come thither and having made some tryal found both the water so high and the opposition made by the Enemy so great as he failed in his defigne Whilst Marquis Spinola laboured thus on the other side of the Rhine Bucquoy had also gathered his Army together on this side in Brabant and passing the Mause over against Moch kept there Moch is an open Village not above four leagues from the Wahal Bucquoy's intention was to attempt a passage in a certain place which lay just in the midst between Schincks Sconce and Niminghen he had caused a great many of Barks proportionable to the designe to be carryed upon Carts to put them into the River and to put thereinto men sufficient to make way through the contrary shore Amongst other Commanders Camp-master Justinian was with Bucquoy who imployed him in attempting the said Passe Justinian going therefore with 4000 Foot two pieces of Arrillery and necessary Barks for the transporting of them prepared to put the designe in execution But he found the Enemy no less ready to oppose him on that side the Wahal then they had been on the other side of Ysel The River was much greater and much more rapid then usual Wherefore the Marriners could not govern their Barks as they would have done nor were their Artillery of any advantage to them for the contrary shore was better furnished therewithall and therefore all attempts proving vain Justinian retyred to joyn with the rest that were with Bucquoy Spinola having notice hereof knew there was no more hopes of passing over either in the one or in the other place he resolved then not to part from those places where he was without making himself Master of some place of importance The chiefest Towns the Enemy had thereabouts were Zutfen and Deventer both of them seated upon the Ysel but so munited both by the River on one side and by their Fortifications on the other side as they required longer time and greater Forces then Spinola then had to offer at the winning them Besides Maurice kept with his Army almost in the midst between them Nor was it to be doubted but that he might be at liberty to succour which of the Towns he would The Town of Groll is not far from thereabouts and though it were not to be compared with the other two it was notwithstanding to be esteemed a place of great consequence both in it self and because by the scituation thereof the other two Towns of Oldensel and Linghen which were won the preceding year might be the better sheltered Spinola therefore resolved to apply himself to this siege And the designe being approved of in the Councel of War he marched towards it on the beginning of August Groll lies in a plain and on the one side thereof runs Berchel a little River but sufficient to serve for a good defence to the Town on that side on the other side the Line was well Flanked and beyond the chiefest Ditch stood other Flanks with Ditches likewise Spinola distributed his quarters out on three sides with his usual division of Nations to boot with the Irish who in Queen Elizabeths time were naturally inclined to fight under the Catholicks Colours in Flanders many English and Scots did the like now Which was permitted by the new King who succeeded her to witness the good intelligence which he held with the King of Spain and the Arch-dukes The siege being begun and the Catholicks striving to end it as soon as they could they came with their Trenches in three dayes to the Ditch which invironed the Half-moons without Then the several Nations strove a main who should first pass over it in which some bridges of cloath extended upon rafters and little casks did great good a device invented by the Engineer Targone The first Ditch being past over some contest was had and not without the loss of much blood before they could get the Half-moons but the Assailants making themselves masters of them also betook themselves to storm the chief Line nor were their Batteries this mean while Idle assisted by which they possessed themselves of the greatest Ditch and came to the aforesaid Line Those within laboured as much as they could to make good their defences but all of them being at last beaten down by the batteries from without they knew it would be but vain to make any further resistance and therefore resolved to deliver up the Town and thus in nine dayes space Spinola took it Having gotten this place much sooner then he expected and thinking that he had yet time enough to attempt some other Town of better consequence he bethought himself of Reinberg which had been several times taken and retaken by the King of Spain and the Arch-dukes and by the United Provinces But being last taken by Count Maurice he had fortified it much better them formerly it was particularly the year before and this very year fearing least one of Spinola's chief ends about the Rhine might be to besiege that Town This was very much approved of in the Councel of war and it was hoped that it might be soon effected Spinola's Army was so diminished by reason of the unusual troubles which it had undergone as his Forces alone were not sufficient to undertake such an enterprise wherefore he writ to Bucquoy to come with all speed to him Bucquoy drew first near Reinberg on that side which lies towards Brabant and Spinola soon after came on the other side which looks towards Friesland When Maurice had discovered the design he suddenly dispatched away his brother Henry with two thousand Foot and two hundred Horse into the Town and began to make fitting provisions to come to the full relief thereof himself This mean while all the Catholick Forces came on both sides the Rhine insomuch as about the end of August Spinola incamped himself formally before the Town on both sides Reinberg is seated on the left hand of the Rhine which is thought to be one of the most advantagious situations which is to be had about that River To her former ancient and but ill flancked Line was added a second which had a great number of Ravelins Half-moons and other greater and lesser Flanks which were all accompanied with a Ditch and Strada Coperta Nor did the outward Rampires end here but a third Line was almost finished with new works flanckt and of a large circuit to the end that embracing so much compass abroad the inward fortifications might be the better sheltered and defended Not far from the shore where the Town is situated an Island of small circuit riseth in the River in it there was a Fort with four flancks to which other fortifications were added which took up almost the whole Island And a Fort was likewise placed on the other side of the shore but with greater Flancks with Trenches and other defences near it The siege began hottest on this side for they desired first to bereave the Enemy of the Fort on the
being fuller of respect and abounding more in monies by reason of those the Queen of England had furnisht him withall might easily raise an Army and have it ready to enter Flanders But he would likewise first honest his coming by some specious pretence which was That he could not deny his assistance to the Flemish who were so united to the Germans in so just a cause as not to suffer them to be opprest by the Spaniard Having mustered his men about the end of June at the Rendezvouz appointed to that purpose in the Territories of Zutfen beyond the Rhine 't was said they came to about 16000 Foot and 8000 Horse being of divers Nations but most of them Germans The States endeavoured then to draw over unto them all that Country beyond the Rhine especially the Province of Overisel a good part whereof remained yet in the Kings obedience The Count Renenberg bore Arms for the States there who did every day somewhat advance their affairs not meeting almost with any opposition by reason the Kings forces were so far off He had newly taken Campen a place of great consequence where the Ysel fals into the Sea and prepared to straiten Deventer which is the chief City of that Province To facilitate the which and to make the States Forces greater in those parts John Casimire resolved to leave some of his men with him He marched from thence and advancing with those men which were fittest to travel he suddenly past over the Rhine and Mause and within a few dayes entred Brabant He incamped himself suddenly about Diste and finding the place but ill provided made himself soon master thereof and by the taking of that Town got footing in that Province The Conditions in this interim were agreed upon by which the Duke of Alanson and the Rebels of Flanders obliged themselves together in endeavouring those Advantages which in the Dukes expedition the one part was interchangeably to receive from the other These were the most considerable Articles This Agreement being made the Duke went presently to the Town of Mons which is the chief Town in the Province of Henault And here in the name of the States he received a solemn Ambassie by the Duke of Ariscot who was attended by many other personages of quality He was sent particularly to sollicite the Duke to move with his men and to enter as soon as he could to the end that the Forces of Germany and France joyning quickly with the self-Forces of Flanders Don John might be the sooner and more easily driven out of the Country The States had this mean while brought their men to the Rendezvouz about Lira in the bowels of Brabant and Archduke Mathias was gone thither in person next whom Count Bossu commanded in chief he being chosen Camp-master General of the Army Their Souldiery was composed part of their own Flemish part of Foreigners and they were chiefly English and Scots Nor were they as then above 8000 Foot and 2000 Horse Whilst so great a body of Arms was preparing against Don John on all sides he had likewise been diligent in making all necessary provisions on his behalf He had raised as many men in the nearest parts of Germany and particularly in the County of Burgony as the shortness of time and his scarcity of mony would permit him to doe He expected fresh and powerful Supplies speedily from Italy as the King had promised him as also to furnish him with monies to maintain the war galantly Having then assembled the body of an Army together which might consist of 12000 Foot and 4000 Horse he made no longer delay Having left the places of greatest importance which were in his possession well provided for he resolved speedily to fight the Flemish forces and to doe his utmost to break them before the Foreigners were come to them The Flemish were come from their rendezvouz to quarter in a strong and very opportune situation near the Village Rimenante not far from the City of Malines Brabant is cut almost through the midst by the River Demer which having about the end of its course watered the City of Malines fals afterwards into the Scheld The Flemish were quartered between this River and the Village Rimenante the River served them for a rampier on one side and they were covered on the other side by a Wood which stood in the neighbouring fields not far from the Village they were well fortified in all other parts by good Trenches especially on that side where they might be the easisiest assaulted by the Kings men Towards that place Don John bent his course and being past the Town of Ariscot situated upon the same River he approached orderly towards the Flemish quarters His chiefest endeavour was to draw the Enemies out of their Trenches and to engage them in some hot Skirmish which might afterwards bring them to a downright Battel To this purpose he sent forth a good number of Horse to provoke the Enemy but they making only such opposition as was needful would not engage themselves further He laboured once more to provoke them and facing them with his whole Army boldly bade them battel though still with lesser hopes to bring them to it for the Flemish knew themselves to be too inferior to the Kings men both in numbers and in valour There hapned notwithstanding a bloody skirmish The Enemy had a place of great consequence without their Trenches which was guarded by the English Foot and who were commanded by Colonel Norris a Gentleman of the same Nation and a Souldier of great experience and courage Don John would try to make himself master thereof hoping still that when they should be engaged in fight all the rest of the Flemish Camp would be drawn to battel Hee therefore assaulted the English with a number of choice Spanish foot and in their front were placed 200 yet more choice men of a particular famous Company which Alonzo Martines di Leva had brought out of Spain to Flanders at his own cost and charges The same Leva had a little before quitted the place of General of the Spanish Gallies and to shew his greater zeal and valour in the Kings service had by his own monies raised the aforesaid 200 foot and resolved to lead them to the Kings Army in Flanders There was not any one of them that was not either a Gentleman born or a souldier of quality for many that had formerly been Officers in Flanders had put themselves into this Company The assault was exceeding fierce but it was no less couragiously sustained by the English who were all of them likewise old souldiers and who being favoured by the neighbouring Trenches covered by Artillery did by the advantage of their shot make more lively and more stout resistance Here the conflict grew greater according as hope or fear altered on either side the succours on both sides did likewise alter But the Kings men fought upon too great disadvantage for the enemy fighting in
The Contents An Agreement is made between the King of Spain and the Arch-dukes on the one part and the new King of great Britain on the other The siege of Ostend continues and with what success Frederick Spinola comes into Flanders with a Squadron of Gallies And his brother Marquess Ambrosio Spinola comes thither likewise with 8000 Foot raised in Italy Both their intentions to advance themselves by the military profession But Federick is slain not long after in a Sea fight Count Maurice prepares great Forces besiegeth Graves and takes it A new mutiny in the Catholick Camp The Arch-duke resolves to turn his Forces against the mutineers Maurice comes into their aid and secures them from all danger With their Forces and his own he besiegeth Balduke The Arch-duke goes in person to relieve it whereupon Maurice retreats from thence Slow proceedings about Ostend The siege thereof is put into the hands of Marquis Spinola Who with great fervency embraceth the managing thereof Maurice the mean while incamps before Sluce Spinola marcheth to relieve it but not succeeding therein the Town is lost Spinola returns to the siege of Ostend and at last ends that enterprise He goes afterwards into Spain and returns from thence made Camp-master General of the Catholick Army in Flanders He opposeth divers of Count Maurice his proceedings then suddenly passeth the Rhine goes towards Friesland and there takes Oldensel and Linghen And soon after Count Bucquoy takes Vachtendonch Spinola goes again into Spain and is sent back by the King into Flanders with addition of Honours He passeth again with his Army towards Friesland takes Groll and Reinberg and forceth Maurice afterwards to raise his Siege from before the same Town of Groll JAmes King of Scots succeeding Queen Elizabeth came forthwith to London which is the Metropolitan City of England where his arrival was celebrated with great demonstrations of joy the Scots and English contending by usual and natural emulation who should glory most the one for having given a new King to the English or the others for having got him from them But amidst these mirths the Catholicks were much afflicted who soon lost all hopes of being better treated in matter of Religion as the new King in the latter time of the Queen to make them well disposed towards him had made them believe they should be For even from his very first coming to London they found they should suffer no less bitter persecution under him then for so long a time they had done under her That he might unite the two Nations together as much as it was possible the new King would be stiled King of Great Britain comprehending thus both the Kingdoms under one Title and endeavouring by all other means according to the Form of that Heretical Government to establish himself at home in all security He then applied himself to Foreign Correspondencies knowing how much the well grounding of these would contribute to his own domestical affairs He renewed the Confederacies which the late Queen had with the King of France and the United Provinces of Flanders And with the like inclination which she had shewed a little before her death of coming to some agreement with the King of Spain and the Archdukes he heartily gave himself to continue the Negotiation wherein the King of Spain and Archdukes did not refuse to correspond on their behalfs So as the business growing every day nearer an end it was not long till they came to mutual splendid Embassies by which such correspondencie was at last established as the so contrary Interest between them in point of Religion and matter of State could admit of Which we have thought fit to touch upon only here not to digress too far from the particular affairs of Flanders Then that we may return to the Narration thereof the chief business which did then depend in those Provinces was the Siege of Ostend The greater the difficulties appeared of bringing it to an end the more resolute was the Archduke to endeavour it by all possible wayes being particularly instigated thereunto by the Province of Flanders which shewed it self very ready to continue all the largest Contributions which to that purpose could be thereby subministred The Archduke when he came from that Siege had left the care thereof as we told you to the Campmaster Rivas who failed not to use all diligence in daily advancing the Works The most important whereof were two The one the great Platform in St. Alberto's quarter which was raised as fast as might be to annoy incessantly the Old Town of Ostend from thence by many Peeces of Artillery And the other the great Dike already begun in Bredene quarter with intention of leading it on so far as it might command the great Channel and so hinder the continual and large succours which by means thereof were received into the Town from the Sea To make this Dike a great quantity of those Sauceges which we spake of before were made use of and were much greater then the former To the first and largest foundation which was well incorporated with wet sand and other condense matter others of the like sort were added till the Dike was grown to the height it ought to be and the breadth thereof was very extraordinary great To boot with the ordinary Plain thereof upon which two great Canons might stand abrest there was a great Parapet raised in it against the Town to shelter the Souldier and which being in divers places furnished with Artillery did greatly indammage the Enemy likewise on that fide This work was made in a sandy and low situation and whither the Sea at full Tide came so as it cannot be said with how much expence labour and loss of blood this work was advanced Whilst such diligent work was had by Land touching the Siege of Ostend Frederick Spinola did continually scoure that Sea-coast with a Squadron of Gallies which he had a little before brought from Spain Frederick was come to be trained up in Arms in Flanders in the Duke of Parma's time And though he had not then any particular Imployment yet was there generally great hopes had of him in all those occurrences wherein his wit industry and capacity did plainly appear He had learnt by experienced men that by maintaining a good Squadron of Spanish Gallies upon the Coast of Flanders the Hollanders and Zealanders might be very much prejudiced in their usual Navigations in those Seas and Gulfs It was considered that those Vessels which frequented those parts were either Fisher-men or Merchants that the Gallies by their nimbleness might continually infest that passage that to boot with the great prejudice which the Enemy might receive thereby by Sea they might peradventure receive more damage by Land for the Gallies might at all times run into the nearest Sea-gulfs land men pillage their Villages and upon good success attempt some important surprise whereby they might get footing in Zealand Which if it should so fall
river side and without much gainsaying quickly put them to the rout Many of them were drowned in the river many slain and many taken prisoners Amongst others Hostrat was wounded and soon after died of his wounds This action put a period to all Orange his hopes of seeing the Countrie rise and to the like of the Flemish malecontents of ever exciting any He was the more troubled at this success because his hopes were much increased at this time by advertisements that he had received of great succours sent from the French Hugonots which were at hand They were led on by Monsieur Genlis and sent by the Prince of Conde out of the abovesaid ends which the Hugonots had to foment the neighbourghring revolutions of Flanders that they might the better establish their own in France Orange thinking now on nothing else but how to put himself into some safe condition left Brabant and went into the Contiguous Provinces of Namures and Hennault to meet the French succour which he did and so make his retreat the surer Genlis had about some 4000 foot with him and 1500 horse Orange was somewhat inheartned by the coming of these men for many of his own men were missing and many ran away every day and the rest being ill disciplined and worse paid and threatning continually to mutiny he thought to return back the same way to Germany But finding the Mause at that time very high and greater opposition then before in the Legeiois he turned again into the Province of Hennault From thence he continued his retreat towards France and having in vain tryed the Castle of Cambray before he quitted Flanders being still close pursued by the Duke of Alva he at last went out of Flanders and staid near St. Quintains at the entrance into Picardy Here according to the diversity of designes he divided his men and those of France into several parts The High-Dutch quite spent by hunger and hardships returned to Germany Orange staid a while in France to renew the former practises with the chief Hugonots and his brother Lodovick tarryed there afterwards for the same end till their second coming from Germany and France against the Duke of Alva as shall be said in its due place The Duke having gotten so important a Victury without the loss of almost any one of his Army or rising of any place he distributed his soldiers into their several quarters and about the end of the year returned as in triumph into Brussels And for that it appeared he had merited no less for his service done to Religion then to the King Pope Pius Quintus sent him soon after the Helmet and Trunchion which are presented only to great Princes and particularly to such who by some famous action have deserved well of the Church This mean while these prosperous proceedings of the Spanish forces in Flanders were looked upon with a clean contrary eye by the Queen of England She had hitherto assisted the troubles in those parts rather in secret then barefaced but when she saw that those of Nassaw were driven out and that the King of Spains forces were now more potent there then ever she returning to her former fear of having them so near at hand resolved to let slip no occasion whereby she might more openly prejudice the Kings affairs in those parts There were two of her privy Councel who then bore great sway with her The one was Robert Dudly Earl of Lester a Gentleman of Noble descent and great imployment And the other William Cecil her Secretary of State who being but of mean bloud though of great wisdom passing through divers Court-Offices to the managing of State-affairs had drawn almost the whole Government of the Kingdom upon him Both these had chiefly perswaded the Queen still to establish the heresie of England and consequently to indamage the Catholick Church and the King of Spain as much as she could for those respects which have been formerly spoken or She persecuted the Church cruelly in her Kingdom And watching for an opportunity whereby she might still more incommodate the Kings affairs in Flanders it was not longere she met with one of very great consequence which was this The King by means of means of Givers Genua Merchants had raised a great sum of money for the affairs of Flanders whereof 400 thousand crowns were sent by sea to Antwerp the ships which brought this money met with some Pyrats so as to save themselves they were forced to fall in upon England The Spanish Ambassador who was then with the Queen hearing of this apply'd himself presently to the Queen that the money might be freely carried to Antwerp and received answer from her sutable to his desire But she being resolved within her self and councelled thereunto by Lester and Cecil to detain the money so as at one and the same time she might accommodate her self and disaccommodate the King of Spain let the Ambassador know that being informed that those monies were not really the King of Spains but that they belonged to some Italian Merchants she had resolved to make use thereof her self allowing them just consideration The Ambassador laboured to make it appear that the money belonged unto the King and sent by his direction to Flanders and to strengthen this the more he made the Duke of Alva write to her about it But she feigning one difficulty after another gave such delatory answers as it was plainly seen she had no mind the money should goe into Flanders The Duke stormed mightily hereat and presently dispatched away Assonville to London about it who with much earnestness renewed what the Ambassador had formerly prest for But look how much the Duke made his need of the monies appear the greater by his so earnest desiring them so much the more did the Queen by the interposal of new and subtill Impediments on her behalf deny them He being thus deluded in his Negotiation and being by nature inclined rather to overcome then to sweeten difficulties resolved at last to see if he could bring the English over to his will or no by reprisals He therefore first made the goods and the persons of such Merchants of that Nation be detained who did in great numbers traffick in the Low-Countries and made it be known unto the Queen that the like should be done in all the King of Spain's other Dominions unless the monies of Spain were set at liberty which were so unjustly detained in England The Queen was not inwardly displeased hereat but growing the bolder by such a pretence to make good the mony-business she began to pretend satisfaction in stead of giving it and complained bitterly of the Duke of Alva to the King himself To her complaints she added resentment on her behalf she commanded that the same reprisals should be made in England against the King of Spains subjects And appearing much incenst against the Duke of Alva's person she publikely threatned to indammage him as much as she
chief Citizens and Merchants were taken prisoners The number of the dead was said to be about 7000. the most of them Townsmen not above 200 of the Spaniards were slain and one of these was the Mutiniers Elect John de Navarese As soon as they had glutted themselves with blood the Spaniards fell presently to plunder the City Antwerp by the concourse of Poreigners did at this time wonderfully flourish in Merchandise the City abounded in riches and in all those happy accommodations as were to be wished for in so luxurious a juncture of time Amongst other Foreigners great were the number of the English and Easterlings which are those of the Hans Towns upon the Baltick Sea These two Nations had two Houses in Antwerp of such a largeness and capacity as they rather seemed to be Plantations then Ware-houses Luxury the constant companion of Riches made the Merchants not only live handsomly but with a great deal of sumptuousness many of which abandoning all parcimony lived like so many Kings they had got together great store of Jewels Pearls Gold and Silver and their houses were full of all other sort of merchandise How great the gain was which the Spaniards got in these Indus of one City may sooner be conjectured then said The Plunder lasted three dayes And notwithstanding so great Riches not being able to satisfie the insatiable Souldier the houses were heard to sound with outcryes and the streets were full of people that ran away by reason of the violences committed by the Souldiers against the Inhabitants to make them confess where their most pretious things were hid and to make them produce them Thus they proceedrd from Avarice to Cruelty and from Cruelty again to Rapine and thus they continued till weary rather then satisfied and matter to plunder wanting rather then will to plunder they reduced themselves to the obedience of their Commanders Thus did Antwerps misery end the Town remaining so afflicted as if that decay of Commerce had been then Prognosticated which fell out unto her in the insuing years by reason of the Warre and other calamities At the news of this whole Flanders was incredibly astonished The meeting of the States General was already appointed and to this purpose the Deputies of almost all the Provinces were in Gaunt Whereupon the desire of driving out the foreigners exceedingly increasing the Flemish did again bend all their endeavours to re-possess themselves of the Citadel of that City Which at last they did without any great difficulty There were but very few people within it and there was scarcety of all things else as we have formerly said so as the siege was not rendred famous by any important action But that which the Flemish did chiefly aim at was to make a general union of all the Provinces and that the Government being establisht in men of their own Country all forein government might be excluded To this purpose the Deputies of Holland and Zealand met with the other Deputies Nor was it hard for the Prince of Orange who was the chief leader and layer of all these practises in this present crisis of time to agree the diversity of Interests which were between these two Provinces infected with Heresie and the others which kept yet Catholick and to make them afterwards joyne in one opinion The former Treaty of Breda was reassumed and the Propositions which were then made by the Rebels were almost all of them assented unto By a joynt resolution taken in Gaunt many Articles of agreement were established between the one and the other Provinces and peace and union was agreed upon by them all save that of Lucemburg To which the Kings authority was also fully made use of by the Councel of State These were the chief things agreed upon That there should be peace friendship and confederacy for the time to come between the Catholick Provinces on the one part and Holland and Zealand together with the Prince of Orange on the other part and that all past injuries and offences should for ever be forgotten by all their Inhabitants That from that time forward their people should return to joyn the liberty of the former commerce and their respective correspondency That all the Provinces should with a joynt consent drive all the Spaniaras and their adherents immediately out of the Country and take such course as should be needfull to that purpose That the Provinces being freed from this oppression they should all immediately meet in a general Assembly as was done the last time in the days of the Emperour Charls the fist and that then such resolutions should be taken as should be thought best for the re-ordering of the Government and for the reducing of it to its primary true and natural form That in the mean time the so many Laws come forth with so much rigour by the Duke of Alva for the punishment of heresie and tumults should be suspended but that no other religion save the Roman Catholick should be used in the Roman Catholick Provinces and as for the other two of Holland and Zealand they should expect what the States General would determine in that point That concerning the restitution of Cities Places strong holds Ammunition and Arms which was to be made unto the King that should likewise be done which should be resolved on by them That all prisoners particularly Count Bossu should be set at liberty without any maner of ransome That all goods should be likewise restored to their former possessors respect being had to many irreparable impossibilities which the war had produced These were briefly the contents of the chiefest Articles which were agreed upon between the one and the other Provinces many others being by us omitted which related to matter of Justice and touching the restitution of goods so to shun the tediousness of relating every little matter and not to detain you with superfluous prohxities This peace and union being concluded in manner aforesaid the Provinces would begin to put them in execution upon those few Spaniards which were in the Castle of Gaunt the which was surrendred at the same time that the peace was agreed upon and therefore they conducted those Spaniards to the Frontiers of France and so sent them out of the Country and prepared with very great resolution to drive out all the rest also as soon as possibly they could by force THE HISTORY OF THE WARS OF FLANDERS Written by CARDINAL BENTIVOGLIO BOOK X. The Contents Don John of Austria comes to the Government of Flanders Much diffidence ariseth amongst the Flemish touching his person He endeavours as much as he can to remove them and Orange labours to nourish them An agreement is at last made between Don John and the States But the Prince of Orange with the two Provinces of Holland and Zealand oppose it Don John is received into the Government He useth all means again to bring all the Provinces to be of one minâ—â— but fails therein Hence suspitions
of Vasto advance with some Troops of Horse all of them almost Italians with a great Squadron of Foot composed of Spaniards Italians and Walloons and with many Cart loads of the necessariest provisions to be brought into the City The Horse went in the Van with whom the Marquess coming up unto the Enemies some Troops of English Horse boldly opposed them and charged so home as they disorder'd them and inforc'd them to give back but reassuming courage they fell to fight again and the combat was such as for a while the success was doubtful The Marquess plaid his part manfully The Italian Troops were commanded by Apio Conti the Marquess Hanibal Gonsaga the Marquess Bentivoglio Georgio Cressia and Count Nicolas Cesis who strove all of them who should most signalize themselves upon this occasion But the conflict seemed most to favour the enemy for Cressia was taken prisoner and Gonzaga dangerously wounded When the Kings squadron of foot advanced and heartning the horse stopt the violence of the enemy and afforded time for the Duke himself to come up He came in battel array with resolution to fight if the enemy should endeavour with all his forces to hinder the succour But Leicester would not hazard himself so far but making a retreat be sounded suffered Fernese to pass on who entred himself in person into Zutfen and left the Town well provided Then going suddenly out again he entertained himself thereabouts till Leicester had quite given over the siege and winter drawing on after he had put good Garisons into all the Towns that formerly and of late were reduced into the Kings obedience in those parts he returned about the midst of November to Brussels with much honour for having made so many and so considerable expeditions in so short a time The Duke being gone from Zutfen and having distributed his Army into their quarters Leicester returned again to assault the Forts which were raised on the banks opposite to that Town One of the lesser was suddenly taken by assault And Count Hollack was the first that entred it the more to incourage the rest and in the action he received an honourable wound The other lesser Fort made no better resistance The greatest Fort yet remained which might have held out longer but Tassis inclined rather to withdraw the men into Zutfen the better to defend the City in case the Enemy should resolve to beguirt it Leicester did notwithstanding dispose of all his men about it and did as it were besiege it at a distance that he might do it neerer at hand when the season should permit him he returned from hence to Holland and made his abode in the Hague where the States of the Provinces were then met They seemed but little satisfied with Leicester either in his Civil or Military Government they saw what atchievements the Duke of Parma had continually made whilst he was a looker on in most of them nor could they endure that together with the Towns deposited into the Queens hand he should put English garrisons into divers other Towns as he had done they therefore still grew more and more suspitious judging that such proceedings tended more to domination then to defence and that Leicester intended to use rather an absolute then a limited power nor did they forbear to acquaint him with their sense in a decent and moderate way but he striving to justifie his actions sundry waies sought to appease the States and to dissolve the Assembly which not being able to do he resolved to go for England seeming to depart angry and the States seemed no less offended The distastes on both sides past afterward so far on as the Provinces sent some of their Deputies to the Queen with complaints against Leicester and he on the contrary sought to cross all their negotiations These discords made much for the Duke of Parma's advantage which as he very well knew so did he not fail to make use of it The new year of 1587 was already begun and the Souldiers were all in their winter quarters wherefore by divers practises he wrought it so as that some Towns of very great importance fell into his hands William Stanly an English Gentleman was Governor of Deventer and Colonel of a Regiment of the same Nation This man agreeing with Tassis who was Governor for the King in Zutfen resolved to put the City of Deventer under the Kings obedience Stanly was a Catholick and seemed to do it chiefly out of the zeal to Religion yet he was largely rewarded by the King and so much the rather for that he drew along with him to the Kings service all the English which were with him at Deventer which were the greatest part of his Regiment and he still kept the command of them together with the title of Colonel By his example Rowland York who kept the Forts of Zutfen delivered them up not long after to Tassis The Castle of Vouve not far from Bergenapzome was likewise a little before faln into Fernese's hands which is a strong place and might much facilitate the taking of Berghen The people of the confederate Provinces did mightily storm at these new losses made by treachery to boot with those which were formerly taken by force Were these the aids were these the advantages which they expected from England Was this the fruit that they reaped by the Earl of Leicester 's Government At his coming into Flanders he made miracles be expected at his hands but how soon were these miracles turned into shame How many places had the Duke of Parma taken whilst he looked on And how much to his dishonor had he in particular relieved Zutfen That hereupon departing for England instead of siding with Flanders he was become their enemy Nay he had rather made himself Soveraign then Governour thereof having placed English where he pleased in lieu of native Flemish That he did now oppugne the cause of the Provinces before the Queen in stead of defending it Since then it was not known when he would return or how minded wherefore should not the Provinces the mean while by their own authority resolve upon what was best for their common service They delayed no longer but immediately summoned the States Generall Who when they met it was resolved amongst them that Count Maurice of Nassaw should immediately take upon him the Government of the Militia and that having Count Hollack for his Lieutenant he should provide for all necessary occurrences of the war The Assembly took also divers other resolutions and sent their complaints again into England against Leicester and against the other English Commanders which he had left in Flanders and prest very much that the Queen would remedy so many disorders The Queen was hereat troubled wherefore she suddenly dispatcht away the Lord Buckhurst one of her prime Privy-Councellors to the end that he together with Colonel Norris who had many years before served the United Provinces with great praise and reputation might
manner as it will be too hard a matter for any Foreign Nation to land there much more hard to keep there when they are landed That Kingdom is inclosed and fortified on all sides by the Sea the Havens there are but few and any Fleet may be easily kept from entring thereinto The English yield not to any Nation of the world for skill in maritime affairs and their maretime Forces together with those that will be added to them by Holland and Zealand may without doubt oppose whatsoever Fleet Spain can set forth at least by way of defence But say that our men were landed in the Kingdom how can we hope to establish them there Usually in the making of Conquests some internal disposition is required and there is a continual necessity of external aids to maintain them There can no safe correspondencie be hoped for from the English it being a Nation which will suffer no other Government then its own And succours from elswhere will be so hard to be effected so expensive and so uncertain as the Forces of Spain which are already so distracted will never be able to supply them Hath not your Majesty experience by your marriage with Queen Mary how much the English doe hate all manner of Foreigners and how contrary all the Laws of the Kingdom are there unto Is not the Rebellion of Flanders sufficient to let out the best blood of Spain without adding thereunto that which you shall suddenly see arise in England Then since there is so little hope of any good success in this affair methinks it were better to let it alone and so to resent the wrongs done unto you by the Queen as fighting with her at her own weapons not to come to open war upon her States If war shall be made and the design not succeed how much more will she oppress the Catholicks of England and of Ireland How will she foment the troubles in Flanders nourishing still her own desire of usurping the government thereof And how much more justly shall she plot all manner of mischief with the Hollanders and Zealanders to the Crown of Spain in the Indies and in all other parts So as by this enterprise no glory or advantage will redound to your Majesty but shame and loss Let your Majesty therefore bend all your might to end the Rebellion of Flanders The Duke of Parma's Army being reinforced by Land and the Provinces of Holland and Zealand being set upon by Sea with the same Forces which would be imployed against England your Majesty may safely believe to see that Rebellion subdued and the Church restored to its former right as also your Royal Crown If in the mean while the Queen of England shall continue to aggravate her offences yet more against your Majesty then may you resent your self against her in open war with more expedition more advantage and more happy success The former success will doubtlesly very much help the other where as on the contrary if the design of assaulting England misgive as it is to be feared it will for my part I fear and I wish my fears may prove false the Rebellion of Flanders will never have an end The Duke of Parma being desired to signifie his mind in this point seemed to incline to this second opinion And howsoever if the business concerning England were to precede he said that some Port or Haven in Zealand was first to be won and this out of two very important reasons The one that upon any occasion the Spanish Fleet might have some safe and near refuge and the other that the Kings Havens in the Province of Flanders might not be hindred by the Hollanders and Zealanders in the Duke of Parma's transporting his Army into England The King staggering between these two opinions was a while in dispute with himself which of them to follow But in fine it appeared that the securing of England did so absolutely draw with it the putting an end to the Rebellion of Flanders as it was resolved in Spain to make all the speed and all the greatest preparations that might be for the execution of this enterprise The King was afterwards the more encouraged herein by the disposition he found in the Pope not only of approving but of favouring the design Sixtus Quintus was then Pope who appeared very zealous in maintaining the universal cause of the Church In the particular of England he considered what had befaln in the time of Pius Quintus by whom he had been made Cardinal When Pope Pius found that the Queen of England grew still more perverse in prosecuting the Catholicks and to doe all ill to Religion both at home and abroad he at last published an Apostolical Bull wherein was contained such punishments against her as the Church in like cases had alwayes wont to inflict But instead of being thereby bettered the Queen grew more cruel and impious Nothing was seen or heard of in that Kingdom but a perpetual irremissible fury against Catholicks some were banisht others imprisoned others deprived of their goods together with their Country and many bereft both of goods and life The Priests were chiefly persecuted and Heresie triumphing over their punishments and to see their Ministery already wholly routed out 't was thought the Queen intended fully to extinguish all the remainder of Catholick Religion and all the footsteps of that Piety which for so many Ages had so exceedingly flourisht there Nor was her hatred towards the Church bounded within her own Dominions it was known how greatly and how continually she fomented the Heretical factions of Germany France and Flanders to nourish troubles there and particularly to beat down the Catholick religion by her means likewise Scotland was greatly subverted and her beheading of the Queen of Scots who had been alwayes very zealous in the Catholick cause was generally detested by all the Catholick Princes of Europe and in particular had caused much horror in the Pope Wherefore joyning this with many other actions whereby the Queen did so cruelly afflict the Church and disturb the publike peace almost every where he considered he was not to let slip the occasion now presented of favouring the King of Spains aforesaid enterprise thereby to advantage the Catholike cause universally over all Europe and particularly in England and Ireland To this purpose he thought it fit to make a Subject of England Cardinal and this was Doctor Allen who was one of the antientest and most qualified Ecclesiasticks both for learning wisdom and goodness of all those of that Nation that were abroad Allen was then at Rome and the Popes intention was to send him into Flanders and then into England in case the design should succeed there to exercise such Ministerial duties as should upon such an occasion be most needfull for the service of the Church and particularly for those Catholicks The Pope being thus minded the King applied himself with all fervencie to the business and to make very
exceeding great preparations both by Sea and Land He gave the care of the maritime preparations to the Marquis de la Croce and destin'd him to the Naval command As for the Land he would have the greatest Forces be raised in Flanders and that the Duke of Parma should carry that Army which was under his command over into England and that he should have the chief command thereof as also of all the rest who were brought in the Fleet to land in the Island These Orders being given out by the King the noise thereof began to be heard throughout all his Kingdoms each of them strove which should provide most ships greatest store of victuals and warlike ammunition in so great ampleness as so high a design did require Great preparations of all these things were made in Sicily in the Kingdom of Naples and in all the maritime Coasts of Spain and especially in the building of great abundance of ships whereof the Fleet was to be composed Such men as were necessary for the service were also raised in all parts and in fine the resolution was to make an Armado so powerfull in all conditions as the like had never been known at any time to be upon the Sea The Duke of Parma's diligence in making preparations in Flanders in behalf of the enterprise was this mean while no whit less After the getting of Sluce he went to Bruges and kept there as in the fittest place of all the Province of Flanders to dispose of all things necessary for the transporting of his Army into England To recrute it with men the King had given order that Biaggio Cappizucchi in Italy should raise a Brigado of Foot in the State of Urbin and that Carlo Spinulli should do the like in the Kingdom of Naples That the Marquess of Brogaut brother to the Cardinal Andrea d' Austrea should raise another in Germany greater then ordinary That the rest of the German Nation that were on foot should be filled up and that the like should be done amongst the Burgonians and Walloons That a good body of men should be sent from Spain to recruit the old Brigadoes That in in fine the field Army of Flanders should be composed of 30000 Foot and of 4000 choise Horse all of which or at least the greatest part were to be imployed in the expedition for England An infinite provision of things was required to transport such an Army and to provide it with all things necessary to lead on the enterprise successfully on that side They purposed to embarke the men at Newport and Dunkirk and a great number of vessels was necessary to transport them And though these were rather to be for burthen then war and rather low built then high yet the assembling so many of them brought with it both great expence of time and monies and amongst other things a great number of Artificers were requisite to be had to do the workmanship and of Mariners to govern them The Duke of Parma had great scarcity of both these and was likewise jealous of them by reason of such mens being inclined to follow rather the Hollanders and Zealanders in whose Seas they were for the most part born and bred up then the Kings party where their profession was but little practised insomuch as the Duke was glad to send for some from the Baltick Sea and to make provision of them in divers other parts of the lower side of Germany The aforesaid Vessels were most of them built in Antwerp and many in Gaunt Newport and Dunkirk Those of Antwerp were to be brought by the Scheld to Gaunt and from thence to Bruges by a Channel cut by hand which goes from the one City to the other And upon this occasion the Duke cut another channel likewise from Bruges to Newport to the end that the Vessels might fall the more commodiously into the sea and there joyn with those of Dunkirk During the noise of so great preparations made in all parts of Italy Spain and Flanders to assault England that year ended and the year 1588 commenced which was particularly remarkable for this enterprise sake The designe was not notwithstanding publickly declared but the King striving as much as he could to conceal it made it be given out that so great a preparation by land and by sea was intended against the Rebels in Flanders And to keep them likewise in suspence he caused the begun negotiation between him and the Queen touching the accommodation of the Affairs in those parts to be continued Other reports were given out that the King intended a good part of the Fleet by sea for new designes which he had upon the Indies Some times the preparations seemed to cool But at last they grew to such a greatness and so many signes appeared of their being precisely destin'd for England as there was no room left for doubt The Queen seeing her self threatned by so great a tempest betook her self to make all such preparations likewise on her part as might be necessary to withstand it She gave order to Charls Howard Admiral of England a Lord of a very Noble Family and of great imployment that he should powerfully reinforce her usual Fleet and that he should make all other such provisions as were needfull to furnish it with Souldiers Mariners Victuals and Ammunition of War But she gave unto him Sir Francis Drake for a particular assistant herein one that was then the most esteemed amongst all the English for sea affairs and famous likewise thorowout all other Nations for many memorable sea-voyages which he had made and for many enterprises which he with great boldness had effected Such a preparation required great expence and a great inclination of the Kingdom to effect it Wherefore the Queen called a Parliament without the Authority whereof the Kings of England cannot receive any supplies of monies upon any extraordinary occasion The Parliament being met at London the Queen would one day appear there in person and went thither in the greatest glory that might be Where being placed under her cloth of State and having so composed her countenance and other gestures of body as might most take the Assembly she spake thus What a weight of war my Lords and you my beloved of the House of Commons is threatned against me at this time by the King of Spain each of you who know the preparation will easily believe the designe nor is the pretence less apparent That King complains that I have always favoured his Rebels as he is pleased to term them of Flanders And especially with so many forces and so openly in these their last necessities I confess the action and do still more commend the advice given unto me therein by my Councel Since in effect I could do nothing which was more praise worthy for Justice or more necessary for convenience Every one knows the near Confederacies which past between the Kings my predecessors and the house of Burgony whilst
Enemies Camp without having first well known what it is and when so considerable a number being behind the Catholicks would come short of them in numbers Then turning more freely towards the Archduke he said Most mighty Prince Your Highness in my opinion hath a glorious Victory safe in your hands if you will be carefull in the carriage thereof Doth not your Highness apprehend Count Maurice his rashness He is come firmly believing that he should take Newport before it could be succour'd and did confide more then became him to doe in the Forts which he had taken and which were afterwards so easily lost again Now when he shall see himself faced by our Army he must of necessity think of retreating which must be done either by land or by sea He hath no place whither to have refuge by land but Ostend and if he retreat by sea he must of necessity reimbarque his men together with all his Artillery munition and baggage which were formerly landed Let our Army then halt between the Towns of Newport and Ostend so as Maurice shall not be able to get by land to the latter He will then be inforced to retreat by sea which if he doe how great will his disorder in imbarking be and how great opportunity shall we then have to assault the Enemy with all advantage to rout and to disperse them This opinion was grounded upon very sound reasons But Claudio Barlotta the antient Walloon Campmaster a lover of hazardous enterprises and who oft-times degenerated from audacity to rashness did with such vehemencie oppose it as he drew most of the other Commanders to side with him He said That it was too great an error to let slip so fair an occasion of assaulting the Enemy that it was to be believed they had already received a great blow both by the loss of the Forts which they before had got and much by their loss of so many men that very morning That they did not expect so furious a tempest wherefore it was to be believed that possest with fear and confusion they would in all haste imbarque themselves and rather think of flying away then of fighting That he did therefore earnestly press that the Army might be speedily led on to pursue their begun victories That of all others the Mutiniers were impatient of delay and of what advantage was it upon such an occasion to make use of the Souldiers forwardness That some of the Catholicks were behind but that it was very well known the Enemy was likewise very much lessened in their numbers nor was it numbers but valour that gave the victory That this victory might be built upon for certain if they would march immediately towards the Enemy and fall upon them And what doubt was there to be made of it since the Souldiers were to fight under the command and in the eye-sight of their own Prince who would likewise be their Captain-Generall and to detain the Army in so fair a course would it not be totally to discourage the Souldiery would it not be to bereave them of certain hopes and to feed them with more uncertain For if time were allowed unto the Enemy they would peradventure provide so for their retreat as the success of victory might prove as doubtfull as it might now be thought certain The Souldiers ardencie to fight was really very great and chiefly the fervor of the Mutiniers who stormed saying that they had not left their Companions to stand idly now before the Enemies and they did very much press to fall immediately upon them The Archduke notwithstanding did stand somewhat in suspence between these two Opinions when a Chance made him resolve to march immediately against the Enemies Camp Fortune hath always a great stroke in all humane affairs here below But in the concernments of war she does almost what she pleaseth and ofttimes by unexpected accidents causeth losses to insue where victory was expected The Army marched upon the Sea-shore and it so fell out that just as the Archduke was to put on his resolution a great many of the Enemies ships were descried which upon several occurrences came from Newport towards Ostend The Catholick Camp did then verily believe that the enemy was resolved to retreat and that this was already the beginning of it Wherefore being now more incouraged then before they pursued their march each souldier with all fervor solliciting one another There remained yet four hours of day when the Catholicks came within sight of the enemies Camp 6â—0 horse marched foremost in the van and then the foot followed devided into two great Battalions each of which was confusedly mixed of all Nations the rest of the horse took their place in each of them where it was fittest And the Spanish mutiners both horse and foot that they might signalize themselves the more upon this occasion had obtained to march in the head of the Army Count Maurice was not this mean while idle At the first news that the Enemy came to assault him he called a Councel of war where it was resolved that they would manfully joyn battel They thought that to retreat by imbarking themseves would not onely appear base and unworthy but that it might likewise prove dangerous That the Catholicks would come weary whereas their men were in good plight and vigor That the Catholicks were fewer in number then they and that their men were not to yeild in goodness to the Catholicks That the mean while they might make choise of the most advantagious place to fight in and out of so many reasons have assured hopes of victory This being resolved upon Maurice rose with all his men from before Newport and drew as far from thence as was needful to keep unmolested by that Garrison whilst he should fight the Catholicks and that he might the more incourage his men by leading them to encounter with those of the Arckduke's Then staying in an oppertune place he was very diligent in fitting his Army for the battel And that he might necessitate them the more to fight he gave order that all the ships should stand off at sea that there might be no hope of safety that way His camp consisted likewise or divers Nations furnished with gallant Commanders and long accustomed to the wars of Flanders to boot with the Flemish which consisted chiefly of Frieslanders and men of Ghelderland there were in the Army of the united Provinces a great number of French English and Scots and there were then also some Foot of Switzers amongst them Colonel Sir Francis Vere an old Souldier of known valour and of whose Military actions you may have often heard in this our Story Commanded all the English foot But Count Maurice willing to encourage his Army to battel before he composed his squadrons advanced before them and said thus I ingeniously confess my fellow souldiers that I am deceived in the hopes I had when I first undertook this siege I hoped that the Passes and