expence of two to one the Musket is better cheape and far more seruiceable Some thinke the Musket cannot march far in a day or night or cōtinue long without rest by reason of their weight nor skirmish so nimblie nor so often by reason of their length weight and sore recoyling Armed men are heauier loaden than the Musketiers and more combersome in carriage lightlie no great troupe matches ten miles without resting although it be but a little at euerie stand and nere the enemie the Musketiers are suffered to quit their weight leauing their Muskets in their rests the armed men will not be suffered to disarme themselues in their march let thē stand neuer so often if they be within fiue houres march of an Enemie any thing equall of either horse or foote by that reason they haue a little aduantage Fewe Captaines will force any great troupe of footemen to march aboue 15. miles without resting if the Enemie be equall and in hazard to fight although it be 20. miles both armed men and Musketiers wil not stick to march if their Leaders haue any credite with them and discretion to furnish their troupes with victualls and necessaries that belongs vnto such a march Touching their often discharging nimblenes profit I answered before For recoyling there is no hurt if they bee streight stocked after the Spanish manner For their weight and sure shooting the Muskets haue aduantage on all the other small shot by reason they shoote in their rests true it is were they stocked crooked after the French manner to be discharged on the breast fewe or none could abide their recoyling by reason of their great charges of powder but being discharged from the shoulder after the Spanish manner with the thumbe betwixt the stocke and the face there is neither danger nor hurt if the shooter haue any discretion especiallie not to ouerload their pecces and take heede that the bullets ioyne close to the powder Few seruices of importance are executed in the field without armed men and where armed men wil march the Musketiers are il conducted vnlesse they doo the like let it bee neuer so farre The ouerthrowes of all Battailes and great fights are giuen within two miles the most in halfe a mile for that space were it further the Musketiers march as their leaders needs to wish them Touching light skirmishes vnles it bee to some purpose none vseth them vnles it bee rawe men or light headed that delights to heare the peeces crack as I saide before the most seruice consists either to defend or assaile passages by water or by straits or to assaile townes forts fortresses or whatsoeuer seruice you can inuent if it be done on great troupes the musketiers are the terriblest shot most profitable that euer was deuised The Spaniards do vse them most findes their seruie terrour such that I perswade my self shortlie al or the most of their small shot will be Musketiers True it is I doo thinke it necessarie to haue of 1000. shot 200. Caliuers from that rate to the greater number and such shot for this purpose when occasiō presents to make great marches Caualgades the strangers calls it to giue Camisadoes on troupes that are lodged a farre off to surprise Townes Fortresses or passages that are simply mand and negligentlie guarded or to lye in Ambush a farre off to cut off conuoyes passengers and such services These lighter shot are necessarie to march great marches with horsemen for these purposes the which are often taken behind the horsemen for expedition of great marches to doo executions vnlooked for To proue the Pike the most honorable weapon carried by Footemen THe Pike is the most honorable weapon that is carried by footmen the Pike is the strength of al battailes I know no reason but two thousand Pikes 1000. Musketiers shuld not retire ten miles although it were all champion grounds from 3000. horsemen mounted armed as Captaines can deuise The Pike is the chiefest weapon to defend and to enter a breach although diuers guards nere a place assieged are furnished onelie with shot short weapons as armed Holberts Targets and such weapons by reason their Trenches are narrow and deepe to couer them from the defendants shot in which trenches the Pikes haue no conuenient place to fight notwithstanding about their batteries and in diuers places nere vnto these guards they make large Cordigards where they place their Ensignes in some and in all strong guards of Pikes meaning thereby to put their strength and rest chieflie on that weapon wherefore the experimented Spaniards commands all their chiefe men on foote to carrie the Pike What number of short weapons there ought to bee amongst one thousand armed men from that rate to the greater nūber I Perswade my selfe there ought to bee amongst one 1000. Pikes 200. short weapons as Holberts or Bills but the Bills must be of good stuffe not like our common browne Bills which are lightlie for the most part all yron with a little steele or none at all but they ought to be made of good yron and steele with long strong pikes at the least of 12. inches long armed with yron to the midds of the staffe like the Holberts for example like vnto those which the Earle of Leicester and Sir William Pelham had in the Low Countries for their guards being made thus no doubt but it is a necessarie weapon to guard Ensignes in the field trenches or townes and a good weapon to execute but no better thā the halberd Because the Frenchmen make their halberds with long neckt pikes and of naughtie stuffe like our common browne bills diuers of our Nation condemnes the Halberdes but let the Halberds bee of good stuffe and stronglie made after the Millaine fashion with large heads to cut and broad strong pikes both to cut and to thrust then no doubt the Halberd is nothing behinde the bill for all manner of seruice and armes a souldier fairer than the bill Both Bills and Halberds ought to haue corslets with light Millain murrians the foreparts ought to be of reasonable proofe I meane of the proofe of the Caliuer discharged ten or twelue score off so ought the pikes also to haue the foreparts of the corslets of the like proofe fifteene or twenty of euery hundred from that rate vnto the greatest numbers I knowe no reason that a thousand armed men ought to aske aboue two hundred targetters of the proof those weapons are very combersome they are best to arme men to discouer breaches or for the defendants to discouer trenches or the enemies workes and for to couer shot that skirmishes in streights their weights are such that few men will endure to carie thē if they be of good proofe one houre I perswade my selfe the best arming of targetters is to haue the corslets of reasonable proofe and the targets light so the bearers may the better and nimbler assaile and fight the longer in defending To prooue
A Briefe discourse of Warre Written by Sir Roger Williams Knight VVith his opinion concerning some parts of the Martiall Discipline Newly perused Imprinted at London by Thomas Orwin dwelling in Paternoster Row ouer against the Signe of the Checker 1590. TO THE MOST HOnorable my singular and best Lord Robert Earle of Essex and Ewe Vicount Hereford and Bourghchier Lord Ferrers of Chartley Bourghchier and Louayne Master of the Queenes Maiesties horse and Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter Roger Williams wisheth increase of all Honor and Vertue MOst honorable Lord hauing busied my self more than two yeares in writing sundrie actions that passed in our daies especiallie the great actions of the Netherlanders since the first arriuall of Duke D' alua vntill the late sieges of Sluce and Bergis hauing resolued to print and dedicate them vnto your Lordship diuers occasions perswades me to craue pardon for a time assuring your Lordship if health and libertie permits leaue to present them vnto your selfe in the French tongue hoping by those meanes to bee rightlier iudged than I haue been hethervnto In troth but for the negligence of a seruant that lost part of my discourses I would not haue printed any thing without the whole wherefore I haue taken boldnes to present your Lordship with some of my lost papers humblie desiring you to accept them as from a Souldier that hath but smal skill in writing or inditing but could I doo better assuredlie it should bee vnto your selfe and shall bee in any thing I can performe Beare with my faults be assured of my loue and command my life next vnto my sacred Soueraigne deare Countrie Your Lordships most bounden to serue Roger Williams To all men of Warre in generall NOble Souldiers of what qualitie soeuer where I discourse of the vertues and vices that aduanceth and ouerthroweth all actions all that hath their honor to lose may claime part of the vertues neither needes any to bee grieued at the vices vnlesse they condemne themselues guiltie the greatest Captaines of Europe can witnesse that I robbed neither superiour nor companion of his right much lesse hath been euer my thoughts to wrong any generall action the which all or the most of you that knowe me will beare witnesse when my Netherlanders discourses with others comes out I thinke Gonsalua was called the last graund Captaine but I perswade my selfe neither he nor any other before him had euer carried that name without the seconding of a number of braue companions The most worthiest Caesar although hee was highly ambitious notwithstanding in his Commentaries written by himselfe hee imputed part of his honour vnto his Lieftenants and Officers Wherefore should not others doo at the least the like being not worthie to be compared vnto the basest sort of his followers no honorable minds can bee free from honorable ambition but the ambitiō may be such let the minde be neuer so great if hee robbs the honor of his companions he wrongs himselfe and imbates his action Few men of iudgement but knowes it impossible for one man to conduct an Armie without Officers vnpossible for any state to knowe the worth of their Captaines without being in action with great enemies but for that triall the Parisians Gauntois Antwerpians and such would onelie place squadrons in battailes chuse grounds march in what order you would arme men in good order fortifie and discourse with other matters to the shew as though they had been great masters of Campes but when they were tried with the furie of expert executioners their warres prooued but May-games Although I perswade myselfe my Discourse bee Vnpleasant with small iudgement notwithstanding being perswaded by honourable good friends I tooke courage to print it true it is no action ought to be printed without the consent of sundrie Actors or at the least by one Principall which ought to signe his workes with his name otherwise wee finde the most Actors wronged and robbed of the most of their reputation some with enuie or malice others with glorious ambition sometimes you haue most honorable quiet Estates wronged with ambitious follies libells the which are hardlie knowne and found out but being signed by the author deserues hee well the honour is his if ill the shame shall be his Men of Warre ought to bee more open hearted more liberall and more affable than any other profession although their secrets ought to bee but vnto fewe their hearts must be open vnto the multitude and liberall to confesse good deserts as well as with their purses although their resolutions be agreed on by two or three notwithstanding the more affable they shewe themselues vnto the multitude the greater will be their voges and loues Some tearme men wise for not speaking many words true it is idle speaches are windes and a disgrace vnto the speaker but bee they to good purpose the more hee speakes the greater is his praise You must thinke to repeate great actions it requires many words to perswade the fewe expert companions to offend or defend a fewe words will serue but to animate or disswade the rude multitude the more words and the oftner the better Wee doo finde the most Conquerours were greatlie aduanced with the orations of their Orators as well amongst the seruilest sort as the rude multitude without speaches the wise can not be discerned from the foolish nor without triall of gouernement against equall enemies the perfects Captaine cannot bee knowne from the most ignorant Otherwise ignorance will condemne Generalls their followers and actions let them bee euer so great although themselues neuer carried places of reputation either in field or towne nor commanded more than ouer their owne seruants saying wee haue knowne great Potentates Campes and Courts Let no man bee so simple to iudge them worthie to condemne great actions or their actors without being imployed in their great affaires it is hard for men to gouerne themselues well harder to gouerne a few more harder to gouerne many much more a great multitude some can gouerne a houshold and cannot gouerne a towne some can gouerne a towne and not a whole countrie A man may be sufficient to conduct a priuate companie and not sufficient to command a Regiment likewise sufficient for a Coronell and not for a Generall But whether it be for policie or Armes it is an error to thinke men without triall worthie to bee compared vnto the others tried in what place soeuer great or small Diuers play Alexander on the stages but fewe or none in the field Our pleasant Tarleton would counterfeite many artes but hee was no bodie out of his mirths Many haue a vertue few hath many none haue all the most men lookes into their fellowes faults but fewe lookes into their owne beare with mine I will beare with thine loue mee I will loue thee let vs loue each other and God will loue vs all on that condition noble superiours Roger Williams wisheth to you all honour
and happines and to you companions no worse than to himselfe Farewell FINIS EXperience and Learning must confesse all VVarres are maintained with these three Principalls A good Chiefe A good Purse And good Iustice. ALl consists in the Chiefe where there is a good Chiefe there is good Iustice a braue Chiefe cannot want a good Purse if he be second with his Prince or Estate if their purse faile a braue Chiefe will force his Enemies Countreyes to maintaine his action hauing a good quarrell with the sufferance of the great God Is he resolute and valiant Al the rest of his Officers and Souldiers will resolue themselues no coward shall be aduanced taking alwaies care vnto their words and deeds assuring themselues this resolute valiant Man will aduance vs doo we deserue it doo we ill his Honour is such he will not abide vs. Is he liberal and constant Then are al that serue vnder him sure to receiue their due rather more than lesse that come into his hands assured to be recompenced for their vigilant paines and trauell and to bee partakers aswel with his honorable acts as with his liberall Purse neither backbiter nor flarterer dares call in question the name of a braue man much lesse none of his familiar acquaintance If they should then is the other sure to come to his answere and not be condemned without great faults as noble Sir Philip Sidney was wont to say Let vs loue him for his small vertues for a number haue none at all Is he couetous and miserable He careth not what wrong he dooth to recouer wealth cause men to ende their dayes in euerie light skirmish weary others with wants and discurtesies keep the Officers of his Armie in pickes and quarrels cause them to disgrace one another lay al the fault on his felowes spare neither friend nor foe to recouer wealth it is vnpossible for such a Chiefe to end anie action honorablie for he respects the least of his bagges more than his best Captaine and valures his crownes too good for his brauest souldiers A multitude are not to bee contented without consuming great treasure the sight of his gold departing with his treasure will cause him to wish all his troopes dead to recouer their dues In short time hee will discredit his Estate and action Is he ambitious in such sort that he thinks none to be valued vnto himselfe and that all seruices are done by himselfe resoluing none shal be aduanced but such as flatter his humors enuying all other mens fortune and vertues That man careth not what becomes of his State and Action longer than they maintaine his ambition against all others be it right or wrong Is he proud and vaine glorious All those that serue vnder him must flatter his fauorites to come vnto his speech when they come there must bee nothing contraried if they doo he will tearme them fooles and his fauorites deuise faults to condemne them to please his humors and to maintaine his Gloria Patri It is almost vnpossible for anie one to haue all these vertues or for anie to be free from al these vices To say troth Ambition is giuen to men of warre more than to any other profession but let him be assured whosoeuer hath it as I speake off ouerthroweth any action vnles the great God will haue the contrarie Some thinke it hard to know these men because euery man thinketh himself valiant vertuous or at the least say honest iust Their valure must be iudged by their deeds not by their words the rest of their vertues are easier known than theeues in a ciuil gouernmēt Theeues are tried by God and their countrie so ought these great Captaines to be tried by the multitude that serues vnder them especiallie by their officers in general Their feare cannot stop the rumor of the multitude nor their bribes content few or none of the Officers but such as respect neither honour nor vertue and care not how they come by their fauor and wealth so they haue it Dutie honor and wealth makes men follow the wars when Generalls rob their inferiors of all three often it makes honest minds quit their seruice and the dishonest to serue their Enemies None knowes the worth of honest Souldiers but such as haue bin in action with equal Enemies Those that are most furnished with experimēted captaines shal find it a losse to lose few but those that haue but few shall finde it a greater losse to lose any at all How that all Conquests and Ouerthrowes consists in expert souldiers euer did since the world began vnto this houre SOme thinks Commissions authoritie is sufficient to conduct an Armie and that Conquests and Ouerthrowes consist in multitude let the Commission be euer so large the authoritie euer so great the multitude euer so many the Warres consists altogether in good Chiefes and experimented Souldiers and euer did since the world began to this houre What caused Alexander to ouerthrow Darius with few men considering his number but his valorous person with the experience of his Captaines and Souldiers What caused Caesar to ouerthrow Pompey Romane to Romane with far lesser number because hee had olde trained Legions against more than halfe new leuied rawe men Our famous Kings Henrie the fift Edward the third gaue their ouerthrowes with few in respect of their Enimies Also Charles the fift with a few experimented Souldiers considering the number of the Germaines How often few or one is the occasion of the winning or loosing of a Battaile IN our time did not the Prince of Conde giue battell to the French King at the gates of Paris to the Kings losse to the honor of the smal Troupe being not halfe a quarter so manie where Stewart a Scottish Gentleman with a dozen Horsmen was one of the principallest occasions by killing the Constable being their Generall At the Battaile of Mocberhay where the worthie Count Lodowick of Nassau was ouerthrowne and killed the Troupes of Spaniards being fearefull to fight seeing the number of Lodowickes Horsemen were onely encouraged to charge resolutelie by the oration of Sentia de vela The shameful Ouerthrow at Iubeleo where lesse than 600. Horsmen of Don Iohn de Austria ouerthrew 15000. against reason onlie for want of Chiefes to keepe order The occasion of this charge came through a Captaine of Horsmen which discouered their disorder of March and procured the rest to followe desiring leaue of Octauia Gonzaga his Generall to charge At Northorne in Freezeland two or three cowardlie captaines were the cause of the ouerthrow of our Battaile with discouraging words the Enemies Horsmen and vangard being broken The mutenous Gauntoys and Iper did they not giue battaile in our fathers daies vnto a French King their Earle of Flanders and did not this Prince of Parma with lesse than 8000. men conquer them like slaues onelie because they were void of Chiefes vnexpert for warres their braue warlike minds changed
their fashion to receiue battaile our ensignes being displayed on the top of the hill and our squadrons possessing the ground that we thought most fit after resting a while perceiuing their cowardly resolution aduāced our battaile towards their quarter vnknowne to vs but that all their forces had bin in that village At our approch they ran away in such sort that our horsmē being but 50. in al amōgst whom were diuers of our Chiefs besides the Earle and his brother made 200. of them run away that they kept in the Reregard This proofe with diuers others had we on them in our Portingall voyage But to speake troth no Armie that euer I saw passes that of Duke de Parma for discipline good order the which it pleased others to follow it were not amisse And to that ende I thought good to show some parte of the discipline and orders amongst them None comes to be high Officers vnles they be knowne to be expert and tried Souldiers of action of long continuance or for courtesie to grace their Armies with young Princes or Nobilitie or at the least Gentlemen of good qualitie neither must these contemne the basest Master of their Campe. For all their birth they must bee knowne valiant and of good discretion These Noble men are placed Generalls of horsmen or commaund a Cornet but they will be sure to looke that their vnder Officers shall bee expert and knowne men they shall not choose their owne fauorites and followers which maketh them to maintaine the like discipline when they come to be expert themselues for without doubt none can command so well as those which haue been commanded Their State is gouerned with two sorts of people Captaine and Clergie As the Captaines ambition perswades the king to encrease his Warres to maintaine their estate in wealth and greatnes so dooth the Clergie perswade him also to warres to maintaine their State against thē of Religion By this means the State of Spaine during this gouernement can neuer be without warres and continuall warres must make expert Souldiers The long continuance of their Armie THis Armie of the Prince of Parma hath been in action vnbroken since Charles the fift his troubles against the Germaines They haue continued in the Low Countreyes three and twentie yeares When the Duke D' alua brought them thether he found them readie disciplined in Regiments vnder Ensignes and Cornets although the Gouernors Captaines and Souldiers were changed with casualties of Warres notwithstanding the Armie was continuallie maintained with one purse discipline from the first houre vnto this which must be about 50. yeres For that time we must confesse none had the schoole of warres continuallie but themselues Their actions shewes their discipline which were not amisse for others to followe Their order is where the warres are present to supplie their Regiments being in Action with the Garrisons out of all his Dominions Prouinces before they dislodge besonios supply their places raw men as wee tearme them By these meanes hee traines his besonios furnisheth his Armie with trained souldiers yet though these Garrison men be wel trained Souldiers God knowes they are but raw men for a long time in respect of the men of Action then iudge you what difference there is betwixt expert Soldiers raw In my poore iudgement as I shewed before all their discipline consists in the Spanish They maintaine also certaine companies of ordinances chiefly to content the Nobilitie as I will shew hereafter they keepe in good order their Caualeri Italians Burgonians and Albanetes for their great numbers I meane to supplie their Armies as occasion presents They make most account of the Wallons Burgonians and Italians for the Almaines they care not but will hire them onelie to serue their turne when their Enemies leauie Germaines against them They haue great reason for as long as any Prince or Estate keepes continuallie 7000. expert footemen 3000. horsmen though his leuied Armie be 50000. the ten thousand will both discipline them and keepe thē in order for out of the 10000. he may draw cōtinualy 100 or two experimented Soldiers to make officers to train the others Besides he places diuers great Officers out of his assured 10000. amongst his mercenaries in the which he shews great discipline for there can be no dāgerous muteny in any Army vnles some of the Chiefes be priuie vnto it and easily preuented if it be discouered and can not be but discouered by reason of this good order How they diuide their Armies THey diuide their Armies into Regiments All the Spanish Colonells are tearmed Masters of the Campe. Although al their Armie be diuided into Regiments be they neuer so many Colonels there are none termed M. del Campo but the Spanish Although there are but foure Tertias Spanish which are called de la Lyge de Lombardy de Naples and de Flandrie to grace the Spanish they giue often the name of M. del Campo vnto others but neuer aboue sixe at a time the which must be famous Mondragon being Colonell of the Wallons afore Serexe for his famous seruice was called M. del Campo so was Ionas Oria hauing no Regiment for his famous seruice at Malta and in other places These foure Tertias when they are most are scarce 6000. strong they make vp their 10000. I named before with Burgonians Italians Wallons One of these Tertias when the Duke of Alua came downe was called Tertia de Sardinia For their disorder the Duke executed their Captaines in Amsterdam in Holland cassid the Tertia entertaining the Souldiers a new To keepe the honour of the braue Souldiers they termed this Tertia Tertia Veche to giue example vnto others It is necessarie to remember this Discipline with other executed by the Duke of Alua. This Tertia of Sardinia had to their Colonell a valiant Captaine named Don Gonsalo de Drakemont being commanded to Frizeland against Lodowicke the worthie Count of Nassaw brother to the famous Prince of Orange to stop his course Duke d' Alua sent Sir Iohn de Lamy Count de Aranberge Chief with other troupes of horse and foote Besides this Tertia being approched Count Lodowicke vnderstanding his strength Aranberge would haue staied where he was vntill the arriuall of the Count de Megem the which would haue ioyned with him that night with more forces The ambition of this Colonel and Captains was such they forced Count Aranberge with vrging words touching his reputation and credit both to approch and charge some of Lodowicks troups the which brought them into an ambush where Lodowicke was who defeated them in route leauing Count de Aranberge dead in the place with diuers other Chiefes At their returne Duke d' Alua rewarded them as I shewed you before Another time a great Regiment of Almaine mutined for wāt of pay in their outrage they spoiled Count Laderne their owne Colonel Duke d' Alua called them into a field both to be mustred and
Princes or Estates then likelie they will confesse no traffique so deare as liues especiallie being in action with equall enemies It is hard to please the most masters vnpossible to content the rude multitude the least worme will mooue hauing anie life being troden vpon for my owne part I doo confesse to bee one of the least in respect of thousands not so base but euer I carried a mind rather to be buried dead than aliue I speake this for the wrongs done vnto my selfe and companions for the defence of the towne of Sluce true it is those that serues many serues no bodie I meane they shall find none that will confesse to be their masters especiallie when they should be rewarded for their seruice but the multitude will bee readie to disgrace their seruants thinking by such meanes to pay them their debts or at the least sufficient rewards to bee reconciled vnto them and pardoned for their misconstred thoughts Wherefore I would wish all men of warre and they can to bee in all strange Princes or estates debts rather than they in yours if your masters bee giuen to any machiuell humours the debts that should pay you will hire them diuers others are you in their debts you are sure not to bee wronged thinking your seruice to come paied for Although our masters the States bee for the most part honest and vertuous personages notwithstanding looke into their actions you shall finde a number of Captaines wronged besides our selues they are partlie to bee borne withall Sometimes great Captaines are so ambitions that they will deface their inferiours deedes therefore there can been no great fault in the States nor any such when we wrong one another otherwise time and fortune might make inferiours Competitors with the great ones Sometimes fortune frownes on the greatest Captaines in such sort that they can not or will not performe that the world lookes they should do then likelie had they rather burie their instruments and inferiours rather than bee touched themselues with the least disgrace Therefore you cannot blame the poore Souldier to desire the eye of his master when he hazardeth his life Subiects are vassalls vnto Princes and States and not vnto the most Generals although I neuer knewe any notwithstanding it is well knowne ambitious Generals wronged often their masters being in those humors they will bee sure to wrong their inferiours vnlesse they serue their turnes Touching our wrongs I impute it to no bodie but vnto our owne fortunes as the Spaniards said vnto Charles the 5. Adeunda salta la diecha non apreuiecha la diligencia Touching Sluce I do protest by the faith of a Souldier what I write is troth As nigh as I can remember we kept the Towne about 60. daies diuers thinkes it no time because Harlam Mastricht and others were kept longer little doo they thinke how those places were furnisht with all necessaries especiallie the lesser of both had in them at the least 6000. hands to fight and to worke Let vs be rightlie iudged I will prooue that Bouennene was the furioust siege that was in the Lowe Countries since Duke D'aluas arriuall vntill this houre the which began and ended in lesse than twentie daies notwithstanding there was more Captaines and Souldiers spoyled by sword and bullet at that siege than at Harlam which dured ten moneths Experimented Captaines will confesse the furie of all breaches are tried in fewe houres and the furie of artillerie preuented without sodaine attempts Wee were not in Sâ—uce 1600. fighting workmen and all wee had to keepe counting the two Forts aboue two miles and a halfe It is well knowne before we entred the Towne lost one Fort. If wee shewed anie valour in our entrie let Sir Henrie Palmer his Seamen with them of Zealand iudge the danger was not so little but of the vessels that carried vs in fiue were taken the next tide in comming out The third tide Sir Charles Blunt offered fiftie pounds besides the commandement his Masters and Mariners receiued at his imbarking to carrie vs our necessaries from Sir William Russell then Lord Gouernour of Vlishing who indeed was the occasion of our entrie resolution and quick dispatch who sent with vs a good quantitie of victuals and munition and to say troth without his earnest dispatches wee had not entred then the world knowes the Towne had been lost without blowes as a number of others were in those Countries farre better than Sluce The best sort doth knowe had I and my companions marchanted our liues as traffickers doth their ware wee had no neede to haue entred Sluce for our direction was but to Ostend we were battered with thirtie Cannons and eight Culuerings on S. Iacobs eeue from three of the clock in the morning vntill fiue in the afternoone they shot aboue foure thousand Cannon shot By the Dukes owne confession he neuer sawe so furious a batterie in one day wee were made saultable aboue 200. 50. paces betwixt fiue of the clock and seauen wee were aboue fiue times at the push of the pike for our breach where wee spoyled the enemies in great numbers who perceiuing our Trenches within Ouerthwart the breach quieted their furies afterwards we kept the Towne eighteene daies the enemie being lodged in our port rampier and breach aboue three hundred paces in the which time the Enemie passed through the port sixe paces to beate our Trenches within wee kept our Fort vntill wee were made saultable more than our Troupes could guard vnles wee would quite the Towne being mined wee countermined them in the which wee fought hourelie for the space of nine daies with Sword Target and Pistols at our breach port and rampiet of the Towne wee fought daylie with pikes short weapons and stones besides our shot for the said space of eighteene daies Touching our sallies let the Enemie testifie The Duke of Parma being entred asked me which was Buskeruilde standing before him I shewed him who imbraced him turning towards his Nobilitie he said there serues no Prince in Europe a brauer man Most true it is at one sallie he had the point with an hundred corslets of the best sort who charged and made to runne eight Spanish Ensignes of the Tertia Vecho and hurt their master del Campo True it is he was seconded with a number of others but himselfe principallie knowne by prisoners and his great plume of feathers Also Sir Francis Vere marked for his red Mandilion who stood alwaies in the head of the armed men at the assaults of the Fort and Towne beeing twise hurt I and other his friends requested him to retire he answered he had rather be kild ten times at a breach than once in a house Captaine Hart most valiantlie swamme in and out to shewe our Generall and States our wants and daungers the world doth know what picks there was betwixt them at that instant such that none can denie but a full resolution was taken not to enter in by