artillerie lying neere the towne These forts with the rest cost the Flemmings 100000 florins euery moneth and they offered vnto the archduke 300000 florins a month during the siege and ninetie thousand florins euery moneth for the space of three yeares after it should be taken They obtained also by the archdukes councell of estate the consent of the other owns of Brabant although that the other prouinoes subiect vnto the Spaniard did not greaâ—…ly like of this enterprise for that they held it to be full of danger Many were of opinion that if the archduke had suddainly followed the Estates armie he had vngaged Berke dispersed prince Maurice his troupes and afterwards would easily haue preuailed ouer the towne of Oostend for that his forces were great and many of his captaines had a great will to fight But calling to mind the battell of Nieuport he inclined to a milder course persuading himselfe that the prince would presently abandon his forts and trenches before Bercke to flie though it were too late to the reliefe of Oostend and so with one stone he should giue many stroaks freeing Bercke dispersing his enemie gleaning the Flemmings purses and satisfying the mutined souldiers in Isabella fort who for want of paie had beene ready to sell it vnto them of Oostend So the archduke marching towards Oudenbourg on the fift day of Iuly he sent cont Fredericke vanden Bergh marshall of his campe with about fiue regiments of foot to inuest Oostend on the east side hee was saluted by the ordnance from the towne which slue many of his men There were at that time in garrison in the towne 22 ensignes of diuers nations comprehending one of the inhabitants The seignior Vander Noot a gentleman of Brabant was gouernor of the towne They sent the women and children presently into Zeeland Newes came vnto the prince beeing in his campe before Bercke that Oostend was besieged the which hee would not beleeue making light account that cont Frederick was come thither saying That they were but shewes but when hee vnderstood that Augustine de Mexia Chastellain of Antuerp was also arriued with fiue other regiments and artillerie and that they were making of their campe he was very glad saying In good time let vs leaue him there knocking at the gate for a long time this peece here meaning Rhinebercke shall not escape me This Chastellain went and lodged with his troups betwixt the forts of Albert and Isabella but the besieged did so plie him with the cannon the first three daies after his arriuall as after the losse of aboue 500 men slaine and hurt he was forced to dislodge towards the downes on the west side The mutines in Isabella fort were partly pacified with promises and in the end went forth to Wynoxberghe to receiue money being about fiue hundred men The body of the Spanish armie was some foureteene thousand fighting men who were lodged towards the west downes and there were a thousand or a thousand two hundred left vpon the east downes vnder the command of the seignior of Glaison who began to build a new fort there in the which he lodged his men Then they made their approaches and vpon the west downes they planted twelue peeces of ordnance and moreouer there was a batterie made towards the sea side so as the passage of the old hauen was quite shut vp and after that time the entrie vnto the towne from the sea was vpon the north side by the which the boats entred at a full sea through the sea ditches which were opened to that end Prince Maurice was now well assured that the archdukes campe was planted before Oostend he therefore would not abandon Bercke being resolued to hold it out vntill he were master thereof And to assure the said towne of Oostend he sent Sir Francis Veer genenerall of the Engllsh vnder the Estates seruice with twelue companies of his nation and colonel Westembroucke with seuen ensignes of Wallons with other companies making in all foure and thirtie ensignes all which arriued happily the fifteenth of Iuly and soone after came fifteene hundred Englishmen more Then began the archduke to discouer the vanitie of his counsels but being so farre ingaged he grew obstinat before this towne leauing prince Maurice farre off labouring before Bercke whereas the besieged began to scratch their heads seeing their hoped succours turned another way yet they continued their sallies but with losse rather than gaine Sir Francis Veer being safely arriued at Oostend hee presently went and lodged abroad neere vnto the towne and tenne daies after hee intrenched himselfe in a place called the Red house with an intent to stoppe the boats which brought victuals to the campe but the Spaniards preuented it not without losse of their men All the rest of this moneth of Iuly was spent in sallies and skirmishes in the which they spared neither powder nor shot The archduke lost aboue foure thousand men besides them that were hurt and the besieged had some three hundred men slaine The Seignior of Warmond admirall of Holland furnished them with all sorts of munition So as the Flemings found themselues much deceiued of their expectation for they did imagine that this siege would be sooner ended than that of Berck But the prince hauing prouided well for Oostend and so fortified himselfe before Bercke as he neither feared the besieged nor the archduke hauing taken away all the defences of the rampar blowne vp some mynes with losse to the besieged and hauing other readie to worke their effects the besieged finding that they were vndone if they continued obstinate hauing lost two third parts of their souldiers and the rest beeing tired with continuall toyle in the end they demanded a composition the which the prince willingly yeelded vnto in the beginning of August giuing them leaue to depart with their armes and baggage their colours flying matches burning and two field peeces with fiftie bullets and two barrels of poulder with diuers other articles to the benefit of the besieged They could not desire a more honourable composition But the prince respected not the conditions so as hee might take it hauing continued his siege 7 weekes The day after the composition there went out of the towne fortie fiue horsemen sixteene companies of foot beeing one thousand two hundred fortie and seauen men whole and sound 370 hurt and sicke 78 sailers with a great number of women children which went to Gueldre The archduke had sent the earle of Bergh with two thousand horsemen and fiue thousand foot to relieue the towne and with him the earle of Boucquoy and Nicholas Basta expecting other souldiers which came out of Italie but prince Maurice his campe was so well fortified with strong trenches and good forts wherein he is one of the most expert men this day liuing as they durst not aduenture to offer to force it and they within had want of many necessaries especially of apothecarie
signes of fire made to chase spoile kill or at the least to take prisoners all souldiers belonging to their enemies that should aduenture to enter into their territories declaring all quarter to be broken with their enemies without any exception vpon paine to be punished in like manner as the enemies themselues should bee assigning vnto euery one that should in that sort spoile kill or take prisoner any of the enemies souldiers the summe of fiftie gulderns for his paines and whosoeuer should present any one for not obseruing the contents of this proclamation or that had harbored or had correspondencie with the enemie 25 gulderns for a reward This yeare there were three shippes set out of Holland to discouer a mine of gold about Guiney who sailed to all the islands thereabouts and some that were not inhabited which they called the salt islands for that the water which was beat vp by the sea through the heat of the sunne congealed and became hard salt the which is exceeding fine white and very strong and better than any other very fit to make refined salt which costs nothing but the fetching lading and bringing away whereas eightie or ninetie sayle of the greatest shippes of burthen of Holland and Zeeland find their fraight yearely and make great profit the voyage beeing but short for some haue made it in eleuen weekes others were somewhat longer as winde and weather did serue them the which is likely to prooue a great hindrance to Spaine and Portugall especially by the restraint made in Spaine where they were accustomed to fetch their salt whereby the Spaniards were much deceiued supposing that one nauigation would hinder another especially that into the east countries but it hath bin found otherwise for that this yeare in the beginning of April there came vnto Amsterdam at one time sixe hundred and fourtie saile most of them great shippes out of the east countries most beeing laden with corne wood masts sparres deale pitch tarre flaxe waxe c. which altogether brought at the least thirtie thousand tunnes and had one with another foure pounds starling for the fraight of a last which is two tunnes so as by that computation they did earne sixtie thousand pounds starling at the least for fraight whereby it may be truely said that sea-faring fishing and trade of marchadise is the Netherlanders myne This winter the vnited prouinces prepared not onely for a defensiue warre as they had done some yeares before but also to offend the enemie who lay so strong vpon their frontiers with their winter armie as they were forced to raise new regiments and more cornets of Netherland horse men First they gaue to Ernestus earle of Nassau a commission to leuie a regiment of high Dutches of tenne companies euery commission beeing two hundred men the which were raised about Emden Monsieur la Noue had charge to bring two thousand men out of France into Holland of those which had so long serued the king there at their owne charges hoping the king would be the more willing to restore the money which they had disbursed for the entertainement of those men especially the money beeing paied vnto his owne subiects and vassals They also entertained a thousand Suitsers which had serued in France they added nine cornets more to their horse men one cornet beeing vnder prince Maurice his lieutenant was Ioncker Walrauen van Gent sonne to the lord of Oyen two cornets vnder the old and yong earles of Solines and the rest vnder monsieur Timpel Balen Iohn Bax La Sale Cloet and Hamelton a Scottish man The Scottish footmen were also made compleâ—… euery companie consisting of an hundred and fiftie men and the colonels companie of two hundred They would willingly haue had more supplies out of England but they durst not moue the Queen for that she had long before written vnto them for 2000 Englishmen to be sent ouer for her warres in Ireland offering to send 2000 new souldiers in their places which they could not refuse and for that at that time there were 27 companies of English they sent sixe whole companies and out of the rest they chose the worst men they could find to make vp the number which was ill taken in whose places the Queene sent ouer about two thousand new souldiers vnder Sir Thomas Knowles who expected to be colonel ouer them but he could get but a companie and the rest of the men did serue to fill vp the other companies They further made a proclamation concerning their musters for the preuenting of all deceit by keeping their companies full with all other orders necessarie for the warres as first that vnder the Reisters no man might serue but vpon his owne horse which horse should not be lesse than fifteene great handfuls high according to a measure made of purpose The Reisters themselues were to haue a head-piece a gorget a breast and a backe two poldrons a gantlet to hold his bridle a short peece or pistoll the barrell being two foot long and a short sword according to a measure appointed to that end and if any one wanted any of the said furniture he might not passe musters or else he was checked and debarred from some part of his entertainment Some in euery cornet were allowed to haue horses to carrie their necessaries who besides the furniture aboue named were to bee armed with thighes knee pieces and culots which is a piece of armour to defend the reines of the backe with another short piece like vnto the first their armour was to bee caliuer proofe and they were allowed a boy who should carry a piece like vnto the other The horsemen called Carabins were to haue a head-piece a gorget a breast and a backe a sword and a piece hauing a barill three foot long and a good horse At that time they vsed no more launces for that they could doe but small seruice vnlesse they were running in their full cariere but in stead thereof they did vse pistols or short pieces and did weare cassockes or liueries as launciers were accustomed to doe The footmen which carried pykes were to haue a head-piece a gorget a backe and a breast a sword or rapier a pyke of eighteene foot long and that vpon a penaltie and the one quarter of those that did beare pykes were to haue poldrons to their elbowes The musketiers were to haue a head-piece a rapier a musket carrying a bullet whereof tenne would make a pound and a rest And the harguebusiers must haue a head-head-piece a rapier and a good caliuer bored for a shot of 20 or 25 bullets in the pound euery one hauing pay accordingly Thus much I thought good to obserue that posteritie may know what armes men vsed in the Netherlands in those warres In the end of Ianuarie 1599 certaine cornets of Reisters of the vnited Prouinces with some companies of foot vnder the leading of Edmonds a Scottishman and others made a rode into the countries of Lembourg
of Brabant who was imbarked in this quarrell with the Flemings woon the towne of Gertruydenberg with all South-Holland except the town of Dordrecht which he besieged tenne daies gaue many assaults vnto it and cast in fire the inhabitants behaued themselues valiantly both in repulsing his attempts and in quenching the fire making a braue sally with Nicholas of Putten their leader vpon the Brabancons whom they chased with their duke out of their quarters pursuing them at the heeles and spoyling many good villages euen to Boisleduc into the which in despight of the duke they cast fire and burnt a good part of the towne and so returned laden with spoiles vnto Gertruydenberg hauing first chased away the Brabancons then they came backe to their owne towne of Dordrecht This done they got a new supply of men and vnder the commaund of the said Seignior of Putten did fight with Guy of Flanders neere vnto Isselmond whereas there were slain aboue two thousand Flemings so as Guy saued himselfe with great difficultie During the time that Guy of Henault bishop of Vtrecht was prisoner in Flanders there were two contrarie factions in the town the which had beene enemies one to another a long time but hearing that their prince and bishop was taken prisoner they reconciled themselues each to other both parties swearing faithfully to preserue and maintain the citie in good estate so long as their lord should remaine prisoner but one of the parties did not long keepe their othe for soone after Gerard of Brucken a knight was slain standing before his doore the murtherers going on seised vpon the persons of Ieams of Lichtenbourg of the seignior of Weruher whom they shut vp in the castle of Vreeseburch and soone after brought them to S. Katherins place at mid-night and there put them to death which was the cause afterwards of great murthers calamities and miseries in the said towne of Vtrecht Guy of Flanders hearing of these alterations in Vtrecht entred with his forces displaceth the magistrats by his own authoritie and chuseth others in their places persuading the chapter to depose their bishop Guy who was in prison and to receiue in his place VVilliam of Iuilliers the which haply hee had obtained if VVitten bastard of Holland lord of Hamstede had not come speedily from Ziricxee to Stanfort neere Harlem This lord of Hamstede being entred into Harlem with a small troupe of souldiers displayed his banner with the armes of Holland whereat the Kennemers Waterlanders and Frisons both East and West reioyced much praysing God that they had yet one captaine descended from the right line and stocke of Holland Hee then seeing all this people well resolued to follow him goes out of the towne in arms to fight with the Flemings Comming to the village of Hillegom they had before them the gouernor of Flanders with his armie the which they quite defeated The Frisons stript them that were slain and laid them on a heape one vpon another and so left them like vnto a mount of ioy for a marke or remembrance vnto the Flemings when they should haue any desire to returne how they had beene intreated there which place is at this day remarkable by the name of Outdt-manne-pat The newes of this defeat were presently spred ouer all Holland There was in the towne of Delft a valiant gentleman named Ockenburch who hearing of this victorie tooke a banner with the armes of Holland in his hand and went crying through the streets Holland Holland c. At which crie all the commons did rise in armes chasing the Flemings out of their towne and spoyled a good number of them this done the Delfois went to Leyden where they did the like and with them of Leyden went to la Goude which they surprised chased away the Flemings and rescued their bourgesses that were prisoners there In the meane time the lord of Hamstede arriued with his troups who chased away the rest of the Flemings that were about Leyden who thinking to saue themselues in Delft were poorely receiued and miserably cut in peeces so as in one street there were 〈◊〉 Fleming found dead vpon the pauement which street is at this day called Flemings street some to saue their liues cast themselues from the top of the wall into the towne ditches where they were drowned And thus the lord of Hamstede recouered all Holland in a short time to his great honor and an irrecouerable losse to the Flemings from whom both he and his souldiers tooke a great and rich spoile At the same time Nicholas de Cats who as we haue said had beene appointed by Guy of Flanders gouernor of Schoonhouen came from the castle to see and heare what was done or said in the towne but the inhabitants laid presently hold vpon him sent him to the lord of Hamstede intreating him to come vnto them the which he did presently with some troups and besieged the castle the which in the end he forced to yeeld and the Flemings were in like sort chased from thence Guy of Flanders being aduertised of the good successe of the lord of Hamstede and of the losse of his men in so many places aised a great mightie armie with the which he marched towards Vtrecht and from thence came the third time to besiege the towne of Ziricxee the which he straitly begirt with many trenches blockhouses mounts and battered it with his rammes crossebowes and other engines the which did cast stones of an exceeding greatnesse It happened that during this siege the Flemings cast one great stone into the towne in the which place there was a mechanike man the which was verie expert in casting of stones who said Giue me this stonie messenger I will send it from whence it came and hauing banded his engin deliuered it so cunningly as it fell vpon the engin that had first sent it brake it all in peeces and crusht the hand of the enginer that gouerned it Guy of Flanders resolued to carry the towne by assault commanding his souldiers to bring as much straw reeds and bauins as they could carrie on their backs to fill vp the ditch which being done hee caused his men to approach neere the walls but the besieged presented themselues couragiously repulsing them as well with handie blowes as with stones The yongest and most able defended the assault at the breach the elder were in the towers casting stones incessantly and shooting arrowes as thicke as haile the women and maids brought them stones by heaps that they might not faile in their defence for want of offenciue armes If the enemie did cast fire vpon any house they ran speedily to quench it To conclude this furious assault was so manfully defended and the enemies so valiantly repulst as Guy was forced to leaue the assault with losse of his men very many being hurt who of a long time were not able to fight and finding that by this assault he had preuailed
thereof for that they could neuer know who were the doers thereof no man was euer heard to brag or boast thereof no quarrel nor strife was amongst them nor any man hurt which was a great wonder aboue all the rest considering that it was done in the night time and so many stones wood and other stuffe broken and rent in pieces Meane time the magistrates and the townes-men stood abashed and amazed all night in their armes as if they had beene bewitched and knew not what they were best to doe euery man hauing seuerall conceits thoughts feares and suspitions in his head The Romish catholickes thought that it was done by them of the reformed Religion and that they ioining with such companions might be too strong for them and therefore were in feare to be assailed and set vpon The reformed church thinking that the doing therof would be imputed vnto them thought it their best way to looke vnto themselues that they might not bee surprised on the sudden And while on both sides the one thus feared the other they were both in one common doubt and opinion That the Image-breakers hauing begun to ransacke the churches would not so content themselues but would fall vpon the rich marchants and townes-mens houses and search for the Idols in their purses and their chests vnder pretence of breaking downe of Images or els worke some other vilanie or treason Thus the magistrates and the townes-men being in great perplexitie stood with heauie hearts and hands and yet in armes and in good order one counselling and admonishing the other to a vnitie and to be carefull that no murther nor bloud shedding might ensue wherin they all agreed as the Spaniards say being carefuller and readier to defend their owne liues and goods than the holy Romish reliques and seruice of God and although in the said breaking of Images and ransacking of the churches many things of great worth were stollen and secretly conueyed away neuerthelesse great store of iewels siluer workes and other things were brought into the towne-house and other places and some handycrafts and guilds did likewise intreat the people to giue them diuers faire costly and cunning pictures in regard and loue of the great art and workmanships therein shewed which they tooke and bare away with them In the morning as soone as the gates of the towne were opened a great part of the Image-breakers got out and went to S. Bernards a cloyster about a mile and a halfe from Antuerp and from thence to all the villages round about the town with great boldnes and fiercenes pulling downe and breaking all their Images the rest that remained within the towne ceased not all that day and two daies after to run about the towne into euery church breaking downe and spoiling all the relicks whatsoeuer they found standing whole therein no man daring once so much as say or do any thing vnto them But at the last when they began to breake downe a faire crucifix that stood in the great church ouer the great quier dore it falling vpon the armes of the knights of the order of the goldē fleece which were painted round about ouer thé seats in the quier being the armes of all those that were then liuing when the said feast was holden in Antuerpe in Anno 1555 the magistrats and the townes men began to be moued therat and being somewhat better encouraged repulsed those that sought to haue done the like taking ten or twelue of them prisoners three that were found doing the deed vpon the eighteenth of August were hanged in the market place and three others banished out of the towne the rest punished in other sort Presently thereupon the magistrate vsed all the diligence he could to keepe those of the reformed Religion frō preaching in the churches which they had alreadie begun to admonish and withdraw the people from spoyling and robbing the church and to mooue and incite them to peace submissiuenesse and obedience but at the last they left off in regard of the honour and reuerence of the magistrates who vpon paine of hanging commaunded That all the things that had beene taken out of the churches should within foure and twentie houres after be brought vnto the Wiekemasters and that no man should meddle with breaking downe of any more Images which they likewise caused to bee certified vnto them of the reformed Religion by their pentionary M. Iacob Wesenbeek who for that cause vpon the 24 of August tooke occasion both by writing and by word of mouth to shew the magistrate Iacob vander Heyden bourgmaster that they in truth would and might protest before God that the breaking down of the Images was done without their knowledge and consents and that they allowed not of the manner of doing the same if it were not done by order and authority of the magistrate although the great idolatrie vsed in that towne had well deserued no lesse and that they blamed and detested the theeuerie ransacking and other insolencies vsed therein and that their preachers in their sermons should admonish the people to restore the stolne things into the magistrats hands That they of the reformed Religion were ready to be obedient vnto the magistrat in all things touching the resisting and with-holding of all insolencies and forcible actions That they acknowledged the lords and magistrats of the towne to be their lawfull magistrats appointed by God to rule and gouerne them and that therefore they were bound to be obedient vnto them according to the word of God so consequently bound and would willingly pay al assesses imposts taxes and other burthens as duty required And to that end they said that the preachers rulers of their churches were ready to take their oaths of faith and obedience vnto them in al causes next after God and his word for the conseruation welfare and furtherance of the inhabitants of the towne that therby the people might be maintained in peace and vnitie desiring that vnder the name and authoritie of the magistrats they might be suffered to preach in some conuenient churches and to vse the exercise of their Religion excusing themselues that they vntill some order were taken therein did vse some churches for their aduantage Lastly That they pretended not to compell any man by force vnto their Religion being well content to liue in peace and to thanke God for the meanes they had to serue him according to their consciences crauing that it might be ordained that no man should molest iniure nor disquiet one the other for Religion By meanes of this declaration request admonition in the end the matter was so brought to passe that they of the reformed Religion were suffered to preach in the new towne by authority of the magistrats to hinder them from preaching in the holied churches but the preacher of Kiel which preached after the confession of Ausbourg was suffered to preach in S. Georges church as being the chiefe church of the Kiel therby to
made any shew he retyred a league off and there encamped thinking that the town was not to be woon without greater force and some artillerie whereof he was then vnprouided This retreat of Saras as despairing to winne it gaue courage vnto the Spaniards who made a sally foorth to charge them in the â—…eward as he made his retreat but they marched in such good order as they could not annoy them Saras hearing of the comming of the Spaniards from Anâ—…rpe and Berghen vpâ—…n Sooâ—… raysed his campe and returned into the Isle of Walchrâ—… But the Flessinguers accusing him of cowardise and of treason in all his enterprises of Bruges Gand and Ter-Goes where they presumed to haue many friends would not receiue him nor any one of his men into the towne but sent them to the village of Soâ—…land where they intrenched themselues sleightly to defend them from all surprises of the enemie The Spaniards of Middlebourg Ter-Goes and other places thereabouts came in the morning by the breake of day and charged them with such furie in this fort halfe finished as at the first they ouerthrew fiftie and forced into the middest of the place The English and Wallons fighting notwithstanding like lyons made them recoyle and chased them out of their trenches The Spaniards madde with disdaine to see themselues thus repulsed resuming new courage and animating one another returned to the charge the which was much more suddaine and furious than the first On the other side the Protestants seeing that to flye would bee both dangerous and dishonourable preferring an honourable death fought like desperate men The Spaniards did striue the more vpon hope of victory and the others desired rather to die in the bed of honour than to flie or yeeld so as the incounter was furious on eyther side vntill that the Wallons discharging a field peece among the thickest of the Spaniards made some to flye in pieces and the rest to recoyle who thought it no reason to runne headlong against the canon and that it was against all warlike discipline to fight against a desperate enemie The Wallons and French especially those of Diepe seeing this grew more couragious than before and pursued them in their retreat being followed by the English and Zeelanders who altogether charged their enemies with such furie as they made them all flye on a heape whereof they slew a part and had many prisoners There was a squadron of those that fled got into a barne where they were all roasted In this charge there dyed some hundred and fiftie Spaniards Of the French Protestants besides the souldiors captaine la Riuiere was slaine there for whose losse they were so incensed as they caused all the prisoners to be hanged the which made foule warres and caused the Spaniards to hang all the Protestants they could take After this victorie Saras returned to Flessingue where the entry was againe denied him yet after that he had wandered vp and downe fifteene daies at the request of the French captaines he was receiued Soone after there were new preparations made to go againe into the Island of Suytbeuelandt and to besiege Ter-Goes situated in the middest of a fertile countrey which yeelded many good commodities of victuals to the towne of Antuerpe It had a strong wall and deepe ditches but no counterscarpe nor parapet vpon the rampier They sent nine double Canons thither which were drawne out of Flessingue The Protestants armie lodged at the first in the suburbes of the towne whereas there were but two companies one of Spaniards and another of Flemings in garrison The Canon was planted in two batteries the one at the port the other within the land that at the port had soone made a breach of fiftie foote wide where the French and the English vndertooke to giue an assault about midnight with a camisado and scalado The first assaylants were sharpely repulsed besides the ladders which Saras had giuen them were too short so as this assault was very preiudicial vnto them being forced to leaue it with shame and losse About that time the fiue and twentieth of August all the souldiors within Flessingue except the companies of captaine Barnard Eloy Morcant and some few others imbarked with them of the garrison of la Vere with a great number of boats hauing a designe vpon the towne of Antuerpe where they had intelligence with some bourgesses the which was done vnder the commaund and authoritie of the prince of Orange but as they were vpon the way about Doel they were aduised by letters from Antuerpe to stay some three or foure dayes by reason of some difficulties and to attend vntill they had other aduertisement wherupon they returned the next day to Byezelingen in the land of Ter-Goes so as this designe prooued fruitlesse for the which some of the said bourgesses were accused conuicted and executed The eight and twentieth of August captaine Claes Claesz with his ship and Broubier with his flie-boat went out of Flessingue and going along the Westerne coast they met with foure pinnaces come out of Scluse to seeke their aduentures vpon the Zeelanders and their allies two of which were chased backe into their hole called the Swyn the third was abandoned by the Spaniards who leaped into the sea wherof some were saued and the rest drowned but before they abandoned it they left a match light which set fire on the pouder as they were carying it to Flessingue so as foure men were burnt the fourth was taken fighting and all the prisoners brought to Flessingue whereas instantly there were tenne hanged The duke of Alua fearing least the towne of Ter-Goes would be lost by reason of the small garrison that was within it by a long siege of the Zeelanders he sent Sancho d'Auila gouernour of the citadell of Antuerpe to succour it with three thousand men causing part of them to be imbarked in good shippes of warre which might force through them of Zeeland who were at sea to stop the passage to Ter-Goes and to prepare them worke of another side he himselfe went by land with the rest and two field-field-peeces whereof the one was myred by reason of the great raine that fell Those that were imbarked were defeated by the Zeelanders shippes and not one could passe that way Yet d'Auila fainted not but hauing enquired of the best experienced mariners if there might be no way to passe ouer at a low water being told him that there was good meanes yet he would not trust them before he had sent some of his people with them to sound the passage who hauing made their report that it was easie to doe but with great diligence and trauell for that there was about two leagues of passage and some chanels in the way that were good and deepe at a low water D'Auila being glad to haue found this way would make a triall with all his troupe accompanied by colonel Mondragon his assistant who marching first on foot led them both
which was very great laden with victuals which they thought to carry vnto Middlebourg one was burned laden with corne and another was cast away vpon the sands neere vnto the Ramekins On the Spaniards side was slaine the Seignior of Blicquy a gentleman of Henault cut off by the wast with a chayne shot and with him some captaines and gentlemen Charles Grenet brother vnto the Seignior of Werp who was in Middlebourg was carried prisoner to Flessingue where at his first entrance he was in danger to haue beene massacred by the mariners if the women had not saued his life There was in this defeat about nine hundred men slaine and drowned on the Spaniards side and but few taken prisoners The rest of the moneth of Aprill was spent at the siege of Harlem in light skirmishes on eyther side and then there was forged in the towne a certaine peece of siluer carrying on the one side the armes of the towne and on the other their deuice Vincit viâ—… Virtus In the beginning of May the Seignior of Roulle gouernour of la Vere hauing gathered together a thousand men out of his owne garrison Flessingue Zirickzee and other places made an enterprise vpon the Island and towne of Tolon which he thought to carry relying vpon his friends and intelligence there But presenting himselfe before the towne about six of the clocke in the morning as soone as he was discouered they saluted him with the canon and small shot so as captaine Ambroise le Duke and some of his souldiers beeing wounded they were enforced to retyre And although there were no hope of good successe in this enterprise being thus discouered yet they continued there so long as they of the Island and the towne being ioyned together with all their forces went to charge them with such furie as they were put to rout and defeated whereof the Flemings were the cause for by their flight they gaue courage vnto their enemies and dismayed the Wallons their companions who being about three hundred men defended themselues valiantly in the trenches which they had made so as in the end being forced they were all cut in pieces In this encounter captaine Schooneuall and his ensigne-bearer were slaine and almost all his companie being for the most part of those that had remained almost six yeares in the woods hauing beene at the surprise of Audenarde as wee haue sayd before The Seignior of Roulle was also slaine by his owne men accusing him that hee had brought them vnto the slaughter Captaine Iacob Simonson was taken prisoner and some few souldiers who being put into the Spanish gallies were drowned except some few which found meanes to saue themselues At the same time there dyed one captaine Tâ—…t Worst admirall of Flessingue a captaine as free from ambition and couetousnesse as valiant and hardie in whose place there was another chosen very well tryed for his great valour The ninth of May being Whitson eue the Spaniards did cast a mans head into one of the bulwarkes at Harlem with a note containing these words Behold the head of captaine Oliuer The besieged had two pigeons drawne out of their doue-houses the which they carried often vnto the prince of Orange his campe from whence they let them flye with little scrowles tied about their thighes the which came into the towne to their Pigeon houses they were called Flying messengers The shippes of Amsterdam did so keepe the sea of Harlem being very many as little could come that way vnto the towne the which was so straightly besieged as nothing could come in or goe out but with extreame perill and danger if it were not to make some sally or to skirmish as they did vpon the sixteenth of the moneth when they went to charge them that were lodged in the fort by the Wood whome they chased from thence and the next day they tooke the fort of Fuyck by assault then they went as farre as the house of Iohn Pitteman the which was held by the Spaniards whereas they slew two centinels and brought away three cloakes and the couering of a bed The besieged of the towne of Harlem did sometimes blow vp a myne of their rampar at the foot whereof the enemies were lodged which did much annoy them There was also an order That all the earth which they brought vnto the rampar should be cast into the ditch the which was in such abundance as by that meanes they did enlarge their rampar without aboue two fadomes The 17 of the month the fleet for the victualing of Middlebourg being behind the castle of Ramekins and prepared to return to Antuerp they aduanced a little and went to anker on the other side of the castle attending a wind fit for their voiage The same day there issued forth about three hundred men out of Middlebourg who came within canon shot of Flessingue along the dike betwixt Ramekins and the town being discouered there sallied forth as it were by force a number of souldiers of the companies of Eloy and Bernard at their incounter the skirmish grew so hot as they of Middlebourg hauing many of their souldiers hurt and some slaine retired And it is worthy the noting that although the skirmish continued four howers verie furious yet there was not any one of them of Flessingue slaine nor hurt The fiue and twentieth of the moneth the Spaniards hauing recouered the fort of Fuycke they sallied forth about fiue hundred men and came and assaulted the fort of Russenburch which was held by them of the towne at their first approach there were but nine or ten men the rest being gone vnto the towne but they returned sodainly at the noyse of the shot and entred by another way The charge was furious for at the first the Spaniards tooke the intrenchment of the counterscarpe of that side where they approached euen vnto the bridge where there was a captaine slaine or at the least some man of account and aduancing neerer there was a captaine with seuen Spaniards slaine The captaines heads were cut off and sent that night into the towne and set vpon pikes at the end of a bulwarke in reuenge of that of captain Oliuer whereas they remained all the day following at which skirmish there were some fortie souldiers hurt the which were put into smal barkes by their companions and carried to their quarter And as they made their retreat it happened that Iohn Schatter holding a little barrell of powder to distribute among the souldiers by mischance it fell on fire whereby both he and Serrats with seuen or eight more were verie sore burnt but to recompence this mischance they had a chaine of gold weighing three hundred crowns from one of the Spanish captains Al this time of the siege the kine and other cattel fed without the town along the ditches The Spaniards went in good numbers to fetch them away and although they had taken seuen or eight yet were they so hotly
with water but some hindred that resolution to spare the haie that was mowen and the pasture so the particular profit of some few ruines a generality for the which those priuate persones doe afterwards smart most Those of Oudewater seeing themselues thus beseeged both great and smale wiues and maids began to fortefie their towne continuing day and night euen vnto the end first they did mure vp with earth their ports towards Issell that towards Goude remayning open whilest that they brought in earth from a mill-mounte ioyning to the towne which might haue couered the enemy to rampar withal and hauing brought it all into the towne they did in like sort dam vp the same port making only a little posterne Then they rampared in all places where they thought was greatest need they beat downe al the tower trees and houses that might hurt or anoy and prepared al things that might serue for the defence of the towne with great dilligence And although they knew not well the Spaniards resolution whether he would batter or famish them least that the seege should continue too long they set down an order for the victuals And to the end the soldiars should not be drunke they did forbid the bruing of any strong beere reseruing what there was and the wine for their greatest necessity and in like sort they caused money to bee coyned In the meane time the Spaniard was not idle first meaning to batter the towne on the South side he caused a french to be cast vp that he might make his approches with lesse danger from the place of execution where hee planted his Cannon which came of the one side to the towne ditch right against the turn-pike at the corner towards the West and of the other about the middle port towards the East And for that the beseeged doubted that hee would fall to mine they presently made two countermines one vnder the said turn-pike and the other vnder the port But when they perceiued that they would batter the towne and take it by assault they filled vp those counter-mines with poulder to blowe them vp when they should giue an Assault The third of August the Spaniards began to batter with one onely peece which he had planted the night before the Church steeple standing at the foote of the rampare towards the west the which they continued all the day the first boullet fell into the Church waying forty and three pounds the night following hee added an other to it and with these two peeces he continued his battery against the said Steeple meaning as it seemed to fill vp the ditch with the ruine thereof and to passe ouer it going to the assault but for that the beseeged were in feare thereof they vndermined it on the towne side and vnderpropt it with great beames the which being burnt it must needs fall of their side if of necessity it were to be beaten downe but the Spaniard seing that he aduanced little he turned his peeces to batter in Flanke The sixt Day of the moneth in the morning the rest of the artillerie being planted the night before being in all fiue and twenty peeces The Signior of Hierges Generall of the Army caused the towne to bee somoned to yeeld vnto him in the name of the King of Spaine and of the great Commander his Lieutenant with promis of good vsage vsing withall great threats if they did it not speedely setting before their eyes the ordinary cruelty of the Spaniards which he should not be able to preuent although he would The answer of all the captaines was that they had receiued no such commission neither would they nor could they deliuer it vp with ther honors reputations but they were content to send a man to the Prince States if it pleased him to know their aduice and pleasure yet Captaine Morcants opinion was to say that the soldiars were not in good termes with the Bourguers to stay the battery for one day and in the meane time to arme them-selues the better against an assault This answer being deliuered to the Seignor of Hierges who staied neere vnto the ordinance hee presently caused all to be discharged and so continued the battery vntill night with such furie as the captaines had neuer seene nor heard the like hauing discharged that day a thousand foure hundred and fifty shot In the meane time the Beseeged rampared as fast as they could and prepared all things fit to defend the breach as hoopes couered with toe and pitch or rozen to cast them burning vpon the assaylants great cauldrons full of scaulding water neere vnto the breach burning lime lead molten boyling oyle with all other deuises to anoy them comming to the Assault They filled also many little sacks full of earth to couer the beseeged at the rampar when they should come to defend the breach finally before the port where the greatest battery was and which they most doubted they made a little halfe Moone the which was finished in one night within the which they layed planks full of nayles and a great Morter charged with the heads of cart nayles and other peeces of iron The breach which the Spaniards had made in the day was rampared vp in the night not sparing any thing noe not the hempe and flaxe that was ready drest whilst that the enemy was busiy to fill vp the ditch to mount vnto the Breach The seauenth day of the moneth as the beseeged thought to haue an assault giuen hauing preparde the day before to defend it courragiously they made their praiers and set all things ready vpon the rampar the cannon began to play againe and brake in a manner all so as they were forced to retier the rest the which they could not place againe The battery continued vntill Noone noe lesse furious then the day before and then they gaue two or three false assaults A little after noone began the great assault the which continued a good hower where as the soldiars Bourguers wiues maids and boyes did their vttermost endeauors to resist them with those instruments which they had prepared but the charge was so great and continued with such nombers as the cheefe defendants being slaine or hurt the rest were forced to abandon the Rampar to the victorious enemie Captaine Saint Mary who was also Sargent Maior was slaine there with the Lieutennant of the Scottish company captaine Muntre was wounded whereof he died soone after being prisoner Captaine Morcant was also hurt and a prisoner and afterwards deliuered in exchange of an Antient and a Sargeant Spaniards whome his wife bought else there had beene no mercy for him for that a little before he had come and yeelded him-selfe to that party obiecting vnto him that hee was the cause why the towne would not yeeld by Composition The Commander did also write two or three letters to the Gouernor of Viana to put him to death but the said Spaniards had such
Page to the Lord of Iselsteyen and after that hee serued the Prince of Orange with two horses but after the pacification of Gant hauing taken the house of Blyenbeek neere to the riuer of Meuse lying beyond the Towne of Graue from his Cousin pretending an interest therein and could get no protection from the Estates hee fell from them and hauing stabd an Ensigne-bearer hee put himselfe into the Prince of Parmas seruice forcing the whole countrie of Gelderland to pay him contribution and likewise the riuer Wherevpon the Estates caused captaine Hogheman to beseege it but the Prince sent both horse and foote to releeue him so as they were forced to retire As the Malcontents in the beginning of their warre had taken a great rich village in Flanders called Menin lying vpon the riuer of Lice which by their chiefe commander called Emanuel of Lalain barron of Montigny was made stronge calling it his first conquest from whence they ouer-ranne all West Flanders and made them giue contribution so they lost it againe in the like manner for that in Menin there was a brewer called Peter Vercruissen who was much troubled and molested by the Wallons for harboring of a preacher in his house so as at the last they ment to proceed against him as a cryminal offender by order of law For which cause he diuised a means to get out of the fort and early in a morning beeing appareled like a countrie-man went out and being to passe by a sentinell hee tooke his halbert out of his hand and slue him with the which also he killed two other sentinells and by that meanes escaped from thence hee went to the Bourguemaster of Bruges called Iaques Broucqsanke shewing him by what meanes hee might free the country from their oppressions which hee esteemed an easie matter to effect and that with very fewe men which the Bourguemaster imparting to Colonel Balfour hauing receiued charge and commission to effect the same from the Archduke and the Prince of Orange the sayd Bourguemaster and his sonnes Peter and Ioas caused a certaine number of ladders to bee secretly made in his garden-house to serue for that purpose and al things being readie prepared vpon the one and twenty of October in the euening Colonel Baulfour went vnto the Scottish companies that lay in Rousselase and the next morning about foure of the clocke went with them vnder the walles of Menin ioyning vpon the stone-way or causie that goeth from thence to Renselase and with them the sayd Peter Vercruyssen At the same time also there came certaine Flemish companies by shippe from Cortrick which set vpon Menin on that side and so on both sides they secretly clome vp to the rampar and there valiantly killing the sentinels forced the gard to flie to saue themselues whereby without losse of men or any great resistance they presently got the fort for that they within knew themselues to bee to weake for that part of their garrison were gon out about the like exploit and therefore they fled and saued themselues by the bridge that past ouer the water to Halewin but it is not to be wondred at for that the Wallon garrisons there-abouts as at Wastene Werwicke Comene and part of those of Menin were all as then by counsell and procurement of the Lord of Erpe gon towards Cortrike beeing led by Monsier d' Allennes in the like sort and at the very same time to take and spoile it the which garrisons beeing before Cortrike and busied to take the depth of the ditches with their halberds and pikes the chiefe Baylife of Cortrike beeing as then in the top of the towers of the castle of Cortrike to heare the alarum that should about that time bee giuen to Menin called vnto the sentinell in the Bulwarke asking him if hee had not heard any thing not knowing that his enemies were so neere wherevnto the sentinell made answere and sayd no wherewith the Baylife sayd that the time drewe neere which words Mounsire d' Allennes hearing suspected that his enterprise was discouered and that those wordes were spoken to that end For which cause hee went to his companie to consult further with them and presently there-withall hee heard the alarum giuen at Menin which made him withall speed to returne backe againe to helpe them and that if Menin should chaunce to bee taken to set vpon them and to take it againe while the souldiers should bee busied about the spoile but aproching the fort and by reason of the darkenesse of the morning beeing not able to iudge whether the pikes hee saw were launces or not hee thought their enemies had some horse-men there so as hee was glad to alter his determination and with his affrighted souldiars to goe to Werwicke whereby the Scots and the rest of the soldiers had the better meanes to take the spoile in Menin and to deuide that which the Wallons in loâ—…g time had gathered togither whereby you may iudge if the spoile were small Vpon those newes the Prince of Orange caused certaine English and French companies that lay in Willebrook other Flemish companies to march thether conducted by the signior of La Noue to preserue their victory who vpon the foureteenth of Nouember came to Werwicke wherein were two of the aforesaid Wallon companies that had insconsed themselues in the Church and two more in the castle that lay on the other side of the riuer thereby keeping the bridge free betweene both those in the Church were inclosed by the French men and shot at by the souldiars that stood aboue in the houses and leueled at them through the Church-windowes they within shooting likewise at them and defended them-selues as well as they could in such sort as they without tooke counsell what they should doe and whether they were best to batter the Church with ordinance for that they within made no signe nor shew of yeelding hoping to bee relecued by the garrisons there abouts for that to the same end there were fiue companies comming out of Halewin but they of Menin hauing inteligence thereof gaue a hot and furious charge vpon them of Halewin putting fire in their Court of guard whereby they were in such a great agonie and feare as they were to send for their fiue companies backe againe and it was aduisedly done For that Mounsire De la Noue vnderstanding that the Wallons assembled them-selues togither at Comene was fully resolued if they entred into the field to set vpon them with his horse-men whereof hee gaue notice vnto all the Flemish companies but perceiuing that they came not forward to loose no time hee scaled the Church with ladders so as about 4. of the clocke in the afternoone hee tooke it where the Flemish soldiars were much commended for their valor especially one that carried a target who at the taking of the Church receiued seauenteene bullets vpon the same at there entry they slue fortie of the Wallons the rest beeing
went and caused it to be insconced gathered a great troup of soldiers together at which time also he caused Oostemahorn a mile frō Doccum to be fortified The Diep right ouer against Collum he defended by the peasants which done he insconced Doccumsiel The earle of Renenberghes troups on the other side as Ens Drossart of Coeuoorden with two companies of souldiers and diuers peasants went to Meppel and made it strong and repaired the walls of Kinckhoorst lying hard by the towne which in ann 1536 being yeelded vp by Mager Hein were broken downe but they of Campen ouerthrew those two companies and tooke Meppel and Kinckhoorst from them againe Meane time they of Delfziel were so hardly besieged and the hauen so well inclosed as not any man could passe neither out nor in and yet the Hollanders sent at least 50 ships of warre with the admirall Duyuenuoord into the riuer of Ems to keepe the enemie from victuals that might be brought them from Embden and the earle of Hohenlo did all hee could to relieue them but he was not strong ynough for that his men were not al assembled together he wrot vnto them to stay yet certaine daies longer ere they yeelded it vp saying That his men were on the way but his letters came not to their hands but for that there were diuers vnwilling soldiers therin vpon the 29 of Iuly they yeelded it vp without any reason that vpō shameful conditions going forth with white wands in their hands without any armes leauing the captaine and chiefe commander prisoner and yet had bin but three weeks besieged had good store of butter and cheese In the meane time the earle of Hohenlo comming from Delfziel went to Doccum againe where he left the earle of Renenbergh and besieged Oxlagh againe which not long after yeelded vnto him and Monickerziel also which the earl of Renenbergh had insconced About that time in hope to releeue Delfziel the States sent Sir Iohn Norris into Friseland with ten companies of English and diuers commanders as captaine Morgan Cotton Bishop Fitzwilliams Chatterton Dale and others one company of horsemen and Michael Caulier with six companies of Wallons vnder Iohn Petin Grenu Noir Iasper Cressomiere and a companie of Dutch horsemen al which cōpanies ioined with the earl of Hohenlo at Noordhorn There were likewise 4 companies more comming vnto him but they were met by the earle of Renenberghes horsemen and ouerthrowne but two of the companies with their colours were presently againe relieued by the English With them also ioined Iselstein and the earle of Nassau with either of them ten companies so that the earle of Hohenlo beeing verie strong with those companies he went towards Groning and draue the earle of Renenberghs souldiers out of their strong sconce of Ponterbrugge and so kept the passage of Hornedeip where Renenbergh lay very strong with his souldiers and could easily haue let the said passage The earle of Hohenlo being past both parts placed their men in order of battaile but the earle of Hohenlo hauing placed his battaile very politikely and inclosed it wel with horse and footmen and hauing three field peeces and besides that hauing laid diuers secret ambuscadoes when he had prayed and signes of battaile being giuen the earle of Renenbergh retired close vnder the walls of Groning there to defend himselfe perceiuing that the States had more forces there than they had vpon Herdenbergh heath leauing good store of baggage and munition behind him The next day the earle of Hohenlo went close to the ditches of Groning where they of the towne discharged their ordnance at him and there was a hot skirmish where Sir Iohn Norris behaued himselfe valiantly and there the enemy lost 70 men At which time they tooke counsell whether they should besiege Groning againe but after they had well considered thereof they found it not conuenient and so vpon the tenth of August they went and lay at Zuyet and North-Laren and ◅conced the way to Pontenbrugge where Cornput began to fortifie the great castle of Weerdenbras againe which was built by Edsard earle of Embden as generall for George duke of Saxonie in anno 1505 to stop the passage that no corne might be carried through Drenth to Groning and after that was throwne downe againe by Euerwin earle of Benthem lieutenant to the same duke in anno 1516. The earle of Hohenlo went to Coeuoorden whereas Iselstein with six companies tooke it and about euening when it was late the earles of Hohenlo and Nassau past ouer the towne bridge to the bulwarks of the castle from whence William Lodowick earle of Nassau was hit with a faulcon shot on the left leg hard by the knee for which cause they were forced to carrie him in a coach to Swool where he was cured of that wound At the same time also was slaine the Ensigne bearer Quaet beeing that day newly released from imprisonment in Groning vpon paiment of his ransome The next day the earle of Hohenlo sommoned them to yeeld vp the castle of Coeuoorden and they within being 150 souldiers after counsell taken although they had bestowed two moneths time to fortifie the same and had ordnance powder and prouision ynough yeelded vp the place with safetie of liues and goods being sworne not to beare armes against the Estates in three monethes after Blomart van Breda that once led Montdragon through the water to releeue Tergoes two commanders more were taken prisoners there From thence the earle of Hohenlo sent some of his souldiers into diuers garrisons and went himselfe to besiege Linghen and there left the English regiment to lye before it and with the rest of his forces went to Weeden and for that the castle would not presently yeeld hee left certaine forces to besiege it with two peeces of ordnance and went from thence to Slochteren hauing great desire to get Delfziel againe which he sought to effect by all the meanes he could but the diuiding of his forces and the taking of too many things in hand at one time was the meanes to worke his owne ouerthrow The earle of Renenbergh hearing that he was gone to Coeuoorden marched againe with all his forces and some ordnance to Oxlagh which place was wel fortified and furnished with all things necessarie but the garrison being a company of new souldiers vpon the first of September for want of experience yeelded it vp with safegard of liues and goods and so issued with their rapiers only about two weekes after they had been besieged and but once shot at contrarie to the opinion of the earle of Hohenlo and diuers others which being taken the earl of Renenbergh brake downe the walls thereof and so in all hast went to Slochteren where in a morning betimes hee sodainely set vpon the regiments of the earle of Nassau and Michiel with his light horsemen where colonell Michiel had like to haue beene taken prisoner but by his great
ware was about tenne of the clocke at night at one instant set on fire at the foure corners beeing past helpe and past any mans knowledge how it came some imputing the fault to one thing and some vnto another but the French were not freed from blame nor the prisoners without great feare some saying that they had caused it to bee done to be reuenged others spake otherwise and all diuersly but howsoeuer it came the losse was very great for the poore marchants This great fire made the bourgers of the towne to doubt some treason wherefore they continued all night in armes and vpon their guards with the chaynes of the streets drawne In March one Cornellis of Hooghe was beheaded and quartered at the Haghe in Holland tearming himselfe to bee bastard sonne to the emperour Charles the fifth hee was conuicted to haue treated with the king of Spaine promising vpon hope to be aduowed for his naturall brother and so entertained to make the vnited Prouinces reuolt and that he had drawne many to be at his deuotion who when time serued should take armes to make some new broyles in Holland But he was discouered by his owne follower conuicted of his designes and punished according to his merits not for that he qualified himselfe the emperours bastard whereof some doubted by reason of his resemblance but for his apparent practises In the same moneth there was taken in Antuerpe and discouered vpon small grounds a certaine Spaniard called Pedro Dordâ—…igno who confessed that he was expressely come out of Spaine to kill the prince of Orange and that he had treated with the king himselfe although afterwards he would haue excused it saying it was but with his Secretarie Hee confessed that passing by Grauelingue he had conference with la Motte gouernour of that place He did counterfeit himselfe to be a high Germane saying that hee was of Croatia he was expert in the knowledge of many tongues hauing also beene at the sacke of Antuerpe he was redde hayred nothing like a Spaniard there was neuer any man of so saint a courage after his sentence for so great an attempt According vnto his confession he was afterwards strangled and then quartered thanking the Iustice for so mild a death The seuenth of Aprill there arriued in Zeeland the lady Louyse of Coligni daughter to Gaspar of Coligni lord of Chastillon admirall of Fraunce who was murthered at the massacre of Paris in the yeare 1572 and widdow to the lord of Teligni brother to the ladie of la Noue who was also murthered at the same massacre which lady Louyse the prince of Orange married for his fourth wife the twelfth day following in the chappell of the castle of Antuerpe of whom vpon the six and twentieth of Februarie in the yeare following 1584 he had a sonne called Henry Frederic a prince well bred and of a great hope The thirteenth of the same moneth Hans Hanssz a rich marchant of Flessingue was beheaded who for meere hatred he bare vnto the prince of Orange sought to kill him and all those that should be with him setting fire to certaine barrels of gunne-powder in a cellar ioyning to the house where the prince should lodge and thereof hee had treated with the Spanish embassador being in the French kings court He was discouered by another marchant called Anthony Auquema a Frison whom he trusted thinking to haue him his confederat in so execrable an act but God would not suffer it The towne of Eindouen was at this time besieged by Cont Charles of Mansfeldt in the which the lord of Boniuet sonne to the lord of Creuecuaer a Frenchman commaunded with eight hundred souldiers but by reason of the difficulties that were betwixt the duke of Aniou and the Estates although they hoped that the marshall of Biron should goe and relieue him the lord of Boniuet not able to hold it any longer yeelded it vpon condition to depart with their armes and baggage and their colours flying whither they pleased the sayd lord excusing it vpon the want of powder hauing first capitulated That if within eight dayes he were not relieued to yeeld the towne as he did vpon the nineteenth of Aprill seeing no succours come into the towne as he expected for during all the siege the Estates armie vnder the commaund of the marshall of Biron was about Antuerpe with great preparation to goe and relieue it but for want of money the succours could not be readie in time wherein they of Antuerpe were somewhat restie remembring how much money they had voluntarily furnished for the reliefe of Maestricht in the yeare 1579 so as nothing was done at all and the towne was lost for want of a speedie resolution After the losse of Eindouen the marshall lying with his armie before the fort of Versele in the quarter of Liere in Brabant after that he had battered it a little it was yeelded by composition the three and twentieth of the same moneth captaine Wensel who commanded there and his chiefe officers remayning prisoners and the rest of the souldiers departing with their rapiers and daggers At this paltrie siege the Seignior of la Garde a French colonel master of the dukes artillerie was hurt by one of his owne pieces which brake wherof he dyed hauing done great seruices to the prince of Orange and the Estates of Holland and Zeeland in their first warres during the time of the duke of Alua and other gouernors hauing continued there vntill his death His body was carried to Antuerpe and interred in S. Georges church with an honourable militarie pompe He had been one of the most valiant wise modest and most expert captaines in all the vnited prouinces a man of great counsell learned and well red in the lawes and politicke gouernment Hee behaued himselfe worthily at the victualling of Leyden and therefore was much lamented of the prince and Estates After the taking of this paltrie castle the marshall went to besiege the strong castle of Woude a league from Berghen vpon Soom from whence the marquesse of Berghen lord of that place of the house of Gaesbeke was dislodged some few daies before There was in it sixe score souldiers Italians and an hundred and fiftie pesants Hauing spent some fifteene hundred canon shot although there were no sufficient breach made an amazement seized on the besieged so as they yeelded it by composition vnto the enemie the souldier departing with their rapiers and daggers onely the ninth of May and all the pesants retayned prisoners and put to ransome The Italian captaine who had commanded therein at his returne to Breda lost his head for his reward by the prince of Parma his commaundement At that time they of the priuie counsell of the vnited Prouinces whome the duke of Aniou and Brabant had established comming to Antuerpe were declared to be suspended of their offices by an act made by the generall Estates the which was signified vnto them by an vsher
that the like abuse of authoritie and continuation of Magistrates and Offices of importance hath caused the ruine of the Common-weale of Rome as histories makes mention I see no other reamedie for this mischiefe but that the people bee hereafter warie how they giue so great powre and authoritie and suffer it continue so long in the hands of men of Mechanike and base condition who growne proude with the commaunde and authoritie which they haue abuse it dailie as well against the people who haue giuen them this charge as against the Gouernors to whome the people haue referred the gouernment and absolute powre both ouer themselues and ouer the whole Estate And it were necessarie to let the people vnderstand who of themselues are good mild and tractable that this abuse will in the end bee the ruine of this Estate and yet they bee not all the Estates or to speake more properly deputies of the Estates of whome they complaine but as they saie fiue or sixe onelie who hauing gotten credit with the rest dispose of all things at their pleasures and for their priuat passions doe bad and dangerous offices to this Estate and to them that haue interrest therein some through enuy iealousie and partialitie others through couetousnesse and altogither through ambition and desire to rule alone and alwaies For this poore people haue heretofore long labored in vaine and for so manie yeares suffred themselues to bee flesht and in a manner the marrow of their boanes suckt out if at the appetite and by the bad gouernment of fiue or sixe men of no sort they would now without any vrgent necessity runne headlong into the daunger of a shame-full peace with them who attend nothing else but the reduction of Holland and Zeeland to bee reuenged of the reuolt and rebellion which they pretend From the which our good God by his holie grace preserue this poore people so many good men which are there so many goodly churches which God would plant there and that hee will giue better counsell and more holesome aduise to them that haue the mannaging of the affaires and the conduct of the people c. From Arnhem the 15. February 1587. Your humble and affectionat seruant and friend WARMOND of Stochelen IN the beginning of Winter the Prince of Parma had caused the Earle of Mansfield to besiege the towne of Graue lying vpon the Meuse with foure sconces and had made a bridge ouer the riuer and shut it vp both aboue and beneath the towne thereby to keepe it from victuals and other necessaries In those sconces he placed 1500. men and appointed 5000. Spaniards to lie about the towne and with the rest of his army he laie halfe a mile from thence yet notwithstanding the gouernor Monsier van Hemert sallied daily forth and did much hurt to the enemy The towne of Graue hauing in this sort bin 3. months besieged the Earle of Leicester went out of the Hage to Harlem from thence to Amsterdam so to Vtrecht sending his horsemen beeing 1400. to Niekerke in the Veluwe to aide the towne of Graue giuing charge to the Earle of Hohenlo and to Sir Iohn Norris generall of the English footmen with 2000. foot and the horsemen though they were not to be vsed to victual the town of Graue They presently marching forward went to Molen sconce a mile and a halfe from the towne and from thence beganne to insconce themselues as nere to the towne as they could close by the Meuse betweene the towne of Graue and Batenborch not far from the Spanish sconces their bridge and vpon the 15. of Aprill at night began to worke with 300. soldiars and certaine pioners and ere morning had raised a trench 3. foote high which the Spaniards perceiuing issued forth to the number of 3000. to hinder their worke and by force draue them from it hauing made resistance twice or thrice at the least but in the end they were constrained to retire going back met with 8. or 900. men that came to aide them whervpon they made a stand and valiantly charged the Spaniards and forced them to retire beyond the trenches which they had begun close to their owne forts and in that skirmish slew 4 or 500. of them hurt a great number and amongst the rest 7. captaines and two great personages were slaine taking from them a peece of ordinance which they had brought with them of the Earle of Hohenloes and Sir Iohn Norris side being halfe English halfe Netherlanders there was 130. or 140. slaine Sir Iohn Norris himselfe being hurt in the brest with a pike and Sir Iohn Borrowes had one of his fingers cut off After that the Earle of Hohenlo by means of his great peece wan the castle of Batenborch and an other sconce and the house of Empel and cut the ditch and let the water run into the land for that the Meuse by reason of the land waters was very high so as he entered into the towne with scuits and Boats and went and victualed it himselfe twice one after the other furnishing the towne withall necessary prouision and more garrison vnder the gouernment of Mounsire van Hemert The Prince of Parma beeing certefied that it might bee wonne by assault vpon the twefth of May went in person before it and placing a battery of 24. peeces beganne to play vpon the towne both from ouer the water and at both the ends where hee spent two thousand shot and with a falce alarme made a shew to giue an assault to see what they within would doe who were there-with some-what amazed and beganne to faint whether it were by the aduise and Councell of some affected to the Spaniards or by the townes mens meanes who feared by an assault to loose the liues both of themselues and of their wiues and children and also by the aduise of many well experienced soldiars the assault could not be but much hurtfull and very dangerous for them The gouernor Mousier van Hemert seeing the Prince of Parma prepare to giue a generall assault the daie after to the battery with certaine captaines made signes to parle and sent a trumpet about some honest capitulation which many captaines disliked hauing but the day before written vnto the Earle of Leicester that they doubted not but to keepe and defend the towne well inoughfrom the enemy and by that means the towne of Graue was deliuered ouer to the Prince of Parma vpon the seauenth of Iuly vpon condition that the garrison should issue out armed and such of the townes men as desired it had liberty to depart the towne with their wiues and children and such goods as they had and for that purpose had ships lent them to bring them to Bommel those that staied within the towne likewise had reasonable conditions granted them The Earle of Leicester vnderstanding the Prince of Parmaces intent touching the town of Graue leauing his enterprise against Zutphen and Doesburch resolued
but the English had the aduantage being better of saile and could easelier wind and turneabout them going close vp to them and discharging their broad sides and so continued the fight with their great and smale shotte all the day long vntill their poulder and bullets began to fayle them so as they thought it not conuenient to board the Spaniards in regard of the greatnesse of their shippes and for that they kept themselues so close together being content to haue driuen them from Callis and Dunkerke and from ioyning with the Duke of Parma but especially for that they had forced them to sayle before the wind and to passe a long beyond their coast That day the Spiniards receiued great hurt both in their shippes and losse of men by reason that many of their shippes were shotte betwixt wind and water In all these fights the English lost not one shippe nor any man of quality nor aboue a hundred men in all There were so many of the Spanish shipes shotte vnder the water as in the night and the next day two or three of them sounke among the which there was a great shippe of Biscaye whereof some of the men were saued who shewed that the commanders of that shippe had stabbed one another for that one of them perswaded the rest to yeeld so as the other thrust him into the body with his poiniard whose brother reuenged his death in stabbing him and there-with the shippe sounke presently The same night two great gallions of Portugall of fourteene or sixteene hundred tonnes a peece were forsaken by the fleet the one called Saint Phillip the other Saint Mathew being shotte so vnder water as they could hardly keepe them-selues vpright In the Saint Phillip was Don Francisco de Toledo brother to the Earle of Orgas and one of the 5. collonels with other gentlemen whose mast being shotte downe they sought to saue them-selues in Flanders but finding it impossible the cheefe men escaped in boats and the shippe was taken by the Flusingers In the Saint Mathew was Don Diego de Piementel an other of the Collonels being brother to the Marquis of Taueras with many other gentlemen and Captaines hauing a great leake before Graueling the Duke of Medina sent a boat for him and some of the cheefe to saue themselues but he to preserue his honor resused it then he willed him to stay by him the which he could not doe by reason that the water came in the night time so fast into the shippe as they were forced to keepe fifty men continually at the pumpe to keepe the shippe aboue water but at the last seeing him-selfe forsaken by the Admirall he sought to runne her on ground vpon the coast of Flanders and to saue his life desiring ayde of the fishermen but being descried by foure or fiue shippes of warre which lay vpon the coast they made towards him bidding him yeeld which he refusing they all shotte at him and slue aboue fourty of his men so as hee was forced to yeeld him selfe into the hands of Peter vander Does who brought the shippe into Zeeland with the other the which when as most of the goods were taken out of them through negligence sunke vnder the water An other small ship being forced to run a shoare about Blankenbergh in Flanders Sir Iohn Conway manned out 2. or 3. fisher boats for that the Spaniards were already gone out and had taken forth two peeces of ordinance and brought them on shore to take and ransacke the shippe who draue the Spaniards from her and brought the spoyle into Ostend On Monday the eight of August the Spanish armie being in this sort assayled they thought it best hauing done as much as they had in charge to retire themselues so kept togither with small sailes vntill they were past Dunkerke being followed by the English the next day hauing gotten some-what before they set on more saile seeming to haue more desire to flie then to fight wherevpon the Lord Admirall of England sent the Lord Henry Seymer with the small shippes backe againe to ioyne with the Netherlanders who lay before Dunkerke to keepe in the Duke of Parmaes forces and hee with the greatest shippes followed the Spaniardes but the winde rysing and the Spaniards bending their course towards Norwaye making shew as if they sought meanes onelie to get away and to commit themselues to a dangerous Northerne nauigation the English fleete wanting both poulder and shot returned backe into England leauing some small pinasses to follow them and to bring aduise what course they tooke The Spanish fleete being in the North seas tooke a fisher boate of Zeeland with twelue men in her who were carried into the Admiralls shippe and sailed with them into Spaine at their returne home they reported that whilest the English fleet followed them they saw a white flag preparing to bee set vp in the poope in token of yeelding or at the least to parle fearing to passe through the Northerne seas but beeing disswaded by certaine Clergy men and seeing the English desist from following them they changed their resolution Those fisher men also reported that in the Dukes shippe there was a place made Cannon proofe wherein the duke himselfe with twelue persons more remained all the time of the fight and that of 1200. men that were in the shippe there were 300. slaine and hurt Thus the Spanish fleete hauing lost ten or twelue of their best ships with foure or fiue thousand men hauing many sicke and wounded aboard their ships wanting many necessaries for their ships despayring of any aide from the Duke of Parma who expected their returne and continued still his preparation they resolued if the winde would serue them to saile home into Spaine behinde Scotland and Ireland hearing that they should finde small releefe in Scotland and that Norway could not supplie their wants they tooke all the English or Scottish fishermen they could to serue for pilots and doubting they should want fresh water they cast their horses ouerboard and so they past betwixt the Orcades and faire Island landing in no place but sailed so farre Northwards as they were vnder three score and two degrees and two hundred and forty miles from any land Being there the Duke of Medina commanded all the shippes to take the best course they could for Biscay and he himselfe with twenty or fiue and twenty shippes which were best prouided of fresh water kept his course very high into the sea which brought him directly into Spaine but the rest being aboue forty vnder the leading of the Vice-admirall held their course neerer vnto Ireland making towards Cape-Clere hoping to refresh themselues there but the winde being contrary a great storme arose out of the South-west about the second of September and cast most of them vpon the coast of Ireland where many of them perished and amongst others the Gallion of Michaell d' Oquendo one of the foure great Galliasses two
and so got through certaine iron grates and windoes into a house which they tooke from whence they thought to ceaze vpon the market place beeing not farre from thence in the meane time the rest of the shippes came on and shot into the towne and they of the towne at them The townsmen beeing in armes beganne to assaile the house a farre of but to small pourpose vntill they had brought two field peeces before it wherewith they shot into it and with that the souldiars and then the Bourgers got in and draue Schencks soldiars out againe the rest being not yet come In the meane time the horsemen with some footemen were busie to gette open the Hessenche gate but they beganne to late for before they had beaten of the lockes and bolts it was day light so as they within the towne casting stones and other things vpon them forced them to leaue it This succeeding so vnfortunatly on euerie side for that they came too late and were descouered by the day-light euerie man yea the women of the town being in armes al the ships with the men being not come forward Schenck with his men were forced to retire back againe vnto their ships which retreat was with such confusion disorder and feare as euery man sought to saue himselfe as speedely as hee could wherevpon there leapt so many into foure or fiue great boates that were neerest as three of them sonke with the waight thereof so as such as could not swim were drowned whereof Sir Martin Schenck himselfe was one who was opprest with the waight of his Armor and could not helpe himselfe The shippes that were laden did driue downe halfe a mile beyond the towne by a village called Ostenholt where they cast Anchor missing their Commander One of their great Puntes or boates full of men did driue before the streame to Saint Huberts Tower from whence they could not get but were slaine in great numbers with stones throwne downe out of the sayd Tower some leapt into the water to saue themselues and in the meane time foure more of their shippes full of men stood and beheld that Punt but by reason it was a calme they could by no meanes passe by but at the last two of them escaped awaie and the other two fell into the enemies hands but the souldiars got away within the towne there were not aboue eight or nine found dead and wounded but without there were a hundred at the least This vnfortunate mischance happened vpon the leauenth daie of August Corn. llis Zeghers and Iacob Ween beeing Bourguemasters of Nymeghen The townsmen of Nymeghen beeing somewhat eased of their feare by this victorie tooke certaine scutes and boates and went to see if they could with their nettes and hookes get any men or bootie out of the water where amongst the rest they found a man with a faire armor and well appareled which beeing brought to land they knewe it to bee Sir Martin Schenck by the markes hee had about him as a wounde in his head which hee had gotten before Steenwicke an other on his side which hee had at Arnham and the third on the for-head and after that they had hanged two prisoners which they had taken the Bourgers in reuenge powred out their rage vpon his dead caâ—…case the which they quartered and hung vp ignominiously at the foure corners of the towne and his head was set ouer Saint Anthonies gate but not long after they were taken downe againe by commandement from the Marquis of Varembon Gouernor of Gelderland for the King of Spaine for that many poore Townes-men of Nymeghen were slaine and murthered for it in manie places and so the head and quarters were layed in a coffin and kept in a Tower till that the towne was taken three yeares after by Prince Maurice and then it was buried verie honorably and with great sollemnitie after the manner and order of a souldiar and laied in the great Church before the high Altar in the Dukes of Gelders tombe Prince Maurice and all his traine accompanying the body Thus did Sir Martin Schenck of Nydeck one that had tried his fortunes on both sides to his great honour and reputation end his life beeing one of the most resolute valiant and polliticke captaines in his time which his worthie enterprises and exploites doe well witnesse as his many victories his releeuing of the castle of Blyenbeâ—…ke where hee beseeged the beseegers and forced them to leaue the seege His stratagems were likewise notable as the winning of Nymeghen and Breda from the Duke of Parma but beeing badly rewarded for his seruice hee left him and went to ayde the Elector Trucses and his adherents In his youth hee was fiâ—…st page to captaine Enchuisen and after that to the Earle of Iâ—…elsteyn whome hee with other captaines beseeged in a sconse before Goore and there hee tooke his maister prisoner Hee did winne Werle in Westphalia and behaued himselfe pollâ—…tickely and valiantly in the taking of Bonna with many other memorable enterprises which deserue an honorable remembrance hee was made knight by the Earle of Lecester when hee died hee was but young hee was verie stronge and hardie and alwaies brought vp in the warres a great enterpriser and actiue beyonde all measure and soden in his actions for when as the enemie thought him to bee dronke and fast a sleepe hee would bee manie times either vpon their walles or before their gates hee was liberall and well beloued of his souldiars His verie enimies would confesse and say of him that hee knewe how to take townes and fortes but hee could not hold them when hee had them but that was no disgrace nor any blemish to his reputation beeing but a priuate Gentleman and no King nor Prince for hee left the keeping of them to his captaines Being high minded some-what willfull and rough of behauiour he was many times held in disgrace with the Estates but at the last hee applied himselfe to the time and for that the Marshall Villiers died not long before it was thought in time hee should haue beene aduanced and preserred to that same place After the death of Collonel Schenck the Fort which hee had built called then the spectacle or the Foxes hole and nowe Grauenward although most commonly they call it Schenkes-sconse which during his life-time had beene kept in verie good order and discipline mutined for their paie the which they sayd resolutlie the would haue or els they would finde them that should pay them And it was giuen out that they had alreadie begune to treate with the Duke of Cleues to yeeld it vnto him But the Earle of Meurs comming thether the fifteenth day of August pacified al promising them vpon the word oâ—… an Earle they should bee paied and satisfied making it his owne debt In the beginning of Sommer William Earle of Nassau Gouernor of Friseland for the Estates made a certaine enterprise
ought not to be worsethen the other desiring rather to die fighting then being prisoners after the towne was yeelded to be hanged as their sentence did import wherevpon the Prince caused his battery to be doubled with sixty peeces of Ordinance which did thunder into the towne besides three mines which played the fourth of Iuly and made such a murther of soldiars which were on the toppe and at the foote of the rampar as the could see nothing but men flying in the ayer and it made such a breach as they might goe on horsback to the assault Prince Maurice desiringe to vewe the operation of those mines approchinge somewhat neere he was shot into the cheeke from the towne but without daunger whereof he was soone cured The beseeged being amazed at this thundring despayring of all meanes to hold out long fearing to be taken by assault hauinge such great and large breaches they consented all with one accord to parle and to make a composition the which Prince Maurice yealded vnto and the next day being the fifth of Iuly it was concluded the beseeged departing without armes and swering not to carry armes against the Estates beyond the Rhine in halfe a yeare In this sort was Steenwic yeelded to Prince Maurice by composition vnder the obedience of the generall Estates after it had endured 29000. Cannon shot the Prince hauing lost about one thousand and fiue hundred men and many hurt among others Sir Francis Vere Generall of the Englishe and Sir Horatio his brother William van Dorp Collonel of the Regiment of West Friseland whereof he died and many others The towne being yeelded Captaine Beresteyn was put into it with foure companies the Estates armie remaining thereabouts vntill the rampars were repaired the ditches made cleane and raysed and the trenches made euen The Marchants of Gheertruydenberg not comprehended in the accord as many as could bee taken of them were hanged Captaine Coquielle who had commanded in the towne during the siege and all his men with those that were hurt and sicke with all their baggage were conuoyed vnto the Conty of Benthem in the frontiers of Westphalia About the middest of Iuly Collonell Mondragon Gouernor of the Cittadell of Antwerp was sent with three thousand men and fiue peeces of Ordinance into the countrie of Cempeine to besiege the Castle of Westerlloo the which yeelded the eighteenth of the moneth by composition Passing on he went before Tournhout which yeelded also the twentith and that of Berghey the one and twenty by which three places the Estates did alwaies afflict Brabant and the country about Prince Maurice pursuing his victory of Steenwick marcht with his armie before the towne and strong Castle of Couoerden in the country of Tuente and drawing forth of his campe some twelue hundred men and fiue peeces of Artillerie he went towards the towne of Otmarsen in the said country whereas at that time Alphonso Mendo a Spaniard commanded who seeing that hee could doe little or no seruice in the towne with his horse during the siege he retyred in good time with 60. horse promising them of the towne that hee would deale so with the Gouernor Verdugo as hee should bring them succors The Prince being camped before the towne he commanded the Seignior of Famas as generall of the Artillery to plant his battery the which being done the same night the Seignor of Famas being neere vnto the cannon he was shot into the head from the towne by the sound of his voyce with the which he was strooke dead and neuer spake word The Prince did much lament him hauing beene one of his cheefe councellors for the warres and sitter then any other man to gouerne the ordinance The beseeged hearing of his death would attend no more greater extremity but some cannon shot knowing well that if they continued obstinate the Prince would reuenge on them the death of that gentleman whome he had so much loued and therefore they yeelded They being gone forth and a garrison put into it for the free Estates the Prince came with his smale army to his campe before Couoerden The Drossart of Couoerden hearing of the comming of the Princes campe burnt the towne and beat downe all the gardins and hedges about it for that he would leaue noe coueâ—…t for the ennemy yet the Prince intrencht himselfe by little euen to the brinke of the castell dich the which is strong by scituation by nature and by art and held impregnable There was a raueling neere vnto the port which defended the bridg the which was presently battred downe yet the beseeged made furious sallies and one among the rest at noone daies in the which they cut in peeces a whole companie both Captaine Liuetenant and Ancient of the which there were onely eleuen soldiars saued To hinder these sallies it was thought good to plant certaine ordinance to breake the bridge the which was done This summer was in the beginning very dry so as they might with more ease beseege this place round about yea in the boggs and marish places And as the castell ditches were deepe and large after they had drawne forth as much of the water as they could they were by little and little filled rowling earth of ten or twelue foote broad only and as the ditch filled vp they couered it in the night with plankes set vpon proppes or prillers being like a gallery vnderneath the which they continued by little and little vntill it came to the foote of the rampar The plankes aboue were alwaies couerd with earth and flaggs that the beseeged could not set fire of it nor the ordinance could not hurt it Then by this gallery they came to the sappe of the rampar which nothing could hinder And as the said rampar was armed with great bodies of trees and armes of trees laid crosse and straight with earth and some bauines betwixt them this earth being taken away they resolued to set it on fire Whilest these things passe in this sort the Duke of Parma knowing of what importance this place of Covoerden is as being the kay of all the country of Freezland Drenthen and Groning hee sent about foure thousand foote and sixe hundred horse vnder the leading of Verdugo Gouernor of the country of Groning to passe through the Estats campe or to force Prince Maurice to retire Being come thether and finding the Prince well intrencht he went and campt at Enlichom to cut of the victualls which came vnto the Estates campe from towards Zwol But after he had stayed their some dayes Verdugo seeing that there came aboundance from other places he resolued to try his fortune and to set vpon the trenches The which was very successefull in the beginning for the Spaniards had past one and began to cry out victory But they were at the same instant entertayned in such sort by the Earle of Hohenlo who came running thether with all speed that as many as were entred
being freed from the racke had declared and affirmed that by reason of certaine sutes with the inhabitants of Boissiere for the reuenues of his benifice and for that the country thereabouts was all spoyled and ruined by soldiers he had beene constrayned to abandon his charge and to haue serued it by a chaplaine going himselfe to keepe a schoole at Namur and had neuer serued neither the Abbot of Marolles nor the Earle of Barlaimont but that hee was a Priest and Curat of Boissiere and that the enterprize vpon Breda was an inuention of his owne That being knowne vnto the Earle of Barlaimont hauing supt with his gentlemen he was afterwards carried into the Earles chamber who demanded of him why hee liued in so meane estate and spent his time in so base a condition seeing that hee should want no meanes nor good vsage if hee would haue a good and bould courage and aduance him-selfe where-vppon the prisoner hauing presented his seruice the Earle sent for him againe in the end of February last by his Chaplaine calling him from schoole And at night hauing discoursed in the presence of some others of a certaine enterprise vpon the towne of Breda the Earle caused the prisoner to come alone againe into his chamber telling him that he would acquaint him with a matter of great importance if hee would imploy him-selfe in the Kings seruice with promise that hee should be richly rewarded wherevnto the prisoner consented afterwards by the commandement of the Earle he went with him to Brusselles whereas the Earle went often to Court to the Arch-duke But going once among the rest hee commanded the said prisoner to follow him where following him still hauing crost through many chambers the Earle entred into the Arch-dukes chamber whereas the prisoner had meanes to see him by a little of the doore which remained open but the Arch-duke could not discerne him And as he thought to enter into the chamber he could not for that the doore did shutte yet not so close but that he might easily heare the Arch-duke and the Earle discourse sometimes in latin some-times in Spanish vnder standing that at their departure they spake of a recompence And as the Earle went out the Arch-duke being at the doore said Cumulate et largo foenore satisfaciam then the Earle comming into the withdrawing chamber said vnto the prisoner that he had talked with the Arch-duke of their affaires that the Arch-duke would appoint him two hundred Philips Dallors At night after supper the Earle being alone with the prisoner in a chamber said vnto him that he had charge from the Arch-duke to root out or cause to be rooted out by a third person the Earle Maurice of Nassau and that he had a ready some men appointed to put it in execution in case that if the prisoner would also imploy himselfe there in the which he might wel doe that both he and his should be richly recompenced and that he should be saued saying moreouer that he had 15000 crownes to deliuer vpon the first newes to them which had committed this murther Where-vnto the said prisoner answered that it was out of his profession hauing neuer carried â—…es Here-vpon the Earle persisting with many reasons and great promises that it was the Kings pleasure and the Arch-dukes the prisoner vndertooke it promising to doe therein al hee could possibly and demanding how he might effect it Barlaimont said vnto him that Cont Maurice was a young Noble man familiar and of easie accesse and therefore he should finde good oportunitie if he made not too great hast but did mannage this businesse with shooes of lead That being come to the Hage or to any other place where the Earle should bee most resident he should find the rest that were sent to the same end being sixe in number and that the prisoner should be the seauenth that if one failed the other might speed That being here he might buy a paire of good pistols the which he should keepe alwaies as cleane as a clocke either of them charged with two bullets with the which hee should shoote Cont Maurice through the bodie or that hee should murther him by any other meanes hee could deuise as he might conferre thereof more particularly with the rest being arriued there and how soeuer he that did best effect it should be best recompenced that there were other men also which must be made away as Barnuiel or Barneuelt Longolius and Aldegonde And in case the said prisoner could murther any of them he should be highly recompenced Commanding the prisoner from that time to conceale his owne name and to take an other and that he should attire him-selfe like a soldier Then after diuers speeches the Earle of Barlaimont sent for an other man whome the prisoner could not name the which he said was one of the sixe to whome hauing discouered what the prisoner had vndertaken the same man called him his Camerado or chamber-fellow saying that hee would soone follow him into Holland with other speeches Declaring moreouer that since the Duke of Parmas time the said sixe men being all murtherers had bene entertained in the Court as Gentlemen at the King of Spaines charge to imploy them in matters of consequence against his greatest enemies and that in the meane time the said Barlaimont had receiued by his Secretary from the hands of Stephano D'ybarra the summe of two hundred Phillips Dallors the which Secretary did tell them vnto the prisoner in diuers coynes which hee did write downe in a certaine booke that was found about him mounting to the summe of 500. florins That the said prisoner beeing readie to go from Brusselles to Antwerp the other man conducted him vnto the boate and said vnto him that he thought they should bee sent to Leyden The prisoner asking him where it was and to what end Hee answered that Leyden was a Towne and an Vniuersitie in Holland where the young Prince of Orange did liue at his booke and that they should bee sent thether to catch him out of the way and to kil him After that time the prisoner following Barlaimonts commandement attired him selfe in a soldiers habit calling him-selfe Michael of Triuieres and went from Antwerp to Tournhout with the Earle of Barlaimonts letters to Larigon But fearing much that hee was gone hee returned againe to Brusselles from whence hee went with others belonging vnto the Earle towards Lovuain Dyest Herental and Tournhout Wherefore the Councells appointed by the generall Estates of the vnited Prouinces for the examination and Iudgement of this present fact finding it a matter of very bad consequence the which cannot bee in any sort tollerate in a countrie of Iustice without danger preiudice or ruine of the good and publike quiet but ought to be rigorously punished hauing taken councell and aduise therein after graue and mature deliberation doing right in the name and behalfe of the said generall Estates of the vnited Prouinces Haue
quarter who were very glad to bee imployed about so good a worke whereby they might recouer their quiet and libertie All the countrie of Ouerssel beeing freed by the taking of Grolle Brefort Enschede Oldenzyel Otmarsum and Goor and of some fortes which the Spaniard had held there the whole countrie hauing beene by reason of them extreamely afflicted euen vnto the gates of Deuenter Campen Zwol Hasselt and Steenwyc chiefe townes of the countrie of Oueryssel vnder the Estates obedience for the which they are bound in dutie to thanke the Prince who performed so great a worke in so short a time and with so little oppression the which the whole countrie did afterwards very thankefully acknowledge To finish the Princes victories for this yeare and to free the countries of Friseland Oueryssel and Gronning so as the Spaniard should hold nothing beyond the Rhine there yet remained the towne and castle of Linghen places of great importance beeing the passage by land towards Hambrough Breme and other townes of the East countries beeing neighbour to the countrie of Westphalia and the Counties of Emden and Oldenbourg making a signeury and pettie Estate by it selfe which the generall Estates had heretofore giuen to the Prince of Orange father to Prince Maurice in recompence of the libertie which they had recouered by his meanes and seruice Cont Frederic vanden Berghe after that hee had yeelded vp the towne of Grolle by composition had retired himselfe into the castle of Linghen which was all that remained of his Gouernment on that side the Rhine beeing fully resolued to keepe both the one and the other and there to set vp his rest for that the places were verie strong and furnished with sixe hundred good men the floure of all the King of Spaines forces in that quarter of Friseland with a cornet of horse and some ten or twelue verie good brasse peeces of Ordynance besides iron ones The Earle assuring himselfe that he should be besieged he caused certaine houses nere vnto the towne to be burnt the more to annoy his cousin the Princes campe and had done more if hee had not beene hindred by the sodaine comming of the army winter beeing then at hand and the wether likely to prooue bad The Prince retyring out of the countrie of Oueryssell causing his armie to march that way on the twenty eight day of October the same day he did inuest the towne and for as much as on that side there were no enemies to bee feared but those which hee besieged he therefore the better to accommodate his souldiars lodged them a little at large and most of them in peasants houses the countrie being very much peopled The Prince himselfe was lodged in a Gentlemans house nere halfe a myle from the towne and his horsemen dispersed The approches were easie to make for that the towne hath many little hilles about it so as in a short time the season beeing reasonablie mylde his men lodged in the counterscarpe euen vpon the edge of the ditch out of the which the water was soone drawne then were there certaine galleries made through the ditches especially on the castles side The slow arriuall of the great ordynance was the cause the battery was not so soone readie yet to take away their defences the Prince did presently imploy those few which hee had brought with him but when the rest were come hee caused foure and twenty cannons to bee planted against the castle the which on the second day of Nouember did batter with such fury for eight houres together at the two Rauelins that Cont Frederic seeing their meaning was against the castle drew all the ordinance out of the towne into the castle with the which he made an exchange with the Prince causing his men to sally often forth with losse of either side The galleries beeing finished against those two Rauelynes whose worke the besieged could by no meanes hinder by reason of the continuall thundering of the cannon and of the small shot and that all the defences of the rampar were taken away the Prince commanded his men to sappe the sayd two Rauelyns Frederic perceiuing it and knowing his cousins vsuall course which is that hauing a sufficient breach hee goes presently to the assault hee therefore desired to make a good retreate in time wherevpon beeing sommoned hee desired to parle and to enter into capitulation The Prince did the more willingly giue eare vnto him for that hee feared the season of the winter which vntill that time had beene verie fauorable and to winne time to carrie backe his army Wherefore on the twelfth day of the month Frederic accorded to yeelde and to depart with armes and baggage furnishing him with certaine wagons vnto the next village deliuering the castle the same day into the Princes hands who instantly put men into it the Earle retyring his men into the towne vntill the next day that he departed It was a strange thing of these Bretheren of Vanden Berghe that of all the places which the King of Spaine committed vnto them they could neuer keepe one against the attempts of Prince Maurice their cousin as Deuenter Steenwic Grolle Linghen and all those other pettie places in the Countrie of Oueryssell which the Prince wonne this sommer They say that the Spaniard did of purpose put them into them to the end that if they had them in gard hee should not incurre the dishonour to loose them himselfe whereof they would not haue fayled no more then these of Vanden Berghe who alwaies shewed themselues faithful and readie to do the King of Spaine their Master seruice Whilest that the Prince was camped before Linghen the King of Denmarkes Ambassadors came vnto him which were Arnold VVitfeldt Chancellor and Christian Bernekar a Councellor who would not depart vntill hee was master thereof These Ambassadors returning from their Embassie out of England came to the same end to the Hage in Holland in the beginning of October to the generall Estates of the vnited Prouinces where hauing had their dispatch and returning into their owne countrie they would needes see Prince Maurice as they past along The some of their Legation which they did deliuer as well by word as by writing on the ninth of October was THat Christierne King of Denmarke at this present raigning remembring the good loue and neighbour-hood which King Frederic his Father had in his life time with the deceased VVilliam of Nassau Prince of Orange the sayd generall Estates and generally with all the Inhabitants of the vnited Prouinces who had euer sought and labored as much as hee could possibly that not onelie the sayd vnited Prouinces should bee once discharged of those long cruell and deuouring warres but also that they and all Christendome might bee restored to an assured peace and quietnesse So as it was to bee hoped that this so holy a designe and intent of their said Lord and King would haue taken
of Brabant established at the Hage for that which depends of the vnited prouinces who also had some particular charge from prince Maurice as beeing of his ordinarie councell Who beeing arriued in England they had audience of her Maiestie and were gratiously receiued by her sending them to treat with her councell of all matters wherof her Maiestie desired to be satisfied and for the which they were sent thither in the Estates name so as in the end hauing giuen contentment vnto her Maiestie they agreed vpon all things the sixt of August According vnto which accord and resolute determination of the Estates to maintaine themselues by armes against the king of Spaine and the archduke Albert her Maiestie did also resolue for her part to the continuance of the warre the which could not be so preiudiciall vnto her as to the Spaniard who beeing alwaies armed both at sea and land entertained her rebels in Ireland to small profit whereas her Maiestie on the other side might get from him as well vpon the coasts of Spaine and Affricke as at the east and west Indies the which shee did for the most part at the charge of her marchants who are greedie of gaine And although her Maiestie at the same time had receiued some losse in Ireland by the earle of Tyron through the fauour of the Spaniards yet in September following their accord was past and solemnly ratified on either side after that the said embassadours were returned into Holland The seigniour of Buzenual embassadour for the French king with the generall Estates of the vnited prouinces parted presently after their embassadors from the Hage to goe vnto the king to know his pleasure if after the conclusion of the peace with the Spaniard he should be continued in his embassage but the peace beeing finished and hee hauing dispatched some of his priuate and domesticke affaires in France he was sent backe againe into Holland by the king his master to continue his charge there At his returne he propounded many reasons and excuses to the Estates which had moued the king to make peace with the Spaniard assuring them that he would be no enemie vnto them nor contrarie to their gouernment but as much as lay in him the peace excepted he would fauour them and continue in their alliance with promise to pay them the money wherewith they assisted his Maiestie during the warres Whilest that the archduke Albert disposed of the affaires of the Netherlands with the councell of Spaine or Spaniards in heart at Brussels and made his preparatiues for his voyage Francis of Mendoza marquesse of Guadaleste admirall of Arragon and generall of the armie began to march towards the riuer of Meuse prince Maurice hearing of his approach about the end of August the Estates hauing lien still all the sommer watching which way he would turne the head of his armie made them also readie to stand vpon their guard that the Spaniard should not passe the Rhine and as there was at the same time a shippe of warre of the Estates in the riuer of Meuse before Venloo whereof one Iohn de Raet a Hollander was captaine the Spaniards assailed it tooke and burnt it where they had but sixe prisoners the rest saued themselues by swimming In the beginning of September the admirall past the riuer of Meuse with all his armie neere vnto Ruremond it consisted of 178 ensignes of all nations Spaniards Italians Bourguignons Germans Wallons Irish and others making about fiue and twentie thousand foot and twentie eight cornets of horse beside other twelue which he left in Brabant so as all the archdukes forces among the which there were many of the reliques of the French league might be about 30000 men the which without doubt was a goodly armie able to amaze a world the which being past the Meuse dispersed it selfe at large in the countrie of Iuilliers the diocesse of Cologne and country thereabouts so as approching neere the Rhine the admirall sent colonell Borlotte to passe first and to helpe to make the passage for the rest the which he did at the village of Kerckraet betwixt the townes of Cologne and Bonne whereas he drew downe all the boats he could find hauing past onely with eight hundred men of his regiment and some field peeces with the which going downe the Rhine lower than Cologne he chased away all the Estates ships which were vpon the riuer Hauing gathered all the boats he could together he past the rest of his regiment and some more artillerie The admirall Cont vanden Berghe and other noblemen of the armie marched that way and approaching neere vnto the Rhine they came first with their troupes before the towne of Orsoy seated vpon the Rhine and belonging to the duke of Cleues being easie to fortifie the which duke William had begun to compasse in with rauelins after the manner of the castle of Antuerp whereof the foundations are laid but for the great charge they left it vnperfect which notwithstanding might be easily finished which towne the admiral summoned and required to haue it opened that he might passe the Rhine the seignior Horst marshal of the countrey of Cleues and the secretarie opposing themselues pretending their neutralitie the admirall tooke an axe and began to beat vpon the gate his men taking downe the sides of their wagons of Brabant which are verie long would haue scaled the wales wherewith the bourgers being terrified vpon promise that they would but passe the Rhine they suffered him and his men to enter Hauing the said towne at his deuotion he presented himselfe before the castle in the which there were a garrison of some souldiers for the duke of Cleues with three Capuchin friers and a hangman holding many halters in his hand asking them if they had rather be hanged than to yeeld the castle the which did so terrifie the souldiers as they presently yeelded the place where he went to lodge and from thence did seize vpon and ransome all the small townes and places thereabouts Hee presently caused Orsoy to bee fortified with all speed whereas there past three regiments of Spaniards with that of the earle of Busquoy and twelue cornets of horse the which did campe right against the said towne whilest that the admirall caused a mightie fort to be built at Walsom for which fortification he cut downe all the trees in that quarter the which he did betwixt the first and the eight of September before that the archduke Albert was parted from Brussels The Estates of the vnited prouinces and prince Maurice being awaked at this sodaine inuasion began to thinke of their affaires and calling together their ordinarie garrisons which had beene idle all the Summer they sent them to the rendezvous about Arnhen in Guelderland imbarking great store of artillerie bridges boats and all other things necessarie whither the prince parting from the Hage went vnto them the fourth of September and the eight day he went to the fort of
which he furnished with some artillerie to keepe it with the towne of Hussen the prince remaining with the rest of his armie at Doesbourg to defend the Veluwe on that side whither he caused his bridges boats to be brought the which he had in Gelderschenweerd leauing it well furnished and fortified The eight of Nouember the admiral being come to the campe before Deutecom with the rest of his armie without summoning it he planted 4 peeces of ordnance against the port of Doesbourg thinking to take it sodainly and so to terrifie all the other small neighbor townes which batterie continued vntill the next day at noone The towne is small and weake hauing then but foure companies in garrison which were not sufficient to defend so poore a place against so mightie an enemie The night following the admirall caused foureteene peeces more to be planted on both sides of the port of Doesbourg whereupon the besieged seeing that port almost battered downe and thrice as many canons planted they began to saint as well the souldiers as the bourgers especially for that they had not vouchsafed to summon them fearing least the enemie would force them to cut all their throats and by them giue example to the other townes Whereupon the magistrat and the captaines thought it good to strike vp a drumme and demaund a parle which being done captaine Ghyselaer and la Grappe with two bourgmasters went forth to treat with the admirall the captaines demaunding that they might passe out as they came in and that the bourgers might remaine there halfe a yere quietly to sell their goods and retire afterwards if they please and as for the others which would remaine they should bee maintained in their liberties and freedomes Whereunto the admiral at the first would by no meanes yeeld commaunding them to retire if they would not yeeld simply to his mercie Whereupon the towne captaines propounding vnto themselues that they had yet threescore barrels of powder the which rather than they would yeeld to mercy they would imploy to blow vp the breaches and to set fire on the towne and burne all their prouision corne and other munition before the enemie should enioy them and dye there all themselues before they would yeeld vpon such a composition In the end it was agreed That in regard of the souldiers they should depart with armes and baggage leauing their colours and promising not to carrie armes in Holland nor Zeeland against the king for six monethes As for the bourgers he would not yeeld to any conditions of agreement by writing but promised them vpon his word That they should not bee wronged neither in bodie nor goods wherewith the bourgmasters contented themselues seeing they could obtaine no more and so yeelded the foure companies departing the same day being the eight of Nouember This towne had held the partie of the Estates of the vnited prouinces aboue twentie yeares From thence the admirall went before the castle of Schuylenbourg wherein captaine Dort commaunded for the Estates with his companie hee caused him to be summoned that in case he attended the canon both he and all his men should be hanged but the captaine being loth to yeeld it so lightly he caused it to be inuested the same night and brought ten peeces of ordnance beginning to batter it the ninth day in the afternoone continuing it vntill night and most part of the night making his preparations to assayle it the next day with many boats the castle standing in a marish ground hauing but one approch ladders hurdels and planks Captaine Dort seeing this and finding himselfe too weake to endure many assaults he gaue eare to a parle on the eleuenth day and in the end was forced to depart with a white staffe onely Prince Maurice hauing news of the taking of Deutecom and of the fort of Schuylenbourg thinking now that the admirall would come and charge him in his trenches by Doesbourg he attended him there in good deuotion the 11 12 and 13 dayes of Nouember But whereas by reason of the Estates neighbour garrisons victuals could not come freely to the admirals campe the princes men cutting off his souldiers by little and little so as his armie decreased and did melt away like waxe as well by famine want and miserie as for that the enemie did leaue them dayly and withall his souldiers disbanded and fled from this miserie euerie one hauing in three dayes but one loafe of verie blacke bread and water his fill so as some of his men being taken prisoners did affirme that his armie was decreased aboue seuen thousand men yea a lieutenant of horse being brought prisoner before the prince did protest that hee had not eaten any bread in fiue dayes besides other great discommodities which the Spanish armie endured For these considerations the admirall durst not attempt any thing more vpon the limits of the Estates desiring nothing more Winter being at hand than a good lodging for his armie For as cont Frederic Vanden Berghe said Against his cosin whom hee called prince Maurice there was nothing but blowes to be gotten So as on the 16 of Nouember after a long consultation the admirall found no better aduice than to carrie vp his armie into the countries of Cleues Munster Berghe and Marck to lodge his troups there during the Winter What they did there you shall soone heare Whilest the admirall was yet in counsell what to do prince Maurice hauing some doubt of the towne of Lochem which had beene so much recommended vnto him by the Estates and of the towne of Zutphen he sent a companie of footmen and some gunners to Lochem thinking the admirall would go against it and he himselfe went to Zutphen to see all things well ordered where finding all well disposed he returned the same day to Doesbourg hauing giuen order for the making of two new rauelins whereof he himselfe layed the plot as he did in like manner at Doesbourg The deputies of the lower circles of Westphalia whereof cont Vander Lippe was chiefe and captaine generall being yet assembled at Dormont hearing the complaints which were made from diuers parts of the admirals irruption vpon the territories of the empire and the oppressions and insolencies of the Spaniards they decreed about the middest of Nouember to write vnto the emperour and to the foure princes electors of the Rhine that it would please his imperiall Maiestie and their excellencies to write both to the admirall and to Brussels to cardinall Andrew of Austria bishop of Constance gouernour in the absence of the archduke Albert and in like manner to the generall Estates of the vnited prouinces of the Netherlands that either of them should restore the townes which they held by their garrisons vpon the territories of the empire yeelding euerie of them to his prince and naturall lord The substance of which letters was That as soone as the archduke Albert was gone out of the Netherlands Dom Francisco de Mendoza
not with any hope to get any thing from him which they would keepe with their forces which had beene too farre from them but to annoy him and his subiects for the effecting whereof they would prepare an armie at sea of fourescore sayle of ships of Hollanders Zeelanders and West-Frisons diuided vnder three admirals whereof Peter vander Does was admirall generall his ship was called Orange and carried an orange coloured flag William Diericsen Cloyer was captaine of the ship The second was Ian Gheerbrandiz carrying a white flag and the third Cornell is Ghyleynsem of Flessingue Captain Sturme was lieutenant colonel with some companies of foot and great store of mariners so as there were about 8000 souldiers and saylers the which being well prouided staied but for a wind Prince Maurice being at Bomel and resolued to set vpon the admirals bridge which he had made vpon the riuer of Meuse hee sent for most part of the said mariners whereof the admirall being aduertised by two French men which were fled vnto him from the princes campe this enterprise was not followed and the mariners were sent backe The admirall after he had prouided for the defence of his bridge vpon the Meuse approaching the towne of Bomel he besieged it afarre off Prince Maurice made trenches without the towne to hinder his neere approach from one corner of the riuer vnto the other the which he manned with good troups yet the Spaniard left not to approach neere and to bring his artillerie to batter the towne at random as he did so as colonell Murrey a Scottish man being vpon the rampar and viewing the countenance of the Spaniards campe was slain with a canon And as the princes armie was part of it in the towne part in the trenches and the rest on the other side of the riuer of Wahal he was forced to make a bridge of boats vpon the said riuer before the towne to passe from one quarter to another The Spaniard to annoy this bridge planted certaine peeces of ordnance vpon the riuer side to batter it in flanke doing much harme vnto passengers and in the towne In the meane time the besieged who notwithstanding were not besieged but on the one side hauing the riuer and their bridge alwayes free requited them their men being in the trenches were daily in fight with the Spaniards by whom they were also often assailed with losse of either side but more of the Spaniards of whom they did daily carrie great numbers hurt to the towne of Boisleduc so as the Spaniards were forced to leaue their approaches and to retire further off and in the end to abandon all their trenches neere vnto the towne The Spaniards being parted from their campe with foure thousand foot and a good troup of horse appearing plainly that it was for some exploit or enterprise which they supposed to bee vpon the towne of Breda prince Maurice hauing some intelligence thereof parted from Bomel past the Meuse to enter into Brabant neere the town of Wandrichom with sixteen cornets of horse and some foot thinking to surprise some of his enemies but they were aduertised and retired speedily to Herental fearing a second battaile of Tournhout and so the prince returned to his armie in the towne of Bomel The sea armie of the Estates did set sayle the fiue and twentieth of May to goe and braue the Spaniards at their owne doores so as vpon the eleuenth of Iune comming neere vnto the Groyne they met with two Spanish boats and hauing taken a Spaniard out of one of them they being also sent to discouer them they vnderstood that they were aduertised vpon that coast of their comming and that they were in armes that at the Groine there were foure thousand foot and some horse Whereupon the generall hauing called his captaines aboord the admirall within canon shot of the fort which shot among their ships they found it not fit to attempt any thing vpon that quarter so hoysing sayles they tooke their course towards cape S. Vincent so as hauing past the islands of Lancerotta Allegansa and Forte ventura they discouered the great island of the Canaries where they arriued the six and twentieth of Iune Wee will speake soone of their successe but now let vs returne to the affaires of the Netherlands Whilest that the earle Vander Lippe was with his German armie at the siege of Rees and the admirall in the island of Bomel the deputies of the circles of the empire being now assembled in the towne of Huxar they writ vnto the Estates the eighteenth of Iune tending to the same complaints of their troups lying in the suburbs of Embden Whereunto answer was made the tenth of Iuly being conformable to the others And soone after the deputies writ other letters from Huxar to the Estates wishing the Estates to forbeare to doe any executions vpon the lands of the empire for the countesse of Moeurs and Nyeuwenart seeming to reproach the Estates as if they would not suffer such executions to be done in their iurisdiction Whervnto the Estates answered That seeing the wrong which was done vnto the said countesse detaining her goods and reuenewes in the diocesse of Cologne against all right and reason they had often requested the prince elector and the chapter of Cologne that they would suffer her to leuie and receiue them the which had beene often reiected by meanes of some of her enemies in the said chapter But in the end there was a certaine agreement made the which notwithstanding they would not performe Wherefore seeing the said ladies husband is dead in our seruice they could not refuse as to a poore desolat widow to grant her letters of reprisal and so they are to be vnderstood Afterwards the sayd deputies sent a trumpet with letters on the three and twentieth of Iune demaunding a safe conduct for a certaine number of them who would come vnto the Estates to treat with them as well of the points and grieuances aboue mentioned as of other matters concerning the quiet of Germany and the preseruation of the publike good which trumpet was presently dispatchd with a safe conduct with an answere on the eleuenth of Iuly in the which are set downe the insolencies and oppressions of the Spaniards in the countries of Westphalia Cleues Cologne Marck and Mont and that for their owne defence the Estates had need to make vse of the townes which they held as it were by way of lone of the countrie of Cleues But as the iourney to come into Holland seemed too troublesome for the deputies they desire by letters of the fourteenth of Iuly that the Estates wold send to them and to cont Vander Lippe generall of the armie of the circles being camped before Rees certaine commissioners or their embassadors to treat of the aboue mentioned points Whereupon the Estates sent Nicholas Bruninck counsellor to prince Maurice Daniel Vander Meulen where beeing arriued in the campe before Rees on
the gouernor promising to giue them satisfaction in the towne of Bruges 7 That all muster-masters and other officers which haue mannaged the accounts paying of souldiers may also depart freely with their mouable goods and papers touching their charges not taking away any of the charters or registers of the towne 8 That all officers and commissaries of the victuals of the admiraltie and of the king of Spaines armie shall do the like 9 That the gouernor shal be bound to deliuer the castle this night into his Excellencies hands that he may put 200 men into it 10 That to morrow the garrison shall depart out of the towne Made in the campe before Sluce the 19 of August 1604. Behold how the vnited Estates tooke this towne of Sluce by prince Maurice their great captaine and admirall generall euen in view of the archdukes armie There were found in it eleuen great gallies wherof 7 were verie much shaken but afterwards repaired by them the rest were verie good and new with a great number of other sorts of boats 84 peeces of brasse and 24 of yron with great store of powder bullets and other munition for war the which made them much stronger both by sea and land And with these honourable conditions they departed out of Sluce being about 4200 men almost hunger starued The Estates after this conquest being contented for this yeare with the importance therof spent some time in fortifying Sluce and Isendike the which they did inlarge more than halfe and haue made it a good towne with a capable hauen they fortified Ardenbourg also and other places in the which they haue many Oostends and so much the stronger for that they are neere one vnto another Besides these places are more commodious to make war in Flanders being in the heart of the countrey and neere vnto Bruges and other greater townes than Oostend which is in a remote quarter among the downs and sand hils the which they might block vp with forts and so leaue it as they did since the yeare 1599 whereas Sluce is the key of traffique The news of this losse was soone diuulged the which caused great murmuring and sodaine alterations in the countries thereabouts In Holland and Zeeland there was nothing but giuing of thanks to God bonfiers banquets and ioy yea at Oostend whose end drew neere the souldiers shewed their ioy with their canons and muskets In the archdukes country there was nothing but heauinesse the people murmuring and saying That what they feared was come to passe seeing that Oostend held good after the losse of Sluce Some did imagine that the prince would go with his victorious armie and raise the siege of Oostend and that by meanes of the intelligences which he had in some townes he would strangely shake the archdukes affaires But things fell out otherwise as we will shew The archduke hauing lost Sluce resolued to haue Oostend rather to repaire his honour and losse than to reape any fruits of his three yeeres labour holding that his reputation was not in so great danger as the good of his wiues countrey which he enioyed whereas now there was no practise nor inuention omitted to take the towne And the besieged being encouraged by the victorie of Sluce made a wonderfull resistance there was a generous emulation and miraculous deedes of armes There were diuers mynes made which wrought diuers effects sometimes hurtfull to the besieged and sometimes to the assaylants Spinola hauing made his approches by mine and other deuises to Sandhill he resolued to giue an assault but finding the Spaniards vnwilling and to flye from all seruices for the enuie that they bare vnto him and to the Italians he made choise of the Germane regiments vnder the earles of Folgia and of Barlaimont being most of them old soldiers and of great resolution who after great resistance tooke Sandhill and slue all that had not retired in time the which was a great losse to the besieged it was said that Spinola gaue vnto these soldiers out of his owne bounty fortie thousand gulderns to drinke with great thanks and commendations The besieged expected succours daily but they fayled them as there is nothing more doubtfull than the euents of warre There was great hazard in the reliefe of Oostend the which although the siege had been raised could hardly haue been kept and in the end would haue wearied the vnited Estates especially wanting succours from England by reason of the peace concluded betwixt the kings of England and Spaine besides it might be dangerous for the Estates armie if they should faile in their attempt or receiue any affront whereby there would haue growne an ineuitable mischiefe which was the diuision and weakning of their army the which would haue giuen a great aduantage vnto the enemie wherefore they resolued to fortifie the towne of Sluce with all their armie the importance whereof made them not to apprehend the losse of Oostend The besieged in Oostend hauing attended succors a moneth after the taking of Sluce and had sent often vnto the vnited Estates and to the prince aduertising them in what estate they were and that the archdukes Germanes had taken a part of the towne from whence in short time they might cut off their hauen and depriue them of the benefit of the sea they thought that without doing wrong vnto their honours they might lawfully compound with so couragious an enemy besides they had aduice from the prince to make the most honourable composition they could being of opinion that the Estates should not charge themselues any longer with that towne seeing they had taken Sluce which was held of farre greater importance and so many other new forts conquered the which they must furnish According to which aduise monsieur Marquet gouernour of the towne of Oostend with the councell of warre entred into treaty with the marquesse Spinola and hauing first sent a-away their best ordnance into Zeeland leauing some only for a shew they yeelded the towne vnto the archduke leauing it all ruined and without inhabitants after a siege of three yeeres and eleuen weekes the which hath not been seene these many hundred yeeres in Christendome and departed the 22 of September with their full armes and marching like soldiers in battell with foure peeces of ordnance and munition for tenne shot the most honourable composition that could be and passing along by Blankenbergh they went vnto the princes campe being yet about Sluce busie in his fortifications The archduke hauing Oostend at command would needs goe see in what estate the towne was whereas they found nothing but hils of earth and trenches and heapes of stones of the houses and churches which had been ruined with the canon where they had worke inough to repaire so as he was forced to entertaine his army there all the rest of the summer before he could bring it to any good order and cast downe his trenches with many of the forts For
in his right hand with a garde about him commanding all that was necessarie to bee done The Bougue-maisters and also the Ministers of the reformed Church did what laye in them and shewed not to bee slackest but armed themselues and went to the walles to resist the enemie and to animate the Souldiers to bee resolute In this sort the Spaniards hauing attempted to surprize the Towne and finding great resistance vntill day light at last they were forced with their losse to retire to Antwerpe leauing about a hundred men dead behinde them the which were buryed in three pittes It is sayd that the Barron of Amersteyn a Noble man of Stiria was slaine there and nine Captaines The Burgers going out of the gates in great rage kild diuerse of the Soldiers which laye wounded without the towne and had hidden them-selues In the way to Antwerpe there were many of the Souldiers found which dyed of the wounds they had receiued before the Towne and it was knowne that they had laden sixe and thirtie Wagons which they brought thether with Bridges Petards Ladders Hurdels and other municion and left it all behinde them full of dead and wounded men where-with they filled all the Hospitalls that were there-abouts They within the Towne lost but one of their Souldiers and had sixe other of them wounded but many burnt and so they gaue vnto GOD most hearty thankes for their happy deliuerie The vnited Prouinces would haue found this to haue beene a great losse vnto them and therefore they tooke great care to prouide better for it for that after this enterprize the Spaniards bragged that they ment to make a third attempt or else to besiege it with a great armie wherevpon the Estates of those Prouinces sent eight companies more into it but Prince Maurice sending fiue companies thether out of his atmie those eight were sent backe againe into Flanders Whilest that Marquis Spinola was busie on the other side of the Rhine the Earle of Busquoy who as wee haue sayde was left behinde with fiue thousand foote and eight hundred horse went to besiege the towne of Wachtendonke in the countrie of Geldres the which hee tooke by composition on the sixe and twentie of September the Souldiers departing with their full armes and baggage All this time the Arch-dukes forces beeing so great and dispersed on either side of the Rhine the Estates were forced to keepe good garde in many places and to haue them well furnished so as Prince Maurice could not draw any armie to field but kept himselfe close Yet they made hotte warre at sea against the Shippes of Dunkerke so as Captaine Moy-Lambert of Rotterdam with a Shippe of warre of Enchuysen tooke the Admirall after a long fight who chose rather to bee slaine there then to yeeld himselfe to their mercy to whome the Estates for that hee was not cruell nor yet their vassaile but of Antwerpe would haue granted his life yea they did grieue at his obstinacie There were fortie of his men hanged at Rotterdam and the rest at Enchuysen for thaâ—… they were their naturall borne subiects or had formerly serued the Estates the which happened in October About this time Prince Maurice vnderstanding that Spinola had lodged fourteene companies of Ruiters and eight companies of foote men in a village called Mulhem vp the riuer of Roere by the house of Brooke the which were led by the Earle Theodore Trivultio Lieutenant generall of the horsemen hee resolued to set vpon them and vpon the eight of October in the euening went out of his army with all his horse and foure and twentie companies of foote of diuers nations which hee caused to bee carried in wagons apointing his brother Henricke Earle of Nassaw to haue the foreward and with him Marcelis Bax each with eight cornets of horsemen Prince Maurice himselfe following with the rest and three field peeces their conclusion was that Bax should ride thorow the Roere and on the backe side of the village charge the Spanish quarter and Earle Henrick with other eight companies of horse and the foote men should ride to the village which doing they found the Boome open and therefore stood still to slaie for the foote men in the meane time the Spaniards tooke an alarme and left the village and went to the house of Brooke which by policie they had taken but if they had sodenly charged the enemies they would without doubt haue soone ouerthrowne them for Earle Henricke riding through the village found them in the Roere busied to passe ouer but by his standing still they tooke courage and charged Cont Henricks horsemen putting some of them to flight but for that Prince Maurice followed them with the rest of the horse and foote their flight was stopt and the Spaniards by that meanes past the Roere whom Prince Maurice gaue charge to follow so as not onelie most part of the horsemen but certaine troupes of Englishmen of Sir Horatio Veres regiment ouer-tooke them In the meane time Ma cellus Bax past ouer the Roere with his horsemen to stoppe the passage but comming thether hee found the Spanish horsemen standing to watch them or els to goe on with some conuoy hauing a good number of footemen Where hee put the horsemen to flight but beeing releeued by their footemen they made head againe the waie beeing of aduantage for the footemen ayded also by them of Miulhem but they were once againe forced to giue backe so as at last Bax found himselfe to bee charged by one thousand horse at the least with whom for the space of an houre and a halfe hee held plaie onely with foure hundred horsemen chargeing and recharging one the other so valiantly as Bax kept his standing wondering that no man came to second him at last Cont Henricke came thether whom Bax intreated to charge the Spaniardes which stood vpon the Roere and hee would second him the which they both did with great resolution but Don Lewis De Velasco hauing in the meane time gotten an other companie of horsemen together at last Cont Henrickes horse were againe shamefully put to slight abandoning their Lord who so resolutely ledde them on the which would haue brought the whole armie into disorder and confusion if the resolution of Sir Horatio Vere with foure good companies of Englishmen and one of the Scottes belonging to the Lord of Backlough had not beene verie great who made a stand and with their pikes withstood and repulst the enemie and were not once broken notwithstanding the enemies furious charges At last a troupe of Frenchmen ledde by Mounsier Dommerville came to releeue them where hee was slaine Earle Henricke beeing thus abandoned by his horsemen hee went with some few that were left to Baxes troupes vpon whom all the Spanish horsemen fell so as they doubted howe they should saue themselues charging the enemie oster times verie valiantly where the Earle to his great honour and commendation so valiantly charged a Spanish
his familie and subiects Whereunto the admirall answered in these couert and doubtfull termes alledging the contracts and mutuall bonds betwixt the king of Spaine and the duke of Cleues for the defence and preseruation of the Catholike religion and the publike quiet in which termes the sayd earle maintaining himselfe according to his duetie he should be receiued with all loue into his protection and honoured according to his merits the which should bee a firmer safegard for him than paper Yet cont Vanden Broek hauing receiued certaine aduertisements that the Spaniards were resolued to force his castle of Broek on the 6 of October late at night hee sent away his wife daughters and gentlewomen meaning the next day to doc the like with the chiefest of his goods the which he could not execute for the next day his castle was wholly inuested some canons planted by the breake of day and battered the same day The 8 of the moneth the earle parled with the Spaniards and made a composition which was That the souldiers that were in the castle should depart with him and be conducted to a place of safetie Whereupon the castle was yeelded and he went forth with his men which were choyce souldiers but he was presently laid hold on by the Spaniards and taken prisoner the souldiers being about fortie were carried into a neere field where they were not onely disarmed but stript naked and then miserably massacred There were yet six of the duke of Iuilliers men who being loth to trust the Spaniard had slipt out of the way vntill the greatest furie were ouerpast In the meane time they did in like maner disrobe the earle whom they would haue vsed as they had done the souldiers if a captaine had not retired him into a chamber apart and by that meanes his six souldiers had their liues also saued yet they stript two of them as naked as when they came from their mothers wombe whom in derision they planted on either side of the earle yet at the earles instant suit they suffered all six to depart In the meane time the earle had a guard of halberdiers in his chamber and not any one of his owne people might come neere him but the seignior of Hardenbergh his cosin and one page The tenth day of the moneth the captaine appointed for the guard of this castle came and told the earle That he might go walke if he pleased Whereunto he answered yea if it might be without danger After dinner he had a desire to walke with the captaine beeing in whose companie he feared nothing as he went he espied much bloud spilt vpon the way and sayd vnto his page See here the bloud of our seruants if they haue an intent to doe as much to me I had rather to day than tomorrow Going on vnto his water mill vpon the riuer of Roer hee was knockt downe with a leuer others say with the staffe of a halberd or pertuisan and layed all along saying onely with his hands lift vp to heauen My God c. and then hee was thrust twice or thrice thorough the bodie and remained there dead vpon the place vntil the twelfth of the moneth Behold how miserably this poore nobleman was murthered yet could not this dead carkasse bee at rest for the Spaniards burnt it to ashes to doe a disgrace to his religion A while after the Spaniards tooke the townes of Burick Dinslaken Holt and Rees in the same countrey of Cleues and all other places and frontier forts thereabouts chasing away or murthering the garrisons that were in them and committing a thousand other insolencies The reason why the admirall did not receiue any presents from Wezel was that hee meant to draw some greater benefit from them After that he had written ample letters vnto them in Latine of a meere Iesuites stile seeking to haue them restore the exercise of the Romish religion hee sent his armie before the said towne and did threaten them in such sort as they were glad to send away their ministers and to receiue priests and Iesuites to say seruice in the temples according to the Romish church And moreouer he forced them to a very hard extortion in so poore and miserable a time which was to prouide him an hundred thousand ricx dollers and a thousand quarters of corne wherewith the souldiers made shew to bee discontented thinking in taking of the towne to become all gold yea they would haue fallen vpon them that had made this taxation The first paiment of the hundred thousand dollers being come the Spaniards would not receiue them but in weighty money that is to say at the same price that dollers had beene coyned in the beginning which differs not much lesse than a third part from that they goe for at this day or else they would breake the treatie of accord which was made with them the which bred a diuision in the towne in the which there were three hundred souldiers of the duke of Iuilliers two thousand bourgesses masters of families and two thousand yong men handicrafts men and workemen so as some of them had rather bee doing against the Spaniards than suffer themselues to bee so opprest by such exactions without any ground right or action But the marshall of the countrey dissuaded them and it was their best course for if the Spaniards had but burnt their suburbes and their countrey houses it had beene thrice more preiudiciall vnto them besides the marshall laid before them That admit they had repulst an assault two or three yet the Spaniard would not haue cared for it but would haue returned so often hauing men ynough as hee would haue carried it and then should they loose all without redemption The dukes souldiers hearing this resolution of the inhabitants and that they were in termes to doe the one or the other beeing in some feare of themselues and making their excuse that their time limited was expired they retired The judge of the towne hearing the obstinat and vnreasonable demaund of the Spaniard sayd openly That if they were not content with the first accord and that it might not bee otherwise that with the helpe of God they would prouide for their owne defence and would rather fire the towne themselues and abandon it and seeke their safeties as they could This resolute answer did coole the Spaniard who was verie glad to haue the money The admirall hauing caused Rhineberck to bee inuested his Spaniards entred into the island which is in the middest of the Rhine both on horsebacke and on foot vpon whom they of the towne played with their canon at their pleasures yet they charged them that were there for the Estates being but lightly intrenched which trenches they won they also planted two peeces vpon the side of the riuer from whence they did shoot against the fort which was in the island which the bullets did pierce thorough and thorough the which the gouernour obseruing he
appointed a sergeant and seuen or eight men onely to remaine in the sort and that the rest should retire vnder the towne where being arriued the said sergeant and his men should follow after they had set fire of their cabens the canon of the towne and the rampars beeing planted full of musketiers fauoured their retreat and so they came safely into the towne quitting the said island whereof the Spaniards not daring to approach presently for feare of some hidden fire seized the next day On the twelfth day the Spaniards hauing intrenched themselues within their campe they made three batteries either of foure peeces at the point of the island to take away their defences they planted two canons more and two lesser peeces before Cassell port and the bulwarke The foureteenth day beeing a mist they approched neerer vnto a sluce neere vnto the Rhine port without the halfe moone which was before the towne Being thus ready to batter it Alphonso d'Aualos caused it to bee summoned by a drumme in his owne priuat name In the meane time the magistrat of the towne persuaded the gouernour to demaund a pasport of the admirall for a messenger which they would send vnto the prince elector of Cologne to see if they might not obtaine that the sayd towne might be neutrall Whereupon and for this summons the captaines and Nicholas Wippart auditor beeing assembled they resolued to hold out vnto the end refusing the magistrats propositions to auoid all doubt and iealousie And although they had receiued instructions from prince Maurice what to answer when they should bee summoned by the admirall yet seeing they were summoned priuatly by a colonell they thought it good to answer the drumme That they would keepe the towne for the seruice of God of prince Maurice and the Estates vnto the last man and that the sayd drumme should returne no more vnto them in that behalfe if hee would keepe himselfe safe from bullets This drumme beeing returned with his answer the Spaniard began to discharge all his ordnance so as about nine of the clocke they set fire of a tower whereas the powder was the which blew it vp into the ayre so as there was no more powder left in the towne but what the souldiers had in their flaskes and what the gunners had by the ordnance This tower was close by the castle neere vnto Rhine port and as all the doores and windowes were well shut they could not iudge but that the fire entred with a shot the wall beeing not aboue a foot thicke and so it fell among the powder Howsoeuer it came there were an hundred and fiftie barrels of powder blown vp so as they thought the town would haue sunk not only carrying away many houses but also a good part of the rampar neere vnto Rhine port Captaine Lucas Hedduic gouernour of the towne had beene slaine and many souldiers which were in the halfe moone the port whereof was carried away The which the Spaniards perceiuing they came to burne the portcullis but they were hindred by fresh men that were sent thither to succour the towne The towne hauing had this great mischance the breaches being not easily to bee repared and the besieged finding themselues in want of powder the captaines beeing assembled with the auditor to conferre what was to bee done they held it conuenient to treat of a composition whereof any delay might bee verie preiudiciall and dangerous beeing impossible to repulse the assaults which might be giuen them wherfore striking vp the drumme at Sant port they required hostages that they might send their deputies to the admirall Whereupon Alphonso d'Aualos sent two Italian captaines and out of the towne there went captaine Loon and Fouillan who in the end agreed to yeeld the towne departing with their armes and baggage but their colours wound vp without any drumme sounding or fire in their matches That all that would might depart with the souldiers and they should giue them fortie wagons with a good conuoy to conduct them vnto Zanten vpon promise that for foure monethes they should not carrie armes against the king of Spaine nor the archduke Albert. And in this maner the towne was yeelded vpon the fifteenth of the moneth vnto Dom Alphonso d'Aualos who shewed them great courtesie in requitall of the good vsage which prince Maurice had giuen him at the Hage when as hee was taken prisoner in the Betuwe when as the duke of Parma did besiege the fort of Knotsenbourg right against Nimeghen and that part of his horse-men were defeated which forced him to rayse his siege and to retire from thence Prince Maurice had the last day of September written vnto the deputies of the inferiour circles of Westphalia being assembled at Dortmont hearing that they were come thither to cōsider of the means wherby the lands of the empire might not only be freed from the Estates souldiers but also from the Spaniards and in like manner how the townes of either partie vpon the territories of the empire might bee deliuered free to their princes and lords the which was verie pleasing vnto him to heare Wherfore he would not conceale it from them how that the worthy prince elector of Cologne had required of the generall Estates of the vnited prouinces to haue the towne of Rhineberck deliuered vnto him The which the said Estates were resolued to performe yea to giue caution that hereafter their souldiers should not attempt vpon any townes on the limits of the empire so farre foorth as the sayd deputies princes and noblemen together with the members of that lower circle of Westphalia would bee answerable that their enemies should in like manner deliuer vp those townes which they held of the empire and would promise not to attempt hereafter vpon any more nor build any forts there so as they should haue no more cause to feare on that side And seeing the sayd Estates haue not taken the said towne from the prince elector but haue wrested it by force from the enemie so as by right they might retaine it yet they were readie vpon those conditions to yeeld it to the naturall lord seeming to them as reasonable that their enemies should deliuer the townes and forts which they held of the empire not vnto the Estates but vnto their princes and naturall lords who by force and contrarie to the lawes of the empire had seized on them and contrarie to their promises For if they should suffer the enemies of the said Estates to make warre against them by the meanes of imperiall townes that the sayd deputies beeing men of iudgement would thinke it no lesse lawfull for them than for their enemies The which for the singular loue and affection they bare vnto the empire they could not conceale being loth thereby to mooue the electors and princes of the empire for that there is not any thing can bee more pleasing vnto them than the prosperitie and peace thereof which they would with