end there came into the saide towne many gentlemen Prelats deputies and orators of townes to be at the assembly which should bee the twenty fiue of Nouember At what time there came to court Maximilian King of Bohemia Sonne to King Ferdinand and William Duke of Cleues his brother in law to whome the Emperor before his departure gaue three goodly horses out of his Quiry The two and twenty of Nouember in the after noone the Emperor had sent for all the Knights of the Order of the goulden fleece to come to Court in whose presence hauing King Phillip his Sonne by him hee pulled the Coller of the said order of the fleece from his owne necke and put it about the King his Sonnes saying See my Sonne I doe now make you head and soueraigne of the Noble order of the golden fleece keepe it and maintaine it in the like dignity and honor that I my father and all my Prodecessors haue kept and maintained it GOD giue you the grace withall happinesse and increase the which hee spake with teares in his eyes Then turning to all the Knights of the order hee said Princepe hijo Prince my Sonne doe you see all these Noblemen here present These are the cheefe and most faithfull seruants that I haue had which haue beene the proppe and support of mine Empire and by them haue I vanquished and ouergone so many perrilles and dangers for which respect I haue alwaies loued them entierly If you doe the like I assuer my selfe they will carry you the like affection and obedience and will neuer abandon you at any need But if you intreat them otherwise they wil be the cause of the losse and ruine of your estate wherefore loue and honor them This was done in the great Hall of the Pallace at Brusselles which was furnished and hanged with ancient Tapistrie of the house of Bourgongne conteyning the Institution of the order of the golden fleece made in silke gold and siluer the which the Netherlands had in former times giuen vnto the Duke of Bourgongne At the end of the Hall was a rich royall throne with a low chaier with a backe and a cuission of cloth of gold where the Emperor was set and a skreene behind him before the fire The 25. of that month being the day of the Assignation all the deputies of the states and townes of the Netherlands came to Court euery one armed withful power authority as they had bin commanded to appeere except they of the towne of Louuaine who answered that they were not bound to go to any place to receiue and giue possession to a Duke of Brabant but that according to their ancient preuiledges which they had held aboue 500. yeares the future duke must first come to the towne of Louuaine and there take his oth then be receued there which priuiledge they would mainteine should bee entertained and kept Notwithstanding after many perswasions they appeared with the rest vpon protestation and preseruation of their rights The States that is to say the Dukes Princes Earles Barons Nobles Prelates and Deputies of Townes being assembled in the said great hall of the Pallace the Queene caused all Spaniards as well Officers as others of what qualitie soeuer to depart so as there remained not any one but those that had to doe and were called to this sollemne Acte The Emperor leaning vpon the prince of Oranges shoulder king Philip going on the side of him all the Princes of the order marching before him Being set downe in his seat King Philip did sit on his right hand foure or fiue foote behinde him and Queene Mary the Gouernesse on the left hand then did the Princes Noblemen Prelates and other deputies of States sit downe euery one according to his degree First they of Brabant so all the rest euery one in his ranke This done the first vsher of his Maiesties councell called all the States one by one in order whom hee demanded if they had sufficient procurations where-vnto was answered by the councellors or ◅rators of euery one with a lowd voice and a great reuerence that I. Where-vpon Philibert of Brussels Orator to the Emperor made a long oration in the French tongue in the name of his Imperiall Maiesty as followeth My Maisters besides that the Emperor our Soueraigne Lord and gracious Prince hath by his letters sent for you this day whereby you may partly gesse to what end this assembly doth tend yet his Imperiall maiesty hath cōmanded me to say vnto you That hauing had the charge and gouernment of these countries many yeares the which fell vnto him by inheritance in his tender age since which time he hath constantly perseuered to maintaine the publick quiet as much as he could possibly Towards whom he hath made many painfull and dangerous voyages abandoning his other countries and realmes And as well absent as present hath alwaies endeuored and beene carefull to haue you gouerned in all good order and iustice entertainment of your rights and priuiledges and all other things wher-vnto a good and louing prince is bound according vnto the fatherly affection which he hath alwaies shewed you the which he did inherit with the p◅trimonie of his predecessors following therein the path which they had made him in the loue and affection which you haue alwaies borne him the which hee hath made manifest by so many toiles and labours to ente◅taine you still in your duties that he hath not spared the hazard of his owne person the which hee holds well imploid hauing done it for such faithfull dutifull a◅d obedient subiects as hee knoweth you to be wherein he would desire to continue the remainder of his life if he could possibly any longer beare the toiles and troubles which he hath past And although his heart and will be still good yet age and the weaknesse of his person broken with forepassed toiles exceeds and maisters his good desires By reason whereof considering the estate wherevnto you see his person now reduced hee is resolued to abandon this burthen and seeking some rest to commit another in his place that may continue as he hath begone And as it is now twelue yeares past that his realmes of Spaine haue not seene him and that they haue greatly desired his comming whom he could not as yet so much gratifie as to visit them that now hee desired to settle his affaires and to prouide for his health the which begins greatly to decay by reason of this cold climate the ayre of Spaine being much more agreeable and healthfull for him and therefore hee is resolued with the helpe of GOD to passe this next Winter into these countries as well as he may And to substitute his deere sonne his onely heire and your Lord and lawfull Prince for that in truth it would trouble him much that after his retreate in his absence by reason of the tediousnesse of the way and length of time
towne Behold a great South-west winde which they might truely say came from the grace of God for it was vpon the extremity of their affaires with so great a spring tide as in eight and fortie houres the water was risen aboue halfe a foote Wherevpon the Commanders of the Protestants army resolued to imbrace this occasion disposing the order of their battaile what course they should obserue in the way and where they should land to cut the passage al along the which the Spaniards kept great gard in their boats It seemed that the Proâ—…estants should finde great difficulty in the enterprise the enemy being lodged there with greater forces then in any other place hauing besides foure or fiue great Galleys at Leyderdorpe vpon the Rhine The Commanders were also aduertised that the Spaniards had many flat bottomed boats like vnto theirs but they were wel assured that they wanted marriners men to row To conclude for that they would haue the fauor of the night the Spaniards seeing them when they should aduance towards them and that they must passe within musket-shot of their lodging who whilest they staied to make this passage might indomage them with their great ordinance notwithstanding all these difficulties the Protestants were resolued and ready the first of October at night and marched about eleauen of the clock in this order The Admirall with halfe the boates of warre went vpon the left hand towards Soeterwoude the Vice-admiral with the other moity tooke the right hand towards the castell of Swietten being a good musket-shot one from an other and betwixt both was the signior of La Garde with the lesser boats full of soldiars to land vpon the way being followed by the Pioners and Gabions and lastly came the boats laden with Victualls and munition The Spaniards which were in their boats seeing them come directly towards them left them being aboue forty as well appointed as the Protestants but for their ordinance for there was but one of them that had any Some of them thought to haue set a good countenance of it but they did not any thing but onely gaue the alarume Collonell La Garde was aduanced a little in a small boate with two owers to giue order for this landing to plant the gabions and to set the pioners to worke for hee did imagine the Spaniards would not so easily haue left it being thus aduanced in this little skiffe hee landed first and at the same instant Otâ—…ran Bouchard and other captaines on the left hand Grenu and La Derriere landed on the right with the soldiars that were appointed for that enterprise whereas the Pioners were presently set to worke and the gabions planted The Spaniards had begunne to plant many trees there and peeces of wood a crosse to make a palissadoe from one village to an other but they had no leysure to finish it and besides it was thought that the water rysing had much hindred them in their worke for the Protestants found some places vpon the dike whereas the water was a foote and a halfe deepe so they needed not to cut it aboute a foote deeper for that their boats drew no more water This was finished in two or three places an houre before day and yet the Spaniard neuer sallied forth to hinder their worke neither was the ordinance of the Protestants ships who lay before their lodging idle all this time for they shot all night into the villages through their corpes De Garde and at all other places whereas they could discouer either fire or light The Spaniards plaied sometimes on them but coldly with a bastard and an other smalpeece and likewise with their small shot The passage being opened the Admirall who was landed to aduance the worke imbarked againe and past of the one side and the Viceadmirall of the other according to the order aboue mentioned and the boates with victualls and munition betwixt both They were not farre past but they wanted water for the great boates did in a manner touch the ground so as they must make a vertue of necessity wherein doubtlesse the Zeelanders shewed their valour going most of them into the water to keepe their boates a floate as if they would haue carried them vpon their shoulders After they had labored a little to passe they entred into a faire great chanell called Meerburch vpon the which there were certaine Spanish boates towards Soeterwoude the which the soldiars abandoned to saue themselues but they could not runne so swiftly but some of them were taken prisoners wherein their great feare and amazement was easie to bee noted for they suffred themselues to bee taken by marriners who had no armes beeing but two or three in euery skiffe in one of the which the signior of La Garde was who was much greeued that hee had not brought some douzaine shot with them for hee might easily haue taken two good big boates full of Spaniards well apparelled hauing all cloakes and without any harguebuzes carrying the countenances of men of commande for the most part doubting at the first whether they were there to discouer or to stay at a bridge neere vnto the which they were called Papenbrughe betwixt the fort of Lemmen and Soeterwoude to stop the passage towards Papenmeer or whether it were to retire themselues whereof La Garde was presently satisfied by their apparent flight retyring by the way of Voorschote The way they tooke was al couered with water so as they were forced to go softly being in danger of drowning whereof they presently aduertised the Admirall and of the disorder wherein they seemed to bee intreating him to commande some boates to aduance vnto this bridge the which hee himselfe did after that hee had with much paine and difficultie entred into this great chanell of Meerbruch Beeing at the bridge hee caused it presently to bee broken to passe the boates into the lake and to pursue their enemâ—…es the which hee did so fitly as there were many of them cut off as well with the ordinance as the small shot and by them that leaped into the water after them and slue them with their daggers The which was chiefely done by them of Flessingue who were so incensed against the Spaniards as a marriner hauing opened the bellie of one pulled out his heart and hauing set his teeth into it hee threwe it to the ground the next day the same heart was brought into Leyden in the which were seene the impression of the teeth Others that could saue themselues retyring towards Stomwyckswech were in no lesse disorder for that the boats which the Protestants had left vppon the lake of Noorda with three companies of foot pursued them so hotly on that side as there was neuer seene a greater amazement Besides they left their artillerie and cast their armes into the water many were drowned of them-selues for that they knew not whether they went by reason of the Inondation finding great and
who was arriued a little before to mediate a peace and bending on the left hand by the mountaines which lead to Trent hee retired to Villac a towne of Carniola vpon the riuer of Draue Hee had a little before set Iohn Frederick Duke of Saxonie at libertie whome hee had kept fiue whole yeares languishing in prison and carried him a long time vp and downe with him as in triumphe whom he freed for feare his enemies should challenge it as a glory vnto them The which the prisosoner did also desire to the end that Maurice might not vaunt that hee had beene the cause of his liberty Beeing at libertie hee did yet accompany the Emperour wheresoeuer he went Maurice being arriued at Inspruck all the baggage that was found belonging to the Emperor the Spaniards or the Cardinall of Ausbourg was spoiled but they toucht nothing that belonged to King Ferdinand or to the Inhabitants and for that there remained but three dayes for the future treatie of the peace as it had beene concluded at Lints Duke Maurice went from them to Passau but the Princes his confederates returned from whence they came and came the twentie eight of May to Fiesse The Duke being come to the assignation at Passau to treate a peace the first of Iune that which had beene begun at Lints was repeated and all propounded and expounded more at large by Maurice There were as mediators King Ferdinand Albert Duke of Bauaria and the Bishops of Strasbourg and Eistede with the Ambassadors of the Dukes of Cleues and Wirtemberg Those for the Emperour came also Before them all Maurice made a long discourse and great complaints of matters that had past in the Emperours name and of the bad gouernement of the common-weale and among other things that forraine souldiers had vaunted that they had vanquished and subdued Germanie the which they did assure themselues to ioyne vnto the Emperours inheritance as it was his principall desseine in building of cittadels in all the chiefe townes That the Imperiall chamber was all gouerned from the which they of the religion were excluded and many other points which hee propounded and required to be redrest and that they should restore the Empire to her ancient dignitie and that Strangers might not bee suffered to scorne or contemne them The Princes and Noblemen that were mediators hauing conferred together thought that his demands contained nothing but what was iust yet to preserue the Emperors honour and that he might bee the sooner perswaded they were of opinion that many things which concerned the reformation of the State might be reserued to an Imperiall dyet During these conferences of peace the other confederate Princes marched still on especially the Marquis Albert of Brandenbourg who made warre apart the which hee sayd was in the French Kings name against the Princes Bishops and townes that were not of their league spoyling and burning all that hee could not ransome at his pleasure especially the towne of Nuremberg where hauing burnt about a hundred Villages of that iurisdiction and some three-score faire farmes with the Towne and Castell of Lichtenau hee went and besieged Nuremberg threatning it with extreame ruine so as by the meanes of other Princes that were intercessors for them hee forced them to redeeme this siege and to buy their peace paying him a hundred thousand crownes with sixe double Canons mounted with all their furniture and prouision and that they should fauour the confederate Princes like to them of Ausbourg From thence hee went before Vlme where hee preuailed nothing after that hee had wasted and spoiled the Country there-abouts He entred also into the territories of Mentz and Treues where he did all the harme he could In the meane time Duke Maurice being returned to his confederates to Mergentheim declared vnto them what had beene done touching the peace and that king Ferdinand was gone in all hast to the Emperor and that hee thought he would soone send some councellors with a finall answer But least in this doubtfull and vncertaine estate of their affaires some inconuenience might happen vnto them if they remained idle they resolued to goe to Francfort where there were 17. Euseignes of foote and 1000. horse in garrison for the Emperor vnder the command of Conrard van Handâ—…steyn the which might be very preiudiciall for the country of Hessen that lay neere it wherevpon they went and camped before the towne the 17. of Iuly During this siege George Duke of Mechelbourg in league with Maurice who had first made warre at Magdebourg was slaine with a Canon At the beginning when as they brought the siege before Francfort the confederate Princes demanded of the prince Palatin a great number of Artillerie the which hee refused once or twise but seeing there was no meanes to auoyde it and that they threatned to bring the whole armie they gaue them eight of their biggest Canon with all their furniture The Marquis Albert who had ioyned with his confederates vpon the way as they arriued before Francfort left them at the siege and marched towards the Rhine whereas hee subiected Wormes and Spyer vnder his command inioyning them to supply him both with money and Artillery In all places where he came the Church-men were fled or had changed their habites to disguise them-selues and as hee approched neere vnto Franconia the Bishops and Prelates all fledde away Hauing gotten these Townes hee writte vnto the Senate of Strasbourg commanding them that their Towne should bee alwayes open for him and his companions and should receiue a garrison for them when need required whereof they excused themselues beeing of the religion and in league with the Princes Albert beeing aduertised that Duke Maurice inclined vnto a peace left a garrison at Spyer and returned vnto Francfort with his troupes Hee beeing come hee hastened the siege and planted his Campe on the other side of the riuer of Meyn in a place that was some-what high where hee might play with his Canon at his pleasure Hee tooke the treatie of peace in very ill part and spake wonderfull ill of Maurice refusing to bee comprehended therein The 15. of Iuly King Ferdinand sent to the Campe of the confederate Princes beeing before Francfort Henry Vicont of Meissen and Chancellor of Bohemia who arriued after Duke Maurice the 24. of the said moneth After they had contended a little the Chancellor terrifying him with Duke Iohn Frederick whom the Emperour had set at libertie and shewed vnto the Landtgraues sonne the condition of his Father and the danger of all his prouince in the end hee perswaded them vno peace the which was concluded at Passau vppon certaine conditions The chiefe Princes that were present and the Ambassadors of them that were absent signed this treatie the originall whereof was dispatcht at Passau which the Emperor himselfe signed A peace beeing concluded the French Ambassador retired The King disliked of this composition but hearing that the
thousand foot aboue 2000 hors-men besides many country men that fled from the places where they dwelt with this army marched towards the enemie who fearing his comming was already marching away and lay incamped in a strong place about halfe a mile from Graueling where the earle of Egmont found him The lord of Termes perceiuing himselfe to bee too weak dâ—…termined to march out of Flanders towards Calis which he did the next day passing along by the sea side when it was low water willing his men to set fire on Duynkerk and so to depart And in that sort passed he the small riuer of Ha beneath the towne of Graueling which the earle of Egmont the barons of Bingincourt the marques de Renti the earle of Reux the barons of Moerbeke Monichousen Fontaines Mewerkeet others perceiuing determined to intercept him and first to set vpon his carriage that they should not any more seeke to enter into Flanders cleane contrary to the prouerb which is That a man should make a golden bridge to an enemy that is going away and to that end passed ouer the riuer of Ha somewhat aboue Graueling without any ordnance Monsier de Termes perceiuing that they meant to set vpon him ordained his battaile in as good order and with as much aduantage as he could which was in this sort on the South side where the sandy downes lay he placed his wagons baggage and pillage on the North side he had the sea and at his back the riuer of Ha whereby they could not assaile him on no part but before and there he placed eight great culuerins and three falcons his horse-men standing between them and him and on each side of them certaine numbers of Gascoin harquebusiers behind them he planted the pikes both of French and Dutch men The earle of Egmont on his side against them set fiue troups of horsmen whereof three companies were light horse which were to giue the onset the troupes on the right side being led by the earl of Pontenels those on the left hand by Don Henrico Henriques and he himself in the middle the fourth troup were the Dutch swart Ruyters and the fiâ—…th the Netherlanders each vnder their owne leaders after them followed the foot-men being Netherlanders high Dutche and Spaniards led by their colonels Bingincourt Manichuysen Don Lewis de Carauagial and others and in this order the earle of Egmont vpon the thirteenth of Iuly brauely set vpon the French men first incouraging his souldiers to make them the willinger to fight The Frenchmen that stood resolutely ready to defend themselues receiued them with great courage and at the first onset discharged their ordnance therewith doing verie great hurt amongst them and at that time the earle of Egmonts horse was slaine vnder him and yet notwithstanding hee set most couragiously vpon them and for that the place was broad and euen vpon the sand brauely fought hand to hand man to man horse to horse and wing against wing which for a long time before had not beene seene in which fight the Bourguygnons had an vnexpected furtherance by meanes of certaine ships of England that lay at sea and kept along the coast before the townes of Douer and Graueling to free the same as also to hinder the French men from carrying the bootie that they had gotten from the towne of Duynkerke when they ransackt it by water which were most small ships beeing led by the viceadmirall master Malin who perceiuing the said battaile from out the sea went with his smallest ships as neere the strand as hee could and shot many bullets at the French men but because they were farre from the land they could doe them no great hurt and so by that meanes oftentimes failed and sometimes by chance shot amongst the Bourguygnons but that neuerthelesse as much discouraged the French men as it incouraged the Bourguygnons The meane time the earle of Egmont had sent certaine troupes of Dutch ruyters sidewayes which went closely by the downes and entred on the South side of the French horse-men assailing them valiantly whereby at the last the French horse-men beeing for the most part gentlemen and well mounted perceiuing the danger they were in began to giue backe which caused the Bourguignons to set the more boldly vpon them and thereby put the French men to flight first the horse-men and then the footmen to the great honour and commendation of the Bourguignons specially of the light horse-men and most of the earle of Egmont who at that time shewed himselfe both to bee wise and circumspect and also stout and valiant The like did the rest of the commaunders as Burgincourt the marques de Renti the earle of Reux Don Henrico Henricques the earle of Pontenels the baron de Fontains Don Lewis de Caravagâ—…al with his Spaniards and Manichâ—…ysen with the Dutch men The French men much blamed the marshall de Termes because hee marched not away the night before but it appeared that hee had charge to stay at Duynkerke there to strengthen himselfe and to stay for more aid as also for that hee stood vpon his aduantage and was well prepared to make resistance being scarce three Dutch miles from Calis with a number of good souldiers whereby hee was of opinion that no man could hinder his intent It was thought that there were about fifteene hundred men slaine in the field besides those that were drowned and such as were slaine in the flight by the pesants many were taken prisoners as the marshall de Termes gouernour of Calis beeing fore hurt the barons of Senerpont Annibault Villebon Morvilliers Chaulis and others The ordnance ensignes and the bootie was all taken Of the Bourguignons there was about three or foure hundred men slaine and amongst the rest the baron de Pelu This victorie greatly increased the honour of king Philip and the Bourguignons shewing by experience that they were too good for the French men in the field And at that time Duynkerke and Winoxbergh were both taken againe from the French men About this time Mary queene of England sent a great nauy of ships of warre to sea conducted by the lord Clinton admirall of England and by reason of the contracts made betweene England and the Netherlands as also for that the queene of England at that time held a regiment of Dutch men in the Netherlands in her pay vnder the conduct of an English gentleman called sir William Pickerin they of the Netherlands sent twentie or twentie two great ships of warre well appointed and furnished of all things whereof the admirall was monsieur van Wackene and Capelle viceadmirall to the earle of Horne and with him the lord of Cruningen and other Netherlanders with many souldiers to ioyne with them which two fleets sailed together vnto the coast of Britaigne and vpon the nineteenth of Iuly at Conquet landed their men burning and wasting the countrey all about and did them great hurt but monsieur de Kersimont
either side and that those which proceed by any other vnlawfull meanes as by taxing and slandering shall bee well punished which doubtlesse will be a most assured meanes and the subiects shall liue in good vnitie and concord together and will carrie a perfect obedience vnto his Maiestie And in the meane time truth will lay open falshood in such sort as the king shall not need to feare that heresies shall multiply by this meanes to root out the truth but contrariwise wee shall see truth flourish and al heresies and false sects decay Gods glorie shal be generally celebrated and the kings greatnesse and prosperitie increase The which God grant vs by his holy grace to whom be all honour and glorie for euer and euer and euer Amen Such was the discourse of M. Francis Baudwin wherein he toucht the true point concerning the remedie of the troubles the which the king and his counsell might since haue known to be true if they would haue confest it freely or whether that the point of religion and the great zeal which his counsellors did counterfeit were the matters which toucht them neerest as they made great shew of or else couetousnesse and ambition euerie one aiming at his priuat greatnesse to the preiudice of the king and his countries and if the king who was then giuen to his pleasures and without any knowledge of state the which hee hath since learned to his owne cost referring all wholy to his cardinall and counsell had not beene so easie to suffer himselfe to be persuaded to the contrarie Whilest that both great and small in the Netherlands were thus distempered for feare of the troubles which were at hand by reason of the new bishops Inquisition bloudy edicts and counsell of Trent Alexander Farnese prince of Parma sonne to duke Octauio and the duchesse gouernesse of the Netherlands maried the Infanta of Portugal in the towne of Brussels whither most of the nobles and best qualified gentlemen of the countrey came to honor the feast during the which there were diuers conferences among them all concurring in this opinion That they held it an inestimable losse and a miserable case that a countrey so abounding in people and so flourishing in riches should for the aboue-named causes come to ruine and de solation and that so many faithfull and loyall subiects should kill and murther one another so grosly for that they would not yeeld a little to their inclinations nor discharge them any thing of the violence that was offered them seeing that the peoples requests were so reasonable Wherein seeing that they which had the gouernment in hand were abused or hindered by some bad spirits to preuent the apparent mischiefe they thought themselues bound as wel in regard of their duties and othe as of the ranke which they held to imbrace this matter effectually and to aduance it all they could But they would first trie if by the generall complaints of the people together with their praiers and intercessions they might obtaine any thing Wherin many of them did imploy themselues the more earnestly for that they had of a long time been affected to the religion and therefore hated the edicts and all other cruell innouations The noblemen which were as we haue said assembled at Hochstrate were dealt withall but they would not hearken to it but reuealed it to the duchesse for that some feared the euent yet notwithstanding the noblemen and gentlemen assembled at S. Trudon in greater numbers resoluing to make a petition in the peoples name they concluded of the order and the day when they should meet at Brussels to make the said petition vnto the gouernesse and the chiefe of the countrey as well by mouth as by writing And to the end that through the persuasions of some seditious instruments the matter might not be so disguised as their assembly and good intention should be taken in ill part and otherwise interpreted than was sincerely intended they thought it conuenient for their assurance to make a confederation or league together by the which they did promise to succour one another and not to forsake it for any cause but what should bee done vnto the least of them for that occasion should be taken as done to them all in generall and to euerie one in particular and that they should iointly defend themselues with all their powers whereof they made a compromise signed by euery one of them the tenor whereof followeth Whereas wee haue beene lately duly informed and it is most true that certaine peruerse creatures cunning and malitious making a counterfeit shew of great zeale which they haue to the maintenance and increase of the religion and Catholike faith and of the vnion of the people but indeuouring onely to satisfie their instiable couetousnesse ambition and insupportable pride haue by their â—…gred words and false suggestions so persuaded the king our lord notwithstanding any petitions to the contrarie that haue beene made vnto him that contrarie to the othe which his Maiestie hath made vnto God and to his faithfull subiects of the Netherlands he would forcibly bâ—…ing in and plant that pernitious Inquisition the which is not onely vnreasonable and contrarie to all diuine and humane lawes but also exceeding all the rigours and cruelties that euer were put in practise by the most cruell tyrants Infidels and Heathens The which also cannot but redound to the great dishonour of the name of God and the losse desolation and totall ruine of the said Netherlands for that it doth subiect all authoritie and iurisdiction vnder the power of the Inquisitors making all men perpetuall and miserable slaues exposing all good men to continuall and apparent danger both of bodie and goods by their searches and visitations so as if a priest a Spaniard of some wicked instrument meanes to do a mischiefe to any man by meanes of the Inquisition he may accuse him cause him to be apprehended yea put to death be it iustly or vniustly and confiscat all his goods were he the vprightest man in the world without hearing of his cause reasons and lawfull defence Wherefore we that haue subsigned hauing duely weighed and considered all these things haue and do thinke it our dueties according vnto reason to preuent the said apparent and intollerable inconueniences and by all good meanes to prouide for the safeties of our goods and persons that we be not made a prey vnto them who vnder colour of religion or Inquisition would inrich themselues with the losse of our goods and liues Whereupon we haue resolued to make and do make a good firme and holy league and confederation binding our selues and promising one vnto another by a solemne othe to hinder with all our power that the Inquisition be not brought in in any publike sort whatsoeuer either openly or secretly vnder the name of Inquisition Visitation Edicts Commandements or any other pretexts whatsoeuer but to abolish and root it out as much as in
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say The break of day chaseth away euill On the left hand was an altar with the fire of sacrifice kindled and there was written Deo Patrum nostrorum as if hee would say To the God of our Fathers to whom we sacrifice for the deliuerie of the country and victorie ouer our enemies This figure was interpreted after diuers manners some said these two heads were the earles of Egmont and Horne others the prince of Orange and cont Lodowic his brother But Aries Montanus had alluded this bodie beaten downe to the Netherlands which was gouerned by the three estates whereof the duke had subdued two leauing the clergie in his full power the two heads represented the nobilitie and the people of the six armes three were applied to the nobles holding the paper which was the petition presented to the duchesse the toarch the counsell and the mace their force the other three agreed with the people holding the hammer and the hatchet instruments wherewith they had beaten downe the images and the purse the support of money which the people furnished the maske is vnderstood of himselfe Others may interpret it after their owne fancies The earle of Lodron being in garrison at Valenciennes with his regiment of Landtsknechts the most part Grisons and of the countrey of Tyrolle was kept prisoner by his souldiers mutining for their pay whom he pacified with good words and solemne othes in receiuing the sacrament of the altar that nothing should be imputed vnto them Hauing found meanes to pay them he required a new othe of them some of the captaines would not yeeld to it saying That there was no trust in an Italian but they should rather carrie him with them into their countrey and there breake their colours such as were of this opinion â—…tired the rest suffered themselues to be persuaded alledging their pay which did bind them to serue the king They were drawne out of Valenciennes with good words to Bourgerhout neâ—…re vnto Antuerpe there to be mustered but they were presently enuironed by the Spanish horsemen who slew a good number of them kept many prisoners who were afterwards executed by the sword and hanged both within and without Antuerp Such as could escape this furie fled into Germany and so into their owne countrey who were afterwards reuenged for this treacheâ—…ie vpon the lands and subiects of the earle of Lodron beeing neere neighbours to the Grisons countrey We haue formerly spoken of the prouost Spelle named Iohn Cronelt which was one of the cruellest instruments that the duke of Alua could haue imployed this tyrant was conuicted of many concussions and to haue put many innocents to death vnder counterfeit names and to haue released some for great summes of money and also to haue taken money of the kinsfolkes of some and yet afterwards to haue put them to death â—…estoring nothing of that which he had receiued for which crimes the duke of Alua caused him to be hanged at Brussels with two of his instruments so as that which he had done wrongfully to many was done rightfully to him according vnto iustice He had without any â—…espect or discretion put many thousands to death as also the duke of Alua had sometimes vanted that he had caused aboue 18000 by good account to passe through the hands of his executioners the which he tâ—…rmed by the name of Iustice. At that time the duke was at rest fearing no enemie imagining that hee had subdued and expelled all hee therefore now dreamed of new meanes to oppresse to Netherlands and to draw home and get into his clawes those that were fled into the neighbor countries as into France England Germanie the East countries and elsewhere hee cals them home by a generall pardon published in Iuly but they were not so foolish nor simple to trust vnto it only some artisans and poore creatures did hazard themselues for whom beeing so few in number and the purchase so small the duke would not violat his faith but left them in peace gouerning themselues according to his pardon And withall the said pardon was so restrained as it was not in a manner but for the innocents for such as had in any sort offendâ—…d during the troubles were not comprehended As after the defeats of the Protestants in the Netherlands at Waterloo Austerweel Valenciennes and S. Valerie many which had then escaped had not the means to get out of the country fearing least they shold be incountred in the way vpoÌ„ their retreat by the Prouosts marshals who pursued them and had charge to put as many to death as they could take that had carried armes against the king his lieutenants and officers they put themselues in troups into the woods and forrests as at Nieppes in Flanders Richbourg Olhain and Verdres in Arthois Mourmal and others in Henault and carrying themselues vnder the name of the prince of Orange they made warre apart against the priests and officers of iustice who they said were their enemies killing spoyling and ransoming them without doing any wrong to farmers or countreymen who in the night fuâ—…nished them with victuals One day they tooke the prouost marshall of Arthois named Dentelin Gondebleâ—… their great persecuter whom they did miserably spoyle with all his men in a farme belonging to one Israel of Escluse a banished man They tooke foure and twentie horse which they carried in the night hauing in the day time their retreat into the woods to sell in France Of all the prouosts men there escaped none but the hangman verie sore wounded and left for dead vpon the dunghill They called these men Boskets or Bosquillons for that they kept in the woods and forrests They kept a certaine discipline among them not to hurt any marchants or other passengers if they were not of the iustice whom they put to death or church men whom they drew into the woods and ransomed deteining them there vntill the money were come If they found that there were any theeues in the said woods which vnder their names did rob the passengers they pursued them and hauing taken them they deliuered them to the Prouosts men at the entrie of the wood not suffering them to approach within harguebuse shot neither durst the others come any neerer Their armes weâ—…e a â—…arguebuse hanged at their backes in a scarfe a hanger at their girdles and a halfe pike on theâ—… shoulders with the which they leaped ouer ditches were they twentie foot broad men actiue and resolute in great numbers When as the prouost could take aâ—…y of them he burnt them or râ—…sted them with a small fire On the other side those that were fled out of the realme as into England Germanie the East countries and to Rochell went to sea vnder the princes name and it may bee vnder his commission making warre against all ships of the Netherlands that came or went into Spain whom they did take and spoile making their
it shorter they spared nothing that might auaile them by goodly promises or practises to induce the besieged to yeeld and to acknowledge the King Wherein they imployed many of these Bourgers and others that were of their partie who wanted no letters of aduice to whome they of the towne would neuer make any other answer but by a letter in the which there was nothing written but this latin verse Fistula dulce canit volucrem dum decipit Auceps And seeing that they preuailed nothing with all their letters and perswasions the which did animate and incourage the Bourgers the more they ment to shut them vp more straightly building forts vppon all the passages both great and small Some Bourgers which by the sodaine siege of this towne had bene excluded with the Prince of Oranges leaue and the assistance of the Magistrate of Goude did laid thirty barks with wheat and rye the which two peasants and a Balyfe of a village had promised to conduct by a couert way to Copier-ka the which they peeced and there they attended them to guide them vnto the towne These barks furnished with good marriners hauing euery one two hargubusiers aduanced to Copier-ka which they found pierst but no peasant to guide them yet they past on and in steed of taking the left hand they past on the right and so wandred vp and downe vntill the breake of day And thinking their peasant had betraid them who tired with toyling slept not farre from the place they returned to Goude without any exploit Those of Leyden aduertised of this enterprise attended them with great deuotion and sent their aduenturing barks to second them the which was not without some profit for being come neere vnto Heymansbrugge they met with two ships of Conuoy of the Spaniards which they set vpon slue all the men and put into their barks all the munition of warre victualls artillerie silkes gold and siluer-lace poulder and a great number of boullets Of the two ships one was burnt and the other sunke The Spaniards being at Leyderdorp thought to take these barkes in their returne and to reskue the bootie but the besieged putting themselues in armes attending their men gaue so hot an alarme to the Spaniard as during the skirmish they past without danger and hindred the Spaniards from caâ—…rying away of some boates as they pretended These barkes brought with them one Peter Quaetgelaet who was taken in the sayd shippes and as a Traitor executed and quartered and his quarters set vpon the towne gates The signior Thierry of Bronckhorst was in the Princes name appointed as gouernor and superintendant in the towne He with the Lawiers and the chiefe of the towne considering that this siege would be long the enemy hauing an intent to famish them set an order vpon the victualls in Iune to make them last as long as it was possible and hauing â—…aken a viewe of the corne there was found but a 100. and ten lasts and foureteene thousand mouthes in the towne to feede therewith The first two monthes euery one was stinted at halfe a pound of bread by the day the which a laborer would haue eaten at his breakfast The Spaniards finding that the besieged drewe manie commodities and refreshings from their Kitchin gardins without the towne the which they had sowed in the beginning of the springe the seauenteene and eighteene of Iuly they built a fort not farre from Rhynsbourg gate at the end of the Causey to cut off their passage to these gardins The which the signior of Bronckhorst and the councell seeing they promised an honest recompence to them that should first seize vpon this fort The which they did the sayd eighteene day with such courage as they chased away all their enemies with great losse and confusion The same moneth the Gouernor and councell did coyne money of paper or cardes of foureteene and eight and twentie stiuers the peece where there was of the one side grauen Hac libertatis ergo And of the other Nummus obsessoe vrbis Lugdunensis sub gubernatione illustrissimi Principis Auraici cusus and of them of foureteene Stiuers Lugdunum Baâ—…auorum The towne was then besieged more straightly then before a certaine Spanish captaine called Carion had intrenched himselfe at Waldinge whereby hee did verie much mischiefe to the besieged for the auoyding whereof it was resolued to sallie forth vpon him and his men in the manner that followeth That Gerard Vander Laen should goe forth with a galley well appointed with Men Artillerie and Muskers Iohn van Duyuenworde captaine of the aduenturers or forlorne Hope some beeing armed with harguebuzes and some with halfe pikes should sallie forth at the Vlyergate Adrien Schot with his companie by the port of Rhynsbourg should seize vpon the way to Poelbrug the companies of Iohn Vanderdoors and the signior of Noortvic with Mees Hauicx should set vpon the fort at the bridge of Boschuysen in that quarter which they call the Sandt and they should haue with them good store of Pioners This enterprise thus layed and a reward promised for them that should first enter into the enemies forts and for euery Spaniards head a warning beeing giuen by fire they issued forth of the towne and did all at one instant assaile the enemie with very great furie and fearefull cries especially the signior of Noortuic named Ianus Dousa a Gentleman of great learning as his writings doe witnesse and Mees Havicx with their companies The Spaniards beeing but threescore men defended themselues verie valiantly with their musket-shot But the besieged although they were Bourgers without any feare of their shot ranne desperately to the foote of the trenches from whence they cast balles of wild-fire stones and such other things vpon the Spaniards vntill that with their halfe pikes they had forced these trenches where they slue burnt and buried aliue in the ruines of the fort which the souldiars ruined and spoiled as much as they could all the Spaniards that were within it not taking any one to mercie although they cried out for mercy The signall of fire had giuen the alarme throughout all the Spanish campe Those of Lammen came to succor Vaddinghen and so did they of Leyderdorp Voorschote and Vassenare which are all villages within a League of the Towne where the Caualerie laie who came running in all hast but they gained nothing but musket-shot so as they were forced to retyer with shame and some losse of men And as it was not the intent of the besieged to hold this fort but onelie to ruine it and to shewe that although they had no soldiars in the towne yet that necessitie vse and experience had taught their Burgers to become good soldiars after that they had labored two houres to ruine the fort as much as they could seeing the enemies approch with a great supply they retired with good order into the towne hauing in these skirmishes slaine aboue a hundred Spaniards and
of the countrouersie they had with the territories therabouts were so blinded as Iacob Hillebrand bourgomaster who was chiefe commaunder of the kings chamber in Groning and the chiefe man in the towne and he on whom they of the Religion did chiefly relie the euening before the towne reuolted to the king supped with him and told him very plainly of the report that men made of him saying That he hoped he had no such bad entent in him wherewith the earle wrung him by the hand and said What my good father whom I trust so well haue you such an opinion of me and with such like faire speeches smoothed the matter so well that the same euening the said bourgomaster being in company with certain of the magistrats and those of the reformed religion assured them of the earle of Renenberghes good meaning intent towards them yet caused them of the religion to keep good watch in their owne houses wherby they thought to be sufficiently assured But the earle of Renenberghs practises being more and more suspected he began to feare that the prince of Orange would enter into Groning with his guard therfore durst not protract his design any longer although as then he was not sure of any reliefe for that not long before he was certified that certaine souldiers that were comming to Campen should aid him who as they were passing ouer the Rhin were by the Drossart of Recklinghuysē others ouerthrown for which cause vpon the 2 of March he assēbled his houshold seruants diuers bourgers affected to the Spaniards certaine souldiers that he had kept secretly in the morning when by his espials he vnderstood that the watch held by those of the reformed religiō were asleep at 5 of the clock being armed at all points he rode out of his house with all his adherents euery man hauing a white scarfe vpon his left arme into the market place and hauing his sword drawne in his hand he sayd Stand aside stand aside good bourgers this day am I right gouernour of this towne let vs now accomplish and effect that which is requisite for the kings seruice and our owne defence and therwith caused diuers trumpets and drums to be sounded a great noise to be made The aforesaid bourgomaster Hillebrand putting himselfe presently into armes with some of the reformed Religion marched thither saying vnto him How now sir is this done as a good gouernour ought to do vnto the people but one of the earle of Renenberghs boyes shot at him and slew him presently whereupon the rest began to flie whereof some were taken prisoners and some fled into their houses but there was no more killed but only a bourgers sonne of Breame After that they ran through the streets shooting at all that looked out at the windowes that done they went and made search throughout all the towne and tooke all those prisoners that were not well thought on by the Spanish affected bourgers being at the least two hundred of the best townes men wherof some were very hardly vsed who notwithstanding afterwards by diuers meanes were set at liberty all the preachers and diuers other good bourgers got secretly away The earle hauing in this sort gotten Groning into his hands presently changed the magistrats and caused their reconciliation with the king and the prince of Parma to be proclaimed and the townesmen to sweare to be true vnto the king writing vnto the territories therabouts to moue them to ioyne with him with commandement to arme themselues to withstand the mutinous regiment of Bartel Entens and others But the ioy and triumph made by the earle and his adherents endured not long for that the same day they found themselues inclosed and besieged for that captaine Cornput the same morning hauing intelligence thereof by certaine that fled out of the towne presently caused Olthofs company of Dam and the companies of Suyetlaren of Vliet Schaghen and Weda to march towards Groning that if peraduēture those that were affected vnto the Estates within the towne could find any meanes to relieue themselues they might be readie to assist them who got good bootie in the cloyster of Essen for that Aelkin Ousta who had maried the earle of Renenberghs aunts daughter and Asin Entes that lay at Vries the same euening were come to the cloyster of Essen and for that Cornput feared least they of Groning should kil their prisoners he wrot that if they did so he would reuenge it vpon their friends and adherents At the same time the earles letters were intercepted wherein he wrot vnto all the great and small townes in Oueryssel and in the best manner he could shewed them of his enterprise hoping by his subtile persuasions and by aid of those that were addicted to the Spaniards to induce them to ioine with him but he was preuented for that vpon the twelfth of March by meanes of the bourgers which were addicted to the Estates and by the procurement of Sonoy they of Campen receiued Hans Pluyms companie into the towne The townesmen of Deuenter likewise rose vp in armes and brake downe the Images and the cloysters in despight of the Spanish faction The like did they of Swool as also of Vtrecht and other places round about a moneth before They of Friseland and the territories and those of Drenth brake down the Images in euery place and sold their cloyster lands goods and draue some of the priests out of their townes so as the earle of Renenberghs reuolt procured much harme vnto the Catholickes The smaller townes as Oldenzeel Steenwicke Hasselt and others still held with the earle of Renenbergh although they made shew to be for the Estates But the prince of Orange lying in Campen sought by all the meanes hee could to keepe those of Oueryssel in obedience willing Sonoy with Cornputs and Wynegards companies to goe to Coeuoorden to keepe the passage that way and also by Wedden that they of Groning might haue no aid Sonoy forthwith fortified Coeuoorden wherein he vsed an enginor of Alcmar and inclosed it with seuen bulwarkes letting the castle that was begun by Cornput lye as he found it in regard that the countrey would not endure to haue any more castles but not long after the male-contents built it vp This worke begun by Sonoy for want of mony was afterwards neglected as also the new fortification with the fiue bulwarkes made in the middle of Boertange whereby the country not long after endured much spoile and great trouble At the same time the prince of Orange sent the earle of Hohenlo once more against the pesants that held with the Spaniards as also to take the small townes aforesaid who vpon the tenth of Aprill tooke the towne of Oldenzeel vpon condition from thence went to Linghen but did little there Meane time Bartel Entens had besieged Groning with thirteen companies of foot and two cornets of horsemen which before were of the
the which hee did yet was he still desirous to be gone for that he continued there against his conscience and although he were often intended to depart yet there was something still which retayned him Notwithstanding at Easter last God as it were forced him to retyre for that there was a priest of Brussels in the earles house very seuere against them that were suspected to bee of the Religion going often into their chambers to see what they did so as both he and his cousin had a great desire to play him some bad part for he threatened to accuse them if they went not to confession and to the Sacrament which made him retyre from thence to Treues there to passe the feast of Easter but being returned this priest demaunded of him where he had receiued the Sacrament hee answered him in the Iesuites church at Treues whereas one of the chiefe Iesuits had ministred the Sacrament vnto him But as this Iesuite came vnforrunately to Luxembourg the priest asked him if Francis Guyon had receiued the Sacrament at his hands the other answered no whereupon the sayd priest knowing that Guyon was in the castle of Fontaine neere vnto Luxembourg with the earle he came thither and would haue taken him but he defended himselfe and hurt the priest with his dagger so as he escaped and went to Treues from whence hee sent to his cousin for his horse and some little money but as he stayed too long fearing to be discouered to haue vndertaken this voyage vnto the prince of Orange to doe him seruice as hee had both desire and meanes and in saying so this impudent affronter drew out of his sleeue a packet full of blankes sealed by the earle of Mansfeldt saying That hee had the sayd seale often at his commaundement and disposing beeing chiefe clerke vnto du Pre and that therewith he had giuen many pasports to victuallers and others that had need thereof All this discourse being deliuered vnto the prince by Oyseleur hee commaunded him to inquire of him to what vse they might serue Hee answered That therewith they might make an enterprise vpon any towne in Luxembourg or if that were too farre it might serue for spyes to goe through the countrey This being deliuered vnto the prince of Orange he replyed That there was no meanes to attempt any thing with those blankes but they might serue to cause messengers to passe from Brussels to Cambray commanding that they should send part of them to Brussels as for the rest the prince hauing conferred with the Seignior of Espruneaux embassadour for the duke of Aniou an occasion being offered it was resolued that Caron Seignior of Schoonwal returning then into Fraunce should carry him with him to know if the Seignior of Biron who it was sayd should bee gouernour of Cambray could make any vse of those seales to make pasports for his men Whereupon Caron hauing his dispatch from the prince was charged to take him with him as hee did This villaine being in those parts he writ into these parts That he did hope to see the Seignior of Beauieu shortly he called the murther which was proiected by him Beauieu who did well temember his father that dyed in his seruice by whose meanes he did hope to be aduanced and to attaine vnto some better estate See the constant cosenage of this wretch Soone after Caron sent him backe with letters vnto the prince and the Estates aduertising them of the duke of Aniou his death The prince hauing red these letters sent for Guyon into his chamber being yet in bed to vnderstand the particularities of the duke his death this wretch did since confesse being in prison That if at that time he had had a dagger or a knife yea a pen knife that he had slaine the prince in his bed who after that he had talked a while with him he dismissed him After that hee came vsually to prayers and sermons He red commonly du Bartas workes and especially the Historie of Iudith where there are certaine persuasions to encourage men to root out tyrans Sometimes hee borrowed a Bible of the Porter to read some chapters before him whereby vnder colour of Religion he grew familiar with some of the princes houshold In the end his dispatch being made to returne into Fraunce to Monsieur Caron he was commaunded to depart hauing no more to doe there Whereupon he entreated them to giue him some money shewing his hose and shoes which were not worth any thing The prince commaunded that in deliuering him his dispatch they should giue him tenne or twelue crownes the which was done and he receiued his money the eight of Iuly The next day hee bought a pistoll of a souldier of the princes guard called Rene but finding that it shot not true he bought 2 more of one called Iohn de la Forest sergeant to captaine Claude Caulier the which he tryed three or foure times and found them good The tenth of the same moneth he watched when the prince should goe downe into the hall to dinner from whom he demaunded a pasport speaking as the princesse did obserue him with a hollow and vnsetled voice so as she demaunded of the prince her husband what he was for that she did not like his countenance The prince answered her that hee demaunded a pasport the which he would cause to be giuen him During dinner time he was seene walking about the stables behind the house towards the rampar of the towne Dinner being ended the prince going out of the hall the murtherer stood behind a pillar in the gallerie with his cloake hanging vpon one shoulder and vnder his left arme these two pistols hidden holding in his right hand a paper as if it had beene his pasport to haue the prince signe it as the prince passed hauing one foot vpon the first step of the stayres this traytor aduancing drew foorth one of his pistols so suddenly as no man did perceiue him before the blow was giuen shooting him from the left side to the right through the stomacke and the vitall parts The prince feeling himselfe hurt sayd nothing else but O my God take pitie of my soule I am sore wounded my God take pitie of my soule and of this poore people Hauing spoken these words he began to stagger but his gentleman Vsher stayed him and set him vpon the stayres but hee spake no more Then the Countesse of Swartzenbourg his sister asked him in high Dutch if he did not recommend his soule to Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whom he answered in the same language yea and neuer spake more but drawing towards his end he was carried into the hall where he had dyned and there gaue vp the ghost Such was the end of the most wise constant and vertuous prince of Orange The murtherer assuring himselfe that he had done the deed sought to escape by the stables whereof he had before obserued the paslages and as hee was
beating their drummes The murtherer being now layed vpon the table the executioners grew to be somewhat amazed and were â—…cadie to abandon him and he as readie to rise from thence and flye away whereupon the magistrates cryed out vnto the hangmen that there was no danger at all and that they should performe and doe their duties It is to be presumed that if there had beene any trouble there or that hee had beene left alone vpon the scaffold being in that miserable case as he was he would haue sought to saue himselfe To conclude in all his torments which he had he neuer cryed out nor seemed to feele any paine for the which he was resolute and had so vaunted of himselfe when he was vpon the racke All men that haue any iudgement or sparke of pitie or remorse in them may see if Paradice bee woon by such trecherous and detestable murthers as they seeke to persuade the simpler sort of people seeing that both Law Iustice and Policie are repugnant vnto them Nature doth abhorre them yea euen the prince of Parma his souldiers haue blamed and detested it as also most of the commons of the enemies partie did not allow of it neyther would the magistrates oâ—… gouernours in any place suffer as the Iesuites themselues desired that any bonfires should bee made in the streetes in signe of ioy thereof The foure and twentieth daie of August the funerall pompe at the interment of the prince of Oranges bodie was performed withgreat pompe according to the estate and qualitie which his greatnes required and his merits with the Estates of Holland and the vnited prouinces Cont Maurice of Nassau his second sonne the earle of Buren his eldest beeing prisoner in Spaine and the yongest beeing but seauen or eight moneths old was the chiefe mourner hauing on the right side of him Truchses prince elector of Cologne and on the left hand the earle of Hohenlo then followed William and Philip earles of Nassau his cousin germans and after them came the carle of Solins as the last mourner the rest of the pompe following in good order vnto the new temple vpon the market place at Delft where his bodie was intombed He died at the age of fiftie and one years eleuen moneths and twentie fiue daies of a meane stature and corpulent the colour of his haire inclining somewhat to browne somewhat leane visaged but otherwise well set of his members His bodie beeing opened to be embalmed his inward parts which were not touched with the blowe were found so sound and perfect as by the course of nature hee might haue liued a great age He was of an actiue spirit and great memorie As for his vertues wisdome constancie and magnanimitie his life his actions his toiles and his patience wee will rather leaue to all impartiall men to admire it than attempt to describe it beeing impossible He had to his first wife the daughter and onely heire of Maximilian of Egmont earle of Buren and of Iselstein by whom hee had Philip at this daie prince of Orange and Marie countesse of Hohenlo By his second wife daughter to Maurice duke of Saxony he had prince Maurice marques of Camphere and Flessingue who succeeded him in his gouernments Anne who is now deceased who was wife to Cont William Lewis of Nassau and Emilia princesse of Portugal Of his third wife who was daughter to the duke of Montpenser hee had sixe daughters Louyse the eldest married to the elector palatin of Rhin the duchesse of Bouillon and vicontesse of Tureine the princesse of Tremouille Touars c. the countesse of Hennau c. and two remaining yet to marrie Of his fourth wife daughter to the Admiral of France and widowe before to the Seignior of Teligni he had his third sonne Cont Henrie Fredericke at this time he is about twentie and foure yeares olde of whom the vnited prouinees hope great matters and expect good fortunes Delft in Holland beeing the place of his birth By this suddaine and vnexpected death of the prince the vnited prouinces were vnfurnished of a gouernour the which troubled many of the Estates some fearing that through the disorder or small concord that would be among the Estates they should not bee able to resist the mightie attempts of the king of Spaine and that all would fall into a confusion Yet the funerals beeing ended the Estates beeing loath to seeme to faint made choise of Graue Maurice his second sonne beeing then but eighteene yeares olde for their head beeing assisted in his affaires by a councell which was giuen him the generall Estates remaining still in the soueraigne gouernment This yong prince did thanke them for the honour which they did him promising his best endeauour for the defence and preseruation of the countrie maintenance of their priuiledges and the reuenge of the prince his fathers death and not to attempt any thing without the aduice resolution determination and good liking of the said Estates of the vnited prouinces whereupon the earle of Hohenlo was made Lieutenant to the Captaine generall They of Gant hauing kept Iohn d'Imbise their bourgmaster a long time prisoner finished his processe and found him guiltie of treason in many points by a sentence giuen by the Shirifs they caused his head to be cut off in the open market place and to be set vp for certaine houres vpon a pole hauing confest before his death that hee had deserued it It was strange to see the ambition and inconstancie of this man in his elder age beeing almost seauentie yeares old I say ambition and presumption in that he durst first of all oppose himselfe against the prince of Orange inconstancie who beeing a turbulent and factious man had often beene the cause of troubles and mutinies in the towne of Gant beeing readie to cut one anothers throat beeing retired into Germanie for feare of the prince of Orange then beeing called home by the Ganthois that hee should seeke to turne to the Spanish partie whom hee had in former time so highly offended especially in the spoiling of so many churches wherewith he had greatly inricht himselfe such was his blindnesse as they truely said that his ambition and presumption had brought him to the very place where hee died The prince of Parma after the death of the prince of Orange by the which hee did hope for some alteration in the vnited prouinces would loose no occasion to make himselfe master of Antuerpe Gant Brussels Macklyn and Dendermond for the effecting whereof hee thought it fit to cut off the nauigation of the riuer of Escaut which runnes before Antuerpe both aboue and beneath the town the which he did almost effect and bring to passe causing many forts to be built close to the riuer to batter the ships that would passe and repasse from Holland and Zeeland vnto Antuerpe And although at the first it seemed a ridiculous thing to stoppe vp so large and deepe a riuer
dike it runne on ground so as in the end they were forced to abandon it hauing retyred with the Ordnance and all the prouision and munition that was within it the which fell afterwards into the Spaniards hands It was a worke of excessiue charge the which most men held to haue cost a hundred thousand florins and yet did neuer seruice but to their enemies who had built it with so great cost The seuenth of May the earle of Hohenlo and Colonel Iselstein came with all their shippes laden with choice souldiers and a good number of pioners to cut the dike of Coesteyn to the end that they might passe with long boates and oares neere vnto the fort of Lillo through the drowned meadowes vnto Antuerpe leauing the riuer and the Spaniards forts vpon the left hand the which had beene easie to effect if they could haue beene masters of the dike as they expected But as the earle had put his men in order and that the pioners began to digge the Spaniards charged them with such furie as well vpon the dike as in their shippes with their canon whereof some were sunke as after the losse of three hundred men they were forced to retyre vnto their ships and to saile away sauing themselues as well as they could Colonel Verdugo gouernour for the king of Spaine at Groningue and in Friseland after that he had taken the castles of Rha Rechteren and Ruttenberch in the countrey of Oueryssel went with two peeces before the castle of Schuylenburch a place strong by nature and by art yet the besieged fearing they should not be able to hold it long yeelded it vp Whilest that Verdugo preuayled thus in the countrey of Oueryssel Cont William of Nassau gouernor of Friseland for the Estates with the regiment of Frisons and Waterlanders besieged the fort of Slyckenbourgh ioyning vnto Kindert the which was yeelded easily vnto him although it were a place of great importance to subiect the seuen forrests which they cal Seuenwolden to contribution At the same time the earle of Moeurs lieutenant and chiefe of all the troupes vnder Truchses elector of Cologne hauing drawne forth some part of the garrisons out of Rhynbergh and other townes of Gueldres both horse and foot he surprised the towne of Nuys in the diocesse of Cologne a very famous towne for the great siege which Charles duke of Bourgoigne layed before it It was surprised by scalado at the first by a few men who without discouerie of the guard went from the rampar to a port whereas captaine Kunyt attended with the horsemen the which being broken open with hammers and an engine called a Goats foot he entred in with a great noise running through all the streets the bourgers being awaked put themselues in defence some being armed and some vnarmed The horsemen ran to the Ehenport where the bourgers had insconced themselues with carts and wagons from whence they returned and seized vpon the market place All the resistance the bourgers made was to no purpose and without order hauing beene much better for them to haue stayed in their houses and compounded with the earle to redeeme themselues from spoyle for this resistance which they made was the cause that they were sacked and many bourgers taken prisoners The souldiers had a rich spoyle for that all the nobilitie thereabouts the cloysters and abbeyes the pesants yea and some of Cologne had sent their goods thither as to a place of assurance thinking it safer there than in any place else Besides the spoyle the bourgers were forced to redeeme themselues and to lay downe their armes the which were to be deliuered to the earle or to his lieutenant The earle made Herman Frederic Cloet a valiant captaine gouernour of the towne who from that place did afterwards make sharpe warres against all the diocesse of Cologne vnder the authoritie of the said elector but afterwards he had a pitifull end as we will shew at the recouerie of the said town by the prince of Parma Colonel Martin Schenck hauing taken a disdaine that the king of Spaine had made no more account to free him being a prisoner in Gueldre as we haue said and that the seignior of Hautepenne was preferred before him and all by the instigation of the bourgers to the gouernment of Nymeghen he had afterwards such a hatred against the said towne as to bee reuenged hee desired to bee discharged of his regiment the which the prince of Parma graunted him Then hauing treated with the earle of Moeurs in the behalfe of the Elector Truchses who was in league with the Estates and with the consent of the sayd Estates he came to serue them in May deliuering vnto them for assurance of his faith his strong castle of Blyenbeeke by meanes whereof hee had so much annoyed the diocesse of Vtrecht and the countrey of Gueldre from which time he sought many occasions to be reuenged vpon them of Nymeghen but in the end they of Nymeghen were reuenged of him Soone after his comming vnto the Estates hee surprised the towne of Roeroort at the mouth of the riuer of Roer which comming through Westphalia fals there into the Rhyn At that time Cont Philip of Egmont prince of Gant was exchanged with the lord of la Noue vpon certaine conditions The two and twentieth of May they of Antuerpe made new engines to breake and burne the bridge and Stocadoes which the prince of Parma had made For the effecting whereof they bound sixteene flat bottomed boats together with yrons sharpe at the point to cut the cables of the anchors which held the Stocadoes firme the which they let go with the tyde but comming neere vnto the Spaniards forts they were drawne by them vnto the sands the which was easie for them to doe after they had once turned them out of the right course of the streame for that they drew but little water so as all their paines and cost was lost Afterwards they sent foure ships prepared like vnto the first which they had sent downe the fourth of Aprill to worke their effect altogether But as they went not equally the first was stayed by the Spaniards and anchored right against the fort of Paysande which was held by the garrison of Antuerpe where hauing remained some time it tooke fire and did more harme to their owne fort than to any place else The other two approching neere the bridge it was opened and they passed through a good way before they wrought any effect which was without any hurt to the Spaniard The fourth beeing taken at the beginning by the Spaniards the matches were found and put out without any danger in the which they found good store of powder and so all this designe was more profitable to the Spaniard than to them of Antuerpe who receiued at this fort of Paysand more hurt than the enemie The six and twentieth of May as they of Antuerpe had sent down the day before twelue
euery man being also at rest suspecting nothing The Spaniards intent was being wel assured that the towne had but a weake garrison the water-gate being opened to cause the sayd 1000. men to march in two parts the one part along the walles to the Steenbergh gate the other Southward to the Bosch gate to open these ports so let their men in where their horse-men and some foote-men shewed them-selues and gaue an alarme but the Inhabitants God be thanked with great valour and resolution withstood them The enemie in the opinion of many men committed a great error to leaue the outward work as easily as they had gotten it not keeping it to try their fortune by renuing of their â—…orces to haue assayled the towne with more strength of the enemie there were 30. men slaine one being a Captaine and 20. men taken prisoners by them of the towne by whom they vnderstood that there were 200. men hurt at the least when they fled they left all their munition for the wars behind them with as many armes and weapons which they cast from them as would arme 400. men within the towne there was but one man found slaine and some hurt The same day the Lord of Grobbendonke Gouernor of Boisleduc made an enterprize vppon the towne of Graue with sixteene hundred men and diuers wagons and boats thinking with his boats to put two hundred men into one of the Bulwarks with a bridge made of dryfats and pipes to gette to the walles but comming neere vnto the towne his enterprise was discouered and so hee was forced to goe backe againe without attempting any thing the like enterprises were attempted vpon Thiel and other places Notwithstanding that the aforesaid enterprise made against Berghen vp Zome failed yet the sayd enterprisers viz. Monsieur la Biche Du Tarrail and D'ette who had beene Gouernor of Wouwe would once againe aduenture an other enterprise against the sayd towne thinking to repaire their former error whereof they hademade tryall to their costs who being fiue thousand foote and fiue companies of horsemen vpon the nineteenth of September a moneth after the first enterprise set forward Sir Paul Bax Gouernor of the towne vnderstanding that diuerse Souldiers were assembling about Antwerpe and Brussels euery day sent some of his horsemen out to know the enemies intent whereof some vpon the nineteene of September mette with certaine Spanish horse-men by Stabrooke where some of them were taken others gotte away and about noone newes thereof was brought vnto the towne At euening there were more horse-men sent forth at the shutting of the gates who about ten of the clocke at night came before the towne againe and calling to the Sentinell told him that the enemie with his whole power was at Raesberch with Boates Bridges and Munition and as they thought had great troopes or a whole armie Wherevpon the Gouernor about eleuen of the clocke at night caused certaine peeces of ordinance to bee shotte off and a Beaken to bee set on fire that the Sconces at the end of the Hauen of the towne as also they of Tertolen Wouwe and Steenberghen should bee ready to defend them-selues By meanes of this shooting the Spaniards who were come thether in the beginning of the night deferred their enterprise till two of the clock in the morning in meane time both parties kept them-selues very quietly they within the towne placed soldiers and Burgers round about vpon their walles and two companies in the market place ready to releeue all places where need required About two of the clocke after mid-night those that were appointed to assaile the towne on the North-side being come thether and the way being long they shotte two fierie arrowes into the ayre ouer the townes thereby making a signe that they should all assaile the towne at one instant at which time they assailed it in fiue places together viz. at the Nunnes Bulwarke the Steenberghen gate the Orange Rauelin and with a Bridge layde ouer the New-hauen and at the Polder called Saint Iames polder all with great force and furie respecting not the Ordinance Muskets and small shotte out of the towne marching as if it had beene an Yron wall they them-selues not shooting much at the Steenberghen gate they vsed great force where they thought to let in their horsemen where in lesse then halfe an houres space they had forced open three gates cut downe the draw-bridge and broken the Portcullis so as there rested nothing but the inner-gate to bee forced open which the Burgers fortified and mured vp with earth wagons and trees which they placed against it and by that meanes kept them from entring the Towne casting stones downe vpon them from off the gate The Spanish Drummes strooke vp an alarme before the sayd gate as if they had beene within where-vpon their horse-men came before the towne sounding their Trumpets as if the gates had beene open the Townes-men stood vpon the walles with their coulours incouraging one the other and giuing their enemies all the spightfullest words they could Claes Luytsen Captaine of the company of Amsterdam who was in garde in the Forte called Beckaf by the Polder behaued himselfe valiantly forcing the enemie with his Musket and great shotte as they marched along to retire and slew diuerse of them the which they carried with them in the wagons where-with they had brought their Bridges Hurdles and other furniture which they were forced to leaue behinde them The like happened to them at the Rauelin where they had two and twenty men slaine at the Bosch gate their powder failed but the Bridges were ready and they had gotten ouer the Palisadoes and a hundred of them at the least were climing vp the walles before they within the towne could discouer them the night was so darke by reason that it rained but the Burgers continually burning Pitch and straw and casting it ouer the walles by the light thereof shotte off their Ordinance so as at last they were all forced to retire It was strange to see the women and children helpe the men and soldiers that fought who climing vp the walles brought powder lead piche stones and the strawe from their beds and laying the children out of their Cradels caried stones in them vp to the walles this the stoutest sort of women did the rest beeing of weaker complection went along through the streetes and kneeled before their doores lifting vp their hearts eyes and hands to heauen in that sort fighting by prayers and sighes vnto GOD which moouâ—…d the Souldiers to greater courage The Townes men and inhabitants without respecting of what religion they were whereof many were well knowne to bee Romish Catholickes failed not one with the other to runne to the walles and made all the resistance that possiblie they could to repulse the enemie Sir Paul Box roade into euery place vpon his horse holding his Bridle and Courtelax in the left hand and a Pistole
together with his loyallty and loue to his country was wellknowne to all the world by his many good seruices Vpon the twenty fiue of March hauing all things redy hee sailed out of Texel with sixteene shippes of warre and one pinace with whome there ioyned the foure victuallers there came three also from Enchuysen and three from Horne making twenty two shippes of Warre vpon the twenty seauen day they came vnder the I le of Wight where they found three shippes more of Zeeland and fiue of Rotterdamme with an other pinace of Amsterdam There was a forth shippe of Zeland runne on ground so as they tooke the men and munition out of it and put them into other shippes On the twenty nine day they set saile from the I le of Wight and two daies after the Admirall Hemskerke hauing all his fleet together went on with an Easterly winde towards Portugall and Spaine so as on the tenth of Aprill they came vnto the height of thirty six degrees neere vnto the riuer of Lisbone There the Admirall called his captaines and councell aboard where they resolued to enter into that riuer with their whole fleet and to set vpon the carraques and gallions which they should finde there But the Admirall being certenly aduertised by his spies which hee had sent into Lisbon in an English shippe that the carraques were most of them gone forth and that there remained but eight or nine not halfe furnished and without artillery Moreouer hauing intelligence from certaine French shippes comming from Saint Lucars and from Cabiz that there were sixteene gallions gone towards the West Indies and ten others well appointed lying in the straight of Gibraltar with many other shippes appointed for warre attending there such of the vnited Prouinces shippes as should come out of Italy and the Leuant seas which they knew were many This made the Admirall to take a new resolution to goe and visit this fleet euen in the straights Then they bent their course towards Cape Saint Vincent where they turned on the left hand and lost sight of one of their company there they met with a shippe of Flushing which came through the straights on the twenty day telling him that he past through the Spanish army in the night and being out of the Straight they semed to him in the morning as if they would take their course towards Cadiz for that they could notly within the straight the wind being Easterly The Admirall hearing this continued his course and on the twenty foure of Aprill they past close by the riuer of Saint Lucars and the Baye of Cadiz but they could not learne that any shippes were entred where the Admirall had fully resolued to charge them were it in the riuer of S. Lucars or in the Bay The same day he had certaine intelligence of the Spanish fleet by a Frenchman which came out of the road of Gibraltar who duly informd him of the strength and Estate of the Spanish army At night for that the wind was westerly thy bent their course southward towards the coast of Barbary from whence in the morning they turned againe towards Spaine when the Admirall came into the narrowest part of the straight he called all his Captaines aboard etting them vnderstand what the French man had said vnto him where they did aduisedly consult of their affaiers and in the end resolued to set vpon the Spanish fleet appointing euery one his place how hee should fight The Admirall Hemskerke with Captaine Moye Lambert should charge the Admirall the Vice-admirall Alteras with captaine Bras should vndertake the Spanish Vice-admirall and so euery two shippes of warre should take'a galleoun to taske the two Pinaces and a barge were appointed to lie out at sea to charge any ship or gallioun that should offer to fly but the foure victualers should lie a loose The Admirall hauing set all things in good order hee incorraged the Captaines recommending vnto them the honor and profit which this victorie would bring vnto their country telling them that hee would bee the first and intreating them to lay aside all feare where-vpon they did all sweare ioyntly vnto him that they would follow him and obey him vnto the death where vpon euery one departed to his ship Then they sailed towards Gibraltar to seeke the enemy whome they descouered about noone being at anchor in the Baye of Gibraltar within cannon shot of the towne and Castle They were in all twenty one that is nine great galliouns and foure shippes of warre with a great shippe of Lubecke of foure hundred lasts who was come into the roade to stay for a winde to goe to Cadiz their were foure French shippes and three prizes two of Enchuysen and one of Rotterdam all which shippes they had manned with soldiars to attend the Estates army for the Duke of Medina Sidonia hearing that they had past before his riuer and before Cadiz he presently dispacht a post to Gibraltar to aduertise the Spanish fleete of the comming of the Estates men wishing them to stand vpon their gard They had the like aduertisment sent from Cadiz so as the same day they did â—…ortefie their army with three hundred men of the which there were a hundred caualiers which came voluntarily to serue the Admirall so as the Admirall had about seauen hundred men abord his shippe and the Viceadmirall some foure hundred and fifty as it was since vnderstood by prisoners The galliouns were well appointed with brasse ordinance and euery one had two hundred and fifty soldiars at the least besides marriners The Admirall was Don Iuan Aluares d' Auila borne at Esturges an ancient knight who had long serued the King of Spaine at sea euen all the time of Don Iohn of Austria his shippe was the Saint Augustine of eigh hundred tonne the Admiralls sonne bearing his owne name was Captaine of that galleoun the names of the other Galeouns Iomit for breuity sake the repetition being not greatly necessarie The Admirall Hemskerke hauing the Spanish fleete in sight hauing praied vnto God and set things in order hee bent his course directly towards them and caused his flag to be nayled fast to the toppe of his maine mast that it might not be dismounted promising a hundred rialls of eight to any one of his men that should bring the Spanish Admiralls flag exhorting his men to shew their valours and resolutions promising them they should freely enioy what-souer they should take from the enemy without any question the which together with their Admiralls resolution did so incourrage them as they thought the time long vntill they were ioyned with the ennemy The Spanish Admirall hauing in like manner descouered the States fleet he called for the Maister of a shippe of Rotterdam a prisoner whome he set at liberty and shewing him the Estates shippes he asked him if he thought they durst come vnto him where-vpon the other answered Sir with your good fauor I thinke they dare
do it The which the Admirall could not beleeue seeing he had so great aduantage lying vnder the fauor of the towne and Castle yet when hee perceiued that they came with full â—…ayles towards him hee caused his cable to be cut for he lay at the point and retired more into the Baye towards the towne so as he had the Vice-admirall and three other galleouns to couer him the which the Admirall Hemskerk perceiuing he went on his course leauing the Viceadmirall and the galleouns on his left hand causing an anchor to be set on the toppe of his prowe redy to let downe commanding they should not let it slippe before that hee was grappeled to the Spanish Admirall forbidding them also to shoot vntill they were very neere vnto the enemy and so hee sayled towards the Admirall being in the head of him the Spainard made the first shot but did no great harme the Admirall Hemskerke answered him with two peeces from before and presently grapled with the Spaniard letting slippe his anchor The Spaniard with the second shotte he made slue a young Gentleman and the boullet passing on by misfortune strooke of the Admirall Hemskerkes left thigh close to his body where-with hee fell and the same boullet carried away a gonners hand where-with he was ready to giue fier This valiant Admirall fealing death approching incouraged them that were about him all he could intreating them to proceed as they had well begon and to put an other in his place then recommending his soule to GOD hee gaue vp the ghost And thus this braue Captaine died like a right soldiar in his armes In the meane space they shotte so furiously of eyther side both with their Canon and Muskets as theâ—… could not see for smoake Captaine Lambert who had charge to second his Admirall whose death was not knowne vnto the rest vntill the victory was assured charged the Spanish Admirall first in poupe making a great spoile of his men then hee came in flanke behinde the Admirall Hemskerke annoying the Spaniard all hee could with his Ordinance It is a hard matter to describe how furiously they did fight on both sides For although the Estates shippes were not halfe so well manned as their enemies yet hoping of victorie they did fight like Lions and partly to bee reuenged of that which the Spaniards had made them suffer as well in prison as in their Galleys and other-wise When as the Admirall Hemskerke went on first to charge the Spanish Admirall all the other Shippes followed him according to their direction the Spanish Vize-Admirall was grappled with and after halfe an houres fight set on fire during this charge and as the fire begunne there was one of the Estates men fetcht downe the Vize-Admirals Flagge and carryed it into his shippe for which valiant act hee had fiftie ryals of eight giuen him as the Admirall had promised but the fire increased in such sort as the Estates shippes could hardly free themselues from fiering so as they burnt some part of their sailes but no man sought to quench the fire in the Spanish Vize-admirall burning downe to the Keele Such as escaped the fire cast themselues into the water and were most of them slaine the rest were all in a manner taken prisoners A Galleon which lay behinde the Spanish Vize-admirall was also in fight with three of the Estates shippes after some fight Lange Hendricke one of the Estates Captaines was slaine with a Musket shotte They of the Gallion seeing their Vize-admirals Flagge downe they presently planted one vpon their missen Mast but it was soone pulled away by a Hollander and the Galleon fired which burnt euen vnto the water an other Galleon was so plyed with the Canon as it was soone sunke The rest of the Spanish Fleete beeing retired more into the Baye with their Admirall seeing how the game went plyed the Hollanders with their Canon who answered them in like manner but yet they neuer came to handie blowes nor to graple but in the end one of the Spaniards with much shooting and inconsideratly set fire of his owne shippe which driuing downe fired an other that was before him the rest terrified with these fiers cutte their Cables and ranne on ground seeking nothing more then to saue their liues And among others the Lubeck shippe was set on fire All this time the Spanish Admirall was in fight with two shippes which did so plye him with their Ordinance as hee left shooting putting forth a white Flagge in signe of a parlee the which stayed not the batterie In the meane time another Galleon being in fight was set on fire the men thinking to flie in their boates to their Admirall who made no more resistance came vnto the Admirall of Holland One of the Estates Trumpeters went vp and pulled away the Spanish Admiralls Flagge for the which hee had a hundred ryalls of eight as the Admirall Hemskerke had promised The Spanish Admirall being thus vanquished hauing lost many men they threw themselues by ten or twelue at a time into the sea seeking their safety by swimming but the Hollanders being in their boates slue all they met withall in their furie so as the dead carcases did lye floating in the Baye as if it had beene in a champian field This battaile began about three of the clock in the after noone and ended foure houres after in the euening when as the Estates had a full and absolute victorie This hardie and dangerous battaile was attempted by the valour and great resolution of the Admirall Hemskerke and happily ended by ten or twelue shippes at the most The next day morning the Spanish Admirall being runne a ground vpon the Sandes they of the towne went forth cut downe her maine Mast then set fire on her easing the Hollanders of that paine It was an admirable and fearefull thing to see these Gallions and shippes burne especially when the fire came to the poulder then it was like vnto a horrible thunder The Sea and land were couered with smoake for a long time like thicke cloudes which mounted vp to heauen Besides the Admiralls Gallion there were fiue others burnt with an other great shippe of warre which the Spaniards had taken at Sea and that of Lubecke There was an other Gallion sunke the other two ranne a ground the which were so battered and torne as they were not fitte for any more seruice There was also run a shoare a French shippe that of Roterdam and one of Enchusen and al the rest of the Spaniards ships of war were run a ground here and there neere vnto the shoare There were not aboue fifty Spaniards prisoners who confest that there were 4000. men in their armie of the which there were 2000. lost at the battayle among the which was their Admirall and many other Captaines and Gentlemen whose names could not be recouered Among the prisoners was Don Iohn Aluarez D'Auila the Admirals sonne who