time Count Henry of Berck Mustered his Army at Turnhout being in number some 25000. Men foote and horse In the afternoone the French gave fire to twoo mynes more but avayled not The third made such a breach into the Wall of the Horneworke that wee could see the Enemie in it from top to toe And so they should have made an assaulte vpon them but by reason the springing of the myne cast so much earth into the Mouth of the Gallerie that they could not goe forth of it they were prevented and the breach suddenly stoppet againe The 24. and 25. wee did effect little The 26. there was a greate fire in three severall places of te Siege as namely in the Horse Quarter in the English Quarter and in Brederoes Quarter it was suspected to be villany of Traytors but we could not finde them out At this time Count Henry of Berch marching towardes vs lodged his Forces at Sprang Wallwyke Druynen and Loon. At the same time the King of Bohemia came vnto the Siege and went with his Excell into the Trenches and viewed our Approaches Batteries and other Workes The 27. the French passed ouer the moate of the Conterscharpe and made Cannon shott from a Batterie on the right hand of the Gallerie and made on each side thereof a small Batterie The same daye Count Henry of Berch came with his Army to Vlymen and appeared in our sight at seuerall places with his Horse which went vp and downe to viewe our Outworkes In the night they of the Towne caused an Alarme to be made which made vs thinke that the Enemie would haue fallen vpon vs from without and within but they attempted nothing The 28. Count Henry appeared with his Forces in the night neere the Hollands Dyke and by our greate Sconces called the 3. Sisters but we hauing sent them some 10. or 12. Cannonshot they retired backe Our whole Army neverthelesse standing in Battle all the night long The 29. many of the Enemies Souldiers came into our Quarters complayning of greate scarsitie hunger and hardnesse The 30. the Enemye laye themselues in Embuscado neere the Uffrou Sconce and tooke diuers of Waggons and Waggonmen which went forth for Brush Likewise they tooke the House of Hesop and Boxtel where we had some small strength of Souldiers which they let passe with theire Armes and Baggagie into our Camp In the morning came twoo of the Enemies Sloopes to the 3. Sisters and the Hollands Dyke to take measure of the depth of the Water which made our Army to rise in Armes Some more Souldiers of the Enemie comming to vs reported that in theire Campe Cheese was sould for 12. stiuers a pound and a Pot of Beere for 6. stiuers Insomuch that the common Souldiers were allmost famished for want of monnie and foode which caused them to flee from them The second of Iuly Monsieur Fama was shot and dyed of it The Enemye continually buzzing vp and downe sent some 4000. Horse and foote with 800. firelockes each hauing a leather bag of powther to put them into the Towne betweene the Petler Sconce and Count Ernst Quarter and brought along with them Spades Fagots and Plankes to fall vpon a Horneworke of ours not farre from Coudwater but being discovered by our men in the night which stood readie to receaue them the Alarme being giuen They were beate of some of them drowned and others being shot and wounded retreated and lefte some of theire powther baggs behinde them This failling he had other designes by the helpe of twoo treacherous Pesants for the cutting of our Damme The same night these Pesants as theire Guides brought his men along the little Dyke which runnes from the Dam to Boxtel by the Boores Houses but they in the night discovered Generall Cicills Tents which were newly sett vp their harts misgaue them thinking we knew of their plot and so retreated without attempting it parte of a Companie onely hauing the guarde at the poinct vpon the Dyke while the rest of the Companies were drawne to the Line vpon the Heath they might easilie haue effected it Our Men in the morning discouering them as they marched towarde Count Henryes Quarter the twoo halfe Cannons which laye vpon Cicills Batterie let fly at them and slew some of them But to preuent this the next daye his Excell caused abundance of Pallisadoes to be driuē into the Dyke and made a Batterie where they should haue come one and from thence to Berckel Sconce chayned boates togeather ouer the Water setting watch in them by night for the defence of the Damme Count Henry of Berke being then quartered at Boxtel Cromforde and Helforde within an English mile and a halfe of our Line wee were faine to make the nights our dayes and the dayes our nights expecting continually his comming vpon vs with maine Force which oftentimes he attempted but to little effect which lasted aboue three weekes togeather vntill hee left vs. In the meane time the Companies of all Nations beset the Line of Circumvallation some twoo hundred paces distant one from another round about the Army The Horse standing behind them in Battaile readie to receaue him His Excellentie euery night about midnight goeing the grand Round to answere all Alarmes The same night that he intended to put in these firelockes and their powther bags into the Towne and to haue cut the Damme and to haue let in a Sea of water vpon vs which ranne rownde about our Quarters returning from Vlymen with the grosse of his Army he discovered himselfe betimes in the morning assoone as it beganne to be light by the downes and had layd an Embuscado of Musketteirs in a ditch by some trees and behinde the downes he made a halte with his Horse and foote and sends out first some 10. or 12. Horse to entertaine a skermish with some of our Horse which stood readie in Armes without our Line vpon the Heath hauing the Outguarde The Trumpets sounde a Charge and our Cannōs roares from all the Batteries at the Enemye and as the skermish enceased so wee sent them the more Bullets which made divers of their Horsmen to turne vp theire heeles wee seeing oftentimes leggs and Armes flie vp and their Horse roule over one anothers At last there came three troope of Horse which changed Bullets with our Horsemen and still our Ordinance giuing fire among them and our Horse charging them towarde the foote of the downes the fayned a retreate to drawe on our Horse within their Embuscado Monsieur Mauue a French Captaine of a troope of Horse charging home his Horse from the Embuscado was slayne vnder him The Enemy falls out againe with more Horse and takes this French Captaine prisoner The Duke of Bullen seing him thus engaged chargeth with a troope or twoo for to rescue him and while twoo of the Enemyes men were a disputing whose prisoner he should be our Horse charges them againe and drives them to a retreate they not having
the moate which wee presupposed they had prepared for the firing of our Gallerie To prevent this my Lord of Oxford got a Sloope which was brought about towards our Gallerie that on a suddaine tenne or twelue resolute Souldiers with short swords and Pistolls might chop into it to hinder the Enemie from fastning anie fireworkes vpon our Gallerie which the Enemie perceauing attempted nothing The Lorde of Oxford gaue order likewise that our Musketteirs from all flanks should continuallie be playeing and our Ordinance shooting vpon the top of their Bulwarke and their halfe Moone to keepe the Enemie from peeping over and giving fire vpon our Workemen This night although it was Moonelight the Brush and faggots were layd ouer to the left hand of the Bulwarke from the end of our second Gallerie in the Bleachfeelde and thanks be to God but one Man shot in layeing them over and another Souldier of Captaine Skippons shot which stood Centinell in our Long Gallerie My Lord Crauen whose worth and liberallitie was knowne heere extraordinarilie this night and the daye followeing as at other times he vsed to doe watched with my Lord of Oxford the next night with my Lord Cicills Companie and the third night with Generall Morgans Regiment My Lord of Doncaster and my Lord fielding trayled Pikes vnder my Lord Cicills Companie and went constantlie downe to the Approaches vpon anie service and exposed theire bodies both to danger and sicknesse My Lord of Oxford an houre before he was relieued had about with the Enemie vpon the lefte corner of the halfe Moone and my Lord Veres Musketteirs of Dort comming vp almost to the top of the halfe Moone gaue fire in the teeth of the Enemy and came to the push of Pike thorow the Blinds this startled them and made them throwe stones and Handgranadoes amongst our Men but his Lord caused a Souldier of Captaine Roockwoods Companie to cast 14. Handgranadoes among them into their halfe Moone which made them giue backe and cry Guarda Guarda The Granadoes being burst they came vp againe to the top of the halfe Moone and gaue fire vpon our Men but my Lord caused Musketteirs to be drawne to the top of our gards especiallie that of Captaine Clarke which was high they gaue fire apace vpon them fetcht some of them off which shewed their heads and bodies this peece of service being ended my Lord of Oxford being releeued drew awaye to his Quarter On Count Ernests side the 19. of August the Brush and Planks were layd ouer to the Enemies Horneworke and a Mine made into it This Mine being sprung the Scotsh and the Dutches fell on couragiouslie and they and the Enemie gaue fire apace one at another for three quarters of an houre our Ordinance playing from all Batteries as fast as they could charge and discharge in this time the Enemie stood out verie stoutlie three assaults with the losse of manie men But the Enemie gaue fire in such manner from the Wall of the Towne and out of the greate halfe Moone that our Men were forced to retreate into the mouth of their Gallerie and Works yet this advantage wee got that wee did sett vp some Musket-baskets and lodge some of our men vpon the right corner of their Horneworke from whence wee began a Sap and made Blinds towardes their halfe Moone which after another Mine was sprung caused the Enemie on the 21. of August to quit it and so retired in their halfe Moone In this fight were slayne Captaine Ramsey and twoo dayes after a Dutch Captaine called Captaine Hatton who carried themselues very worthilie And when as Count Ernest had strengthened the Betuw and all the Cities and places thereabouts as also along the River called the Yssel against all assaults of the Enemie for the furtherance of which the Prince sending him daylie more Forces as he could spare and raise them It happened that vpon the 20. daye of August these glad tydings came to the Prince to wit a Letter from that worthy and Valliant Commaunder Otto de Gendt and Oyen Lord of Dyden Gouernor of Emrick vnto the Prince of Orenge the tennor whereof followeth MY LORD THE bearer hereof my Cossen Merode is come to make reporte vnto your Excellentie of the good successe of the surprising of the Citie of Wesel The Enemie hath likewise quitted both the Sconces making not one shot against vs. Theire man of warre they haue sunke themselues and hauing a parcell of small shipping in the Ryne I did cause parte of them to be burnt I haue founde greate number of Ordinance heere and 13. or 14. Boates vpon Karts And for the better securing of this Citie I haue sent for more Companies out of Emmerick and Rees And if it please your Excellentie I should desire more strength Thus in hast I take my leaue WESEL the 19. of August 1629. In the morning betweene 4. and 5. of the Clocke Your Excellenties humble and faithfull OTTO OF GENDT AND OYEN The first Vndertakers of this Enterprise were Peter Mulder Richard Mulder his Brother and Iohn Rootleer all three Burgers of WESEL men of a meane condition but of a good spirit resolution This Peter Mulder divers times fayning to learne to swim had pilde the depth of the moate on that side which he intended the Citie should be assaulted and spying out all opportunities made a greate Iron hammer to beate downe the Pallisadoe which stood vpon the Bulwarke on the East side of the Towne wherewithall the Prince being aquainted as also of the possibillitie of this designe His Excellentie appointed the Lord of Dyden for the mannaging thereof The time and place being appointed the 18. of August Peter Mulder went out of WESEL at one Gate and his Brother out of another Gate about three houres before the shutting of the Gates Peter Rootleer followed a while after to avoyde all suspition all three meeting togeather in the darke at the place appointed And hauing called vpon the Name of the Lord of Hosts for his ayde assistance herein that thereby theire fellowe Brethren and Cittizens might be released from the bondage and vexation of theire Enemies The Lord of Dyden about midnight came vnto them with some sixteene hundred foote some muskettiers others firelockes and halfe pikes and eight Troopes of Horse Before they went on the Lord of Dyden to doe noe man wrong made the Captaines to drawe Billets who should fall on first And Peter Muller with his twoo Comrades went on before them couragiouslye But ere our Troopes came thither and that the Lord of Dyden had ordered the businesse thus it began to be light so that they imagined it was not practicable The Enemie likewise seeing the daye broke and that it began to be light drewe off their By-watch from that place and betooke themselues to their rest But God who is the disposer of all things and giues courage to men at last our men waded through the moate and entered the Bulwarke And
Peter Muller with his Comrades broke downe the Pallisadoe and made an entrance The Officers and Souldiers seconded him brauelie and enters the Towne on Sundaye morning the 19. of August 1629. a little before Sun rysing after the guarde was drawne off And cutting off the twoo gardes next adjoyning to that place with small resistance bore vp stiffe to the Market place The Alarme was so suddayne that the Enemies men running too and againe to answere it knewe not our Men from their owne vntill it was to late for them for in the meane space Peter Muller got a smith and opened the Bruynish Gate and let in our Horsemen The Spaniards seeing the Cittie lost fled to the Sconces out of the Towne which they yeelded vpon Composition The brunt being over the Souldiers fell a plundering got into the Spaniards shops and into bitterest Papists and Iewes Houses ransacks the Nunneries breakes downe the Images and got an incredible booty as Count Henry of Berk his plate and chiefest Baggage Monte Cuculies monie and goodes which the Emperour had sent to him and the Riches which the Crawats had got in the Germane Warrs and left there behind them for safetie in their expedition for the Velu To conclude the Foote devyded the spoile and the Horsemen shared Bags and Barrells of Rijcxdollers by hatts full But that which was most remarkeable that Church which they had bolted vp against the Protestants that verie Sunday was made a Prisson for their Officers and Souldiers till on the morrow they were sent to Arnhem The Governor and Officers standing good for the ransom of 1042. Souldiers who the next daye were set ouer the Water with their Wiues and Children Three of the Enemies Captaines were slaine and about 70. Souldiers and we lost but 9. Men in all Besides this there was found in the Towne manie small Barrells of Pistolls and Rijcxdollers for the payment of the Enemies Army 46. peeces of Brasse Ordinance vpon the Walls and 2. in the Market place and 2. in the Magasin and 2. Morters Armes as Corselets Pikes Muskets and Firelockes to arme 5000. men aboue 1000. Barrells of Powther besides this greate store of meale abundance of Corne and other Victuall and provision for their Army which the Lord thus deliuered in our handes On the 24. of August wee had a generall thanksgiving and a triumph throughout the Army in acknowledgment of the greate goodnesse of God for the taking of WESEL The Triumph was made in this manner First the Musketteirs were drawne off from all our Guardes saving the Approaches and out of our Quarters and placed along the inward Line next the Towne some sixe foote distant one from another The Pikes were drawne to the Outline and Outguardes the rest stood by devisions in the Quarters euerie one of them having a Wisp of strawe vpon the head of his Pike to be sett on fire when the signall should be giuen The volley of Musketteirs should begin at Crevecoeur where the Princesse laye and so to Engelen from thence along the Men of warre and the Redoubts by the Busseslote to Monsieur Pinsens Quarter so the French Line the Approaches then to the English from thence to the Lord of Brederoes Quarter and so along to Count Ernests Quarter and so to Count Williams Quarter where it ended betwixt euerie volley the Cannon which laye vpon the Batteries of the Outline those which were drawne out of our Quarters to the heath by the stone Gallowes and those which were in all the Approaches should be shott off The signall was thus about tenne a clock in the night when a Granadoe was shott into the Towne then the first volley should begin and the Wispes of strawe vpon the heads of the Pikes should be sett on fire all which was done accordinglie and made a braue show The volley met with a stop at the first but when it came to the French Line to the Approaches to the English the Lord of Brederoes to Count Ernests Quarter and Count Williams Quarter it ranne well betweene the Volleyes there were about 300. peeces of Ordinance from Crevecoeur and round about our Army discharged Those of the Towne acknowledged afterward that shooting at once with so manie Ordinance out of our Approaches into the Towne did much amaze them and then they beganne to beleeue indeed that WESEL was Geux Though the Governor by all meanes laboured to conceale it from them The 25. of August the Enemie sallied forth into the Workes of Count Ernest and burnt aboute some 20. Posts of his Gallerie The 26. Newes came to vs in the Siege that the Enemye had left Amersford and that the States had layd 1500. Men in it The same daye went forth of our Army twoo Companies of Horse and 200. Firelocks which met with a Convoy of the Enemies goeing to Breda whereof our Men killed some and tooke 40. of them prisoners and some fourescore faire Horses with their Saddles and Pistolls and brought them with good store of munition and match into our Campe togeather with the Lieftennante and the Cornet or Ensigne bearer of the Enemies Troopes which became surtie for the value of the Waggons which our Men left behinde them The 30. A Pesant which had carryed Letters too and fro in and out of the BUSSE and had beene our Prisoner some tenne weekes was condemned and hanged in the Princes Quarter The first of Septemb. the Enemie quitted the Counterscharfe of their Halfe Moone which laye before the Vuchter-Gate The same daye our men attempted to make a Mine into the Bulwarke of the Towne Walls but could not effect it by reason of a peece of Ordinance which the Enemie had sunke wherewithall they slew manie of our Men at the end of the Gallerie The second of Septemb. Monsieur Stakenbrooke Lieftenant of our Horse and the Duke of Bullen with 1000. Horse three hundred Fire-locks and diuers English and French Muskettiers taken out of divers Companies and three halfe French Cannon toward euening were drawne out of our Quarters and marched that night to a small Towne and Castle in Braband called Endhouen some sixe houres going from the BUSSE where some 400. of the Enemies Wardgelders or as wee terme them freshwater Souldiers taken on by those of Flanders who laye lurking there to see if in the night they could haue cutt our Trench vpon the Outline and let in the water vpon vs which stood blanke without our Entrenchment by reason of the stoppage But his Excellentie having intelligence of them prepared this Camisado for them They having advertisement by some Countriemen their freinds of our Mens comming stole awaye in the night and trusted rather to their heeles then to their Armes Yet they were not gone so farre but the Duke of Bullen with his Horse overtooke them and rounds them in a Morrace and by a Ditch and charging vpon them slew about 70. of them the rest cryed out for quarter and because they were such Souldiers the Duke was in
Officers to the Parapet of the Vuchter-Gate sending a Drum which reported that there were some Gentlemen of qualitie overwhelmed and stifled in the springing of our Myne and requested that they might be sought for and burryed His Excellentie then being neere at hand sitting in the Gallerie gaue waye to their request but as indeed the matter being otherwise The Drum came vp againe and requested to speake with some of our Officers and tould them that the Governor Magistracy and Clergie in the Towne were mynded to parley with vs presentlie after came foure Personnes of quality downe the Breach to his Excellencie in the Gallerie desyring foure dayes time to writte to the Archduchesse and if so be they were not releeued within that time they would deliuer over the Citie vpon Composition But his Excellencie denyeing them this request They resolved notwithstanding to treate vpon a Composition and Hostages were receaued and deliuered on both sides In the meane time the Walls of the Citie were blacke of Burgers and Women and Spirituall Personnes to take viewe of our doeings and the danger they were in The 13. of September the Commissioners which the Towne had appointed dyned with the Prince in the afternoone they left their commissiō with the Prince the States and tooke their resolutiō with them The 14. the Aggreement was concluded to render vp the Citie with the Petler-Sconce to vs within three dayes after and so accordinglie was subscrybed by both parties In the meane time came manie thousands of people out of Holland and other Provinces thereabouts to see this famous Siege with the departure of the Enemie out of the Citie The 17. in the morning the Prince of Orenge appointed all his Army to stand in Battle order in euerie Quarter especially those of his owne Quarter as well Horse as foote and placed them in this manner Along Monsieur Pinsens Quarter where the Enemy was to march thorow first stood some threescore Companies of Footemen being Scotsh Dutchmen from Pinsens Quarter along the Hollandes-Dyke stood some 40. Companies of French and neere to the verie place where the Enemy was to march out of our Line stood some 40. Companies of English and without our Line along the heath stood some 30. Companies of Horse This being the Waye which his Excell had ordered for the Enemy to passe thorow Betweene the English and French stood a greate Batterie of twenty Peeces of Ordinance to playe vpon the Heath where his Excell caused twoo Princelie Tents to be set vp for the Princesse the Queene of Bohemia and the Ladies Gentlewomen which were there The Prince sitting on Horsebacke with the King of Bohemia and the Prince of Denmarke and some 40. more whereof most of them were Dukes Earles Barrons Lordes and the rest Coronells and of the Chiefe Commaunders besides this the greate number of our owne Burgers and people which came thither to behould this sight was so greate that they could hardlie gett beere for their monnie and manie of them were faine to sleepe in the feelde vnder the skie for want of better lodgings Nowe to relate the manner of their marching forth First in the morning there marched forth some 50. Horsmen and as manie firelocks and Musketteirs Then followed about eleauen hundred Waggons Karts whereof some 400. of them were loaden with sicke mayned Souldiers and the rest with goods houshouldstuffe Images Clergiemē Women and about eleauen of the clocke came the Iesuites Priests ryding vpon Waggons and some barefooted Monkes and Fryers goeing a foote His Excell being gone to dinner with the King Queene of Bohemia and the rest of the Lordes and Ladies which stood vpon the Batterie in the twoo Tents In the meane time came the Governors Wife in her Koach who was but 3. weekes ould in childbed accompanied with her daughter and her Child lyeing vpon the Nurses lap in the forepart of the Koach Generall Morgan some others courts her and made her staye before his Excell Tent till he with his trayne returned from dinner His Excell comming saluted her and had some small discourse with her and then tooke his leaue and let her passe Towardes euening came the Governor himselfe marching in the midst of his Troopes hee staid long because his Cannon was graveld and sunke into the ground that he could not drawe them away the night drawing on his Excell sent him word by the Sergeant Major Generall that he would send them after him on the morrowe The Governor had ordered his Men by three divisions the first were the Walloones consisting of sixe coulouts being some 400. Pikes firelocks and Musketteirs The second were Burgonians The third greate diuisiō were Highdutches with nine coulours These 3. diuisions were a matter 1400. men Then followed the Governor on Horsebacke and passing by his Excellencie had some small speech with him After the foote came three Troopes of Horse which brought vp the Reare the first was about 70. in number the second about 80. and the last Troope about 90. all well mounted well armed proper Men with red scarfes about them During this Siege the Enemye confessed there were slayne some eleauen hundred Souldiers and not aboue 16. or 18. Burgers by reason they refused to endanger themselues in the Outworkes They had with them according to the Articles of Composition three whole and three halfe Cannon verye faire peeces and twoo Granado Morters They lefte besides these in the Towne some 36. brasse Peeces of Ordinance and sixe Yron peeces the most parte of the Brasse Ordinance being Sling-peeces and Faukenetts and fewe halfe Cannons except some which the noses were brused and shott off And little or noe Powder to speake of which indeed was the principall occasion they yeelded vp their Sconces Traverses Halfe-moones and at last the Citie it selfe sooner then they needed In this Siege there happened manye strange passages which would be too tedious to rehearse onelie twoo things of note I cannot but make the gentle Reader acquainted with first in the Crossebrethren Cloyster a little before the Towne was yeelded there was a Monke in the Chancill sitting in one of the Seats of the Quire and reading in one of his Massebookes about midnight wee shott a Granado into the Towne which fell iust into the Seate where he sate and tooke him his Seate and Booke awaye that scarselie they could finde a Mommock lefte of him onely leauing the tincture of his blood vpon the Wall for a memoriall which is yet to be seene to this daye The second there was a strange shott hapned as in Ostend there was a Cannon Bullet of the Enemyes shott from the downe Batterie iust into the mouth of one of our Cannons which laye vpon the West-Bulwarke charged These twoo Bullets stryking togeather gaue fire to the loose cornes of Powder which were not driuen home Our Cannon went of and sent the Enemy their owne Bullet and ours backe to them againe So before the