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
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
Geule on the East-side the enemy had now so streightened this also by their float of great planks bearing Ordnance on the Geule that they of the town were fain to make a second new haven against the midst of the old town by which means the enemies designes were eluded and the ships of supplies admitted into the town at pleasure This dangerous thrust being so handsomly put by the enemy had no other play left him but to storm which he resolved upon and prepared himself accordingly But in the mean while it will not be amisse to take notice of a passage which happened in the town A French Gentleman disobeying his Serjeant and thereupon causing a great tumult was committed to prison and eight dayes after condemned by a Council of War to be shot to death but because he was descended of a good House all the French Captains interposed their earnest intreaties to Generall Vere and begged his life which was granted upon condition that he should ask the Serjeant forgivenesse this when he could not by any means or perswasion be brought unto he had eight dayes respite granted him to resolve himself which being past and he continuing still as obstinate as ever he was brought forth unto the place of execution and tied to a stake but when once he saw the Harquebusiers ready to discharge he began to be apprehensive of the horrour of death intreating that he might be unbound and promising to perform the sentence ask the Serjeant forgivenesse which he forthwith did and thereupon was released So much easier is it for pride and rashnesse to commit a fault then heartily to acknowledge it A truer courage was that of another in the town during the siege An English Gentleman of about three twenty years of age in a sally forth had one of his arms shot off with a Cannon which taking up he brought back with him into the town unto the Chirurgion and coming into his lodging shewed it saying Behold the arm which but at dinner did help its fellow This he did and endured without the least fainting or so much as reposing upon his bed Not long after on the fourth of December early in the morning the besiegers gave a fierce and sharp assault upon the English trenches which take in the words of one present at it SIr FRANCIS VERE having been abroad the most part of that night was laid down to take his rest but hearing the alarm that the English trenches were assaulted and knowing of how great import that work was for the defence of the town pulling on his stockins with his sword in his hand he ran in all haste unbraced with some souldiers and Captain Couldwell and my self into the work where he found his own company at push of pike upon a turn-pike with the enemie who crying in French Entrez entrez advancez advancez strove to enter that way and sought to over-turn the turn-pike with their pikes and some of his Gentlemen among the rest Lieutenant-Colonel Proud who was afterwards slain at Maestricht slashing off the heads of their pikes which he took notice of and shortly after made him a Lieutenant The enemy being repulsed and beaten off Sir Francis Vere to the end our men might give fire the better upon them from the town and bulwarks which flanked this work both with our Ordnance and sin all shot commanded the souldiers to take some straw from the huts within the work and making wisps of it to set it on fire upon the parapet of the work and upon the heads of their pikes by which light the enemies were discovered so that our men gave fire bravely upon them from the town and the work and shot into their battalions which had fallen on and their men that were carrying off their dead so that upon this attempt the enemy lost a matter of five hundred men which lay under our work and between their trenches The enemy being retreated into his works Sir Francis Vere called me to him and said Boy come now pull up my stockins and tie my points and so returned home again to his rest The next remarkable in the series of this famous siege was that memorable Treatie which Generall Vere intertained with the Archduke which I know none better able to give an account of then Sir Iohn Ogle who had much at stake in the businesse and was well acquainted with the severall passages thereof of which he hath left behinde him this following account Sir Francis Vere his parlie at Ostend written by Sir Iohn Ogle there present AFter the battell of Newport the Archduke Albert desirous to clear Flanders in the year following sate down with his army before Ostend unto which the Lords the States sent Sir Francis Vere their Generall to defend it He having good numbers of men thought it most serviceable for the States to employ them so as he might keep the enemie at arms-end and a fair distance from the town To this purpose he possessed himself of severall advantageous pieces of ground fortifying upon them so well as the time would give him leave but they were morsels as well for the enemies tooth as his and therefore cost both bickering and bloud on both sides till at the last what with numbers artillery and better commodity of accesse he was forced to quit the most of them and that ere he brought them to any perfection of strength whereby to make any resistance Such as were nearest the town and under the succour of his own power as the three Quarriers or squares with some few others he kept and maintained as long as he stayed there yet when by protract of time and casualties of war he found his numbers wasted and himself the enemy creeping upon him so streightned as he was thrust meerly upon the defence he saw he was not in his proper element nor indeed was he for the truth is his vertues being great strong and active required more elbow-room having their best lustre where they had the largest foil to set them off The works of Battel Invasion and the like were the proper objects of his spirit The limits of Ostend were much too narrow for him yet did he there many things worth the observation and reputation of so great a Captain as he was Amongst the rest that of his Parley was of most eminent note and as most noted so most and worst censured and that as well by sword as gown-men yea his judgement which even by his enemies hath often been confessed to be one of the most able that ever our Nation delivered to the world in matters of his profession was in this action taxed and that in print too for his manner of carriage in this businesse Now because I was in some sort the onely instrument he used in the mannaging thereof and best acquainted with all passages I have for the love I owe to truth and his memory thought good to set down in writing what I have heretofore
Church they had shot down to throw amongst them then we had ropes of pitch hoops bound about with squibs and fire-works to throw among them great store of hand-granadoes and clubs which we called Hercules-clubs with heavy heads of wood and nails driven into the squares of them These and some others because the enemy had sworn all our deaths the Generall provided to entertain and welcome them When it began to grow darkish a little before low-water in the interim while the enemie was a cooling of his Ordnance which had playd all the day long upon the breach and the old town the Generall taking advantage of this precious time commanded Captain Dexter and Captain Clark with some fiftie stout workmen who had a rose-noble apiece for a quarter of an houres work to get up to the top of the breach which the enemies cannon had made very mountable and then with all expedition to cast up a small breast-work and drive in as many Palizadoes as possibly they could that his brother Sir Horace Vere and the rest of the Captains and souldiers which he commanded might have some little shelter the better to defend the breach and repulse the enemie when he strived to enter which blessed be God with the losse of a few men they performed This being done Sir Francis Vere went through the sally-port down into the False-bray and it being twilight called for an old souldier a Gentleman of his company to go out Sentinel-perdu and to creep out to the strand between two gabions giving him expresse command that if he saw an enemy he should come in unto him silently without giving any alarm at all He crept upon his belly as far as he could and at last discovered Count Farneze above mentioned wading and putting over the old-haven above their pile-battery with his two thousand Italians which were to fall on first and as they waded over he drew them up into battalions and divisions which this Gentleman having discovered came in silently to Sir Francis Vere as he had commanded him who asked him What news My Lord said he I smell good store of gold chains buff-jerkins Spanish-cassocks and Spanish-blades Ha sayes Sir Francis Vere sayest thou me so I hope thou shalt have some of them anon and giving him a piece of gold he went up again through the sally-port to the top of Sand-hil where he gave expresse order to Serjeant-major Carpenter to go to Helmont and every man to his charge and not to take any alarm or shoot off either cannon or musket-shot till he himself gave the signall and then to give fire both with the Ordnance and small shot as fast as ever they could charge and discharge When the enemy had put over his two thousand Italians he had also a signall to give notice thereof to the Count of Bucquoy that they were ready to fall on whose signal was the shot of a cannon from their pile-battery with a hollow-holed bullet into the sea towards his quarter which made a humming noyse When Generall Vere had got them under the swoop of his cannon and small-shot he powred a volley of cannon and musket-shot upon them raking through their battalions and making lanes amongst them upon the bare strand which did so amaze and startle them that they were at a non-plus whether they should fall on or retreat back again yet at last taking courage and tumbling over their dead bodies they rallyed themselves and came under the foot of Sand-hil and along the foot of the curtain of the old town to the very piles that were strook under the wall where they began to make ready to send us a volley Which Sir Francis Vere seeing that they were a presenting and ready to give fire upon us because indeed all the breast-work and parapet was beaten down flat to the rampier that day with their Ordnance and we standing open to the enemies shot commanded all the souldiers to fall flat down upon the ground while the enemies shot flew like a shower of hail over their heads which for the reasons above-said saved a great many mens lives This being done our men rising saw the enemy hastâ—ng to come up to the breach and mounting up the wall of the old town Sir Francis Vere flourishing his sword called to them in Spanish and Italian vienneza causing the souldiers as they climbed up to cast and tumble down among them the firkins of ashes the barrels of Frize-ruyters the hoops stones and brick-bats which were provided for them The alarm being given it was admirable to see with what courage and resolution our men fought yea the Lord did as it were infuse fresh courage and strength into a company of poor snakes and sick souldiers which come running out of their huts up to the wall to fight their shares and the women with their laps full of powder to supply them when they had shot away all their ammunition Now were the walls of Ostend all on a light fire and our Ordnance thundring upon them from our bulwarks now was there a lamentable cry of dying men among them for they could no sooner come up to the top of the breach to enter it or peep up between Sand-hil and Schottenburch but they were either knocked on the head with the stocks of our muskets our Hercules-clubs or run through with our pikes and swords Twice or thrice when they strived to enter they were beaten off and could get no advantage upon us The fight upon the breach and the old town continued hotter and hotter for the space of above an houre the enemie falling on at the same instant upon the Porc-espic Helmont the West-raveline Quarriers were so bravely repulsed that they could not enter a man The enemy fainting and having had his belly full those on the West-side heat a dolefull retreat while the Lord of Hosts ended our dispute for the town crowned us with victory and the roaring noise of our Cannon rending the aire and rolling along the superficies of the water the wind being South and with us carried that night the news thereof to our friends in England and Holland Generall Vere perceiving the enemy to fall off commanded me to run as fast as ever I could to Serjeant-major Carpenter and the Auditour Fleming who were upon Helmont that they should presently open the West-slute out of which there ran such a stream and torrent down through the chanel of the West-haven that upon their retreat it carried away many of their sound and hurt men into the sea and besides our men fell down our walls after them slew a great many of their men as they retreated and took some prisoners pillaged and stript a great many and brought in gold-chains Spanish-pistols buff-jerkins Spanish-cassocks blades swords and targets among the rest one wherein was enammeled in gold the seven Worthies worth seven or eight hundred gilders and among the rest that souldier which Sir Francis Vere had sent out to discover with as
much booty as ever he could lug saying That Sir Francis Vere was now as good as his word Under Sand-hil and all along the walls of the old town the Porc-espic and West-raveline lay whole heaps of dead carcases fourty or fifty upon a heap stark naked goodly young men Spaniards and Italians among which some besides other marks to know them by had their beards clean shaven off There lay also upon the sand some dead horse with baskets of hand-granadoes they left also behinde them their scaling-ladders great store of spades and showels bills hatchets and axes with other materials Here the French diary adds that those who gave the assault upon the old town were furnished with two or three dayes victuals which they had brought in sacks intending to have intrenched themselves and maintained the place against the besieged if their enterprise had succeeded Also that among the heaps of the slain was found in mans apparell the body of a yong Spanish woman neer unto Sand-hill who as was conjectured by her wounds had been slain in the assault having under her apparell a chain of gold set with precious stones besides other jewels silver And that during this assault the Archduke disposed of himself behinde the battery of the Catteys and the Infanta remained at the fort Isabella Upon the East-side also they stood in three great battalions before the town upon the Gullet but the tide coming in they came too late so that they could not second those on the West-side and fall on where they were appointed to wit upon our new-haven which lay upon the North-east-side of the town For the water beginning to rise it did amaze the souldiers and they feared if they stayed any longer they could not be relieved by their fellows howsoever for their honours they would do something and resolved to give on upon our Spanish half-moon which lay over the Gullet on the South-east part of the town But a souldier of ours falling out of it a police of Sir Francis Vere disappointed this designe and yielded himself prisoner unto them telling them that there were but fourty souldiers in the half-moon and offered to lead them to it which he did and they took it easily For Generall Vere with great judgement had left it thus ill manned to draw the enemie on the East-side thither to separate them from their fellows on the West-side to make them lose time contenting himself to guard the places of most importance assuring himself that he should soon recover the other at his pleasure The Archdukes men having thus taken the half-moon and being many therein they began with spades shovels pick-axes and other instruments to turn it up against the town But all prevailed not for it lay open towards the town and those of the town began to shoot at them from the South and Spanish-bulwarks both with Cannon and musket-shot with such fury as they slew many of them and withall seeing the tide come in more and more they began to faint whereupon Generall Vere sent Captain Day with some troops to beat them out of it who with great courage chased them out of it with the effusion of much bloud for the next day they told three hundred men slain in the half-moon besides those that were drowned and hurt In this generall assault which on both sides of the town continued above two houres upon all the places above-mentioned the Archduke besides some that were carried into the sea lost above two thousand men Among the which there were a great number of Noble-men Chiefs and Commanders Amongst the rest the Count d' Imbero an Italian who offered as much gold as he did weigh for his ransome and yet he was slain by a private souldier Don Durango Maistro del campo or Colonel Don Alvares Suares Knight of the Order of Saint Jaques Simon Anthonio Colonel the Serjeant-major-Generall who had been hostage in Ostend on the twenty fourth and twenty fifth of December 1601. and the Lieutenant-Governour of Antwerp with diverse others On our side there were slain between thirty and fourty souldiers and about an hundred hurt The men of command slain were Captain Haughton Captain Nicolas vanden Lier a Lieutenant of the new Geux two English Lieutenants an Ancient and Captain Haughtons two Serjeants and Master Tedcastle Gentleman of Sir Francis Veres horse who was slain between Sir Francis Vere and my self his Page with two musket-bullets chained together and calling to me bad me pull off his gold ring from off his little finger and send it to his sister as a token of his last good-night and so commending his spirit into the hands of the Lord died Sir Horace Vere was likewise hurt in the leg with a splinter that flew from a Palizado And thus much briefly of the assault and the repulse they received in Ostend that day and night in memorie of the heroick actions of Sir Francis Vere of famous memorie my old Master After this bloudy shower was once over the weather cleared up into its usual temper and so continued not without good store of artificial â—hunder and lightning on both sides daily but without any remarkable alteration untill the seventh of March then next ensuing which was in the year one thousand six hundred and two Then did Generall Vere having lately repaired the Poulder and West-square resigne up his Government of Ostend unto others appointed by the States to succeed him having valiantly defended it for above eight moneths against all the Archdukes power and leaving it much better able to defend it self then it was at his first coming thither So the same night both he and his brother Sir Horatio Vere imbarqued themselves having sent away their horses and baggage before them and both carrying with them and leaving behinde them the marks of true honour and renown FINIS PRAELIUM NUPORTANUM Rerum fide tradebat IS DORISLAUS J. C. SAeviebat adhuc inter liberos victósque Belgas civile Bellum avidum sanguinis pecuniae prodigum raptis per mutuas clades tot fortibus animis egestis in terrae punctum veteris simul novi orbis immensis opibus cùm aerarii stipendiorum inopiâ Hispanicas legiones Seditio incessit Vetus illâ militiâ malum initio statim secularis anni in rabiem proruperat orto à vexillariis per Brabantiam praesidia agitantibus initio tractis pari vel necessitate vel praedandi lubidine Wâlonum Germanorúm que numeris qui Crevekeuram ad Mosae Vahalis que confluentes S. Andreae munimentum insidebant Excîverat ea res solito maturiùs vergente adhuc hyeme Mauritium Orangii Principem properum gnarúmque occasionis Et ille quidem non territis magìs quà m emptis seditiosorum animis acceptÃsque in deditionem munimentis clarâ in praesens victoriâ in posterum usui adulto jam vere Hagam reversus est Sustulerant animos hoc successu liberi Belgae in Ordinum Conventu
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
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