some fortie or fiftie followers went aboord Drake and the rest were carried to Plimmouth where they remayned a yeare and halfe till they had payed their ransome or were exchanged for others Valdez comming into Drakes presence kissed his hands told him that they had all resolued to die if they had not bin so happie to fall into his hands whom hee knew to bee noble and curteous and famous for dealing well with his vanquished enemie so as he doubted vvhether his enemies had more cause to loue him for his valour or feare him for his fortunate exploits which had alreadie attained to the highest degree Sir Francis Drake did curteously imbrace him and caused him to eat at his owne Table and sleepe in his owne Cabbin where Valdez reported vnto him their strength how that the four Gallies were dispersed that they had thought to haue entred the hauen of Plimmouth without feare of the English Nauie which they supposed durst not haue made resistance and so haue become masters at sea They likewise admired the valor of the English who durst with so few small vessels approch their inuincible Nauie get the wind of it with other such like discourses Valdez and his followers were afterward carried into England he was a man much respected in his countrie kinsman to the same Valdez who in an 1573 had besieged Leyden in Holland In his ship some of the kings treasure was amounting to the summe of 55000 Ducats in siluer which was all pillaged The same day the Vice-Admirall Oquendo his ship was fired where was great store of powder and munition all the vpper deck was burnt with all the men of whom few were saued It was taken and carried into England with many men in her halfe burnt and yet all the powder which was in hold was saued which was a matter to be admired In the meane time the English Lord Admiral in his ship called the Arke had that night so far followed the Spanyards as in the morning he found himselfe in a manner alone in the middest of his enemies so as it was foure a clocke after noone ere all his fleet came vp to him Some say that D. Hugo de Moncada Generall of the foure Galleasses did at the same time with great earnestnesse intreat the Duke of Medina to giue him leaue to boord the Lord Admirall which the Duke would in no sort permit being loth to passe the bounds of his Commission Tewsday the second of August the fleet being before Portland the wind turned to the North so as the Spanyards had a prosperous gale but the English did againe get the wind of them their ships being lighter and of better saile By this meanes the Spaniards then seemed more to incline to fight than before to speake truth that dayes fight was most fierce and bloudie In the middest of the fight the English Admirall cried out aloud to Captaine George Semmer saying ô George what dost thou wilt thou now forsake me or wilt thou deceiue my opinion of thy valour which words did so inflame him as hee assayled the enemie so furiously as that day he woon greatest commendation But the English hauing with all sorts of ordnance sought with them from morning yet ceased not the Spanyards did againe inclose themselues in order of battaile whereby their enemies perceyued that they onely sought meanes to defend themselues and to goe to their appointed place nere to Dunkirke there to joȳne with the Duke of Parma who vnder protection of those great vessels might execute his designe with more safety In this fight a great Venetian Argozey perished The English fleet in the meane time did dayly encrease grew strong by ships and men that came to it forth of all hauens seeking to win honour and to doe good seruice to their Countrie among whom were diuers noble men and others of great note as the Earles of Oxford Cumberland Northumberland of Knights Sir Thomas Cecill William Hatton Walter Raleigh Horacio Palauicino Gentlemen Henrie Brooke Robert Carie Charles Blunt Ambrose Willoughbie Henrie Nowell Thomas Gerard Robert Dudley Edward Darcy Arthur Gorges Thomas Wood William Haruey many other noble gentlemen so as they were in number some hundred saile being come nere to Douer they were increased to an 120 which for the most part were too small to boord the Spanyards except some twentie two of the Queenes great ships The mariners and souldiers amounted to the number of eleuen thousand men The third of August the Sea being calme and without wind the fight was onely betwixt the English the Galleasses which were rowed with oares therin had the vauntage but it did them small good The English were busied in making Chain shot wherwith to cut a sunder their oates tackings they likewise sent a shoare for more powder which they extreamely wanted hauing at the beginning spent much in vayne of which they afterwards complained The same day a Councell was held wherein was resolued That the English fleet should be diuided into foure squadrons the one vnder my Lord Admirals conduct the other vnder Sir Frauncis Drakes the third vnder Hawkins the fourth vnder Captaine Frobiser The Spanish ships in sayling kept a close order of 3 or 4 ships in ranke not farre one from another and the greater vessels enclosed them The fourth of August the fleet beeing come before the Isle of Wight the English Lord Admirall did fiercely assaile the Spaniards with his best ships as the Lyon wherein was the Lord Thomas Howard now Earle of Suffolke the Elizabeth Ionas wherein were the Lord Sheffield and Sir Robert Southwell the Lord Admirals sonne in law the Beare and Victorie commaunded by Iohn Hawkins and the Gallion Leycester by Captaine George Fenner All these made vp directly towards the Spanish Admirall who with the greatest part of his ships lay in the middest of the fleet where a fierce fight was begun for beeing within 3 or 400 paces nere to one another they gaue each other their broad sides and discharged all their ordnance at last the Spaniards got the wind and once againe joyned themselues together In the meane time Martin Frobiser Captaine of the Triumph with some few others had brauely performed a daungerous fight with the Spanyards the Admirall came to reskew him and found that he had valiantly behaued himselfe and made a discreet retreat without any great losse So as the next day being the fist of August the Admiral knighted him and diuers others Saturday the 6 of August towards night the Spanyards came to an anker before Calais it seemed they resolued to stay there to joyne with the Duke of Parmas forces The next day being the seuenth of August the moone was at full so that at twelue a clocke it was full sea at Calais and at eleuen at Dunkirke The English likewise ankored within Canon shot of them whether the Lord Henrie Seymer brought his fleet of
time felt the commoditie thereof notwithstanding they had much to doe both with the Indians and Portugals of which if any one desire to haue further knowledge I refer him to the descriptions thereof which haue beene written and published ¶ The taking of the towne of Huy in the countrie of Liege on the eighth of Februarie 1595. CHarles of Herauguier gouernor of Breda the better to aduance the enterprises on the countries of Luxembourg and Namur went forth of Breda on the last of Ianuarie with twelue ensignes of foot and foure cornets of horse and marched towards the towne of Huy which stands vpon the riuer Mase in the countrie of Liege it is a fine towne and hath a bridge ouer the Mase and a Castle and is the ordinarie aboad of the prince and bishop of Liege In the Castle was a weake garrison 24 or thirtie of our men were hid in a little house vnder the castle which stands high vpon a rock ouer this little house was one of the Castles windowes these thirtie men with a ladder made of ropes got vp to the window which they brake and entred some among them knew euerie corner of the castle so as in the Morning when the chiefe of the castle went forth of their houses thinking to goe to Masse they were on a sodaine taken by the throat bound and layd in a dungeon which done they tooke the castle and gate and some moued the towne to yeeld The Burghers ran to armes thinking to defend themselues but perceiuing Herauguier to come forwards with his troops they compounded and suffered him to enter with three ensignes of foot and two cornets of horse on the 8 of Februarie Herauguiere fortified the towne and castle reducing the enemies countries neere adjoyning vnder contribution The Towne was verie well seated for our men to make an offensiue warre it beeing a passage into the countries of Namur and Brabant neere to the confines of Luxembourg where they supposed to obtayne great victories vnder the conduct of the duke of Bouillon count Philip of Nassau Herauguieres troopes of horse did at the same time neere to Montmedy meete with seuen wagons laden with rich Italian Merchandize as veluets and silke stockings which were going towards Antuerpe and were worth three hundred thousand florins which they tooke and diuided amongst themselues But part of this Cauallerie belonging to the garrisons of Breda and Berghen in Brabant being desirous to returne home met with certaine of the enemies ordinarie bands conducted by generall Schets Lord of Grobbendonck who not farre off had tenne foot companies whereof our men hauing intelligence diuided themselues into 3 troopes one of which was assailed by the enemie and being ouerloden with bootie were beaten and 70 of them slain and taken prisoners among whom were two Lieutenants The taking of Huy belonging to the Bishop of Liege who liued as a Neuter was thus excused namely our men borrowed that towne but for a place of retreat without any hurt to the inhabitants which so soon as the war should be ended they would willingly surrender that the Bishop permitted the like to the townes of Berck and Bonne which were his and yet were detained by the Spaniards But the Bishop complained to the States of the wrongs done vnto him and of the breach of the neutrallitie crauing to haue his town redeliuered and therein imployed al his friends but because small regard was had of his complaints hee implored the ayd and assistance of the Archduke Ernestus who presently sent forces thither to free the countries of Namur and Brabant from incursion with commaundement to ayd the Bishop these troopes notwithstanding Ernestus death besieged the towne of Huy because they perceiued it could not easily be relieued Herauguieres with Captaine Balfort le Vos and others did shut themselues into the towne and yet the waters were risen ouer the whole countrie by reason of the great snow which was melted by a continuall raine so that they had small hope of aid for all the riuers and especially the Rhyne had so ouerflowed their bankes as in the memorie of man the like had not beene seene for all the countrie round about was drowned many thousands both men and cattell perished In Guelderland and Holland the Isle of Bommell and others were drowned as the Betuwe and the countrie neere to Vtrecht and Ammersfoort euen to the gates and suburbes of Vyane three thousand persons were drowned so as it was a great and just punishment of God Diuers skonses and Buâ—warke were borne away so as the souldiers had much to doe to secure the countrie and with great cost to repaire the forts Fuentes la Motte Barlaymont and other captaines considering that the States forces were cooped vp by water and that small reliefe could come to them did on the one side of the Mase besiege the towne of Huy and the bishops forces on the other side and at last on the thirteenth of March tooke the towne by force slew many of the garrison and tooke diuers of them prisoners the rest fled to the castle which was battered with two canon and vndermined by al the myners in the countrie so as in the end the castle was by composition deliuered to the Lord la Motte and vpon the twentieth of March our men departed with their armes and baggage At their departure the Spaniards would haue murthered them but la Motte and Grobbendonck sent them safely away Herauguieres by this meanes lost much credit being taxed for yeelding the castle so soone seeing that neere to Coloigne forces were readie to relieue him as also because the breach was not sufficient for the enemie to come to an assault but others judged the contrarie and said that he had done discreetly so this enterprise did smally profit the vnited Prouinces ¶ The taking of the Island and towne of Cales-Males in Andelusia in Spaine in the yeare 1596. IN the yeare 1596 the Queene of England did set forth a mightie fleet of sixteene or seuenteene of hir great ships royall in twelue or foureteene of which were three or foure hundred mariners in euerie ship beside fortie other English ships of warre with fiftie others which carried souldiers and prouisions The Lord Charles Howard Baron of Effingham and now Earle of Nottingham was Admerall generall of this fleet The Lord Thomas Howard now Earle of Suffolke was Vice-Admeral and sir Walter Raleigh knight and captaine of the Queenes guard was rere-Admerall My Lords the States of the vnited Prouinces did at her Majesties request set forth eighteen great ships of war each of them being manned with one hundred and thirtie men beside sixe others loden with victuals and ammunition and in each of them fortie men the Lord Iohn of Duvenvord Lord of Warmont Admerall of Holland was by the States made Admerall of this fleet Iohn Gerbrantsoon of Enchuysne was Vice-Admerall the rere-Admirall was Cornellis Lensen of Flushing but they were tied by agreement
to be vnder command of the English Many voluntaries were likewise in this fleet as count Lodwick of Nassau son to count Iohn others An armie of land souldiers was likewise in this fleet of whom the Earle of Sussex was generall In this armie were sundrie regiments commanded by the Earle of Sussex sir Edward Conway Sir Conihurst Clifford Sir Christopher Blunt Sir Thomas Gerard Sir Iohn Winckfield and others The number of the souldiers amounted to 6000 able men among whom were two thousand two hundred old English souldiers brought forth of the low-countries by sir Frauncis Veer chosen forth of euerie companie There were likewise certaine Dutch companies vnder captaine Metkerke and aboue one thousand voluntarie gentlemen among whom was D. Christophero of Portugal sonne to the king D. Antonio Count Lodwick of Nassau commaunded these voluntaries Sir Frauncis Veer was Lord Marshall of the field Sir George Carow Master of the ordnance and sir Conihurst Clifford Serjeant Major This fleet departed from Plimmouth in England on the thirteenth of Iune there were in it one hundred and fortie saile great and small Being come neere to the Spanish coast they had intelligence by a small barke that came from Ireland that in the Bay of Cales in Andeluzia whether they were going fiftie seuen great ships and twentie gallies lay foure great gallions each of them carrying fortie or fiftie pieces of ordnance and in euerie of them six or seuen hundred men two great galleasses of Andeluzia foure great ships of Biscay foure Easterlings certaine great Argozies loden for the most part with ordnance and munition being bound for Lisbone in Portugal where another fleet of thirtie ships was prepared for Bretayne and Calais and money readie for that purpose Beside these there were three great Fregats of two hundred tunne a piece which came from Porto Ricco with the money Besides these ships of warre and gallies there was another fleet of fiue and thirtie ships verie richly loden which were bound for the West Indies readie to set saile in which vessels were aboue sixe thousand pipes of Spanish wines two thousand pipes of oyle fiue thousand weight of wax and all manner of pretious merchandize as cloth silke cloth of gold lace quick-siluer c. And it was reported by the king of Spaines officers this fleet was thought to be worth eleauen or twelue millions of ducats The English fleet hauing notice hereof made towards the Bay of Cales where it arriued on the thirtieth of Iune in the Morning and came to an anker nere to S. Sebastians point from whence they might easily see the Spanish ships and gallies that lay before Cales vnder the two castles The Vice-Admerrall the Lord Thomas Howard and sir Walter Raleigh being sent for by the Councell of warre Raleigh was commaunded to goe before with certaine ships to set vpon some great vessels which as they heard were readie to set saile forth of the Bay of S. Lucars comming thither they found them to lye so nere the shore as they could not approch them and were hindred from doing it by a certaine mist that arose in which the sayd vessels escaped and were by Raleigh so nerely chased to the land as his owne ships were in great daunger to haue runne on ground From thence Raleigh made towards the great fleet which in the meane time had ankored on the thirtieth of Iune in the Morning without the Bay of Cales into which all men especially the Low-countrie fleet thought they would haue directly entred seeing the ships and gallies to lye before the towne vnder the two castles but the English Admerall would not suffer it to be so because he thought the entrance would haue beene verie daungerous as also the assayling of the kings fleet before the towne were woonâ—which if they had done they must haue fought both with the gallions and gallies and beene opposed to the shot from the Towne and castles Thereupon sir Walter Raleigh came to the fleet and went aboord the General the Earle of Essex who was busied in landing his men on the West side of Cales where the Sea was so rough by reason of a West wind as the boats began to sinke neere the ships Raleigh told him it was verie daungerous to land his men because that betwixt them and shore foure gallies lâ—y to keepe them from landing saying That he was verie sorie that he had not first entred the hauen where the Spanish ships gallies lay which by their delay were now encouraged of this the general likewise complayned at whose entreatie Raleigh vndertooke to go and persuade the Admerall to enter which by many forcible reasons he did and cried out Let vs enter Let vs enter wherupon al the ships weighed ankor sailed towards the hauen But night preuented them the sun being alreadie set so as it was then too late to assaile the Spanish fleet that lay aboue a mile and halfe within the riuer as also for that it was a dangerous matter to fight by night in a strait On this consideration they came to an ankor where the canon presently saluted them from the towne and castle The English went to Councel to consult after what maner it were best to assaile the Spaniards the next Morning euerie commaunder striued to haue the vantgard yet they resolued not to hazard the Queenes great ships but vpon vrgent necessitie so as it was thought fit that sir Walter Raleigh with eight of the Queenes leslesser ships six Hollanders and twelue English Merchants ships should haue the vantguard this resolution was oppugned by the Lord Thomas Howard who said that honour belonged vnto him whereupon it was concluded that both of them should goe together So soone as it was day Raleigh would not loose time in weighing ankor but did let them slip and thereby had the aduauntage to let saile first the Spanish gallies discharged all their ordnance vpon him but he made not one shot leauing it to those that followed him and so went directly towards the gallions which lay in the deepest part of the riuer viz. the S. Philip S. Mathew S. Andrew and S. Thomas with two other verie great ships which together tooke vp all the bredth of the riuer Behind these gallions lay 6 others and behind them the gallies nerer the shore where the water was shal lowest and vpon the land stood the castle Puntall which flanked the riuer the lesser English ships assailed the gallies who thundred one vpon another In the mean time the Vice-Admeral the L. Thomas Howard came vp to sir Walter Raleigh with 6 of the Queens ships as nere to the gallions as they could possible discharging all their ordnance and fighting from six of the clocke in the Morning till none with as many ships as the channel could beare During the fight an vnfortunat euent happened in a ship of Rotterdam called the Dolphin where Guillaum Henrick was captaine the powder was by mischaunce set on fire whereby
baggage which lagged behind And because the Englishmens commission imported that they should visit all Sea Ports and destroy all ships and warlike prouisions they did in their returne homewards saile to the hauen of Faroo where they landed part of their men and most of the Hollanders from whom the countrie people fled whereupon they tooke and brought away with them whatsoeuer they could Being come nere to S. Vincents cape and hauing committed two notable errors first because they did not in time assaile the Spanish fleet before it was burnt The second for that they had thus abandoned Cales the earle of Essex requested the Lord Admerall not to fall into a third but to saile towards the Azores to meet with the East West Indian fleet which at that time was readie to arriue but by reason of a contrary wind this likewise was rejected Yet afterwards when the earle came neere to Lisbone he propoundeth this matter againe offering to send home those ships that had taken leakes and wanted victuals with the hurt and sicke men But the Lord Admeral and sir Walter Raleigh contradicted it both by writing word of mouth and when they came to view what ships were willing fit there were none that would vndertake the matter but that of the Earle of Essex and the Lord Thomas Howard together with sir Frauncis Veer and the Low-countrie fleet which offered it selfe and had beene by the earle of Essex accepted if the Lord Admeral wold haue giuen leaue to those two ships and some eight or tenne English vessels more but his Lordship thought it not fit so sleightly to aduenture the Queenes ships These various opinions set downe in writing the Noble earle propounded them in England for his owne excuse and in this maner was the third gallant occasion lost for if they had gone to the said Islands and made some small stay they had met with a most rich Indian fleet which arriued there 12 or 14 daies after Passing along the coast of Portugal they would not meddle with the citie of Lisbone hauing no such commission but onely to visit the hauens and Sea Ports whereupon they went to Cornua and Ferol where they found few ships and small prouision After that they held their last Councell namely Whether they should likewise visit the hauens of S. Andrew and S. Sebastian with others neere adjoyning where certaine Spanish men of warre were reported to lye but the Admerall and Sea Captaines flatly gaine-said it complaining of want of victuals saying That the Queenes ships might be in daunger to runne on ground in those places so as the earle of Essex could not herein preuaile who would willingly haue assaulted the towne of Cornua but euerie man cried out to returne home taking vpon them to excuse the said earle and so sailed towards England leauing the earle and the two gallions behind which were scattered by tempest together with the Low-countrie fleet which stayed with him to the end Beeing thus arriued in England about mid-August they gaue vp an account of their voyage and being taxed for letting slip those faire occasions they excused themselues by the forementioned reasons and it was found by experience That two Generals hauing equall power and commaund doe commonly hinder many gallant and noble enterprises The Admerall of the Low-countries returned home with his fleet and brought backe the English souldiers that had beene chosen forth of euerie companie together with some bootie and threescore pieces of ordnance hauing lost the Fliboat of Rotterdam called the Dolphin with all her ordnance The preparations of this fleet stood the vnited Prouinces in more than fiue hundred thousand florins The Queene of England in signe of acknowledgement did on the 14 of August in anno 1598 send a letter to the Admerall of Holland in forme following MY Lord of Duvenuord the report of the Generalls of our armie who are safely returned from the coasts of Spaine concerning their seruice who haue obtayned so notable a victorie doth attribute a great part thereof to the valour industrie and good will which your seâ—fe and our other friends of the Low-countries vnder your conduct haue showne in the whole course of this action This hauing filled our heart with exceeding ioy content hath likewise begotten a desire in vs to communicate vnto you by writing that which we conceiue therof and hauing none other meanes at this present to expresse our good will we haue thought good to make vse thereof till some fitter occasion be offered And for our better discharge herein wee know not where to begin for that the greatnesse of each partie surmounteth the others merit The loue and diligence which my Lords the States haue vsed in this action doth witnesse vnto vs That the sincere affection we haue euer borne to the vnited Prouinces and benefits bestowed vpon them haue not bin ill imployed Your valour skill and good conduct manifested in this seruice are so many euident signes that your selfe and whole Nation deserue all fauour and defence of Christian Princes against those that would tyrannize ouer you But the honour and faithfull friendship which you my Lord Admerall haue shewed to our louing cosen the Earle of Essex in his home returne at such time as hee was by night scattered from the fleet and destitute of all ayd and assistance your selfe tarrying with him conducting him to our Hauen of Plimmouth doth declare your wisedome and loyaltie preuenting by your owne patience and labour all mischiefe that by falling on one of the Generals of our fleet might haue spoyled and disgraced the whole victorie Moreouer your zeale and affection to vs ward doth encrease our debt towards you the knowledgement whereof is so deepely imprinted in our heart as we thought good by these Letters to make some part of satisfaction the which wee entreat you to impart to the whole companie of our friends vnder your command letting them vnderstand beside that they may be well assured that as heretofore we haue giuen sufficient testimonie of our sincere affection towards their countrey we are now by their valour and merit more incited to augment and encrease our loue in euerie part as it becommeth a Princesse who acknowledgeth the vertue and desert of so worthie a Nation as yours and so we will continue your verie louing friend Signed Elizabetha Regina ¶ A description and rehersall of the victorie which his Excellencie obtayned of the enemie on a plaine called Tielsche-Heyde neere to Turnholt in an 1597. AFter the departure of the illustrious high and mightie lord Prince Maurice of Nassau c. from the Hague on the one and twentieth of Ianuarie 1597 he arriued on the two and twentieth of the same at Geertrudenberg there finding his armie readie consisting of 6000 both horse and foot with all things necessarie for his enterprise he went speedily and without rumour the next day to a village called Rauels some league distant from the jurisdiction
continued by himselfe Forasmuch as officers and Magistrats are appointed in Townes and places according to the prerogatiues respectiuely giuen to the Lords Townes Villages by the Princes of these Countries In this regard we cannot violate them But his Excellencie for the better seruice of these Countries will prouide that the Magistrats and officers bee honest and well qualified people And for that which concerneth the establishment of Counsellors Commissioners of Townes and Colledges His Excellencies meaning is to conferre with the States about these matters as he shall find it to be expedient for the seruice and commoditie of the Countrie He will likewise giue order that the Townes and Forts of Block-zijl and Cuyndert shall be fortified maintayned garded and prouided of all necessaries He will by all meanes preuent and hinder that no sedition arise among the inhabitants This belongs to the Gouernour of the Prouinces and to the ordinarie officers and Magistrats thereof And because the Commission for Captaineship of the Castle of Medenblick was by his Excellencie graunted onely by Prouiso he intreats his Excellencie to giue and confirme it absolutely vnto him Forasmuch as the Captaineship of the of Castle Medenblick is an ordiofficenarie of the Countrie which according to the priuiledges therof cannot be administred but by any such an one as is born in the Low countries his Excellencie cannot graunt it contrarie to the sayd priuiledges seeing that the Generall was not borne there Done by aduice at the Hague the 21 of Ianuarie 1588 and subsigned By me William Mostaert All this thus done those of Medenblick continued obstinat the souldiers mutined and would not depart till they had receiued the arrerages They disarmed the Burghers and caried their armes to Gouernour Senoys house and enforced them euerie weeke to giue them pay My Lords the States sent the Lords of Famas and Swevenseell Peter Kyes Burgomaster of Harlem and Master Adrian Antonie Burgomaster of Alckmaer to them who presented the arrerages to the mutinous souldiers and greater pay than to any other that serued the States but they would neither giue audience to these Commissioners nor to other which were sent after them but went a boothaling vp and downe the Countrie constrayning the Boores in hostile manner to pay them their entertainement which to speake truely was a matter of great consequence and might easily haue ruined all North-Holland if my Lords the States had not in time preuented it who resolued by force to master these mutines giuing ample power to his Excellencie to put it in execution who together with the Marshall Villers who was newly set at libertie from his imprisonment brought certaine companies of souldiers Burghers of neighbour towns and some ships of warre before the Towne who did in such sort besiege and nerely presse it as those within it began to remember themselues and so to consider the present daunger as they began in some sort to change their minds And perceiuing that the Earle of Leycester had wholly giuen ouer the gouernement and had surrendred into the generall States whose authoritie by their resolution did dayly increase and that they could not but expect some great mischiefe in recompence of their obstinacie the matter was at last so handled by meanes of Sir Henrie Killegrew the Lord Willoughby and other English Lords as those of Medenblick hauing beene besieged till the Moneth of Aprill the Generall Senoy and his soldiers made an accord with his Excellencie and deliuered the Towne into his hands The Generall and souldiers went forth of the Towne with passeport which his Excellencie and his troopes entred where he ordered all matters necessarie for the better assurance of the Towne Generall Senoy went to Alckmaer where with sundrie reasons hee would haue excused himselfe Those of Medenblick and others did greatly endammage him in his goods whereupon in anno 1590 he went into England to make his complaint to her Maiestie who in the yeare 1592 propounded his case to my Lords the States by her Agent Thomas Bodley on the fist day of Iulie which propositions were by them amply resolutely answered to the Agents satisfaction During these ciuile and intestine troubles as well in Holland Zeland and other Prouinces by certaine innouators and some English who sought their owne particular profit more than their Queenes honour newes was brought that on the twentie ninth of May 1588 the dreadfull renouned mightie and inuincible Spanish Armada lanched forth of the hauen of Lisbone and sayled towards the Groyne to execute her King and Councels Commission And because it was so extraordinarie and potent a fleet as to speake indifferently thereof it was sufficient to haue destroyed and subuerted whole Kingdomes and Countries we will as well as we can make a description thereof which we haue taken forth of the most autentick Authors to the glorie of God who looking vpon these countries in the middest of their troubles with the eyes of his mercie did free and preserue his seruants from so mightie a fleet and from so many bloudie hands thereby shewing how weake humane strength is when it is not fortified and supported by his strong and mightie arme who beeing Lord of all creatures can onely by his winds and tempests ruiue and ouerwhelme the hautie and proud resolution together with the King of Spaines whole power So as verie few ships of so potent a fleet returned safe home into their Countries A true description of the most mightie Armada set forth by Philip the second King of Spaine which being assembled in the Riuer before Lisbone the chiefe citie of Portugall sailed towards the Low-countries the 29 and 30 of May 1588 vnder the conduct and commaund of the Duke de Medina Sidonia appointed by the King of Spaine as Captaine Generall thereof PHilip the second of that name King of Spayn hauing with small aduantage made war in the Low-countries for the space of 21 yeres did with his Councel resolue once more to inuade those Countrieâ— by sea supposing that notwithstanding he had in former time attempted to make himself master therof by sea had bin euer enforced to retreat because he had not attempted it with power sufficient for this cause he was desirous at once to imploy all his forces the rather because England was his enemie so as he resolued first to inuade England which Escouedo Secretarie to D. Iohn of Austria some other malitious Spanyards together with some rebellous Englishmen supposed would be sooner won than Holland Zeland maintaining it to be more profitable for the king to inuade England and the Low-countries by sea than continually to entertaine a mightie fleet for defence of the voyages to the East West Indies against the English and Hollanders For execution of which resolution each of the Kingdomes in Spayne for their part haue rigd and mand as many gallions galleasses gallies other vessels as the King and his Councell
19 the Admerall fired the townes cloisters and houses neere adioyning abandoned the Island and shipt his men whereupon the Spaniards presently came forth of their starting holes to the towne and quenched the fire as those of the Grand Canarie had done The 20 the fleet remayned in the Road of Gomera receiuing instructions from the Admerall what course they should hold he sent for all the Captaines highly thanked them for their good and faithfull seruice and earnestly intreated them to proceed from good to better The 21 of Iuly he sent againe for the Captaines and Commanders and courteously tooke leaue of those which were to returne home making Iean Gerbrantzon their Admerall cōmanding them to follow him and to obey his commandements Then the fleet was seperated and failed with a Northerlie wind The Admerall Vander-Does with 36 ships held on his course South-South-East towards the kingdoms of the Western Indies Iean Gerbrantzon with 35 ships and an Easterly wind sayled home-ward Iean Gerbrantzon till the 24 of Iuly kept his whole fleet together but they were afterward dispersed by continuall tempests and contrarie winds taking sundry courses vnder sundry Admerals euery man striuing who should first get home Sixteene of these ships vnder their Admerall Frederick Arentz did on the eight and twentieth of August in the height of thirtie six degrees and twelue minutes to the Northward of the line meet with two small Spanish ships going from Capo Blanco towards Wolvis In those ships were seuen and fortie men and among those a Spanish marchant fortie seuen Muskets foure peeces of ordnance and were loden with sundry commodities amounting to the value of 60000 ducats and had in them beside foure tun of trayne Oyle and Arabian Gums and two thousand one hundred and fortie Rialls of siluer plate These thirtie fiue ships came altogether about the eight ninth and tenth of September into sundery Hauens of the Low-Countries and were with great ioy welcomed home But Generall Vander-Does with his thirtie six ships went towards the Coasts of Affrick and Guiney along by the Islands of Cape Vert and so to S. Thomas which is an Island vnder the equinoctiall line where they forcibly landed but the inhabitants with their goods fled into the mountaines our men by entrenching and approaches which they had learned in the Low-Countries tooke the Castles The inhabitants did afterward come downe from the mountaines being seuen thousand in number and assailed our men but the Generall repulsed and slew many of them In the end the Island and Towne of Pauoasan with the Castles were sackt and the booty carried to the ships They found an hundred brazen peeces there nine thousand chests of browne Saint Thomas sugar one thousand foure hundred Elephants teeth much Cloth Cotton and other marchandize with a very great sum of money But hauing beene long at Sea and the ayre very vnwholsome and pestilentiall for our men who could not temper and moderat their dyet in that hot Countrey nor absteine from fruits a disease or burning feauer in those parts termed la Madorca which commonly fals on those that come from Europe seazed on them some of them had their grease melted in their bodies as if it had been molten butter as appeared by diuers that were opened many died boath on shoare and at Sea of this disease and among others the Generall Vander-Does which was a great losse to the fleet and vnited Prouinces for he was a valiant Gentleman and skilfull in the art militarie both by land and sea His men buried him in an house in the Island deepe in the ground and then burnt that house with others to the end his bodie might not be found There died likewise his Nephew George Vander-Does sonne to that learned Gentleman Iean Vander-Does Lord of Nortwijck with diuers other land and sea Captaines to the number of fifteen and some 1200 Souldiers and Mariners After their death Captaine Cornelius Leynsen tooke vpon him the Commaund of the fleet and hauing embarked all the goods together with the Gouernor D. Francisco de Meneces he failed homeward sending seuen of his best ships with one Brigantine vnder the conduct of the Captaines Hartman Broer and others to the coast of Bresill with instructions what to doe Himselfe being likwise sick did in Februarie 1600 bring home his ships with the bootie and many prisoners His men were so sick and weake as certaine of his ships through want of men stayed in France others in England and one in Ireland Among the rest one ship that was weakly manned wanted a Pilot the ayre being mistie came to Sluce where it was taken there was in it some money and some foure or fiue hundred chests of sugar The aboue mentioned seuen ships vnder the conduct of Captaine Hartman went to Bresiill where they likewise met with good booty doing great hurt to the enemie and returned home n anno 1601. There was hope that this fleet would haue done great mattsrs but they could not meet with the Spanish fleet which went from Cales to the West Indies and then things fell not out according to their expectation for they were ouertaken with sicknesse by being enforced by contrarie winds to stay long in those hot Countries Their owne profit was not so much to them as the losse was to their enemies They haue put the King of Spaine to great expence they haue purchased honour and made Spaine iealous of other such like inuasions and putting it in feare of losing his Indian fleet These are the principall matters done by this fleet wherein if we consider the experience of the pilots discreet conduct of the Captains and valour of the souldiers we cannot but admire especially if wee looke vpon the great victories obtained by them whose fame hath qualified the Spaniards crueltie against our sea-men and themselues braued the enemy in his owne land and before Groyne declared the admirable strength of the vnited Prouinces and haue sought out the King of Spains future fleet wherewith he thought not only to haue caused the Low-countries but all Europe to tremble hauing challenged and dared it to fight euen in so many townes and castles of Spaine and hath beside so easily woon the Grand Canarie the mightiest of al the Islands the taking whereof cost the last King of Spaine many tun of gold many braue experienced souldiers which Sir Francis Drake could not effect notwithstanding that he in a maner tooke all the sea townes and castles of the Westerne Indies and terrified the whole Spanish world Who would euer haue thought that Allagona the chiefest Citie of all the Canaries wold haue been so easily taken that Gomera would haue been woon without any resistance and his Garrison slaine Is it not a great matter that the whole Island of the Grand Canarie and Gomera haue been ruined the townes castles and houses burnt the ordnance an munition and other commodities brought thence that such great number of poore wretched
Euerard Count of Solms by his lieutenant that of Aeneas de Treston de Trebourg de l'Amovillerie de Langevelt de Ruisse and de Floris de Wijngaerden In the third Battaillon was the regiment of Colonell Huchtenbroeke with his owne companie conducted by Marlin that of the lord of Tempell by Belin his lieutenant that of the sayd Marlin of Dierick de Ionghe de Ruyssenbourg of Iohn de Loon and de Caluart these 26 ensignes made vp the rereward together with 3 cornets of horse His Excellencie stood fast in Battaile vpon the shoare expecting the enemies comming he had sent the gards to the Downes and had drawne some fiftie musketiers forth of the battaile placing them on the shoare and foure troopes of Frizeland musketiers for second with these to flanke the enemies troupes if he had come along the shoare and the better to diuert their approach he had planted fixe demie canon there About eleuen of the clocke the enemies cauallerie approached who were saluted by our canon which made them retire to the Downes when they tarried for their owne ordnance and fanterie that came on verie slowly His Excellencie had enjoyned the lords of Warmont and Duyvenvoord to commaund the ships to shoot into the enemies battailes which was effected the Vice-Admerall of Zeland whose name was Ioostle Moore and Captaine Knoopes made some shot into the enemies battaile who on his part answered them with two demie canon His Excellencie in the meane time abandoned the towne of Newport and caused the bridge to be broken commaunding the rereward to follow him and to place themselues in order he caused two demie canon to be brought vpon the Downes and planted them vpon a little rising meaning with them to scoure the plaines His Excellencie still had the wind and Sun which is no small aduauntage especially on the Downes when the wind blowes somewhat hard as it did all the time of the battaile The enemie being come betwixt the parishes of Westeynde and Willekins Kerck within a small mile of Niewport and two miles from Ostend did likewise plant fiue demie canon and one field piece vpon the shoare then his Excellencie shot into the enemies battaile who answered him presently with the like but the enemie receiuing much hurt by our canon was enforced to retire farther vp into the Downes in regard the Tyde did rise by reason whereof the shoare was so narrow as few men could stand vpon it and then al the boats which lay drie before Niewport began to float and sayled towards Ostend fiue excepted together with the greatest number of those boats that made the bridge which could not be loossened those of Niewport tooke a Carvell and carried it into the towne To defend these boats from the sallies of those of Niewport his Excellencie left certaine troupes of souldiers to skirmish with the Townesmen Then the Archduke began to march athwart the Downes towards the plaine behind them the like did his Excellencie causing his troupes to march against the enemie sir Frauncis Veer led the English pikes and muskets as also the Gards and Frizons and himselfe marched in the formost ranke and was the first man that charged the musketiers of two Spanish regiments he was seconded by Count George Euerard of Solms who led the battaile the French musketiers being diuided into foure troupes he did with three of them charge the musketiers of two Spanish and Italian regiments the said French shot were led by Captaine du Puy Captaine Bruill lieutenant to the Lord la Noüe Captaine Pommared lieutenant to Dommerville and captain Vander-Burch lieutenant to Captaine du Fort. His Excellencie perceiuing that he must needs fight and that he could not auoyd it did valiantly resolue thereon trusting to the equitie of his cause and to God and thereupon commaunded Count Lodwick to charge the enemie with 6 cornets of horse viz. that of his Excellencie Count Henrie and his owne appointing Marcelis Bacx Paule Bacx and Captaine la Sale to second them who brake the enemies horse and put them to rout this done the battaile began on euerie side with a furious batterie which was terrible to behold on the Downes they fought continually from the beginning to the end but in the plaine beyond the Downes by sundrie charges his Excellencie hauing diuided his men into diuers troupes vnwilling to haue them fight all at once The General Veer fought with a battaillon of pikes of two Spanish regiments after that he had repulsed the enemies shot The sayd battaillon was conducted by D. Lewis de Villar and D. Hieronimo de Monroy on the right side the enemie had a wing of horse with which he did much anoy our Vantgard Generall Veer being sore wounded did notwithstanding fight along time leading the English and the 2 Gards but at last retired being seconded by his brother sir Horatio Veer and Captaine Quirin de Blau The enemie charging furiously vpon vs certaine of our souldiers began to flie but it was soone redrest Presently after the first charge these Captaines of horse viz. Coutelor Peter Panier and Batenburch charged the enemies fanterie they were seconded by count Lodwick with six companies of Cuirasses with whom Count Frederic of Solms serued Count George Euerart of Solms with the French did by his Excellencies command charge marching formost in the battaile and diuided into two troupes of which that on the right hand was conducted by Monsr Dommervile lieutenant Colonell of the French and the other on the left hand by Captaine du Sau. This was the second charge of the French fighting with a battaillon of pikes of two regiments the one Spaniards and the other Italians conducted by D. Alonzo d'Aualos and Sapena the Campe Master Count George Euerart retired with the French and brought vp Count Henrie of Nassaus regiment videlicet the Walons of whom Monsr Marquet was Lieutenant Colonell to charge the enemie againe and also the regiment of Suisse by Hans Krijc these two regiments fought with la Bourlotte and the Earle of Bucquoy who commaunded the enemies rereward consisting of three regiments of Walons and Irish. Then his Excellencie commaunded Monsr de Gystelles who conducted the rereward to charge with his owne regiment and that of Huchtenbroeke And the regiment of Count Ernest vnder the conduct of Heusman his Lieutenant Colonell did likewise charge The fight continued doubtfull for three houres space for now one side preuailed and anon another and yet his Excellencies Cauallerie had still the aduauntage of the enemies which gaue backe by little and little and some of them fled towards Niewport and were pursued by our men The enemies Fanterie fought with better vantage on the Downes where they tooke one hill after another from his Excellencies footmen and did mightily endaunger the ordnance Behind the Downes Sir Horatio Veer charged with sixe English ensignes with Captaine Henrie Sutton his Lieutenant Colonell Captaine Louell Captaine Ogle and Captaine Farfax Count Lodwick with tenne horse