is as much to say as Mace-bearers because the Burghers when any sedition is among them carried a Mace before them in the strees The Fort was furnished with all sorts of munition ordnance and victuals for sixe moneths and mand with fiue hundred men vnder the command of Captaine Gerard the younger By this meanes they fortified themselues afterward in the Betuwe extending their bounds as farre as Waell intending to force Nimmeguen Prince Maurice placed Garrisons vpon the Riuer Waell from Bommell as farre as the Tol-house or Schenksskonce lodging them by quarters to hinder the enemies passage by the helpe of certaine boats of warre For Mansfelt did daily fortifie himselfe in the Land of Cuyck and seemed desirous to crosse the Waell beeing thereunto earnestly solicited by those of Nimmeguen who were much annoyed by the sayd Fort beeing vnwilling to subjâ—ct themselues to a strong Garrison which the Duke of Parma would haue giuen them The States did likewise cause a new strong causie to be made ouerthwart the lower Beâ—uwe from the Rhyne as farre as Waell beneath Nimmeguen and chiefely by the direction of the Amptman or Magistrat of Thyell called Diderich Vijch who was at the most charge notwithstanding that my Lords the States of Holland contributed many thousand florins thereby to preserue the lower Betuwe as farre as beyond Dort against the inundation of the Rhyne when it swelleth aboue the bankes In recompence of these exploits those of Guelderland as much of it as belongs to the vnited Prouinces gaue to his Excellencie Prince Maurice the gouernement of the said countrie and townes ¶ The taking of the Castle of Heel Hemert and the towne of Steenberguen c. in Anno 1590. AFter that Count Charles of Mansfelt with great losse was enforced to abandon the Fort of Nordam his Excellencie about the end of September came into the field with a sufficient Armie and on the 27 of the said moneth tooke the house or castle of Hemert the forts of Elshout Creuecaeur nere to a place called Engelen after some small batterie and resistance That done he went from thence into Bommeleerweert and on the 3 of October tooke he house or castle of Heel reducing it vnder the States obedience from thence he made hast to the new fort of Ter-heyden which Count Mansfelt had made to bridle those of Breda which notwithstanding the strength thereof was by the canon enforced to yeeld on the 11 of October On the 26 of the said moneth he went from thence towards Steenberghen which being badly prouided of all necessaries endured but 2 shot then yeelded 200 souldiers departing thence on coÌ„position 300 men were sent to raise the siege but Prince Maurice his cauallerie stopt their passage and enforced them to retire to Wouwe castle which was thereby much strengthened but his Excellencie in the meane time tooke the fort of Rosendall After these sodain exploits done in a moneths space prince Maurice embarked 3000 foot an 100 horse and went into Flanders intending some enterprise vpon Dunkirke which hee thought to haue taken in the night by Scalado The enterprise had bin wel coÌ„sidered by colonel Nicholas Metkerke sonne to Adolph president of Flanders but a contrarie wind putting theÌ„ backe twice the attempt was suspected then afterwards discouered hindred yet landing Metkerke shewed Count Solms Sir Francis Veer the place where they thought to haue assaulted the town which whilest they heedfully viewed all 3 of them were hurt this hapned on the 1 of Nouember whereupon they returned with a great bootie of cattel and other things The garrison of Ostend some weeke before had surprised the towne of Oldenbourg mand with 400 souldiers which they burnt and sackt but they could not get the Cloister Tower many other pettie exploits were done the same yere which for breuity I omit The siege and taking of the Towne and Fort of Zutphen done in May 1590. BEfore we come to set downe the siege and taking of the towne of Zutphen which is one of the chiefe townes of the Duchie of Guelderland and yet a countie a part seated nere the riuer Yssell a mile and a halfe from Doesbourg foure miles from Arnham and six from Nimmeguen we will briefely speake of the taking of the Castles of Turnholt and Westerloo which were woon a little before as a preparatiue to the sayd siege As also the equipage of boats and other warlike prouisions necessarie for a siege The second of Aprill the Garrison of Breda with others tooke the Castle of Turnholt therein making vse of a victualler who was wont to bring beere thither He as his cart stood vpon the bridge did thrust the Sentinel into the water and slew another in the meane time the souldiers which were hidden in an old burnt house stept forth killing the rest of the gard and so tooke the Castle In the beginning of May they likewise tooke the Castle of Westerloo notwithstanding it was vnder contribution The young Lord of Merode made his aboad there who beeing one day gone on hunting they layed hold on that occasion and by that meanes did easily become masters thereof finding it fit and commodious to reduce the rest of Brabant vnder contribution and there to busie their enemies whilest themselues should be employed elsewhere At the beginning of August they did cut off a rich Conuoy going from Brussels to Namur The States of the vnited Prouinces hauing now built their gouernement on a strong and sure foundation and so reckoned their contributions impositions and reuenues as they could for certaine moneths in the yeare encrease the number of their souldiers defray the charges and send them to the field prouided of all necessaries and were thereby able to assaile the enemies and to make an offensiue warre So as all the Summer they made their prouisions of Canon great numbers of Boats Gabions Bridges Powder Bullets Tents and other such like necessaries To attend vpon the canon they made choice of skilfull mariners finding those men fit to ship vnship the ordnance to plant and transport it and vpon necessitie and want of horse to draw it with their hands through marshes and ouer causeis and likewise to serue sometimes in stead of gunners The States did likwise send with their gouernor Generall prince Maurice as chiefe commaunder of the armie certaine of the Councell of State to assist him in all affaires as the Venetians make vse of those whom they call Prouidatori He had likewise a skilfull Councell of warre with all manner of officers requisit in an armie Their souldiers were voluntaries well paied skilfull and readie and though they were but few yet for that time they made vse of their old forces not raising new thereby to giue no cause of suspitioÌ„ but they were verie careful to haue their companies ful compleat and did earnestly intreat the Queene of England That her ayd according to the tenor of their contract might not bee wanting
time felt the commoditie thereof notwithstanding they had much to doe both with the Indians and Portugals of which if any one desire to haue further knowledge I refer him to the descriptions thereof which haue beene written and published ¶ The taking of the towne of Huy in the countrie of Liege on the eighth of Februarie 1595. CHarles of Herauguier gouernor of Breda the better to aduance the enterprises on the countries of Luxembourg and Namur went forth of Breda on the last of Ianuarie with twelue ensignes of foot and foure cornets of horse and marched towards the towne of Huy which stands vpon the riuer Mase in the countrie of Liege it is a fine towne and hath a bridge ouer the Mase and a Castle and is the ordinarie aboad of the prince and bishop of Liege In the Castle was a weake garrison 24 or thirtie of our men were hid in a little house vnder the castle which stands high vpon a rock ouer this little house was one of the Castles windowes these thirtie men with a ladder made of ropes got vp to the window which they brake and entred some among them knew euerie corner of the castle so as in the Morning when the chiefe of the castle went forth of their houses thinking to goe to Masse they were on a sodaine taken by the throat bound and layd in a dungeon which done they tooke the castle and gate and some moued the towne to yeeld The Burghers ran to armes thinking to defend themselues but perceiuing Herauguier to come forwards with his troops they compounded and suffered him to enter with three ensignes of foot and two cornets of horse on the 8 of Februarie Herauguiere fortified the towne and castle reducing the enemies countries neere adjoyning vnder contribution The Towne was verie well seated for our men to make an offensiue warre it beeing a passage into the countries of Namur and Brabant neere to the confines of Luxembourg where they supposed to obtayne great victories vnder the conduct of the duke of Bouillon count Philip of Nassau Herauguieres troopes of horse did at the same time neere to Montmedy meete with seuen wagons laden with rich Italian Merchandize as veluets and silke stockings which were going towards Antuerpe and were worth three hundred thousand florins which they tooke and diuided amongst themselues But part of this Cauallerie belonging to the garrisons of Breda and Berghen in Brabant being desirous to returne home met with certaine of the enemies ordinarie bands conducted by generall Schets Lord of Grobbendonck who not farre off had tenne foot companies whereof our men hauing intelligence diuided themselues into 3 troopes one of which was assailed by the enemie and being ouerloden with bootie were beaten and 70 of them slain and taken prisoners among whom were two Lieutenants The taking of Huy belonging to the Bishop of Liege who liued as a Neuter was thus excused namely our men borrowed that towne but for a place of retreat without any hurt to the inhabitants which so soon as the war should be ended they would willingly surrender that the Bishop permitted the like to the townes of Berck and Bonne which were his and yet were detained by the Spaniards But the Bishop complained to the States of the wrongs done vnto him and of the breach of the neutrallitie crauing to haue his town redeliuered and therein imployed al his friends but because small regard was had of his complaints hee implored the ayd and assistance of the Archduke Ernestus who presently sent forces thither to free the countries of Namur and Brabant from incursion with commaundement to ayd the Bishop these troopes notwithstanding Ernestus death besieged the towne of Huy because they perceiued it could not easily be relieued Herauguieres with Captaine Balfort le Vos and others did shut themselues into the towne and yet the waters were risen ouer the whole countrie by reason of the great snow which was melted by a continuall raine so that they had small hope of aid for all the riuers and especially the Rhyne had so ouerflowed their bankes as in the memorie of man the like had not beene seene for all the countrie round about was drowned many thousands both men and cattell perished In Guelderland and Holland the Isle of Bommell and others were drowned as the Betuwe and the countrie neere to Vtrecht and Ammersfoort euen to the gates and suburbes of Vyane three thousand persons were drowned so as it was a great and just punishment of God Diuers skonses and Buâ—warke were borne away so as the souldiers had much to doe to secure the countrie and with great cost to repaire the forts Fuentes la Motte Barlaymont and other captaines considering that the States forces were cooped vp by water and that small reliefe could come to them did on the one side of the Mase besiege the towne of Huy and the bishops forces on the other side and at last on the thirteenth of March tooke the towne by force slew many of the garrison and tooke diuers of them prisoners the rest fled to the castle which was battered with two canon and vndermined by al the myners in the countrie so as in the end the castle was by composition deliuered to the Lord la Motte and vpon the twentieth of March our men departed with their armes and baggage At their departure the Spaniards would haue murthered them but la Motte and Grobbendonck sent them safely away Herauguieres by this meanes lost much credit being taxed for yeelding the castle so soone seeing that neere to Coloigne forces were readie to relieue him as also because the breach was not sufficient for the enemie to come to an assault but others judged the contrarie and said that he had done discreetly so this enterprise did smally profit the vnited Prouinces ¶ The taking of the Island and towne of Cales-Males in Andelusia in Spaine in the yeare 1596. IN the yeare 1596 the Queene of England did set forth a mightie fleet of sixteene or seuenteene of hir great ships royall in twelue or foureteene of which were three or foure hundred mariners in euerie ship beside fortie other English ships of warre with fiftie others which carried souldiers and prouisions The Lord Charles Howard Baron of Effingham and now Earle of Nottingham was Admerall generall of this fleet The Lord Thomas Howard now Earle of Suffolke was Vice-Admeral and sir Walter Raleigh knight and captaine of the Queenes guard was rere-Admerall My Lords the States of the vnited Prouinces did at her Majesties request set forth eighteen great ships of war each of them being manned with one hundred and thirtie men beside sixe others loden with victuals and ammunition and in each of them fortie men the Lord Iohn of Duvenvord Lord of Warmont Admerall of Holland was by the States made Admerall of this fleet Iohn Gerbrantsoon of Enchuysne was Vice-Admerall the rere-Admirall was Cornellis Lensen of Flushing but they were tied by agreement
growne rich though it may seeme contrary to nature and reason do vvonderfully flourish as appeares by their fortes number of great townes and sumptuous buildings So that the low countries may generally vaâ—nt to be according to the bignesle thereof in number of great strong and vvell peopled Cities and Fortes the excellenrest countrey in the world in vvhich for the space of fortie yeres that the warre continued the brauest soldiers of Europe haue been and yet are trained vp and exercised in the schoole of Mars If any desire to reade a more ample description of these Low-countries let him for Brabant read Adrianus Barlandus for Flanders Iacobus Marchantius for Holland Adrianus Iunius the Hollander borne in Horne or the generall description of the Low-countries written by Lodouico Guicciardin all which may giue him better satisfaction For it sufficeth me to haue written thus much briefely and as it were by the way ¶ A description of the Hague and Court of Holland As also by whom and when the sayd Court was builded and to what end BEsides all the goodlie rich pleasant and walled towns of Holland there are diuers and sundrie Seigniories or townes not walled sumptuously built and so inriched as in beautifull stately building doe not onely equall many Cities but farre excell them being by their Princes and Lords adorned with sundrie priuiledges Among which there is none more excellent beautifull better seated or plesanter than the Hague of the Earles which because it is such was chosen by the Princes and Earles of the countrie for their delightfull aboad there establishing their Priuie Councell and Court of Iustice where all suits pleas and controuersies of Holland and Zeland are debated and decided The Hague in wealth stately buildings pleasant gardens and great number of Nobilitie surpasseth diuers cities of Holland and Zeland there are in it more than 2000 great and goodlie houses and many new are daylie built yea whole streets Among all the great and goodly houses of the Nobilitie in the Hague there is none more stately and magnificent than that which is called the Court of Holland Which rightly may bee termed Royall because it was built in anno 1249 by Earle William second of that name and the fifteenth Earle of Holland Zeland Frizeland c. who for his excellent vertue and valour was by the mutuall consent of the electors chosen king of Romans and afterwards confirmed on the day of all Saints in anno 1246 as appeares by the old Cronicle of Holland in the eighteenth diuision and thirteenth Chapter This Royall Court is after the manner of Castles enuironed with Dikes and hath sundrie gates in which the Princes gards doe watch day and night On the North side of the Court there is a large and goodlie fishpond incompassed with many high trees vnder whose shade it is pleasant walking in sommer to auoid the heate of the sunne and the place where these trees stand is called in the vulgar tongue Viuerberg which is as much to say as the fishponds hill Within this building is a large and spacious hall built as the auncient chronicle of Holland saith of a certaine wood brought from Ireland which will neuer rotte nor beare any spiders or other venimous worme This hall is inuironed with diuers and sundry shoppes well furnished with all manner of books in all languages and with goodly pictures But the most excellent of them are the siluer coate armours trumpets and ensignes which hang there in great number woon from the enemie at the defeat of Turnhout and at the battaile of Flanders which are hung vp in the roofe of the hall for a perpetuall remembrance There is the prince or gouernor of Holland Zeland Westfrize-lands court which is the illustrious and mighty lord Maurice of Nassau prince of Orange c. who hath gouerned three and twenty yeeres with such fortunat successe as we may rightly terme him Pater patriae It is also a place dedicated to law and administration of Iustice where the Councell being moe in number than were the Consentes dei in times past debate all causes examine and iudge them they are I say moe in number for the councell of Consentes were but twelue and these counsellors are foureteene beside their chiefe whom they call president This assemblie of counsellors who were wont to remaine at Grauesand was transported hither by count William aboue mentioned after that hee had receiued the title of king of Romans Beside this assemblie of counsellours which is called the prouinciall councell an other was established in anno 1582 in stead of the great councell of Malines and it is a soueraigne councell of Iustice called the great councell whether all causes which are brought to be decided by appeale or reformation of the sentences of the aboue named prouinciall court and other iudges are sentenced by finall decree without any appeale from thence to any other yet re-examination may be craued and error propounded in such cases the States of the Countrey appoint certaine men beside the aboue named Councell to reuiew the pleas which haue beene iudged and to deliuer their opinions whether there be any error in the said sentence or not and according to their conclusion euerie man must rest satisfied without any contradiction An other Councell is likewise established called the Councell of Brabant which hath power ouer that part Townes Villages and inhabitants of the sayd Countrey of Brabant vnder the gouernment of my Lords the generall States In this Councell all matters are handled by commission commaundement and instruction of the generall States according to the ancient custome of the Chauncerie and Court fiscall of Brabant to the end euerie man may be orderly gouerned by their Lawes and Priuiledges Lastly beside all these there do reside in this Court of Holland my Lords the States generall the States of Holland and West-frizeland the Councell of State the masters of accounts of the Chamber of Accounts of Holland the Councell of warre c. euerie of these hauing their Chamber apart Before we end this description of the Hague it shall not be impertinent briefely to speake of the situation of the Parke which is in length 1500 paces but nothing so much in bredth there growe Oakes Elmes Ash and other Trees on whose boughes great and small melodious Birds doe with their Songs delight and recreat the sences of the hearers there are Deere Hares and Conies It is a place worthie the Muses and where Princes Earles Lords Councellors Aduocats and all sorts of people doe vsually walke to recreat themselues after their toyles I might speake of many other matters but because mine intent is onely to touch them as it were by the way I referre the curious Reader to Lodouico Guicciardine his description made many yeares since which of late hath beene newly printed augmented and inriched with maps The Genealogie of William of Nassau Prince of Orange
comming sorth this murderer stood without the Hall doore making shew as if he craued his passe-port he discharged one of his Pistols vpon him charged with three bullets The Prince feeling himselfe hurt sayd onely thus My God take pittie on my soule I am sore wounded my God take pittie on my soule and on this poore people Hauing vttered these words he began to stagger but was supported by Iaques Maldrè vvho witnesseth that he heard those words and was set downe vpon the staires where he grew speechlesse And as the Countesse of Swartsenbourg his sister asked him in the high Dutch Tongue if he did not recommended his soule to Iesus Christ he aunswered in the same language yea and neuer afterwards spake He was presently layed vpon a bed in the same roome where he dined where within a while after hee gaue vp the ghost Such was the end of this Prince esteemed not onely of his friends but enemies the most wise constant magnanimous patient and excellent Prince that liued or died in our time according to his Embleme Saeuis tranquillus in vndis which is to say quiet in the middest of troubles A goodlie end seeing he died for his Countrie a thing which all godlie wise men desire whom death neuer takes vnprouided as also because he was soon freed from feare and griefe a death whereby our great God hath since manifested that the good successe of warre depended not on this Princes person but on his mightie arme seeing that the victorie which his enemies thought they had gained of him sorted not according to their desire but hath conuicted them of inhumane crueltie for his second sonne Maurice of Nassau Prince of Orange did from that time though he were not aboue 17 or 18 yeares old resolue to follow his Fathers steps and to serue his Countrie And the better to incite him thereunto he inuented an Embleme of a Tree cut downe to the root from which issued tender young plants which in time became Trees and vnderneath this motto in Latine Tandem sit surculus arbor viz. In time the plant becomes a Tree inferring thereby that they had not yet woon all by his fathers death represented by the cut Tree but that the plants which sprouted forth might in time let them that cut the Tree know how worthie their rash and bloudie attempt is to be derided by the whole world The Princesse his wife there present was greatly grieued crying out and intreating God to giue her the gift of patience seeing it had pleased him to take her father first husband now the prince from the world The murderer sought to haue escaped by a back way in running let fall the other Pistoll hauing alreadie passed the stables and running through the Schol-street towards the Rampiers thought to leape from the walles downe into the Dike which was full of water hauing two bladders and a quill to blow wind into them which he thought to make vse of for his better swimming ouer But he was ouertaken and stayed by two of the Princes seruants At first he was perplext and daunted but when he perceiued they did not hurt him he began to take courage hoping perhaps to haue his fact allowed and by some meanes to escape and sayd that he had done nothing but that which the King his master had commaunded him He was carried before the Magistrats of Delft to be examined There he craued paper penne and inke promising seeing he was prisoner to vnfold the truth of the matter which he did not but mingled many lyes among some true points as it afterwards appeared He confessed that his name was Baltazar Gerard of Ville sans in Burgondie and that for the space of sixe yeares he had a desire to kill the Prince which he imparted to diuers who reprehended him for it But some three yeres past vnderstanding that the Prince of Orange stood attainted and condemned by the King of Spayn he vsed meanes to come hither to execute that sentence yet hearing that a certaine Biscan had alreadie dispatcht him he put himselfe into the seruice of Iohn du Prè Secretarie to Count Mansfeldt but within a while after hauing notice that the Prince still liued he resolued to kill him whatsoeuer should happen hoping to find meanes of secret departure from Count Mansfeldts Campe to the Prince and by seeming to be of his Religion to present him certain blankes of the sayd Earles signed and sealed with red wax and so to watch a time to kill him with lesse daunger But at last being hindered by sundrie occasions in March he left his master and came to Treues where he confest himselfe to a Iesuit vnto whom he bewrayed his designe intreating him after Easter to acquaint Count Mansfeldt therewith This Iesuit aduised him to impart it likewise to the Prince of Parma which he afterwards did by letter in the Citie of Tournay but he durst not tarie for an answer fearing least he would take the carrying of those blankes in bad part with which hee went to Delft to put his plot in executiō But finding no fit opportunitie to doe it he went into Fraunce with the Lord Caron from whence he was sent backe with letters both to the Prince and States containing the death of the Duke of Anjou and afterwards he watcht all occasions to performe his diuellish enterprise thinking it the fittest time to dispatch him either at a Sermon or when he should bee at meat and that thereupon he had bought two Pistols and charged them the one with three bullets wherewith he shot the Prince and the other with two which he could make no vse of being hindered by the Gard for which he was verie sorie affirming that if at that time he had beene two thousand miles from thence he would haue returned backe to kill him All this did he voluntarily and without torture confesse and set downe in writing Afterwards being in Prison he confest at sundrie times that which followeth and perseuered in it to the verie death First without any torture he declared that not long before he vnderstood the Kings proscription against the Prince being in May last at Delft he would haue done the deed if he could haue found a fit time and meanes to escape Afterwards he sued to carrie letters of the Dukes death and that the day before he thought to haue slayne him but that he durst not then attempt it because he saw no meanes of escape But the same day he did it he wholly resolued to contemne all daunger and to kill the Prince though he were inuironed with fiftie thousand men Concerning his declaration to the Iesuit he persisted in his former confession and how that being in Fraunce this businesse did so torment him as he could not rest night nor day Whereupon he quarrelled with some of his fellow seruants that he might the sooner be dispatched away with letters And if in that journey he should haue missed his
send them from Sluce to Sea or else through the channell of Iperlee into other Hauens of Flanders He had likewise prepared seuentie flat bottomed vessels in the little Riuer at Waten each of them beeing able to carrie thirtie horse with Bridges fit to ship them he had likewise two hundred more of these Boates though not so big readie in the Hauen of Newport He had rigd two and thirtie ships of warre at Dunkirke wanting mariners he drew diuers from Hambourg Breme and Embden He had two thousand emptie vessels readie at Grauelin which in a short space might be soon fastened together in maner of a bridge with all prouision to make bridges to choake vp hauens and to found them and neere to the Hauen of Newport hee had prepared great heapes of Fagots and other substance to make Gabions in many of his Boates were two Ouens to bake bread he had likewise great numbers of Saddles Bridles and furniture for horse with all sorts of ordnance and munition necessarie thereunto Beside he had a Campe readie not farre from Newport commaunded by Camillo the Campe-Master and thirtie Ensignes of Italians tenne of Walons eight of Scots eight of Burgonians in all fiftie sixe Ensignes euerie Ensigne an hundred men compleat Neere to Dixmuyde hee had sixtie Spanish Ensignes sixtie of Almans and seuen of reuolted English vnder the commaund of of Sir William Stanley The Earle of Westmerland and the Lord Paget English fugitiues were there likewise readie to imbarke In the suburbs of Courtray he had foure thousand horse 900 horse at Watene with the Marquesse of Guastos Cornet who was Generall of the horse Pope Sixtus the fist the better to strengthen the sayd Armie and weaken the Queene of Englands power did for his part doe all he could imploying his spirituall armes as they terme it published his Croizades and Bulls for the aduancement of this enterprise and gaue great pardons which were printed and distributed abroad He had likewise as it is reported giuen the Realme of England to the King of Spaine with this Title of Defender of the Christian faith commaunding him to surprise it on condition that if he should win it he should enioy it as a seodatarie to the See of Rome and to this end the Pope contributed a million of gold or ten ne hundred thousand ducats the one halfe in hand and the other when eyther England or some famous Hauen should bee woon And for the better furtherance thereof the Pope sent an English Doctor called Allen into the Low-countries who should haue had the managing of all Ecclesiasticall affaires He caused a declaration of the Popes to be Printed at Antuerpe confirming his predecessors sentence of excommunication deposing and degrading the Queen of England from all her titles and dignities as an vsurper which for the aduauncement of the enterprise he would haue published in England The Spanyard the better to couer and conceale his practises or else peraduenture to make the world beleeue that his designe was rather for the vnited Prouinces than for England made a solemne treatie of peace with the Queen at Bourbourg in Flanders But the Prouinces Towns and Forts neere to the Sea gaue aduertisements protested and sought all meanes to hinder and breake off this treatie of peace aduising the English rather to stand upon their Gard Yet some in England stood fast for peace or truce as most necessarie profitable for the State of their countrie as well for their traffique nauigation as to cut off the great expence of a long tedious war others by this meanes thought to diuert the fleet from them so to auoid the tempest In a word Parma hereby did lull full diuers Englishmen a sleep who were desirous of peace in the Low countries himselfe thinking on nothing lesse than peace studying how he might conquer England which he had alreadie promised to himselfe Whereupon the English the vnited prouinces were in some sort prepared for defence against the force of this fleet but not according to the greatnesse of the danger for it was giuen out that this great Armada was onely to conuey the Spanish fleet to the Indies and bring it safe home againe which was the rather belieued because the ships being so great some thought that the Spaniards would not hazard them in the narrow seas nere to England In May the French King sent a message to the Queene of England by which hee aduised her to prepare for defence for that he was truly enformed that this tempest wold light vpon her Wherupon the Queene speedily prepared a fleet of her owne ships and that of her subjects sent part thereof to Plimmouth in the West parts vnder the commaund of the Lord Admirall Charles Lord Howard of Effingham now Earle of Nottingham together with Sir Francis Drake Vice-Admirall to the number of 100 saile An other fleet lay betwixt Douer and Calais vnder the commaund of the Lord Henrie Seymer sonne to the Duke of Somerset to the number of 40 or 50 saile All England was in Armes vnder valiant and trusty Captaines And because it was reported that the Spanyards conjoyned with Parma would come vp into the Riuer of Thames a Campe was made nere Grauesend with forts on both sides the Riuer by Frederic Ienibelli an excellent Ingeneir The Queene came in person to the Campe like a second Tomyris or Pallas other Camps were likewise placed in other parts As for the vnited Prouinces of Holland Zeland c. they by a mutuall consent resolued to doe the like But because they vnderstood that the Spanish ships were too bigge to come nere their shallow shoares they were more afraid of Parma and his flat bottomed Boats notwithstanding their own incessiue broiles they made readie a fleet of ninetie vessels which they sent to gard al the Hauens of Flaunders euen from the Scheld and Lillo as farre as Grauelin and had placed strong Garrisons in all their Sea Townes And to make some opposition against the Spanish fleet they sent Captaine Cornelis Lonck of Rosendael with fiue and twentie or thirtie vessels to joyne with the Lord Henrie Seymer and to lye betwixt Calais and Antuerpe But the ships were by Tempest and Northerlie winds enforced to quit the coast of Flanders and to returne into England yet when the tempest ceased they returned with Iustinus of Nassau who was there in person with George le More Vice-Admirall of Zeland being in number fiftie fiue vessels great and small of 80 and two hundred and fiftie tunne excellently well mand with souldiers and mariners beside one thousand two hundred old choyce musquetiers drawne from all the Regiments who were resolute and skilfull in Sea fight This was dore to keepe Parmas fleet from comming forth of the Hauens which was a matter of most importance In the meane time on the nine and twentieth day of May 1588 the aforesaid mightie Nauie sayled forth of the Hauen of Lisbone vnder
citizens of London in their liueries stood on both sides the street as she passed along Her maiestie and Lords gaue thankes vnto God and were present at a publike Sermon made in the Church-yard tending onely to thansgiuing and so with great acclamations of people that besought God to graunt her a long and prosperous life to his honour and ruyne of her enemies shee returned in the same manner as she came In this manner did this magnificent great and mightie Armada termed the inuincible and such an one as in many hundred of yeares the like had not beene seene vpon the Ocean vanish into aire to their great confusion which sent it forth in anÌ„ 1588. Whereupon the Queene of England was congratulated by all Princes her friends and neighbours and many millions of verses composed in her honour The Prince of Parma in 1588 besiegeth Berghen-op-Zoom And rayseth his siege and departeth the same yeare BErghen-op-Zoom is a Towne in the Duchie of Brabant the first and chiefest of the 17 Prouinces in the Low-countries In time past it was but a Seignorie but in anno 1533 the Emperour Charles the fist honoured it with the title of Marquisat It is the first Towne which yee leaue vpon the left hand as yee goe from Roomerswaell and Tholen which are townes of Zeland towards Antuerpe It hath beene a Merchant Towne not onely in our predecessors dayes but there are yet some liuing that haue so knowne it in their time whether Spanyards Frenchmen Almans English and Scots came to traffique It is seated in the middest of the mightie Nertherland Prouinces viz. of Brabant Flaunders Holland and Zeland It iâ— not the least part of the first for it is within sixe houres journey of Antuerpe the chiefe Merchant Citie of the Prouince The three other are opposit to it viz. Flaunders towards the South Holland towards the North and Zeland towards the West It hath also a verie good Hauen which diuides the South Countrie from that of the North for so are both the countries named scituate on each side of the Hauen which lieth but 535 foot from the towne where it turneth towards the West and diuiding it selfe into two armes it openeth it selfe runneth into the towne One of the Armes towards the South serueth certaine water mils and salt pits which now are within the town that towards the North makes the towns Hauen Berghen is in circuit 10175 foot beside the Bulwarks There is a verie high earthen rampier dikes round about it it is likewise in some places fortified with palisadoes in other parts which hedges wals on top of the rampiers there are also diuers new bulwarks made for the towns defeÌ„ce And though it be now miserably dissigured by the breaking downe of many faire and goodlie houses yet it hath at this day aboue 1000 that are inhabited diuers others ruined by war are daily new built to be made haibtable there are faire and large streets in it 3 faire market places the great market fish market and corne market there is likewise a goodlie Church in it The Marquis his court is a great ornament to it The rich Cloyster of Nuns is coÌ„uerted to an Hospital for the hoÌ„spital without the towne together with other buildings were ruined in time of war After that all Brabant Berghen-op-Zoom excepted by the duke of Parmas conduct was reduced vnder the Spanish gouernement the troopes of his Excellencie and my Lords the States made diuers incursions into the countrie especially then when the Duke of Parma had assembled all his forces at Dunkirke there waiting for the Spanish fleet Those of Brabant Flaunders and other prouinces vnder the kings obedience seeing and vnderstanding the defeat of the Spanish Armada and feeling to the quicke the spoyle which the souldiers of Berghen daily made protested against the Duke of Parma and made complaint that all the townes of Brabant obeyed the King Berghen-op-Zoom excepted which was a verie nest of theeties and receptacle of raskals from whence forces were daily sent to surprise poore trauellers and merchants that brought prouision that the same mischiefe did likewise often light vpon their Burghers who were vndone by imprisonment and great ransomes yet this might in some sort be tollerated prouided they might liue securely in their Townes but Beâ—ingh in the Countrie of Liege Viluord and Geldernack in Brabant could witnesse the contrarie hauing beene taken and sackt That by reason of Berghen all the Villages were vnder contribution and those that refused to pay it were burnt their houses ransackt cattell carried away and themselues made prisoners Yet if the Duke of Parma would bring his victorious Campe before Berghen wherewith hee had woon so many Townes the enemies joy conceiued by the retreat of the Spanish fleet vvould bee soone conuerted to sorrow And Berghen once taken a way would then lie open to surprise the Islands of Zeland one after an other at least Berghen and the Isle of Terthole might bee taken both at once These vvere the Barbanders complaints It is not to be doubted but that the Duke of Parma vvas much grieued at the flight of the Spanish fleet and for that he could not swallow England which he had alreadie deuoured in conceipt as appeares by the preparation which he caried with him to Dunkirke seruing rather to be carried away in triumph into England than by force to surprise so mightie a kingdome He was likewise badly beloued in the court of Spaine for not assisting the fleet in necessitie Now that he might in some sort wipe off this staine which blotted his reputation he enterprised to reduce the towne of Berghen vnder his commaund From that time diuers reports thereof were currant not onely in the Low-countries but also in England whereof her Majestie aduertised my Lords the States by letters dated at Greenwich the seuen and twentieth of August 1588. At the beginning of September when there was no more hope of the fleets returne and that the Duke of Parma was come backe from Flaunders into Brabant all men held it for certaine that some attempt would be made vpon Berghen Certaine horsemen of Bacx his companie sent forth for discouerie brought backe with them two prisoners who confidently reported that there was nothing more certaine than that Berghen should be besieged One of the prisoners was a Gentleman and an officer belonging to the ordnance and the other was master of the munition when our men tooke them nere to Eckeren castle and askt them whether they were going they answered that they went to the kings camp that lay before Berghen Being brought to the towne they assured vs that all things were in readinesse to besiege vs that before they were taken the armie was on the march and that they verily thought to haue found it before the town and wondered to find the contrarie they likewise affirmed that there were 36000 men horse and foot in Parmas campe The 9 of the said moneth of August the
the people saw the verie captains send away their wiues children and goods Some of those who receiued no pay nor were vnder any command liuing only by bootie in all impious and voluptuous pleasures did in troopes forsake the towne and spared for no cost so they might be gone Toward the euening a boat came from Holland whereat the enemie made sundrie shot yet but one soldier was slaine who stood at the Helme The horsemen made complaint that they wanted hey prouender for their horse but that want was soone supplied from Holland About the same time the souldiers of Geertrudenberg tooke certaine ships laden with Delfts beere cheese butter herring and oyle which they brought into our hauen These boats were licenced by my Lords the States to goe to Antuerpe and Breda The merchants were imprisoned at Geertrudenberg and the souldiers hung vp their passeport vpon the gallowes Our men would haue imitated them and tooke certaine boats but my Lords the States commanded them to desist The goods were restored to the Merchants by the States commandement presently after the enemies departure and they sent supplies of horse and foot to those of Tholen which were landen at Venusdam opposit to Romerswael The enemie doing his best to take the Hauen from those of the Towne the townes-men in like manner did their vttermost to keepe it and made sundrie new workes the first vpon the North causie some sixe hundred foot from the North Fort called the Priests cap extending it selfe towards the Towne On the Hauens banke nere to Helst they made a trench The fort called Stauast was begun the foureteenth of October vpon the Northland causie is a place called Barlabas one thousand one hundred fiue foot from the North for t where the causie was pierced through in two seuerall places These two holes hindred the enemie from bringing his canon to batter the North for t Our men fearing that the enemie in the end would doe that there which hee had done at the causie of Dryanneland did themselues make good the place built a fort there which the people called Stauast because they were to stay there to free the Hauen from the enemie and for the sooner building of it they tooke away the Burghers fagots especially from bakers and potters And because the sandie bank of Romerswael stretched as farre as our Hauen and that it was verie daungerous for such boats as would at that place enter into it because they were to hold on their course too nere the enemies Canon to preuent this the shippers or saylers tooke an other way behind Romerswael and so by the South entred the hauen where was lesse danger For betwixt the sandie banke the causie where the enemie had planted his canon the Scheld runs so as the boats could not auoid the enemies canon which lay within 2000 foot of the fort of Stauast by reason whereof they could bring their canon no nearer the hauens mouth for notwithstanding he discharged his ordnance vpon the boats which entred the Hauen yet could he neuer touch any of them which was a manifest worke of God Nere to the gullet of Tholen lies a drownd land called Broeloose the which confines vpon the causie called Steendijke There did the States of Zeland make a new hauen verie nere to the causie of Tholen opposit to Molsgat a Fort so named on the riuer of Eendrecht By this meanes the Isle was fortified and a commodious passage found to goe to Tholen for the Gullet of Tholen was verie dangerous because of the enemies canon who since that time had small vse for his ordnance Eight horsemen of Bacx his companie embarked themselues on the 13 of October to go towards Lillo landing in a certaine place where they tooke their way as though they had come from Antuerpe by which deuise they tooke 3 of the enemies captaines with their baggage who came from Antuerpe towards the campe and with their bootie returned to their boat The strife betwixt Morgan and Drurie was not yet ended Vpon the 14 of October at night prince Maurice General Villers came to Berghen The Lord Willoughby had threatned to imprison Morgan and great harme was likely to ensue about this contention But his Excellencies arriuall pacified the matter after this manner That Willoughbie so long as hee remayned in the Towne should commaund all men as her Majesties Lieutenant and in his absence Morgan and that Drurie should get him gone who neuerthelesse remayned there till the end of the siege It was reported that the enemie had an intent to seaze on the remainder of the causie of Southland by passing through the drownd lands at a low water thereby to keepe boats from entring the hauen at that place And nere to Burghvliet the footsteps of those who had beene sent by night to view the place were discerned Gabions and three piece of ordnance were planted vpon the head the greatest of which carried a bullet of 44 pound and the other two of sixteene pound The canons in euerie Fort did likewise play vpon the enemie when any boat arriued The causie whereon the enemie lay was by the continuall raine and souldiers treading become so deepe and slipperie as they could hardly stand vpon it They had neither plankes nor straw and the souldiers were enforced to stand in the raine in the trenches without any shelter vp to the knees in water There was daily great tempests of wind and raine and it seemed though the enemie besieged Berghen that they themselues were besieged by raine wind and sundrie other grieuous discommodities Those of the towne began to leuell the causie of Southland but perceiuing their labour to be vaine they gaue ouer that resolution At the causies end was a verie broad dike all men thought it fit there to build a Fort because that nere to the said dike there was a great piece of ground which was commonly drie so as the same dike might serue to defend the Fort against the enemie the Scheld likewise is not verie broad in that place by reason of the great dike opposit to Southland where in former time the toll house of Zeland stood There diuers men of warre lay at anker but if the enemie with his Shalops had brought his ordnanceto the Southland causie he might easily haue driuen them thence as hee had done before Barlabas and the Gullet of Tholen George More Vice-Admirall of Zeland hauing viewed the place said as much they onely wanted workemen Willoughby would haue had the Burghers to make the Fort but they tired with labour and trauaile and afraid of the enemie who lay not farre from thence on the firme land refused to doe it saying that he did them wrong to cause them to labour so farre from the towne and in daunger of the enemie For this dike was distant three thousand one hundred and thirtie foot from Valckenbourg and Valckenbourg foure thousand foot from the towne which together amount to
them returned into Spaine For which vpon the one and twentieth of October the people by tolling of a Bell were called to Church to giue thankes vnto God Sermons were made both morning and euening At night all the ordnance in the town and forts were discharged and the souldiers vpon the rampiers thundred forth many volleys of small shot so that nothing could bee heard in the towne for the noice of trumpets drums and bels They which had no harquebuzes fastened wispes of straw to the end of their pikes which they did set on fire holding them vp into the aire so as the towne and forts seemed to burne for beside the fire which the souldiers made others were kindled on the Rampiers and in the towne The souldiers cried out to the Spaniards how that the Spanish fleet was comming to helpe them to win the North for t euer after the enemie began to lose his courage A certaine boat laden with corne thinking to enter the Hauen was by the wind driuen vpon the North head the enemie shot at this boat and toucht it thrice yet no man was hurt and at last by the mariners diligence it was brought into the towne Euerie day there were skirmishes and euerie houre some new matter or other was performed in the plaine betwixt the town and enemies camp But the Burghers being tired with continuall labour complained saying that they could doe no more whereupon gouernor Morgan aduised the magistrats to impose some tax vpon euery Burgher and with the money hire labourers to end the worke The Burgomaster Manteau assembled the great Councell and propounded to them the gouernours demaund This great Councell is composed of the new Councell viz. of the Magistrats then in authoritie and of the old namely of such as haue beene Burgomasters Sherifes receiuers and counsellers chosen out of euery companie who haue a place in this great Councell The Gouernours demand was allowed and the Burghers were discharged from their labour and the worke which was imperfect was within a while finished There was great want of planks so as they were enforced to teare vp diuers new floares to serue for the workes which after the siege the towne paid for But this want together with that of other necessaries being not fully supplied the Burghomaster Sudland was on the sixe and twentieth of October sent into Holland not onely to my Lords the States but to the magistrats of the town of Dort who during the siege shewed themselues verie affectionat to the good of the towne Certaine Scots lay in a Burghers house called Iohn Dyalle who among other things fit to burne pluckt vp a piece of timber called a summer which supported the whole frame whereupon the whole house fell downe vpon them and slew 3 of them thereupon proclamation was made on paine of life that no souldier should breake vp any timber in any house On the Rampiers of the towne and forts pitch barrels full of chips and straw were placed to giue light if the enemie should in the night make any attempt vpon the towne The seuen and twentieth of October the great bell was rung to publish the Faire or free Mart not in hope that many people would come to it but because the towne is bound so to doe for feare of loosing the priuiledge of the Mart. During this time which continued sixe weekes all fugitiues may boldly come thither traitors theeues and banished men excepted and no man is called in question for debt but onely for that which he shall fall into during the Mart. The day following his Excellencie came into the towne by his presence to encourage the souldiers and Burghers to view the fortifications and to take order for all necessaries belonging to the siege The same day the imposition heretofore mentioned was much raised which did in no sort please the Burghers who vnderstanding that my Lords the States were come into the Isle of Tholen sent the Burgomaster Manteau and William Frauncis the old Burgomaster to them these at tenne of clocke at night went in the companie of his Excellencies seruants to Venusdam and preuailed so farre with my Lords the States as they promised to giue them three thousand florins towards the fortification of Berghen and they receyued one thousand eight hundred in hand The morrow after the Burgomasters departure the enemie forsooke the causie of Matteberg Those of the Island perceiuing it did without any noyce set fire on the enemies campe The time was not long ere the enemie would be enforced with great disgrace and losse to retire For despairing to take the towne he could expect no lesse but to haue his campe ruined by little and little with continuall sallies canon shot from the towne raine foule weather and sicknesse which ensued whereupon on the thirtieth of October hee forsooke the Northland causie Those of the Gueux Gullet were the first that perceiued his departure and came with their boats to their causie where they found none but one Alman who was fast a sleepe who beeing awaked and perceiuing his fellowes to be gone fell vpon his knees and sued for his life then did our men presently breake the bridge ouer the Gullet of Dryanneland Vpon the thirtieth or one and thirtieth of October at night the enemie with fourteene great shalops went to Sea-ward to see if they could take any bootie yet they took nothing but a poore fisherman of Romerswael about noone returned from whence they came our men of warre though they were vndersaile could not ouertake them for they still kept in the shallowest waters His Excellencie Count Solms my Lords Barneâ—velt Egmont Valck Vosbergue and diuers others did the same day come to the Towne The souldiers that they might shew their valours to the sayd Lords made a fallie forth of the North side of the Towne but in vayne because the enemie would not come forth The Burghers Fort was not yet ended The mony before mentioned being graunted by my Lords the States the imposition was lessened and certaine Boores hired to end the worke Our men planted two canons on a certaine place called Boeten-verdriet with which they scoured the valley betwixt the high and nether Northgeest and shot into the enemies Campe so as sometimes with one shot they ouerthrew tents barrels of wineâ— tunnes of Beere and men all at once The enemie to redresse this inconuenience made many Gabions in the valley but to small purpose In the meane time a rumour was spred that the enemie had made a Mine from Holweghen as farre as the towne Dike to blow vp part thereof and though most men thought it a vaine and idle reeport yet because the water in the South Dike was on the sixt of Nouember fallen one foot this fable was receiued for truth The Lord Willoughby with two or three other went directly to Holweghen this way is so low as a man from thence can scarce discerne the top of a pike notwithstanding that
valiant Lord he caused the towne to be fortified with large Rampiers and in anno 1534 both in the Castle and round about the towne he caused fiue great bulwarkes to be made which defended one another together with verie deepe dikes During these warres foure rauelins more haue beene made and before euerie gate an halfe moone so as this towne among those of the low or plaine Countrie is held one of the strongest in all the Netherlands In former time after the racing of the aboue mentioned Castle the Lords of Breda opposit thereunto nere to the Market place at this day called the Herons nest began to build a Palace and Castle where Count Henrie of Nassau afterwards suffering part of the old building to stand stil caused a new court and stately Palace to be built moated round about and without that a verie sumptuous edifice with a verie lordlie gallerie supported by pillers of blew stone with a gilded frontispice within the Court are many goodlie Chambers a large and stately Hall builded on Pillars with an artificiall winding staires of blew stone which cunning workemen hold for a master-piece in the Hall there is likewise a Chappell There is a verie goodlie Armorie stored with all sorts of Armour and much ordnance and among others diuers old cast pieces which a king of Hungarie had in time past giuen to the house of Nassau in recompence of their good seruice done to him against the Turke There were in it likewise 52 great canons and small field pieces which the Emperour Ferdinand gaue to the last prince and Lord of Breda which since then haue beene taken away by Duke d'Alua Among the most remarkable matters of Breda as well auntient as moderne these are much to be obserued How that the lord and countrie of Breda in time past a Lord and countrie diuided from the Duchie of Brabant hath beene joyned to the said Duchie in the time of Henrie of Lorraine c. And the Lord Godfrey of Breda who in an' 1212 hauing receiued of the said Duke the moitie of the custome of the Sheld in Fee together with Shakeloo and Ossendrecht did likewise promise to his Lord that himselfe and heires with their castles countrie and people shold faithfully serue the Duke and his heires In this manner the Monday after S. Valenties day the lord Gerard of Rassingem Liedekerk Lens hauing sold the Lordship possessions of the whole countrie of Breda with the appurtenances to Duke Iohn of Brabant the said duke Iohn by consent of his son Godeuart and his eldest daughter Ioan Countesse of Haynault and Holland did againe on the first day of Aprill 1351 sell the said countrie of Breda with the appurtenances to the Lord Iohn of Polanen the yonger Lord of la Lecke to enjoy it as his lawfull inheritance for the summe of 3400 Hallinghen Breda is the chiefest Towne of the Countrie and among other priuiledges and iurisdictions hath an Exchequer or Court fiscall which is common and vndiuided whereunto the towne of Steenberghen and the sixteene Villages of the Countrie of Breda with those of Eyckeren Mercxem Schoten Loehout and Oostmaell make their appeales And beside the sayd Court there is a seat of Iustice belonging to a Sherife before whom vpon the first summons the Burghers and inhabitants are to appeare together with those of Tettering Molongracht Sandberg Vijfhuyse and the Haegh-strate None may appeale from the sentence giuen in either of these Courts to any other Court of justice They haue held this priuiledge in our time For in the daies of the Emperor Charles the 5 the said emperor only in stead of this priuiledge granted to those of Breda the same priuiledge as other chief towns had viz that sentences giuen at Breda might be reformed but not appealed from How and when those of the house of Nassau obtained the lordship of Breda doth hereafter follow The aboue mentioned Lord Iohn of Polanen died in the yeare 1377 left a son named Iohn Lord of Lecke and Breda who left a daughter named Ioan married to Engelbrecht Count of Nassau in an̄ 1414 he died left a son called Iohn Count of Nassau Dietz and Vianden who was Lord of Breda died in the yere 1475 leauing by his wife Marie Countesse of Loon heire to Heinsberg to a 3 part of the Duchie of Iuliers Engelbrecht Iohn brethren who diuided the lands left thē by their parents so as the eldest son Count Engelbrecht had for his part all the lands which were in the Low-countries on this side the Rhyne viz. the countie of Vianden the Lordships of S. Vijts of Dudeldorp and Mijllen with all the lands in Brabant Holland in the country of Liege wherein were comprehended the Countrie and Towne of Breda and Earle Iohn had for his share all the countries and Lordships beyond the Rhyn the countries of Nassau and Dietz and by his wife Catsenelle boguen which was adiudged his in anno 1548. This diuision was made in this condition that the male children should be heires to both of them the better to vphold the house of Nassau from whence they were descended In this maner the town and countrie of Breda was peaceably gouerned by their Lords the Counts of Nassau for the space of 184 yeres flourishing in traffick vntill the 11 of Aprill 1567 when the Prince of Orange was enforced by the Duke of Aluas comming in great sorrow and perplexitie to abandon his subjects of Breda to retire into Germanie and after his departure the reuenues of Breda being seazed on by the duke d'Alua the said country town was brought vnder the wretched gouernement of the Spaniards and afflicted with sundrie garrisons till that in anno 1577 the town of Breda returned againe vnder the gouernement of his lawfull Lord and so continued for the space of 4 yeares and being afterwards taken by the prince of Parma 1581 he kept it til the yere 1590. We will now set downe after what maner by Gods assistance it was freed from the Spanish yoke The prince of Parma al the forces being in the yere 1590 busied in the French wars wherby his vnited Prouinces had some rest my Lords the States laid hold on this occasion and by valorous dexteritie tooke the towne and castle of Breda in manner following Count Philip of Nassau gouernor at that time of Worcum and Louvesteyn had by Prince Maurice his aduice conferred with a certaine Gentleman of Cambray called Charles Herauguieres Captain of a foot companie about an enterprise vpon the castle town of Breda telling him that diuers mariners vassals to the country of Breda and house of Nassau for loue affection to their lord had offered their seruice herein they being accustomed to carie turfe wood into the castle vnder that color fit to make some attempt This was propounded to Herauguieres who hauing well considered all daungers did towards the later end of
meane time shewed himselfe before Hulst yet he attempted nothing Those of Bruges and other townes in Flanders craued that they might be vnder contribution to those of Zeland because that the Zelanders garrisons made great incursions vpon them the like did those of Ostend Axell Hulst the Fort of Ternheuse They likewise made meanes to trade in the towne by paying customes as they did in Antuerpe and the State of Gaunt But the Duke of Parma wold not suffer it notwithstanding that the Zelanders continued their incursions who in Iune went towards Gaunt where they did beat three hundred Spaniards and Walons and tooke ninetie prisoners The same moneth they made an other road with greater forces but nere to Newport they found resistance so as in stead of getting bootie they were beateh and retired towards the Sea shore vnder the defence of the Flushingers men of warre and lost some 30 or fortie men The news of Prince Maurice entrance into Flanders was brought to Antuerpe at the same time that Parma lay there whom the towne did feast and giue presents to Mondragon Captaine of the Castle did presently assemble all his forces and made vse of the Prince of Parma as a meanes to moue the Spaniards that lay at Diest and other places to doe some notable seruice to the king in so needfull a time the which he did both by words and promises He did likewise there obtaine a voluntarie loane of money a great summe of the Spanish Portuguse and Italian Merchants Mondragon went into Flanders where he stopt Prince Maurice his forces from making any further incursions into the land of Waes ¶ The siege and taking of the Towne of Nimmeguen on the 14 of October 1591. HIs Excellencie of Nassau beeing animated and encouraged by his former victories and loath to omit any meanes to vanquish his enemies whom it seemed God deliuered into his hands perceiuing likewise that Mondragon went about to stop his further passage into Flaunders and hauing notice that many things were in readinesse for his attempt on Nimmeguen he resolued to quit the land of Waes notwithstanding that many profitable and hopefull enterprises offered themselues in sundrie places Forts of Flanders whereupon those of Zeland did earnestly solicit him for the better extention of their bounds The canon being againe speedily embarked foureteene small boats by too much hast were sunke which they were enforced to quit so as the Spaniards at a low water burnt them Prince Maurice with his men and ordnance leauing Flaunders was kindly welcomed and entertayned in Zeland from whence he presently made hast to goe to besiege Nimmeguen hauing intelligence that Verdugo made incursion into the land of Iuliers and was too weake to raise the siege of Nimmeguen part of his forces beeing gone into Fraunce and the other halfe called away by Mondragon for the reliefe of Flaunders Hee had likewise sound aduertizement of the State of the Towne by Hugo the Secretarie who had a long time beene prisoner there These things hastened his Excellencie to besiege that town before winter where with all his forces he arriued on the foureteenth of October making a bridge presently ouer the Waell which was broken by the canon from S. Huberts Towers so as he was enforced to make it further off from the Towne where Captaine Rols and others were slaine By meanes of this bridge he soone approched the towne by his trenches and planted foure canon nere to the gate called Hoenderport and at the foot of the hill called Hoendenberg in a place termed Oye sixteene and in the Betuwe opposit to the tower Lappentorne twelue more to make a breach betwixt the Court called Valckenhof and Hoenderport where he supposed to haue most aduauntage and best meanes to hinder them from repairing Those of Nimmeguen hereby terrified sent to Verdugo sor ayd there were three strong companies of foot in the towne but verie few horse commaunded by Henrie Kieboom alias Neuse who had betrayed and sold Geertrudenberg to the Duke of Parma who so soone as motion was made of parley did on a sodaine leaue the towne and passed through the campe to the Zelanders quarter The Townesmen perceiuing the canon planted did mure vp the gate of Hoendenport and intrenched the voyd place betwixt the riuer and castle diuiding it from the towne by a rampier which they made in which men women and children laboured to the end that if that place were taken the town might yet hold out omitting nothing which valiant men might performe The canon planted and the towne summoned to yeeld they aunswered That Prince Maurice was a young louer and that Nimmeguen was a Virgin to whom he made loue which he could not so easily win and therefore it behoued him to take more paines But when they were hopelesse of ayd the towne being much annoyed by the canon especially from Knodsenbourg fort whence many thousand shot had beene made vpon it the Burghers ran to the State-house complaining that the king had forsaken them for whom they had a long time spent their goods bloud and hazarded their liues that they had too often sent to Parma who still had other matters in hand so as at last they resolued to capitulate and on good termes to compound and Prince Maurice sending once againe to let them know that hope of succour was vaine and that his canon was readie to play vpon them they sent their commissioners to the campe on the twentieth of October requiring to haue the excercise of both religions That the Magistrat might continue in the same state he then stood that an easie garrison might be giuen them with diuers other requests which they could not obtaine And therefore the next day they sent the Burgomaster Flemming with ample power to capitulate by whose meanes they obtayned many of their demaunds as the disposing of the Church goods power to giue regall offices and other matters but concerning religion they were of force to conforme themselues like to other Countries and townes of the vnited Prouinces They should likewise receiue sixe ensignes of footmen and two Cornets of horse and the Magistrat should be altered at the discretion of his Excellencie and my Lords the States In this manner the souldiers departed to the towne of Graue Fiue and twentie brasen cast pieces were found in the Towne and twelue of Iron Thus was the towne of Nimmeguen yeelded on the two and twentieth of October and was annexed to the vnited Prouinces Count Philip of Nassau sonne to Count Iohn was made gouernour and Gerard the younger gouernour of Knodsenbourg was appointed his Lieutenant This done his Excellencie sent his troopes to garrison hauing in a short space and in lesse than fiue moneths woon the Fort and Towne of Zutphen the Towne of Deuenter in the Prouince of Ouer-Ysell the Fort of Delf-zijll and many others in Frize-land He enforced the Duke of Parma to raise his siege from before Knodsenbourg and defeated his Cauallerie He did afterwards
to be vnder command of the English Many voluntaries were likewise in this fleet as count Lodwick of Nassau son to count Iohn others An armie of land souldiers was likewise in this fleet of whom the Earle of Sussex was generall In this armie were sundrie regiments commanded by the Earle of Sussex sir Edward Conway Sir Conihurst Clifford Sir Christopher Blunt Sir Thomas Gerard Sir Iohn Winckfield and others The number of the souldiers amounted to 6000 able men among whom were two thousand two hundred old English souldiers brought forth of the low-countries by sir Frauncis Veer chosen forth of euerie companie There were likewise certaine Dutch companies vnder captaine Metkerke and aboue one thousand voluntarie gentlemen among whom was D. Christophero of Portugal sonne to the king D. Antonio Count Lodwick of Nassau commaunded these voluntaries Sir Frauncis Veer was Lord Marshall of the field Sir George Carow Master of the ordnance and sir Conihurst Clifford Serjeant Major This fleet departed from Plimmouth in England on the thirteenth of Iune there were in it one hundred and fortie saile great and small Being come neere to the Spanish coast they had intelligence by a small barke that came from Ireland that in the Bay of Cales in Andeluzia whether they were going fiftie seuen great ships and twentie gallies lay foure great gallions each of them carrying fortie or fiftie pieces of ordnance and in euerie of them six or seuen hundred men two great galleasses of Andeluzia foure great ships of Biscay foure Easterlings certaine great Argozies loden for the most part with ordnance and munition being bound for Lisbone in Portugal where another fleet of thirtie ships was prepared for Bretayne and Calais and money readie for that purpose Beside these there were three great Fregats of two hundred tunne a piece which came from Porto Ricco with the money Besides these ships of warre and gallies there was another fleet of fiue and thirtie ships verie richly loden which were bound for the West Indies readie to set saile in which vessels were aboue sixe thousand pipes of Spanish wines two thousand pipes of oyle fiue thousand weight of wax and all manner of pretious merchandize as cloth silke cloth of gold lace quick-siluer c. And it was reported by the king of Spaines officers this fleet was thought to be worth eleauen or twelue millions of ducats The English fleet hauing notice hereof made towards the Bay of Cales where it arriued on the thirtieth of Iune in the Morning and came to an anker nere to S. Sebastians point from whence they might easily see the Spanish ships and gallies that lay before Cales vnder the two castles The Vice-Admerrall the Lord Thomas Howard and sir Walter Raleigh being sent for by the Councell of warre Raleigh was commaunded to goe before with certaine ships to set vpon some great vessels which as they heard were readie to set saile forth of the Bay of S. Lucars comming thither they found them to lye so nere the shore as they could not approch them and were hindred from doing it by a certaine mist that arose in which the sayd vessels escaped and were by Raleigh so nerely chased to the land as his owne ships were in great daunger to haue runne on ground From thence Raleigh made towards the great fleet which in the meane time had ankored on the thirtieth of Iune in the Morning without the Bay of Cales into which all men especially the Low-countrie fleet thought they would haue directly entred seeing the ships and gallies to lye before the towne vnder the two castles but the English Admerall would not suffer it to be so because he thought the entrance would haue beene verie daungerous as also the assayling of the kings fleet before the towne were woonâ—which if they had done they must haue fought both with the gallions and gallies and beene opposed to the shot from the Towne and castles Thereupon sir Walter Raleigh came to the fleet and went aboord the General the Earle of Essex who was busied in landing his men on the West side of Cales where the Sea was so rough by reason of a West wind as the boats began to sinke neere the ships Raleigh told him it was verie daungerous to land his men because that betwixt them and shore foure gallies lâ—y to keepe them from landing saying That he was verie sorie that he had not first entred the hauen where the Spanish ships gallies lay which by their delay were now encouraged of this the general likewise complayned at whose entreatie Raleigh vndertooke to go and persuade the Admerall to enter which by many forcible reasons he did and cried out Let vs enter Let vs enter wherupon al the ships weighed ankor sailed towards the hauen But night preuented them the sun being alreadie set so as it was then too late to assaile the Spanish fleet that lay aboue a mile and halfe within the riuer as also for that it was a dangerous matter to fight by night in a strait On this consideration they came to an ankor where the canon presently saluted them from the towne and castle The English went to Councel to consult after what maner it were best to assaile the Spaniards the next Morning euerie commaunder striued to haue the vantgard yet they resolued not to hazard the Queenes great ships but vpon vrgent necessitie so as it was thought fit that sir Walter Raleigh with eight of the Queenes leslesser ships six Hollanders and twelue English Merchants ships should haue the vantguard this resolution was oppugned by the Lord Thomas Howard who said that honour belonged vnto him whereupon it was concluded that both of them should goe together So soone as it was day Raleigh would not loose time in weighing ankor but did let them slip and thereby had the aduauntage to let saile first the Spanish gallies discharged all their ordnance vpon him but he made not one shot leauing it to those that followed him and so went directly towards the gallions which lay in the deepest part of the riuer viz. the S. Philip S. Mathew S. Andrew and S. Thomas with two other verie great ships which together tooke vp all the bredth of the riuer Behind these gallions lay 6 others and behind them the gallies nerer the shore where the water was shal lowest and vpon the land stood the castle Puntall which flanked the riuer the lesser English ships assailed the gallies who thundred one vpon another In the mean time the Vice-Admeral the L. Thomas Howard came vp to sir Walter Raleigh with 6 of the Queens ships as nere to the gallions as they could possible discharging all their ordnance and fighting from six of the clocke in the Morning till none with as many ships as the channel could beare During the fight an vnfortunat euent happened in a ship of Rotterdam called the Dolphin where Guillaum Henrick was captaine the powder was by mischaunce set on fire whereby
losse fell to the Merchants the king had some wealth in it as quicke siluer warlike munition his Imposts and Alcaualles which together with all his ordnance he lost The English and Dutch mariners saued certaine goods and canons which they tooke forth of the ships bottoms The earle of Essex had appointed the colonels sir Coniers Clifford Sir Christopher Blunt and sir Thomas Gerard with their regiments to march towards the East side of the Island where was a bridge called Ponte del Suazzo ouer which men passed forth of the Isle into the firme Land to guard that passage and to keepe out those of the terra firma from entring that way not farre from whence the people were assembled in great troopes but when they perceiued the English to be there and knew the town was already lost they fled These English regiments perceiuing none to be on the other side and knowing that Cales was taken returned to the town without any order or commaundement so to doe leauing no guard at the bridge leauing the castle neere to the bridge vntaken which the Hollanders call Herods house For want of a guard at the said bridge the gallies in that place passed on to Seaward The Dutch mariners before their departure went and assailed that fort from whence the Spaniards flying they tooke and sackt it and brought thence diuers pieces of ordnance The two companies of Spanish souldiers that with some Citizens were retired to the castle hoping for ayd from Andeluzia and the firme land being aduertized that the English had taken and made good that bridge and passage which was vntrue did by night send the Corrigidor and other Magistrats to sir Edward Conway who summoned them to yeeld and agreed to pay one hundred and twentie thousand ducats for their ransome besides losse of all their goods and to this end gaue fortie of the principall among them for hostages who were afterwards carried into England those that retired from the towne into the castle with those that were in it before were in number eight or nine thousand persons both men and women The best and noblest sort of women were courteously vsed and suffered to depart thence with their children and baggage the like was done to the Clergie and Nuns The wealthy towne was wholly sackt and the bootie great which was carried to the ships It is thought that the king lost at the same time 1200 pieces of ordnance besides armour sufficient for fiue or six hundred men which was taken forth of his Arsenall there The Spaniards perceiuing what the English intended by spoyling the towne which was not to keepe the towne long began to take courage to shake off the feare which had seazed the prouinces neere adjoyning especially the great citie of Ciuill which was in an vproare so as if an armie well conducted had marched thither and to other townes and places likewise as S. Lucars S. Marie Porte Puerto Reale c. it would haue found small resistance But they saw that the bootie and spoile of Cales was to the English as a great and sauorie morcell to glut their hunger who continuing tenne or twelue dayes in the towne and hauing carried the bootie to their ships did hourely expect when the Generals would commaund them to hoist sailes and depart homewards A Councell was held whether it were conuenient still to keepe the towne and Island the earle of Essex the Marshall Veer and most of the gentlemen were of opinion to tarrie there with three thousand men and thought that the Island might be easily kept which would proue a sharpe thorne not onely in the foot of so great a Monarke but euen in his side and thereby diuert all the warres of Europe thither where the English might daily receiue prouisions from the Leuant Italie and Barbarie and if the worst should happen they might easily procure a good and honourable composition and with that towne make an easie exchange for Calice in Fraunce But thereupon various opinions were vttered for the Sea Captaines and the lord Admerals Councell oppugned it shewing their want of victuals and if they should remaine there they must be enforced to fetch prouision from England and the Low-countries which is too farre off or else from Barbarie where the king dwelt an hundred leagues vp in the countrie Hereunto the Admerall added that he would not aduenture and engage his Princes honour and reputation so sleightly Sir Frauncis Veer said That by tarrying there they should doe a pleasing and acceptable seruice to the Queene and that victuals would soone be brought from Holland that the towne and Island were strong and might easily be made stronger that the towne stood well to receiue supplies from Barbarie and to that end they would make vse of and employ D. Christophero of Portugal c. but all this was to no purpose Thereupon a generall search was made through the whole fleet to see what store of victuals was left wherewith to furnish the garrison till more could be brought but they found a small quantitie for euerie ship had imbezeled hid as much as it could fearing want and in the towne through bad husbanding of victuals they were verie skarce for the souldiers spoiled all and knockt out the heads of wine vessels which they found in cellers and warehouses making like wast of other prouision In this respect euerie man cried out to go home whereupon the lord of Warmont Admerall of Holland reuiewed his victuals and offered to bring as much from his fleet as would suffice the garrison and two thousand men for a moneth and that himselfe would likewise remaine there But the earle of Essex found neuer a ship of the Queens willing to stay there nor yet victuals for two moneths so as he was enforced much against his will to abandon Cales whereof at his comming into England he excused himselfe Before his departure he made aboue fiftie Knights among whom were the Lord of Warmont Admerall of the Hollanders Count Lodwick of Nassau Peter Regemortes Melchior Leben and likewise Captaine Metkerke before his death the rest were English Hauing thus continued some thirteene dayes in Cales in old time called Gades they departed on the fifteenth of Iulie Essex according to his commission commaunded the towne to bee burnt and especially whatsoeuer might any way serue for the furnishing forth of a fleet as masts poles cordage and cables whereof there was great store and in this manner they did set saile carrying with them two of the kings great gallions with certaine prisoners fortie hostages for the townesmens ransom which amounted to the summe of 120000 ducats It is heretofore mentioned how that the gallies fled to the bridge called Ponte del Suazzo where the English thought they could not haue passed yet by breaking the bridge they found a way into the Sea where they did set vpon the taile of the fleet and tooke a Fliboat of Holland loden with horse and
Most of the baggage was pillaged and the dead bodies stript More than two thousand were slaine vpon the place for the countrie people reported that they buried aboue 2250. The Lieutenant general La Bourlotte with most of his captaines and officers were slaine there and not aboue eight of the victors among whom was captaine Donck who died of his hurt together with captaine Cabilleau of Flanders This gallant victorie was gotten by eight hundred horse but not without great daunger if the enemie had beene discreet and wel aduised There was one thing worthie of note A certaine Roman gentleman whose name was Septimius Fabius who deriued himselfe from the noble and auntient familie of the Fabij in Rome hauing some commaund among the Italians was deadly wounded and lay among the dead those that stript him perceiuing some life in him and that he seemed some man of note notwithstanding that he was much disfigured with his owne bloud and that of others did in compassion take him thence and halfe dead as he was laid him on a horse and carried him to Turnhout where visited by skilfull and carefull Chirurgians he recouered his health and was afterward for ransome set at libertie There were foure or fiue hundred prisoners taken among whom was a young Count Mansfelt Hieronimo Deutico one of Count Varacx his Councel the Marquesse of Treuico his Lieutenant colonel and Serjeant Major Aboue one hundred prisoners died of their wounds And thus his Excellencie returned towards Turnholt and the runnawayes held on their course toward Herentals where some three hundred of them arriued The Generals dead bodie was by his Excellencie giuen to his seruants who carried it to Malines where his wife and children remained and with them sent a letter to Cardinall Albertus where he offered to deliuer the prisoners if he would keepe good quarter But the Cardinall being too long in sending backe an aunswer Prince Maurice threatened to hang or drowne the prisoners if he did not ransome them within twentie daies whereupon he constrained the villages of Brabant to contribute towards it The boores of this countrie called Tielsche-Heyde did after the defeat gather vp all the armor and weapons which they found and laid them vp in a Church those of the towne of Diest commaunded them to bring them thither and as six carts were loden with them some of the garrison of Breda hauing notice thereof tooke them away by force and brought them into the towne on the three and twentieth of Februarie for a greater testimonie or trophee of their victorie The earles Hohenlo and Solms sir Robert Sidney and sir Frauncis Veer whose horse was slaine that day vnder him were highly honoured for their wisedome and valour as also other captaines and commaunders that had valiantly behaued themselues especially Bacx and Edmonds with all their officers and souldiers That night the campe rested at Turnholt where the canon was left the next day the castle was battered and after some eight or tenne shot those of the garrison commaunded by captaine Vander Delft yeelded it on condition to haue their liues and goods saued The castle being strongly manned euerie one returned to his garrison His Excellencie passed through Geertrudenberg and the 8 day after his departure from the Hague he returned thither againe whether he brought 38 of the enemies ensigns and one of their cornets which were hung vp in the great hall and in all places caused thankes to be giuen to God for this victorie ¶ The first siege and taking of the towne of Rhin-Berck in Anno 1597. MY Lords the States of the vnited Prouinces hauing made great preparation for warre did together with his Excellencie and Councell of State resolue and conclude though it was something late to send an armie that Summer into the field and to that end commaunded the horsemen to arme themselues after another manner without launces appointing the light horse or carabins to carrie a Petronel of three foot long others Pistols of two foot in length and to be beside armed downe to the knees inflicting penaltie vpon such as shold want any part of their armes their horse were to bee full fifteene handfull high and the men to weare cassaks The Councell of State allowed 300000 florins monethly for the armie There were two hundred foot companies and one and twentie cornets of horse in the States pay But the fanterie lying abroad in garrison his Excellencie sent but for sixtie and eight ensignes and the cauallerie commanding them to meet on the 5 of August vpon the Rhyne at a place called S Gravenweeert for the Councell of State had determined and concluded to besiege the towne of Berck to haue a more free passage vpon the Rhyne According to this Decree his Excellencie with his trayne and most of the nobilitie went from the Hague on the first of August towards Vtrecht there to prepare and assemble wagons for his journey and on the fourth of Augâ—st arriued at Arnham whether count William of Nassau and his troops came vnto him The counts Hohenlo and Solms came thither likewise with the earles Ernest and Lodwick of Nassau together with young Count Henrie Frederick brother to his Excellencie who was desirous then to trie his first fortune in the warres From Arnham they went to S. Grauenweert where they found thirteene ensignes of English footmen twelue of Scots fifteene of Frisons nine ensignes vnder the commaund of Count Solms eight vnder the Lord Floris of Brederode and 6 commaunded by the Lord of Duvenvoord with some twentie or one and twentie cornets brauely mounted Thither likewise came great numbers of boats loden with ordnance and other necessaries for a perfect campe His Excellencie on the 6 of August caused part of the foot and horse in boats to crosse the riuer of Rhyne and Wael commanded them to tarrie that night at Cleverham not farre from Carcar making a bridge of boats the next day ouer the Waell to passe ouer his wagons with the residue of the armie so as his Ex. arriued the same day at the Cloister of Marienbourg leauing three companies of the regiment of West-Frizeland commonly called the regiment of North-Holland with the boats which in great numbers did the same day set saile and went vp the riuer On the eigth of August Prince Maurice with his armie and certaine field pieces marched before the towne and castle of Alpen commaunded by captaine Bentinghs brother which he summoned This place seated vpon the way would haue stood the enemie in great stead and on the other side haue much annoyed his owne campe It forthwith yeelded Hee committed the keeping of the castle to captaine Schaef with fiftie souldiers and the sayd Bentingh with six and thirtie souldiers departed thence with their armes and baggage so as part of the armie arriued that Euening before Berck The towne of Rhynberck both by nature and art is exceeding strong and not easily to be taken and was at that time beside
the ordinarie garrison mand with fiue hundred men which came from Alpen Graue and other townes nere adjoyning His Excellencie hauing exactly viewed the towne thought it necessarie to make two principall campes one aboue the towne before the gates called Rhynport and Casselport on the one side of the Rhyne where on the tenth of August hee lodged fifteene ensignes of the Frizons regiment vnder the commaund of Count William of Nassau with thirteene English ensigns vnder sir Horacio Veer brother to the General sir Francis and the regiment of West-Frizeland conducted by the Lord Aert of Duyvenvoord Lieutenant Colonel to prince Henrie Frederick of Nassau together with his Excellencies gard fiue cornets of horse quartered a little farther off towards Botberg Count Hohenlo Generall of the other quarter together with Count Solms were quartered on S. Annes hill before the Sautenport with eight ensignes of Count Solms regiment twelue companies of Scots vnder colonel Murray Count Hohenlos gard and twelue cornets of horse hard by them lay the Lord of Cloeting with eight ensigns of his owne regiment a little beneath the hill betwixt the two quarters Prince Maurice was lodged At their first arriuall before the towne Count Lodwick of Nassau was shot in the legge The eleuenth of August was spent in fortifying and entrenching the two campes which were conjoyned together with forts of retreat of which three were built to stop the enemies passage so as thereby the towne was enuironed from the one banke of the Rhyne to the other The same night they began to draw trenches from his Excellencies campe to the towne and the next day the quarters of counts Hohenlo and Solms were entrenched His Excellencie likewise caused a bridge to be made whereon to passe ouer from his own camp into a little Island and so from thence vnto the other side of the Rhyne the better to get forrage and prouision Three canon being afterward planted a great tower from whence the townesmen continually shot into the campe and trenches was fiercely battered as also another called the Toll-tower and the Rhyne Port that our men might worke safely in the trenches Two other pieces were likewise planted against the Bulwarke before Castle Port which played so fiercely on the fifteenth and sixteenth of August as those of the towne were enforced the same day to abandon the great Tower from whence they had done much mischiefe and shot through his Excellencies Tent. The sixteenth of August at night twentie foure canon were planted in sundrie places to batter the towne on all sides yet because the trenches were not so neere the towne as it was expected his Excellencie would not as then suffer the batterie to bee made but caused a gallerie from the East side of the bulwarke before the castle-port to bee made for the summe of one thousand two hundred florins which was promised to bee finished in foure dayes The nineteenth of August as the trenches began to approach the one side of the halfe moone which lay without the Bulwarke of the Toll-tower before the Rhyne Port they did let forth the water of a small riuer called the Niep which was kept in before the halfe moone by a sluce And because the gallerie stood farre in vpon the dike which was not verie broad nor deepe his Excellencie and the chiefest commaunders of the armie determined to begin the batterie which was likewise resolued hoping thereby to come into the bulwarke It was begun about tenne of the clocke with fiue and thirtie pieces of ordnance viz. nine and twentie great canon and sixe field pieces of which tenne were planted before the Rhyne Port 11 before the bulwarke of castle-port fiue vpon the Island of Rhyn against the Tol-tower and foure somewhat lower before the towne wals and others in other places After the 3 volley his Excellencie according to the vsual maner summaned the town to yeeld the Burghers hauing parolyed with our men stood vpon 3 daies respit which they earnestly craued Some houre after the parley the batterie was renewed it was verie furious and lasted till fiue of the clocke in the euening hauing in all made aboue two thousand shot in which meane space Count Williams men by fauour of the canon gained the halfe Moone and his Excellencie the better to win time notwithstanding that some thought it fit to tarrie the townesmens leisure did againe summon the towne which now began to be somewhat terrified for the souldiers on euerie side approached it and stood in order of battaile Whereupon they within it sent 4 commissioners viz. captaine Benting old captaine Dulken the Admerall Pasman and the Quarter-Master of Count Hermen of Berguens regiment and in counterchange of them the captaines Schaef Ingelhauen Waddell were sent into the towne After long contestation and earnest entreaties his Excellencie was content to let them depart with their ensignes armes and baggage leauing out the article of not seruing on this side the Mase for the space of three moneths promising that the Burghers shold enjoy their priuiledges and vpon the 21 of August they departed vnder the conduct of the Gouernour captaine Snatere with 5 ensigns being in all some nine hundred men vnto whom his Excellencie lent seuentie or eightie wagons for which Captaine Bentings sonne remayned hostage The same day they went to the towne of Guelders where they could not be suffered to enter and there tarryed with their conuoy But on the two and twentieth of August because those within it would not furnish them with victuals or else for selling them at too hight rate they thereupon quarrelled with them that had the gard of the gates and forced their entrance into the towne where they began a mutinie crying out for money money notwithstanding that Count Henrie of Berguen lay there The garrison of the towne tooke their part and expulsed Count Henrie and all the captaines The Lords of Gileyn Vtenham Grammay offered them 2 moneths pay which satisfied them not but they kept Vtenham Grammay as prisoners After that Count Herman came to appease them but in vaine whereupon he departed with his forces to Arsen where he assembled some 3000 men In this manner did the towne of Rhynberck yeeld to Prince Maurice being besieged tenne dayes and hauing receiued 2870 shot Great store of ordnance was found in it viz. 44 cast pieces among which were seuen for batterie together with a great quantity of course cloth brought thither to cloath the garrison which was thought to be worth 170000 florins there were fiue ships of war sunke and two great Ferrie-boats which were made at Coloigne with which they hoped to haue done some notable exploit besides other prouisions His Excellencie did forthwith repaire the ruined places and caused the trenches to be leuelled and because Captain Schaef had valiantly behaued himselfe in that siege he made him gouernor of the towne and gaue him six ensignes of foot well furnished with munition and victuals The
Captaines and other officers which lay in strong walled Townes and Castles So as in these exploits he did not onely win nine Townes and fiue castles manned with strong garrisons but three Counties and three Seignories crossing seuen riuers foure with bridges three without and thereby secured the passages on the Rhyne Countries of Zutphen Ouer-Yssel Twent Drent Frizeland and the Ommelands which is in a manner the fourth part of the seuenteen Prouinces of the Netherlands as they are reckoned at that time when Cardinall Albertus had threescore thousand men in pay and himselfe in person in the field comming from Amiens in Picardie in Nouember before Ostend with which he durst not then meddle ¶ A recitall and description of the siege of Bommell and how it was raised in Anno 1599. AFter the conquest of so many sundrie Townes we are next to speake of the siege of Bommell and of the enemies entrance into the Island called Bommels-weert vnder the conduct of the Admerall of Arragon and for better recitall thereof we will make some briefe description of the towne Bommell is a frontier Towne vpon the confines of Guelderland towards the South and stands vpon the riuer Waell on the North side of the Isle of Bommell it is of a reasonable bignesse and exceeding strong by nature it was first walled by Duke Otho vnder whose gouernement the Countrie of Guelderland and the number of townes in it were much augmented The riuer Waell doth not onely make Bommell commodious for traffike but impregnable on the North side and free from all inuasion The Countrie about it is verie low and not alone vnfit for Mynes but for continuance of any long siege for in winter by reason of great waters and ouerflowing of riuers it inforceth the enemie to leaue the field Beside her naturall strength it hath beene euer well fortified with bulwarkes and Towers and is enuironed with a double rampier and dike as the Reader may perceiue by the Map From the beginning of the Low-Countrie warres till this day each partie hath laboured to become Master of this towne in regard of her situation especially the vnited Prouinces because it serues as a rampier against the incursions and inuasion of their enemies and is a strong and sure key to their confines which they likewise fortunatly obtayned by meanes of those of Gorcum who tooke it in anno 1572 and haue kept it till this present notwithstanding the enemies many attempts and daily diligence of the Spanish commaunders who haue often gone about to become Masters thereof and to take it from them As in Anno 1599 when they brought their whole strength into the Isle of Bommell vnder the conduct of D. Francisco de Mendoza high Admeral of Arragon and besieged the towne with the bulwarks and forts round about it And because this siege of Bommell together with the raising thereof is one of the notablest exploits of warre done in the Low-countries we will briefely set downe the most remarkable matters which were there acted intreating the Reader to take it in good part The Admerall of Arragon hauing assembled all his forces lying on the Empires territories and neutrall countries did on the sixteenth of Aprill take a generall muster of them and on the sixe and twentieth of the said moneth brought them before the impregnable fort of the Island called S'Graven-weert whose garrison was so strong and well prouided of all necessaries as it was to be presumed that the Spaniards would not haue dared to hope for the winning of it especially in view of the States armie which hindered them from enclosing it Their weake attempts likewise and the euent thereof shewed that they aimed at some other place and that this was but a counterfeit siege onely to draw the States armie thither that they might be able on a sodaine to surprize the Towne of Bommell and forts adjacent My Lords the States of the vnited Prouinces hauing intelligence certaine moneths before that the enemie would inuade the Isle of Bommell to be able from thence to make his entrance into Holland had giuen order to fortifie and circle the said town with new bulwarkes and flankers and to inlarge the forts of Voorn and Creueccoeur which by reason of their smalnesse were not able to hold out long these workes were alreadie begun in the towne of Bommell and fort of Voorn but not ended by reason the ground was too soft and the waters too high so that the west-side of the towne lay all open the old wals being beaten downe and the new not yet erected as likewise in Voorn for t where the new worke was scarce defensible and would not haue beene able to withstand the enemies furie These things drew the Spaniards into the Isle of Bommell that they might become Masters thereof ere these places were fortified And to this end they came before the fort of S'Grauen-weert to draw as it fell out the States campe thither By which occasion the Towne of Bommel and forts neere adjoyning were not so well prouided of men as was requisit The Admerall of Arragon lying before S'Grauen-weert and amusing the States campe had sent certaine troopes vnder the conduct of Zapena towards Gennip vpon the Mase vnder colour of a conuoy vnto whom he sent a great part of his armie on May day conducted by La Bourlotte The enemie for execution of his enterprise had prouided certaine boats vpon the Mase in which they meant to fall downe towards the Isle of Voorn and on the 3 day of May in the Morning they all embarked themselues and came to the sayd Island But Prince Maurice according to his vsuall care and diligence had aduertised the Garrison of their intent commaunding them to arme and stand vpon their gard who by this meanes preuented the enemies purpose and kept him from making any attempt Whereupon hee was enforced to goe backe with his boats to a place called Litt where he remained that day and the next The fourth of may at night they did with canon shot inforce the man of warre which the States kept vpon the Mase to gard the riuer and to stop the enemies passage to retire thence and to fall downe the streame and caused certaine boats to be brought by land towards Keffell whether they sent their owne fanterie which was imbarked by night and passed on betwixt Rossen and Herwaerde And the fifth of May before day breake they entred the Isle of Bommell where they fortified themselues on both sides the water This sodaine arriuall of theirs did so affright those of Bommell as diuers Burghers fled confusedly forth of the Towne carrying away with them what they could conueniently And to speake truely had the enemie presently after his arriuall in the Island shewed himselfe before the Towne he would haue mightily endaungered it the walls lying open and the Burghers being terrified But by his negligence and staying for the Admerall who was hourely expected with his whole armie he lost
which he shot into the Towne and ouer the bridge but did no great hurt spoyling the houses more than men daily approching towards the waters side that he might be able to reach our bridge with his ordnance and our men to defend it did much eleuat the wings of their trenches Our trenches bulwarks batteries were daily encreased being stored with diuers canoÌ„ culuerins other yron pieces which continually played vpon the enemie doing great hurt among his men so as they drew backe their cabins and Tents to be free from the canon Diuers of the enemies dead wounded men were daily carryed to Sertoghenbuske and other places neere adjoyning which filled the Hospitalls among whom were many Captaines and commaunders beside those that were dayly buried in the fields The foure and twentieth of May the enemie departed from the Isle of Bommell with fiue thousand foot and one thousand horse to fetch in victuals munition and other necessaries and on the six and twentieth he sent foure thousand foot men and certaine horse towards Antuerpe to conuoy the pay for the armie to the Campe and the better to couer his intent he discharged many vollies of shot seeking thereby to carrie away certayne ordnance Thereupon his Excellencie with all the gards went downe lower being followed by six cornets of horse and out of euerie English companie he tooke fiftie men which in all amounted to one thousand three hundred foot and with them embarked himselfe from Worcum and marched far into Brabant but the enemie hauing descried our men retired with all the treasure into Herentalls beeing vnwilling to leaue his aduauntage whereupon Prince Maurice returned to his Campe leauing certayne straglers behind him On the seuen and twentieth of May the enemie receiued his pay in the Isle of Bommell which was thought in value to bee worth sixe tun of gold all the garrisons dispersed here and there ouer Brabant were commanded to come to the campe to receiue their pay The same day our men of warre vpon the riuer dragged vp certaine engins that went vnder water which were carried away by the currant wherewith the enemie thought to haue blowne vp either our ships or bridge they were fiue foot long and one foot broad there were in them sixe Chambers charged with powder verie artificially made with fire-lockes and did beare out a point before which comming to strike against any thing the spring vnbended it selfe and gaue fire to the powder which brake all things neere it in pieces the enemie had made many of these yet they did in no sort hurt either our bridge or ships The thirtieth of May the bodie of the enemies Campe was much enlarged by great numbers of Tents and Cabins for he had newly receiued twelue great canons called the twelue Apostles each of them carrying a bullet of threescore pound weight with which came foure thousand Spaniards and Italians and certain cornets of horse The same day the enemie attempted to crosse the Waell neere to Dreule two leagues beyond Tyell but his Excellencie forthwith sent sixteene foot companies and fiue cornets of horse to stop their passage The same day our double canon and other ordnance plaied fiercely vpon the enemie who did the like vpon the Towne and especially towards the bridge but the bullets for the most part fell in a place called Haeftensche-weert doing no great hurt either to the bridge or men Dailâ—e skirmishes were made betwixt the sentinels souldiers which deserue no long discourse onely our men were commonly victorious Beside those of Bommell the inhabitants of Voorn Heusden Gorcum and other neighbour Townes made incursions vpon the enemie and tooke daily store of prisoners and many gallant horse and in Bommell alone during the siege more than foure hundred were sold. Newes came from Sertoghenbusk that on the eight and twentieth and nine and twentieth of May aboue fourescore wagons of dead and hurt men were brought thither beside those that were carried to Heel and other Townes His Excellencie caused the place where the old Cloister stood to be fortified from whence the enemie might haue greatly annoyed the Towne if hee had come on that side He did likewise fortifie a place called LitsenhaÌ„ began an halfe Moone there that he might from thence make incursions vpon the enemie The third of Iune his Excellencie caused all the ordnance of the Towne Bulwarkes and batteries to be discharged vpon the enemies campe for an houre together which enforced them to retire from before the towne and by night to burne their cabins and by to dislodge In this maner did the canon raise the siege of Bommell which the enemie had begirt for the space of twentie dayes The Spaniards from the beginning had no great hope of this siege but had rather to haue gone before Breda or some other Towne in the champaine countrie accusing La Bourlotte to be a traytor to the king whose negligence had held backe their first intended enterprises Those of Bommel perceiuing the enemies retreat did in troops run to their forsaken campe where they found much baggage armour and other engins many dead men vnburied many hurt men and yong children left behind whom his Excellencie sent after them causing the dead bodies to be buried and the wounded to be brought into the towne to be healed The fifth of Iune the enemies trenches batteries and other workes were made playne and leuell by the Burghers and souldiers with their owne tooles which they had left behind The enemie was so afraid to tarrie in Bommelers-weert as diuers Captaines which were not hurt withdrew themselues to Sertoghenbusk wearing their armes in Scarfes the better to absent themselues the number of them was so great as proclamations were made by sound of drum and Trumpet That all commanders and officers being in the kings pay should returne to their quarter and ensignes and a generall search was made to enforce such to the campe as were vnwilling The enemie hauing abandoned Bommell retired toward Rossem where the Country lay somewhat high and there encamped causing his bridge to be taken away from Creuecoeur and to be carried higher betwixt Alem and Marem His Excellencie to keepe the enemie forth of the Isle of Tiell fortified all the passages and sent 7 French ensignes to Nerines 8 companies belonging to the Lord Vander-Noot and foure of Suesses to Varick He began to plant sundrie batteries and to fortifie the Island called Rossensche-middel-weert and other places he likewise strongly entrenched the Isle of Voorn Both the campes were quiet all Iune because the enemie was afraid to passe on his way and Prince Maurice attended him in vaine each side being busied in making batteries and other fortifications and annoying one another with the ordnance The enemie began a verie great and strong Fort at Rossem vpon a Dike called Lorre-graft in a streight and narrow place of the Isle of Bommel with Curtaines the better to shadow himselfe and to cause the sayd
no great matter but were faine to retire bringing away some 60 dead hurt men most of whom were French-men and to speake truely of them had with incredible valour marched euen into the enemies trenches The enemie planted a batterie at Kessell from whence he plaid vpon Herwaerde and Voorn but did no great harme The 26 of Iulie he tooke one of our men of warre that lay in gard on the higher side of Amelroye and slew most of the mariners These were the notablest exploits done in the Isle of Bommell and places neere adjoyning from May till the 26 of Iulie All August and September both Campes lay verie still being strongly entrenched keeping good gard euer seeking some aduauntage one of another There were continuall mutinies in the enemies campe in regard of bad pay other quarrels The regiments which lay at Driell and other villages did most of them retire to Rossem for feare of being beaten There were continuall skirmishes betwixt our caualerie and the enemies who went about to surprise one another and to driue away the sentinels Our men still made incursions vpon the enemie and on the 10 of August tooke more than 200 horse and much baggage from him who was busied in fortifying his new Fort of Rossem with high and broad rampiers thinking thereby to stop the passage of the riuer Waell to conquer the Isle of Bommel and to open himselfe a way into Holland Vtrecht and the heart of Guelderland Many wondred whie the enemie was so long idle in the Isle of Bommell some thought that he would not retire till the fort of Rossem was fully finished But because the Archduke Albert had promised the States of the subiected prouinces That hee would not burthen the townes and countrie with Garrisons it is likely that hee busied his Armie in the Isle of Bommell the better to keep his promise As also because it was necessarie to keepe the Army neere the enemy for his souldiers beeing seditious and wanting pay it was to bee feared if they departed forth of the Isle of Bommell and should bee farre from their enemies that the countrie of Brabant would be in daunger of spoile and ruine as it hath often happened during these Low-countrie warres These are the most likelie reasons that moued the enemie to keepe his armie so long a time in the Isle of Bommel without any other exploits to these an other may bee added which is that they thought good to tarrie there in regard of the fitnesse of the place from whence they might make attempts on the neighbour townes of the vnited Prouinces as they had alreadie done vpon Worcum Breda and Nimmeguen but by Gods assistance and the carefulnesse of our commaunders it tooke none effect My Lords the States of the vnited Prouinces shewed themselues verie carefull for the defence of this towne yea some of the Generall States and most of the Councell of State came in person to Bommell not without great daunger of their liues for Canon bullets did not onely flie ouer the late Martin de Rossem Lord of Pouderoys house where they were assembled but pierced through it The Prouinces did greatly further this businesse for they furnished the Campe with all necessaries and all that Summer kept two hundred and eightie boats in pay three hundred seuentie nine wagons three hundred fiftie sixe horse of draught there were two hundred and three Bridge-Masters and other officers fit for such seruice To conclude the extraordinarie expence in boats wagons drawing horse munition and prouision for the ordnance and officers thereof did stand the Prouinces that Summer beside the souldiers pay in twelue hundred thousand florins This is in briefe the true description of the occurrents which happened at this siege ¶ A true description and recitall of the enterprises and voyages of the mightie fleet of the vnited Netherland Prouinces against the realmes of Spaine and Islands of Canaries vnder conduct of the Admerall Peter Vander-Does set forth in anno 1599. THe States of the vnited Netherland Prouinces did in the beginning of the yeare 1599 lay a general imposition on their wealthiest subjects crauing the two hundreth penie of their goods which they voluntarily graunted Whereupon they concluded beside their other enterprises to set forth a mightie fleet to inuade the King of Spaines dominions as the Englishmen had often done with good successe And to this end diuers ships were rigd forth the same yeare in the hauens and Merchant Townes of Holland and Zeland and many mariners were taken into pay ouer all the vnited Prouinces Some of these ships were double mand and victualled for a long voyage the rest onely to continue in ordinarie places Those which were double mand were chiefely bound for the West-Indies others onely for the Canaries to conuoy them and to assist them by the way All these vessels were strong tall well built and swift of saile The greatest of them was a ship of Amsterdam strongly built and well furnished for warre The chiefe commaund of these ships was giuen to the Admerall Peter Vander Does a discreet and valiant gentleman well experienced in martiall matters both by sea and land as it appeared in anno 1588 in the defeat of the Spanish fleet and more especially in this present action All the Captaines officers souldiers and mariners were valiant and skilfull men Their ships being readie did set saile on the foure and twentieth and fiue twentieth of May forth of sundrie Hauens and on the fiue and twentieth at night came before Flushing which was the Rendezvous the whole Fleet consisting of 72 saile all of them wel prouided of ordnance munition and other necessaries The Admeral was called Orange the great ship of Amsterdam was Vize-Admerall but being as then scarce finished it remained for a time at Texell and the 30 of May it followed the fleet and ouertooke it on the coast of Spaine before the Sea Towne called Groine The 26 and 27 of May the fleet stayed before Flushing to receiue directions from the Admerall and on the 28 weighing ankor they set saile from Flushing with a Northerlie wind directing their course East-South-East The whole fleet was diuided into three squadrons the first vnder the Admerall Vander-Does who carryed an Orange colour flag the second vnder Iohn Gerbrantsen with a white flag and the third vnder Cornellis Geleyn of Flushing bearing a blew flag as rere-Admerall In this order the fleet departed and on the nine and twentieth came in view of Calice where the foremost ships stayed for those that were behind In this place the Admerall did twice send for all the Captaines to come aboord his ship first to hold a martiall Councell after which two Brigantines were sent from the fleet and the second time to acquaint them with his intent and other necessarie affaires giuing to each of them a sealed letter which was to direct them how to order themselues in any difficulties that should happen This sending for the
other armes than their swords The same day his Excellencie in fiue houres space landed all his forces which done he dismissed the boats willing them presently to be gon for feare least after the armies departure the enemie by fire or otherwise should endanger the vessells Then he mustered his Armie and found it to consist of twentie thousand strong and able men His Excellencie likewise rode throw the Armie and demaunded of the souldiers if any among them could complaine for waâ—â— of pay and if any one had not receiued money he willed him to speake because my Lords the States were there present to giue them all contentment They all answered that they were well satisfied saying that they would liue and dye for them and in their seruice The same day the States departed from Flushing towards Philippine and arriued there at the same time as the armie was landed Then they began to dispose the Regiments and to place them euerie one vnder his commaunder and the souldiers were furnished with six daies victualls which they were to carie along with them The three and twentieth day the Armie marched from Philippine towards Assenede a village not far from the t'Sasse of Gant where the vantgard before the arriuall of the whole Armie did by composition take a certaine Castle wherein were some fortie men Those of t'Sasse hauing laid an ambuscado tooke thirtie or fortie of our men prisoners our souldiers likewise towards the euening brought Priests Bailies and other prisoners to the army most of whom they had taken from before Gant The foure and twentieth in the morning the armie departed from Assenede towards Eeckeloo scituate on the passage betwixt Gant and Bruges where seuen hundred souldiers had gone ouer the same morning that we arriued there at night those souldiers were drawne forth of the forts before Ostend to man the t'Sasse because the enemie feared wee would haue besieged the same place The 25 we went from Eeckeloo to Male neere Bruges where our men brought away much cattel and many prisoners from before the towne The 26 we came within Canon shot of the Citie of Bruges and marched towards Iabbeke Those of Bruges with their ordnance plaied vpon our Armie all that day yet did no great harme but onely slew one of his Excellencies Muleters They shewed themselues likewise with certaine troups of horse but durst not come forward so as if our men had bin willing to haue fought with them they could not haue done it with any aduantage On the way betwixt Bruges and Iabbeke his Excellencie had intelligence that the Garrison was fled from Oudenbourg so as on the 27 day the armie marched from Iabbeke thither whither he sent two Companies of souldiers because the fort stood vpon the passage towards Ostend Those which liue in the forts of Plassendale Bredene were likewise fled those of Bredene left 4 peece of ordnance behind them burnt the houses cabbins munition and other necessaries hauing not once seene the enemie My Lords the Generall States with their traine accompanied by Count Solmes with 8 Cornets of horse and the Regiments of French Walons and Swisses together with the Colonells Gistels and Huchtenbroeck who that day marched in the vantgard went on and arriued the same afternoone at Ostend and his Excellencie in the meane time remayned with his armie at Oudenbourg In all our march we found the villages naked and forsaken diuers goodly houses ruyned not one boore to be seene but only the Sexten of Eeckeloo and his wife with two aged and sick persons vnapt for flight The Boores that were hidden in the woods shewed themselues very cruell to some of our souldiers that were scattered here and there vpon the wayes and were fallen into their hands so as our men displayed the bloudie Ensigne which did in no fort hinder their crueltie to vs ward Our souldiers tooke great store of cattell so as flesh was better cheap and more plentiful in the armie than either wine or beere The first night we lay at Assenede a pot of beere was worth six pence the second night at Eeckeloo twelue pence and the next night at Male and Iabbeke eighteene twentie and twentie six In this iourney three Cowes were offered for one pot of beere and yet it could not be gotten At Male a Cowe was sold for three groats and after she was milked he that sold it would haue giuen seuen pence for the milke Whilest we made this iourney by land it hapened on the 24 of Iune that some fortie boats laden with victualls and other prouision conuoyed onely by Captaine Adrian Banckerts man of war sayling from Flushing towards Ostend were set vpon by the Gallies of Sluce who on the fiue and twentieth day tooke aboue twentie of the said boats which being vnladed they burnt The said Captaine did what he could to free them from the enemie but himselfe and one and twentie of his men were slaine in the fight and his ship though much brused arriued at Ostend with some of the hurt men The six and twentieth day the Admeral the Lord of Warmont ariued safely in the Hauen of Ostend with the cheefe fleet wherein were victualls ordnance munition and other necessaries yet by taking of the aboue mentioned boats the Country receiued a great losse which fell for the most part vpon some particular persons who procured it to themselues by being so hastie and not tarrying for the cheefe fleet the which consisted of many braue ships of war To returne to that which was done on land Count Solmes on the eight and twentieth of Iune with eight Cornets of horse and fiue foot Regiments with which troups the day before he had led the vantgard went to beseege the fort called Albertus which stands vpon the Downes some houres iourney from Ostend on the passage towards Niewport it was not very great but well built and strong The nine and twentieth day hauing battered it with foure demy Canon and made a passable breach Captaine Neron that lay there in Garrison did beat his Drum and craued parley in which it was granted that the Garrison should depart thence with their armes and as much baggage as they could carrie away with them but on condition to leaue their Ensigne behind them promising not to serue in Flanders for six moneths The last of Iune the said Earle with the vantgard according to his Excellencies direction went to beseege the Hauen of Niewport and tooke the forts there his Excellencie earely in the morning the same day marched with his Campe from Oudenbourg towards Nieuwen-dam a fort not far from Niewport to take it But his iourney being stopt by reason of water he returned by an other way ouer the Downes towards Albertus fort and the next night tarried there with his Armie The first of Iuly early in the morning his Excellencie marched thence with his Camp towards Niewport and presently gaue directions as well as the situation of the place would
prisoners and wounded men that all the victuals were lost in the battaile and that they could get none by reason that the boats were gone marched with his whole armie towards Ostend to refresh it sending the wounded to places where they might be cured discharging his souldiers of the enemies prisoners He brought his armie to S. Maries Church neere to Alberts fort and himselfe went into Ostend where he presently caused publike thankes to be giuen to God for this notable victorie himselfe and whole Court being present at it He remayned certaine daies at Ostend to order matters and to prouide for the better execution of his enterprises He caused all the prisoners to be brought together viz. the Admerall of Arragon D. Lewis de Villars with many other Captaines and officers whom for the most part he shipt for Holland he kept some one hundred and fiftie prisoners still in Ostend and among them diuers hurt men to exchange them for his owne souldiers whom the enemie had taken The glorie of this victorie belongs to God alone who hath not onely beene pleased thereby to maintaine as he hath wonderfully hitherunto done the just and lawfull cause of the vnited Prouinces for the conseruation of his Church but hath likewise pleased to abase the hautie and insolent courage of the Spaniards learning them to feele his mightie arme and letting them know how daungerous it is to kicke against the pricke To this onely God the Lord of hosts who in the battaile hath taught his Excellencies hands to fight and so admirably exalted his countenance that day be honour praise and glorie for euer To conclude we must of necessitie hereunto add that which certaine Historians mention how that justly vpon the same day the second of Iulie 1600 some three hundred and two yeares before viz. in anno 1298 one of the Archduke Alberts predecessours called Albert of Austria like him had with his power defeated one of Prince Maurice of Nassaus predecessours called Adolfe of Nassau Emperour of the Romans whereby we may see how that by this meanes the house of Nassau hath reuenged the wrong done to it by that of Austria This is a matter worthie of note and we may be well assured that though God deferre for a time yet he can and will aid and assist those that put their trust in him ¶ The Lord Iohn of Duyuenvoord Admerall of Holland fighteth with the Gallies of Sluce and puts them to flight WHilest Prince Maurice his armie marched in Flaunders there were some fortie or fiftie flat bottomed boats and and other vessels loden with munition and victuals which on the fiue and twentieth of Iune did set saile from Zeland toward Ostend these had a man of warre for their conuoy whose Captaine was called Adrian Baucker he being come before Blauckenbourg was becalmed the gallies of Sluce perceiuing it foure of them came forth and assailed the fleet and tooke twentie of the boats but most of the men escaped some of these vessels they burnt and carried the rest away with them The man of warre made what resistance he could but the calme made him like an vnplumed bird The Gallies approached the ship but did not boord her thinking to sinke her with their shot or else enforce her to yeeld she was in sundrie places shot thorow and began to leake and without the helpe of men and women that came aboord her from other boats and with scuppets tubs and their verie hats emptied forth the water she would haue beene in danger of sinking by this meanes she was kept aboue water and when the gallies came neere her she plaied so terribly vpon them with her ordnance as they were enforced to giue backe The ship hauing at last lost three and twentie men among whom was Captaine Baucker and most of the rest wounded the men cried out desperatly saying That rather than they would yeeld to the enemie they would blow themselues vp and set the ship on fire Hereupon the gallies left her and with great harme and losse of men returned to Sluce with a good bootie and the ship went backe to Flushing The next day being the sixe and twentieth of Iune the Lord Iohn of Duyvenvoord Admerall of Holland with sixe ships of warre called Cromstevens or Smackseylen all well prouided sailed from Zeland towards Flaunders to conuoy one hundred and fiftie vessels laden with ordnance and warlike munition for the armie This fleet being come before Sluce and the wind verie calme foure gallies came forth and presently the wind rising the men of warre came so neere them as they did not onely anoy them with their ordnance but with their small shot whereupon they were constrayned by force of oares to returne backe againe against the wind one of the gallies was shot vnder water and did for a long time lye vpon one side till the leake was stopt A certaine Turke of Constantinople a verie valiant and skilfull man being a slaue in one of the gallies had his chaine wherewith he was fastened broken a sunder by a canon shot himselfe not hurt and perceiuing that he was loosse leapt into the Sea with a piece of his chaine and with great daunger of his life for they shot terribly at him swam to the Zelanders ships and in swimming shewed his chaine whereupon the ships tooke him in being aboord he acquainted them with the gallies intent and losse They afterwards clothed him and presented him to prince Maurice who askt him if he would serue but he hauing great meanes at Constantinople craued a passeport vnlesse they would make vse of him for a Patron of a gallie to command the Spanish slaues which charge he had in former time taken vpon him But the Netherlanders hauing neuer vsed to imploy any infidell would not then begin but gaue him a passeport for England whither he went and from thence to Barbarie and so by land to Constantinople where by the way he acquainted Princes and Kings and the great Turke his Lord with the wars of the Christians ¶ The Admeralls ship of Antuerpe and seuen other ships are taken by the Captaine of the Blacke Gallie on the 29 of Nouember 1â—00 MY Lords the States and his Excellencie perceiuing the great losse they sustained by the gallies of Frederick Spinola which lay at Sluce resolued likewise to build and set forth certain gallies and with them to anoy their enemies Whilest they were making readie the gallies of Sluce came not abroad wanting slaues to row for the Zeland ships had slaine most of them many of them likewise were dead in winter with extremitie of cold and those prisoners of the vnited prouinces whom they had taken and made slaues could not suddenly be brought to handle the oare They likewise sent into Hungarie to buy Turkish prisoners but they knew not by what meanes to transport them into the Low-Countries Whereupon the foure Estates of Flaunders were about to buy the sayd Gallies and slaues of Spinola and to build
others hoping to moue the Archduke to goe and besiege Ostend to free Flaunders from daily contributions and expence it was at for entertainement of so many garrisons and forts vpon passages and to that end offered the Archduke a great summe of money The States of Holland did with all possible speed build a great gallie at Dort to make head against those of Sluce in length eight and fortie paces so soone as it was readie it was in September sent into Zeland it carried fifteene brasse pieces many Bases it was mand with rowers and souldiers the rowers sat vpon benches and were shrowded with a defence which was musket proofe it was called the blacke gallie of Dort the Captains name was Iacob Michielz it was presently sent to Sluce and there recouered a ship taken by the enemie On the 29 of September the Admerall of Zeland and Captaine Legier with this gallie well prouided and certaine shalops went towards Antuerpe and in the night passed by Ordam Fort the garrison supposed they were boats which went to victuall Hulst About midnight comming before Antuerpe they there found the Admerals ship a goodlie great vessell called a Smackseil or Cromsteven so big and strong as the Hollanders had none such it was of the burthen of one thousand eight hundred tunne or more it carried sixteene or seuenteene brasse pieces beside those of Iron and the Bases it had three tier of ordnance one aboue another Captaine Maes the Admerall was then absent this vessell lay opposit to the new Towne towards Flanders point The blacke gallie stemd this ship with her yron beak so forcibly as they could hardly get it out againe but with great danger were faine to saw it off the souldiers in the meane time became Masters of the ship some of them that were in it were slaine others leapt into the water and escaped by swimming The ship being taken our souldiers enforced the two ship Boyes whose liues they saued to tell them where the sailes and other tacklings were which done they fell downe the riuer with the Tide They likewise took two new vessels which daily carried prouision to Bruxels and Malines each of them carrying foure brasen pieces and others of yron with fiue other vessels called Smackes which by chaunce they tooke the same night and with these eight vessels fell downe the riuer towards Lillo hauing gotten aboue fiftie pieces of ordnance a bootie more worth than the gallie Those of Antuerpe hearing the shot th' alarme was presently ouer the Citie and the sooner because our Trumpets vpon the Key sounded the song of William of Nassau so well knowne wherein they recorded the commendation of the late vertuous Prince of Orange Within a while after the Admerall and Count Arenbourg came to Antuerpe to punish the negligence of the Admerall Maes and others and to preuent the like affronts he likewise caused a Fort to be built vpon the Key to defend the ships by night ¶ Captaine Cloet winneth the Castle of Cracow on the 9 of Februarie 1601. THe Castle of Cracow and Lordship thereof being by the last will and Testament of the Countesse of Meurs giuen to his Excellencie as a Lordship vnder the jurisdiction thereof the Duke of Parma in ann ' 1586 had giuen it to Salentino Count of Isenbourg in regard of certaine claime he laid vnto it since when the said Earle had still possest it and placed a certain fellow for captaine there who was called long Huben with 15 or 16 souldiers to gard the Castle which by nature was strong being seated in a fennie soile But Prince Maurice being desirous to enjoy his owne and vnderstanding that the Dikes were frozen in winter commaunded Captaine Cloet a braue and valiant souldier to make an attempt vpon the said castle with three hundred horse of Nimmeghen and certaine foot companies from Watchtendonck The said Captaine according to his Excellencies commaund came to Niewkerke nere to Wachtendonck on the eighth of Februarie whereof the gouernour of Stralen hauing intelligence followed him with fortie horse and 500 foot who in the Morning by day breake did so fiercely assaile Cloets souldiers as 40 of them were surprised ere their fellowes knew it who at last turned backe and perceiued that those of Stralen retired through a certaine narrow way verie aduantagious for footmen against horse the enemy hauing by this time taken 30 of Cloets horsemen prisoners most of whom being of his Excellencies companie were soon released for Cloet thereby incensed took another way by which he intercepted their passage and incountring them at their comming forth of that way vpon a plaine he assailed the Gouernor of Stralen in front behind and ouerthrew many of his horse and foot the rest escaped into a house which he presently encompassed enforced them to yeeld on composition and on condition to pay ransome He freely sent away three hundred and seuentie souldiers and onely detayned the Generall Dulchen gouernour of Straelen prisoner with Captaine Golstein and seuen officers as caution for the rest Cloet lost sixe or seuen men and many of his men and horse were hurt After that the foot companies of Wachtendonck came to Cloet and went forwards towards Cracow and arriued there on the ninth of Februarie at night the horse men alighted and went ouer the yee into the first Court of the Castle thereupon those within it began to shoot but Captaine Cloet shot so terribly vpon the Gate as those within it durst not abide there and then he caused his men to crosse the dike to let downe the draw-bridge and to plant the Perard at the Gate which presently brake it open Whereupon those within yeelded themselues and Castle by day breake Captaine Cloet left his Lieutenant there with fortie men 20 horse til his Excellencies further pleasure were known and returned againe to his garrison hauing performed that which was enjoyned him and by this meanes his Excellencie became Master of this Castle and Lordship ¶ The second siege and taking of the Towne of Rhynberg in Anno 1601. RHynberg is a towne belonging to the Bishopricke of Collein seated on the Southward of the Rhyne eight miles from Collein it is rather small than bigge and fortified with double rampiers well seated both for warre and traffique taking great toll of all goods and Merchandise which come downe the riuer During these warres both parties haue sundrie times fortified it and first in the warre of Collein betwixt the two Bishops it fell into the hands of the vnited Prouinces which a long time held defended it against the atteÌ„pts of the Spaniards freeing the riuer both from the prince of Parma who after the taking of Nuis in anno 1586 did furiously assaile it on the 13 of August and wâ—â— enforced to raise his siege hauing lien three moneths before the towne which he left blocked vp with many Forts as also from the Marquesse Varrabon who pursued continued the said siege in
Charles Vander Noot was gouernor there The Generall States of the vnited Prouinces hauing intelligence of the siege of Ostend sent Colonell Huchtenbrock thither with ten companies and entreated generall Vere to go thither with three thousand men which were expected from England but hee made some difficultie therein beeing laoth to goe without his owne regiment and that of his brother whereupon on the eight of Iulie eight companies were sent vnto him and on the fourteenth of the same twelue other companies which had been at the campe before Berck making vp in all one and twentie companies among whom were six English Generall Vere came thither on the fifteenth of Iuly by night and the next day all sort of munition were brought thither by the Lord of Warmont in despite of the enemies canon the report where of was heard into England for the besieged made counter batteries and often brake the enemies ordnance and dismounted it whereupon two double canon and foure demys were sent to them The fifteenth of Iulie two of the Queene of Englands Ships arriued there with new supplies of souldiers Two daies before Generall Veer his arriuall the besieged had made a furious sallie vpon the enemies in their trenches killing many of them to the number of fiue or sixe hundred who were not well intrenched D. Augustino de Mexia was hurt there and D. Hieronimo de Monroy the Campe-Master was slaine in his Tent the besieged lost some 30 men At the same time or thereabout D. Diego d'Idiaques and D. Iuan Bracamonte Nephew to Count Fuentes D. Pedro de Lojas sonne to the Marquesse de Lojas who brought newes of the Kings daughters birth with diuers others were likewise slaine Sir Frauncis Veer being in the towne as chiefe commaunder gaue direction for all matters diuiding the Dutch companies into two regiments vnder the conduct of the gouernour Vander-Noot and Colonel Huchtenbroecke who commaunded in the old towne The seuenteenth and twentieth of Iulie Generall Veer hauing store of men seazed on a piece of land that lay Southward which he fortified and entrenched placing strong gards in the counterscarpes and forts neere adjoyning The two and twentieth of Iulie the enemies canon did so commaund the Hauen as no boats durst enter but the fiue and twentieth of Iulie the gouernour and the Ingeneer Master Dauid of Orleans with other old and experimented mariners found that the gullet would serue to bring in boats by opening a causey or rampier of the counterscarpe that the sayd boats might lye safe in the towne dikes But the Archduke caused boats to be laden with stones at Niewport and elsewhere which he sanke within and neere the gullet to choake it vp but all the labor was to no purpose Those of Ostend made many curtains to secure their men from the canon they likewise filled the fortifications which were made in the Sea with stakes and crosse beames full of stones the better to diuert the Sea waues from the Towne By this meanes the workes and counterscarpes abroad were fortified like the rampiers of other strong townes being garded with rauelins halfe Moons and forts so as the enemie could not bring his ordnance neere the towne to make a batterie or come to the assault they did moreouer secure the going out and in of the boats so as the vnited Prouinces were encouraged to defend the towne sending thither daily all manner of stuffe and workmen to make it more strong therein sparing for no cost The enemies could by no meanes come neerer the town than by the West side along the downes from whence they fiercely battered it and especially the Sand hill This Sand hill was a Bulwarke of double works one vpon an other hauing round about it sundrie rankes of Pallisadoes from the bottome to the verrie toppe all made of fagotts laide one vpon an other with other Bulwarks neere adioyning for it was made to defend the West side which was the weakest part of the towne together with the hauen on that side This Sand hill was so battered with the canon as it seemed like an yron hill for they shot bullet vpon bullet which strake vpon one an other and sometimes rebounded backe againe Neere to the Sand hill was a causey opposite to the sea extending it selfe as farre as the downes where the enemy lay This causey was defended by a halfe moone and by pallizadoes and the Porcuspine by a verie strong fort which the Archduke caused to bee vndermined the better thereby to approach the towne In that regard the besieged on the fifteenth of Iuly perced the said causey behinde their halfe moone and armed the point of it with planks and fagots against the force of the Sea waues and yet they feared that the same opening would haue done more hurt to the Bulwarkes and other workes than it did this onely enforced the enemy by reason of the water to quit sundrie forts By this meanes the towne became like vnto an Island wholy enuironed with the Ocean Sea beeing diuided the breadth of one hundred foot from the firme land and from the enemy who was in great hope that the Sea the causey being perced would doe more hurt to the towne in winter The vnited Prouinces on the contrarie were assured that God by that meanes would preserue and keepe the towne so as they for their parts vsed all diligence to secure it and at Generall Veres entreatie sent three and twentie foot ensignes more thither after the taking of Rhynberck vnder conduct of Earle Chastillon notwithstanding that there were alreadie nine and fiftie ensignes in the towne beside those who were daily sent from England whose number amounted to 2000 men The enemy shot continually into the towne more than euer into any that was besieged so as many men were dayly slaine The vnited Prouinces in September sent thither in lesse than fifteene daies vnder conduct of the Lord of Warmont Admerall of Holland who with his men of warre garded the Seas one hundred threescore and ten boats laden with all sorts of victuals wine beere bread turfe and fire wood for winter not reckoning fiue hundred and fiftie barrells of powder which were there before the siege the said one hundred threescore and ten boats did likewise bring three hundred seuentie three thousand pound weight of fine and course biscuit seuentie seuen thousand weight of match ninetie eight thousand poundes of musket and harquebuse shot with fifteene thousand yron bullets and all maner of prouision necessarie for defence of the towne so as victuals were so plentifull and cheape there as a pot of wine was solde for a groat and the best for six pence and a tunne of Delfts beere for fiue florins By this meanes the siege of Ostend grew so famous as people came from all parts to behold the besiegers and besieged The Inhabitants of Zealand did for curiositie sake goe boldly thither with their wiues and children All manner of victuals were better
printed that the Countries might seriously looke to what they were to doe To the high illustrious honorable noble learned wise and discreet Lords good freinds and neighbours the Prelats Princes Earls Lords Gentlemen and Cities of Brabant Flaunders Artois Hainalt Valenciennes Lisle Douay Orchies Namur Tournay Tournesis and Malines representing the bodie of the Netherlands vnder the Spanish or Archdukes gouernment To all of them in generall and to euery of them in particular MY Lords wee doubt not but that your Excellencies do still remember the louing remonstrances and exhortations which we haue often made vnto you wherein we intreated you maturely to consider and well weigh the determination and end of the Spaniards and their adherents enemies to the State lawes priuiledges goods and persons of the Netherlands viz. their originall and rooted determination which is so base and hurtfull as it wholy tends to the entire ruine of the Inhabitants of these Countries We know very well notwithstanding that the said determination is likewise among you held indubitable that some of your Excellencies haue beene drawne thereunto partly by your owne good natures and partly by persuasions that matters might bee redressed and amended by meanes of the Archdukes and presence of their Highnesses But because we are well assured of the Spaniards and their adherents continuance in their determination for ruine of the Netherlands and subiecting them for euer to the Spanish yoake that they might beare rule ouer the consciences bodies lawes and goods of the inhabitants thereof and that the Archduke can no way helpe it this is the reason why wee cannot bee of your opinion And not to precipitate your Excellencies nor our selues into a certaine continuall and irreparable ruine we haue found out this to be the best remedie still to continue with a constant courage in the laudable resolution taken from the beginning by the chiefe persons and members of the whole Netherlands of all estates and conditions and beeing assured of the aide and assistance of God and that of Kings Princes and Republiks with whom wee are in league as also on the equitie of our cause wee doe patiently expect good successe especially by your Excellencies directions and discreet gouernment and will voluntarily vndergoe all difficulties daungers and expences requisite for maintenance of so holie commendable honourable and necessarie resolution Nor can the base and deceitfull conueyance of the low Countries made to their Highnesses euer moue vs to any alteration we hauing in that regard after the said conueyance seriously by letters and word of mouth conferring with your commissioners requested and exhorted your Excellencies to bee carefull on your side for the managing and gouernment of affaires of State and war both within and without the Countrie wee are well assured that if it bee duely considered and not with a passionate spirit that none will iudge otherwise but that the said deceitfull conueyance doth vndoubtedly tend to the assured ruine of all the Netherlands and the inhabitants thereof Your Excellencies doe perceiue vnderstand and effectually feele what is past and may easily iudge of that which is still likely to ensue so as wee think it needlesse to writ more amply vnto you of it onely we louingly intreat exhort and earnestly request your Excellencies to remember the laudable reputation purchased by your predecessors certaine hundreds of yeares past which they haue left vnto vs as a rule which is to bee Protectors and defendors of the liberties and lawes of the Netherlands in common and of the members townes and inhabitants thereof in particular and to consider whether the contents of the said idle and vnworthie conueyance and of the treatie which ensued it doth agree with the duetie wherewith your Excellencies are tied to your houses estates posteritie and especially to your Countrie Yf so which wee by no meanes think wee will pray vnto God to enlighten your Excellencies and to giue you a better and cleerer iudgement But if your Excellencies perceiue that the said pretended conueyance made for necessitie and to auoide a greater mischiefe bee deceitfull and dishonorable and as an infamous blot to the Netherlands if likewise yee vnderstand that the Spaniards and their adherents proceedings which haue ensued thereupon and are till now growne from bad to worse both in affaires of state and war as wee know that the most of your Excellencies do are preiudicious and intollerable and so by consequence your Excellencies are not bound and tied to them as repugnant to the common good the lawes and priuiledges of the Netherlands If your Excellencies doe likewise consider that all forcible extremities all prohibitions of trade and commerce all deuises and practises to entangle the Majestie of England and the vnited prouinces doe more and more come to light and are not onely repugnant to this resolution but bring forth cleane contrarie effects That the treacherous attempts on the Townes and Castles of the French king giue great occasion to take speedie reuenge That libels and rimes wherewith they seeke to make the French King and his affaires odious to the common people and call in question the rightfull successions of the Crownes of France and England are but vain propositions only tending to incense their Majesties and that they goe about in vain to raise tumult sedition amongst the people of the Low-countries considering that whilest they are at quiet and liue vnder obedience their condition thanks be to God is an hundred times better and more safe than that of the common people vnder the king of Spaine and Archdukes and that they haue no occasion to distrust their lawfull superiors or their actions but on the contrarie the Spaniards and Archdukes subjects perceiuing that all their affaires doe daily impaire that the authoritie of the States Prelats Princes Lords Gentlemen and townes of the Prouinces both in general and particular are without any respect trodden vnder-foot that they defend themselues onely with strangers in contempt of all good Patriots and that not onely in the chiefe garrisons townes and forts but generally in all matters some few excepted they seeme to proceed formally and in apparence the which without all question they will soone leaue off if they were once absolute Lords so that the Prouinces and people should not be onely without trade wealth and nauigation but euen the third part of the Inhabitants would bee depriued of necessarie meanes to liue the chiefe cities made Doue-coats the Countrie villages ruined and the people eaten and consumed to the verie bones by souldiers who are so badly payed as mutinie in one place is no sooner quieted but two worse than it breakes forth in another so as it is to be feared that in the end all will become desperate In which regard we intreat your Excellencies effectually to embrace the necessarie remedies and so to handle the matter as their Highnesses may be persuaded to depart from the Netherlands and to procure themselues a more quiet and certaine portion
Castles belonging to the Marquis of Berghen but at that time a nest of theeues for the garrison did continually molest boats that went from Holland and Zeland being alwaies vpon the water to espie if any vessell were wind-bound or be-calmed They had their shallops hidden in diuers places on the waters side with which they assailed such vessels taking the merchants and mariners prisoners enforcing them to ransome themselues and boats thereby doing great damage to the Countrie His Excellencie on the eighteenth of May did with wonderful celeritie plant his canon and battered the Castle those within it slew certaine of our gunners but fearing to be surprised and doubting that the Archduke would not send forth an armie to releeue them they yeelded the Castle vp to his Excellencie on the three and twentieth of May wherein were eightie fiue men among whom were certaine raskals of the number of those that sold the towne of Gertrudenberg to the enemie who according to the proscription were all condemned to be hanged but the Marquis of Brudenbourg interceded for them Spinola likewise did execute some of those that had deliuered vp the Castle and by this meanes those of Holland Zeland were freed from this mischiefe Marquis Spinola in the mean time had assembled all his forces neere Antuerpe and was quartered at Mercxen and Dam his horsemen lay at Berchen and Wilrijcke by which meanes Antuerpe was well garded Hee likewise made a bridge ouer the Scheld euen from the Key of Antuerpe into Flanders on which he might passe ouer his forces from Brabant and Flanders at one time if need were Prince Maurice hauing woon Woud Castle did on the second of Iulie imbarke his armie and crossed the Scheld to goe to Isendike in Flanders leauing the forts vpon the riuer well prouided especially Lillo it seemed that he meant to besiege the s'Tas or else the towne of Bruges and maintaine war in the enemie countrie but his Excellencie could not attempt any siege being stil followed by Generall Spinola by meanes of his bridge before Antuerpe This did the Prince before then foresee would come to passe being of a contrarie opinion to the generall States for it was thought more profitable for them to haue gone towards Rhyne whereupon his Excellencie the better to secure the Towne of Sluce Isendike Ardenbourg and other forts encamped at Watervliet because it was reported that the Archduke together with Spinola would besiege Sluce and with a second armie which they expected the towne of Bercke and would haue besides a running campe to bring victuals from all parts yet all this was but words His Excellencie strongly fortified himselfe at Watervliet Spinola with his forces encamped in a wooddie place so that the two armies could not well come at one another by reason of bankes but fortified against each other still seeking some aduantage and yet did no great matter ¶ A true rehearsall of a fight at Sea in the road before Gibraltar betwixt the king of Spaynes mightie Armada on the one side and the States men of war of the vnited Netherland Prouinces on the other done on the 25 of Aprill 1607. THe king of Spaine hauing set forth a mightie fleet of sundry great gallions and other warlike ships wel manned and prouided thereby as much as in them lay to annoy the inhabitants of the vnited Prouinces my Lords the generall States the better to daunt the Spannish pride and especially to free their subjects from their cruell tyrannie did likewise set forth a fleet of 31 ships viz. seuen and twentie men of war and foure victualers Then they entreated Master Iacob Heemskerck of Amsterdam a man whose experience wisdome courage loue and loyaltie to his Countrie was well knowne to the world to be Admerall of the said fleet In anno 1604 hee had been the second time Admerall of the East Indie fleet where hee had made proofe what he was able to do for meeting with a great Portugall Carack which came from China neere to the streit of Syncapura richly laden and well prouided hauing eight hundred men in her though in comparison of her hee was but weake hauing in all but two small ships and in them no more but two hundred men Yet by his wise conduct and inuincible courage hee did in a short time take her and brought her home to Amsterdam with all her treasure Moreouer that voiage is worthie of perpetuall remembrance which was made in anno 1596 and 97. when the ships of Amsterdam went so far to the Northward and Noua Semla as neuer any till then had done seeking a passage through the ice to the rich kingdomes of Cathay and China where he likewise was as Committee generall and shewed no smal desire to do good seruice to his countrie The Lords States hauing motioned this matter vnto him his answere was That if hee might doe any profitable seruice to his countrie he was verie readie and willing to doe it and so accepted the charge not for any hire but for loue and affection to his countrie The fifteenth of March in anno 1607 he departed from Tassell with sixteene men of war verie well prouided and rigd of which ten were of Amsterdam videlicet the Admerall called Eolus with her captaine William Verhoof of Amsterdam the second the black Beare and her captaine Adrian Roest of Amsterdam the third the white Beare whose captaine was Cornellis Peter Madder otherwise called Den Noyen Boore or the faire contriman the next the golden Lyon with her captain Pan of Amsterdam the Griffon and her captaine Cleynsorgh of Tergou the golden Star commaunded by captaine Iacob Iansz of Edam Henry Iansz otherwise called long Henry was captaine of the seuenth of the eight Simon Iansz of Edam the ninth by captaine Copdrayer the tenth by captaine Herman Beside these there were foure others which carried victuals for the fleet together with some souldiers From Euchuysen there were three from Hoorn as many and from Harling came the Pinnace of Frizland commanded by captaine Theunes Wouters making vp in all three and twentie ships The seuen and twentieth day they came to Wight an Island on the coasts of England where they found three ships more of Zeland and 5 of Rotterdam with captaine Cleuter on an other Brigantine of Amsterdam From Zeland came captaine Lawrence Iacobs Alteras the vice-Admerall in a ship called the red Lion of Zeland captaine Marinus Hellart of Flushing in a ship called the Sea Dog and captaine Cornellis Faes in an other In the fourth ship of Zeland captaine Peter Calis commaunded who as he entred ran on ground so as his men victuals and munition were bestowed on the other ships From Rotterdam came captain Lambert Henry the rere Admerall or night Scowte in a ship called the Tigre Harpart Matsy was captaine of the Leopard and in the other two captaine Sieuert and captaine Schreuell commaunded so as in the whole fleet were twentie and seuen men of warre and foure
victualers After that Admeral Heemskerck had taken order for all things necessarie for the fleet on the nine twentieth day they departed all together from Wight but the Admeral with fiue ships at his going forth beeing carried away with the Tyde ranne on ground so as they were enforced to tarrie there one Tyde the weather beeing faire and Sea calme the Vice-Admerall passed onward with the rest of the fleet and told the Admerall that hee would tarrie for him at Plimmouth At floud the Admerall began to float and come off being followed by the other ships and two dayes after arriued in the Hauen of Plimmouth where he would not stay but shot off a warning piece to cause the rest to follow him which was done The whole fleet being together they went with a Westerlie wind towards the coasts of Portugal and Spaine so as on the tenth of Aprill they came to the height of nine and thirtie degrees neere to the riuer of Lisbone The Admerall assembled his Councell of warre nad concluded to carrie the whole fleet into the Riuer to take and destroy all the Caracks and gallions that lay there But the Admerall hauing true intelligence by certaine spies whom he had sent before with a small English ship towards Lisbone that most of the Caracks were alreadie gone from thence and those that were there to the number of eight or nine not readie and all their ordnance on shore vnderstanding likewise by certaine French and English which came from S. Lucars Cales that 16 gallions were alreadie gone thence for the West-Indies and that ten of them were yet in the streit of Gybraltar with certaine other men of war waiting for the low-countrieships which were to comeforth of the streit for they knew that many of them were readie to come therupon the Admerall changed his former determination meaning to seeke out the said fleet in the streit and to that end bent his course to Seaward to get the height of Cape S. Vincent whither beeing come hee met with a ship of Flushing which on the 22 day came forth of the streit the master told the Admeral that in the night he had bin among the Spanish fleet but was cleared from it in the Morning which as he thought directed it course towards Cales for by a Westerly wind they were constrained to come forth of the streit The Admerall receiuing this intelligence held on his course and on the 24 of Aprill sayled neere the riuer of S. Lucars and bay of Cales but they could haere no newes of any ships for the Admerall was resolued to fight with them though they had beene in the riuer of S. Lucars or bay of Cales The euening of the same day he receiued certaine newes of the Spanish fleet by a French man who the same day came from the roade of Gibraltar who certified the Admerall of the fleets being there and of their number and order The same Euening because the wind was Easterly hee bent his course to the the Southward towards the coasts of Barbarie and from thence hee turned towards the coasts of Spaine Comming into the Streit the Admerall called his Captains aboord and acquainted the Councel of war with that which the Frenchman had told him giuing order for all things necessarie and at last couragiously resolued to assaile and destroy the Spanish fleet and thereupon gaue this direction that himselfe with Captaine Moye Lambert would boord the Spanish Admerall the vice-Admerall Alteras and Captaine Bras were appointed to boord the vice-Admerall and so the other ships two together should set vpon the other gallions The two Brigantines with the Barke were commaunded to passe vp and downe thorow the fleet that if any gallions or ships would attempt to escape they should stop their passage and fight with them but the victuallers were to keepe a loofe off and not to come neere the fight This done hee exhorted all the Captaines to beare themselues valiantly to purchase honor telling them that himselfe would be the first should lead them the way whereupon they all promised and swore to follow him though it should cost them their liues and then euery man returned to his ship About noone they descried the enemie in the bay before the towne of Gibraltar lying in the roade vnder couert of the Castle and townes ordnance to the number of two and twentie vessels videlicet nine great and mightie gallions and foure men of warre beside a great ship of Lubeck of foure hundred tunne called the spotted Cow that lay in the roade tarrying for a wind to go to Cales there were moreouer 4 French ships and three which they had taken viz. 2 of Enchuysen and one of Rotterdam whose Mr. called Gouert English was prisoner aboord the Spanish Admeral They had manned all these ships with souldiers against the comming of our fleet For the Duke of Lucars hauing intelligence of our arriuall and passage before S. Lucars and Cales did presently dispatch a post to Gibraltar to warne the Spaniards of our approach the like he did to those of Calsi whereupon they had strengthened their fleet with three hundred souldiers among whom were one hundred Cauallieros that came voluntarily to doe seruice to the Admerall who had seuen hundred men in his ship and the Vice-Admerall foure hundred and fiftie The other gallions were well stored with ordnance and in each of them two hundred and fiftie men at least beside the mariners the first great gallion was called S. Augustin and in her was the Admerall of the whole fleet called D. Iuan Alvares d'Avilas borne at Estâ—rgas an old and experienced Captaine who had a long time serued the King of Spaine at Sea in the time of D. Iohn of Austria The Admerals sonne was Captaine of that gallion The second gallion wherein the Vice-Admerall commaunded was called our Ladie de la vega The third being the Rere-Admerall was termed The mother of God The fourth S. Anne The fifth oâ—r Ladie of the rule The sixth our Ladie of the conception The seuenth Saint Christopher The eighth our Ladie of sorrow The ninth Saint Nicholas The tenth our Ladie of Rosaries The eleuenth our Ladie of O. The twelfth S. Peter In a word they were well prouided of Saints but they did them smal good Our Admerall hauing descried the Spanish fleet giuen order for all matters and prayed vnto God for his ayd and assistance made directly towards them He displayed and made fast his ensigne with nailes because no man should take it downe and promised an hundred Reals to him that would bring him the ensigne of the Spanish Admerall exhorting his souldiers to doe their best protesting that whatsoeuer they could take from the enemie should bee their owne this did greatly animate them but especially the couragious valour of their Admerall so as they desired nothing more than to fight The Spanish Admerall descrying our fleet called for the Master of Rotterdam whom hee kept prisoner shewing him
her men those which remained perceiuing that our men made towards them did ten and twentie at a time leape into the Sea thinking to escape by swimming but our men in their furie slew most of them so as the whole bay was full of dead carkasses The fight began about three of the clocke in the afternoone and in lesse than foure howers all was ended and the victorie by Gods goodnesse fell to vs. This braue exploit was chiefely begun by Admerall Heemskerck and was for the most part continued and ended by ten or twelue ships onely The next day in the morning the Spanish Admerall was run on ground but those of the town went and cut down her masts and then fired her thereby sauing our men a labour who meant to haue done it It was a fearefull thing to behold the flame and burning of the gallions especially when fire tooke the powder for it made such a noice as though it had thundred from heauen couering the land and sea with a thick smoake which made an vniuersall darknesse for a time Beside the Admerals gallion fiue more were burnt together with a great ship of war an other ship which the Spaniards had taken and the aboue mentioned vessell of Lubeck An other of the gallions was sunke the other two ran on ground and were made vnseruiceable A French man likewise ran on ground with two ships the one of Rotterdam and the other of Enchuysen all the otheâ— Spanish men of war did the like vp and downe the coast and by Gods assistance were destroyed The prisoners confessed that there were foure thousand men in the fleet and that halfe of them had not escaped among whom as letters into Spaine doe testifie was the Admerall with manie other gentlemen and captaines Among the prisoners was D. Iohn Aluares the Admerals sonne who was brought into Holland Wee onely lost the noble Admerall Heemskerck who was lamented of all men together with some hundred men and threescore that were hurt On the six and twentieth day our fleet came to an ankor in the roade of Gibraltar the ordnance of the towne and castle playing vpon them but did little or no hurt at all there did they looke to their sicke and hurt men as well as the time would giue them leaue and during their aboade there they saw great numbers of horse and foot vpon the shoare going to the towne of Gibraltar for the Spaniard thought verily that our men would haue assailed it and there was such amazement and confusion in the town as euerie man packt vp all he had intending to be gone the like feare possest those of Cales who thought that our fleete would come and visite them The seuen and twentieth day our ships departed forth of the road of Gibraltar those of the castle shooting after them and because the shot did no hurt our men reputed those peales of ordnance to bee done in their honour and so directed their course towards Barbarie going so neere Senta which belongs to the Spaniards as those of the towne and other places of the Countrie shot at them but our men passed on thorough the Streit towards the coast of Barbarie came into the road of Tetuan which is a strong towne within 5 miles of Senta to the Eastward belonging to the Turks and Moors there trimmed their ships which had bin spoiled by fire and the enemies canon When they came before Tetuan they were kindly welcomed The Gouernours selfe with many Turkish gallants came aboord our fleet offering vs all friendship and assistance both for our ships and men bringing vs all manner of refreshments as oranges and other restoratiue fruits seeming verie ioyfull for the victorie which God had giuen vs ouer the proud Spaniards our men likewise went ashoare and had great honor done vnto them euerie where The Gouernour made an offer vnto our men that if they would make any attempt on the towne of Senta hee would aid them both with horse and foot but wee intending other designes gaue him manie thanks for his courteous offer All things beeing repaired the vice-Admerall Alteras was made Admerall and Peter William Verhoof vice-Admerall there they consulted what was best to be done and what course to take for better annoying the enemie at last they resolued to send some towards the Islands of Flaunders to remaine there namely the vice-Admerall Captaine Iacob Iansz of Edam Captaine Harman the pinace of Frizland and Captaine Cleuter to trie if they could meet with any good aduenture there The rest videlicet Admerall Alteras with the greatest part of the fleet should keepe along the coasts of Portugall not farre from the riuer of Lisbone others along the coasts of Barbarie towards the Canaries and round about the Cape of Finistere and Bayonne two of the victuallers were to â—arry with the fleet and the other two were appointed to carrie home the bodie of Admerall Heemskerck which the Surgeon Major had embalmed together with the hurt and sick men and Harpert Marts Captaine of the baâ—ke was commaunded to conuoy them these returned homeward and on the fift of Iune arriued at Amsterdam with the Admerals bodie The eight day following his funerals were solemnised according to his worthinesse and the bodie was carried to the old church after this manner First before the bodie marched 2 companies of souldiers in mourning habit trailing their armes ensignes and drums couered with black according to the custome of war after them his helmet armour and scutcheon of armes were borne his armes were a Lion argent in a field azure Foureteene Captaines carried the bodie which was on euerie side hung with scutcheons and on the top of the coffin his guilt sword was laid After the bodie his chiefe kinsfolk went next them followed the commissioners of the Councel of the Admeraltie and after them the Scout Burgomasters Sherifes and thirtie six of the Councell of Amsterdam then followed the Colonels the councell of war captaines all the officers nobilitie and harquebuziers of the towne After them the gouernors committees of the East Indie companie followed in order and after them great numbers of citizens and merchants amounting in all to the number of 800 persons beside souldiers and infinite multitudes of people that filled the streets The generall States did in memorie of this worthie man commaund an honourable monument of a kind of blew stone to bee erected ouer him towards the East his armes were hung and to the Westward ouer his head a black stone was set vp on which in golden letters all his voiages and noble actions were engrauen this did they for a perpetuall remembrance of this worthie person to after ages And thus by the help of God was this mightie Spanish fleet destroyed and brought to nothing vnto whom wee ascribe all honour ¶ Truce for twelue yeares concluded and agreed vpon betwixt the the deputies and commissioners of the high and excellent Princes the Archdukes of Austria c. And