reckoned at that time when Cardinall Albertus had threescore thousand men in pay and himselfe in person in the field comming from Amiens in Picardie in Nouember before Ostend with which he durst not then meddle ¶ A recitall and description of the siege of Bommell and how it was raised in Anno 1599. AFter the conquest of so many sundrie Townes we are next to speake of the siege of Bommell and of the enemies entrance into the Island called Bommels-weert vnder the conduct of the Admerall of Arragon and for better recitall thereof we will make some briefe description of the towne Bommell is a frontier Towne vpon the confines of Guelderland towards the South and stands vpon the riuer Waell on the North side of the Isle of Bommell it is of a reasonable bignesse and exceeding strong by nature it was first walled by Duke Otho vnder whose gouernement the Countrie of Guelderland and the number of townes in it were much augmented The riuer Waell doth not onely make Bommell commodious for traffike but impregnable on the North side and free from all inuasion The Countrie about it is verie low and not alone vnfit for Mynes but for continuance of any long siege for in winter by reason of great waters and ouerflowing of riuers it inforceth the enemie to leaue the field Beside her naturall strength it hath beene euer well fortified with bulwarkes and Towers and is enuironed with a double rampier and dike as the Reader may perceiue by the Map From the beginning of the Low-Countrie warres till this day each partie hath laboured to become Master of this towne in regard of her situation especially the vnited Prouinces because it serues as a rampier against the incursions and inuasion of their enemies and is a strong and sure key to their confines which they likewise fortunatly obtayned by meanes of those of Gorcum who tooke it in anno 1572 and haue kept it till this present notwithstanding the enemies many attempts and daily diligence of the Spanish commaunders who haue often gone about to become Masters thereof and to take it from them As in Anno 1599 when they brought their whole strength into the Isle of Bommell vnder the conduct of D. Francisco de Mendoza high Admeral of Arragon and besieged the towne with the bulwarks and forts round about it And because this siege of Bommell together with the raising thereof is one of the notablest exploits of warre done in the Low-countries we will briefely set downe the most remarkable matters which were there acted intreating the Reader to take it in good part The Admerall of Arragon hauing assembled all his forces lying on the Empires territories and neutrall countries did on the sixteenth of Aprill take a generall muster of them and on the sixe and twentieth of the said moneth brought them before the impregnable fort of the Island called S'Graven-weert whose garrison was so strong and well prouided of all necessaries as it was to be presumed that the Spaniards would not haue dared to hope for the winning of it especially in view of the States armie which hindered them from enclosing it Their weake attempts likewise and the euent thereof shewed that they aimed at some other place and that this was but a counterfeit siege onely to draw the States armie thither that they might be able on a sodaine to surprize the Towne of Bommell and forts adjacent My Lords the States of the vnited Prouinces hauing intelligence certaine moneths before that the enemie would inuade the Isle of Bommell to be able from thence to make his entrance into Holland had giuen order to fortifie and circle the said town with new bulwarkes and flankers and to inlarge the forts of Voorn and Creueccoeur which by reason of their smalnesse were not able to hold out long these workes were alreadie begun in the towne of Bommell and fort of Voorn but not ended by reason the ground was too soft and the waters too high so that the west-side of the towne lay all open the old wals being beaten downe and the new not yet erected as likewise in Voorn for t where the new worke was scarce defensible and would not haue beene able to withstand the enemies furie These things drew the Spaniards into the Isle of Bommell that they might become Masters thereof ere these places were fortified And to this end they came before the fort of S'Grauen-weert to draw as it fell out the States campe thither By which occasion the Towne of Bommel and forts neere adjoyning were not so well prouided of men as was requisit The Admerall of Arragon lying before S'Grauen-weert and amusing the States campe had sent certaine troopes vnder the conduct of Zapena towards Gennip vpon the Mase vnder colour of a conuoy vnto whom he sent a great part of his armie on May day conducted by La Bourlotte The enemie for execution of his enterprise had prouided certaine boats vpon the Mase in which they meant to fall downe towards the Isle of Voorn and on the 3 day of May in the Morning they all embarked themselues and came to the sayd Island But Prince Maurice according to his vsuall care and diligence had aduertised the Garrison of their intent commaunding them to arme and stand vpon their gard who by this meanes preuented the enemies purpose and kept him from making any attempt Whereupon hee was enforced to goe backe with his boats to a place called Litt where he remained that day and the next The fourth of may at night they did with canon shot inforce the man of warre which the States kept vpon the Mase to gard the riuer and to stop the enemies passage to retire thence and to fall downe the streame and caused certaine boats to be brought by land towards Keffell whether they sent their owne fanterie which was imbarked by night and passed on betwixt Rossen and Herwaerde And the fifth of May before day breake they entred the Isle of Bommell where they fortified themselues on both sides the water This sodaine arriuall of theirs did so affright those of Bommell as diuers Burghers fled confusedly forth of the Towne carrying away with them what they could conueniently And to speake truely had the enemie presently after his arriuall in the Island shewed himselfe before the Towne he would haue mightily endaungered it the walls lying open and the Burghers being terrified But by his negligence and staying for the Admerall who was hourely expected with his whole armie he lost
Nordam 119 Medenblick yeeded to his Excellencie 27 Meurs and the Castle there taken 207 Meurs againe taken 293 VVIlliam of Nassau Prince of Orange his genealogie death and funerals 14.15.16 c. Prince Maurice of Nassau receiueth the gouernement of the Netherlands 25. 27 Netherlands described 1 The Netherlands set forth ships towards Noua Zemla and the East Indies 174 The enterprises of the Netherlanders on Spaine and the Canaries 233 The Netherlanders in Luxembourg with an armie 351 The Netherlanders at truce with the Archduke for 1â— yeres 383 The battaile of Niewport woon by his Excelleâ—câ—e 270 Nimmeguen besieged and taken 134 Nordam fort battered and assaulted in vaine by Mansfelt 119 OAtmaersen taken 142 The same taken againe 213 Oldenbourg burnt and sackt 122 Oldenzeel besieged and taken 213 The fort of Opslach woon 128 The prince of Orange 〈◊〉 gâ—â—â—alogie death and funerals 14.15 c. Ostend besieged by the Archduke Albert to his great losse 302 The same fiercely assaulted 7. Ianuar. 1602. 317 The same againe assaulted 13. of April 1603 327 PArma defeated in the Betuwe 129 RHinberg besieged and taken 201 Rhinberg a second time besieged and taken 265 Rosendall taken 122 A Sea fight between the States men of war and the Spanish gallies 353 A Sea fight betweene the king of Spaines armada and the States men of war 372 Generall Senoy his articles presented to the councell of State 45 The gallies of Sluce put to flight by the Admerall of Holland 281 Sluce besieged and yeelded vp 359 Spaine inuaded by the Netherlanders 233 Spinolas gallies fought with by the States men of war 357 Steenberghen taken 122 Steenwijke besieged and taken 137 TErheyden taken 122 Tilemont taken and sackt 110 Turnholt taken 123 Truce for 12. yeares betweene the Archduke of Austria and the States 383 VIctorie got by his Excellencie on Tielsche-Heyde plaine 197 THe towne and castle of Wachtendonck taken 250 Westerloo taken 123 The strong castle of Woud taken 370 YSendike taken 359 ZVtphen besieged and taken 123 FINIS The originall name of the Low Countries Her situation It is diuided into 17. Prouinces and their names Why they aâ—e â—alled 17. Prouinces Her circuit The number of townes and villages How many Towâ—es and Villages there are in euerie Prouince Vnder what countries the Romans comprehended the 17. Prouinces wherefore they were called Belgia How highly the Romans esteemed this Nation and their ancient names The forme of the Countrie and fertillity thereof The originall of some Riuers which runne through the Countrey Holland and Zeland surpasse all other Prouinces in shipping Commendation of the Netherland women Commendation of the Dutch Tongue The Netherlanders louers of Liberty The Princes of the Low Couâ—tries haue done many valiant deedes How the Low Countries haue beene reduced vnder one Lord Margaret daughter to Lewis de Male marieth Philip the Hardie on whom he begat Iohn sans peur He marieth the Eâ—rle of Hollands daughter and begets Phillip le Bon. How Phillip le Bon obtained the possession of the whole Low-countries He that first instituted the order of the golden fleece marrieth Isabell of Portugall by whom he had a sonne called Charles the Warrior who is acknowledged for lord of the Low-countries and makes a purchase He goes about to make the Low-countries a kingdome How and where he dyed His daughter Marie of Valois marrieth Maximillian of Austria by whom she had two children Maximillian goes about to reduce some of the Low-countrie Prouinces vnder the Roman Empire Philip his sonne is acknowledged Prince and marrieth D. Ioan of Spaine How the Prouinces are at this day diuided and who possesse them Countries vnder the Archdukes Brabant Malines Limbourg Valckenbourg and Namur Luxembourg Haynault Artois Flanders Countries vnder the States gouernement Holland Zealand Frizeland Vtrecht Ouer-yssell Gronninguen The vnited prouinces flourish more than any other Conclusion Description of the Hague Her beautie number of houses Description of the Court of Holland By whom and when it was built The princes court A place dedicated to Law and iustice By whom the 〈◊〉 councel was transseâ— to the Hague The Councell of Brabant Description of the Parke at the Hague The Prince of Orange his Titles 〈…〉 Where when he was borne His first wife daughter to Count â—â—ren His second wife daughter to the Elector of Saxonie His third wife daughter to Duke Mompensier His fourth wife daughter to Count Colligni The manner of the Princes death The Prince of Orange slayne by Baltazar Gerard who nanamed himselfe Francis Guyon The Prince of Orange his last words He died on the 10 of Iulie 1584. 〈…〉 The murderers 〈◊〉 confession 〈…〉 in writing Parma by Assonuille encourageth him to this diuelish enterprise Senâ—ence pronounced against Baltazar Gerard the 14 of Iulie The execution and death of Baltazar Gerard A description of the Prince of Orange his funeral 's What moued my Lords the States to make Prince Maurice Gouernour His Excellencie goeâ—h into Flanders His Excellencie takes the towne of Axel The Earle of Leycester goes forth of the Low Countries into England The generall States make Prince Maurice Gouernour Generall Article Answer Artic. Ans. Ans. Ans. Artic. Ans. Artic. Ans. Artic. Ans. Artic. Ans. Artic. Ans. Artic. Ans. Artic. Ans. Disorder in Medenblick The States send Commissioners thither who doe no good Medenblick is besieged It yeelds to his Excellencie through the intercessioÌ„ of some English Lords Senoy goes into England to com plaine to the Queene Parma makes preparations to ayde the Spanyards The Queene of of England prepares a fleet The Spanish fleet set sayle on the 29 of May. The Spanish Armies proiect The fleet abandons D. Pedro Valdez his ship which bad spent her most on the 31 of Iune The 3 of August The 4 of August The 5 of August The sixt of August they came to an anker before Calais The stratagem of the English on the 7 of August to driue the Spaniards from an anker The Galleasse of D. Hago de Moncada vppon the sands before Calice Fight before Graueling on â— the 8. of August The English receiue smal losse Peter Vander Does takes D. Diego Fimentell prisoner carries his ship into Zeland The 8 of August the Spanish fleâ—◠〈◊〉 on fight The English on the 12 of August giue ouer pursuing the Spanish fleet The Spâ—nish fleet in dessaire Montigni attempts to enter the land of Tertholen An officer so named for which we in English can giue no proper name Those of the towne make a sallie vpon the enemie Certaine of the enemies musketiers are defeated The Queene of England makes Morgan gouernor of Berghen The strength of Parmas Campe. Eight of Bacx his horsemen take three captaines prisoners The enemie attempteth to surprise the North Fort. The enemie enâ—eth the Fort but to his small aduantage Grimston the victualler escape The enemie flieth Those of Berghen gâ—ue God thankes for the dissiâ—ation of the Spanish fleet The enemie forsakes the
Iulius Caesars time sauing that euery Prouince hath borrowed the sound and accent of her neighbours a speech further extended and spoken in moe places than any other euen from Calais in France as farre as Norway Swethen Liuonia and further It is a Countrey where strangers are better vsed than in any other they are a Christian people louers of pietie Libertie as all their Histories and moderne wars testifie for since the ouerthrow of the Roman Empire they haue freed themselues from all bondage and inuasion and haue inuaded and mastered other Nations as the realm of France with the Salicks and Franconians their neighbors c. The Countrie being diuided into Prouinces they haue acknowledged some Soueraigne Lords but on certaine conditions still keeping them from growing great for feare of being subiugated by them and therefore they especially loued them when they were young these Prouinces liuing thus peaceably vnder their Lords and vniting themselues together in time of need haue oftentimes purchased renowne by valiant actions as well against the Romans as other nations namely against the Turks and Sarafens as appeares by their exploits vnder the conduct of Godfrey of Bouillon and other Kings of Ierusalem as also vnder Baldwin Earle of Flaunders who woon the Empire of Constantinople with many other enterprises mentioned in their Cronicles and Histories In a word they are a people of whom the famous Historian Cornelius Tacitus writes thus the Gaules fought for their libertie the Germans for bootie but the Battauians for glorie and honour In this regard the Roman Emperors chose them to guard their own persons esteeming them the valliantest and loyallest people of the world and some of them as the Battauians and Frisons haue been declared friends and companions of the Romans Notwithstanding that all these Low Countries haue in time past beene sundrie Prouinces and Soueraignties vnder seuerall Princes yet at last they haue beene reduced vnder foure Dukes of Burgundi afterwards vnder the Archdukes of Austria and finally vnder one lord absolute the Emperour Charles the fist and his sonne Philip King of Spayne It shall not be amisse briefely to set down how when after what maner they became subiect to these last Princes and let this continue in eternall memorie that the Spanyards haue attainted the gouernment of these Low countries not to rule them as their owne subiects according to their Lawes but as a free Nation by their owne Lawes and priuiledges Lewis de Male by his father Earle of Flanders Neuers Retel Salines Antuerp and Malines and by his mother Earle of Burgondie and Artois had a daughter named Margaret by Margaret his wife daughter to Iohn the third Duke of Brabant this ladie in the yere 1369 in Gant maried Philip of Valois surnamed the Hardie Duke of Burgondie the yongest sonne to Iohn the French King from these two descended Iohn sans peur Earle of Flanders Burgondie Artois c. This Iohn of Valois did in the yere 1415 marrie the ladie Margaret daughter to the Earle of Haynault Holland Zeland and Friseland and was treacherously slayne at Montereau in Fraunce anÌ„ 1419 the nineteenth of September being eight and fortie yeares old and in the fifteenth yeare of his raigne he died as some say by the Dolphins command His onely sonne Phillip le Bon succeeded him being three and twentie yeares old and was Duke of Burgondie Earle of Flanders Artois Burgondie Palatin Marquesse of the sacred Empire lord of Salines and Malines He did moreouer in the yere 1429 by the death of Earle Dideric of Namur succeed him in the same Earledome which he first bought and by the death of Phillip Duke of Brabant who died without heires he did in the yeare 1430 obtaine the Dutchies of Lorraine Brabant and Limbourg and by the death of Iacoba countesse of Holland c. his neece he got in the yeare 1436 the Earledomes of Haynault Holland Zeland and Friseland In the yere 1443 his Aunt gaue him the Duchie of Luxembourgh first as protector thereof and afterwards as absolute lord He was the first of the house of Burgondie that instituted the order of the Golden fleece at Bruges in Flaunders when he maried Isabell of Portugall in the yeare 1450 He died at Bruges anÌ„ 1467 in the 72 yeare of his age and 48 of his raigne He left his onely sonne Charles of Valois surnamed the Warrior heire to all these countries who succeeded his father in the 34 yeare of his age for an annuall pention and the sum of 92000 crownes of gold he bought the duchie of Guelderland county of Zutphen of Arnold Earle of Egmond who dying did by his last will and Testament confirme the said sale making Duke Charles his heire disinheriting his own sonne Adolfe because he had rebelled against him This Duke tooke possession of Guelderland in anÌ„ 1473 He sought to make the Low-countries a kingdome and to that end promised to marrie his onely daughter to the Emperour Frederic the thirds son and he would haue called it the kingdome of Burgondie because in former time Burgondie had been a kingdome but in regard euerie Prouince was Soueraigne and had her priuiledges lawes and reueneues apart differing in weights and measures and had neuer graunted their Princes any other but limited power this motion was reiected This braue warrior was slaine before Nancy anno 1477 the fist day of Ianuarie betrayed by an Italian Earle called Campobasso that serued him by the instigation of Lewis the eleuenth French king the Swisses Lorraiâ—s after that he had woon three battailes Three dayes after his death he was found naked in a marish which was frosen as Philip of Comines writes in his Historie he was foure and fortie yeares old and left one onely daughter and heire behind him called Marie of Valois of the age of eighteene yeares who in anno 1477 on the eighteenth of August married Maximillian of Austria who recouered from the French king whatsoeuer he had taken from his wife he reestablished the order of the golden fleece which in those dayes was very contemptible this he did in anno 1478. They had two children betwixt them a sonne named Philip and a daughter called Margaret Marie of Burgondie the third yeare after she was married fell from her horse and of that fall dyed Maximillian for a time gouerned those countries in the behalfe of his sonne Philip but not verie faithfully for he went about to allienat and diuide the Prouinces of Brabant Holland Zeland and Friseland from the Low-countries to giue them to his father the Emperour Frederic and did many matters to the preiudice of those countries which to rehearse would be too long In the yeare 1492 his sonne Philip was acknowledged Prince of the whole Low-countries and confirmed as hereditarie lord thereof In an 1496 in the Citie of Lier in Brabant he married D. Ioane of Spayne so as the Low-countries
growne rich though it may seeme contrary to nature and reason do vvonderfully flourish as appeares by their fortes number of great townes and sumptuous buildings So that the low countries may generally vaâ—nt to be according to the bignesle thereof in number of great strong and vvell peopled Cities and Fortes the excellenrest countrey in the world in vvhich for the space of fortie yeres that the warre continued the brauest soldiers of Europe haue been and yet are trained vp and exercised in the schoole of Mars If any desire to reade a more ample description of these Low-countries let him for Brabant read Adrianus Barlandus for Flanders Iacobus Marchantius for Holland Adrianus Iunius the Hollander borne in Horne or the generall description of the Low-countries written by Lodouico Guicciardin all which may giue him better satisfaction For it sufficeth me to haue written thus much briefely and as it were by the way ¶ A description of the Hague and Court of Holland As also by whom and when the sayd Court was builded and to what end BEsides all the goodlie rich pleasant and walled towns of Holland there are diuers and sundrie Seigniories or townes not walled sumptuously built and so inriched as in beautifull stately building doe not onely equall many Cities but farre excell them being by their Princes and Lords adorned with sundrie priuiledges Among which there is none more excellent beautifull better seated or plesanter than the Hague of the Earles which because it is such was chosen by the Princes and Earles of the countrie for their delightfull aboad there establishing their Priuie Councell and Court of Iustice where all suits pleas and controuersies of Holland and Zeland are debated and decided The Hague in wealth stately buildings pleasant gardens and great number of Nobilitie surpasseth diuers cities of Holland and Zeland there are in it more than 2000 great and goodlie houses and many new are daylie built yea whole streets Among all the great and goodly houses of the Nobilitie in the Hague there is none more stately and magnificent than that which is called the Court of Holland Which rightly may bee termed Royall because it was built in anno 1249 by Earle William second of that name and the fifteenth Earle of Holland Zeland Frizeland c. who for his excellent vertue and valour was by the mutuall consent of the electors chosen king of Romans and afterwards confirmed on the day of all Saints in anno 1246 as appeares by the old Cronicle of Holland in the eighteenth diuision and thirteenth Chapter This Royall Court is after the manner of Castles enuironed with Dikes and hath sundrie gates in which the Princes gards doe watch day and night On the North side of the Court there is a large and goodlie fishpond incompassed with many high trees vnder whose shade it is pleasant walking in sommer to auoid the heate of the sunne and the place where these trees stand is called in the vulgar tongue Viuerberg which is as much to say as the fishponds hill Within this building is a large and spacious hall built as the auncient chronicle of Holland saith of a certaine wood brought from Ireland which will neuer rotte nor beare any spiders or other venimous worme This hall is inuironed with diuers and sundry shoppes well furnished with all manner of books in all languages and with goodly pictures But the most excellent of them are the siluer coate armours trumpets and ensignes which hang there in great number woon from the enemie at the defeat of Turnhout and at the battaile of Flanders which are hung vp in the roofe of the hall for a perpetuall remembrance There is the prince or gouernor of Holland Zeland Westfrize-lands court which is the illustrious and mighty lord Maurice of Nassau prince of Orange c. who hath gouerned three and twenty yeeres with such fortunat successe as we may rightly terme him Pater patriae It is also a place dedicated to law and administration of Iustice where the Councell being moe in number than were the Consentes dei in times past debate all causes examine and iudge them they are I say moe in number for the councell of Consentes were but twelue and these counsellors are foureteene beside their chiefe whom they call president This assemblie of counsellors who were wont to remaine at Grauesand was transported hither by count William aboue mentioned after that hee had receiued the title of king of Romans Beside this assemblie of counsellours which is called the prouinciall councell an other was established in anno 1582 in stead of the great councell of Malines and it is a soueraigne councell of Iustice called the great councell whether all causes which are brought to be decided by appeale or reformation of the sentences of the aboue named prouinciall court and other iudges are sentenced by finall decree without any appeale from thence to any other yet re-examination may be craued and error propounded in such cases the States of the Countrey appoint certaine men beside the aboue named Councell to reuiew the pleas which haue beene iudged and to deliuer their opinions whether there be any error in the said sentence or not and according to their conclusion euerie man must rest satisfied without any contradiction An other Councell is likewise established called the Councell of Brabant which hath power ouer that part Townes Villages and inhabitants of the sayd Countrey of Brabant vnder the gouernment of my Lords the generall States In this Councell all matters are handled by commission commaundement and instruction of the generall States according to the ancient custome of the Chauncerie and Court fiscall of Brabant to the end euerie man may be orderly gouerned by their Lawes and Priuiledges Lastly beside all these there do reside in this Court of Holland my Lords the States generall the States of Holland and West-frizeland the Councell of State the masters of accounts of the Chamber of Accounts of Holland the Councell of warre c. euerie of these hauing their Chamber apart Before we end this description of the Hague it shall not be impertinent briefely to speake of the situation of the Parke which is in length 1500 paces but nothing so much in bredth there growe Oakes Elmes Ash and other Trees on whose boughes great and small melodious Birds doe with their Songs delight and recreat the sences of the hearers there are Deere Hares and Conies It is a place worthie the Muses and where Princes Earles Lords Councellors Aduocats and all sorts of people doe vsually walke to recreat themselues after their toyles I might speake of many other matters but because mine intent is onely to touch them as it were by the way I referre the curious Reader to Lodouico Guicciardine his description made many yeares since which of late hath beene newly printed augmented and inriched with maps The Genealogie of William of Nassau Prince of Orange
secretly in the night depart from the sort of Ter-Neuse towards the towne of Axel in Flanders a mile and halfe distant from Hulst and foure miles from Gaunt It is a small towne and not altogether encompassed with walls which by passing secretly oner a wall they tooke without any great slaughter there were foure companies of souldiers in it Within a few dayes after they tooke all the forts round about it and for the safer keeping of the sayd towne they broke downe the causies so as the whole towne was enuironed with water The taking of Axel did somewhat trouble them of Flanders and Brabant fearing some greater mischiefe would ensue so as they forthwith wrot to the Prince of Parma lying before Nuys entreating him to come from thence to ayd them sending him vvord That it vvas more honourable and necessarie to preserue their own countrey than to besiege and vvin an Imperiall citie forth of the jurisdiction and limits of the Low Countries The Prince notwithstanding would not quit the siege but sent la Motte Gouernour of Graueling to besiege and recouer the sayd towne of Axel but his labour was lost the towne being as hath beene said all enuironed with water The Earle of Leycester leaues the Low Countries and goes into England Maurice of Nassau is made Gouernour Generall AFter that Robert Dudley Earle of Leycester in the later end of the yere 1587 was gone into England leauing the Netherlands in great troubles and dissention and that Sir William Stanley had on the nine and twentieth of Ianuarie deliuered vp the towne of Deuenter to Taxis and Rowland Yorke the fort of Zutphen the generall States were much perplexed fearing that the English which lay in other townes and forts would doe the like following the example of the French in Brabant in the Duke of Anjous time did in an assembly at the Hague on the sixt of Februarie establish and declare by prouiso by vertue and according to the Soueraigntie belonging vnto them Prince Maurice besides his Admiraltie in generall and place of Gouernour of Holland Zeland and Frizeland Gouernour generall in the sayd Earle of Leycesters absence with charge and instruction of the preheminences rights and priuiledges for the profit and conseruation of the countries townes and inhabitants to maintaine and defend the exercise of the reformed Religion to administer justice by aduice of the Counsellors and Presidents with authoritie to change Magistrats to chuse Burgomasters and Sherifes according to the auncient custome in a word to doe whatsoeuer a Gouernour Generall might doe and all this by prouiso c. joyning with him because of his youth Count Hohenlo as his Lieutenant Hitherto we haue briefely set downe how and when his Excellencie attained the gouernment of these Prouinces wee will now come to the description of the victories which it hath pleased God to grant him The towne of Medenblicke is enforced to submit it selfe to his Excellencie and to my Lords the States ALthough the Earle of Leycester had resigned and deposed himselfe from the gouernement of these vnited Prouinces according to an Act granted at London on the 17 of December 1587 to my Lords the generall States yet they likewise caused it to bee published and proclaimed in forme following The Estates generall of the vnited Prouinces of the Low Countries to all those to whom these presents shall come greeting As it hath pleased her Maiestie of England to conferre with the Commissioners and Embassadors of the said Prouinces and in the end to make a certaine Treatie bearing date the tenth of August 1585 Whereby on either side it was concluded That during the warre against the enemies of the said countries as strangers malecontents and their adherents her Maiestie will at her owne cost entertaine beside the garrisons of the townes and forts promised to her Maiestie for assurance of repaiment of such summes of money as she shall disburse to releeue and succour the sayd Prouinces and maintaine them in the true christian religion their franchises priuiledges laws the number of six thousand foot and one thousand horse conducted by a Gouernour Generall being a Lord of name and qualitie and of the reformed Religion together with other good Captaines on condition that the sayd Prouinces generally and euerie of them in particular shall be bound and obliged to repay vnto her Maiestie the sayd summes by a certaine limited time after the warre and for assurance of the said perfect and entire paiment the townes forts of Briell Flessingue the castle of Rammekens should be consigned to her sayd Maiestie the which by her or her successors the said payment once made should without any difficultie or claime to them be restored to the aboue mentioned States and Prouinces without deliuering them to the King of Spain or other enemies of the said countries or to any other Prince or Lord but should in the meane time be kept for her Maiesties assurance and profit of the States of the said countries The which Gouernour with two other men of note sent from her Maiestie and being her subiects should haue place in the Councell of State of the vnited Prouinces together with it to manage the affaires concerning the common defence vnion of the said countries According to this Treatie the foresayd towns forts being consigned to her Maiestie it hath pleased her to send hither with Commission of Gouernor Generall of her troupes the illustrious and mightie Lord Robert Earle of Leycester Baron of Denbigh c. And we haue besides thought good to require accept and make him Gouernour and Captaine Generall ouer all the vnited Prouinces townes and associated members thereof which place his aboue named Excellency hauing accepted with reseruation of his homage and fealtie due vnto her Maiestie all Gouernours of Prouinces townes and members thereof likewise all Officers Iustices and Souldiers were by oath bound vnto his Excellencie as Gouernour and Captaine Generall of the Low Countries both in generall and particular But as it hath pleased her Maiestie to call home his said Excellencie to imploy him for other seruices in her owne kingdome so as vpon this occasion he being no longer able to gouerne these countries or accomplish the tenor of his Commission according as the present necessitie of these countries doe require hath discharged and vnburthened himselfe of the said office of Gouernour and Captaine Generall of these vnited Prouinces and from the Commission which we gaue him and deliuered it vp againe to vs as appeares by an Act signed and sealed with his owne hand made in the citie of London and dated the seuenteenth of December 1587. That it hath likewise pleased her Maiestie by Commission dated the foure and twentieth of the said month to appoint Peregrin Lord Willoughbie c. Gouernor Generall of her troupes in these countries And considering that in the present state and necessitie of these countries they cannot but be greatly endangered wanting a Gouernour Generall
horse who vvas Cornet to the Lord Willoughby was slayne vnder him and was presently remounted to reuenge his losse In the skirmish Marcelis Bacx encountred a certaine Albanois whom after hee had thrust through with his sword he tooke by head and shoulders drew him and his horse by force forth of the enemies throng notwithstanding all his resistance and carried him away prisoner After he had done this noble deed his horse fell down dead vnder him for he was shot through on both sides the ordnance on the bulwarke of the Friers Minors and on Steenberghen gate plaid furiously vpon the enemie carrying away both men and horse into the ayre Yet this could not discourage the enemie who was superiour to vs in number and this fight seemed a combat for honour and not for life so doubtfull and vncertaine was the euent thereof which continued till night and darkenesse separated them The Captaines Lieutenants Cornets Quartermasters Corporals and common souldiers had receiued sundrie shot vpon their armour yet verie few of them were hurt the greatest losse was in horse how it went on the enemies side I know not Those which lay towards the South did on the 1 day of October begin to draw their trenches from the Ball as far as the Hospitall Two daies after a certain Spaniard came yeelded himselfe he had slaine 1 of his fellowes for that cause came to our side Being questioned concerning the state of the camp he said that there were 30000 men in it that they had already brought 6 canon with theÌ„ did daily expect 50 more that the enemie determined to make his batterie towards the water mill so confirmed the coÌ„mon report how that 60 pieces of ordnance were comming to the campe This Spaniard was sent to prince Maurice and the States And because the rampier next the water mill was too weake to resist the Canon they fortified it and made it thicker To this end the Magistrat sent the Burgomaster Suydland into Zeland to the States to craue some helpe towards the fortifications because in many places the towne was verie weake and vnprouided of money workemen and other necessaries the enemie daily more and more enuironing it doing his best to win it The second day after the Burgomasters departure the enemie made a Fort there vvhere the Hospitall had stood which was within Harquebuze shot of the towne Then euerie man assured himselfe that the enemie would there likewise make a batterie vpon the high way toward Calmthout great numbers of Carts and wagons were discerned which the horse could hardly draw so as they came but slowly on to the towne-ward The Burghers and souldiers thought them to be the other canons which the Spaniard talked of so as the Burghers began to fortifie betwixt the gate of Wouwe and that of the Nuns that the rampier might be free from the enemies smal shot They likewise brake down the wals of Wouwe gate which were too high that they might do no hurt when the enemie should play vpon them with his canon A way was likewise made athwart the gardens at the foot of the rampiers that the caual lerie might lie safe if the enemie should batter the towne But it was farre from the enemies meaning to make any batterie for those carts and waggons had brought no ordnance but onely boats hauing some other designe as the euent declared The morrow after which was the seuenth of October fiftie two ensignes of foot came on the North side of the campe commaunded by Count Egmont these companies encamped on the lower part of the Northgeest There is a causie on Northland nere to Benmoer called Eesterdike because certaine trees called Eesters had beene planted there This causie looseth it name nere to Dryanneland It beginneth at the nether end of the Northgeest and extends it selfe towards Northlands causie as far as the Sea and diuides first the land from Benmoer and next the countrie of Dryanneland from Northland in that manner making three wayes as farre as the Sea-dike My Lords the States had alreadie of a long time pierced the sayd causie of Dryanneland hoping that the water would enter into it by the Geux Gullet or hole and that entring into Northland nere to Bariebas and so together through the Gullet of Dryannelands causie the water would make a great breach and thereby take all meanes from the enemie to come vpon Northlands causie The enemie was often seene vpon that of Dryanneland making good obseruations of all things Our men presently suspected the truth of the matter how that they intended to make a bridge ouer that Gullet thereby to come vpon Northland causie which done they might then keepe our vessels forth of the hauen Much speech was made of this causie some were of opinion to leuell and make it euen others said it was necessarie to build a fort there where the causies did meet and for the effecting thereof had conference with Count Solms Now because the first wold haue bin too great costly a labor without any profit at all for if the causie had bin leuelled and made plain it would haue stood the enemie in better stead than before and that the second was not without danger because the enemie was so nere that place neither the one nor other was done The next night after the enemie himselfe seazed on that causie placing two great shallops in the Gullet with which he passed ouer his souldiers and within a while after he made a bridge there At the same time likewise hee seazed on the causie of Matteberg whereof we haue heretofore spoken in mentioning the enemies enterprise vpon the Isle of Tholen Vpon that causie he planted his canon and thereby tooke all meanes from those of Tholen of going into Holland In the gullet of Tholen the causie was likewise pierced through in 2 places there they had also built a fort called the Gueux hole Opposit to the gullet of Tholen lay certaine boats of war which the enemies canon enforced to retâ—eat Right ouer against Barlabas lay the Admiral of Zeland with an other man of war So soone as it was day the vice-Admiral George More discharged two or three canons after some shot made these two ships were enforced to retire to Romerswael being shot through in diuers places not without losse of some souldiers and mariners As our boats went forth of the Hauen some towards Holland others to Zeland they were likewise saluted by the enemies canon The first that went forth notwithstanding it receiued certaine shot went forward on her journey the two last returned backe one of which was shot through in which a Burghers wife with her child in her lap was slaine and two other women hurt These fearing the enemie were flying into Holland and Zeland For at the beginning of the siege somewere so terrified as they thought their onely preseruation to consist in getting forth of the towne This feare was not lessened when
valiant Lord he caused the towne to be fortified with large Rampiers and in anno 1534 both in the Castle and round about the towne he caused fiue great bulwarkes to be made which defended one another together with verie deepe dikes During these warres foure rauelins more haue beene made and before euerie gate an halfe moone so as this towne among those of the low or plaine Countrie is held one of the strongest in all the Netherlands In former time after the racing of the aboue mentioned Castle the Lords of Breda opposit thereunto nere to the Market place at this day called the Herons nest began to build a Palace and Castle where Count Henrie of Nassau afterwards suffering part of the old building to stand stil caused a new court and stately Palace to be built moated round about and without that a verie sumptuous edifice with a verie lordlie gallerie supported by pillers of blew stone with a gilded frontispice within the Court are many goodlie Chambers a large and stately Hall builded on Pillars with an artificiall winding staires of blew stone which cunning workemen hold for a master-piece in the Hall there is likewise a Chappell There is a verie goodlie Armorie stored with all sorts of Armour and much ordnance and among others diuers old cast pieces which a king of Hungarie had in time past giuen to the house of Nassau in recompence of their good seruice done to him against the Turke There were in it likewise 52 great canons and small field pieces which the Emperour Ferdinand gaue to the last prince and Lord of Breda which since then haue beene taken away by Duke d'Alua Among the most remarkable matters of Breda as well auntient as moderne these are much to be obserued How that the lord and countrie of Breda in time past a Lord and countrie diuided from the Duchie of Brabant hath beene joyned to the said Duchie in the time of Henrie of Lorraine c. And the Lord Godfrey of Breda who in an' 1212 hauing receiued of the said Duke the moitie of the custome of the Sheld in Fee together with Shakeloo and Ossendrecht did likewise promise to his Lord that himselfe and heires with their castles countrie and people shold faithfully serue the Duke and his heires In this manner the Monday after S. Valenties day the lord Gerard of Rassingem Liedekerk Lens hauing sold the Lordship possessions of the whole countrie of Breda with the appurtenances to Duke Iohn of Brabant the said duke Iohn by consent of his son Godeuart and his eldest daughter Ioan Countesse of Haynault and Holland did againe on the first day of Aprill 1351 sell the said countrie of Breda with the appurtenances to the Lord Iohn of Polanen the yonger Lord of la Lecke to enjoy it as his lawfull inheritance for the summe of 3400 Hallinghen Breda is the chiefest Towne of the Countrie and among other priuiledges and iurisdictions hath an Exchequer or Court fiscall which is common and vndiuided whereunto the towne of Steenberghen and the sixteene Villages of the Countrie of Breda with those of Eyckeren Mercxem Schoten Loehout and Oostmaell make their appeales And beside the sayd Court there is a seat of Iustice belonging to a Sherife before whom vpon the first summons the Burghers and inhabitants are to appeare together with those of Tettering Molongracht Sandberg Vijfhuyse and the Haegh-strate None may appeale from the sentence giuen in either of these Courts to any other Court of justice They haue held this priuiledge in our time For in the daies of the Emperor Charles the 5 the said emperor only in stead of this priuiledge granted to those of Breda the same priuiledge as other chief towns had viz that sentences giuen at Breda might be reformed but not appealed from How and when those of the house of Nassau obtained the lordship of Breda doth hereafter follow The aboue mentioned Lord Iohn of Polanen died in the yeare 1377 left a son named Iohn Lord of Lecke and Breda who left a daughter named Ioan married to Engelbrecht Count of Nassau in an̄ 1414 he died left a son called Iohn Count of Nassau Dietz and Vianden who was Lord of Breda died in the yere 1475 leauing by his wife Marie Countesse of Loon heire to Heinsberg to a 3 part of the Duchie of Iuliers Engelbrecht Iohn brethren who diuided the lands left thē by their parents so as the eldest son Count Engelbrecht had for his part all the lands which were in the Low-countries on this side the Rhyne viz. the countie of Vianden the Lordships of S. Vijts of Dudeldorp and Mijllen with all the lands in Brabant Holland in the country of Liege wherein were comprehended the Countrie and Towne of Breda and Earle Iohn had for his share all the countries and Lordships beyond the Rhyn the countries of Nassau and Dietz and by his wife Catsenelle boguen which was adiudged his in anno 1548. This diuision was made in this condition that the male children should be heires to both of them the better to vphold the house of Nassau from whence they were descended In this maner the town and countrie of Breda was peaceably gouerned by their Lords the Counts of Nassau for the space of 184 yeres flourishing in traffick vntill the 11 of Aprill 1567 when the Prince of Orange was enforced by the Duke of Aluas comming in great sorrow and perplexitie to abandon his subjects of Breda to retire into Germanie and after his departure the reuenues of Breda being seazed on by the duke d'Alua the said country town was brought vnder the wretched gouernement of the Spaniards and afflicted with sundrie garrisons till that in anno 1577 the town of Breda returned againe vnder the gouernement of his lawfull Lord and so continued for the space of 4 yeares and being afterwards taken by the prince of Parma 1581 he kept it til the yere 1590. We will now set downe after what maner by Gods assistance it was freed from the Spanish yoke The prince of Parma al the forces being in the yere 1590 busied in the French wars wherby his vnited Prouinces had some rest my Lords the States laid hold on this occasion and by valorous dexteritie tooke the towne and castle of Breda in manner following Count Philip of Nassau gouernor at that time of Worcum and Louvesteyn had by Prince Maurice his aduice conferred with a certaine Gentleman of Cambray called Charles Herauguieres Captain of a foot companie about an enterprise vpon the castle town of Breda telling him that diuers mariners vassals to the country of Breda and house of Nassau for loue affection to their lord had offered their seruice herein they being accustomed to carie turfe wood into the castle vnder that color fit to make some attempt This was propounded to Herauguieres who hauing well considered all daungers did towards the later end of
towne being taken the commissioners of Coloigne by vertue of their letters of credence would haue had our men to haue left it to them saying it was theirs this could they neuer obtayne of the Spaniards though it had beene promised with oaths But in regard it was woon with so great cost to the vnited Prouinces and that neither his Excellencie nor commissioners of the Councell had any authoritie to graunt their demaunds it was flatly denyed and they were referred to the Generall States The next day after the towne was yeelded which was the one and twentieth of August Count Herman came to Gelder with 2000 foot and eight cornets of horse the fanterie was conducted by D. Alonzo de Luna gouernor of Liere the cauallerie by D. Francisco de Padiglia their intent was to haue put succors into Berck but vpon intelligence that it was yeelded he returned to Arsen neere the Mase which he crost still thinking on the defeat at Turnholt he sent foure hundred men to the towne of Meurs beside the 200 whom he had alreadie sent thither from Maestrecht two dayes before And the better to secure the sayd Garrison hee comaunded Captaine Arnult Boecop Lieutenant to the gouernour to abandon Camillos fort and to retire with his men into Meurs which the sayd Boecop did with such hast on the 15 of August at night as hee left three pieces of ordnance behind in the fort viz. one canon a demie canon and one field piece ¶ The taking of the Towne and Castle of Meurs in Anno 1597. PRince Maurice hauing intelligence that Count Herman and his forces had crost the Mase did on the six and twentieth of August goe to view the town of Meurs with 12 cornets of horse and some tenne thousand foot and returning by Camillos fort he resolued to assault the towne of Meurs and to that end the cauallerie being returned which conuoyed Count Hohenlo and his wife the Countesse of Buren towards Germanie he commaunded the boats to go vp the riuer towards Camillos fort and himselfe with all his forces on the 28 of August marched towards Meurs hauing 60 foot companies and 21 cornets of horse and the same day quartered two camps before the towne one and the greatest before the gates of which one was called the Kerck-port the other Hâ—enport where himselfe lay with 49 ensignes of foot and all the horse the other before the gate of the new town where the lord of Clotting lay with 6 ensignes of his owne regiment 5 ensignes of the regiment of Frizeland vnder the commaund of Generall Duyvenvoord At their arriual were some skirmishes before the church without the gate which the enemie kept till night when as 2 companies of Scots came to releeue the Frizons The next day they intrenched themselues and at night they began the trenches with 15 foot ensigns viz. 5 of the Frizeland regiment 4 English ensignes foure Scotish two of count Solms regiment the Frizons lay before the gate called Steen-port the Scots with count Solms his ensignes before Kerck-port and the English betwixt the two gates The same night Captaine Waddell the Scot was slayne in the trenches His Excellencie had brought twelue canon with him which on the last of the sayd moneth hee caused to bee planted and the next day began the batterie The night following the trenches were brought from the Frizons quarter to the verie brinke of the dike which was narrow and nothing deepe And for that in regard of the raine and foule weather they were not come so forward in other places therefore the canon plaid not on the 2 of September his Excellencie thinking to haue quartered himselfe vpon the verie dike and by fauour of the canon and helpe of bridges to passe ouer the dike to the townes Rampiers But before this could bee effected the Gouernour of Meurs a Spaniard whose name was Andrea de Miranda beyond all expectation wanting powder sent a drumme in the afternoone to Prince Maurice crauing to haue hostages sent in exchange of those whom hee would send to surrender the towne and castle to him His Excellencie sent the Lord of Gistelles thither who was Lieutenant Generall to Count Solms together with Captaine Ingelhauen who conferred with the townes commissioners which were Captaine Muchet and Captaine Boecop Lieutenant to the Gouernor and after long disputation about graunting three dayes respit which the besieged craued to expect some succours they at last concluded to deliuer vp the towne and castle The next day which was the third of September after that the Gouernours wife was come for whom Prince Maurice had sent a trumpet to a place called Lint in the countrie of Couloign with certaine wagons they went their way according to the accord being eight hundred and thirtie men among whom were certayn Spaniards and likewise an Ensigne-bearer of the castle of Antuerpe with their ensignes armes and baggage and a small piece of ordnance belonging to Count Meurs his Excellencie hauing graunted them fortie wagons for which Captaine Boecop was caution Sixe pieces of ordnaunce were found in the castle 4 of batterie one canon of an extraordinarie weight one demie canon and two field pieces Foure great cables made at Couloign were likewise found in the Storehouse of eight thousand weight which were for seruice of the ferrie boats In this manner did his Excellencie in a moneths space win three townes and three Castles from the enemie videlicet Alpen Berck Meurs and Camillos Fort with all the boats vpon the Rhyne and in the sayd places found aboue fiftie and foure canon among which were eleuen for batterie and the rest of different bignesse as hath been sayd The siege and taking of the townes of Groll and Goor on the 28 of September 1597. AFter that Prince Maurice had spent some time in repairing the dikes and rampiers of the town of Meurs and in leuelling the trenches he went thence with his whole armie on the eighth of September he had sixe thousand foot and one thousand fiue hundred horse beside mariners and others that attended the ordnance and a great traine following the armie Hauing in hast made a bridge ouer the Rhyne of one hundred yards in length the armie crossed the riuer the same day and lodged that night betwixt the Lippe and Rhyne The next day crossing ouer the Lippe he marched by Wesell and went to Bruynen in the countrie of Munster From thence on the tenth of September he passed along by Boecholt lodged that night at Alten neere to Brevoot which hee sent to view But vpon intelligence that Count Iohn of Limbourg and Stierum lay in Groll with twelue ensignes of foot and three cornets of horse his Excellencie went thither the next day And on the eleuenth of September hee quartered his campe in a square forme towards the West end of the sayd towne which was fortified with fiue Bulwarks so as it seemed his Excellencie would haue enough to doe yet he made
that gallant opportunitie His Excellencie in the meane time hauing intelligence of the enemies arriuall in the Isle of Bommell made hast thitherward with his Cauallerie and certaine foot companies where he arriued on the sixth of May and gaue order for all things necessarie in the towne commaunding the Burghers still to abide there who by his comming were so encouraged as they alone thought themselues strong enough to withstand the enemie The seuenth of May the Spaniards forsooke the town of Emmerick and joyned with the Admerall who was then marching towards the Isle of Bommell It was supposed that the Admerall had an intent to haue seazed on Heusden a verie strong Towne and seated within an houres journey of Bommell But his Excellencie like a prouident prince went thither on the 11 of May with tenne foot companies and caused the Isle of Hemert to be fortified and intrenched round about The Admerall perceiuing that Heusden was too well prouided did with all his force assault the Fort of Creuecoeur which by reason of the smalnesse was not able to hold out against him Whereupon the garrison yeelded it vp and departed thence with their ensignes and armes His Excellencie hauing intelligence thaâ— Creuecoeur was yeelded returned speedily to Bommell and caused it to be enuironed with many trenches halfe Moones and such like workes By these fortifications the Towne of Bommel in mans iudgement was made impregnable and as many as saw the height and bredth of those workes were amazed for it is almost incredible to see what they wrought in view of the king of Spaines mightie armie Beside these fortifications a farre off the bulwarkes of the Towne which had bin begun were finished and the walls closed vp the Towne being well furnished with ordnance and other prouision in places of most necessitie The Admeral in the meane time lay with his campe at Creuecoeur where he was busied in making a bridge ouer the Mase and a halfe Moone on Heels side thereby to secure the riuer The 13 of May the enemie made shew as if he would haue returned to Heusden whereupon his Excellencie sent 31 ensignes mo thither But he marched towards Rossem hoping to enter into the Isle of Tiell called Tielche-weert to enclose the Isle of Bommell on all sides but Prince Maurice sent ordnance thither and caused batteries to be made thereby hindering the enemies passage The 14 of May Count Frederick brought the most part of the armie before Bommell hauing first run vp and downe the Countrie and done nothing but warned those of Bommell and Voorn to fortifie themselues and giuen them time to doe it He came and sat downe on the West-side where the Towne had beene most open there beginning his skirmishes hoping to enter it but those within it did brauely repulse him During this skirmish the enemie thought to haue entred the Isle of Rossem but all things being there well ordered his attempt had no good successe Then he began to besiege the towne seating his campe at a place called Oensell aboue the Towne and made his trenches at the causey called Oensen-Dijke that he might lie safe from the Towne shot Prince Maurice perceiuing that the enemie meant to set vpon him with his whole power did likewise breake vp his campe which lay in the Betuwe and brought it to Bommell making all preparations for defence sending for all sorts of munition and making sundrie batteries His whole campe being assembled he diuided it verie skilfully and fortified all necessarie places He manned Bommel with eight ensignes belonging to the Lord Peter de Dorp eight ensignes of the Lord Vander-Noot foure ensignes of Suesse and the Lord de la Noiie with seuen French companies and himselfe with his youngest brother Count William and Count Lodwick retired thence He quartered the English at Haesten the Gards at Tuyll the residue of the French at Wardenbourg at Opinen the rest of the Frizons at Hessell Count Ernestus with the Almans the Scots with Edmonds regiment at Voorn and all the horse in the Isle of Tyell and so from thence as farre as Gorcum to keepe continuall watch along the Riuer The Admerall Duuenvoord likewise went vp the Riuer Waell with fifteene men of warre which lay from Opinen as farre as beneath Haeften On the sixteenth of May all things being thus ordered by the States armie the Admeral of Arragon came at last to his campe so as al the power on both sides was assembled nere to Bommel The Spaniards were in number 26000 foot and 4000 horse the States forces consisted of 16000 foot and three thousand horse most of them old souldiers and had a long time bin trayned vp in war and purchased great experience The same night that the Admeral came to his campe he made a furious assault vpon the townes furthest fortifications towards the gate called Oensche port which were scarce finished but he was brauely beaten backe with great losse of his men and among others La Motte was taken prisoner who died at Bommell of his hurt together with Alfonso D'Aualos who was grieuously wounded yet within a while after recouered his health Prince Maurice caused the causey called Oenschen-Dijke to be vndermined that he might blow vp the enemie if he returned to assaile the fortifications This was his last assault vpon Bommell for afterward he kept himselfe verie quiet standing rather on defence than offence His Excellencie on the contrarie was not satisfied in defending the towne of Bommell but did likewise with all his might assaile the enemie shooting on euerie side into his campe and visiting him often in his trenches The workes and fortifications did daily encrease round about Bommell and a bridge of boats was likewise made ouer the Waell before the Towne fiue pace in bredth and foure hundred and fiftie in length There were ten great boats and eight and twentie lesser ones a verie great Ferrie-boat seruing for an opening to the bridge when need was By his Excellencies commaund all mariners that were in the States fleet came into the towne of Bommell to ayd the souldiers to make a furious assault vpon the enemie who was aduertised thereof by two French-men that fled from our side whereupon the mariners were sent backe to their ships The 18 of May Count Lodwick with 8 cornets of horse was sent on Brabants side to surprise the enemies gards but returned without any effect On the one and twentieth at night our souldiers being for the most part English and French did fiercely assaile the enemie in his trenches and slew aboue six hundred men and would peraduenture haue troubled the whole armie had not a quarrell arose betwixt the two Nations whereupon they returned to the Towne bringing Captaine Aldeno prisoner with them with some other souldiers And on their side lost two Captaines and some others who for the most paâ—t were slayne by themselues The enemie at that time was verie busie in his fortifications making platformes and sundrie batteries from
captiues haue bin freed from the hands the bloudie Spaniards Let the King of Spaine stay our Marchants let him kill and burne our Mariners and suppose that he hath weakenedour countries yet he shall find that wee haue braued him in his owne Realmes and made his Cnaries so wast and desart as of along time he will reape no profit by them and we on the contrary encreased our countries meanes by wealth gotten from him and reuenged our intollerable wrongs wherein by Gods assistance we will still valiantly persist ¶ The taking of the towne of Deuticum in Annno 1599. BEcause the Admerall of Arragons Armie remained for the most part in Brabant his Excellencie like a wise and valiant Captaine laying hold on occasion sent his cousin Count William of Nassau Gouernor of Frizeland with ten companies of horse 24 foot Ensignes with Commission to take forth of sundry Garisons 26 Ensignes more amounting in all to the number of 50 with ordnance and other necessaries for a seege and to doe his best to take the towne of Deuticum from the enemie and thereupon on the 24 of August he came before the towne and on the 25 began to fortifie and intrench himselfe on the 26 he planted two peeces of ordnance and after that one and began to make his batterie whereat they within it being terrified so soone as they were summoned to yeeld craued a parley which was forthwith granted and by their capitulation they were to depart thence on the 27 of August with foure Ensignes commanded by Don Inigo de Otaela who was Gouernor likewise of the Castle of Schuylenbourg which he yeelded vp to his Excellencie fearing if he should delay the matter till the Almanes were ariued who were hourely lookt for that then he could not make his peace at so cheapâ— a rate nor procure so sure a Conuoy These two places thus woone the vnited Prouinces were masters of all the Countrey as far as Rhine and his Excellencie manned Deuticum with a Garison There was 52 barrells of pouder and other warlike munition found in the towne This being done Count William and his souldiers did on the 29 of August returne to his Excellencies campe neere to the Isle of Voorn ¶ The taking of the Towne and Castle of Wachtendonck in An. 1600. WHilest the Archdukes were receiued ouer all Brabant and Flanders as Princes and Lords of those Countreys his Excellencie made an attempt vpon the towne of Wachtendonck Which is a strong place seated beyond Guelderland vpon the Riuer Niers which some twelue yeares since had beene taken from the vnited Prouinces by Count Charles of Mansfelt after two moneths seege His Excellencie one the 22 of Ianuarie lying in the Monasterie of Bebber neere to Cleue assembled 8 cornets of horse and 800 foot vnder conduct of Count Lodwick and Colonell Edmunds who with certaine wagons did before noone begin to march and went the same night to Niekercke neere to Watchtendonck after some repose they went towards the towne where some ouer the yee and others by the dikes gat vp vpon the Townes Rampiers there were not aboue 80 souldiers both in the towne and Castle for the horse Garison was gon a boothaling toward Cologn where they sackt the Castle of Wander-stuyt where they were beaten by certain souldiers of the GarisoÌ„s of Bonne Bruiler His Excellencies souldiers being gotten into the town the alarme was presently giuen but they found no great resistance but with ease became masters thereof That done they placed certaine musketiers vpon the rampiers causing them to shoot continually vpon the Castle and on such as made defence whereby the Gouernor the Lord of Geleyn was hurt in the throat and some other slaine The Gouernor had but 30 souldiers with him and presently sent to the Earle of Bergue that lay at Ruremond for aide who forthwith sent thither all the Garisons neere adioyning but they came too late for Count Lodwick of Nassau was by this time ariued with his troups of horse In the meane time certaine of them alighted from their horse and together with the Lieutenant of his Excellencies coÌ„panie had passed the dikes and gotten vpon the Castles Rampiers where at last they became masters of it promising to some their liues within it A maid that serued the Gouernor and was of a manlie courage did with an yron forke ouerturne a ladder whereon fiue men were ascending In this manner the towne and Castle were taken on the 23 of Ianuarie This towne being seated in the verie middest of the Country where the Spaniard hath great Commaund and in a moorish soyle was verie commodious and fit for ouerthrowing the Admerall of Arragons practises there Not far from thence lay certaine foot Companies of Spaniards which were in great danger to haue beene discouered and beaten for they could not be receiued into Guelder nor other townes in regard of their mutinus disorders This enterprise being fortunaâ—ly atchieued by Count Lodwick and the Scottish Colonell Edmonds did greatly inrich them for all the boores of the Countrey had brought their cheefest wealth thither After that they had giuen order for the safetie of the towne and Castle they departed thence on the 24 of Ianuarie with the Cauallery leauing the Lord of Ryhouen Gouernor of the Towne with all the Infantrie and because the towne was vnprouided of munition Colonell Edmonds went back thither on the 5 of Februarie with a conuoy of all necessary prouisions The 14 of Februarie his Excellencie sent thither againe vnder conduct of Count Lodwick assembling seuenteene cornets of horse and two thousand foot either to send a greater Conuoy to Wachtendonck or else vnder that colour to make an attempt vpon some other towne But in their march intelligence was giuen that Colonell la Bourlotte was vpon a march in Brabant with his owne regiment and that of Achicourt about a certaine exploit The Lord of Sidenisky being at Bommel countermanded Count Lodwick and his forces back to the Isle of Tiell there to stop preueÌ„t Bourlottes attempts Bourlotte thought to haue made vse of some of the mutineers of Hamont but they hauing some bad suspition of him would not march notwithstanding all his faire promises he thought likewise to haue taken away with him part of the Garison of Saint Andrews fort and thereupon on the fifteenth of Februarie he tooke muster of them But those of that Garison hauing receiued no pay of a long time began to mutin the verie same day and though at first they were pacified by faire words yet the same night they fell into a greater mutiny discharging the ordnance and tooke their Captaines prisoners ransacking the Gouernors lodging and other houses The sixteenth they sent their officers whom they had imprisoned together with diuers women and children to Sertoghenbusk Those of Creuecoeur hauing notice hereof and perceiuing that there was no pay for them neither did on the seuenteenth day follow their example began to mutin La Bourlotte by this
meanes perceiuing his enterprise to be frustrate returned towards the Mase In the meane time a rumor was spred abroad in Holland of Bourlottes enterprise so as his Excellencie went in person to Gorcum and sent for forces thither fearing some inuasion because the Riuer there was so frozen as from Dort foure field peeces mounted on their carriages were drawne ouer the Riuer to Papendrecht and vnderstanding that Bourlotte was gon back he went no farther but thereupon commanded Count Lodwicks Conuoy to passe on towards Wachtendonck which was done on the twentieth of Februarie with seuenteene cornets of horse and eight foot Companies which lay in Garison at Wachtendonck with one hundred wagons loden with all manner of munition and other necessaries and ariuing the same night at Bebber they marched 〈◊〉 the 25 of Februarie to Niekerck and the 26 of the same they 〈◊〉 all the wagons into the towne and after dinner themsâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 turned back and came to Marienboom and so euerie man â—â—â—â—ned to his Garrison hauing well and sufficiently victualled 〈◊〉 town which was a very fit place from whence to make incursions into the Countrie round about Coloign and Aix betwixt the Rhin and Mase and into other parts ¶ The fort of Saint Andrew is yeelded vp to the States in Anno 1600. AFter that his Excellencie and my Lords the States had receiued intelligence that the Archdukes souldiers in sundrie places mutinied through want of pay and among others also those of Saint Andrews fort vnto each of whom at a muster on the 15 of Februarie the Archduke somewhat to satisfie them gaue a Doller cloth worth a moneths pay and two pound of bread a day which did in no sort content them who demaunded their whole pay for 30 moneths and proceeded so far in their mutinie as they threw one of their Captaines from the bridge into the water shot one of their Sergeants and enforced the other Captaines to keepe their houses as prisoners yet afterwards they sent them to Sertoghenbusk to see if they could procure them any content from thence Those of the Garrison were Walons and Almans who fell at variance among themselues which of the two nations should chuse an Electo or Protector to gouerne and defend them in all difficulties which might arise and ended their strife by casting lots which fell on the Walons who elected on of their countrimen Those of Creuecoeur on the 17 of Februarie did the like Hereupon the States of the vnited prouinces his Excellencie resolued not to lose this occasion but commanded 80 foot companies to be in a readinesse before Dort on the 19 20 of March with whom he went vp the Mase towards Creuecoeur fort The report was that his Excellencie would goe into Flanders but he went that night to Hemert and on the 21 of March to Creuecoeur And though it were a verie cold season yet he beseeged the said fort making trenches and preparation to plant his ordnance Those of Saint Andrews fort suspecting some attempt would be made on Creuecoeur did the very same day send two Companies thither consisting of one hundred and thirtie men But those of Creuecoeur thought it neither profitable nor possible to keepe the place and fearing to be contemned and casseered in regard of their mutinie and dispairing euer to receiue their pay they yeelded on composition vpon the 24 of March viz that those which came from Saint Andrews Fort might againe returne thither and an hundred men of the other two Ensignes that were in Creuecoeur entred into the Sates pay They were souldiers vnder the Regiment of Count Christopher of Emden The same day being the 24 of March 500 Burguignons of Varrabons Regiment went forth of Helmont and Eindhouen towards Sertoghenbusk meaning to enter into Creuecoeur but vnderstanding that the fort was yeelded vp and that his Excellencies Cauallerie lay in the Countrey round about they craued entrance into Sertoghenbusk but the Burghers iealous of their owne libertie would not permit it whereupon they were beaten by the horsemen of Berghen their Sergeant major and two other Captains taken prisoners with other officers many souldiers 290 of them were slaine the rest of the prisoners were ransomed and set at libertie vpon their Captaines words who promised to answere for them And within fiue dayes after two Cornets of horse one of which was Grobbendoncks Cornet were defeated as they caried a Conuoy towards Antwerp by the Garrison of Berghen The Admeral of Arragon had enlarged the fort of Creuecoeur with three great Bulwarkes and his Excellencie remained there on the 25 of March to hasten the fortifications and to prouide against the enemies assaults and incursions The six and twentieth of March his Excellencie went to Dalem to the same place where the Admerall his Campe had lodged there to fortifie himselfe and thereby to intrench Saint Andrews great fort where the Garison through want of pay were still in a mutinie Before his ariuall there he caused the fluces at a place called great Lit to be opened thereby to drowne the Champaine Countrey of Brabant towards Osse Geffen Merland and as far as Sertoghenbusk So soone as he had brought his Campe to Alem he sent Colonell Gystells with twelue foot Companies to Littoyen and opened the sluce there the better to ouerflow the Countrey He planted 12 peece of ordnance at Maren vpon the frontiers of Brabant opposite to Saint Andrewes fort with which he daiely battered it He repaired the fort at Keffell made by the Spaniards which was wholly ruinate He likewise fortified the Church of Maren round about the higher Countrey of Alem a place called Saint Annes-berg and the Church of Empel to the end that the enemie the Countrie being wholy drowned should haue no meanes to releeue Saint Andrewes fort vnlesse along the causey or from Sertoghenbusk by the way of Empell or from Graue by Littoyen Lit Keffell and Maren where on all sides he should be constrained to enforce the trenches and fortifications By this meanes Saint Andrewes fort was altogether shut vp and inuironed with water which with great labour and trauaile they were enforced to keepe out with their counterscarpes it was so high at the beginning of Aprill as none could goe in nor out of the fort but by boat The besiegers lay in their forts vpoÌ„ the causey in boats The waters being high they could not at first entrench themselues but at last they began to fall The fort was battered on euerie side especially from Maren and that so fiercely as they were enforced to vncouer their houses and manie were beaten downe our men likewise went about to take the mill from them thereby to reduce them to all want and extremity The beseeged did brauely defend themselues shot much yet did no great harme to vs who were too far off well fortified the bullets which they shot weighed fortie and 45 pound weight His Excellencie sommoned them many times but they
would not harken to it notwithstanding they saw the whole Countrie from whence they might hope for any releefe to be ouerflowed like a sea and yet they wanted many necessaries as money the sinewes of warre clothes and other things but espetially wood to brew and bake with they likewise wanted medicines and drugs for sick and hurt men they had corne enough but wanted beere hauing no meanes to brew They were moe than 2000 mutinous souldiers and had no Commaunders and Captains but their Electo and necessarie officers Those of Sertoghenbusk were very carefull for them and did their best to releeue them making signes by fire and ordnance shot sending them messengers who promised them much yet the effect proued nothing On the twelueth of Aprill at night they attempted to send certaine flat bottomed boates ouer the drowned Country which came behind Maren where they were discouered and driuen thence in the boates were certaine commanders with some prouisions and money The Archdukes forces begun likewise to be assembled neere to Diest from whence they came to a place called Os vnder the conduct of Don Lewis de Valasco hoping to relieue the fort but finding the aboue named Villages vpon the Causey to be strongly fortified the whole Country drowned and no meanes to passe they returned back againe His Excellencie the better to put the beseeged in dispaire caused the Castle of Batenbourg seated betwixt Lit and the towne of Graue in the Countrie of Maâ—e-en-Waell to be taken because from thence releefe might be brought to the fort there were in it fiue and twentie men who by his Canon he enforced to yeeld Towards the end of Aprill as the waters of the Mase and Waell began to fall his Excellencie brought his ordnance on euery side â—eere to the fort and in a short space made his approaches euen to the dikes of the counterscarpe by reason that the water was wholly fallen There was likewise a bridge made from Alem to the causey of Rossem 360 paces in length in a word his Excellencie at last came so neere their counterscarpes as it was impossible they should be releuied whereupon the beseeged were enforced to crie out to the pioners telling them that they desired to capitulate diuers Wallons were persuaded by their Priests to hold out to the last man assuring them to win Heauen thereby but manie Almans being among them who on that promise were vnwilling to hazard their liues they sent two men from the fort to the Campe and his Excellencie likewise for his part sent two viz. the Lord Vander Aa Captaine of his gard and the Lord Iohn of Huchtenbroeck Colonell of the regiment of Vtrecht These men made a conclusion that the beseeged in lieu of the arerages of their whole pay due vnto them for many moneths should receiue the sum of 125000 florins The states of the vnited Prouinces thought it more profitable for themselues to giue the said sum than to continue their armie any longer before the fort or to hazard their mâ—n in the assaults After long consultation notwithstanding that the beseeged pretended moe arerages than the sum of 125000 florins amounted to yet they were content to deliuer vp the fort on condition that the said sum might be distributed among them Heereupon they condescended to keepe the fort for my Lords the States vntill the said sum were payed and swore to his Excellencies Commissioners in forme following We sweare that so long as we shall remaine in Saint Andrewes fort we will keepe it for the vse of my Lords the States of the vnited Prouinces and for his Excellencie till we haue receiued the money which he hath promised vs and will obey our Captaines and Officers which shall be appointed ouer vs renouncing the oath which we haue made to the King of Spaine or Archduke And these ensuing articles were graunted to them First that all sick and hurt men shall be caried to the next villages to be healed and shall haue their share of the said sum 2 Some gratuitie and recompence shall be giuen out of the said summe to their widowes that are dead according to the discretion of the officers 3 All souldiers who in former time haue serued the States quitted their partie shall be pardoned and payed their part out of the said sum 4 All such as hauing receiued their part are desirous to returne home into their Countries shall haue their passeports But those that will againe serue the Archduke shall receiue no one pennie of the said summe 5 All such as will serue the Lords States of the vnited Prouinces shall be as kindly delt with as any others 6 As many as came from Creuecoeur shall likewise receiue their share out of the said summe 7 Whatsoeuer they haue done or committed in former time shall not be imputed to them The Confirmation of this article was presently seen before their departure for the 19 of May a French souldier being denied entrance into the fort began to reuile the Garison calling them traytors and sellers of the fort who was forth with apprehended condemned to die and sent by his Excellencie into the fort to be shot to death but the Garison pardoned him 8 The souldiers by his Excellencies consent shall chuse eight Wallon Captaines out of the regiments of Achicourt and the Marquis together with three Almans 9 All Commissaries both for war and victualls all Prouosts Brewers Bakers Millers and others that are desirous to depart shall haue safe conduct passeport and conuoy 10 The Priest with the ornaments of the Church and other baggage shall likewise depart with passeport and conuoy 11 All Sergeants and Corporalls that will serue his Excellencie shall haue like vsage as the former 12 Such souldiers as will come forth of the fort and serue the States shall take the oath of Allegeance like vnto other souldiers that serue them and hauing passed a muster shall receiue a moneths pay before hand All these conditions were concluded on the sixt of May and performed on the eighth and ninth of the same foure great Canon as many demy three Culuerins and other peeces of ordnance to the number of eighteene eight barrells of pouder fortie thousand yron bullets sixtie or seuentie load of wheat with other armes and prouision were found in the fort These mutineers made vp a strong Regiment of eleuen Ensignes and were euerie where named the new Gueux they were all in a manner old souldiers and chose their owne Captains they were all ragged and poorly clad but so soone as they were distributed into good townes they all new clothed themselues and the most of them in sutes of buffe Count Henry Frederick of Nassau his Excellencies youngest brother was made their Colonel the Lord of Marquett his Lieutenant with expresse commandement not to reuile or taxe them for they excused their reuolt saying that the Archduke had not vsed them like souldiers but left them in a new fort in face
of Nassau his Quarter but not so fierce an one as that of the day before and was presently repulsed with losse of Commanders and souldiers The 14 and 15 wee were busied in making three small forts there where our batterie was to be made thereby to assure the Canon and in the meane time the ordnance that was landed was againe sent to the ships My Lords the States perceiuing their presence at Ostend and in those parts to be to no great purpose made all things readie for their departure the next day and to this end the Aduocate Barnenelt went to his Excellencies Campe after dinner to confer with him once more returning the same night to Ostend The sixteenth of Iuly in the morning the Admerall of Nassau came to Ostend from his Excellencie propounding new difficulties to the States for continuance of the seege whereon hauing consulted they wrot back to his Excellencie that they wholy referd it to his owne discretion to proceed therein as he should find it most profitable for the Countries seruice and if he did breake vp his Campe to giue carefull directions for the timelie imbarking of the munition ordnance and other necessaries for preuenting of greater mischiefe with this answere they dismissed the Admerall About fiue of the clock in the Euening my Lords the States being embarked in the hauen of Ostend and word brought them that his Excellencie was come thither in person accompanied by my Lord his brother Barneuelt the Lord of Santen and others were set on shore and had some conference with his Excellencie which done they tooke their leaues and returned to the ships His Excellencie had shewed them sundry reasons why he thought it not fit to continue the Armie any longer before Niewport and therefore resolued to depart thence and to lead it before the forts about Ostend and first to assault Isabelles for t and then the rest The States hauing taken their leaue set faile about six or seuen of the clocke the same euening and arriued on the 17 day in the Morning at Middelbourg where they resolued to goe to Berghen-op-Zoom and there gaue audience to the commissioners of the generall States of the Prouinces on the other side assembled at Bruxels viz. the lord Gerart of Horne Earle of Bassingeri Philip of Pentinck lord of Vicht the Drossart or Magistrat of the land of Montfort and Master Henrie de Coâ—t pentioner of the citie of Ypre and to this end sent them passeport writing vnto them to meet at Berghen-op-Zoom on Thursday the 20 of Iulie these letters were sent in post to gouernour Bacx that he might send them away by a Trumpet with commaundement to make readie the Court against their comming and to prepare lodging for both parties The eighteenth and nineteenth of Iulie the States tarried at Middelbourg taking order for whatsoeuer was necessarie for the Common-wealths seruice Letters likewise were brought from Ostend certifying them that his Excellencie had on the 17 of the same moneth begun to breake vp his campe had brought his armie neere to Ostend to besiege the fort of Isabella The 20 of Iulie early in the Morning the generall States departed from Middelbourg to Berghen-op-Zoom where they arriued the same Euening whither the commissioners of the other side likewise came the same night within an houre after their arriuall being in number 23 who supped that night in the companie of the said Lords at the gouernours house The 21 day they deliuered their letters of credence and commission and after dinner an answer was prepared for them At night the commissioners supt with the said Lords whither the gouernour and some of the Magistrats were inuited and hauing receiued their answer in an enclosed letter whereof a coppie was giuen to each of them they departed thence on the 22 day verie early in the Morning The Magistrats of Berghen did that day at dinner feast my Lords the States who in the afternoone embarked themselues and sayled till they came before Saint Annes-land where they came to an ankor tarrying for the Aduocat Barnevelt and the Burgomaster Vander Dussen who were goneto a place called Saint Martins Dike to visit Count Hohenlo who was sicke meaning to returne the next day to the States The three and twentieth day the said lord Barnevelt being returned they weighed ankor and set saile but hauing a contrarie wind the said lords landed in the countrie of Putte and by crossing certaine passages arriued the same night about tenne or eleuen of the clocke at the Hague leauing their baggage with the ensignes and cornets woon at the battaile of Niewport to follow after which were brought the next day in the afternoone to the Hague The said ensignes cornets and some Trumpets were on the eight and twentieth of Iulie hung vp in the great hall of the court for a perpetuall remembrance of so famous and notable a victorie graunted by God to these countries ¶ A true description of the bloudie battaile betwixt Prince Maurice of Nassau and the Archduke Albert of Austria woon neere Niewport in Flanders the 2 of Iulie Anno 1600. THe Archduke vpon intelligence that his Excellencie lay before Niewport did speedily march with his armie towards the Downes the verie same way that his Excellencie had gone intending to passe on directly to Niewport His Excellencie vsing all meanes possible to hinder his comming and to win time did on the 2 of Iulie by day break send his cousen count Ernest of Nassau forth of the armie with 2 foot regiments Scots Zelanders 4 cornets of horse vnto whom the States according to his Excellencies direction added certaine companies of the garrison of Ostend to stop the enemies passage ouer the bridges lying vpon a water on the high way towards the Downes neere to Alberts fort But the enemie before their arriuall had alreadie taken the bridge passed ouer his chief force our men being too few to hinder his passage to the Downes and our regiments being engaged by the enemie too weake to make resistance against their whole armie yet after a braue fight like valiant souldiers they were at last put to rout the whole losse falling on the Scots who lost all their Captaines and commaunders and 800 of themselues were slaine vpon the place among whom were eleuen Captaines many Lieutenants and other officers vpon this victorie the Archduke wrot to Bruges that he had defeated Prince Maurice his vantgard and so engaged the rest of his Armie as he could not escape whereupon Bells were the same day rung at Bruges and afterwards in other townes as though they had already wonne all but to their great losse they soone perceiued the contrarie This ouerthrow did greatly perplex the States and others that were in Ostend considering the great danger the Common-wealth might haue sustained if any mishap had befallen our Campe which lay on both sides the Hauen diuided one from an other And because in such extremities when human helpe seemeth
North land causie and prepares to be gone A skirmish with the enemie The Duke of Parma raiseth his siege from before Berghen Willoughbie pursues the enemie The Lord Willoughbie honoureth the Captaines with the order of knighthood The townesmen giue thankes to God for their deliuerance The situation of the towne of Tilemont By whom how and after what manner Tilemont was surprised The garrisons of Heâ—sden and Geertrudenberg beat â—â— enemie were to Tilbourg Certain souldiers of Zeland defeat a country in Flaunders The Lord Gerard of Rassingem â—old the Lordship of Breda to the Duke of Brabant in anno 1326. The Lord of Polanen buyes Breda in anno 13â—1 on the first of Aprill A piece of coine so called The Priuiledges of the â—ountrie of Breda Engelbrecht Count of Nassau marrie◠〈◊〉 heirâ— bâ—â—anâ—n 〈…〉 Breda 〈◊〉 141◠〈◊〉 of the lands of 〈◊〉 house of Nassau An attempt propounded vpon Breda The enterprise is resolued A generous act of Math Helt The souldiers imitating the Troyans drew in their owne ruine After what maner they assailed the Castle The Castle is taken His Excellencie entreth the Castle The town yeelds to his Excellencie The Duke of Parma sends Count Mansfelt against Breda Count Mansfelt makes a Fort at Terheyden Count Mansfelt doth in vavâ—â— bâ—â—â—â— and assault the Fort of Nordam Why the Foâ— termed Knoâ—senbourg The Castle of Turnholt taken on the second of Aprill Westerloo taken in May. The Fort of Zutphen taken on the 24. of May by counterfeit Boores. Count Philip of Ouersteyn slaine before Zutphen A variant act of Captaine Metkerks ensigne A single combat betwixt the Lord of Ryhoue and an Albanese before Deuenter Those of Deuenter craue parley The bodie of Rowland Yorke is hung upon the gallowes His Excellencie departs from Deuenter He takes Delfzyll Skonse the 12. of Julie The Fort of Opslach woon The Fort of Imitill woon Parma makes preparations to encounter Prince Maurice Parma besiegeth Knodsenbourg on the 13 of Julie The sort of Auwarder â—â—jâ—l taken the last of May. Contentâ—â— beâ—â—â—t tâ—ose of Groeniâ—gâ—â—n The great 〈…〉 Those of Graninguen capitulate The strait of Nassau found out to the North-Eastward in anno 1595. People of the Eastern Indies throwne in former time by tempest vpon the coast of Germanie Perpetual night in Noua Zemla all winter till the 27 of Ianuarie The Hollanders trade to the Indies and to Iana in anno 1â—96 The Hollanders returne home the 11 of August 1597. The Rhyne and other riuers ouerflow the bankes in Februarie and March The Queene of England sets forth a fleet vnder the conduct of the Lord Admirall and Earle of Essex The vnited prouinces send 24. ships of warre to serue the Queen of England vnder the conduct of the Lord of Warmont The English fleet comes before Caâ—es on 30 of Iune The English fleet letteth slip of faire occasion to haue taken the ships loden for the Indies The Spanish fleet runneth on ground The earle of Essex landeth his men and the Hollanders take the castle of Puntall The Earle of Essex winneth Cales on the second of Iulie Two millions of Gold offered for the ransome of the fleet but too late The Spaniards burne their rich fleet The Citizens of Cales ranjome themselues for one hundred twentie thousand ducats The towne of Cales is sackt The Admeral of Holland offereth the English at Cales victuals for a month and with his fleet to stay with them Cales is abandoned and burnt on the 15 of Iulie The English doe againe loose the oportunitie of meeting with the IndiaÌ„ fleet notwithstandding that the Hollanders offered their seruice The Queene of Englands letter to the Lord of Duvenuord than king him for his good seruice The manner of the enemies march Count Varax slaine A Roman called Septimius Fabius was found wounded and halfe dead among the dead bodies and yet by carefull looking to recouered his life The States resolue to set forth an armie His Excellencie takes Alpen on the 8 of August The towne of Berck is battered with 35. pieces of ordnance on the 19 of August Berck yeeldeth vpon the 21 of August A mutinie in the towne of Gâ—lder on the 22 of August Tâ—â—se of Coloign demaund the towne of Rhynberck Camillos Fort is abandoned 〈…〉 Groll is yeelded upon the 2â— of September The great and famous grandson of Groll de paris theaâ—e on the 28. of September Brevoort seated in a moorish place is assaulted on the 8. of October Those of Brevoort are put to ransome Enschede yeeldeth on the 18. of October Oldenzeel besieged Oâ—denzeel is battered and yeeldeth on the 21 of October A description of the towne of Lingen Count Frederick of Berguen yeeldeth vp Lingen on the 12 of Nomember * A piece of ordnance so called I hardly in this beeleue my Authour The expence of his Excellencies campe at Bommell A description of the Groyne Description of the Canaries Those of Allagona forsake the town which is taken by the Admerall Vander Does Generall Vander-Does dyeth in the fleet Supplies sent to Creuecoeur are defeated Those of Sertoghenbusk seeke to releeue Saint Andrewes fort Saint Andrews fort capitulateth and agrees with Prince Maurice on the sixt of May. The greatest part of the garrison of saint Andrewes fort serue Prince Maurice The excuse of the Garrison of Saint Andrews fort An vnfit comparrison betwixt those of S. Andrewes fort the garrison of Gertrudenberg The cause why the armie went into Flanders Count Solmes is before Niewport They fight for three houres space vncertain of victorie The enemie is put to rout Articles in regard whereof those of Rhynberck yeelded on the 30. of Iulie His Excellâ—ncie takes the towne of Meurs and fortifies it Venice in time past the staple for merchandâ—se broâ—ght from the Eastern Iudies From thence the trade is remoued to Lisbone The Portugals by force seeke to keepe the Hollanders from comming to the East Indies Fâ—r what cause the Portugals rieged forth a fleet in the Indies Captaine Sylua slaâ—ne The pirâ—te Cunall and his Castle are taken The Hollanders resolue to assaile the fleet and to relieue Bantam A particular rehersall of the strength of the Portugal fleet Sir Frauncis Vere entreth Ostend on the 15. of Iuly Thâ—se of â—â—ten◠〈…〉 by 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 dâ—â— Nâ—â—t Description of â—â—â—waâ—ke called Sâ—andâ—â—ll Many men and much prouision are sent to Ostend The Lord Chastillon Colonell Huchtâ—nbroâ—ck and others slain in Ostend The Garrison of Ostend changed The States letters for contributions