night the Leapers and aduenturers brought a Spanish auncient prisoner into the Towne The 14. the enemie laboured all night at their battery of Cateyes and raised vppe the ende which they had begunne the daye before almost equall with it although they shotte continually at them from the Towne This night a shippe went foorth of the Hauen without harme and yet the enemie shotte much at them There entred many souldiers in shaloupes from the shippes of warre into the Towne and no man was hurt The Spanish Auncient taken prisoner the day before saide that the enemy had small hope to take Ostend and that the Arch-duke continued the siege against the aduice of the Councell of warre and was greeued that he did not raise the siege wholy when as he went to succour Hertzeghenbusch the which was a good pretext but seeing it was so that for his owne reputation and for the honour of the King of Spaine it did import him to continue the siege he would not now raise it moreouer hee saide that there were 12000. foote and seuen hundred horse before the Towne and that they had promised fiue stiuers in money and two in bread a daye to euery souldier but they were ill paide and that at the last assault his highnesse had lost the choice of all his whole armie most part of them being Spaniardes which had serued the King in those Countries and else where and that the enemy was about some inuention to stoppe vp the Hauen As for the fortifications of the towne there is in the olde Towne against the Sea from Sand-hill towardes the North foure strong Blocke-houses vpon euery one of the which there are two Canons and farther into the new Towne they haue made a newe Rampart and newe Ditch and the olde Rampars which runne along the Sea had beene fortified within At this worke and such like there were a 100. men labouring from one Sunne to another one halfe laboured from the night to the morning and rested the day and the other from morning vntil night then rested and they were paied by the Commissaries of the Stats going from their worke The 15. of February two ships went out of the hauen at night without any hurt The enemy set that daye 3. sentinels on the East side more then he was accustomed so as the halfe Moone was alwayes inuironed with them The besieged thought it was by reason of the troupes that were arriued for there were 15. companies come into the Towne with Colonell Edmondt yea some in barkes in the day time at whom the enemy shot and hurt two Marriners The enemy laboured also that day vpon the North side of the battery of Cateyes not ceasing for all the Towne Canon which plaied continually they did also shoote but there was no man slaine nor hurt in the Towne onelye one Carpenter who had his arme stroake off with a Canon vpon the West bulworke The 16. of February they might see the three extraordinary sentinelles vpon the East for that the enemy feared a sallie from the Towne beeing little lesse then 6000. men in it There were besides this number some Souldiers in the ships of warre at Anchor before the towne the which could not enter by reason of a tempest yet some being more hastie entred in small Barkes one of them through errour by reason of the night landed his men of the enemies side and so returned towards the shippes the Souldiers perceiuing that they were of the enemies side ranne to the waters side where by good hap they found an other Barke which came to land other Souldiers of whom they demanded succour the Marriner hauing carried away his men came to fetch them but in the meane time the enemy had discouered them and pursued them so as they were forced to runne vp to the chinne in the water to saue themselues and there was not any one of them lost The 17. of February the enemie began to shoote with his canon and stones into the towne they answered them with the like the which continued all night They of the towne shott all the morning from Sand-hill Helmont and the West-gate Bulwarke at the batterie of Cateyes although they could not perceiue that the enemie had laboured there that night or the night before The 18. of February in the beginning of the night they shott furiously on either side both with Canon and Musket and as they changed their guardes Captaine Bernards Ancient had his hand wherewith he held his coulours strooke off with a shott These Canonades continued all night they of the towne slept not but gaue them their exchange and in the morning they ceased a little There came an Italian flying into the towne who by his saying had slaine one of his companions at play He said among other things that the Arch-duke was yet resolued not to depart from the towne vntill he were maister of it and that the enemie had resolued to make a Bridge vpon the West-hauen to passe into the olde towne and on the East-side they would make a ditche from the Downes vnto the Gollet and besides that they would spoile all the sluces and chanels which went into the West-gollet and moreouer he spake something touching the discontentment of the Souldiers in the Campe. After dinner the enemie shott little into the towne and there was no speech of any slaine or hurt The 19. of February as they were changing of their guards in the towne the enemy played furiously at them both with Canon and Musket and Captaine Morgans Ancient with three other Souldiers were slaine at one shott and some others hurt and soone after there were two other Souldiers slaine not farre from Generall Vere who was vpon Helmont speaking with the Colonels Marquet Lohn and Edmondt This night there entred into the Hauen two ships laden with men and three with poulder at whom the enemie shott but could not hit them There was also some Canon spent on eyther side without any hurt to the towne The 20. of February the enemies Canon played all night and slue Sir Horatio Veres Cooke in his Kitchin The same night there entred 6. ships into the Gollet whereof two onely came into the towne the other foure by the ignorance and fault of the Marriners ran a shoare neere vnto the enemies batterie one was laden with Turfes an other with Piles and Plankes and the other two with Beere and other commodities the enemies did what they could to borde them but they were hindered by the continuall shooting from the towne which shott at them from Flammembourg and the Bulwarke of Pekel most of the men saued themselues in the halfe Moone but the women and children were taken by the enemie They of the towne seeing the tide come in and that the enemie would take these ships they ceased not to shoote fierie Bullets at them so as they beate them in peeces the greatest part of the marchandize was seene floating vpon the water the rest
the plat-forme appeared plaine and there might they see some loope hoales The Townsmen shot all night with firie Bullets into the Campe and the enemie likewise into the Towne wherewith there was a woman slaine and her husband hurt The 7. of December both morning and euening they shot firie Bullets and stones of eyther side in the morning there were some of the towne hurt amongst the rest Sir Horatio Veres Secretary had his legge shot off They without shot furiously into the Towne from their battery which they haue raised at the foote of the downes vpon the end of the dike on the East-side as neere the Towne as might be where they had planted three peeces At night Sir Horatio Veres Secretary hauing his leg cut off died The 8. of December in the morning they of the Towne beganne to play with two whole Canons and three demies against the enemies new worke the which they had raised betwixt the Cateyes and Reisern-haubt which sport continued aboue two houres In the meane time the enemy shot violently into the Towne from their other batteries of the west most part wherof lighted vpon the houses which the Townsmen little regarded being acquainted therewith Besides they might see them without labour carefully vpon the downes to make a new trench of wood to goe from one battery to another In the night two Barkes went out and one came in with a little shaloup at whome the enemie shot hard but could not hit them this was the first time they shotte from their batterie which is vppon the Gollet There entred likewise a shaloupe by the North-Hauen into the which there came a Canon shotte from the West which carryed away a Marriners arme They shotte much on eyther side yet few were hurt The night before the 9. day there were many stones and firie Bullets shot off either side according to the custome some Bullets passed through the houses a Burgesse found in his celler in the morning three canon Bullets the which had made a great noise and broken all there abouts The night before the tenth of December after they had staied of eyther side at midnight they began to shoote many stones and Musket shot vntill the morning In the night they of the Towne heard their enemies labouring vpon their new plat-forme in the East to beate in and cut as if they had driuen in some piles and had planted more Canon After noone a Marriner entred by the North Hauen in a shaloupe who was come from England and had brought a vessell full of goods the enemy shot at him but could not reach him He saide that hee had hard reported at Sand-witch by Flemmings that were good and credible men and did assure it for certaine that the fire which had beene lately in Alberts fort came from heauen and had taken first in the Arch-dukes lodging The 11. of December as the day before the enemies were busied to deface their olde workes and Ramparts vpon the South and South-west to haue Wood to burne the Townes-men shott sometimes at them with their Canon They shott also from their new batterie vpon the Gollet into the Towne and vpon the Hauen to trie their Canon without dooing of any great harme there were but three hurt that day in the towne and without danger of death The night before the 12. of December they began againe to shoote stones and fierie Bullets vntill midnight without any great effect In the night a little Boate went from the towne to the Fleete to fetch from the English ship whereof hath beene spoken certaine sheepe and liue hogges and returned into the towne beating the hogges to make them gront to spight the enemies who shott after them yet could not hit any In the morning the enemie shott into the towne and at the Bulworke of Pekel from their batteries of Cateyes and the Downes The 13. of December there entred a Barke laden with fresh fish into the Towne at whom the enemies made two shott but could not hurt him Captaine Gisbrecht Kolbe of Bruges dyed of a burning feuer hauing beene sick only two dayes It was such a miste that day as they could scarse see from the towne vnto the enemies trenches There was a Canonier slaine and no man else hurt The 14. of December from the beginning of the night vnto the morning they shott fierie Bullets and stones on either part with ordinary Bullets through the houses the Gouernours house was shott through at noone day yet no man was hurt In the night a ship of Vlisingue went out of the Hauen at whom the enemy shot not In the after-noone the enemie changed his guardes at whom the besieged shott as soone as they might discouer them The 15. of December according to the custome of warre they shott of both sides but there was no man flaine nor hurt within the towne At night three shippes went out of the Hauen and were nothing indomaged by the enemie who shott at them The 16. in the beginning of the night the enemie battered in ruine and shott some fierie Bullets into the towne In the night the enemies brought before the towne three great Barkes full of stones and sand with an intention during the darknesse to sinke them in the gollet and so to stoppe the passage of the shippes but this deuise succeded not the Barkes were cast directly against the olde Towne where they ranne a ground The morning was so darke as they could not discerne what the enemie did but about noone the water being lowe the enemies began to playe with their Muskets and Canon-shott into the towne yea vpon the three Barkes that were runne on ground whether they of the Towne were gone to see what was in them their Horse-men came likewise hauing past through the Hauen and chased them of the Towne away three times so as they were forced to leaue them and to attend more water The 17. of December the enemie shott many stones into the Towne The same day one of the enemies horse-men being drunke came to the halfe-Moone of the towne which is vpon the gollet and intreated them to lead him to his quarter they in the halfe-Moone slue his horse and to be short tooke him prisoner Vpon the West side two Italiens standing Sentinell were taken and brought prisoners into the towne The three Barkes whereof we did speake were this night beaten in peeces by them of the Towne and the greatest part of the wood carried in In the after-noone the besieged shott against their enemies batterie vpon the Cateyes and towards the East vpon the enemie that was come downe vpon the Sands the Sea being gone of whom they slue some and the rest fled There was one man slaine in the towne and three hurt The 18. of December in the morning a ship went out of the Hauen at whom the enemy made three shott but hit it not After noone they of the Towne seeing the enemies change their guards shott at them
contribute for the entertainment of the army 12000. flemish Crownes a day comprehending the munition forrages and stuffe for buildings and seruices all to be deducted out of their rates by the other Prouinces for the terme of six moneths to begin the first of Nouember They meane to make fiue forts or plat-formes more before Ostend at the which they labour already all things are ready to batter the Towne and to giue an assault with great forces the army which hath lodged at Kempen doth now march towards Ostend the assault shall be giuen vpon the first occasion that is offred They haue promised generally to all soldiers the Towne being taken to pay them all arrerages and to giue them foure moneths pay more then is their due with leaue pasport to retire for such as shall demaund it They make many engins at Nieuport Bruges Gand other places and amongst the rest canons of wood a fadom long with great bandes of Yron the which one man may carry for a neede these they shall charge with nayles with two heads or crooked and euery peece shal make but one or two shotte at the most they expect shortly to heare of some great exploits whatsoeuer shal befall they haue resolued not to raise the siege nor to abandon the Towne Not long since in a sollemne assembly of the Councell at Warre whereas all the commaunders Colonels and chiefe Captaines were present his Highnesse amongst other questions demaunded how long the Prince of Parma had beene before Andwerp and being answered him about eighteene monethes he saide it was not then eighteene yeares and when we haue beene so long before Ostend wee shall take it yea if we should imploy all that is in the King of Spaines power The speech is that we shall haue 14. thousand Italians and Spaniardes in the spring and to that end they labour continually in the munition houses to make dublets breeches cassackes and such like and you would say that the warre doth but now beginne You may see hereby that they spare no cost nor feare any danger or discommodity yea they are without feare of death hoping to inioy this spouse in despight of her The last of December at night eleuen souldiers went forth of the Towne to fire some of the enemies workes but the Bauins would not take so as they were presently forced to retire with the losse of foure of them The first of Ianuary according to the custome of warre they saluted one another with Canon and musket shott and many were slaine The 2. of Ianuary 8. shippes went out of Ostend whereof one was sunke the which ran on ground behind Luysbos The 3. of Ianuary there went forth 24. saile together without any losse The 6. of Ianuary there entred three ships The same day seauen Loapers or aduenturers brought a Corporall two Soldiers into the Towne by whom they knewe according to the letter from Andwerp of the 30. of December that within eight dayes the Campe had beene fortified with 50. enseignes of foote and seauen Cornets of horse and that they expected the Arche-duke so as it semes they haue a desseigne to giue a generall assault but they of the towne are strong and furnished with all things necessary to defend themselues and to hold out besides the succors which are dayly and houerly sent vnto them The 9. of Ianuary foure ships went out in the day time without any losse The 10. of Ianuary an Italian of the Campe came and yeelded himselfe into the Towne and sayde that the enemies had resolued to giue an assault to the halfe Moone that is vpō the Gollet the first darke night that should come And to that effect they had built a bridge which they called Pompees Chariot by the name of Spignolas Ingenieur It is made in maner of a Chariot with foure wheeles euery one being 15. foote high and six broade behinde comes the Bridge supported vppon a highe crosse beame which is at the end of the Chariot the moyty of which Bridge that goes before doth rise and fall as they please by the meanes of two Cables that past by two polleys which are fastened at both endes through a Crosse the Beame whereof as a great Maste a 150 foote long the which stands vpright before the chariot the bridge is 60. paces long and 16. broad as it is plainly to be seene in the plott of the towne of Ostend As for the effect of this engine the vertue of the garrison and the good happe of the States hath turned all into smoke this fugitiue saith also that the enemie should assaile the towne in foure or fiue places at once The tempest and foule weather had almost ouerthrowne the East Rauelin so as the enemies had now better meanes to annoye the shippes going in and out of the Towne the besieged looked for stuffe dayly out of Zeland to repaire it The enemy brought yet another floate on the West-side neere to Sand hill right against the olde Hauen They of Ostend did writ into Zeland that all went well in the Towne and that they had no want but of stuffe to repayer the breaches which the Sea had made Here endes the Germanie discourse I haue recouered many instructions from diuers places conteyning the most memorable things that haue passed since at the siege of Ostend as well without as with in vnto this present the which I haue added hereunto to acquaint the reader as well with the intelligences and letters written from Ostend as from other places From the 15. of Ianuary to the 19. of February there hath entred at diuers times aboue a 150. saile great and small with fower Canons two demyes and ten companies of souldiers The Arch-dukes men make there approches at the South-west betwixt the Polder and the olde Hauen or platforme They presse vs most vnder the west rauelin and wee haue 15. companies in guard in the counterscarfe They make battery vppon battery hoping to make a breach for our partes we double and fortifie our counterscarfe we peerce six Canoniers vppon the Polder and ten others which flanke vppon the approches with foure more in another place The next night they should plant two small Brasse peeces in the halfe Moone of the Polder two others in the Curtin of the West-Rauelin with which peeces they shall play and indomage the enemies workes their approches are exceeding neere we doe nothing day night but shoote Grenadoes firy bullets and stones at them yet they cease not to labour continually so as you would say they are slaues which are at this worke we doe not thinke but in the day and the night they loose aboue three hundred men the place where they presse vs neerest is the halfe Moone at the Polder and the West Rauelin we cast Grenadoes vnto them with our handes hourely We haue prepared a Barke full of wilde fire the which at the first occasion we will thrust against their approches The composition
as would with their Colours flying Drummes sounding their Matches light and Bullets in their mouthes with foure peeces of Ordinance and Bullets Poulder for tenne shotte and two hundred Wagons to carry away their stuffe besides all the Shippes within the Towne that were laden and the rest to be laden with their baggage and householde stuffe their wiues and children leauing the rest of the amunition behinde the chiefe whereof was shipt before they left about eight peeces some not mounted others crackt broken with two or three morters and some 80. bartels of Poulder the rest was shipt away or made vnfit to vse And so there went forth about foure thousand tall Souldiers by the Stronde towards Blankenbourg hauing beene feasted and banketed by their enemies both within the towne and without in Spignolas Tents and had a conuoy to conduct them their ships departed in like sort they lodged that night at Blankenbourg and the next day they came to Prince Maurice his campe before Sluice where all the Colonels Captaines and chiefe men were kindly entertained and welcomed by his excellencie and the Baylife of Ostend was made Baylife of Sluice There remained no Inhabitants in Ostend only one old man and a woman or two but all retired leauing it as heapes of earth and sand The Arch-duke came thether with the Infanta to see the place and from thence they went in pilgrimage to our Lady by Dunkerke to whom they did ascribe the victory All the countrie people there abouts were commanded to bring in stuffe of wood and Bauins to repaier the Towne against the Sea The Arch-dukes Campe is disolued and the soldiers are dispersed into the citties townes of Flanders which were forced to receiue them for garrisons to withstand the incursions of the garrisons of Sluice and Ardenbourg the which his excellency had fortified with many Bulwarkes leauing there this winter some 7. or 8000. foote and 2000. horse in garrison hauing built stables for their horses in Ardenbourg and Isendicke Monsier Vander Noot being made Gouernour of Sluice vnder Cont Hendrik Fredricke of Nassaw brother to Prince Maurice FINIS An Explanation of the figure of the retrenchments of Ostend 51 A Halfe Moone before Helmont in the which they of the towne kept garde a long time 52. Helmont cut off from the Towne marked 42. in the whole carde of the Towne represented in the Historie 53. A Bulworke on the West where a mine played the 16. of Iune and the next day an assault was giuen in the whole mapp 39. 54. The Gallery or Corredor from Polder Bulworke to the Counter-scarfe 55. Here a mine was blowen vp the second of Iune and an assault was giuen 56. Here they of the Towne had a halfe Moone and kept garde where they made a mine 57. The Bulworke of the South-west 35. 58. The Castall or stable of Kine the South Bulworke 59. A halfe Moone within the Counter-scarfe where they of the Towne kept garde 60. A halfe Moone taken by the besieged cutt off and seperated from the towne 61. A Rauelin 62. The West Rauelin 63. The Porke-espike a part whereof the enemie blew vp ane seazed on the rest 41. 64. A Blocke-house before the North gate 65. A Bridge 66. A Rauelin 67. New Helmont 68. The new Bulworke of the West 69. Sure gardes or vrigandes 70. A Plat-forme vpon the market place whereon they haue made three batteries marked with the numbers of 71. 72. 73. Afterwardes it was changed to the new West Bulworke number 69. the which is of eight peeces to play vpon the enemies Catteyes and is changed as occasion serues as you may see in the portrait Description and situation of Ostend The Port. A new Gollet A new Port. A discourse of the estate of the towne since the warres and fortification therof Those of Ostend abandon the Polder Importance of Ostend Forts built about Ostend Expences in garding these forts Cause of the siege Diuersitie of opinions in counsell vpon the siege of Ostend Ostend besieged The olde hauen cut off by the enemy Graue Maurice sendes to Ostend Succours from England A Sallie A Sailie The enemies trenches 2200. canon shot in one day against the Towne The Arch-dukes men stand vpon their guard Ships from Zeland Of the Gouernors lodging beaten downe with the Canon and not by him abandoned Fugitiues taken Bullets of 40. pounde shot into the towne Generall vere hurt The Arch-dukes men forced to retire by the tide 35000. canon shot against the towne Letters shot into towne with arrowes The tide amazeth the townes men 2000. English come into the Towne 20. Ensignes of French other nations Prisoners brought into the Towne The Arch-dukes inuention Inuention for an assault The forme of the siege and of the Archdukes campe The Lord of Castillion slaine The estate of the besieger The Flemings out of hope to take Ostend Many of qualitie goe to see Ostend A new Hauen at Ostend Generall Vere returned to the Towne The Arch-dukes rigour The Earle of Northumberland the Lord of Kessel came to Ostend Fortification of the besieged Conut Bucquoy made Lieutenant generall to the Arch-duke The Arch-duke resolues to raise the siege Six or seauen horsemen giue the alarme to the Towne The Arch-dukes men approched neerer by a 130. yardes Traitors taken in the towne Great treason discouered in the towne The townsmen make a new Hauen This was on the 17. of Nouember stilo veteri Sicknesse in the towne Assault at the English Trenches and repulsed An assault giuen and the enemy repulsed with losse A treatie with the Arch-duke to winne time 1602. A furious and bloudy assault Assault vpon the East Assault at Helmont and the English trenches The Generals wisedome The Arch-duke looseth aboue 2000. men Noble men slaine The commanders names for the Arch-duke at the assault The Spaniards mutine for want of paie Complaints of them of Antwerp Great necessitie in the campe Generall Vere leaues Ostend A new Hauen at Ostend Prince Maurice comes into Brabant Prince Maurice besiegeth Graue Sickenesse in Ostend and in the Campe. Ostend new built Galleys of Spaine vnder Spignola The Galley S. Philip sunke The Galley called Aurora sunke 1602. A proclamation proscription against the mutiners 1602. 1603. 250000. bullets shot against Ostend The towne spēt a 100000. shot Nomber of the dead on either side A furious assault The Polder taken The number of the slaine Good orders in Ostend Combate at Sea Spignola slaine The nomber of the dead A salie of 1000. men Cruelty of the enemy 1604. Pompeies Chariot The Gouernour of Ostend slaine Baraque signifies a lodging The resolution of the Estates and of Prince Maurice 4000. vessels furnish an army The Arch-duke deuides his army into three The siege of Isandicque Prince Maurice before Escluse Isandicque sommoned by a trumpet was slaine Compotion of the fort of Isandieque Aerdeburg a ruined Towne Dam a Towne in Flanders Assault at Ostend the 5. of Iune Bossempierre slaine An assault the 17. of Iune The Arch-duke compounds with the mutiners Conclusion end of the booke Ostend A mine at Polder Bulworke A Sallie Spignola sicke Retrenchments of the besieged The besieged forsake the olde rampere A Sallie Spignola generall of the Campe before Ostend P. Maurice intrenched before Sluice Sluice in extremity 1604. Spignola marcheth to releeue Sluice Spignola repulsed at Sluice Sluice surrendred the 10. of August Spignola returned to Ostend Sandhil taken by the enemy Reasons vppon the continuance of the siege of Ostend They resolue to yeeld it vp Ostend surrendred the 12. of September 1604. The Articles
giue it him so hotte as they will burne his fingers This Gentle man of Don Catris saide that there were already about 3000. souldiers slaine before the Towne besides Pioners and aboue two thousand hurt The 10. of September the Lord of Chastillon being vpon the high Bulwarke of Sand-hill with Colonell Vchtenbruch a Scotish Liuetenant and other Gentlemen and men of commaunde at two of the clocke after-noone had his head strooke of with a Canon shotte aboue the teeth his braines flew against the left cheeke of Colonell Vehten ruch and made him to reele a little the Scottish Lieutenant was also greeuously hurt These be ordinarie accidents in warre neither is the the besieger any thing more free from them then the besieged the greater then the lesse the strong and valiant then the feeble and weake That night 30. ships came into the Towne and a greater number were dayly comming the which staied at Flesingue for faire weather to waigh Anchor and set saile The 14. of September also in the night there entred 23. or 24. saile more laden with victuals and munition after the which the enemie shotte furiously but by reason of a cloude and miste which did rise they could not hitte nor hurte any one wherevpon they ceased A fugitiue of the enemies said that there were manie sicke men in the Campe and that the Italians newly come out of Sauoye dyed by heapes that the Canon from the Towne did euery daye kill many men that the Souldiers fledde from the armie by troopes and that many more would goe if the horsemen kept not good guarde abroade and that it was to be feared that if the men of warre were long held in this constraint being ill payed they would mutine The 15. of September the enemy shot almost all night fiery Bullets and Flints into the Towne the which the besieged returned vnto them againe in the same coine The enemie had then but 16. peeces of Canon before the Towne they had sent all the rest to diuers strong places except foureteene which they had sent to Nieuport to be new cast for that they had beene spoiled and broken by the Canon of the Towne They had likewise sent away part of their troopes and those which remained in the armie stood in the water throughout all their trenches At the same time were surprised sundry letters from men of qualitie of Bruges and other parts of Flanders which shewed that they had lost all hope to take Ostend and that the Flemings were much afflicted and yet notwithstanding the bruite was that the Arch-duke would by no meanes heate speake of raising the siege how long soeuer it did continue or whatsoeuer it did cost The night before the Duke of Holstein or Holsatia brother to the King of Denmarke and the Earle of Hohenlo entred the towne with eight or nine saile wherein their baggage was and some Poulder they continued there two nights and two dayes and then returned to Middlebourgh without any annoiance or losse There came oftentimes men of qualitie both from England and France to see the place and the siege but they staied not There went out also 18. or 20. ships without any harme but one that was sunke and an anchor broake The Arch-dukes men made a halfe Moone or platforme in their trenches that are vpon the South at the foote of the Sand-downes meaning to plant sixe Canons thereon to batter the West-rauelin vnder the West Bulwarke where the besieged wrought dayly to make it higher and stronger The same day as the two former they did not shoote so much as they were accustomed the which seemed very strange vnto the besieged The Noblemen whereof we haue formerly spoken went the same day with the Gouernour and Colonels of Ostend to see the fortifications of the Towne and the enemies trenches which are about it The enemy shot 25. or 30. Canon shotte at one vollee against the South corner of Sand-hill and brake a little bridge set vpon the corner to passe vnto the False-Bray which hauing done they ceased whereby they might well see that they meant to giue an assault and to take away all that might annoy them There went some out of the Towne with Loapestaues which brought in a Spanish Lieutenant prisoner who said that many dyed in their Campe and that many fled dayly and more would flie if the Horse-men in guard which scoured all the passages to the ampe did not hinder them as hath beene formerly said There was also made a new Hauen at the mouth or gollet whereby the ships entred with lesse hazard and were more safe They built many houses in Albertus-fort and round about so as it might well be compared to a little towne they thought the Arch-duke would make a Port or Hauen of the Sluce which is neere to vse it insteed of that of Ostend The 18. of September there entred about 24. saile into the Towne laden with munition victuals bowes piles stakes plankes and with diuers instruments and commodities and they went forth by the gollet without any hurt or losse The same day they discharged thrice all the Canons Muskets and small shotte of the Towne in honour of the Queene of Englands birth-day this thundring put the enemie in alarme who presently began to shoote their fierie Bullets and Flints into the Towne to the which the besieged like men of honour and resolution failed not to replie They of the towne hauing placed some Canons betwixt the vttermost Piles and the Rampart which lookes to the enemies Campe and bends towards the Sea were the cause that the Sea swallowed vp and carried away part of the ground so as the opening or the breach of the little Tummel dike grew greater dayly The 19. Generall Vere being cured of his hurt returned into the Towne Almost all this night the enemie shotte fierie Bullets and Flints into the Towne but without any effect About ten or eleuen of the clock when the tyde went out they of the towne to the number of 200. made a sallie vpon the Sands to fier certaine Gabions but beeing too greene or wet it would not take where they lost one Souldier brought home ten or twelue hurt in the meane time the enemies trenches were fraught with shot and their Horsemen were vpon the Sea-shore whether the Canon from the Sand-hill shot furiously beeing a cleere Moone-light At the breake of day Generall Vere sent forth certaine aduenturers to the warre to take some one of the enemies who returned about two houres after noone bringing with them two Wallons which they had taken in the armie who said that the East quarter of the camp had beene fortified with the regiment of Asincourt wherein were 900. men but they were ill payed The same afternoone the aduenturers or fributers brought in a Germane prisoner who besides that which they vnderstoode of the two wallons said that the reason why they had fortified the Campe on the East side
The 17 of Aprill 4. Culuerins were brought to Ostend three Demies and one Minion The 18. of Aprill there went a Barke forth whose owers were broken by the enemy The 19. the besieged planted a bastard Culuerin vpon the Bulworke of Pekel and another vpon the Bulworke of the Polder and the third vpon the North-east Rauelin The 20. they planted another bastard Culuerin vpon the west Port. The 21. of Aprill a messenger came to Ostend with letters which did much reioyce the besieged giuing them to vnderstand that they should be soone releeued The 22. of Aprill there was a Culuerin planted vpon the Polder to shoote at the swallowes neast The 23. the besieged shot three peeces at the swalloes neast and dismounted three of the enemies Canons The same day one fled from the enemies Campe into the Towne who gaue intelligence that the Arch-dukes men had resolued to giue an assault to the halfe moone vpon the East both by water with barkes also by land they of the towne to preuēt this enterprise set aboat in garde neere to the halfe Moone the which was twise sunke the garde of the place fell out by lot to Captaine Seknitt The 24. of Aprill there entred 32. ships into Ostend by the new hauen at whom the enemy shot about 80. Canon shot and wounded a Marriner to the death The same day the enemies planted eight Canon vpon their new battery and made there about eleuen Canoniers The 27. of Aprill there entred eleuen companies into Ostend three of them were of Zeland the rest Scottish English there were two slaine in one barke and a boy had his legs strooke of The 28. of Aprill there entred a ship at noone day into the Towne and at night there went sixe forth the same daye there was a proclamation throughout the towne at the sound of the drum no man vpon paine of death to fight quarrell or stricke The 2. of May they brought two Canons from Zeland into the towne and the aduenturers tooke two of the enemies prisoners The 3. of May a french man of the enemies Campe came and yeelded himselfe into the towne in the night there entred two Companies of souldiers The 5. of May two french men of the towne went to the enemy at night a barke of the Towne was sunke and two men slaine in another The 7. of May there came seuen galleys before Ostend who fought with seuen shippes of warre but they were beaten and made flie The 8. of May Lieutenant Gesseler was slaine The 10. of May there entred 34. saile into Ostend by the Gollet at whom the enemy discharged 128. canon shot sunke fiue one was laden with bullets another with a Culuerin the rest with munition they of the towne seeking to saue the ship that was laden with bullets had fiue of their men hurt with one shotte yet in the ende they saued it as also that which had the Culuerin being forced to cast the Culuerin into the water the other three were presently lost The 11. and 12 of May the souldiers which lay in the Roade were brought into the Towne about 30. companies so as then there full 80 Ensignes in the Towne The 13. of May they parled and there were two prisoners exchanged at night there was brough 120. barrels of Poulder into the Towne The 14. of May three French men of the Towne fled vnto the enemy The 15. there went forth 7. saile at noone day by the new Hauen two wherof were sunke one of the which the maister being hurt in the arme went vnto the enemies side the other was quite beaten in peeces but al within it were saued The same day there were three marriners of the Towne slaine by their owne men and Captaine Blommert died nine of the enemies swamme through the Gollet to spoile certaine vessels The 16. of May there was a truce made on the East side but not vpon the water and fiue prisoners were exchanged they of the Towne had intelligence that the enemy had some practise to sinke two ships that lay in the Gollet The same day about 60. ships and barkes set saile whereof there was but one sunke in the which there was the baggage of two captaines Frisons their spoile which was worth much The 17. of May there came a company of Frisons into the Towne and there was Beere also brought in before a barrell of English Beere was worth twenty foure Liures which is eleuen Germaine Dollers and and that of Holland 20. liures The 19. day they might discouer about 30. saile at Sea they shot furiously on eyther side there were two men slaine in the towne and one souldier that would haue fled to the enemy The 20. of May there went in three shippes by the gollet wherof two were sunke The 21. of May in the night the troupes of Naninck went forth and a souldier of Schleumers companie was hanged for that he would haue caused the souldiers to mutine The 22. of May there entred 20. shippes by the gollet whereof three were sunke The 23. of May eight shippes entred by the new hauen whereof two were sunke one laden with a Culuerin the which was saued the other a merchant and he perished The 24. of May there entred 29 shippes by the new hauen whereof two were sunke The 25. defences were made by the sounde of the dromme for all marriners or other persons to make sale of any marchandise before it had line 24. howers in the halles for that they made monopolies which caused a derth It was also forbidden to play at Cards Dice or any other thing vpon paine of imprisonment and to fast eight dayes together with bread and water likewise for men of command not to be drunke being vpon their guard vpon paine to loose his armes and to be degraded And there was a promise made of 50. Crownes to him that could take any one dead or aliue that would flye vnto the enemie That night there went 9. shippes out of the towne without any harme The 26. of May the besieged receiued 100000. pounde waight of Poulder whereof 40000. for the soldiers and 60 the Canon a sargeant came and yeelded himselfe into the towne who sayd that the besieged did much anoy the new battery vpon the gollet and had that day slaine a canonier and stroke of an others leggs The 27. of May at the breake of day being an easterly winde a full sea and calme the generall Don Frederike spignola by the Arche-dukes commaundement who omitted no opportunity to annoy Ostend parted from Escluse with 8. galleis and 4. frigatts well appointed both with slaues and marriners and in them were 2500. musketers and small shott they shewed themselues at the west of the ditch of Escluse betwixt the bankes called Francois Pol that is to say the chiefe or head and rowed eastward of this ditch The ships and galleys of the States and of Prince Maurice being Admirall generall of the sea seeing