Michael I sent up to the steeple Sir William Constable and some other Gentlemen then about me to see what they could discern who all agreed that they saw troops and as they guessed some Ensignes I willed Sir William Constable to hasten to his Lordship and tell him what he had seen I had yet remaining with me about five hundred souldiers of these I sent out sixty whereof thirty shot were to go as covertly as they could to a Chapel a great musket-shot from the town on the way the enemy was discovered with order upon the enemies approach to give their volley and suddenly and in haste to retire to the other thirty that were placed half way betwixt them and the town and then all together in as much haste and shew of fear as they could to come to the town where I stood ready with the rest of the men in three troops to receive them and repulse and chase those that should follow them This order given my Lord of Essex with the Earl of Southampton and some other Lords and Gentlemen came to the Market-place where he found me with the troops His Lordship enquired of me what I had seen I said I had seen no enemy but what others had seen his Lordship had heard by their own report and might if it pleased his Lordship send to see if the sentinell continued to affirm the same His Lordship made no answer but called for Tobacco seeming to give but small credit to this alarm and so on horseback with those Noblemen and Gentlemen on foot beside him took Tobacco whilest I was telling his Lordship of the men I had sent forth and order I had given them Within some quarter of an hour we might hear a good round volley of shot betwixt the thirty men I had sent to the Chapel and the enemy which made his Lordship cast his pipe from him and listen to the shooting which continued I told his Lordship it were good to advance with the troops to that side of the town where the skirmish was to receive our men which his Lordship liked well and so went a good round pace expecting to encounter our men who unadvisedly in lieu of retiring in disorder maintained the place which the enemy perceiving and supposing some greater troop to be at hand to second held aloof with his main force for the high-way to the town lay by the Chapel and no other passage for a troop by reason of the strong fence and inclosure of the fields but sent out light men to skirmish Thus perceiving that our men held their ground we stayed our troops in covert in the end of two lanes leading directly to the high-way Those of the Island as we were certainly enformed could make three thousand fighting men well armed and appointed besides the ordinary Garrison of the Spaniards Of that number we supposed them because they had sufficient time to gather their strength together and for that they came to seek us and therefore as on the one side we were loth to discover our small number to them unlesse they provoked us by some notable disorder or necessity in the defence of our selves so we thought it not good to lessen our men by imbarquing of men till the night was come that silence and darknesse might cover our retreat And for these reasons I opposed their heat that propounded to charge the enemy and their haste that would needs have the men shipped without delay In the beginning of the evening which ended the skirmish keeping our sentinels in the view of the enemy his Lordship began to imbarque some troops and so continued till about midnight that the last troop was put into the boat his Lordship seeing all imbarqued before he went aboard but those forelorn men which made the last retreat which were committed to Sir Charles Percy with whom I imbarqued without any impeachment of the enemy or shew to have discovered our departure His Lordship made the young Noblemen and some other principall Gentlemen Knights as Sir William Evers Sir Henry Dockwray Sir William Brown and a Dutch Gentleman that accompanied me that voiage in my ship We were no sooner aboard but that the wind blew a stiff gale so as some were fain to forsake their anchors and with this wind we put for England which continuing vehement drave us to the leeward of our course towards the coast of Ireland I got in my ship an extream leak which kept both my pumps going without intermission many dayes and nights before I got to harbour wherewith my company were much wearied and discouraged even to despair which made me keep aloof from the other ships lest the hope of their own safety might make them neglect that of the ship The fleet kept no order at all but every ship made the best haste home they could which as it might have proved dangerous if the Spanish fleet which was then bound for our coast had not been scattered by the same weather so it was in some sort profitable to us for some of our smaller shipping which were driven most leeward toward the coast of Ireland met with two or three of the Spanish ships full of souldiers which they took by which we not onely understood at our coming to Plymmouth their purpose to have landed at Falmouth with ten thousand men but saw the instructions and orders of the sea-fights if they had met with us which was so full of perfection that I have ever since redoubted their sufficiency in sea Cases The fleet arriving thus weather-beaten at Plymmouth his Lordship posted to the Court leaving my Lord Thomas now Earl of Suffolk my Lord Mountjoy and the rest of the Officers there and shortly came provision of monie with Commission to the said Lords Sir Walter Raleigh and my self to see the same issued and distributed by common advise for the repairing victualling and sending about the fleet to Chattham and entertaining of the thousand men I had brought out of the Low-countreys which were then disposed along the coast of Cornwall and after sent into Ireland Which businesse dispatched I passed by post to London and near Mary-bone-parke I met with Sir William Russell in his coach who being my honourable friend then newly returned from Ireland where he had been Deputy I lighted to salute him with much duty and affection who stepping out of his coach received me with the like favour with whom whilest I stood bare-headed being in a sweat I got cold which held me so extreamly that for three weeks after I could not stirre out of my lodging I understood my Lord of Essex was at his house at Wanstead in great discontentment to whose Lordship I gave presently knowledge of my arrivall as also that I would forbear to attend his Lordship til I had been at Court which then I hoped would have been sooner then it fell out my sicknesse would permit For I supposed at my coming to Court her Majesty after her most gracious
my coming aboard the Gallions were run on ground near the shore and their men some swimming others in their boats began to forsake their ships I was then bold to say to my Lord of Essex that it was high time to send his small shipping to board them for otherwise they would be fired by their own men which his Lordship found reasonable presently sent his directions accordingly and in the mean time sent Sir William Constable with some long boats full of souldiers which his Lordship had towed at his stern since the first imbarquing to have landed in the Caletta But notwithstanding he made all haste possible before he could get to the Gallions two of them were set on fire and the other two by this means saved and taken utterly forsaken of their men who retired through the fennes to porto Saint Maria. The Spanish fleet thus set on ground the prosecution of that victory was committed to and willingly undertaken with the sea-forces by a principall officer of the fleet And because longer delay would increase the difficulty of landing our forces by the resort of more people to Calis it was resolved forthwith to attempt the putting of our men on shore and to that end commandment was given that all the men appointed for that purpose should be imbarqued in the long boats and that my Lord of Essex should first land with those men which could be disembarqued and then my Lord Admirall to second and repair to the Generall who the better to be known would put out his flag in his boat The troops that were first to land were the regiments of the Generalls my own that of Sir Christopher Blunt Sir Thomas Gerrard and Sir Conniers Clifford On the right hand in an even front with a competent distance betwixt the boats were ranged the two regiments first named the other three on the left so that every regiment and company of men were sorted together with their Colonels and chief officers in nimble pinnaces some in the head of the boats some at stern to keep good order the Generall himself with his boat in which it pleased him to have me attend him and some other boats full of Gentlemen-adventurers choice men to attend his person rowed a pretty distance before the rest whom at a signall given with a drum from his boat the rest were to follow according to the measure and time of the sound of the said drum which they were to observe in the deeping of their oars and to that end there was a generall silence as well of warlike instruments as otherwise Which order being duly followed the troops came all together to the shore betwixt Puntall and Calis and were landed and severall regiments imbattelled at an instant without any encounter at all the Spaniards who all the day before had shewed themselves with troops of horse and foot on that part as resolved to impeach our landing being clean retired toward the town The number of the first disembarquing was not fully two thousand men for diverse companies of those regiments that had put themselves into their ships again could not be suddenly ready by reason the boats to land them belonged to other great ships Calis on that side was walled as it were in a right line thwart the land so as the sea on both sides did beat on the foot of the wall which strength together with the populousness of the town in which besides the great concourse of Gentlemen and others upon the discovery of our fleet and alarm of our Ordnance there was an ordinary Garrison of souldiers had taken from us all thought of forcing it without battery and therefore being landed we advanced with the troops to finde a convenient place to encamp till my Lord Admirall with the rest of the forces and the Ordnance were landed Being advanced with the troops half the breadth of the neck of the land which in that place is about half a mile over we might perceive that all along the sea-shore on the other side of this neck of land men on hors-back and foot repaired to the town which intercourse it was thought necessary to cut off And therefore because the greatest forces of the enemies were to come from the land it was resolved on to lodge the better part of the army in the narrowest of the neck which near Puntall is not broader then an ordinary harque-bush-shot To which streight Sir Conniers Clifford was sent with three regiments viz. his own Sir Christopher Blunts and Sir Thomas Gerrards there to make a stand to impeach the Spaniards from coming to the town till he received further order for the quartering and lodging of his men Which done the Lord Generall with the other two regiments and his company of adventurers which was of about two hundred and fifty worthy Gentlemen in all not fully a thousand men advanced nearer the town the better to discover the whole ground before it And as we approached a far off we might perceive the enemy standing in battel under the favour of the town with cornets and ensignes displayed thrusting out some loose horse and foot toward us as it were to procure a skirmish I marking their fashion conceived hope of a speedier gaining the town then we intended and were then about and said to his Lordship at whose elbow I attended that those men he saw standing in battel before the town would shew and make the way for us into the town that night if they were well handled and at the instant I propounded the means which was to carry our troops as near and covertly as might be towards the town and to see by some attempt if we could draw them to fight further from the town that we might send them back with confusion and disorder and so have the cutting them in pieces in the town-ditch or enter it by the same way they did His Lordship liked the project and left the handling thereof to me I presently caused the troop to march towards the other side of the neck of land because the ordinary and ready way to the town lay on that side low and inbayd to the foot of the hilly downs so as troops might march very closely from the view of the town Then I chose out two hundred men which were committed to the conduct of Sir Iohn Wingfield a right valiant Knight with order that he should march on roundly to the enemy where they stood in battel and to charge and drive to their battels the skirmishers but if the enemy in grosse profered a charge he should make an hasty and fearfull retreat to their judgement the way he had gone till he met with his seconds that followed him and then to turn short and with the greatest speed and fury he could to charge the enemy The seconds were of three hundred men led as I remember by Sir Matthew Morgan who were to follow the first troop a good distance and so as both of them till
go to Fayall the Lord Thomas with his squadron and I with my ship were to go to Graciosa and Sir Walter Raleigh with his either to Pico or Saint George but Sir Walter Raleigh whether of set purpose or by mistake I leave others to judge making with his squadron more haste then the rest of the fleet came to Fayall afore us landed his men and received some losse by the Spaniards that kept the top of the hill which commanded both the haven and the town The Generall with the rest of the fleet came to an anchor before the Island and hearing of Sir Walter Raleighs landing and losse was highly displeased as he had cause it being directly and expressely forbidden upon pain of death to land forces without order from the Generall and there wanted not about my Lord that the more to incense him aggravated the matter seeing the Spanish ensigne upon the hill his Lordship prepared to land with all haste and so about an houre before sun-set came into the town A competent number of men were given to Sir Oliver Lambert to guard the passages and then it was consulted how to go on with the enterprise of forcing them They were entrenched on the top of the hill to the number of two hundred which was so steep that it seemed artillery could not be drawn towards the said trench The night growing on I desired his Lordship to give me leave to go up to discover the place which his Lordship assented unto and so taking two hundred souldiers I set forward the young Earl of Rutland Sir Thomas German and diverse other Gentlemen-adventurers accompanying me At our coming to the top of the hill finding no watch in their trenches we entred them and possessed the hill where we found some of our men slain by the Spaniard The hill was abandoned as we supposed in the beginning of the night unseen or undiscovered of us or those that were placed at the foot of the hill we were all very sorry they so escaped as was also the Lord Generall for there was no following or pursuing them in that mountainous Island The Captain and Officers that landed with Sir Walter Raleigh were presently committed and before our departure thence Sir Walter Raleigh was called to answer for himself in a full assembly of the chief Officers both by sea and land in the Generalls presence Where every one being to deliver his opinion of the crime it was grievously aggravated by the most for my part no man shewed lesse spleen against him then my self The Generalls goodnesse would not suffer him to take any extream course but with a wise and noble admonition forgave the offence and set also at liberty the Captains that had been committed After the fleet had taken the refreshing that Island could afford which was in some good measure we put from thence and for three dayes were plying off and on betwixt Graciosa and the Island of Tercera the ordinary way of the Indian fleet and in the mean time certain were sent a shore by the Generall at Graciosa to draw from the Inhabitants some portion of monie and provisions to redeem them from spoiling They brought word to the Generall in the afternoon that from the Island a great ship was discovered on the road-way from the Indies but they being sent again with some other to make a full discovery at their return which was sudden it was found to be but a pinnace I must confesse in this point I may be ignorant of some particulars because things were not done as they were wont by Council or if they were it was but of some few to which I was not called But in all likelihood there was wilfull mistaking in some to hinder us of that rich prey which God had sent as it were into our mouths Howsoever it was that same night when it was dark the Generall with the fleet altered their course and bare directly with the Island of Saint Michael as it was given out to water A pinnace coming to me in the Lord Generalls name told me it was his pleasure my ship and Dread-nought in which Sir Nicholas Parker was should beat off and on betwixt the Islands of Saint George and Graciosa for that the Indian fleet was expected The Rainbow in which was Sir William Monson and the Girland my Lord of Southamptons ship were to lie by the like order on the North-part of Graciosa willing us if we discovered any fleet to follow them and to shoot off now and then a piece of Ordnance which should serve for a signall to the rest of the fleet This order as I take it was delivered us about ten of the clock at night About midnight or one of the clock those of our ship might hear shooting according to this direction rather in a manner of a signall then a fight toward that part of the Island where the other two ships were to guard which as we after understood was from the Rainbow which fell in the midst of the Indian fleet whom in their long boat they hailed and by the Spaniards own mouths knew whence they were who held them in scorn and in a great bravery told them what they were laden withall The wind was very small so as it scarce stirred our ship but we directed our course as directly to the sound of the Ordnance as we could and so continued all night the morning was very foggy and misty so as we could not discover farre but still we might hear shooting of Ordnance when we listned for it About eight or nine of the clock before noon it began to clear and then we might see as we judged some five or six leagues off a fleet of twenty sails which was much about half way betwixt us and Tercera The wind began a little to strengthen and we to wet our sails to improve the force of it and somewhat we got nearer the Spanish fleet more through their stay to gather themselves together then our own good footmanship All this while the Rainbow and the Girland followed the fleet so neare that they might to our judgements at pleasure have engaged them to fight But their fleet being of eight good Gallions of the Kings the rest merchants of good force though the booty were of great inticement it might justly seem hard to them to come by it and so they onely waited on them attending greater strength or to gather up such as straggled from the rest The Girland overtook a little friggot of the Kings laden onely with Cochinell which she spoiled and I found abandoned and ready to sink yet those of my ship took out of her certain small brasen pieces The Indian fleet keeping together in good order sailed still before us about two leagues and so was got into the haven of Tercera into the which they towed their ships with the help of those of the Island before we could come up to them It was evening when we came thither and
VERE'S COMMENTARIES Brave Vere who hast by deeds of arms made good What thou hadst promised by birth and bloud Whose courage ner'e turn'd edge being backt with wise And sober reason sharpned with advise Look Reader how from Neuport hills he throws Himself a thunder-bolt amongst his foes And what his Sword indited that his Pen With like success doth here fight o're agen What Mars performed Mercurie doth tell None e're but Cesar fought and wrote so well Why may not then his Book this title carry The second part of Cesar's Commentary VERI SCIPIADae duo fulmina belli FRANCISCO VERO Equiti Aurato Galfredi F. Ioannis Cunitis Oxoniae Nepoti Brieliae et Portsmuthae Praefecto Anglicarum copiarum in Belgio Ductori Summo ELIZABETHA uxor viro Charissimo quocum Conjunctissime vixit hoc Supremuni amoris et fidei Conjugalis monumentum maestissima et cum Lacrymis Geme Posuit Obijt XXVIII Di 〈…〉 Salutis MDCVIII et anno AEtatis Suae LIIII Sr Francis Vere THE COMMENTARIES OF Sr. FRANCIS VERE Being Diverse pieces of service wherein he had command written by himself in way of Commentary Published by William Dillingham D. D. Vt VERUS in suis Commentariis prodidit Camd. Annal. Mihi sufficit haec summatim è VERI Commentario annotâsse Idem Ibid. CAMBRIDGE Printed by Iohn Field Printer to the famous University Anno Dom. MDCLVII TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL HORACE TOWNSHEND BARONET Right Worshipfull I Here present you with the Works that is with the actions and writings of your great Uncle Sir Francis Vere unto which as you have a right by bloud common to some others with you so have you also right by purchase proper and peculiar to your self alone having freely contributed to adorn the Impression wherein you have consulted as the Readers delight and satisfaction so the honour and reputation of your family I have read of one that used to wear his fathers picture alwaies about him that by often looking thereon he might be reminded to imitate his vertues and to admit of nothing unworthy the memory of such an Ancestour Now Sir I think you shall not need any other monitour then your own name if but as often as you write it or hear it spoken you recall into your thoughts those your Progenitours who contributed to it your Honoured father Sir Roger Townshend and your Grandfather the truly Honourable and valiant the Lord Vere of Tilbury men famous in their generations for owning religion not onely by profession but also by the practise and patronage of it whose vertues while you shall make the pattern of your imitation you will increase in favour with God and men and answer the just expectations of your countrey And that you may so do it is the earnest desire and hearty prayer of Sir Your respectfull friend and humble servant William Dillingham To the ingenuous Reader ALthough this book can neither need nor admit of any letters recommendatory from so mean a hand yet I thought it not incongruous to give thee some account of it especially coming forth so many years after the Authours death Know then that some years since it was my good hap to meet with a copy of it in a library of a friend which had been either transcribed from or at least compared with another in the owning and possession of Major-General Skippon which I had no sooner looked into but I found my self led on with exceeding delight to the perusall of it The gallantry of the Action the modesty of the Authour the becomingness of the stile did much affect me and I soon resolved that such a treasure could not without ingratitude to the Authour and his Noble Family nor without a manifest injury to the repute of our English Nation yea and unto truth it self be any longer concealed in obscurity Whereupon I engaged my best endeavours to bring it into the publick view but finding some imperfections and doubtfull places in that copy I gave my self to further inquiry after some other copies supposing it very improbable that they should all stumble at the same stone And so I was favoured with another copy out of the increasing Library of the Right Honourable the Earl of Westmorland which had been transcribed immediately from the Authours own another the Honourable the Lord Fairfax was pleased to afford me the perusal of but that which was instar omnium was the original it self written by the Authours own hand being the goods and treasure of the Right Honourable Earl of Clare but at present through his favour in my possession These Reader are the Personages whose favour herein I am even upon thy account obliged here to remember and acknowledge I have subjoyned Sir John Ogles account of the last charge at Neuport-battel whom I suppose our Authour himself would have allowed being his Lieutenant-Colonel to bring up the reere I have also inserted his account of the Parly at the siege of Ostend both communicated to me by the same friendly hand that first lent me the copy of Sir Francis Vere And for thy further satisfaction I have adventured to continue the story of that siege from the time that our Authour put up his pen to the time that he put up his sword there having first by his example taught others the way how to defend the town Last of all at the end of the book thou wilt meet with the History of Neuport-battel written some time since in Latine by an elegant and learned pen which for the consanguinity of it is here subjoyned But if any shall take upon them to censure him as having translated Sir Francis Vere without acknowledging of him for the Authour I have this to answer on his behalf viz. that as he doth no where deny his translating of him so that he did conceal it we may very well impute it to the desire he had both to afford Sir Francis Vere a more ample and advantageous character then his own modesty would permit him to assume unto himself and also to give in his testimony unto the truth in a matter which others his countreymen had with too much partiality related And this also let me further add that whether he did translate it or not yet this I suppose will not be questioned that very few Authours either ancient or modern have in so narrow a compass so highly deserved of the learned and ingenious Reader as he hath done I will not here mention any thing concerning our Authours life or extraction the one whereof is sufficiently known and for the other I shall content my self with what Sir Robert Naunton hath briefly written of him which I have printed here before the Book which is all but a larger Commentary upon that which he hath there delivered Onely give me leave to be-moan a little our own loss and the Authours unhappiness in this That his Noble Brother having been in courage equal and in hazards undivided should leave him here to go alone
For as he must be allowed a great share in these actions recorded by his Brother so were his own services afterwards when General of the English so eminent and considerable that they might easily have furnished another Commentary had not his own exceeding modesty proved a step-mother to his deserved praises He was a religious wise and valiant Commander and that which quartered him in the bosome of the Prince of Orange he was always succesfull in his enterprises sometimes to the admiration both of friends and enemies Take an instance or two When he took Scluys there was one strong hold first to be taken which he found some difficulty to overcome and that was the opinion of his friends of the impossibility of the enterprise And for his enemies Spinola himself were he now alive would I question not do him the right which he did him in his life-time and bear witness of his gallant retreat with four thousand men from between his very fingers when with three times that number he had grasped up the Prince and his men against the Sea-shore And because the proficiencie of the Scholars was ever accounted a good argument of their Masters abilitie I shall make bold with their leaves here to give you a list of some of his Henry Earl of Oxford Thomas Lord Fairfax S. Edward Vere Lieut. Col. S. Sim. Harcourt Ser. Maj. S. Thom. Dutton Captain S. Henry Paiton Captain S. John Burroughs Capt. S. Thomas Gates Captain S. John Conyers Captain S. Thomas Gale Captain S. William Lovelace Cap. S. Rob. Carey Captain S. Jacob Ashley Captain S. Tho. Conway Capt. S. John Burlacy Captain S. Tho. Winne Captain S. Ger. Herbert Captain S. Edw. Harwood Capt. S. Mich. Everid Captain Besides divers others whose effigies do at once both guard and adorn Kirby-hall in Essex where the truly religious and Honourable the Lady Vere doth still survive kept alive thus long by special providence that the present age might more then read and remember what was true Godliness in eighty eight And as for her Lord and Husband who died long since though he left no heir Male behind him to bear his name yet hath he distributed his bloud to run in the veins of many Honourable and Worshipfull families in England for his daughters were The Right Honourable Honourable and vertuous The Countess of Clare The Lady Townshend now Countess of Westmorland The Lady Paulet The Lady Fairfax and Mistris Worstenholme Whose pardon I crave for making so bold with their names but my hope is they will be willing to become witnesses unto their Uncles book though a war-like birth and to let their names midwife it into the world Thus Reader have I given thee a brief account of this piece and so recommend me to Sir Francis Vere W. D. Sir Robert Naunton in his Fragmenta Regalia p. 41. VERE Sir Francis Vere was of that ancient and of the most noble extract of the Earls of Oxford and it may be a question whether the Nobility of his House or the Honour of his atchievements might most commend him but that we have an authentick rule Nam genus proavos quae non fecimus ipst Vix ea nostra voco c. For though he was an Honourable slip of that ancient tree of Nobility which was no disadvantage to his vertue yet he brought more glory to the name of Vere then he took bloud from the family He was amongst all the Queens Sword-men inferiour unto none but superiour to many of whom it may be said To speak much of him were the way to leave out somewhat that might add to his praise and to forget more that would make to his honour I find not that he came much to the Court for he lived almost perpetually in the Camp but when he did none had more of the Queens favour and none less envied for he seldome troubled it with the noise and alarms of supplications his way was another sort of undermining They report that the Queen as she loved Martial men would court this Gentleman as soon as he appeared in her presence and surely he was a souldier of great worth and Command thirty years in the service of the States and twenty years over the English in chief as the Queens General And he that had seen the battel at Neuport might there best have taken him and his Noble brother the Lord of Tilbury to the life The Contents BOmmeler-Waert Pag. 1. The relief of Rhinbergh p. 3. The second relieving of Rhinbergh p. 4. The relieving the Castle of Litken-hooven p. 10. The surprise of Zutphen-Sconse p. 17. The siege of Deventer p. 18. The defeat given the Duke of Parma at Knodsenburgh-Fort p. 20. The Calis-Journey p. 24. The Island-voyage p. 45. The Government of the Briel p. 68. The Action at Turn-hoult p. 72. The battel at Neuport p. 81. Sir Iohn Ogles account of the last charge there p. 106. Clement Edmonds Observation p. 112. The siege of Ostend p. 118. The continuation of it p. 131. Praelium Nuportanum per Is. Dorislaum p. 179. The effigies of S. Fr. Vere and then that of the Lord Vere before the Title-page S. Fr. Veres Monument next after the Epistle to the Reader The mapp of the Sea-coasts and then that of the Low-countreys pag. 1. The mapp of Cadiz and the Islands Azores p. 24. The Action at Turn-hoult p. 72. The Battel at Neuport p. 80. The effigies of S. Iohn Ogle p. 106. The mapp of Ostend p. 118. ERRATA Page 27. line 8. dele in the. p. 32. lin last put the parenthesis after Caletta pag. 132. lin 22. for spilt read split p. 147. l. 16. r. among the rest came that A MAPPE OF THE SEA COASTS A MAPPE OF THE LOWE COVNTRIES Sr HOR 〈…〉 E since Baron of Tilbury THE COMMENTARIES OF Sr. FRANCIS VERE BOMMELER-WAERT IN the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred eighty and nine the Count Charles Mansfeldt having passed with part of his armie into the Bommeler-Waert the rest lying in Brabant over against the island of Voorn prepared both troops to passe into the said island with great store of flat-bottomed boats his artillerie being placed to the best advantage to favour the enterprise The Count Maurice had to impeach him not above eight hundred men the whole force that he was then able to gather together not being above fifteen hundred men whereof the most were dispersed alongst the river of Wael fronting the Bommeler-Waert to impeach the enemies passage into the Betowe Of these eight hundred men six hundred were English of which my self had the command These seemed small forces to resist the enemy who was then reckoned about twelve thousand men and therefore the Count Maurice and the Count Hollock one day doing me the honour to come to my quarter put it in deliberation whether it were not best to abandon the place whereunto when others inclined my opinion was That in regard of the importance of the place
and foot of the army was to attend at the crosse way to favour my retreat My hors-men about noon gave the enemy the alarm and according to their directions made their retreat no enemy appearing whereupon I also retired with the rest of the troop till I came to the crosse way where I found the Count Maurice with his troops In the head of which towards the way of the cawsey with some distance betwixt his troops and mine I made a stand in a little-field by the side of the way where they were at covert We had not been here half an houre but our scouts brought word the enemy was at hand which the Count Maurice's horsemen hearing without any order as every one could get formost to the number of seven or eight hundred they made withall speed towards the enemy I presumed and said they would return faster and in more disorder as it fell out for the enemy coming as fast towards them but in better order put them presently in rout and the greater the number was the more was the amazement and confusion Thus they passed by us with the enemy at their heels laying on them I knew not what other troops they had at hand nor what discouragement this sight might put into the mindes of our men and therefore whereas I purposed to have let the enemy passe if this unlooked for disorder had not happened amongst our horsemen I shewed my troops on their flanks and galled them both with shot and pikes so that they not onely left pursuing their chase but turned their backs Which our horsemen perceiving followed and thus revenged themselves to the full for they never gave over untill they had wholly defeated the troop which was of eight hundred horse of which they brought betwixt two and three hundred prisoners whereof diverse were Captains as Don Alphonso d' Aualos Fradillâ— and others with diverse Cornets and about five hundred horses This defeat so troubled the Duke of Parma that being so forward on his siege and having filled part of the ditch of the fort he retired his army thence and passed the river of Wael a little above Nimmeghen with more dishonour then in any action that he had undertaken in these warres The Calis-journey IN the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred ninetie six I was sent for into England at that time when the journey to the coast of Spain was resolved on which because of the taking of Calis was after commonly called the Calis-journey and returned speedily into the Low Countreys with letters of credence to the States from her Majestie to acquaint them with her Majesties purpose and to hasten the preparation of the shipping they had already promised to attend her Majesties fleet in those seas withall to let them know her Majesties desire to have two thousand of her own subjects as well of those in their pay as her own to be imployed in that action and to be conducted by me to the Earl of Essex and the Lord Admirall of England Generalls of that action by joynt commission The fleet set sail shortly after and my Lord of Essex leaving his own ship imbarqued himself in the Rainbow with my self and some few of his ordinarie attendant servants of purpose as I suppose to conferre with me at the full and at ease of his journey After two dayes sailing his Lordship landed at Beachim near Rye with diverse other Noblemen that he had attending him so far on his journey He took me along with him to the Court and thence dispatched me to Plymmouth whither most of the Land-forces were to march to see them lodged provided of necessaries and trained and ordered which I did accordingly to the great contentment of the Generalls when at their coming they saw the readinesse of the men which were then exercised before them During this stay of the armie about Plymmouth which by reason of the contrarietie of wind was near a moneth it pleased my Lord of Essex to give me much countenance and to have me alwayes near him which drew upon me no small envie in so much as some open jarres fell out betwixt Sir Walter Raleigh then Rear-admirall of the navie and Sir Conniers Clifford Sergeant-major-generall of the armie and my self which the Generall qualified for the time and ordered that in all meetings at Land I should have the precedence of Sir Walter Raleigh and he of me at Sea Sir Conniers Clifford though there were grudging there could be no competition yet being a man of a haughtie stomach and not of the greatest government or experience in Martiall discipline lest ignorance or will might mislead him in the execution of his office and to give a rule to the rest of the high officers which were chosen rather for favour then for long continuance in service to the better directing of them in their duties as also for the more readinesse in the Generall himself to judge and distinguish upon all occasions of controversie I propounded to my Lord of Essex as a thing most necessary the setting down in writing what belonged properly to every office in the field which motion his Lordship liked well and at severall times in the morning his Lordship and my self together he with his own hand wrote what my industrie and experience had made me able to deliver which was afterwards copied delivered severally to the officers and took so good effect that no question arose in that behalf during the journey The wind serving and the troop shipped I imbarqued in the foresaid Rainbow as Vice-admirall of my Lord of Essex his squadron The one and twentieth day after being as I take it the first of July the fleet arrived early in the in the morning before Calis-Malis and shortly after came to an anchor as near the Caletta as the depth would suffer us In the mouth of the Bay thwart of the rocks called Los puercos there lay to our judgement fortie or fiftie tall ships whereof were four of the kings greatest and warlikest Gallions eighteen Merchant ships of the West-Indian fleet outward bounden and richly laden the rest private Merchants Because it was thought these could not escape us in putting to fea the first project of landing our men in the Caletta went on and so the troops appointed for that purpose were imbarqued in our barges and long boats But the wind blowing hard the landing was thought too dangerous the rather for that the enemie shewed themselves on the shore with good troops of horse and foot Notwithstanding in hope the weather would calm the men were still kept in the boats at the ships sterns This day the Generalls met not together but the Lord Admirall had most of the sea officers aboard with him as the Lord of Essex had those for land service and Sir Walter Raleigh was sent to and fro betwixt them with messages so that in the end it was resolved and agreed upon to put the next tide into the Bay
manner would talk and question with me concerning the late journey and though it pleased her alwayes to give credit to the reports I made which I never blemished with falshood for any respect whatsoever yet I thought this forbearance to see my Lord would make my speech work more effectually So soon then as I was able to go abroad I went to the Court which was then at Whitehall and because I would use no bodies help to give me accesse to her Majesty as also that I desired to be heard more publickly I resolved to shew my self to her Majesty when she came into the garden where so soon as she set her gracious eye upon me she called me to her and questioned with me concerning the journey seeming greatly incensed against my Lord of Essex laying the whole blame of the evil successe of the journey on his Lordship both for the not burning and spoiling of the fleet at Faroll and missing the Indian fleet Wherein with the truth I boldly justified his Lordship with such earnestnesse that my voice growing shrill the standers by which were many might hear for her Majesty then walked laying the blame freely upon them that deserved it And some there present being called to confront me were forced to confesse the contrary of that they had delivered to her Majesty insomuch that I answered all objections against the Earl wherewith her Majesty well quieted and satisfied sate her down in the end of the walk and calling me to her fell into more particular discourse of his Lordships humours and ambition all which she pleased then to construe so graciously that before she left me she fell into much commendation of him who very shortly after came to the Court This office I performed to his Lordship to the grieving and bitter incensing of the contrary party against me when notwithstanding I had discovered as is aforesaid in my recuilment his Lordships coldnesse of affection to me and had plainly told my Lord himself mine own resolution in which I still persisted not to follow his Lordship any more in the warres yet to make as full return as I could for the good favour the world supposed his Lordship bare me fearing more to incurre the opinion of ingratitude then the malice of any enemies how great soever which the delivery of truth could procure me The Government of the BRIELL I Stayed the winter following in England in which time my Lord Sheffeild making resignation of his Government of the Briell into her Majesties hands I was advised and encouraged by my good friends to make means to her Majesty for that charge which it was long before I could hearken unto having no friends to relie on For as I had good cause to doubt my Lord of Essex would not further me in that suit so I was as loth to have any thing by his means in the terms I then stood in with his Lordship mush lesse by any other persons that were known his opposers Being still urged to undertake the suit I began at length to take some better liking of it and to guesse there was some further meaning in it and therefore I answered that if I were assured that Master Secretary would not crosse me I would undertake the matter whereof having some hope given me I took occasion one day in the chamber of presence to tell his Lordship as much who answered me that as he would be no mover or recommender of suits for me or any other so he would not crosse me I desired his Lordship of no further favour then might be lookt for from a man in his place for publick respects And hereupon I resolved to have her Majesty moved which Sir Fulk Grevill performed effectually her Majesty as her manner was fell to objecting That I served the States and that those two charges could not well stand together My Lord of Essex was before this gone from Court discontented because of the difficulty he found in obtaining the Earl-Marshalship of England I went therefore to Wanstead to his Lordship in good manners to acquaint him with what I had done who rather discouraged me then otherwise in the pursuit Notwithstanding I waited and followed my businesse hard and one evening in the garden moved her Majesty my self who alleadging as before she had done to Sir Fulk Grevill That it could not stand with her service that both those places should go together I told her Majesty that I was willing if there were no remedy rather to forsake the States service then misse the place I was a suiter to her Majesty for in hers and so for that time her Majesty left me without any discouragement The Earl of Sussex was my onely competitour and for him my Lord North professed to stand earnestly who as soon as I was risen from my knees told me that such places as I was now a suiter for were wonted to be granted onely to Noblemen I answered there were none ennobled but by the favour of the Prince and the same way I took About this time her Majesty being in hand with the States to make a transaction from the old treaty to the new in which the States were to take upon them the payment to her Majesty yearly so much monie as would pay the ordinary Garrison of the cautionary towns it fell in deliberation what numbers were competent for the guard of the said towns wherein before my Lords would resolve they were pleased to call before them my Lord Sidney and my self to hear our opinions addressing their speech concerning the Briell to me whereunto I made such answer as I thought fit not partially as one that pretended to have interest in that Government but as I thought meet for her Majesties service And hereupon Master Secretary took occasion merrily to say to my Lords that they might see what difference there was betwixt the care of Sir Francis Vere a neutrall man and that of my Lord Sidney that spake for his own Government but saith his Lordship he will repent it when he is Governour and then told their Lordships I was suiter for the place and that I should have for it his best furtherance My Lords gave a very favourable applause to Master Secretaries resolution and severally blamed me that I had not acquainted them with my suite and taken the furtherance they willingly would have given me It is true I never made any body acquainted with my suit but Sir Fulk Grevill and Master Secretary From thence forward I addressed my self more freely to Master Secretary and conceived by his fashion an assurance of good issue though I had not a finall dispatch in two moneths after In the mean time my Lord Sidney and my Lord Gray were labouring to succeed me in the States service my Lord of Essex had promised his assistance to my Lord Sidney insomuch as when I told him at his coming to the Court in what forwardnesse I was for the Briell and danger to lose my other
delivered by their commandments to the Lords the States-Generall in their Council-chamber as also sometime after that to the Prince Maurice of Nassau and the Earl William his cosen concerning this matter Yet ere I come to the relation it shall not be amisse to wipe away two main aspersions which I have often met withall by way of objection and are as well in every mans mouth as in Emmanuel of Metteren his book The first and that is the word it lucked well judging the fact by the event but reservedly condemning the purpose for had not the shipping come say they as it did what would have become of the town he would have given it up Colonel Utenhoven a man of note and yet living one of their own Nation a Governour of a Town knows better and the following Treatise shall also make it appear otherwise and that he had not the least thought of rendring the town though succour had not come to him at all this point therefore shall here need no further inlargement The second is That he might have carried the matter otherwise and have drawn lesse jealousie upon himself by acquainting the Captains with it sooner considering it was done without the privity of the Lords the States nor was it fitting to bring an enemy through such secret passages This at the first view seems to say somewhat as borrowing strength from the common proceedings in other ordinary Governours who upon the point aswell of Parley as Article ere they enter into either with an enemy consult first as it is fit with the Captains of the Garrisons and this it seems was likewise expected here But upon what reasons was he such a Governour he was a Generall he had Governours under him Did he intend as commonly others do to deliver the Town he meant nothing lesse as is partly before and shall be hereafter largely proved What account did the States ever require of him what disgrace was there given him more then a free acknowledgement of his singular carriage and judgement in the mannaging of a businesse of so great importance True it is there was at first a kinde of staggering amongst the best which the mist of some partiall information from some male volent person in Ostend had brought them to but this was soon cleared first by his own letters in brief and after by me more at large if not to the most of them yet I dare say to the most discreet and judicious amongst them But let us now see whether it had been either necessary or convenient that the secret of this stratageme should have been revealed sooner either to the Lords the States or Captains of the Garrison To me it seems that it had been to the States preposterous to the Captains dangerous nay more repugnant to sense and common reason and that for these reasons following The project it self was but an Embryo and had been a meer abortive had he delivered himself of it before the attempt of the enemy for from thence it must receive both form and being now that was uncertain and unknown unto him especially the time he could therefore have no certain befitting subject to write to the Lords the States of this matter till the deed were done and the project put in practise which so soon as it was be presently dispatched a messenger giving them a due account of the cause of his proceedings and that to their contentment It was a stratageme whose power and vertue confisted wholy in secrecie it was also a thread whereon hung no lesse then the States Town his own honour and the lives of all them that were with him therefore in reason did not admit the least communication for the best pledge you can have of a mans secrecie is not to open your thoughts unto him Lastly if he would have forgot himself so much as to have committed a secret to the trust of many could he yet promise himself that he should not meet with opposition would they instantly have been all of his minde would no man suspect the handling Why did they then after and that when it was consummated and finished I have heard Colonel Utenhoven say That if the Generall should have made the proposition he had broken the enterprise and he knew best the Captains inclinations for he was the mouth betwixt the Generall and them to clear those jealousies he saw them apprehend in him It was therefore the safest and best way that could be taken to set this businesse abroach rather without their knowledge then flatly against it and to hazzard the interpretation of the action rather then the action it self Besides who ever yet knew the Generall Vere so simple or so weak as to avoid military forms where they were necessary or expedient Wanted he judgement his enemies will not say it Had he not will he had too many of them too great to lay open himself to their malice he was a better mannager of his reputation then to give them so palpable so grosse an advantage to build their scandal on It was the publick service and his own judgement that led him into this course wherein if there were any danger for his part it lay on my head which he ventured for the safetie of all It seems then that as it was not necessary so had it been exceedingly inconvenient that the book of this secret should have been sooner unclasped before it was set on foot or to the Lords the States before it was accomplished I come now to the relation leaving the branch in the objection touching the bringing in of the enemie as not worthy to receive an answer About the twelfth of November it began to freez exceedingly the wind being North-west where it remained till Christmasse or after blowing for the most a stiff gale often high and stormy in this time no shipping came unto us or succours out of Holland or Zeland nor could they for the wind nor had we any for some few weeks after Our men munition and materials wasted daily the sea and our enemy grew both upon us At the spring-tide we looked still when that would decide the question touching the town betwixt us and our adversaries so exceeding high it was and swelling through the continuance of the North-west wind which beat flat upon us and brought extraordinary store of waters from the Ocean into those narrow parts Hands we could set very few to work our places of guard were so many our numbers so small and those over-watched Two thousand and an hundred men was our strength the convenient competency for the town was at least four thousand for workmen our need was more then ever for the whole town with the new forts therein lately begun by the Generall who fore-saw the storm lay more then half-open insomuch that in divers places with little labour both horse and foot might enter The North-west raveline our Champion against the sea was almost worn away The Porcupine or Porc-espic not