many of them and followed so hard vppon them that they seized seauen péeces of ordonance which though the enemy a good while defended yet in the ende he was compelled pelled to abandon the place But while our souldiers were earnestly busied to naile and choake the péeces a barrell of gunpowder standing neere the ordonance toke suddenly fire by reason of a match which the enemies had secretly layd of purpose to mischiefe our people whereby some 150 of our souldiers were blowne vp and scorched yet not so sore hurt thereby but that with Gods helpe many of them will agame recouer and be able to do good seruice Some reporte that this mischance hapned by one of the pressed souldiers comming too néere the powder with his match but howsoeuer it hapned the enemie presently hereupon came afresh vpon our souldiers who being amazed with this suddayne mishap and many not knowing what it meant were forced to retire but there were slaine of the enemies in the fight 2000. men whereof thrée C. and more were horsemen besides thrée C. pioners neither was this victorie gotten without losse on our side for there were slaine of our men about 4. hundred and néere thrée hundred hurt and scorched The gouernour of the Towne séeing the enemie to vse all meanes possible to approach néerer to the walles hath caused the hauen ditch or banke on the southwest side of the Towne to be cut thorow which floweth such aboundance of water at full sea that the same runneth a league into the land euen to the forte of Isabella which doth so amaze and terrifie the enemie and all the cuntry thereabouts that it is coniectured the enemie will not lie long before Ostend for the first northwest wind that bloweth with any great gale will cause the water to spred and ouerflow the cuntry much farther and the cutting of the banke causeth such a seperation betwéen the trenches of both sides at hie water that they can not come one to the other by eight or nine score for sixe houres space neither with horse nor footemen It is reported by a souldier which came the fouretéenth day of this moneth out of Ostend that they fight and issue out of the towne vpon the enemy daily and that there is no want of any thing in the towne that the new way made for small shipping to come to the towne cut out of the head was againe stopped and made vp for feare of such inconuenience as might thereby happen to the towne thorow tempestuous weather And that for the better assurance of shipping comming in by the olde Hauen sir Frauncis Vere had caused a mount to be raised ioyning vnto the Hauen whereuppon the enemies ordonance playeth continually but they of the towne doe likewise continually repaire make vp the same againe And also he reported that some parte of the enemies trenches towardes the northwest lay within foure or fiue pikes lengths of the townes counterscarps as is before declared some other part of the trenches within eight or ten score of ours the greatest part lay much farther off That the water ranne euery tide a great breadth betweene the towne and the enemies so that in many of their trenches the ennemie stoode aboue the knées continually in water and at a spring tide the waters reached aboue their nauilles euen to their breasts which waters they of the towne with a sluice had deuised to kéepe in that with the ebbe the same coulde not return at the first the trenches of the towne were annoyed with the same waters aswell as the enemies but since they haue found remedy to kéep the waters out of their own trenches But the enemies are so greatly vexed with these waters that they are oftentimes forced to goe out of their trenches and to sit or lie vpon the banks and perapets and then the ordonaunce of the Towne playeth so vehemently vpon them that many of their carkasses are carried into the ayre and further the sayde souldier affirmed that it was a thing vnpossible for the enemy to get the towne as long as men victualles and munition might be brought in which the enemie shoulde neuer be able to lette though his shotte might cause some small danger in the day time saying that if once rayne and fowle weather came it was not possible that the enemy could kéepe his trenches but must be forced to abnandon the same The fiue and twentieth day of August were two sallies made vpon the enemy with great slaughter for after the enemies were drouen out of their trenches and with great fury followed the horsemen came in so great troupes vpon our people that they were forced to retire but within two houres after they issued the second time after they had caused the ordonance of the towne to be laden with musket shot and dice or square shot imagining that the horsmen as they did before would with great troupes succour their footemen and with great resolution charged the enemy and as they had done before caused them to forsake their trenches and following hard vpon them the horsemen as was imagined came vpon our people who with their pikes and muskets galled them shrewdly but retyring in order to bring them within the daunger of the townes ordonaunce which were so well bestowed vpon them that lanes were made amongest the thickest and at last foure hundred horsemen slayne The count Maurice came to Middleborough the one and twentieth day of this moneth the rest of his forces came from Dort in Holland with eight hundred saile great and small but where he mindeth to employ the same is vnknowen God for his mercie sake who is the giuer of all good things graunt him victorie and good successe wheresoeuer he goeth and to all his enterprises and contrariwise confound the tyrannicall attempts of the bloody Papists and of all their diabolicall and most wicked procéedings Amen FINIS
Excellencie was purposed to land his forces in the land of Waste with intent to ouerrun the country thereabout with fire and sword gathered together all the Boores and Pesants of the countrey in Armes and haue carryed what they could into the townes and places of strength The twelfth day of August was an other great fight with the enemy the same continued an houre and more and seconded with fresh supplies on both sides sometimes the one parte sometimes the other giuing ground and the ordonance of the Towne playing vpon the enemies where they were séene to be thickest in all mens iudgement there were slayne thrée hundred and more of the ennemy besides many that were hurt and there were 32. of our men slayne and some few hurt There was a Mariner of Zeland in Ostend that had his legge stricken off with a great shot who was taken vp to be carried to the shippe but before hee could be brought to the boate hée was with an other shotte strucke thorow the body that he presently dyed and so was rid of his paine The like hapned at an other time to a souldier that was likewise slayne with the enemies great shotte and being carried on foure mens shoulders to the graue the coffin and corse were shot thorow with an other bullet the men presently set the coffin on the ground and ranne as fast as they coulde striuing who should first get the shot Thurseday the 13. day was a ship caled the Globe of Amsterdam met before Ostend laden very richly and is reporported to be woorth 4. millions which came from the riuer of Plate and straights of Magellanes the same ship had béen out thrée yeeres and such as met this ship in their way from Vlushing reporte that two M. men more shal be sent out of Zeland to Ostend which will make vp the number of 13. M. men besides the voluntarie and others lately gone out of England so that it séemeth some great and extraordinary péece of seruice is meant God graunt courage and good successe to our people It is written from Antwerpe that the Duke doth woonders against the Towne and hath so besieged it both by sea and land that there is no way left to succour the same and that their Gallies lying before the hauen haue drouen all the shippes of warre from thence and suncke many and yet God knowes the Gallies dare not once peepe out or shew themselues for the last time they were at sea they found in their returne from Sluice their way so dangerous to escape their enemies hands that they haue since had small desire to hazard themselues abroade There hath beene some spéeches that the enemy made a rowling trench to fill vp the ditches of the Towne and so meant to enter the Towne ouer the walles after hée hadde made the same of equall height with the walls of the towne but in truth that supposed worke was partly for the repayring of his mounte and making passage to frée his souloiers from the waters which mount was so continually beaten with the ordonance from the towne the workmen so troubled with the issuings and skirmishings from sir Frauncis Veres trenches and the towne that the same could neuer be finished but specially to defend his trenches on the north west side of the town from the fireworks which they of Ostend did continually cast into those trenches to the great annoyance of the enemy and destructiō of the souldiers therein which trenches lie within foure or fiue pikes lengths of the counterscarps of the towne but if it were so that the enemy could bring such a supposed trench without let of waters and lay the same leuell with the wall which great paynes the Duke néede not to put his people vnto for that the Gouernor hath offered to set open the Gates and to let his people enter if they durst the Towne being furnished with such a number of men and many of them olde souldiers the enemy would quickely be weary of that enterprise for without all question they are so strong of men within the towne that if they had but one M. horse and fitte ground without the towne they would not feare but with Gods help to hazard a battel and peraduenture giue the Duke as hard entertainment as they did the last yéere before Newport There passeth few dayes but there are some sallies and enterprises made vpon the enemy and many men slayne on both sides but all men that come from thence Callice and other places agrée in this that thee enemy looseth 4 5 6 7 and 8. for one lost on our side notwithstanding it is by good accompt kept written from Vlushing that there hath beene aboue forty M. great shot discharged against the sowne since the first beginning of this siege so that the weast side of the wall of the towne slicketh so full and so thicke of great shot as the like hath not at any time before beene knowne in any siege and yet the Duke is no more likely to obtaine his purpose than he was at his first comming before the towne The 21. day there came to London a French man from Callice who reported for certayne that the King of Fraunce was in poast come to Boloigne the Wednesday before and had appoynted to be at Callice the next day following being the twentieth day of this moneth of August which reporte hath since béene by diuers confirmed and that it was the 22 day in the euening before he came into Callice and also that charge was giuen by the King that euery townesman of the sea towns should haue and furnish himselfe with ten pound of powder and ten pound of lead or shot The Frenchman abouesayd being demaunded concerning Ostend answered that thanked be God al was well that there was no feare or doubt to be made of the towne for they wanted nothing but had all things plentifully fit for their defence and sustenance and at very reasonable prices adding further that if any man would accept his offer he would wager a hundred crownes against thrée hundred that the Duke shoulde not get Ostend and be maister thereof these foure moneths It is also written from Callice and confirmed by sundry which come later from Vlushing that vpon saterday beeing the fiftéenth of August the enemy attempting some workes néerer to the towne than héeretofore had many pioners and souldiers to the number of about a thousand or more to guarde them whereupon they sallied out of sir Francis Veres trenches and beganne a very hote fight and were seconded presently with a thousand footemen out of the Towne the fight was very hote and with great fury maintained on both sides neyther side sparing the other but euery one doing his best to kil his next enemy but in the end the enemies were forced by the meanes of the artillerie of the towne to giue backe whereupon our men followed with such furie that they forced the enemy euen to his trenches with slaugh ter of
for the defence of the Towne And the next day following sir Francis Vere came to Ostend with eight companies of English men who presently entrenched himselfe without the Towne on the south side vnder the walles which was the onely place and fittest péece of ground from whence the enemy might with his canon batter the walles and hath euer since kept the same in despite of all the ennemies force with eightéene or twentie companies who daily haue giuen and doe giue the ennemy sufficient worke to his great losse and slaughter of his best and brauest souldiers as hath partely béene before declared in the former Edition whereunto I referre the courteous Reader yet thus much I thought good briefly to note by the way for the better satisfaction of all such as haue not read the same Since which time hath béene written sundry aduertisements as well from Antwerpe and Callice as also from Zeland and other places which I haue collected in this present Pamphlet for the further contentment of all such as are desirous to reade and vnderstand the same THe enemy obstinately continuing his slege before Ostend they likewise of the Towne with like resolution defending the same all means possible and warlike stratagems to anoy or defend are dayly put in practise the enemie with his ordonance thinketh to wearie them of the Towne killing sometimes 5.6.7 and 8. men in a day for he séeth it a thing vnpossible to bring his ordonance so neere the walls as to make a breach they of the Towne forget not to repay him triple interest with their cannon though not with so many shot yet with the death of foure and fiue of their enemies for one slayne of theirs The Duke of Ossuna vexed dayly with the continuall issuings and skirmishings more then he desireth and great slaughter of his people and finding the great inconuenience of the ground for the spéedie bringing of his people from the East for t to the west for t to succor each other as néede requireth hath with straw fagots hauen and earth made a cawsey from Albertus forte to the east for t betwéene the walls of the Towne and his fortes yet far without danger of the shotte from the Towne and hath also brought all his ordenance from the east side and planted the same against the west side of the Towne The States horsmen which came from the slege of Berk vnderstanding that 500 Spaniards were sent out of Diest and were marching towards the Dukes campe made such haste after them that they ouer tooke them fiersly assailing them on al sides put them all to the sword except some few which escaped by flight to carry newes of their ill hap Sir Frances Vere was hurt in the necke and bruised aboue his shoulder so that his forehead was therwith swoln which hapned with the splinter of a carriage that was broken by a shotte from the enemies but the hurte as God woulde is not great neither is his person in any daunger thereby although it was at the first somewhat troublesome vnto him But within few dayes after hée departed from Ostend to Middleborough to conferre with his Excellencie and the States about these affaires who are daily looked for to come thither where they meane to make theyr abode during the time of this séege to the end they may with more expedition giue order in these weighty affaires The 1200. men that were pressed out of Kent Essex and other places of England and had laine at Vlushing are sent to Ostend with 3000. other old souldiers all Wallons and Scots so that there lieth within the towne and in the trenches without some 8000. men besides 3000. more which lie in shippes of warre before the towne ready to be landed vpon any occasion who are daily supplyed with all kinde of Munition and fresh victualles in so much that all victuals sitte for souldiers are there solde very aboundantly and at reasonable prises neither doe the souldiers want money but are very well payde whereby they may prouide themselues of all such necessaries as they want and if any fall sicke or are hurte they are presently sent out of the towne to Vlushing Middleborough and other places of Zeland where they are placed in the Hospitalles and are so dilligently attended and carefully looked vnto as themselues can wish or desire wanting neither meate drincke wine physicke nor surgerie nor whatsoeuer else is fitte and requisite for their health and recouerie but are cherished as if they were in their fathers houses surely a most godly and christian deed of the people of those countries who notwithstanding their continuall taxations laid vpon them for the maintenance of these long warres do most liberally and fréely contribute euery man according to his estate and abillity in this most charitable action which is a worthy mirrour to vs and to all other christians teaching vs to estéeme of the poore and specially to haue a fatherly care of the souldier who while we sléepe quietly in our beddes and goe without feare about our worldly affaires at home must watch and ward day and night in all wethers and as often as he shall be by his captaine commaunded venture his life against the enemie and as a bulwarke stand betwéene the enemy and vs for the defence of our liues wiues children goods and cuntry Sir Horatio Vere hauing commaund in his brothers absence vpon Tuesday being the ninth day of August offered skirmish to the ennemy which was long fiercely continued on both sides and diuers times supplied with fresh supplies wherein the enemie lost 400 men besides many that were hurt and but ten souldiers of the Towne slayne and such as haue lately come from Callice say that the Flemmings themselues reported there that there were séene 84 wagons with sick and hurt men carried out of the campe In this fight the ordonance of the Towne slew many both horsemen and footmen and as it was reported by marchants of good credit there were in this fight séene 4 and 5 horsemen killed with one shot from the Towne and sometimes 10 and 12 footmen and more were séene to be torne and carried away with one bullet If the enemy finde many such banquets before Ostend I thinke he will quickly be weary of his fare and séeke a more friendly hoast elsewhere and furthermore they report that it is incredible to sée and heare what great numbers of dead men are daily brought from the campe to all the Townes and Villages néere adioyning to the Campe to be buried most of them being Spaniardes and Italians Captaines Alferoes and other Commaunders whereof many are buried in Friers wéedes with great solempnitie saying and singing of Masses and Dirges for their soules God graunt we heare no woorse newes of their fellowes They of Flaunders vnderstanding that the horsemen of the States were come to Bargen vp Zome and some of the footemen into Zeland where the count Maurice was dayly expected doubting that his