intrappe the cheefe Commanders Collonels and Captaines of English This marchant adressing him-selfe to the Earle of Leicester and some of the deputies of the Estates giuing them to vnderstand that he had good intelligence with many officers and soldiars of the garrison of Graueling and that vnder coullor of carying of corne thether by sea bringing men into the hauen they might easely enter into the towne His desseigne was found reasonable and he had mony giuen him to buy corne and to imbarke it This exploit was to bee done by Sir Philip Sydney and other commanders But this marchant hauing bought and imbarckt his corne and brought it into the hauen hauing assured them that those hee carried with him and those of the garrison which were of his confederacie should open the port at a certaine houre appointed to Sir Philip and his men he being come neere the towne and finding the port wide open sooner then he expected hee began to doubt for that some things fayled which had beene concluded in this enterprise the which staied them from passing any further La Motte and his men who attended them with great deuotion were greedy of their prey and thought it long vntill they entred sending two or three soldiars to wish them to make hast but their marchant kept still within the towne and neuer shewed him-selfe which made them to doubt the more and in the end to retyre La Motte seeing this fell vpon them that were entred with the marchant who at the first were well entertained by them of the counterset and deceitfull faction but in the end they smarted for all the rest being about some thirtie of the English-men that were slaine The affaires of the vnited Prouinces were some-what impayred by the losse of Graue Venlo and other places the which the Prince of Parma had won who prospered more and more There fell out among the sayd Prouinces and some particular townes a secret iarre and disagreement as it happens often in an estate where as many command the one seeking to be freed from chage to day it vpon his companion And with all Collonel Schenke during the time that hee serued the King of Spaine had noted some men who gaue cause to suspect some of the estates as if they were not to bee trusted on the other side the Earle of Leicester newly made gouernor of diuers Prouinces euery one hauing seuerall preuiledges and freedomes being heretofore vnited together vnder one Prince by heriditary successions alliances of marriages guifts pourchase and otherwise retayning yet still their liberty and the preheminences of their estats hee perswaded him selfe that the authority which he ought to haue by reason of the place which he held in the said Prouinces was much diminished for that the gouernment and absolute command depended not vpon him alone nor of his councell but that the generall estats of the vnited country according to their ancient rights although that in the Duke of Aluas time this order had beene broken had in regard of them great authority to take knowledge of all things concerning their Estates This bred a ielousie and distrust the which was after-wards the cause of a greater mischiefe for Maister Paul Buys some-times aduocate of the particular Estates of Holland and appointed a Councellor to the Earle of Leicester beeing at Vtrecht was put in prison and there kept without proceeding iudicially against him nor knowing who was his aduerse partie The captaines which had taken him sayd they had done it by the Earles commandement the which he denied There were also some of the chiefe of the towne among others the signior Nicholas van Zuylen Scout or Baylife and some other priuate men who were dismist and commanded to depart the towne by sunne setting who retired into Holland from whence they sent their complaints in writing vnto the Earle who made himselfe ignorant of all so as no man could iudge whether it were by his commandment or not They of Vtrecht being more incensed against their Burguers that were sent away they banished them not onely out of their iurisdiction but also out of Holland and out of all the vnited Prouinces for a certaine time vpon paine of consiscation of such goods as they had in their signeury and Diocese The states of Holland seeing with what rigour they of Vtrecht proceeded against their fellow Cittizens would gladly haue pacified this spleene but not able to preuaile any thing many of these banished men past the Seas some going to liue in the East-countries and the rest in some other neutrall places some carelesse of this rigorous proscription remained in Holland In the meane time Maister Paul Buys remaining still a prisoner and no proceeding against him by practise or rather by suffrance of some of the prison found meanes to escape out of Vtrecht and to retire into Holland whereas his inlargement was confirmed being bound vpon the penalty of 25000 Florins to appeare and to answer to all that should bee obiected vnto him but neuer any man came to accuse him During these losses which the vnited Prouinces had susteined and the alteration in the gouernment of their affaires their mindes were much troubled with a new apprehension of feare being diuulged and spread abroad that the Queene of England was intended to make a priuate peace with the King of Spaine for her owne estates without any regarde of the safety and liberty of the vnited Prouinces her neighbors To satisfie their distracted mindes and to free them from these doubts and iealousies her Maiestie sent ouer Mr. Thomas Wilkes with letters to the councell of Estate whereof I haue thought good to inserte the coppy as followeth A Letter from the Queene of England to the estates of the vnited Prouinces sent by Mr. Thomas Wilkes the 19. of Iuly 1586. MY Maisters and our good friends wee haue beene aduertised of late that not-with-standing the assurance which wee haue already giuen you by Sir Thomas Hennedge of our firme resolution to proceed in this action wherein wee haue so willingly imbarkt our selues for your defence and preseruation there are some bad instruments among you who neither well affected to vs nor desirous of the publick good of their owne countries haue giuen it out that wee haue an intent to make an accorde with the King of Spaine and to yeeld to make a priuate peace for our owne proper aduantage not comprehending the vnited Prouinces nor caring any more for their safety and preseruation and that you could attend but one yeares succors from vs at the most with other such like inuentions rather maliciously deuised then grounded vpon any discourse of reason For it is apparent to all men of any sence or iudgement that there is such an indiuisible concurrence betwixt the estate of affaires and the publicke good of both countries as we cannot abandon your cause and leaue you to the mercie of your enemies being so farre ingaged in this action and
gouernment the Estates were very desirous to keepe him still hauing done them good seruice after the losse of Deuenter and Zutphen and well maintained her Maiesties and the English mens honor and reputation and to make him marshall of their armie which they intended to bring to field for the releefe of Scluse vnder the command of Princc Maurice and the Earle of Hohenlo but of force he must goe as he did with great commendation and testimony to her Maiestie both from the generall Estates the Estates of Holland the Earle of Hohenloo and others of his good and faithfull seruice The Queene her selfe was not well pleased with the declaration made by the Estates as shee let them vnderstand by her letters of the thirtith of Iune to them The which were sent by Sir Henry Killegrey and Maister Robert Beale wherevnto the Estates answered with all mildnesse and modestie excusing themselues and informing her Maiestie better During all these factions and partialities the Duke of Parma continued the course of his prosperitie meaning to besiege Scluse a Towne and Castle standing vpon the Sea-coast the which is the very Port of the mighty goodly and rich towne of Bruges in Flanders three leagues from thence For as nothing past in Holland and Zeeland betwixt the Estates and the Earle of Leicester touching their diuision but hee was dayly aduertised thereof by some that were at his deuotion in the sayd countries yea as it was sayd by some that had great dealing with the affaires of Estate hee thought it now time to prouide them some worke towards the Sea-coast for the effecting whereof hee had caused great leauies of men to bee made in Italy vnder the leading of the Marquis of Guast Camillo Capisucca Carlo Spinella Alexandro de Monte and others making shew as if hee would goe to the Veluwe Some of his men had lyen about Bruges euer since May and now and then increased their numbers seeming as if they had lyen there onely to stoppe the incursions of them of Ostend and Scluse His soldiers being come all together on the seauenth of Iune hee marcht out of Brussels with nine companies of horse and the next day came to Bruges all his armie following him to besiege Scluse In the meane time Arnold of Groeneuelle a Gentleman of an ancient house in Holland Collonell of a regiment of foote and gouernor of the sayd Towne and Castle of Scluse feeling this storme approach and doubting it would fall vpon him or vpon Ostend seeking to prouide for it and preuent it with all the diligence he could on the fifteene of Iune he did write vnto sir William Russell sonne to the Earle of Bedford who had succeeded sir Philip Sidney in the gouernment of Flushing for the Queene of England as to his neerest neighbour for some helpe sending him word that after diligent search what prouision was in the sayd towne hee found not sufficient to hold out long where-vpon Sir William Russell dispacht his Secretary wtih Nicholas of Meetkerke his Lieutenant presently to Prince Maurice and to the Estate of Zeeland requiring them to succor Sluce with men victualls and munition of warre But hauing no comfort from them but promises the Zeelanders not holding the danger so great as the Seignior of Groenevelt made it by his letters Sir William Russel commanded his Secretary and his Lieutenant Meetkerke to gather together with the helpe of the Magistrate all the graine they could within the towne and to send it presently to Scluse So as the same day a shippe being laden with corne parted from Flussing and entred into Sluce without danger whereof the Gouernor Groenevelt was very glad And by the meanes of Sir William Russell there came from Berghen vp Zoom and from Ostend three companies of foote to Flussing to the which the Gouernor added a forth drawne out of his owne garrison these fower companies were neere eight hundred men The Queene of England hearing that the Duke of Parma's desseigne was vpon the sea coasts of Flanders either against Ostende which shee had taken into her protection or Scluse shee sent Sir Roger Williams and some English Gentlemen to Ostend but being â—…ere arriued and hearing that the Spaniards campe was planted before about Sluce they went to Flushing to ioyne with the said fower companies and the twelth of Iune they entred with certaine shippes laden with corne armes poulder boullets and other munition into the hauen of Scluse but not without great danger of the enemies cannon who the day before had taken one of the forts without the towne called Beckeaf and held the mouth of the hauen where he had planted great store of Artillery These succors being happely entred the gouernor Groenevelt did write againe vnto the Estates of Zeeland requiring great succors of Victualls and espetiall of munition of warre but the shipps going forth to carry this message were taken in the mouth of the Hauen so as after that time none could go in nor get out The Duke of Parma had one part of his army lodged in the I le of Cassandt right against the Hauen of the towne at a place called Ter-Hofsted and another part at Saint Anne Termayden right with the which he forced a fort which the Estates had built vpon the sea shore at Blankenberg by the which he freed his campe and the vittualls that came vnto them from the courses of them of Ostrend The beeseeged behauing them-selues very valiantly made many gallant and furious sallies vpon the Spaniards in the which they slue very many of their enemies but notwithout some losse of their owne men Among the Netherlands which woone most honor were Nicholas Meetkerke Lieuienant Collonell sonne to the president of Flanders Charles Heraugiere at this time gouernor of the towne and Castell of Breda Nicholas of Maude sonne to the Seigniour of Mausart and others among the English there was Sir Francis Vere now gouernor of the towne and land of Bryele Sir Roger Williams Collonell Huntley Captaine Thomas Baskeruille and others The forth of Iuly Patton Collonell of a Scottish regiment and comanding in the towne of Geldes in the absence of Collonell Schenke following the steppes of Stanley and Yorke sold the towne vnto the Lord of Haultpenne for the King of Spaine for thirty six thousand florins with an expresse condition that hee would reserue vnto him-selfe the spoyle and ransoms of certaine of the cheefe and richest Bourgers His enterprize was executed in this manner The Earle of Leicester being offended much with him had thretned to cassier him and to put Stuart in his place hee to preuent this and to bee reuenged of the disgrace hauing treated and concluded with Haultepenne hee gaue them of the towne to vnderstand that Collonell Schenk had sent him order to keepe his men ready in armes that comming the night following with his horsemen they might go together to an enterpize the which was easie to bee
beleeued for that Schenk was often accustomed to make vse of the garrison of that towne in that manner His men being thus in armes Patton insteed of Schenk drew in Haultepenne The Bourgers descouering this to soone put them-selues in defence but it was in vaine many flying into the castle which they were forced to yeeld paying their ransome By this treason Collonell Schenck lost his horses armes and all his moueables and treasor which Patton seazed on And as the Prouerbe saies From the Diuell it comes and to the Diuell it goes For al this wealth which Schenck had came by spoiles This Patton by the meanes of his great wealth gotten this waies married the poore widdow of Ponthus of Noyelle Lord of Bours who helpt to pull the Castell of Antwerp out of the Spaniards hands as wee haue said before This Ladye was of the house of Bieure whome the Lord of Champaigny thought to haue married but his gout and Pattons money hindred it the very same night that hee should haue beene made sure to her Prince Maurice of Nassau hauing as wee haue said the gouernment of the Vnited Prouinces committed vnto him in the absence of the Earle of Leicester beeing very desirous to draw the Duke of Parma from the siege of Scluce hee caused the Earle of Hohenlo his Lieutenant to make a roade into Brabant with a smal armie which his men did spoyle and burnt twenty two villages and two small Townes making a shew as if they would besiege Boisledu which hee then thought easie to bee done by reason of the high waters and the dearth of corne where-with the Townes were as then but badly furnished But the Duke of Parma hauing more men then hee needed before Scluce he sent Haultepenne Barlaymonts sonne with two and fortie companies offoote and twenty fiue troopes of horse who incamped at Bixtell not very farre from Boisleduc In the meane time the Estates protracting the succors for Scluce they began to feele the want of the Earle of Leicester and to desire him many saying that his authoritie and presence was very necessary The which the Earle vnderstanding supposing that this should recouer his honour which had beene interessed by their former Imputations and reproches Hauing obtained leaue from her Maiestie hee parted from England and returned into Zealand the sixth of Iuly with many soldiars which hee brought with him where hee was attended with great deuotion where hee made preparation to succor Scluce and to raise the Duke of Parma from the siege Prince Maurice hearing of his comming went vnto him accompanied by Generall Norris who was then to go into England Collonell Schenck and other Collonells with their troops as well of Netherlanders English as Scottish Leauing the Earle of Hohenloo with three thousand men horse and foote in the Iurisdiction of Boisleduc to keepe the Frontiers of Holland attending greater forces from Gelderland Freezeland Vtrecht and other places which came not Yet notwithstanding the Earle of Hohenloo left not to besiege the Fort of Engelen the which hee tooke by force and razed The Lord of Haultepenne being come to raize the siege was incountred by Hohenlos horse-men and defeated Hee was by mischance hurt with the bough of a tree which fell vppon his necke beeing broken downe with a peece of great Ordinaunce from the shippes whereof hee dyed the fourteenth of Iuly in the towne of Boisleduc The Earle of Leicester beeing returned into Zealand for the releeuing os Scluce the Generall Estates came vnto him vnto whome Doctor Leoninus made a speech in his Excellencies behalfe Giuing them to vnderstand that hee was very glad of their arriuall hoping that by his presence hee should bee assisted in the executions of some millitary exploits that were in hand and required expedition the which especially the reliefe of Scluce his excellencie did so much affect as neglecting his owne priuate affaires hee had made hast to returne into these parts for the preseruation of the generall VVhere-vnto his Excellencie hath brought so great an affection that although hee findes his honor interessed by reason of some scandalls which haue beene raized during his absence and certaine letters which were sent into England yet hee desires not by reason of those mistakings the said exploites of warre and other affaires concerning the publike good should be delayed intreating them to enter into conference concerning the Estate of the men of war their pay armes munition and necessary victualls to the end that Scluce might be releeued in conuoied to Bresque where they were receiued by the shippes of Zeeland and transported to Flussingue Thus was Scluce after that it had beene valiantly defended for the space of two monethes in the end giuen ouer for want of succors for the which it seemes they that defended it were but hardly censured by the Estates in giuing it vp so soone Wherevpon Sir Roger Williams in his booke called a discourse of warre makes a breefe relation of the seruice they did within the towne and to iustifie their proceedings the which I haue thought to insert here for the Readers better satisfaction of the particularities I protest sayth hee by the faith of a souldiar that what I write is true As neere as I can remember wee kept the towne of Scluce some three score daies diuers thinke it no time for that Harlem Mastricht and others were kept longer little doe they thinke how those two places were furnished with all things necessary when as the lesser of them both had in it sixe thousand hands to fight and worke Let vs bee rightly censured I will prooue that Bouvines was the most furious siege since the Duke of Aluas arriuall vnto this houre the which beganne and ended in lesse then twenty daies and yet there were more captaines and souldiars spoiled by the sword and bullet then at Harlem which continued ten monethes experimented captaines will confesse that they fury of all breaches are tried in fewe houres Wee were not in Scluce one thousand sixe hundred men to fight worke and all we had to keepe accounting the two forts aboue two miles and a halfe It is well knowne that before wee entred the towne had lost one fort If wee shewed any valour in our entrie let Sir Henry Palmer and his sea-men with them of Zeeland iudge the daunger was such as of the vesselles which carried vs in fiue were taken the next comming out The third tide Sir Charles Blunt afterwards Lord Montioy and Earle of Deuonshire offred fiftie pounds besides the commandement his maisters and marriners receiued at his imbarking to carrie vs in some necessary prouision from Sir William Russell then Lord Gouernor of Flussing who indeed was the causeof our entrie resolution and quick dispatch sending vnto vs a good quantitie of victualls and munition and to say the truth without his importunitie and diligence wee had not entred and then the world knowes the towne had beene lost without blowes as
inscription Frangimur si collidimur If we strike one against another we breake Thus the disorders and diuisions began some-what to decrease the Lord Willoughby being a good well minded Noble-man had at that time appeased the controuersie in Naerden and labored to do the like in Vtrecht which the Estates seemed desirous to requite preparing their shippes of warre for the common seruice of her Maiestie and the country against the comming of the Spanish fleete and more-ouer the which was more then the Queene her selfe desired they agreed to take vp a thousand saylers in the Netherlands for her Maiesties seruice We haue before made mention how that the Queene of England had very earnnestly prest the vnited Prouinces not onely by the Earle of Leicester but also by her Ambassadors to ioyne with her in the treatie of a peace and what reasons had moued her notwithstanding their resolute deniall to proceed therein and to attempt it whilest that the comming of this great armie of Spaine was bruted ouer all Europe To which end shee sent her Commissioners on the foure and twenty of February 1588. to Ostend which was then kept by an English garrison vnder the gouernment of sir Iohn Conway The Commissioners names were Henry Earle of Darby the Baron of Cobham Lord warden of the cinq Ports both Knights of the garter Sir Iames a Croft Knight Comptroller of the Queenes house and all three of her Maiesties priuie councell Doctor Dale and Maister Iohn Rogers both Maisters of Requests For the Duke of Parma and in the Kings name were sent Maximilian Earle of Aremberg Knight of the treasury and gouernor of Antwerpe Monsieur Richardot President of Arthois councellor for the State and of the priuie councell Iohn Mace Doctor of the lawe Councellor and Aduocate fiscall in the councell of Brabant and Blaminius Greiner Secretary of the councell of Estate these came to Bruges in March after where by messengers sent from one to another there was a long disputation about the precedence and where they should meete and whether hostages should bee giuen of eyther side for their securities after which they mette in certaine Tents set vp vnder Ostend where the Spaniards gaue the English the precedence After three moneths question the English yeelded to goe to Bourbrough in Flanders without any hostages where vpon the sixt of Iuly they began to enter into treaty Among many propositions and disputations on both sides touching the Spanish Commission and other things the Queene of Englands demands were To haue a present truce or surceasing of armes being thought necessary for both sides thereby to stay and diuert the comming of the Spanish fleete which the Spanish Comissioners seemed to incline vnto seeking to perswade them that it was not intended for England More-ouer they demanded the renuing of old contracts and intercourses the sending away of forraine gouernors and soldiers out of the Netherlands for the Queenes owne safety and the restitution of such summes of money as the Queene had lent vnto the Estates of those Prouinces the which the King had promised in his perpetuall Edict made at Brussells For the Netherlanders they demanded that they might enioy their ancient liberties and priuiledges bee gouerned by their naturall borne country-men and not by Strangers that there might be a tolleration of religion for two yeares at the least and in the meane time the religion to be ordred and established by the Estates and that the articles of the pacification of Gant and of other treaties might be obserued And as concerning the townes that were in her Maiesties hands they said that the foresaid articles being concluded her Maiestie would yeeld vnto any reasonable conditions that all the world might know she had not taken those townes into her possession for her owne vse and commodity nor for increase of her dominions but onely for her necessary defence and assurance c. The King of Spaines Commissioners made answer to these propositions that they were content to revew the contracts but it would aske a long time and therefore they desired to proceed to the concluding of a peace Touching the sending away of strange soldiers the King could not resolue thereon vntill that the Hollanders and their associates did submit them and so long as the Frenchmen were in armes Concerning the money lent they said the King was not informed thereof and that hee must first see the accoumpt Touching the priuiledges of the Netherlands the Queene had not to doe there-with and that there was no reason to prescribe the King a lawe how he should gouerne his subiects Concerning religion and the exercise thereof the King would not heare of it but was content to grant a tolleration such as he had allowed vnto the townes that had submitted them-selues vnder his obedience As for the pacification of Gant they would not heare it named for that the Prince of Orange and the Estates by whom it was made were the first that brake it as they sayd Wherevnto the English commissioners replied that the contracts might be renued by prouiso and afterwards reformed or made better by Commissioners appointed by both parties for the sending away of forraine souldiers it was the onely cause that had mooued her Maiestie to enter into the treatie fore-seeing the dangers incident there-vnto if strangers should continue still in the Netherlands the which remayning in that estate the Queene for her owne safety and assurance could not leaue armes nor the Netherland Prouinces be assured of any peace as long as the forraine soldiars were within the country Touching the money which the Queene had lent and that she then demanded from the Estates the King him-selfe was bownd for it by his Edict made at Brusselles as well for that which was lent vnto them before the said edict as for that which was sence or that should be lent yet the Queene sought not that mony from the King but onely that the Estates might haue liberty from him to collect mony for the paiment thereof concerning the priuiledges of the contry her Maiesty said she had a speciall interest therein first in regard of Neighborhood Secondly for that she was especially nominated in seuerall pacifications and thirdly for that it was not possible for her subiects and Merchants to enioy their preuiledges in the Netherlands vnlesse the Prouinces them-selues were allowed the same so as her Maiesty should haue iust cause to complaine if those preueledges were denied them which had beene agreed vnto by the pacification of Gant the perpetuall Edict made at the reconciliation of Arthois and Henault and generally consented vnto at the treaty of peace made in Collogne by the Duke of Terranoua at the intercession of the Emperor and the Duke of Cleaues and if the Netherland Prouinces might not be gouerned by such as were borne in the country there was no hope to bring them to any good and firme peace And for the point
captaine as hee bent his pistoll vpon him which hee likewise did to him but both fayled wherewith the Spanish captaine thought to haue taken hold of the Earles scarse and for to haue pulled him to him the which Bax perceiuing hee bent his pistoll at him thinking to shoote him into the face but with ouer great hast hee shot him lower in the armor and their they sat both on horse-backe hardly be-sted amongst their enemies and but weakely releeued by meanes of the noise and cries which the Earles horsemen had caused amongst them they had manie shot made at them but in the end Baxes Nephew came and releeued them and by that meanes they gathered some horses together and once againe charged the head of a troupe but were againe put backe and in that sort they fought for the space of seauen houres In the meane time Prince Maurice came on with three field peeces and some troupes of footemen which as then were more necessarie then the horsemen who beeing ledde on by Cont Ernestus and collonel Marquette they discharged a volley of shot amongst the Spaniards at which time Earle Theodoro Trivultio was slaine beeing Lieutenant generall of those troupes a braue souldier and of a Noble house and therewith certaine horsemen led on by the Earle Henrick giuing a new charge the Spaniards were once againe put to flight and were driuen vp a hill some ranne into the wood and many saued themselues in the house of Brooke which at the first they tooke by policie but it was taken from them againe and for want of good order they recouered it againe and so it serued them for a good retraict many were taken and slaine in the flight and diuers horses wonne but such as fled into the wood heareing of Spinolaes comming from Roeroort with the whole armie gathered together againe After this long and tedious fight Prince Maurice hearing of Spinolaes approch hee caused his men to returne willing Bax to staie there to fauour the retraict as hee did but was ill seconded by the other horsemen the Spaniards hauing gotten fresh supplies fell vpon them againe and the horsemen getting ouer Roere the Spaniards fell vpon the English foote who valiantly defended themselues as long as they had any powder but the Earle of Chastillion standing with two troupes vpon the Roere about a hedge shot so fiercely as the Marquises horsemen were forced to retire and so they made an orderly retraict the Spaniards following them still shooting but comming to a heath they left each other where as Prince Maurice called for those horsemen which had fled giuing them many reprochful speeches and shewed them what confusion they had made amongst his men whereas he put his greatest trust in them and by that meanes mist so good and faire an occasion to ouerthrow his enemy It was thought in this fight there were about fiue hundred of Spynolas men slaine whereof one was the Earle Theodoro Trivultio whose body beeing imbalmed was the next yeare sent vnto Milane where hee was borne and Gambarotta and others of account amongst the prisoners one was Nicholas Doria cousin to Spinola and others hauing two cornets taken from them and of Prince Maurices side they lost two Ensignes and about two hundred men amongst the which Mousier Dumdeville was one and certaine captaines the prisoners were Mounsier de Bethune who was presently exchanged for Nicholas Doria as also captaine Sald captaine Pigot and captaine Ratclif but Sir Henrie Carie a gallant Gentleman and Maister of the Iewell house to the King of England after his father was put to a great ransome for that hee serued as voluntarie and was not contained in the quarter This was donne vpon the nineth daie of October which gaue Prince Maurice great cause not to put so great confidence in his horsemen beeing as then but weake of foote so as after that hee durst not by any meanes hazard the like againe This Winter there was little done in the Netherlands touching the warres onely that the garrisons on either side made many enterprises one vpon an other as vpon Nuys Graue Erckelens Deuenter especially ouer the Ice during the frost but they tooke no effect the feare thereof beeing the cause which made the generall Marquis Spinola to staie longer in the Netherlands then hee thought to haue done so as it was the first daie of Ianuary before he tooke poast to passe through France into Spaine where on the waie hee was hindered by sickenesse and beeing in Spaine hee found more want of money then hee expected by the bad traficke in Spaine for that the East and West Indian fleetes were not come as also in regard of the dearth in Spaine whereby al the Spanish ryalles were paied and carried away for corne which was brought thether in great aboundance out of France England and other countries so as in Spaine they were forced to vse most copper money the which was wont to bee as plentifull of siluer as any other countrie In this winter also the counsell of warre assembled in the Hage to giue their censure vpon the gouernor and captaines of Linghen for that they had so basely yeelded vp the towne this counsell consisting of the Earles Henricke Ernest and Iohn of Nassaw the young Earle of Solms the Lord Vander Noote gouernor in Flanders Emerie van Lidie gouernor of Williams Stat Mounsier van Lookeren with some English and Scots Colonels and other captaines with Collonel Warner du Bois as president which met the last of Ianuary They of Gelderland with certaine of the Barron van Hemerts kindred who was beheaded in the Earle of Leicesters time by rigor of lawe said that if they were not beheaded that then the said Barron of Heemert had great wrong offered him for that hee had endured three assaultes giuen against the towne of Graue and receiued aboue a thousand eight hundred cannon shot whereas they to the contrary suffered three bridges to bee laid ouer the towne ditches in the daie time without any resistance and that therefore if they would proceed seuerely against the one and not against them they should then haue good cause to apeale against the Iudgement giuen vpon the Barron de Hemert This counsell sitting tell the 11. day of February at last they gaue sentence that the gouernor of Lynghen called Marten Cobbe and captaine Iohn Witte should bee dismist and with ignominy declared vncapable euer after to beare armes and that the Drosart Albert of Itersome Iohn Ruysch Iohn van Dyck Ernestus Mellinga Nichalas Audaert and the Licentiate Iuthiema should bee deposed from their places cassiered and should serue vnder such companies as they should be appointed vnto to recouer their credits againe if they could This sentence was much spoken of for that many were of opinion that if at the first these men had beene censured they had beene likely to haue lost their heads but so much time passing ouer before they
Friseland 16 Guilielmus Primus This WILLIAM by great policie did breake the chaine Which crosse the Hauen of Damiet the Sarasins had layne Whereby the Harlemers great honour did obtaine Record whereof within their Towne as yet doth still remaine Two wiues he had whereof one out of Geldre came The second MARY called was a princely English dame Full nineteene yeares he rul'd and peaceably possest His countries and in Rhynsburgh died whereas his bones do rest WILLIAM the sixteenth Earle of Holland and Zeeland Lord of Friseland hauing as we haue said in the time of the Contesse Ada expelled the earle of Loos remained in quiet possession of the said prouinces He had by his wife Alix daughter to the earle of Gueldre Floris who succeeded him in the said Earledomes Otto bishop of Vtrecht and William who was lieutenant of Holland the which was father to the lady Alix married to Didier lord of Brederode and two daughters whereof the one was Abbesse at Rhynsbourg and the other at Delft This Cont William did homage to the Emperor Frederic the second for his Counties of Holland Zeeland and Friseland Afterwards vpon a priuate quarell he went and besieged the castle of Aspren hauing taken it he rased it to the ground Cont Gerard vander Are brother to Didier bishop of Vtrecht in reuenge therof went and besieged the town of Dordrecht into the which he cast wild fire which burnt almost halfe of it Soone after Cont William and the bishop were reconciled together and they made an accord by the which Cont William should pay vnto the bishop a thousand pounds and restore vnto Henry of Craen all that he had taken from him for that as wee haue said before he had once put him in prison by the cōmandement of Cont Thierry his master brother to the said Cont William Item that all the Earles subiects being in the bishoprick of Vtrecht should from that time forth be vassales to the bishop as well as all his vassales remaining in Holland Item that Cont William with a hundred knights attired onely in linnen cloth and bare-footed should present themselues before the Cathedrall church of Vtrecht and being there the Earle should aske him forgiuenesse for that he had before laid hands vpon him and taken him prisoner although he were rescued in the Abbey of Staueren All which articles the Earle did accomplish fearing his excommunication and from that time the Earle and the bishop continued good friends Behold the simplicitie of Princes and the pride of prelats in those daies brauing all the world with their thundering threats At that time died Henry king of Scotland vncle by the mothers side to cont William of Holland leauing no children There was a great nobleman in Scotland who with the helpe of the king of England got possession of the realm The Earle of Holland pretending a title to the Crowne as the neerest kinsman son to the deceased kings sister imployed all his friends for the obtaining thereof and to bring it to effect being imbarked with a goodly armie he landed in Scotland where at the first he tooke many townes and castles In the meane time Lewis earle of Loos knowing Cont William to be absent and that he could not easily come out of Scotland although he had wholly conquered it leuied men secretly to make a new conquest of the Earldome of Holland but Cont VVilliam being aduertised thereof desiring rather safely to enioy his owne inheritance which he had gotten with much paine than to striue to make a doubtfull conquest in a strange countrey and farre off he returned speedily into Holland The earle of Loos hearing of his returne proceeded no further for he feared him much hauing made so good triall of him who afterwards gouerned his countries peaceably during the remainder of his dayes In the yeare 1218 the lady Alix wife to Cont VVilliam died hauing left the children aboue named and was buried in the church of the Abbey of Rhynsbourg Afterwards the said earle maried with Mary daughter to Edmond of Lancaster son to Henry the third king of England by whom he had no children About that time the inhabitants of Ziricxee in the Island of Shouven in Zeeland began to build great shippes for marchandise to traffique throughout al seas as well North as South and to make their towne famous as it was for a time by reason of their nauigation hauing fit and conuenient hauens and rodes the which haue since beene much stopped with barres of sand so as of late the inhabitants of that towne haue made a new hauen going directly to the sea before Noortbeuelandt The Earles of Zeeland who were also Earles of Holland had a palace in the towne of Ziricxee the ruines whereof are to be seene at this day It is the second towne of Zeeland We haue in the life of Cont Thier◅ the seuenth and of his daughter Ada rela◅ed briefely the deeds of this Cont VVilliam the first of that name FLORIS THE FOVRTH OF THAT name the seuenteenth Earle of Holland and Zeeland Lord of Friseland Florentius Quartus My daughter in one day as many children bare As daies within a yeare complete by vs accounted are Twelue yeares I liued Earle Mars durst me not defie But iealous loue was cause that I was murthered cruelly My wife grieu'd at my death and her so hard fortune At her owne charge for women built the cloyster of Losdune VVithout the towne of Delft my sister edified Another which le champ royal she nam'd wherein she died FLORIS the fourth of that name by the death of Cont William was the seuenteenth Earle of Holland and Zeeland his brother Otto was made Earle of Friseland in his fathers life and William the youngest was hereditarie gouernour of Kennemerlandt this William had one daughter called Alix the which was married to Didier lord of Brederode who had by her Alfart father to William of Brederode who was General of the Horse to the king of the Romans the eighteenth Earle of Holland Cont Floris had to wife Mathilda daughter to Henry duke of Lothier and Brabant by whom he had the said king William his successor and Floris who was gouernour of Holland then Alix which was Contesse of Henault and Marguerite wife to Herman earle of Henneberg who had that great number of children whereof we shall speake by and by In the time of this Earle Floris there was neere vnto the towne of Arckel a little castle vpon the place of Wolfard belonging to Iohn lord of Arckel about the which there liued some poore fishermen at which place the riuer of Meruve began to ebbe and flow for that the riuers of Meuse and Wahal the which before the towne of Tyel in Gelderland was very narrow and could not enter into that of Linge fell into it These poore fishermen called themselues Gorreckens whereof the towne of Gorrekom now Gorrichom tooke the name This lord of Arckel caused all the houses of
which is the strongest part of Antwerpe by reason of the chanels that do enuiron it where they thought to fortifie themselues yet they continued there idle vntill the next day at noone that the snips of Holland and Zeeland began to shew themselues which struck such a terror into the Germaines as leauing the Towne they fled away Foucker to Berghen vpon Zoome and Frunsberg to Breda On the other side the Lord of Champaigni Gouernor of Antwerpe went with his Regiment to incounter the companies of Cornellis van Einden the which hee defeated and kept them from ioyning with them of Breda Don Iohn being much troubled with this vnfortunate crosse writ to Collonell Foucker the eight of August complaining of this misfortune yet he reioyced that the Collonell had escaped out of Antwerpe with his life commanding him to remaine in Berghen vntill hee had seene further order and after the date of the sayd letter hee writ vnto him to goe to Namur to command all the Germaines by reason of the indisposition of the Baron of Frunsbergh But Collonell Fouckers men hauing receiued this great disgrace at Antwerpe did mutinie against him and the tenth of September following tooke him prisoner and deliuered him to the States with the Towne of Berghen The States being freed of all feare of the Towne and Castell of Antwerpe seeing the Germaines thus disperst they assured them-selues of Liere two leagues from Antwerpe dooing that which any man of spirit and resolution that hath his life honour wife children goods and countrey in any recommendation is bound to doe for the preseruation and libertie thereof discharging them-selues faithfully in all things that were committed vnto them for the publicke good of the countrey for they did see plainely that this hatred which Don Iohn had conceiued against them was not newly growne vpon any occasion which they might haue giuen him but had taken roote from his first arriuall and reception to the gouernment as appeareth by those letters that were intercepted And that at the same time when it began to bud out and to shew the fruites by all effects of hostilitie GOD by his grace did so fauour the States as to discouer the first originall by the interception of the sayd letters Whereby they did finde that there was small hope of any redresse and lesse reason to suffer them-selues to bee any longer abused with good words and faire promises Iohn of Bourgongne a Knight Siegnior of Fromont being after the death of the Lord of Barlaimont appointed Gouernor of the countrey of Namur by the States a Gentleman of great age wise and vertuous hauing let Don Iohn vnderstand his error and that those countries were not to bee so gouerned nor abused as hee thought to doe and seeing that all his reasons and admonitions preuailed not and fearing on the other-side that the states would not yet seeke to preuent it by armes meaning to aduertise them to bee carefull of their affaires hee left Don Iohn and came into Brabant to ioyne with the States The Duke of Arschot and the Marquis of Haurec brethren by whom Don Iohn thought to bee assisted and supported waying well all his practises and desseignes and what might in the end happen vnto them and that no perswasions nor admonitions might preuaile to diuert him they made some difficultie to enter any more in councell with him Don Iohn fearing to loose them and to bee abandoned set watches ouer them and held them as it were prisoners yet not-with-standing his good garde hauing caused their horses to bee lead out of the Towne of Namur they slipt away vnknowne to him and without their traine Beeing come to Brussells like good Countrey-men they consulted with the States of the meanes to preuent the danger and to cure this new wound which Don Iohn had made Thus were the States forced against their wills to enter into a new warre against Don Iohn who madde with rage for such vnfortunate successe of all his desseignes did nothing but practise by what meanes hee might bee reuenged continuing his accustomed dissembling And to iustifie his actions after that hee had made his complaint by letters which hee had written to the States hee insisted vpon two points which were the maintenance of the Catholicke and Romish religion and the obedience due vnto the King Saving that hee pretented no other thing and that hauing receiued satisfact on therein hee would aboue all things seeke the good and quiet of the countrey And as for his retreate to the Castell of Namur it was onely for the safetie of his person against the conspiracie which he maintained was practised against him But if hee would haue confessed the truth of this retreate hee must haue sayd it had beene for two reasons the first was to preuent the danger of beeing stayed prisoner beeing at Brusselles or Macklyn and to haue all his desseignes discouered if this attempt vpon the Castell of Antwerpe should faile whereof hee was freed being in the Castell of Namur The other was to haue alwayes a back-doore open hauing the countrey of Luxembourg at his deuotion to drawe as many strangers into the Netherlands as hee pleased Hee did also complaine much of the retreate of the Duke of Arschot and the Marquis of Haurec who beeing aduertised of this practise of the Castell of Antwerpe had abandoned him as wee haue sayd And although sayd hee hee had noted such and the like indignities and affronts which had beene done him yet hee desired to gouerne himselfe according to his first contract seeking nothing more then to haue all things well ordered Hauing to that end intreated the Bishop of Liege to goe to Brussells to conferre with the States the which hee was ready to performe if hee had not beene countermanded in all hast by them of Liege In the meane time the States began to take heart and to gather their forces together whereof at that time the Lord of Champaigni had the charge with the which hee went to besiege the castell of Wouwe beeing held by certaine Germaines of Collonell Fouckers Regiment But seeing they could not maintaine it they yeelded the fourth of August the like did Steenberghen the ninth of that moneth and the Towne and Iland of Ter-tolen in Zeeland the nine-teenth The Queene of England hearing that the King of Spaine did conceiue sinisterly of her proceedings with the Estates of the Netherlands she sent Maister Wilks into Spaine to giue hiâ—… satisfaction and aduice withall for the pacefying of the Netherlands as you may see by this letter A declaration sent to the King of Spaine contayning a iustification of her Maiesties proceedings with the Estates of the Netherlands By Maister Thomas Wilkes THe Queenes Maiesty being giuen to vnderstand of diuers faulse and very scandalous reports giuen out touching her actions and proceedings with the Estates of the Netherlands tending as it were to make her the motiue and chiefe supporter of the
by some that shee sought to make a peace without their consent This in effect was the contents of the letters on both sides sent and receiued touching the Earle of Leicesters gouernment where-with her Maiesty seemed to be some what pleased but yet it was an occasion that many men esteemed his Excelencie the lesse With this authority the Earle of Leicester was instauled in his gouernment and the contributions of the countrie deliuered into his hands amounting vnto the yearely valew of foure and twenty hundred thousand gilders and aboue besides the connoy mony the profits of the admiralty and her Maiesties ayde his owne intertainement being 100000. gilders a yeare presently therevpon hee set downe an order for marshall discipline amongst his souldiers and made a proclamation bearing date in Vtrecht the fourth day of Aprill whereby was forbidden the transporting and carying of all kind of necessaries victualls ammunition for warre or any manner of marchandise whatsoeuer vnto the enemy and their associates or to any newtrall places as also all manner of dealing or correspondence by letters of exchanges or otherwise not onely with Spaine but with France and the East countries vnder what pretence soeuer it might bee vpon paine of death and losse of shippe and goods The letter to execute these things one Iaques Ringoult a man verie familier with the Earle of Lecester and the onely inuentor of the sayd proclamation had gotten by an extraordinarie commission wholy without the aduise of the Councell of Estate thereby to deale and proceede extraordinarily with those that had any dealings with the enemie by forme of inquisition search and examination searching all the marchants letters bookes and secret accountes a thing not vsed nor accustomed in these countries and wholy against manie priueledges old orders and freedomes of the Prouinces and townes and not content therewith he sought meanes to haue the same order vsed in England against the Netherlanders inhabiting there in Sandwich and other places This proclamation and commission much disliked the Estates and mooued them to cōplaine against it At that time likewise it was put in practise hoped to be effected to raise a generall contribution vpon all nations trafficking to sea for the furtherance of the warres in regard that England being vnited with Holland and Zeeland it might prescribe and giue lawes as Lords of the sea how and whether men should traficke which lawe beeing set downe the Earle of Leicester thought to compell all sailors and sea-faring-men to come and buy passe-ports or saffe conducts of him thereby to haue libertie to deale freely in euerie place contributing some thing to the warres But when many letters of complaint concerning the same were sent into England The Noble Councell of Estate esteemed it a verie hard matter for to bring the French Scottes Danes and East-countrie-men there vnto and therevpon the contribution beganne to bee behinde-hand and the proclamation standing in force caused great trouble and hindrance in the Netherlandes for that by it much traficke was conuerted and ceased in these countries for that many rich marchants and sailers of Antwerp and other places withdrawing them-selues and flying from thence would not staie and inhabite in the lowe countries because they might not vse there trade as they were wont to doe but went to inhabite and dwell at Hamburgh Breame Emden Stode and diuerse other places from whence they might freely traficke into Spaine Italie Portugale and the Islandes and by that meanes made other Nations acquainted both with their traficke by sea and brought much dealing into many other townes so that at the last in Holland and Zeeland they were forced to dispence with that proclamation and againe to permit the traficke by sea West-ward or els in short time they should haue driuen all trade of marchandise and sea-faring out of their countries togither with their richest inhabitants those Prouinces liuing most by fishing and sea-faring hand-labors and trade of marchandise The fiue and twenty day of Iuly the Earle of Leicester being in Vtrecht made an act concerning the erecting of a new tresory in the vnited Prouince whereof hee apointed to bee principall in that office the Earle of Niewenar and Menes gouernor of Gelderland Zutphen and Vtrecht with authority to sit in the councell of Estate for the second man hee apointed Maister Henry Killegray one of the receiuers of her Maiesties Exchequer in England and a Councelor of Estate in the low countries the third person was Reynardt de Aeswin Lord of Barkelo and for tresorer Iaques Reingoult Lord of Canwenbergh and for commissioners Sebastian Loose Iosse Teylink and Maister Paul Buys The Receiuers generall the Treasuror for the warres the Clarke nor the Vssher beeing not named but blankes left to put in their names one Danell Burgrate being apointed chiefe secretary with free liberty to goe into the Councell of Estate and there to haue audience After the contract and vnion made by the Netherlands with the Queene was past and agreed vpon the King of Spaine caused all the Englishmen through all his dominions to bee arrested and their shippes and goods confiscate vsing them most rygorously wherevpon many of them became men of warre hauing commissions from the Queene for that they might not otherwise doe it in regard that as then there was no open warre proclaimed with Spaine who beeing at sea made good vse of the sayd arrest in Spaine for that all shippes going or comming West-ward that they could come by vnder that pretence were taken and made prize and at that time the Netherlanders could hardly deale or traficke into Spaine Portingall and the Islandes vnlesse it were vnder Spaniards names their Factors dwelling there and esteemed for naturall bred and borne Spaniards and vpon this suspition the shippes were brought into England and the keeping and possession of the goods that were in them was deliuered into the hands of them that tooke them and if it were such wares as would not keepe long they had authoritie to sell them giuing securitie for restitution thereof if the sayd goods were not found to bee good prize In the beginning of this winter in Ianuary Taxis Lieutenant to Verdugo Gouernor in Friseland for the King of Spaine gathered togither the garrisons thereaboutes and entred into Westergoe where hauing found meanes and oportunitie for to passe through the countrie by reason of the great frosts and yee hee had wonne Worckcom Coudom Hindeloopen and some other places The nine and twentie day of Ianuarie it beganne to thawe wherefore the Spaniards beeing loath to bee shut vp in that waterie countrie thought to make their retreate and not to attend anie further hazard In his retreat he met with some pesants armed whom he defeated wherof some saued themselues in a Church and refusing for to yeeld were burnt from thence they went to the village of Boxom a league from Leeuwaerden where they were told that there was nere them 2000. Frisons Protestantes
this inscription vnder the foundation called religion Hac nitimur and ouer the hat of libertie Hanc tuemur as if they would say By the force of truth and vnity grounded vpon religion with the helpe of God we enioye and maintaine our libertie For the generall gouernment of the Prouinces they had a counsell of Estate consisting of gentlemen and lawiers where the Queene of England was to haue two councellers but at that time there was but one which was Maister Thomas Bodley now a Knight and Maister Gilpin Secretarie of the sayd counsell this councell had the ordring of all causes in euery Prouince the generall Estates being not alwaies assembled who commanded ouer this councell of Estate and besides this euerie particular Prouince had their priuate councell After the death of the Prince of Orange they did chuse Prince Maurice Earle of Nassau Gouernor of Holland and Zeeland Admirall of the sea and Lieutenant generall of their forces and Philip Earle of Hohenlo an old souldiar and of great experience his Lieutenant Vtrecht Oueryssel and Gelderland did likewise at that time chuse Prince Maurice for their gouernor William Lodowike Earle of Nassau eldest sonne to Iohn Earle of Nassau was gouernor in Friseland a souldiar of good experience and polliticke Prince Maurice was from his youth trained vp by his father in the warres and in affaires of Estate and was his second sonne his eldest brother Philip William who is now Prince of Orange and Earle of Buren beeing yet kept prisoner in Spaine and for that cause beeing verie fit to supplie the place hee was chosen chiefe Generall and Commander ouer all their forces both by sea and land In matters concerning the land hee was to bee ruled by the aduise of the councell of Estate and touching the sea by the admiralitie and certaine Comities were appointed vnder him when any thing was to bee done concerning the countrie and the limmits of their liberties by whose aduice all causes touching the state were directed in the armie and the particular affaires concerning Gouernment and Pollicie by the Councell of warre chosen out of euerie Regiment and Nation seruing therein And for that Holland was the greatest strongest and mightiest of all the vnited Prouinces therefore many causes which were handled in the councell of Estate were done by the aduise and councell of Iohn van Ouden Barnevelt Lord of Crimpel Aduocate of Holland in regarde of his great wisdome and experience The Netherlanders haue as great meanes to bring in money for the mayntenance of their warres as euer was heard or seene in any Countrie the which is done willingly with a generall consent and with little hurt and preiudice to the Inhabitants and by that meanes the countrie grewe rich mighty and strong for they suffred any thing to bee carried vnto the enemie paying lycense for the same especially such things whereof they had aboundance and superfluitie and that there subiects by making working and carrying it thether may get any thing arysing or abating the rate of the license as they found the enemy to haue neede of their commodities moderating it in such sort as the enemy could not buy it better cheape in any place then of them They suffred the enemy to bring any thing vnto them that they had neede of especially such things as they could not well haue but from thence paying but small custome or lycense mony and contrarywise making them to pay great custome for things which they brought whereof they had no neede hauing still a great regard vnto their trade of marchandise and especially vnto their sea-faring and fishing Besides this they could so well husband their mony and imploy it to the best profit as all Potentates common weales and commanders in the warres might take example by them capitulating with their Collonels Captaines and soldiars as strictly as they could yet alwaies paying them wel which made the captaines to complaine oftentimes for that a captaine seruing vnder the enemy or in other places might reape more benifit by a Company of men then a Collonell vnder the Estates by ten companies but it was vncertaine And for that the vnited Prouinces did pay their men duely and truely there was very good discipline held among their soldiars so as wheresoeuer they past throughout the country they were well vsed and welcome in all places for that they found their necessaries alwaies redy for them the which was truely paied whensoeuer they dislodged to any other place and throughout all the Prouinces they did seuerely punish theeues and such as offred any violence They did not vsually entertaine any great forces but they had old valiant and well disciplined soldiars with the which they did many great exploits At that time they had about twenty thousand foote and two thousand horse besides the Bourgers whom in time of necessity they imployed and paied as soldiars They entertained about a hunderd shippes of warre at sea and within their riuers being all well appointed and whensoeuer they came from any seruice their men were presently to be paid Besides this ordinary charge of shippes saylers and soldiars they tooke order by a generall consent for a certaine prouision of money to be made for the entertayning of an army in the field for certaine monethes in the yeare with ordinance pioners and a supply of soldiars to make an offensiue warre to inlarge their fronters and also to aide the French King with money munition and men both by sea and land The Queene of England also paied to her souldiars in the garrisons of the Brill of Flushing and to those that aided the Estates within the country twelue thousand fiue hundred twenty six pounds starling euery moneth accounting 56. daies to the moneth according to the contract besides extraordinary charges for transportation of souldiars and the apparell both for horse and foote which was yearely to bee prouided By this prouident care and wise gouernment of the Estates and their assistants the vnited Prouinces were exceeding rich and mightie yea in the midest of their greatest warres which commonly makes any countrie poore and miserable and yet they robbed no man at sea but were rather robbed and at land they vsed but the ordinary course of warre and this is euident by their fare great and costly buildings in their townes their strong and great fortifications their aboundance of Ordinance and great numbers of rich and welthie inhabitants who for that their wanted houses for them to dwell in many were forced to dwell in shippes whereof they haue many in that country very sweete faire and necessary for that vse and some townes haue bene constrained to inlarge their walles for the building of more houses with such hauens walles bulwarkes gates and sumptuous workes as it were admirable to bee written the which may well bee seene by many townes from West-friseland along to Walchren in Zeeland In the beginning of this yeare a regiment of Spaniards