and Bergues and Rodulphus Maximilianus Duke of Saxonie which three together the sport being ended of the vnbloody war ran together to the coache of the Infanta Isabella conqueresse to salute her with their humble swords Then Spinolaes tents being placed some three miles from Antwerp was brought into the cittie with the reioycing eyes and voices of all that looked for him together with the Archdutches Henrie of Bergues with his companies is lefte to Hooghstrate to carry the rest of the conuoye back to Breda In the last conuoye therefore which was brought into Breda before the enimie departed count Bergius about to haing by the riband of Spinolaes laurell studied to catch the enimie in a snare by the inticement of a few prouokers to battell the rest lying in ambushe which should then sodenly appeare and inuade them But the enimie whether out of prudence or out of feare not coming out of their tents Bergius departed doing nothing Isabella whilst she remayned at Antwerp was drawen with the pencill of rabens that excellent painter and being grauen with an instrument in brasse she saw her selfe crowned with a garland of oake in an imperiall table VVorthie so to be pictured after that noble triumphe nor by no other hand then by that of that Apelles The Conqueresse Dauid was shewed in a Scene by the schoole of the Societie of IESVS after a new kind of modell wherin after euery Act all the historie of the thinge performed was most delightfully exhibited in the liuelie Images of dumme persons VVith Isabella the rest of the Nobles of the Court beheld the same A few dayes after it being vnderstood that the enimie was retired into garison our armie also retired vnto garisones VVhen Spinola came to Bruxells with a few he was receiued with new congratulations albeit he auoided it by concealing his coming against his will and perforce all runing together to meete him Meffengers being sent in the meane space into Spaine Kinge Phillip ioyfull of a double victorie of the recouerie of Breda and of the Bay in Brasile gaue to the Marques Spinola for so many labors employed for so many enimies ouercome without slaughter for so impregnable cittie subiugated amost Royall gift as is the chiefe gouernment of the order of S. Iames for ether that was to be the reward of so great a victorie or the liberalitie of so great a Kinge giuing also greater then could be asked Pope Vrbanus moued with the greatnes of the thinges done at Breda first congratulated Isabella and then Spinola for his fortitude and felicitie with most excellent letters the copies wherof I haue iudged meet to be published both for their singular elegancie as also for the excellent authoritie of the most prudent Pontifice Pope Vrbans letter vnto the Archdukes Isabella Clara Eugenia Our Lord mightie in warre hath lifted up his arme ouer the nations which intended euill to his seruants and the right hand of the omnipotent is glorified in you Triumphing with ioy for the noble victorie of conquered Breda with the same Epitaph we speake to your Nobilitie who hauing surpassed the praises of a womans virtu prosperously turned the forces of the Austriacall power for the defence of the orthodox faith The band of the heauenlie armie fought in your campes and the constancie of warlike fortitude hath taught noble nations inhabiting by the spectacle of so singular a siege no hould in earth to be fortified with so strong helpes and defences which the power of acamp armed with celestiall helpes doth not vanquish You haue combatted with an enimie conteining of perils and with a cunning artificer of vnheard of terror he seemed to studie to send the very Ocean it selfe out of her prisons in to the Austriacall armie He shut vp the raging floods with sea sluces ouerflowed that as it were with a new sea he might swallow up the campes of your Nobilitie But the wicked haue fallen into the ditch which they digged and our Lord hath raigned The Ocean restrayned the surging waues in their ould seates and the floods with-drue them selues Into dry places VVe congratulate this victory to you wished hartely with the desires of the whole Church to which Rome the mother of all Nations applaudeth which the testimonies of histories in ensuing ages will proclaime And truly how well your Nobilitie doth vse them we haue vnderstood by the voice of the report and letters of our ministers Vnlesse our lord keepe the cittie in vaine do the statiōs of soldiars watch and he doth arme those citties with legions of Angels in which the Catholique faith doth prosper the keeper of publique tranquillitie doth predominate we know with what solicitous pietie and with what prudent actes you procure that heresie may be cast forth from the people of Breda the mother of perfidie and nurse of sedition wherefore seeing you leaue no place for Pontificall admonitions we worthely praise and extolle the glorie of your name and with our most exact prayers recommend vnto God your Nobilitie that of so healthfull a triumphe you may receiue those frutes which the Church wisheth and impietie feareth and we bestow upon you perpetually Apostolicall benediction Giuen at Rome at S. Maria Maior vnder the Fishers ringe the 9. of August 1625. the second yeare of our Pontificat Number XVI Pope Vrbanus to the Marques Spinola thus congratulating Heauen triumpheth in the victories of thy Nobilitie whose branches nourished with the blood of heretiques and the head of Catholique Religion crowneth The ouerthrow of Breda will remaine a monument to all Nations and ages of thy virtu Let the whole world know euen at this day those Captaines to be borne in Italie in whom the glorie of Cesar and of Scipio doth flowrish a new Thou hast tamed those enimies excelling in riches mad in anger and desying death The floods shut vp with sluces ar commanded to alter their course and the heapes of fuming waters to enter the campes of thy Nobilitie The fauor of heauen hath thoroughly asswaged them all and the constancie of thy courage Truly that cittie which treason had taken away from the power of Austria fearfull of the light and lying hid in skulking corners that cittie by thy Nobilitie valor and virtu was recouered The memorie of Bredaes siege will remaine for euer and from thence the Captaines of ensuing posteritie shall learne the art of warring and examples of fortitude Amongst the present stormes of tossed Italie and of Princes disscordinge the newes receiued from Breda so far did this ioyfull beame of the diuine clemencie shine to our Pontificall solicitude that we haue determined by the testimonie of our Apostolicall letters to extolle thee as the author of so great a good promising our patrocinie to they Nobilitie to whom we wishe the happines of long life and bestow vpon thee for euer our Apostolicall benediction Giuen at Rome at S. Maria Maior vnder the Fishers ringe the 9. of August 1625. the second yeare
tvvelfmonthes before vve couled come to besiedge the tovvne soo that there might be no necessitie to deminish the prouision made for the soilders For the vvinnenge of this tovvne vvhen many thenges did incorage the Marques Ambrosio Spinolas minde many thinges also did vvithdravv itt First the oportunitie of the place did great lie enduce him bothe for the hindring of the frequent enuations of the enemies horsmen into Brabant whiche from thence they moste comodiously desingned to whate parte they pleased As also for the hindereng of al nauegasion betwext the adioyning townes of Breda And the borderinge townes of the confines of Holand and Zeland VVhich is tought to haue beene don with no smale dificultie by reason of some townes that were taken neere at hand with encredible losh to the enemy Further more many other comodities did allure him to attempt to take this towne rather then any other to witt the Zoile of the suburbs fitt for making his trinches and fortificationes eyther to make assault or to entrench Hauing a riuer fit to pass ouer and easili to be damned up whiche being don they who were besiged might easilie be kept from prouition They had woodes nere at hande the fildes were fertile for feedinge Lastly this was considered that Breda being taken Bergen up Som and other townes neere at hand might be taken the more easily On the contrarie the strenght of the towne that was so fortified both be endustrie and nature did discorage him But espesially the great dificultie of transportinge vituales a far of when eyther the enemies was to be a voided with a greate convoy for al oure citties were distant great days Iurneyes on foote or that they might want vituales nor was there behinde them any commoditie of riuer whiche coulde be sayled with shipes to beare prouision vnlesh Breda beinge neere at hand as it were the theator of the enemies citties could be bloked up It was doupted whether that with a great number of VVagones vvith longe and combersom vvayes be reason of the winter prouision and vitualles might be broght vnto us which was manifest coulde nether be don without adoble garde of soilders nor withoute greate danger This was the state of the lowe contries at this time and of oure affaires Filip the fourth King of Spaine did forbid that any peace shoulde be made withe the confederated states Iudgenge that truce to be more hurtful then warr The Archduces Isabela Clara Eugenia Infanta of Spaine wife of Albertus that excelent Prince deceased thought it a disgraseful thinge that the army wherwith the Kinge florisheth in the lowe contries should be Idel and withoute Implomient the repulce of Bergenop some was not reuenged whiche being retained after the sidge the enemies gloried Germanie being quiet from warres rested The strenght of the bastard Mansfelt yea and his verie name was almost extent There was intire pease betwext the Kinges of France and Ingland with the onely enemies of the confedrated prouences there was Iuste cause of hatred Herupon warr was intended against them not for desire of rule but for desire of reestablissinge of religion and recoueringe of there owne Spinola in the 21. of the monthe of Iuly in the yeare athousande six hondereth twentie foure goinge from Bruxeles the time of the yeare beinge proper for warr he corne being reepe gathered an army But he kept him self so reserued in this affaire that although he fulli resolued to besiedge Breda yet if he perceiued it hard to be effected perhapes with a greater army a sit fel oute sent oute by the enemy he oute of euerie place wherin he lay might be able As he iudged fit for the present good to vndertake the same turninge his armye whiche way soeuer it shoulde please him The armie was deuided into thre pattes making a sheow to goe into diuers places of set purpose to deceiue the enemie Spinola goinge oute of his Iourney be montague where that sacred tēpel is of the moother Virgin renoumed troughout the worlde with so many miracles the misteries of the cristian religion being dulie performed and his deuosions beinge made at oure ladie is aulter for the army led the foote men one way and Lodouicus Velascus Count of Zalazarius General of the horse led the horsmen an other way Iohn brauius de laguna gouernor of the castel of Anwourpe with those that came frō markland Ioyned with thies trupes not far from turnehoute whiche Gonzalus de Cordoua master de campe general had gouerned The army beinge hire mustered by Spinola and being founde lesh then it was supposed neuerthelesh he had greate hope of there valor for beinge all chosen men There were in the whole fiftine regimentes consisteng of ahondereth foure score and eightine companies of horse thirtie nine troopes Breeflie eightine thousand in the whole Number II. Num. 2. SPECIMEN OPERIS CORNVTI A. Frons operis cornuti B. Fossa lata passus xxx C. Receptaculum D. Murulus terreus E. Fossa altera F. Lorica decliuis G. Vrbis mocnia H. Fossa moenium I. Opus nouum post aduentum nostrum in Gilsam externis munitionibus circumductum a Bredanis interna allo passuum CXL K. Lorica seu brachia tria fronti et cornibus munitionum praestructa L. Fossa M. Seps sudium in decliui Lorica circum fossam And thies vvere the firste vvoorkes added to Graue Maurish force vverby those of Breda began to doupt the siedge Spinola came to Gilsh a villadge distant from Breda tvvo houres iourney vvith his army Here he consulted vvith many masters de campe touchinge the beseeging of this tovvne asked the opinion of euery one vvhat they tought of the siedge of Breda eche one dissuadeth the assault they afirmed the tovvne to be fortified vvith most strōge vvourkes That the standing vvater as often the tovvn esmen listeth ouerflovveth al the suburburbs the tovvne to be deuided into many partes by the riuer The garison to be increased vvith tvventie eight companies of foote oure armies for ther smale number vvas scarce correspondent to so great an assault vvherunto number vvas no lesh needfull then valor And if the enemy should come behinde to assaulte the army before vve had vvon so stronge atovvne vve muste of necessitie eyther goe a vvay vvith disgrace or so smale an army be exposed to adoble perill both before and behinde The Marques Spinola hauing heard the opinion of the masteres de campe knovving that some stoode for the comanders and others for Inferior officeres and that him selfe vvas freely to dispose vvhat vvas principalli to be don and was to do al thinges according to direction remained in the same place and Informed Isabella the Archiduces whate the opinion of the masteres de campe were She hauinge vnderstoode of so great augmentasion of the garison of Breda made answer that she vvould not tempt fortune with the danger of so many valiāt men that she should be much to blame if shee
estimed not ther liues more deere whome she knoweth to be so willinge that they woulde refuse no danger at hir comaund notwithstandinge leaste so excelent en army of soilders depriued of glorie shoulde returne home and do nothinge that Spinola shoulde consider whate exploite was to be taken in hande for there goode and comoditie Spinola hauinge consulted with Hinri Count of Berges schefe Gouernor of gilders who was with an other army at the rhene sent the sardgent may or Franciscus losanus vvith letters vnto him to aske of him vvhate he thought fitt to be don as also Carlos of Burgondi Baron of VVaken Gran balue of gant captaine of horse shoulde treate vvithe Paulus bernardus fontanus master de campe of aregiment of Valones vvho gouerned the prouince of Flandres vvho might treate vvith him aboute the busines of casant an Iland not far of from sluse They treated longe vvith him concerninge thies thinges and aftervvardes before the Infanta and acordinge to eche ones opinion so baron de VVaken afirmed it to be easy and Monseurde Fontaine to be ahard enterprice fontanus douted it VVaken promised good success not vvith standing fontanus offered him self to put the mater in execution so that his command might be giuen him in vvrithing for his dischardge The Infanta beinge willing in hope of the euent comaunded it to be don and apointed a day for the dispatch therof for thies affaires fontanus went to Bruges Three dayes after waken was sent priuilie but al thinges being no we in aredines the Insanta fearinge the voyadge shoulde not succede well comanded that they shoulde giue it ouer In the meane while Spinola againe consulted with such as were fit and with people of good Iudgement and with some captaines calinge euery one aparte he asked whate they thought of the besidginge of Breda though latelie they had refused to attempt the assault Here al againe one onelie captaine excepted begon to aledge the dificulties of the sidge and that the towne coulde not be intrenched in alonge time The circuite of the trinches muste of necessitie be foure or fiue houres Iurney for the many places of passadge of the cōtrie suburbs which partly are in accessible be reason of the marish groundes partely ouerflovv vvhen the tovvnes men do stop the riuer by asluce Novv so great aspace is to be filled vvith so many standinge places and vvatch vvardes that al most they must needes meete togither or the tovvne othervvise hardly to be blocked up but there vvanted soilders to be deuided into so many partes Further it hath beene commanded to al the townes men in particular that a suficient quantitie of corne shoulde be prouided for the enduringe of the vvinter and sustenance of the soilders lastely it vvoulde be a mater of greate tyme and labor to weakē the towne by famine also abounding with all thinges besides that if a great army shoulde be made for raysinge of the siedge the enemy might come behinde and euen without fight woulde take and hinder oure pasadges and wee shoulde be forced to retire compelled thereto by greater honger and necessitie for there condision and oures is so contrary that they on euery side by the benefit of riuers and citties neere adioyning could easilie a bound with all thinges when al moste no winde can blowe but might be prosperouse for any cariadge by reason of the situation of diueres citties and portes For Seuenberk gentenberk heusden townes of suche as are confederates and lye neere Vnto Breda thre or foue houres distance besides some other encorparated viladges not far of all which are fed with the sea or riuers but we shoulde stand in neede of corne sooner then they of Breda be reason of the longe and hard transporting of corne in aiorney by lande whiche way being but one and very dangerous shoulde betide oure army in case the enemy did altogither blok it up and beseedge it An wourp maklin Lier which are oure neerest townes to Breda distant ten or twelf oures iorney from balduk and herintal vvhiche are the neerest tovvnes and are nine houres iorney one of the master de campes vvas of a contrary opinion vvho not esteeming al thies reasones did therfore thinke Num. 3. Numeri significant horas itinerum * Signum locorum hostilium Hunger would opress the towne wantinge externe helpes and the relife of vituales being hindered woulde soone cause pouerty and discorde amongst the cttisens and the soilders Number III. There were sent to discouer Franciscus Medina Matheus otanus and Don Iuan de Medises who reported that the ground was fitt for making trinches and fortificasiones the water of the riuer good the woodes for fueil and faxina the fildes and barnes fit for foradging but they did earnestli afirme that al those thinges were to be feared whiche were aledged by the masters de campe againste the siedge meane while Losanus returned from the Rhene with letters of Count Hendrick who hauing vnderstoode whate al the masteres de cāpe thought of the dificulties of takinge Breda Proposed vnto Spinola whate he iudged meete to be don concerninge the beseedging of Embrik and Rhes That he was there present with his army his companies somwhate increased and preparinge abridge ouer the Rehn with barkes with a fort Royal adioyned to the same that for the better securitie of both it seemed vnto him that embrik might by taken whiche beinge gotten Rheze woulde woluntarie yealde itself But if it shoulde not like him that abridge should by made for want of boathes that then was Graue and the castels of Rauesten and Genep whiche also might by wel beescheeged at once and that his excelencie shoulde ordaine that whiche he tought moste fitt hauninge firste consulted with Antonius Baron of Grobendunck Gouernor of the towne of Baldukaman expert in the knoledge of those places Spinola hauinge sent backe Franciscus Medina master de campe of aspanishe regiment with losanus declared vnto him that hitherto he approoued of the count of bergas is aduice so far as it concerned Graue Rauesten and Genep and de manding him whate helpe needeth for that enterpreece The count of bergus required that fiue thousand foote and athousand horse shouled be sent te assiste him and with them and the reste of his owne army were sufficient for that affaire But he aduised Spinola to remaine securelie with his army in the villadg of Gilshe an to houlde the enemy in suspēce lest they shoulde drawe fourth some Cōpanies oute of Breda or other garisones to disturbe the seedge of Graue Spinola both glade of the consel and releeinge vpon the Iudgment of so prudent acomander related the busines to the Infanta hauinge sent medina and hauing also called fourth Baron Antonius Grobendunk as count bergus desired he demanded whate he thought of the proposed siedge of the castels of graue rauesten and Genep Hee plainly affirmed that so many Interprises
reported that our men were to goe about that time The coueringes of the wagōs being marked with the Borgundiā Crosses after our fassiō holpe the deceite All the contry people thus deceiued couered with the darknes of a cloudy night they come vnto the Castle it selfe Then out of a hedge which they broake they puld vp three or four stakes and some of them got vp on the bridge The winde setting on the contrary side hindred all rushing neying of horses and noise of wagons to be heard within the Castle They so much the more boldly let downe their boates into the ditches set lathers vnto the walles set a worke their sheeres hammars barres and other instruments cunningly made to breake the locks of the watch houses and to breake vp the gates from the hinges whilst these thinges were acting nere the walles Andreas Cea that old beaten soldiar to whom it befell to watch that night harkned the more attentiuely Afterwards hearing a noise suspected their treacherie and gaue warning by discharging his piece Ioannes Brauius Gouernor of the Castle and other of the watch ran out of their standing place vnto the walles and stood vpon their defence The enimies were so hindred with a greater noise of that winde which at first being more temperat they approached more safely that they could nether hould their boates stable nor fasten their lathers to the walles nor do any thinge Leauing therfore their instruments for feare their boates and some of their ladders perceiuing them selues to be discouered departed with speed being doutles preuented by the interposition of diuine power and so the treacherie which was greuously attempted against our affaires found a very easie issue Andreas Cea for his care of keeping the Castle was more liberallie rewarded then were in times past the keepers of the Capitol by Isabella the Archdutches with a pension of fifteene crownes a month and by the state house of Antwerp with a rich sute of a apparell and a rich belt Graue Maurice being deceiued of his hope which he conceiued in his minde as a thinge most certaine being grieued at the hart remayned for a certaine time in the campe doing nothing and very pensiue many of his cottages being ouer throwen by the tempest of that winde But the horsemen of freese being also sent for by his command arriuing at Gittenberge fell into great danger for in that tempest both the forts and the bridge being broken ouer which the horsmen were to passe hindred them from all succour of their fellowes so that it was said that they were easily to be rent in peeces and ouerthrouwen by vs. wherof Spinola being admonished douting whether he should assault them with a greater armie he chose rather to omit some what in hurtinge then with any losse of his owne men to hurt the enemie for following smale commodities with great danger with Augustus he likened to those who fisht with a golden hooke which being lost could be recompenced with no catchinge At lenght Graue Maurice hauing heard of nothing done at Breda after two and twentie dayes that he remayned at mede striking vp his drummes and fyering his tents departed sorrowfull as neuer to returne againe he is said to haue bene scarce afterwards sene of his frendes so as he admitted no comfort against his griefe Spinola seeing the continuale smoke of the fires going with a great company of horse to the enimies campe findes it to be emptie to the last companie then retyring Heare eache one desiring to shew him selfe valiant and couragius in ther Captaines presence they droue the enimie from his place standing for the defence of the company whilst constrainned by the retyring of many they handsomly did saue them selues The sutelers marchandise and many instruments of the armie familie being left and became a prey vnto the soldiar But this retaeict being prudently made by Graue Maurice got him so much honor as the enterprise being vnhappely attempted brought him griefe he might rightly say with Antigonus departing That he did not fly but followed the profit that was behind him for departing he so prouided for his owne and his soldiars safety that he did both hinder the irruption of Spinola by workes that were made and preuented be the present meanes of following after him to the quarters of Swalim being the vttermost campe which is the way to Seuenberge hereon he placed a fort for a forefront insteed of a refuge On the side of the fort he cut a ditch of a good height with a flanke built long wise to defend those that departed hither they safely retyred them selues if any greater force of ours runing vpon them and oppressed the rest they defended them hence they ran forth to driue them back trusting to the neerenes of the trenche for that worke was so strong and so high that it could not be assaulted on the sides but by ladders nor before but by a most narrow entrance behind therwas asort vpon the dike which did enclose the parapet on which side the dike of the village of heyde was cut in the midest left by this way ours should hinder the passage Mauritius deuided his armie into two partes He him selfe went to Rosendale with Ernestus Casimirus of Nassau and fortified the place with atrench and with other workes Hyenery Frederique of Nassau was sent to take spranga with the other part of his armie which he also fortified with the workes that were made Spinola hauing spent a feowe dayes after Graue Maurices departure thinknig he had done sufficiently both for his praise and his profit he retyred to his former companies nere to Breda Graue Maurice abiding a few dayes at Rosendale begining to be sick determined not to tarry with his armie That care therfore being committed to Ernestus Cassimirus in Maurices steed the Count of hage being sick is brought back to Holland as one wearie of all where considering all thinges that nothing prospered nor could finde no end by litle and litle he pined away his sicknes turning as is said into a consumption which thinge peraduenture might come to passe because he hoped if the warres should haue bene prolonged vntil winter as now but a litle summer was left that ether we should forsake the seege by the crueltie of the time or that we should be preuented of prouision by reason of the difficulties of the wayes as also by reason of his tents being so nere Notwithstanding lest he should be deceiued through our constācie and good success he sent for the bastard Māsfeld into holland to muster or make vp new companies he hauing talked with him at hage being after sent to Rosendal to Ernestus Cassimirus of Nassau after he had treated of those thinges he stood in neede of departing for France and England he went to fetch ayde hauing vndertaken this sea voyage in the winter time and that at
two hundred barrell of heringes two hundred barrells of salted biefe two hundred sacks of salt three and twentie thousand cheese a great quantitie of flower syrope and honny VVith these fables related at the heighest the hollanders went about to maintaine their owne hope and to spread abroad our pouertie Spinola admonished by letters of the danger of the store house which the enimies went about to set afire as lately they had done the Church dubling the watch and cutting about another ditch he caused it to be kept more cautiously hauing transported almost halfe the quantie of the poudre into another new store-house lest if any danger hapned all should be burnt at once and the armie stand in want To prosecute that which rested of the war when the vnited States vnderstood that the treasure house was especially to be prouided for wherof they sought to finde some pretext iudging this to be enough to exact monie besides the tribute that long agoe was set vpon the head of euery one they exacted of all the citties and villages the hundred part of all the prices and marchandise Furthermore the confederates and their companions asked to be numbred by representation six hundred thousand crownes and six hundred for letters of exchance by the treasures which kept the counting hou-houses to be sent to be counted to the States That quantitie of mony being gathered there was enough for the enimie against that time we on the contrary began to fall short of mony in our treasure house for when for the setting vpon Genua the very same time in which the Kinge of Spaines armies were drawen forth were before Breda nor could be with-drawen from thence without disgrace the french armie passed the montaines like as conquerors the fidelitie of many negotiators began to be incertaine among forreiners whom the terror of beseeching Genua did afright and so that which the enemies long a goe had plotted which were at that time oppressed with great penurie of mony Diuers meanes therfore were proposed for collecting monie They commanded the mony of the yeare ensuing to be borrowed of all the Kinges commons The common impositions vpon the citties to be lent afore hand To bargaine with the Captaines of the soldiars that euery one for euery second month should pay their companies their wages as from the Kinge If that should be a heauie burthen atleast the Captaines them selues and their Coronells which did excell in their owne riches contented for two monthes without pay should susfer them to goe forth with their troupes which last thinge many of the Captaines seemed to promise but was thought fit to be omitted for the present least the noueltie should denote pouertee At last it pleased to lay in gage the Kinges reuenues vpon condition of a rent and by this meanes the soldiar was asisted About those dayes the King of Spaine to compose the new combustions of Italie created Gonsalus Cordua Generall of his armie Gonsalus had now bene from the first beginning of the expedition in the campe of Breda and with him and with Count Salazarius Spinola consulted all his councells to others reserued to these two vncouered He although most expert in warlike affaires and famous for the victorie against Mansfeld lately defeated and put to flight yet he here shewed him selfe to be of such behauiour such as vellerius neuer painted for their modestie in act like to those that did nothinge attributing nothing to him selfe and by the same attayning all thinges euer esteeming him selfe inferior to others quiete in countenance and in life and minde alwayes watchfull Newes being brought at this time of the death of the Kinge of England did not a litle hinder the Hollanders and Mansfelds enterprises The English runing from their colours daylie in great nombers fled vnto vs. Mansfeld catching any of ours by his soldiars sent them back without exacting any ransome affirming that he had no enimitie with the Kinge of Spaine VVhich thing Henrie of Nassau noting calling his companies from Rosen dale and gathering together his garisons from all the confines as intending briefly to make an end of that busines lest by doing nothing they should dreame of a defection ordayned the bizonnos or young soldiars to be euery day trayned vp in certaine warlike exercices Spinola that he might haue in due time helpes and companies in a readines commits to the charge of hoogstraet Henrie of Bergues with his horse and with some of the Emperours people athousand hors of the duke of saxonie and 3000. foote of the Regiment of Collato He knowes very well both the Castle and the incorporated Towne and causeth it to be fortified From thence he buildes six greater fortes hard by the riuer of Hoogststrate with certaine spaces betwixt them euen to the campes of Breda In these interualles or spaces which met almost together he placed perpetuall companies of soldiars to the end that in a short time the whole armie might meet the enimie at Breda or at Hoogstrate as necessitie should require He places the Count of Anholt with the German helpes Carolus Coloma and the Prince of Barbancone with the prouinciall companies and with some other extraordinarie of 3000. foote and 1500. horse in the neighbouring villages of Antwerp Maclin and Lyre By reason of the greatnes of that armie and number of the horse so great necessitie began to grow of fodder that the horses were faine to eate hors-dunge or the dry leaues of the trees or of litle shrubbes Oathes enough could not be brought where with so many charrets and beastes of burthen besides the sadled horses of the soldiars might be sustained The sodaine arriuall of the soldiars accustomed to more freer libertie and vnaccustomed to our discipline not content with that former freedome of militarie theft of a peece of mony euery day butrobed the houses spoiled the villages and begā to dishoner our armie as if they were enemies afterwards more insolent to call for their pay that was behind as if otherwise they would refuse to serue us Our cōpanies then which none had euer behaued thē selues more innocently vntill that day instructed rather to hate the enimies then to hurt their owne frendes began also to play as the witts of soldiars ar allwayes prompt to vice the same pranckes which strangers did in mischieuous facts and to accommodate them selues to their libertie Spinola admonishing the Captaines supposing it meeter in such a time rather to pacifie thē to exaggerate the force of those fellowes ordained some few of their heades to be cut off but aduising secretly the Captaines that they should aske pardon of him forgaue them the punishment iudging that that was not a time to take notice therof VVhilst ours remayne dispersed in these places Maurice closed up the last day of his life at Hage happie in this respect that he lamented not a liue the rendring up of his Breda These ar reported to be
sooner after three dayes in the village of Dungens two leages from the cittie whence from the top of the Tower they might see them that he would doe and attempt all thinges for the raising of the siege That he only should itch out the victualls by measuring and diminishing of them and confirme their patience setting before their eyes the desire and good will of so great and so choice an armie and the excessiue expences of the States That he should also write vnto him on what side or by what meanes he thought Spinolaes campes might more easily be broken thorough for which purpose he should conioyne all his studies and his forces to his coming to him with his supplies The besieged who receiued letters brought priuilie to them of the same tenor with these newes conceiued ioy mingled with sorrow The newes of the supplies caused ioy the dead of Maurice that most prudent and vigilant Prince caused sorrow They looked far and nere abroad in the fieldes from the top of the Tower the succours being perceiued they rune together ioye was made amongst them and the mindes of all were raised up to hope VVith a horne they beginne to blow-forth our flight from the Tower they called vnto vs from the walles that we would gather vp our trinkets forgetting them selues and that their Breda was a prey for vs we not they being the hunters of this wilde beast After that the enimies armie was planted in the village of Dungense Henrie of Nassau going about to draw his armie nerer to ours came to assault the Tower of Oosterhaut which one and twentie Burgondions kept for the vse of discoueric sending before no smale troupe of foote and horse casting abroad some balles of wild fire The burgundiones refusing to yeld them selues vnto the enimie chose first to trie all fortune then to make a base rendrie vpon no conditions formerly made The enimies breaking the gates with apattarr casting fire into the Tower and into the Church when they could do nothing more effecting nothing did depart Fiue of the Borgondians were slaine and seauen were consumed with fire Of so great a number of the enimie many were wounded and many slaine whom ours kild with the throwing of stones when they for feare of burning wisely threw their poudre downe from the top of the Tower and so with a smale companie a great armie was withstood The burgondiones with their burnt faces anoynted with cerusa and with oyntment shewing their faire woundes were honored by Spinola with the representation of a pension to eche one and colours giuen to the Sardgent who was chiefe ouer them Num. 13. A. Agger Gertrudibergensis B. Agger Seuenberganus C. Statio Caroli Roma D. Castra Pauli Baglioni E. Castra nupera Mauritij in pago Medensi F. Agmen hostile G. Stagna palustria H. Flumen Merka I. Sepes ligneae quatuor in ipso flumine Num. 13. A. Agger Gertrudibergensis B. Agger Seuenberganus C. Statio Caroli Roma D. Castra Pauli Baglioni E. Castra nupera Maurity in pago Medensi F. Agmen hostile G. Stagna palus tria H. Flumen Merka I. Sepes ligneae quatuor in ipso flumine Number XIII In the Ides of May after midnight Henrie of Nassau to trie his fortune although with some detriment receiued yet the chiefe of his armie being safe caused the vtmost campe of the village of Heyden a place dificult to be paste throw be reason of the situation and woorkes and far vn fit to be assaulted be reason there was no way but to narowe dikes cominge from the bordering townes of Seuenbergue and Guittenbergue He cutting their riuer sliding betwixt and a litle trenche from without being cut betwixt two dry ditches was fortified with atrenche and with a fort the new generall of an ordinarie forme But desirous of obtayning fame and inflamed with the emulation of his brothers fortunatnes had conceiued all hard thinges to be easie By this dike therfore of Gittenbergue he sendes before the most expert English shott and two hundred pikemen of the rer-ward all armed with armes of proufes Coronell vere Englishman being their leader whom other English did a companie the French and Germans following after that so they might preserue the English al amounted almost to the number of six thousand There artillerie and bagadge came in the rergarde the hors-men stood on the side Henrie Nassau him selfe standing in the midest of his armie expected what would be the euent Spinola discouering that designe sent speedilie to admonish Paulus Ballionus and Carolus Roma whose troupes lay in those quarters that they should be by and by in armes They sodainly place the watches and the guardes in their standing places dispose the soldiars aduertise all the Captaines and Lieutenants and prepare all other thinges needfull to be vsed Before the breake of the day the companies of the enimie came and swiftly beat downe the soldiar that stood sentinell before the campe before he could aduertise his fellowes that were behinde him that error had bene remedied if but one horsman had watched in the Dike and perchance by so litle a solicitude that whole armie of the enimie might haue bene cut in peeces at least it cannot be douted but that the slaughter had bene greater then it was The English with excellent courage of minde and audacitie setting vpon the first litle redout by casting balles of wilde fire driue away the Standerd-bearer with a few Italians which were therin and sleying some got on the walles Then placing shot behinde the redout and being got downe into the ditches of the same for the defence of those that went before planting more force in the haulf moone did succeed with the like audacitee and felicitie and endeuor to inter in with their colours at the flāck of the forte and with hādes and feete to scale the walles The ladders and the graples were left by the fearfull carters in the rergard of the marche who when they durst not aduance the wagons they fled away for feare of the canons thus the successe of great attemprs litle thinges do often interrupt euen then we also found the defect of our litle reduts and of our ditches wherto if stoccadoes with a iust distance had bene prefixed as it was appointed but was ommitted ether by obliuion or by the difficultie of bringing materiales nether had the enimie so easily entred nor could haue cast those balles of wild-fire nor could haue lyen lurking in the ditches against the canons The Italians therfore who defended the trench of the dike of Seuenberg retyred admitting the enimie to approach nerer left that litle fort emptie vnto them when being open on that side they in no wise could defend it The English fought with this resolution that it seemed to them they should get no other time then this for their enterprise nor was any courage wanting in them Carolus Roma sardgent mayor of the Regiment
contayned in this couenant who soeuer shall be absent ether for their owne or the citties affaires that they may freely returne into the cittie and enioy the couenants that ar made The contry people also who fled into the cittie shall be suffered to retyre them safely into the contrie XIII He who being of another religion within the time of two yeares agreed vpon shall dye in this cittie that he be buried in some honorable place within an orchard in the cittie or else according to the will of his kinred that the corps be carried out of the cittie where pleased him XIV The decrees of the Senat and all the ordenances of the capitall seate not hitherto forbidden be estableshed and take effect XV. VVho soeuer heretofore hath lent mony to the cittie shall be suffered to receiue the rent and to make exchange And yearely that their reuenewes and their other affaires be assisted by the Senat by whom the reuenewes ar to be paid All these thinges whatsoeuer in this agreement ar decreed and written ar agreed vnto ratified and confirmed by the Marquis Spinola and ar subscribed vnto by the legats of the cittee the same Marquis promising that he will endeauor that it be also ratified by the most Excellent Infanta of Spaine sealed with her broade seale within fifteene dayes Giuen the second of Iune 1625. Many whose dispositions were bent to more sharper courses hearing of so good and so fauorable conditions admired the Clemencie of Spinola towards the enimie and some also blamed this pardon They said that this should haue bene handled more seriously and ether to haue put the besieged to the sword or not to haue receiued them to mercie but vpon rendring vp their armes who by their wilfull pertinacitie had brought them selues vnto that point that they had died of hungar if they had bene shut vp but two dayes longer And why should such fauorable conditions be offered them of our free accord to whom euen to giue them their liues was to grant them to great a benefit That at least Spinola shoulde haue expected a litle whilst that had hapned vnto them which ordinarie happens to men thorough their ouer-much partinacitie to make them seeke that and earnestly to beg it which at the first they contemned and that they should first haue craued a composition before of our owne accords it should haue bene offered to them Next why the vnhappie part of the cittisens should be suffered to goe forth safe with their houshould stuffe and their goods before that mony were paid by the Senat to the Catholiques remayning which was ex torted by publique and common oathe to make the workes and to pay the soldiars stipend So wisely seemed they to complaine who tied to their priuat opinions ar wont to measure with the selfe same measure euen the waightiest matters of gouerment not vnderstanding that princes ar to take another course whose principall endeuours ought to be to gaine renowne and the peoples good will But Spinola houlding them to be more wise who ar more gentle in crueltie and that the fame of clemencie was to be preferred before the name of seueritie not ignorant how much better it was for the common good spedely to release then longer to detayne the Kinges armie before Breda by reason of the sturres of French Italians Germans and Danes made more account of the gaining of a litle time then of the no great spoiles of all Breda or of so smale disgrace of the enimies who yet perhaps would haue defended them selues mindfull of that old prouerb That it is better to be at the latter end of a feast then at the beginning of afray And truly he iudged it more expedient to prefer the Maieste and clemencie of his Kinge whose person he bore in this place then ether his owne glorie or desire of reuenge That he held it for a dishonor of so great a number of prouision left behinde and but litle gon away for testimonie of his longe patience and approued vertues there remayned in the cittie fortie three pices of ordnance musquets four hundred fiftie wherof also a hundred and fiftie were suffered to be carried in the place of those that were ouercome hargubushes three hundred of poudre a thousand one hundred thirty fiue pounde matche thirtie four thousand pound of greater balles two thousand of lesser an exceeding number of balles of leade fortie thousand pounde mouldes to make balles of leade fifteene granados two thousand one hundred of greater which they call Bombars three hundred fortie four engines made to cast fire a hundred and fiftie thirtie barrells of pitche poudre brimstone bitumen six barrells of great nayles long forkes of iron eleuen thousand of stakes with double forkes an innumerable number shouells four thousand pickayes or iron pikes to open the earth sixteene hundred whele-barrowes which ar driuen by the hande to carry earth a thousand fiue boates four rolles of cable-ropes fortie graples horscollers a hundred and thirtie four score couple of cart-ropes instruments made of fire also innumerable one linnen bridge or made of canuas gabians of wood or hurdles behind which the canons ar placed very many nor fewer to dispatch the hastie bridge Of all which a written catalogue was giuen to Thomas VVingardius master of the Artillerie Now the detts of the cittisens remayning Spinola beleeued that the States ought to haue so great care of as of their owne credit and authoritie which should be vtterly lost in the common wealth if they but once deceiued any one of the beseeged cittisens and therfore he was not carefull hereof Vpon the fift of Iune the day was appointed for the coming forth of the enimies garrison VVherfore Spinola forbad that none by soldiarlike frumpes or gibes should vse any disgrace to those that departed so modestly did he suppose the victorie was to be vsed Aboundance of wagons and boates being prepared for that day our soldiars were set to watch at three gates of the cittie and of the castle Count Hermanus Bergues with fiue companies of horse went before the companyes of the garison departing vnto Gittenbergue Also betwixt euery ten wagons went a litle company of our horse for the sauegard of the bagage The troupes of horse of Bergaignius led another company of horse who inclosed them behinde In these two scarcely were there any horse besides the ensignes so greatly were the horse decayed The foote men went in the midst Amongst these Iustinus went on horsback one of the beseeged Carolus Philippus le Count accompayning him Euery Captaine had his owne company The Coronels went before the troupes The coulors wer borne displayed the Trumpets sounding before them The number of the foote were three thousand for the sick were carryed away in boates Truly they were a gallant companie whether one respect their persons or their weapons and of greater beautie then ours were to wit they were lodged more stately and more at
Captain of Graue Maâ—rish is gard vvith maine others vvere slayne The enemy vvas forced to retire The victorie vvon be the prouidence of the almightie The skirmish dedan dâ—cre for the space if three hours Captain de lahoid and Captaine morrisp dilie framed asquadrous of their pikes To receiue Captain Barri if need did require The resolution of Captaine de la hoid and morri togither vvith their soilders Count Isimburque 〈…〉 Infanterie into ivvosquadâ—ons vvith great expedition VVith intentâ— to giue bbattell Cattaine preston and 〈…〉 tovvards the enemy Cattaine preston spiâ—ng the enemy vvith great corage and expedition did in contâ—r them And 〈…〉 The enemy put to 〈◊〉 vvhich 〈…〉 de Nasavv vvas 〈…〉 The extraordinarie care and vigileâ—ce of the tvvo sargent 〈…〉 Isimburqueâ— and of dâ—le de burnaâ—â—d The constant zâ—le valor and fidelitie of the Irish to his Catholick Maiestie VVhich to the Marques and others his Maiesties minicters is manifestly knovven And specially at Breda An euident proof of the affection and fidelitie of the Irish to his Catholicke Maiestie Another skirmish betvvext Captaine Barri and the enemy The enemy constrayned to retire and some of them taken prisoners Captain Barri sent vvith the ingener kocke to break the dam. The cause vvhere fore the dike vvas made The di'igence and care infinishinge the vvourck A remedy for the necessities of the souldiours A remedie ours had for not to full in anie disease as those of the tovvne Arthâ—ns vvas permittâ—d to 〈◊〉 in councell of vvarr Eachone declared by his oath havvâ— much manâ—e he had The principall persons first tooke their oath The soom of many vvhiâ—h vvas ioyned Victualls vve are 〈…〉 cut of the publique munition house The Marques vnderstanding of the coming of the hastard Mansfelt caused nevv 〈…〉 to be made The Daron of Grimberge vvas sent to the Duke of Bauaria and Count â—illy Graue Maurâ— tooke posession of Morâ—d â— Bergues Genip and Cleues Count Hendrick follovve a him Brion the French man resolued to state in Breda to see the occasions They sought for prouision of 〈…〉 The Audâ—tor 〈…〉 vvas 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 The vinted statâ—s did forbed that no vitualls or munition shoulde be sent The Marques vvould not receiue the mâ—ny offered The assistance of the â—â—theres of the societâ—e of Iesus vvas to the Inhabâ—tance And in particular to a minister of the 〈…〉 The Prince of Poland arriued to the campe The Marques vvent to receiue him And vvithe great mangnificencie he receiued him The eclipse The artillerie begon to shut of Ours tooke eight frentz gentle men The Marques inuited them The Marques gaue them thar choâ—â—â— either to go to Ereda crâ— to France The Prince departing the camp vâ—â—vved all the fortifications Beron the Bavoix vveÌ„t to take posesâ—sion of a certayne poct. vvhich Graue Morsh migâ—haue taken Of vvhose comnig headuertised The Marques the Marques Ansvvered vvel to the purposet The 〈…〉 And haueing vven the other in the morning 〈…〉 The forme of the greate forte He ansvvered prudenly Graue Maurice kept his armie together close seeing that the Marques preuented him in time He comanded fiue forts to bemade To hinder his passage Graue Morish did not lettour vvorkes The French nobilitie desired to try ther valor And Graue Iohn de Nasavv vvas no less desirous to 〈◊〉 nuter them VVith three seconds He procured 〈◊〉 The Court 〈◊〉 the danger Skirmish 〈…〉 Baron of 〈◊〉 and baron of Boutevill And he returâ—â—d vvounded And Graue Maurice determined is sett vpon the Castle of Antvverpe In vvhich vvere but feovve people Giueing charg to Bronchene The furie of the cuimie Their presumption and successe The tempest fauoured their cause A contrie discouered their arriueing The Gouernor and the rest of his cause to asist Andreas Câ—a vvas 〈…〉 his vigilance Grifes of Graue Maurice Panger of his horse The prudence of the Marques The retire of the Prince of Orenge Ours fallovved them They tooke greate bootie out of the quarters And to effect the â—ame vvith greater securitie He fortified him self He marched vvith his armâ— to â—ondal He 〈◊〉 of Nasavv to oâ—ranga The Marques returned to his first quarter Graue Maurice fell side in Rosendal And he vvent sick to haya VVith 〈…〉 He sent for the bastard Mansfeild He vvent for succour to England and Fraunce A great sterme The king of England promised assistaÌ„ce And the vnited prouinces promiâ—ed to augment his army The Marques aduersited the Infanta Andi that other troupes may be raisâ—â—â—yms The Infanta gouerned all the troups Count Octauâ—us vvas sent to duke of Bauaria The emperor and the duke promised succour The Marques prudenly di posed the conuoyâ—s They vvere comended to Count Hendrick Count hening vvas sent to the State of â—rabant to procure vvagons The other prouinces vvere moued by this example Amunition house vvas at Lyre ordeyned The care and dingens of Count Hendricken conducting the conuoyâ—s The order of his marchiâ—ge And his preuention against the treachâ—rie of the enemie Their spies The vigilanci he obserued in his iourni by night Punishisment for disorders The fruit vvhich of all resulted The crâ—aces called him God of the boores The Marques had greate care of the horse and forage Fortifieng the vvayes in diuers places For the securitie of the convvay Graue morish once again turned to tempt the castel of Antvvorp A conspiracis â—f treacherie vvas 〈◊〉 in the â—itie Some 〈…〉 and prâ—â—erâ—ly forgiven The enimie 〈…〉 The enimie apprehendâ—d tho it that brought to the Marques prouiâ—ion The complaints vvere ansvvered All thinges became deer Som vvere of necessitie constrained to eate horse flashe Prudence of the senat of Breda The price of vituales in the tovvne of Breda The Marques preuented a good remedi for the necessitie of his soâ—ders And also the Infanta Reportes amonst our coâ—arartes that cure army dayly decaâ—â—d The enemy bâ—sted of the 〈◊〉 of thâ—r prouition Preuension of the enemy that thâ—re prouisiâ—â— might long indure Other fortificaâ—iones Some of the 〈…〉 them selues 〈…〉 made be the knoker of dâ—gges The enemie began to run avvoy And the Marques comaâ—aâ—d that the 〈◊〉 thou 〈…〉 Decompence for 〈…〉 Spinola comaundâ—d to â—â— boores to be hanged 〈◊〉 of the cittie The saied proued fact 〈…〉 Nâ—ovv 〈◊〉 of graue Maurice to 〈◊〉 the cittie Nâ—ovv in 〈…〉 In vvhich vvas sent 〈◊〉 and a 〈◊〉 The bâ—siged 〈…〉 The Marques 〈…〉 〈…〉 VVich prouision vvaâ— for the 〈…〉 Great dangeres in â—â—â—châ—nge of vvood and fâ—rradge to to our campe The Marques prouented â—â— enemies 〈…〉 The sollicitied and di â—aching of prouisiones vvas refered to the â—harge of Aâ—â—cander Hâ—se Other vvas gons vvere taken up for The conducting of vituales Graue Morish deceiued in his conceâ—â— God prospered our affaires The fideliti of the provinces vvas admirable Aâ— in vnâ—â—â— to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 The zele of the Count of â—senburge Hopes of good succes Count Manâ—felt 〈…〉 This inuented art of Manifelt vvas found profitable Another inuension of count Manifelt to drâ—â—â—
were not so easie as it was supposed but yet that it both might and ought to be hoped for by the Count of Bergas relation a man most skilfull in warr and verie conuersant in those places Many dayes beinge spent in this doubt the army in the villadge of Gilse began to loose courage the riuer which is a water nere to the campe was two miles of the welles whiche were few did eyther wax dry with heat or were exhausted by ouer muche Vse or the water beinge drawen fourth was so foule that it woulde not but in alōge space of time be cleere and setled Hince the empapatiēce of thirst in the extreame heate of the yeare compelled many to drinck vnholsome water or to drawe it oute of ditches or oute of the traces in the ground cutt by the cart whiles which caused disseases Spinola informed of this discomoditie leaste he shoulde slighly giue credit to this reporte to the ende that al thinges might be the more certaine vnto him enquireth of some of the masters de campe that were called whether the soilders were in so great wante of water as he was informed They fearinge eyther to sheow the fault of the campe because they woulde please his eares or measuringe other mens pouertie by there plentie afirmed that ther soilders had water enoghe The enformer herof beinge sent for by Marques Spinola the Captaines being present whilst he proceedes to make goode whate he saied Iohn Cont of Nasaw Coronel of two german regimentes arriued in goode time whow hauinge heard of the miserie of his owne soilders uphelde the informer in whate he sayde Andone of those who had denyed it priuilie whispered in the informers eares sayinge that he was behouldinge to him for that relation which he him self was afrayed to make Spinola hauinge founde oute the trueth of the matter comanded VVells to be digged euery wheare and so aremedy was founde against this euell fortie thousand loaues of bread wer consumed by that bad ayer in the campe of Giles VVithal there were at that tyme the tentes of two Italian companies burnt with a sudin fire by meanes of al whiche discommodities no wages being payed before that day and the price of vituales beinge greate many by flight for sooke the campe VVhich example Spinola fearinge leaste it shoulde be imitated of more sought aremedy by seueritie and caused foure of the fugitiues that had fled to drawe lottes which of thos foure shoulde suffer death In the meane while the free voyces of manie men were heard in the army The time of action was spent in consultation the spreading and publication wherof lost bothe the soilder and his reputation Many thinges were don moste malepertlie by the enemy against the Kinge of Spaine and Marques Spinola with shame and ignominie amonghst the Holanders there were sportes sheowed by certaine Iesters in maner of merie enterludes which they called the spanish figth There was in like maner aridiculus picture of the Kinges spread abroad amonge the common people sekinge Breda with alitle lanterne Marques Spinola standing by with both his handes scratchinge his head hauing vnderwriten a verie spitefull and tantinge vearse Graue Maurish seeminge to be secure in all thinges and lyenge Idely at Hage as it were by comptempt is reported to haue said merilie that it had beene beter for Spinola to haue gon to Geel where mad men are deliuered from there madnes then to Gilsh But thies thinges beinge slighted ouer were forgotten nether did they moue them to any signe of anger Spinola aprouing the counsel of the Infanta touchinge the besechinge of Graue hauing sent Ion of Medices with comaunde willeth Hinri the count of Bergus to goe withe his army which he had at Rhene vnto Graue promishinge to send him the day apointed the troupes whiche he required where was sent presentlie Iohn Count of Nasaw who refused the gouernment of an army latelie offered vnto him by the comon wealth of Venishe with fiue thousand foote and foure companies of horse and three canons with eightine boates and other warlike engines He comandes Iohanes Conradus abermont Captaine of horse of Balduke to acompanie him by reason of his skilfulnes of the places The next day he sendes priuily hiacentus Velascus Marques of Belueder with other ten companies of horse to the number of athousand with chardge that he shoulde posess far and neere all the catel aboute graue and so defend the places at his pleasure wherin after wardes the tentes were to be placed by the Count of Bergues The Count of Bergues goinge to Graue hauinge soone asaulted the Castel of mondelberge the towne and castel of cleaues and the towne of Genep as he was in his Iorney tooke it by force and by there rinderinge placed garisones ouer itt But the auctoritie of Count Hindrik admonishinge the soilders did so profit thos of the towne and so terrifie the soilders from makinge piladge that neyther was any mans name brought in question who might be found to haue taken away anie thinge by theft oute of the houses though wel adorned oute of whose windowes and houses he comanded the castel to be beaten til they yealded VVhiche thinge when the Burgermaster of cleaues informed Graue Morish de Nasaw did admire boath at so great ciuilitie of the soilders and at so great vertue of the conductor no lesh then at the integritie of another scaurus as also the not touchinge the fruites of the trees whiche many was wondered at He fortified on the other side of the Mosa the dorpe cauled mouck fit for prouision of vituales and in the same place he pitched his tentes From thence he goes to discouer Batimburg and Rauestene and to deceiue the enemies he goes with fiftine troupes of horse and thre hondered shott The Marques of Beluedere hauinge goten agreate bootie of cattel driueng away all whatesoeuer he founde from Graue to Rauestene and sending them to Balduke caused muche terror aborad Hinrie of Bergues hauing diligently viewed Batenbergue and Rauestene sent for Iohn of Nasaw and Conradus Aubermont to come vnto him He sendes him Conradus with comaund to declare vnto the Marques Spinola that Rauesten coulde not be so Easilie won as it was suposed but if he woulde let Rauesten alone he woulde atempt to get graue if Spinola so comaunded him and was in goode hope to attaine if So he woulde sende vnto him some great forces He comaundes Iohn of Nasaw to pitche his tentes on the other side of the mase not far from Graue and that he him self woulde abide at mouck til Spinola had declared whate his pleasure was and singnified Vnto him that he woulde in the meane time make away ouer the mase with abridge for passinge the armie and ioyning it togither if need required At that time there fell so horible atempeste in one night with raine winde lightninge and thunder raging togither alonge time as if
the elementes were confounded and the verie heauen it self woulde faule to the grounde Very obscure darknes acontinual flash of lightning fire acontinual noise of thunderes rayne fauleng not by dropes but like vnto ariuer and violent whirle windes Lastly all thinges were full of terror as if it had bene the laste day That night Hinrie Fredrik of Nasaw had designed with his whole army to assaulte the tentes of Hinrie of Bergues not yet fortified had not the tēpest aforesaid diuerted it Thre dayes after the soilders of Graue being comanded to goe fourth they returned againe to ouerthrow the campe of count bergues with greater forces but when neither the people of Graue were come in due time and Cōde Hindrique was fortified and better prepared al the controuersie was ended with a litle squirmisch Iohn of Nasaw as it was prescribed pitched his tentes not far from Graue haueng possesed so goode aplace that they were enclosed with the riuer of the right side before and on the left with abrook flowing from the riuer Not with standing he made atrence before and on ether side in that distance against the passage of the enemies for the fore front of the tentes the woodes were fit for ambuscados next the hills ariseng vpon the towne with agentel ascent whiche beinge posessed be day time by acompanie of horsmen and be night retired for feare of suddaine opression of the enemy Hence there was dayly ocasion giuen of smale Skirmishes of horsmen when in the morning by reason of the trinches that were set vpon by the enemie in the night oure soilders fought to beate them backe Stakenbrook Gouernor of the towne of Graue to terrifie oures hauing made anoice with his army approaching by night as though he were readie to breack in to the campe comaundad them to sound aretreate next day after being asked of Nasaw in discourse wherfore he had disturbed his and his soilders sleepe withe suche anoice of en signes made answer that he wondered more why he came to take those citties by force of armes the enheritance wherof he was one day by right to take posession of To whome contrarie wise Nasaw answered that he let pass that In heritance for the present Because it was incertaine but with all à spired after his owne gouerment of graue VVhich the gouernor hearinge saied Ireturne home And hauinge sayed this departed and presently began to shut into the tentes of Nassaw as to exact punishment for his ambition After this Aubermontius went from Hinrie of Bergues to Gils whose answer beinge heard Spinola wondered why bergus by his consel obiected so many difficulties wherof he professed him self to by the chife man But yet because he reuoked that which was proposed by him touching rauestin for feare of the euent and desired to goe to Graue if he shoulde be comanded he shoulde do the same of his owne head and therupon goe on spidilie VVith thies comaundès he sent back againe Franciscus Medina with Auber montius to Hinrie of Berguis In the meane while he him felf doth fortifie Giles with twelf redutes built about on ouerie side least the enemy by that way shoulde sodainely break foorth vnto the campe They of Breda perceiuinge this supposing the purpose of beseedging the towne was altered by us comanded all the househould stuff which they had transported into the townes adioyninge for feare of siedge as being now oute of feare of warr to by recaried by boates Neither did they prouide for vituales for aine lōger time but supposing they should haue had prouision enogh of that which they had got for winter permitted thos hondered oxen whiche were latelie caried into the towne to be broght back againe and also two shippes loaden with cheese refusing for to buy it furthermor all the boores and ther wiues and children who had before flyen into the towne and whome as mise and deuoorers of corne they comanded to goe fourth to get victuales if any sidge had hapened they receiued againe thos that were retired from the fildes which oure soilders spoiled with no litle loshe of victuales as men giuen wholy to there belli Furthermore it hapened by that pitching of tentes by Marques Spinola that neyther Graue morish coulde vnderstand whate we seriousely entended nor yet whate we fayned to wit whether we were fullie resolued to set vpon Graue or Breda or vpon both togither or on any other cittie and therefore was diuers waies so troubled aboute the matter not daringe eyther to draw any garison fourth of anie one cittie to socor another neyter there vvere sufficient forces to socor both He also feared not to be able to furnish them in due time of suche prouitions befitteng At lenght departinge fourth of Hage his garden of recreation vnto Hinrie Fredrick broother of Nasaw vnto the campes of nemegam he comaunded artillerie and many engines and furniture of warr to by carried into Bomble and the places adioyninge to Balduke to be fortified And although the administrasion of warr seemed to many that it woulde by in vaine to delay it aine longer notwithstandinge wee optained by that delay that ther remained no tyme fit for the enemie when the fall of the leaf aproched the best time of remoouenge to whatsoeuer place and ours byenge now ready for whate ocasion soeuer The reporte of the preparation wherwith we seemed to be willing to set vpon graue being diuulged among the people Duck de bullon Frenceman whow tought that the warr which he expected at Breda was transported to Graue going thither to try his fortune and at his returning againe to Breda he founde all the circuites of the towne shut vp by oures Hinrie of Bergues knowenge the situation and condition of Graue hauing also vnderstood the ópinion of the Inhabitance did contrarie wise perceiue all thinges and releying vpon som mens iudgmentes perswaded Spinola He perceiued well that hardly in thre monthes space the matter coulde by executed And in the meane while by reason of the vallies whiche were aboute the towne wherin the tentes were to be pitched that he shoulde be assuredly remooued by the winter wateres The contrimen and others that kneow the nature of the place afirmed that the spring beinge paste it was to be aslaulted hopinge that at the end of summer it woulde be gotten for after the faule of the leafe al the places were ouerflowen and became inaccessibile Aboute that tyme there fitly ariued Don Francisco de Medina and monse de Aubermont sent by Spinola whow brought comand to count Bergues for the beseeging of Graue as he had bene charged Spinola much wondered at the dispaired hope of winenge Rauestē when he tought him self to be sure of tacking itt Notwitstanding if that could not be broght to pass he comanded him to go oute of hand to Graue Counte Bergues being oute of hope of subduenge Graue toulde both them
that were sent vnto him that he was out of hope at that tyme of getinge of it but hoped that he should in a short space get the casted of Genep if Spinola permitted which beinge won he might easily at an other tyme get Graue They being amased demaunded whate at laste woulde be the conclusion That he coulde not vnderstand whow Graue so litle distant shoule be now made so stronge that in his opinion it coulde not be taken in wich there was neyther garison nor prouision nor coulde be a better season he praied him in Spinola is name not to loose courage and hope of the victorie of owne towne who with all had proposed the wineng of so many other Herunto the count replyed many wayes that thre whole wikes were almoste nowe paste in which the whole affaire ought to haue bene dispatched in the bigineng In the meane while the enemy fortified his Army with frence and Inglish at nemegam nor was he farr off if Spinola would send parte of his army that he was pleased to aproach neerer he woulde try his fortune Touching this there were many discourses wher fore Don Francisco Aubermont who was sent tought it better not to answer againe butt by letteres they carrie letters from him to Spinola wherof this was the contentes That it was manifest with whate fidelitie and care he had vndergon the affaires that were committed vnto him seeinge for that onelie respect he had brought vnder his subiection the castel of mondelberge the castel and towne of cleaues as also Genep by which meanes he coulde the better entertaine his army It is true he confeseth to be the auctor of that interprice but vnder Spinola is corecsion whome he perceiued to be diuersly troubled and to doubt of Breda That he beleeued those thinges whiche he proposed coulde be effected but by the faulse raporte of two men to whome he had ouermuche trusted at the firste more then him selfe had proued by experience it is not an vnusual matter for thinges that were hearde to be related of the behoulders as thinges that were sene often times greate and prudent captaines were often times so deceiued He further afirmed that the same siedge aboute that time coulde in no wise be set for that he perceiueth that many sodaine thinges woulde happen otherwise then he imagined yet that he would acomplish whate was commanded and refuse no danger so that Spinola would comand the same by his letters and with the same excuse him to the Kinge if the affaire shoulde faull oute infortunatlie as he him self had nowe presaged Spinola hauenge receiued thies letters withoute all hope of geting Graue settinge his minde wholie uppon the siege of Breda hauinge called backe Count Nasaw and the Marques of Belueder with ther armies and with troupes of other regimentes wherof parte was at Breda He comaunded Hinrie of bergus not to tempt the castel of Genep and to take heede of the enemy neere at hande and to prouide for the adioyning townes of gilders and not to remooue vnlesh the enemy did remooue and they remoouinge to pursue them step by step He sent from his campe Francis of Medina vnto the Infanta who shoulde againe propose vnto hir the former purpose of beseginge Breda she mindfull of the former difficulties whiche had before bene aleaged to hir doutful whate she was to do yet giues hir consent confidinge in the valor and happines of Spinola Bergues obeinge the orderes of Spinola varilie with drewe him self from the enemy beinge nere att hand that Maurish hauinge displaied his collors with an army of tweÌ„tie thousand aduentured to assaulte his army whiche were foure thousand foote and athousand eighte hondered horse Count Iohn of Nasawe least that his troupes shoulde be taken and ouerthrowen by his enemies army which then did compass him rounde aboute deuided his army into three squadrons as it were to giue battel An whole month was now spent in doutinge and delaienge so many melsengeres beinge sent to and fro to no purpose Many publickly detractinge Spinola did not stik to say that this warlike interprise was verieâ—l handled of him and that the consultes were fitt to be treated in court and the executiones in the filde Some otheres amongste there cuppes did recount Spinolas ignominious repulsh from Bergenopsome And inderision did paint fourth Spinola pullinge downe Maurish from the table others did call in doubt the loyaltie of counde Hinrie of bergues Lastly some sayed that they shoulde be forced to retire hauinge nowe omitted to manie goode oportunities by there dayly lingering Spinola begon no trence nor batteri nor comanded any proclamation to be made which at the pitchinge of a campe are wonte to by thinkinge he might say to him self as cecar did in passinge the riuer of rubicon that yet wee may rerurne againe and so confuted al the speches of his calomniators by his valiant actes And least that the fidelitie of Count Hinrie of bergues or his renoome shoulde any way be empaired he tought to remit to hir Altesa the declaration of the letters of which he comanded acopie to be drawen in presence of two witnesses and tought it expedient that acopie of them shuolde be published iudgeing that by no truer testimony then that of the Counte of bergas owne writinge both of them coulde be purged he comanded muster to be paste of the army before any wages were payed which stile he kept almoste duringe all the time of the siege least it shoulde be anie gaine to others and discomodious to his maiestie and a faulss number be presented hauinge sent count of henin master de campe of Valones to the Infanta he causeth neow troupes to by gathered to the number of six thousand foure hondred Valons wepones to be bought and the reste of warlik furniture to be in areadines and the ould soilders to be taken out of the garisons appointing neowe soilders to be sent in there places After wardes al hope of returninge home beinge taken away resoluing upon no other course he concludes to goe to Breda The 28. of August he sendes a fore Francisco de Medina with ten companies of horse and to the number of foure thousand footmen apointing the Spanards in the vanegard and to march on til the dorpe of Genekin the nerest vilage to Breda giumge him his instructions for that night to whiche were adioyned the Irish regiment of Earle of tiron Paulus Balionius master de camp of an Italian regiment at that time taketh vnto his possession derheid a vilage lienge beyonde the towne against Genep on the other side furnished both with his owne and a scots regiment of the count of arguiel in the vane garde with fourtine companies and of diuers nasiones were gathered agoode troup of horse acompanied with certaine pices of Artilerie Thus two sides of the towne verie neceslarie for the siedge were both taken in one night the people of
assaultes out of the towne which had they bene deuided into many partes without dout being exposed to the iniurie and peril of the enemy they had finished the workes nothing the sooner which maner of intrincheng although it gaue respit to the adioyning boores to bringe corne and cattel in to the towne wherwith being besieged they might afterwardes in dure hunger so muche the longer yet wer we of necessitie so to do for the causes which we spoke of the prudent consel of the master de campe Don Iuan de medicis touching thies affaires was of no smale emportance to the Marques The besieged perceiumg this set on fire the rest of the buildinges belonging to the suburbs on euery side lest they should be left fitt for us for the wourking of treacheries or be a let vnto theÌ„ for there shooting it being generalli obserued that there were burnt to the number of foure hondered and fortie houses The 16. of Sept. 1624 Iustinus de Nasaw Gouernor of Breda with the aduise and consulte of certaine of his chefe leaders and other Captaines resolued to make a salli oute of the towne of Breda whiche was the greatest he made during the siege consisting of all choice men and of great hopes and expectation all which he appointed vnder the command and conduct of the Captaine of the garde of Graue Morish a man of great valor and presumtion This Captaine at the very breake of day issued fourth of Breda with intent to hinder the begineng of the fortificacions of the quarter of the Earle of Isimburque wherof Captaine Barri irishman one of the Earle of tirones regiment by his turne had chardge of the watche close to the enemie in open fielde The dutch Captaine issuing oute so earlie in the morning thought verely to defeate the Irish by setting on them as they were asleepe at vnawares and vnprouided but it was the will of God before he came to the place of his pretended execution the faitfull and vigilant Captaine Barri discouered ther coming by a sintinel which he had prudentlie placed on a high three to looke aboute on euery side who espeing them coming presently called to his Captaine aduertising him that the filde was full of the enemie and began to frame asquadron of there pikes Captaine Barri with great expedition prepared him self and dreow on towardes the enemie begining to order and to deuide his shot into troupes to inconter them giuing his officers and soilders the instructiones necessarie for the fight animating them and presenting first of all his owne person wherupon they al resolued with greate valor and mangnanimitie eyther there to die or to get the victorie Then began that bloody skirmish on both sides which lasted for the space of three houres knowen and notorius to the whole armie in which rare act and braue encounter the Irish manifested the valor expected of them slaying the Captaine of the garde of Graue Morish with an enginer togither with many other braue gallantes and valiant soilders cleauing a sunder and cutting off theire pikes with his braue experimeÌ„ted and coragious shot so that at leÌ„ght the furious enemy was constrained to retire with great grife and no redress other then rufully behoulding the field full of dutch frenche and German blood And which is particularly to be noted and to be wholy asscribed to the prouidence and goodnes of almighty God that wheras thos who issued oute of the cittie were of so great number as asoresaied and Captaine Barri with his companies and the shott of Captaine dalahoid and Captaine morri his contrimen and appointed comarads to ioyne and assiste with their forces in all occasiones against the enemy being in all not aboue three hoÌ„dred not as much as one man were killed nor but two or three but slightly hurte Although during those two or three houres space the bulletes flew aboute their eares as thick as hayle and in open filde withoute any shelter or defence Captaine delahoid and Captaine morri seeing that Captaine Barri began the skirmish a distance of towardes the enemy whete his appointed place happned to be that day on the watch with his companie presently delahoid and morri with greare speede framed a squadron of the pikes of the saied three companies with a resolute and magnanimous minde to receiue Captaine Barri and his shott vnder the shelter of their pikes if neede did require and fall togither with their full force on the enemy being prepared and ready for that purpose with final resolution to liue and dye en defence of that place wherunto their soilders coÌ„desceÌ„ded with are solute minde and great courage The valerouse and prudent Earle of Isimburque uppon the firste aduice of Captaine Barri touching the quantitie and presumtion of the enemy drew on vnto the field and with great expedition brauelie ordered and deuided his almain and vallon Infanterie into two squadrons in forme of broad front with amostualerous determintion to incounter and giue battel to the enemy if need did require And prudent lie preuenting that if by chance the Irish shoulde happen to be dispearsed to receiue them in the midest of his two squadrones and order them aneow and fall with the full force of all on the presumed enemy This noble prudent and mangnanimouse Prince of Isimburque with aforecast and câ—siderate resolution comaunded Capt. preston and Capt. gerat whiche were of two Irish coÌ„panies to fall on towardes the enemy to defende a passadge wher he spied soccor comming from the enemy to thos that were recomended to the chardge of the Capt. of the garde of the Prince of Orenge and Capt. prestoÌ„ spienge theÌ„ approchinge neer with great expedition ordered his men and fell on the enemy and begoÌ„ to skirmish and like abraue coÌ„ductor deuided his shott giumg theÌ„ the necessarie instructiones to fight animating them during the skirmish which did continue almost thre houres that at lenght by his braue conduction valor and resolut determination of his soilders the enemy of force were constrained to retire with the loss of many of theires not able to preuent any kinde of redress which to Iustinus de Nasaw then Gouernor of Breda was no smale greef so that this greatest sallie that came out of Breda sence the first day till the last were defeated by onely the ualor and braue condution of the fiue Irish companies before spoken of next under godes diuine assistaÌ„ce which the whole leager admiring woundered much of the victorie considering the great multitude of the enemy against so feow of oures The prudeÌ„t care and great vigilance of the sargeÌ„t mayor GoÌ„mar de furdiÌ„ of the regimeÌ„t of couÌ„de Isimburque as also the Sargent Maior of the Duke de Burnauill truly deserued praise and renoome for ther continual and extraordinarie care and vigilance day and night which was of notable emportance for many respectes which here is
needles to relate but onely to remember the obligationes his maiestie oweth them for their prudence fidelitie great extraordinarie care and vigilance and prudent carriage day and night with great punctualitie Excellent moste renoomed and victorious Prince many are the reasones which constrained me to relate and make knowen in generall the incorrupted and constant Zele approoued valor and vndeniable fidelitie of the Irish nation to his Catholicke Maiestie VVherof their many forepassed rare actes made notorious their loue and approued loyaltie in all occasiones which to his maiestie togither with youre excellencie and others his faithfull ministers is dayly remembred For which I do not dout but ther fidelitie and faithfull seruice is and shall euer be correspondent to the expectations of your excellencie wherof there haue been many trialls and speciallie now of late in the leager of Breda that wheras many of all nationes there assisting did dayly run away ey and many to the enemy but none of this nation which to many is well knowen And be dayly experience we found that as many of them as did serue on our cōtrary side daylie came to our campe which not onely in this but in all other semblable occasiones they made notorious their inclined affection to his Catholick Maiestie in testimonie wherof your excellencie can beare witnes Also in another skirmis which the saied Captaine Barri had with the enemy the first of Ianuarij 1625. Issuing out of the citti of Breda to discouer the intrie of his quarter he fell uppon them and with so resolut and vndanted courage that first he broke them and next forced them to retire following them euen to the verie ditches of the towne till they caste them selues into the water to saue their liues where they were rescued by the artillerie of Breda Barri not withstanding bringing back with hem certene prisoners as a true testimony of his victorie After this by certayne order sent by the Marques Spinola to Count Isenbourge the first of February 1625. this Cap. Barri with a hundred of the choisest souldiours vnder his charge was commanded to goe with the expert engenier Cooke to breake vp a certaine dam of the enimie wherewith they pretended to succour the citty of Breda and to drowne all that quarter of the armie but gods diuine grace assisting ours the dam by the force of the high tide and blustering wind breakes of its owne accord iust as Barri came with his companie to the place to execute his purpose so that with much adoe they escaped the danger of that furious flood by their swift runing Cooke the ingenier being in greate danger of drowning whose life was saued by the assistance of the pikes that dam seruing the enimie to noe purpose but to put them to innumerable and extraordinary charges And whereas during the whole siege there were an incredible number of forts bulwarks and redouts errected by the most prudent Marques for the defence of the armie against the enimi and yet amongest them all but one fort royall alone placed within a canons shot of the citti this fort of soe greate importance with all the artillerie and a munision belonging there to was committed onely to the faithfull keeping and care of Cap. Barri who vntill that time had for foure monnethes togither serued before Breda in the openfield euen vntill the month of march without any kind of defence of forte euident arguments both of his valouer and fidelitie as also of the honnor don him and greate confidence reposed in him All which both the Marques him self and the Count of Isenbourg haue testified and confirmed vnder their publick hands and seals to his eternall praise And were not that the great sallie whiche issued oute of Breda the 16. of September into count Isinburques quarter were not beaten back by the Irish it woulde be hard for oure wourkes to goe forward if such sallies should beset us on euerie syde and so continue whiche iruptiones if they had made continually oute of sundry partes oures being weakned in the biginning for ther feones and burthen of ther labor and not being beaten back as they were it had bene apainefull thing at the self same time both to fortifie and defend them selues But trough that respite whiche they gaue us trough the great losh they receiued truly if thies sallies should continue anie time it were hard for ours to fortifie them selues So that after this at leasure we made up both the trinches of all the siege and wer by litle and litle finished Redutes and fortes were built in the forme wherof we represent in the precedent page Number VI. Num. 6. Murus prioris circumuallationis terreus Turres seu Redouttes è cespite Castella terrea seu Fortz Jurrium et Castellorum primorum aqualis altitudo et crassitudo The engineres and such as were skilfull of the places affirmed that this dike was to be planted in this place because the grounde in the winter being low and soft did so ouerflow with the fieldes that were wet of there owne nature and with the ouerflowing wateres of the riuer merka that the enemy might sayle this way and woulde haue their prouision brought with boates into the cittie but be meanes of this dike the passage was shutt and all soccor kept from them VVhileste all thes thinges were thus ordered Spinola went fourth euery day comanding the Coroneles and Captaines to call the ouerseers of the wourkmen and as nothing is to much hastned to alonginge minde so he comanded that the vnwearied should succede and succor the wearied so that they ceased not to labor in the night By which diligence it was brought to passe that two trinches of so great height so many redutes so many fortes were almost finished within seauintine dayes nor yet but with feow soilders But the great assemblie of the fleower of nobilitie being incited on euery side to learn militarie disipline and the example of many princes were agreat prouocation to expedition who among the comon sorte being mooued with the greatnes of this warr put them selues to task and cut thurfes of earth and carried fagotes with ther owne handes further more the extraordinarie profit of this labor turned principallie to ease the necessitie of the soilders with whiche the army was kept least it shoulde deboard for when as wages were seldom paied and thos also but haulf payes and the dearth of corne being great the price of the labor was daylie paied to the soilders who sets his labor to sale by sole example And as afterwardes neow workes that were to be made were disposed of in the continual time of the siege so the soilders labor turned alwayes to his owne profit some had rather liue by beginge then help ther necessitie with the gaine of that kind of labor which example seemed to many that the necessitie foght with honor and toght more fit to die then spot ther
some costly sadled horses acompanied almost with all the nobilitie rode from the campe two houres iourney and receiued him coming with many congratulations and with great sheow of loue There was atent prepared in ahouse wherin though nothing belonging to kinglie glorie and maiestie was yet was ther more militarie ornamentes then cleanlines and cittilik ciuilitie Hither when the Prince came about night hauing discharged all the canons once twice and the third time and the drumes and trumpetes sounding the moone was depriued of the sight of the sun by asudaine interpositioÌ„ of the earth Betokeninge if it may be lawfull to foretel that that Prince most expert in armes shoulde one day become the tamer of the turkish moone Breda hitherto had not bene touched with our cannon nor was the more hurt with so many shott of togither for that our soilders were commanded to shut more for mirth then for destruction and muche shott went ouer the cittie without doing any hurt yea the besieged also had more profitt then hurt by that shooting who from that tyme wer exempted from the paiment of all tributes according to the former custome the next day the prince led about with sundry gardes of Spinola where the enemy saw the people stand togither shott as thick as haile to salute them The day after he rode alone with Spinola to take auiew of the other side of the camp the reste being commanded to stay behinde for feare of danger At that verie time eight yong frencemen of noble houses intending secretly to slip by us from Breda to Graue Mauris is caÌ„pe were apprehended vppon the fenues and were liberallie intertained not as enemyes but as frindly guestes Spinola inuited the more noble of them to his table amoÌ„gst whome was Marques Gringnol vicoÌ„t serius with his broother and Barron blianuill youthes of an excellent to wardnes and after denieng them whate they demanded tould them that it was not his custome to suffer any to pass through his army to the enemies gaue them chois of returning to france or to Breda from whence they came of which last offer when they made election least they shoulde seeme to haue beene more readie to undertaek the labors of the siege then to indure them being carried to Spinolaes tent in acoache led with atrumpet they were sent back to Breda VValdislaus Prince of Poland hauing viewed the workes which vntil that day were not fully finished is reported to haue saied that the dice were cast betwext two great Captaines Spinola ad maurish and that one of them must nedes loose his credit Spinola accompanying him going out of the camp and hauing finished the compliments of curteous salutations recommended hym to count salasarius to be conducted to Antwerp Number VII The next day after the Baron of beauoix coronel of the burgondian regiment was sent with aleauen honderd foote and fiue hondered horse to fortifie osterhaut which the enemy might haue taken to the great in commoditie of oure men The next day when he heard from thence the enemyes drom beath sending out some that might vnderstand it he admonished Spinola of thier coming the scoutes related that maurish disembarked his army at Gintenberge of which his neow iourney nothing could for along tyme be found oute by enquirie many thought that he would take oudenbosk and rosendal it was thought fitt that those places shoulde be taken afore hand least we shoulde haue any enemy behind us fearing otherwise that vitualles coulde not fitly be transported vnto us and also we be kept from free fothering if the enemy should first posessit Spinola supposed that this thing was needles to be preuented Knowing wel that neyther thos places could be fit for them for anambushe nor so daÌ„gerous for our prouision when it should be fetcht the farther of whiche being so far from theire campe woulde be dangerous vnto them in so graeat adistance we being to auoide apassage not vnsecure to us Num. 7. A. Breda B. Custra Mauritij in pago Medoe C. Castra noua Spinoloe D. Niger agger E. Noua Castella Spinoloe F. Stagna ingentia arte facta G. Statio Balionij et Caroli Romoe H. Statio Baronis Balanconij For doutles if eyther Spinola had lost one day by delaying or maurish had so much preuented him by making haste Breda might haue been saued by the commoditie of so smale atyme for betwext derhaid and hage their lay open verie large spaces of land and of wateres wher by with litle labor victualls might haue beene carried into the cittie be wagons vnto the riuer and with litle boates ouer the riuer if those places had first been taken by maurish which might haue bene Don VVithout any difficultie when at that tyme there were no fortes of emportance betwext his army and the cittie except foure litle redutes which were built on the black dike But Spinola now with many soilders tooke the wayes and all the passages betwext thies fortes and the campe of maurish and preuerâ—ed him all hope of passing forward So much doth the celâ—â—itie and the wisdom of the generalls preuaile in warâ—â—â— which wee haue had this victorie Here was agreat plaine filde of shrubbs in which he might haue extended his army at lardge if any fight had hapened This he caused to be taken and posessed with certain troupes of horse the rest of the horse bying placed further of in the fore front of the army Behinde them there was atrinch formed as it were by nature betwext Breda and the shrubbs upon this he planted seauen canons and placed the Infanterie behind it comaunding to cut down the fright of the meadow and of the riuers and with great expedition fild the ditches Vpon the right side he left agreater for t to be defended of the burgondianes which Baron of Beauoix had now almost finished That fort of afoure square forme and of that greatnes that the canons might be planted upon The walles were stronge against the shott of the artillerie six score foote longe in the flank twentie eight foote broad and fiftine foote high There were longe stakes on euerie side streaching out of the woorck to hinder the ascending within there was abanket and aparapet and one step vnder the banket for the comoditie of the shotthe parapet was fiue foote heigh ten foote thick compassed about on the outside with a ditch of two and twentie foote broade so that from the bottome of the ditch to the top of the walle it was twentie fiue foote highe Num. 8. VARIAE MAIORVM CASTEI LLORVM FIGVRAE Dimensiones maiorum Castellorum Not long after a certaine master of the artillerie asked Spinola why he went not of him selfe to prouoke Maurices army not strenghtned with any great fortes shooting of six or seauen canons To whom Spinola answered that it stood not with his honor more lightly to insult ouer the enimie then to carrie him selfe
first the sea was calme a while after a smoking shower of rayne poured forth from the black cloudes together with turbulent stormes of dangerous vaues which made him that he knew not where he was Hence all the heauens and the whole sea were conuerted into stormes which carried the ships violently vpon the rockes or rune them a ground They could not lye at ancre nor could they pompe forth the waters that beate in vpon them their loading and their armour were cast ouer boord to lighten their barkes swimming by the shore side the waues enforcing rhem Atlast the cruelty of the heauens and of the seas being augmented made shiproack drowning many of his soldiars he scarcely saued by the helpe of a litle boate so that he was thought for a long time to be as dead The Kinge of England promised fourteene thousand foote There were some companies appointed for Mansfeld out of Liege and else where supplies were gathered thorough Germanie to the number of two thousand foot but the vnited Lords resolued to augment their old companies with great troupes of horse and foote called out of England France and Germanie Spinola perceiuing the enimies drift admonisheth the Archdutches that she should request of the Emperour against Mansfeld like companies both of horse and foote And that shee should request of the Duke of Bauaria helpe of the confederat Princes of Germanie against Mansfelds designes Moreouer that she should commande the Prouinces to defend their quarters whith fifteene thousand foote which they call curlinges or selected men and with three thousand horse which they call companies of the Ordinance which troupes partly the Prouinces partly the collectors of the Kinges mony might pay their wages to these foote men only during the time of war to the horsmen alwayes after that it might belong to their charge as often as any war should happen presently to be readie and being offered ether to defend or offend The Archdutches Isabella waing all thinges with a maruellous princely prouidēce with continuall labor and consulting both by night and day as she did order the whole busines and did vndergoe so great a waight which two thinges she did most easily bring to passe which no other could attaine vnto by the auctoritie of her name and by the fauor she had amongstst the people By her authoritie with strangers by her fauor and grace amongst her owne The succours therfore which Spinola requested she obtained of the Emperour by letters She sent the Count Octauius Sforzan to the Duke of Bauaria The Emperour promised three thousand foote and two thosand and fiue hundred horse The Duke of Bauaria a thousand horse and three thousand foote The rest of the foote and horse were sent by the Prouinces at the time appointed according to the nūber that was ordayned Then Spinola on whom dependeth the waight of this affaire wholie attēded to this one thinge that to so great acompanie according to the continuation of the war which he forsaw prouision should be brought both in great plentie and safetie And to this end vnderstanding two thinges to be most necessaire first wagons by which he might supply victuals next by some perpetuall guide which might serue the campe in hard times and difficult wayes he made Henrie of Bergues chefe of that transportation retayning in the campe Orchoa Gomeretio Comissarie generall as they call him whom hitherto he had vsed in transporting of victuals but nowe most of all had neede of him with the rest of the horsemē to make excursiōs about Breda and about the cāpe He sent the Count of Henning to the States of Brabant to procure wagons that hauing perswaded them first the other prouinces should also follow their example the Count of henninge proposing the matter to those who were to giue their suffrage he easily obtayned of thē that they should all afterwards agree vnto it in the State house when they both knew the present necessitie and were glad of the remedy for the publique good Those therefore of Brabant condescending those of Flanders Henault Artois and the rest did not vn willingly condescend that so many wagons should be appointed At lyre there was a publique barne of corne ordayned hither first was the prouision brought and from thence to the leager The greatest part of the horsmen were committed to the charge of the Count of Bergues which were to take care of the prouision for the companies of Breda need almost no other defence then the fortification already made This leaders name although it was fearfull to the enimie yet he chose rather with his owne act then with his fame to deter them from all irruptiō wherfore this way he acquitted himselfe of his office It was his custome early in the morning before day to discouer the disorder of the confused troupes then sending before some troope of light horsmē to goe after To the first cōpanies and last he ioyned artilleric to giue notice of the enimies coming whose signe by so great asound might be carried a far off that by that signe which was giuen the soldiars might be gathered together and hasten to that place which stood most in neede Both sides of the way against Rosendal and Langestrate where the enemies army lay to be set with troupes of horse on both sides and to set betwixt the horsmen light footemen and with the rest of the horse to enclose with the reste of the foote so to goe forward in their iorney and yet in fight That they should seeke as much as was possible the safest passages to preuēt treacheries disposing the wayes that the passages might be the more easie If there were any dāger that he should be wary not to bid battell vpon the enimies ground and for that cause ether to expect in a fitter place or kepe him self from disaduantage and to set the wagons insteed of a trench if they were to fight bringing the shooters with in side As oftē as they were to march that the Captaines shoulde goe before till the last had passed both to veew and hasten their companies and then fallow after all and then in the marche to before most and finally to come in time To prouide places of lodging for the soldiar before night then the gardes to be apointed before night To call the boores to enquiri of the enimie of the wayes and to setwatch as the custome was Ether to sease vpon the bridges or to breake them downe to take away passage from the enimie To set the soldiars ready in their standing places with their horses bridled if neede were That they should send others out on euery side to take some by whom they might know the enemies designe Furthermore to haue certaine spies who should discouer vnto them all their councels and attempts whom he should reward liberally In the night he should beset all passages with watchmen and lest
continuance should be diminished by custome which vses to happen by lenght of time he should often visit the standing places at vnawares not so much for distrust of those that walke the round as that being equall with the soldiars they should be the more willing to vndergoe the labor with the leader Now he tooke care as well for the affaires of the boores as for prouision He as ouer-seer of the fires admonished the soldiars to put out the fire which they had kindled in the barnes He caused those that were more carelesse by whose negligence the slame ill enkendled arose and tooke hould of the houses to watch afterwards abroad in the open aire punisht them in their purse and condemned them to repaire the damage He admonished thē after the maner of Aurelianus that they should liue vpō the spoile of the enemie and not vpon the teares of those of their owne side To doe iustice for the contrie people against the libertie of the soldiar to heare their complaints and to punish the guiltie By which discipline he brought to passe that the inhabitāts of whom there was great care had in the villages that they out of the Churches and steeples wherin they put their wiues children corne and houshold stuffe should giue those thinges to be sould which for feare sake they kept close and shut up and that the labourers of the ground should be exercised without any impediment VVith so great quietnes brought he hisarmie thorough the villages of Brabant with a speciall care which he had of the corne fieldes houses and men The enemie by the fame of so exact a discipline neuer durst so much as once to carpe at our troupes that plainly with what honor the prouinces fulfilled Alexāder Seuerus for his modestie whilst he led his amongst the Parthians had great renoome for his braue conduction and gouernment that name chey talled Bergues of Croac the God of the contrymen By this so great care of the Count of Bergues al though all the corne was carefully preserued yet because by reason of the number of horses the store of grasse was by litle and litle diminished in the cāpe and those horses for the continuance of their labor were spoiled with leanenesse when many did feede on chopt straw and on chaffe wherunto necessitie compelled them to augment their forage Spinola prouided for both these discommodities after this maner Lest the rest of the forrage should faile for the horse in the campe he sent a companie of horsmen to guard those that went too and fro into the wintring places vnto the citties and townes adioyning neerer where they might refresh them selfes for a time whilst victuales and waggōs were made ready for lire And as at that time the forrage for the cāpe could not be spent in which the horses had carried thither prouision he forbid them to goe vnto the campe hauing likewise dismissed as soone as they were vnloaded the wagons and beastes of burthen hence the horses when else where they were better fed by a litle repose were refreshed from their wearines and their leanesse This that Spinola might effectuat the more safely he built a great fort in the village of Barlen three houres iorney from the campe and placed a garrison adding therto one companie of horsmen To this place afterwards did Count Bergues bring prouision with his horsmen here he staid whilst the wagons vnloading went out of the campes hitherto did the companies of horsemen and other of footemen meete them and receiue them Furthermore that in all euents the iorneyes might be the more secure a fort being made by Count Isenbergue in the village of Leurence against Rosendale almost in that place in which the riuer runing betwixt might be passed by bridges or ouer shallow places Furthermore other three were made by Henrie of Bergues betwixt Lire Herentale and Turnhoult four also at Outturn hout in which the soldiar which were too and fro tooke his rest in the night which iorney al though it was far greater then the other by which men goe directly thorough hooghstrat yet because it was far distant from the enemies campes it was thought to be more safe and certaine especialy when but meane grrrisons were left for these two castles Hooghstrat and Turnhoult By this circumspection the wayes were so safe that the contrymen chiefly of Turnhoult accompanied almost with no conway did securely transport victualls to the campe by wagon which libertie of going too and fro when the enemies knew hauing once set vpon them to rob them they spoiled some wagons driuing away their horse and carriars not far from the village of Barlen Graue Maurice meditating in his disease of new exploits hauing not yet laid aside the hope of surprising the Castle of Antwerp once againe vndertakenig anightly enterprise purposed to set vpon it the second time It pleased him to commit this busines to Stakenbrouck gouernor of Graue but his attempt fell out no more happely then the former for there felle continually so great a rayne that their peeces serued to no purpose by reason of the moystnes of their poudre and when the enimie saue fire in the night vpon the walles of the cittie supposing to be betrayed he sodainly retyred back with so great perturbation that leauing parte of his cariage in places not passable he specdely betooke him to flight It is thought that there was a conspiracie of some treacherous cittisens made within the towne who for desire of a new gouerment had inuited the enimie Thirtie were commanded to be banished whom petulancy of wordes made to be suspected but by and by they were forgiuen and some were permitted to tarrie still Graue Maurice therfore when he sawe he could do nothing more against our conuoyes although his armie was diuided into two parts to lye in wayte turned all his care to vex those which were said to helpe to bring the victuals They were taken who were found guiltie of that fact and were soundly punished in their purse nether did they spare those which were tributaries to the confederated estates the rest being deterred with the greuousnes of the punishment Moreouer all the milles round about were broken downe their irons being taken away The bakers and bruars had their bruing vessels and their ouens spoiled we also vnderstood that it was treated amongst them whether it was the custome that those places of the fielde which were kept with litle or few companies of soldiars where our prouision lay should be depopulated and destroyed Some thought it fit that all the places round about should be set on fire to which ours might haue accesse for prouision least they should be commodius for vs to bring aboundance of victualls Others fearing least also we should set fire on their villages and free townes without gard or defence dissallowed of that councell wherfore he opinions benig diuers as it is wont to be in
bordering prouinces next vnto France The Infanta Isabella albeit she could not suspect that any Prince would entangle her florishing affaires with those forlorne affaires of Māsfield yet because she was not ignorant that the willes of Kinges as they ar violent so to be mouable and vncertaine she according to the greatnes of the perill prepared for war howsoeuer and resolued to resiste strōgly if it were offered she therfore appointed garisons about henault and Artois for the defēce of the confines To those of henault she sent the Count of Emden for their comander Artois she commended to the Count of hoogstrat who was chiefe gouernor therof to be defended She sent the Count of sforza to hasten the Captaines and the Duke of Bauarias companies against the coming of Mansfeld She commanded the corne and cattel to be driuen into the remoter citties she forbid horse to be transported out of the low contries into France as the french had then forbid corne to be carried into the low contries Spinola likewise suspecting that Mansfeld seconded with the french English and German aydes would deflect towards the lower Palatinat commandes VVilliam Verdugius Gouernor of those places to gather in garison a hundred and eleuen free companies of Germans with two companies of horse besides the companie of Captaine Gratfreus admitted into pay with fiue hundred horse In the meane space the soldiars in the wallon prouinces armed them selues with three thousand horse and with almost fifteene thousand foote the companies gathered a new towards the end of sommer were also ready The companies of the Count of Anholt of three thousand foote came with a winge of a thousand horse Baron of Ainsi hastining them the Marques Spinella armed on the borderes withe the emperores socorres who resolued with a willing minde and great desire to encounter Mansfeld with four thousand two hūdred horse and three thousand foote All the Prouinces companies ar committed to the commād of Don Carolus Coloma late Embassador for the Kinge The Prouinces horse were cōmitted to Albertus Arenbergue Prince of Barbancone Master de campe who was for that purpose lately called from the commandrie of the horse These were first wiled to stay at Namure to the end to stop Mansfelds passage if as of late he should come to inuade the borders but vnderstanding a while after that he went about to ioyne him selfe with Graue Maurices companies both of them with the Prouinces companies planted them selfes not far from Antwerp Spinola reioycing to haue so great an armie as the wallons scarce remember euer to haue seene the like for they were censured besides the garisons of the bordering citties to be thirtie thousand foote eight thousand horse yet ommitted no time without solicitude of the siege but that he endeuored by letters intercepted to vnderstand the councells of Maurice and of the besieged For this respect he was not wearied nether with watchinges nor with labor He setteth many in standing and watching places promising thē great rewardes if they could intercept any such letters Three were seene to enter into the cittie our watch being ether careles or deceiued by their celeritie Almost in that place whence thiese were seene to slip by by those that sought a few dayes after a litle purse was found wherin two letters smeared round about with wax against the damage of the water if they were to be caried in by meanes of water Both were Maurices one written to Iustinus Naslauius the other to teState of Breda written with characters abbreuiations al most inexplicable In these when many had trauelled to interpret them only the good fortune of Michaele Rōtartius Secretarij to the Kinge and to the Marques preuayled He by continuall studie both day and night pickt out their meaning This was the substance of one of them written to Iustinus with a shorter discourse Num. 12. Specimen posterioris circumuallationis circulo passuum LII millium Number XII These letters being receiued and Maurices designes made knowen vnto vs calling and requiring so great forces of forraine soldiars Spinola vnderstanding that al that war was intended against him and that he was yet to retaine in the field full three monthes space when Maurice had vndertaken with so great obstinacie to deliuer Breda as though he esteemed the whole good of the common welthe to be placed in the losse of that one cittie breaking downe first those forts which lately being built at mede Maurice had forsaken he resolued to encompasse his armie with incredibile labor with a trenche of wonderfull greatnes in the most wicked time of winter least so great an armie of the enimie should break in behinde him at vnawares as they had appointed at the beginning of the springe That trenche when it was finished in the whole compasse contayned fiftie two thousand paces so much greater was this then that former made on the sodaine contayning no more then thirtie thousand six hundred paces Posteritij will wonder nether would Pompey him selfe or Cesar beleeue it if they were aliue of whom the one cut a trench at the most of fifteene thousand paces the other one of eighteen thousand to goe to Dyracchius And lest any man should thinke that the count should be mistaken it is thought good that the number of the paces thorough euery campe being found out by his owne care and fidelitie should be committed to writing The quarter of Spinola in the village of Genik with that which Salazarius generall of the horse defended at his back were inclosed with a trenche of two and twentie thousand six hundred thirtee three paces That of Balancon with eight thousand six hundred That of Isenburgue with a leuen thousand fiue hundred fiftie four That of Ballion with nine thousand eight hundred thirtiene Now Spinola had begun to compasse within with an other trenche but of a lesser space against the irruptions of the besieged That because the cittie was first rendred was neuerfully finished yet contayned with his imperfect circle sixteene thousand paces But doth of these were ten foote highe the walles arising not vpright but step by step Below fifteene foote thick with abanket and parapet with in for the vse of the shooters below ten foote thicke raised vp fiue foote highe with a ditch depressed without side seauen foote Depe in breadth fifteene from side to side the bottome lyeng open no more then eight foote These two trenches had so much more strenght then the former which in height exceeded not fiue foote in thicknes seauen foote with a ditch nothing broader Vnto both of these greater trenches were built new redutes and batteries to plant canons vpon furthermore were at euery entrie a haulf moone Diuers redutes were also adioyned by reason of the perill and dangerous cituation of the place They were so fortified with new receptacles and with many other workes that none but he who saw them could hardly conceiue the frame of so great
the towne Many dead bodies floting by the shore side vnburied and more euery where cast up by the sea upon the land breathed forth a greuous plague upon the neighbouring townes of Holland A very sorrowful spectacle to the English soldiars who by the outward soyle whether they were sent for succour were so roughly entertayned But that which befell much more miserably when Mansfeld durst not set a shore those whom against their wills he constrained to take their oathe by the same remedie chiefly they dyed by which they were kept least that they should runn away to wit enkindled by that prohibition Notwithstanding many betaking them to vs by flight vnarmed ragged presented vs a patterne of the rest affirming them selues to be in better fashion then the rest when almost all of them were inuoluntarie and vnexpert in war that they were by and by taught how to handle their weapons when they were to be led in to the field It was saied to haue bene sene that some found amongst them who fild in all the poudre at once into their peeces mouthes euen to the top which had bene measured to them for sundry shots that there was scarce place to put in the bullet so skilfull were they in their pieces It appeared by many letters that those companies were gathered compulsitorilie of the most basest sort of the rascallitie and that in a short time what by sicknesses what by runing away they were so diminished so that of fourteene thousand scarcely four did remayne VVhilst Mansfelds ships were with-houldē by the frost that very season of the yeare admonished us of diuers considerations The fort of Nordame nere to Seuenbergue inaccessible in summer by reason of the waues now to begone vnto on foote by reason of the cold Prinsland also Rosendale and Seuenbergue it selfe were thought might easilie be taken by reason of that weather Dispatching therfore spies on euery side granadose and balles of wild fire were also prepared to cast in to the enimies ships But in vaine when the frosen crust of the riuers which otherwise seemed thick an firme were so weake for the snow in texmixed that scarcely would they carry the waight of two or three soldiars at once The wayes also the snowe neuer lying in one equal height but driuen hither and thiter by the winde into the ditches so that doutfull places could not be discerned from the solid were very dangerous to lead the troupes that were to marche The spies stood in snow somtimes up to the breast somtimes up to the mouth and somtimes fallen or couered in the snow were faine to be haled out Nether their voice nor their hollowing one to another would any thing helpe Three soldiars of fuggeran practised in all bould attempts getting in to the tents of Rosendale after drinking and talking together they had discried the enimies ships betrayed in their returne scarcely escaped by flight one being wounded and taken But else where the fuggerans attempts fell out more happely and a very few of them frequently brought back with them many captiues but the fortune and deceit of war is very variable There were some who besought Spinola that with the companies of Carolus Coloma together with some of his companies adioyned he would suffet Rosendale litle fortified to be assaulted That they knew by the bewraying of the inhabitances that they were so affrighted with the feare of ours that gathering vp their goods would be more ready to rune away then to stand to fight that that might be done without ether damage or any danger if in the meane time our horse might be planted in two parts before Bergenupsome and prinsland Spinola to whom those things best pleased which were done rather with prudent councell according to reason then prosperous thinges done at aduenture treating all thinges with him selfe with more serious examination supposing that thinge could not very much helpe to the acquiring of that notable victorie chose rather to keepe his soldiars safe for the occasion of a necessary combat then ether to feare the whole armie with the opiniō of the enimies audaciousnes or to encourage the enimies mindes by good successe if the skirmish of a few of his soldiars should perchance haue fell out vn fortunatly for in war it hapned often times by thinges of litle moment great alterations of thinges to be made nether was it the part of a prudent Captaine to poursue litle victories with great perills In the fourth of the Nones of March the aniuersarie day of Breda in times past taken by the vninted Peeres by the fraud of a boate was changed This day those of Breda being wont yearly to solemnise now kept so much the more ren owmedly by how much perhaps hereafter they douted to celebrate the same the more seldome more truly after the maner of a solemne buriall then a birth day for discharging thrice towards the euening all their greater and lesser Canons they consecrated the last night to the memorie therof Now the time was come in which the intermitted affaire of the dāme to be made in the riuer was renewed That interualle of time wherin the mariners and the workmen desisted from their labors had roused vp the studies of sundry persons A certaine person vndertakes vpon the agreement of a great summe that he would finish the worke almost despaired He in the presence of those whom the States had set ouer the care of this damme choosing a place not far from the former where the riuer was fuller of hollow places and more narrow he drowned stones tied vnto litle netts lest they should swimme away vpon the stones he sprinckles a certaine kind of binding sand brought as it was reported out of England or France to fill vp the chinkes and to fortifie the damme The affaire seemed to succed better then it did before when by a sudden alteration of the heauens so great force afwater once againe by the ouer-flowing of the Moone of March in which the sea then most of all doth swell was stirred vpon high and so great a deluge of rayne and vnthawed snow flowed together on euery side that the damme begun at Seuenbergue and very many forts of Rosen dale and some part of the suburbs of the cittie of Breda were altogether ouer-turned The wayes also to our campes and some of our fortifications neere to the cittie were so drowned that they could for three dayes be gone vnto not but by cockboates in which time one campe being shut from another they were in great necessititie of victualls when they could not go to one another with their wagons nor was there meanes to haue so great a supply of boates the riuer the shore and the fieldes being all alike Neuer could it otherwise haue bene more clearly knowen by how great mercie of God the armie was conserued the whole winter for if the same extremitie of winter time and aboundance of snow which fell in
of Marquis of Campolatare sent Captaine Camillus Phoenices whilst his were in nede of helpe with a companie for the defence of the litle redout but he could nether by his coming cause those that fled to stand nor could him selfe withstand the enimies violence so that the supplied succour augmented the perill But when Carolus Roma saw him to retyre with others beate back from the redout pulling away the shield from the arme of one that returned because him selfe came without one first vnsheathing his sword and with his shield renewing againe the declining fight setting upon the English strongly resisting with a Cesarlike courage more generously sent them back from whence they came and staid their violence Then they threw thēselues downe by heapes who from the fort those who had cast ours from thēce some began to come to themselues againe many fell wounded and slaine out-right not a few sought to escape and saue them selues thorongh the marshes he who endeuored to carry the colours into the fort pierced with a pike ended his life three who had inuaded ther strenght next adioyning the fort were slaine before the dore of the fort all the rest who fought hand to hand hauing their heades and necks almost cut off died of so faire woundes which faire death they deserued for fighting valiantly worthy to haue ouercome vnles ours had fought more brauely as also for a better cause They which stood further off were maymed with the cōtinuall strokes of the greater canons for the most part rent and slaine in miserable wise in their handes feete and heades when scarce any ball was shot in vaine at them so heaped together which slew not feowe by reason of the diuers turnings of the ditch The hindmost English and French could hardly follow the formost for the narrownes of the ditch but a returning being made they might so had they throngd them selues together VVhich being noted ours enforcing them they by litle and litle did retire back so much the presence of Henrie of Nassau was of force that they should not be troubled with terror or danger The retrait therfore was nothing more trouble some then the coming on so well did all of them keepe their orders Aboue all others in that battaile the most excellēt courage of Cornell Vere standing foremost in the company was admired He stood still with the selfe same vndanted constancie of minde emongst the balles that were thick discharged placing new for those that retired whole for the hurt freshe for the wearied vntill the fight with a slow encountre on ether side was ended although it appeared that eache one was so well exercised in war that what was meete to be done they could no lesse fitly prescribe to them selues then be taught by another Num. 14. Agger Oosterhautanoe planiciei impositus Agger Castello Beauuoxiano adiunctus aduorsus planiciem Oosterhautanam Number XIV Spinola viewing those places which the enimie had got fortified them with stoccadoes and shut up all entrie to the ditch on both sides of the water with this four-square fortification and with other workes of that kinde where he commanded also more artillerie to be placed Furthermore the ould trench which lay ouer against the shrub of Oosterhout almost of the lenght of two thousand paces he commanded to be strenghtned with a thicker wall against the shot of the canons adding some new bulworkes made without side and changing the ould ones And as that space was great which was contayned in the distance betwixt Hage and Heyden he filled with much foote and horse building great houses of straw and clay for standing places The newes of this victorie least the beseeged should not know it our soldiars published from each adioyning trenche crying out in soldiarlike mirth that succours were sent vnto the cittie The besieged smitten at the hart with this report when they nether saw succours come and the freshe remembrance of Maurices losse occurred and the soldiar now eate hors-flesh and other victualls grew daylie dearer so that a poūd of butter was sould for twelue shillinges a Calfe of seauenteene dayes ould for eight and fortie shillinges a litle hogge for eleuen pound ten shillinges a pound of Tobaco for ten pound that the granaries and the chests of all were once againe narrowly searched and some who were found to had hid some corne was taken from them into custodie it was forbidden to the bakers upon a penaltie to sell no bread but only to the Officers of the war the officers to giue no more euery day but halfe a pound of bread to the soldiar that all were forbiddē to haue any bread twice baked because it so might be kept whole and hid the longer for these thinges so me be gon to breake up the bakers houses wherefore an uproare being begunn betwixt the French and the English had not been for the great care of there Coronelles but by and by three of the authors being put in to prison and the former liberty granted of buying bread the seditiō was appeased before it was diuulged The Gouernor and the commanderes by admonishment retayned others in their dutie concerning all the vices of their garisons no otherwise then the woundes of their owne bodies yet after a litle while when necessitie cōpeld them once againe to visit all the barnes and granaries the citie being diuided into two and thirtie barnes least any litle cottage should be pretermitted no more then fiue and twentie measures of meale were found Num. 15. OBSIDIO BREDAE PERFECTA A. Statio Marchionis Spinola B. Statio Magistri Equitum C. Statio Baronis Barhanconij D. Statio Comitis Isenburgici E. Statio Pauli Bullionij F. Statio Baronis Beauuoixij G. Statio Caroli Roma H. Statio Comitis Anholtini I. Aggeres tormentarij interni K. Interior circulus L. Niger Agger vt vocabant M. Agger nouus duplici sepe N. Stagna arte facta O. Fossa a Marchione iacta longitudine 2200. pedum ad deriuandas aquas Number XV. Henrie of Nassau seeing the slaughter of the English smitten and doutfull what he should doe whilst he keepeth those in his campe he had receiued and had lost many by flight takes councell with his whether he should againe make an irruption amongst vs or whether by another or by the same passage or rather whether he should refraine Spinola with all his companies nere at hand expecting the enimie borth by day and night did that especially that he might vnderstand by some signe what at last Nassauius resolued Our messenger being most nimble seeming fit for this purpose to the end he should be knowen to Nassauius as he was to Maurice therfore by practise he came into knowledg when he was kept secretly in our campe his wife going into the campe to Henrie of Nassau complayning much of a sicknes which her husband had got by carying Maurices letters to Breda thorough the winter
waters demandes the rest of that which was promised but was yet vnpaid He ioyfull of the getting of a faithfull messenger promiseth to pay more liberally if now her husband would carry one letter for him into the cittie as he had done many of his brothers The womā alleadgeth hir huslands sicknes and the danger At last the woman consents not vnwillingly and yet as it were against her will promises to do her best to perswade him The wife departs the husband returnes halfe lame as though his feete had bin spoiled with the winter frost Henrie of Nassau agrees with the man as he thought faithfull and deliuers him his letters to carry into the cittie to Iustinus The messenger said that he promised to performe a very difficult matter and receiuing the letters with a reward he so departs Hauing receiued them he presently bringes them into the campe to Spinola and rewarded with a perpetuall stipend he departs Henrie in those letters aduised Iustinus of the late ouerthrow he had receiued whilst he set vpon the fortificiones of heyden From that day he saw vs also entrenched on euery side with a stronger trenche which could not possibly be broken thorough That he remembred for how few dayes the besieged now had victualls left them wherfore lest by delaying of time he should at last be compelled to receiue some disgrace with his companions he should prouide betimes nor would he by his ouergreat pertinacitie ouerthrow the fortunes of all That hauing receiued these letters he should giue a signe by discharging at midnight three canons and by the signification of fires made frō the Tower an hower after how many dayes prouision the besieged yet had left thē Assuring him in the meane space that if any occasion of bringing helpe offered it selfe that it should be embraced of him and of the whole armie There came first into the cittie another copie of the same letter before ether Spinola had receiued his or had vnderstood it by reason of the difficultie to explicat the notes wherwith it was written A certaine horsman of the Count of Styres very skilfull in all the wayes in open day escaped by our armie into the cittie whom those of Breda seing coming receiued him ioyfully with the discharging of nine canons That nightly signe therfore of the sound of the three premised canons was first made before we could certainly know what it signified albeit we suspected They alighted fire eleuen times shewing that they had victualls left only for so many dayes At that time his Excellencie VVilliam wolfangus Duke of Bauiaria Iuliers Cleue and Montz returning from Spaine came into our Campes with desire to see the same Spinola went before to meete him coming far from the campe and departing from his owne Tent he receiued so Excellent a man with as much shew of loue as he possibly could He congratulated him with a festiuall sound of all the canons and with the other applauses of militarie ioy After on other dayes being led about all the workes he much admired the greatnes and strenght of the siege He related that the Kinge of France said vnto him by whom he passed as he returned he could not beleeue that Breda would be taken by Spinola by that siege yet at that time many thinges promised vs a fortunat successe of that siege as the continuall flight of the french from Mansfeld the delay in releeuing the enimie the scarcetie of victualls within the cittie the conflicts of the beseeged with sicknesses so great a dearth of medicaments that of the Tobacco that was brought although else where it cost but four crownes a pound was sould in the cittie for twentie pounds which remedy they vsed against the scuruey besides that space of dayes aboue six hundred horse were driuen from the enimies campes being ill looked vnto as they grased This bootie when Monsieur of Marquet leftenant of the horse had hoped to requite he prepares in number sixty eight companies of horse to set vpon our conuoyes with all at vnawares Sending therefore Captaine Randwick before with six companies the rest lying hid in ambushe set vpon the carriages who without conuoyes contrary to Count Bergues commandment tooke another way draue away the horses ransackt the charrets and the pacques and poured oute the prouision Henrie of Bergues warie of perils albeit he were ignorant of this voyage had al ready commanded some companies of horse to watch all the passages of the wayes lest the enimies should breake thorough by some places at vnawares which that it might be done the more assuredly first he charged very straitly that no Captaine when the watch was should be absent from his companie Moreouer that he should place very far off from the campe the standing place of the centeries Next that some watchers should goe a good space from the standing place before the companie Lastly that some standing horsman should watch before the other watchmen to take notice of the enimies coming which hearing he should giue a signe and should retire vnto the watch They seeing a greater troupe retyred back to the standing place of the rest of the companie The companie prepared their armes and had fought had not the number bene vnequall but at last returned to the campe By this meanes both the coming of the enimie was hindred and the watches though placed a far off retyred them selues without danger and it seemed the whole campe had time enough to arme it selfe By chance that day the enemy met with the Count Hermanus of Bergues sonne to Henrie of Bergues a young man of a great spirit and a patterne of his countries valor He hearing as he was nere at hand a noise and gathering together a smale companie he had bouldly flies into the midest of the troupes of the despoilers passing once and againe thorough the midst of them some he layes vpon the ground and both troubles and terrifies the others These he puts to flight those admonish others of the coming of all our horse and so were their mindes preoccupated with the feare and flight of the first as that they thought nothing of resisting They forsake their horses they throwe downe their burthens and leauing the prey they depart The enimies gathering so many companies together in so long a time of the siege in so wicked and long iorneis yet could neuer intercept so much as one conuoye Henrie of Nassau not slow in his affaires lest he should pretermit as he had promised any industry to raise the sige sent some boores and contry clownes corrupted with mony and with promises to set a fire if they could our campes and store house wherin our warlike furniture was kept Spinola catching some in cendiaries prouideth that his compes receiue no detriment Henrie of Nassau attempting all thinges in vaine and setting the tentes of fire in the village of Dungens the sixt of the calends of Iune retyred by night
of our Pontificat Great indeed but true praises now confirmed by Pontificall oracle And verely how great that victorie is nether can the enimie as yet feele the wound being yet to greene nor we by the newnes of the ioy can yet esteeme the same according as it deserues such like or greater victorie albeit great ought to be reputed wheÌ„ the contention was not for Breda but for the losse of fame and honor by the rendring of that cittie which in vaine the States vndertooke to defend with so greate commotion of all Europe with calling together the helpes of so many prouinces with the exhausting of so much treasure which hath acquired an immortal name to the Kinge of Spaine to Isabella clara Eugenia Infanta and to Marquis Spinola CHRONOGRAPHICVM REX BREDAM CEPIT QVINTA IVNII APPROBATIO HIstoria haec latinè primuÌ„ conscripta memorabilis est in qua qui attente grata mente considerauerit quae toto Bredanae obsidionis tempore terra marique diuinitùs contigêre non dubitabit cum Debbora in haec diuinae laudis verba prorumpere De coelo dimicatum est contra eos Quapropter eam dignam censeo quae non vno idiomate sed varijs euulgetur quemadmodum hîc eadem etiam Anglicano exhibetur GVILIEL FABRICIVS Apostolicus ac Regius Librorum Censor VVITH PRIVILEGE WIth Priuilege and auctoritie of his Catholike Maiestie as also of donÌ„a ISABELLA clara Eugenia Infanta of Spaine and of his Excellencie the Marques Ambrosio Spinola cheef Generall of their Armies in the Palatinat and lovve contries and of the naual Army of the same LOVANII Ex Officinâ HENRICI HASTENII Vrbis Academiae Typographi M. DC XXVIII END The great extraordinarie socorres and emulation of strangeres The admirable trinches The multitude of fortificasiones Great difficult in tranporting of vitualles Vituales and cariadge desre Vituales and cariadge desre Amarue'ous fauor of god The sâ—reuid of Breda VVhen it came to the house of Nasavve The times the to vvne vvas loste and recouered The situatïon Aa filles his ditches The riuer merka paseth trovve the tovvne The height of the tovvre The number of houses in the tovvne The forme of the tovvne And of the vvalles Iustinus de Nasavve vvas Gouernor The drasats Iohn of Artsens The number of the ordinari garisen The number of citisens ruled be Artsenius Measures of orne ConsideratioÌ„s that mooued the Marques to befidge this ovvne Difficulties the Marques formd in vvineng the tovvne State of the lovve contries The resolusion vvixt vvith the Marques vvent vnto the filds The armie vves de uided into three partes The Marques visited oure lodâ—â— of montague In his rekoning muche leshe people then he sought The Marques consulted vvith the matteres of the campe For many reasones they founde greate dificulties in the besidging of Breda The Marques aduertised her Altesa of al. To conforme vvith the opinion of the masters de campes He consulted vvithe Count Hindrique da Bergas Ademand touching the tâ—ntâ—ng of the Iland of casant Fresent'y the mater vvas reuoked The Marques turned againe to consuite touchingh the besieging of Breda Al denied excpt one an a presented there reasones The Kinges tovvnes vvere far of Only one vvas of contrary opinion to the rest touchinge the be caging of Breda The opinion of those that vvent first to bring resolution of the situation Conde Hindrique propoundes to beseigde reas and embrik Or graue rauestene and Genep The people necessarie to beeleager graue The Marques aduertised hir Altesa And sought for the opinion of Antonius Baron of Grobendonk But litle store of vvater in Gilsen And the thirst of the soilders vvas intolerable The Marque informed of the trueth VVelles vvere digged for scarciti of vvater Other disgrace hapned in the quarter Soilders run a vvay The enemy murmured of the Marques Iy and moked the Kinef Spaine le bohae spanel Conde Iohn de Nasavv sent to socor Count de ber gas brenging alonge vvith him Cowad de AubermoÌ„t aman skilful in this quarters Don lie sento de 〈…〉 folovveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Count 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 took in mondethâ—rk 〈…〉 and the rvvne of Genep His soilders folovved vvith great modestie and obedience He pitched his quarter at mouk Marques of belueder took from the contrie of Graue greate store of cattel Conde Hindrik sends againe to the Marques giuing his opinion of the dificulties in vvining of rausten Graue Iohn pitches his camp on the other side of the mase And count Bergues armed abrige outr the riuer A vvonder ful tempest VVho the enemy is forces vna aua ri tought to fall on the Excell of Grauedendrike Graue Iohn de Nasavv pitâ—ched his camp in acomodions place The stratagesmes of the gouernor of graue vvas in vaine Count of Nasavv ansvvered The Marques tought strang of the dificulties of Graue Hiudrik touching rauesten The quarter of Gils vvas fortified vvith tvvelf reduties This of Breda being deceiued in there presumption turned to bring ther mouables They receiued manie of no seruice vvhich vvas ocation to shorten there victuals He vvent into his brooth camp He fortified wwincâ—â— Benefit found in the delaying Duk de Bullon came out of breda to aside the defence graue The laste in formasiones taken bâ—â—â—unt Hindrik he found it far contrari to the first He receuied the Marques to order He affirmed to those that brught the order that not hing coulde be executed touching graue They ansvvered count Hendrick He gaue then letters to the Marque VVate he resolued touchinge the beeleâ—geringe of Breda Count Hinrik had chard ge to be vigilant and loo kvvelto the borderes of giâ—dâ—rres Graue Iohn marched vvith his troopes vigilant and vvel ordered Some vvith litle respect murmured of the Marques Muster vvas comanded to be paiâ— of the army Neovve leiues vvere raist referred to the charge of condâ— hinnâ— Den Francisco de Medina occupied the dorpe of Gâ—nip Paulo Ballen pitcht his tentes in der â—yde VVho the tovvne of Breda vvas beleagered of 〈◊〉 Squirmishes begon The vvood vvas cutt Certaine houses vvere burnt The corne vvas visited Other fortificattons vve re adioyned The houses next adioyning to the toÌ„vvne vvere burned The Marques tooke posession of Teterns and Hage One of the quarters vvas committed to the charge of Baron de Ballanâ—on x the other to count Isenberge The forme and greatnes of the fortifications Abridg vvas made vpon the riuer of marka The disposition and distance of catch quartier The circuit of the first fortifications The height The reason vvhy so disposed Iustinus de Nasaâ— Governor of Breda comaund dâ— great salli to tempt the quarter of Isimburque The great saâ—li made by the â—nemiâ— out of Breda Captaine Barri had chardge of the vvatch The enemy vvas discouered by a sintinel of Captaine Barri Captaine Barri prepared him self for the fight vvith great expedition The valor and resolution of the soilders The bloody skirmish betvvixt the enemy and the Irish. In the vvhiche the