Armie and lay in Alberts fort where the Campe was fortified and prouided for winter as if it had been a towne and it was called West end The Infanta Isabella lay at Niewport and on the second of August shee came with eighteene Coaches to the campe beeing seene by those of the towne It is reported that whilest the ordnance plaied fircely on both sides herselfe gaue fire to certaine canons which was reputed for a singular honor They fastened wodden platformes to the shoare on the East side which they fenced with Gabions tied with Cables from thence to play vpon the boats which entred the old Hauen They attempted likewise to stop the sluce of the Causey with wood sacks filled with â—and but those filled sacks sank down to the bottom were caried away with the tide so as all that labor was vain After that by the aduice of Captain Catrice who had bin lieutenant to la Bourlotte and had now his place they resolued to giue a generall assault to euerie corner of the towne contrarie to the opinion of the whole Councell of war thinking at a low water to win the West Rampier of the old Towne and there to fortifie themselues but the besieged had prouided for it and the assault being begun Captaine Catrice was shot in the head whereupon it was deferred and yet his wound was not mortall for he was healed for that time From August to September the Archdukes Camp spared for no trauel nor expence to win the towne which they continually battered day and night ouerthrowing certaine fortifications killing diuers and laming others They likewise came at sundrie times into the trenches halfe moones and other workes from whence by the courage and magnanimitie of our souldiers they were beaten with great losse of men They went about by all meanes to choake the Gullet therein vsing all the cunning that man could inuent to keepe victuals from the town but they could not doe it nor yet by all their attemps cause the besieged to yeeld For Generall Vere and all the Captaines were resolued to defend it by all meanes possible and by their sallies did much annoy the enemie both in his Campe and forts At the same time certaine men went about to betraie and deliuer vp the towne to the enemie but they were bewrayed and executed After Haruest the souldiers on both sides were so badly clad as they were much tormented with cold especially the besieged who kept gard without the town in the counterscarps and forts where the waies were verie dirtie which caused diuers English men to runne away others grew sicke and died the Garrison being so weakned as of seuen or eight thousand there were in December but two or three thousand left whereupon Generall Vere wrot to the States for more men The Archduke lying in Alberts fort and the nights waxing long was desirous to make some attempt sending foure hundred of his souldiers on the one and twentieth of December about midnight at a lowe water ouer the Hauen on the West side along the shoare who passing by the Sand hill gaue an alarme to the East side and from thence at a place called Schottenbergh mounted the rampiers killing a sentinell of Gystels companie and by helpe of a great winde fired a curtein or great heape of fagotts which were layed to breake off the Sea waues and to preserue the Bulwarks foot made on the North side at the end of the falce-bray or out-wal beneath the Sand hils point where the foot of it made with fagots burnt three daies and three nights and could not be quenched by reason the enemie shot so fiercely The same night an Italian souldier that had lost his way was taken betwixt the rampiers and pallisadoes This Italian beeing secretly examined by Generall Vere told him that the Archduke hauing intelligence of the Garrisons weaknesse and how the towne had not of a long time beene supplied with men and victuals had speedily sent for all the Garrisons of Brabant Artois and other places and with these was come before the towne with a firme resolution to assault it in sundrie places namely towards the South and West Quadrant and the halfe moones and that Count Bucquoy should assault the Northwest rauelin of the old towne at a low water which hee might easily doe in the night Certaine other Captaines should assaile the Sand hill and two places of the old towne namely the Porcuspine which was a smal rauelin in the counterscarpe which garded a certaine place called the Biere they retained the water of the dikes which is a matter of great importance The other assaults should bee giuen to the works without the towne to the South-South-East ward called the South Quadrant the Polder and East Quadrant to which some three weekes past the enemies had giuen a fierce assault from whence they were driuen with great losse Generall Vere knowing this in particular did on the three and twentieth of December at two of the clocke in the afternoone send foure Captaines to view the Porcuspine and to bring him word whither it might bee defended against the enemies assaults and as the said Captaines were visiting this place Captaine Lewis Couture came thither about three a clocke with commission from the Generall to craue a parley of the enemie and to send hostage from either side This was done vnknown to the Captains but Captaine Couture found the Archduke verie willing thereunto The Generall to excuse this parley alleadged sundrie reasons viz. that he feared the assault because he was weake in men and they of sundrie nations that hee was loath to come to a generall assault and therefore thought good to beguile and amuse the enemie and winne time till cernaine fortifications in the old towne were finished Whereupon hostages were presently sent from the towne vpon the enemies word namely Captaine Ogle lieutenant Colonell and Captaine Farfax to procure that some others might bee likewise sent from the Archduke to treat And the same Euening the Generall sent the Sergeant Major Carpenter commaunding him to let in on the East side of the towne the gouernour of the Sluce Matho Serrano master of the ordnance and Councellor to the Archduke together with Captaine Ottaigno Sergeant Major of a regiment both of them discreet and well experienced persons with promise that in the meane time there should bee a cessation of armes by land on both sides and not otherwise These two Commissioners from the Spaniards were brought by the falce-braye ouer the Sand hill and so caried towards the new towne But a great tumult rising on a sodaine among the Captaines and souldiers especially because this was done vnknowne to them they were by the Generals commaundement sent backe againe the same way without audience and in the meane time the tide was risen so high as they could not passe on the East side but went through the towne towards the West part where they passed ouer in a boat to Count Bucquoys
quarter with some excuse promising to send back our hostages who returned not to the towne the same night Generall Vere the next day at one of the clocke after midnight in regard of the tumult among the Captaines and souldiers sent for all the Captaines French Scottish and Dutch and after long debating on the Garrisons weaknesse and great want of men to defend the old and newe towns with all the counter scarps rauelins South and East Quadrants together with the halfe moone beyond the Gullet standing towards the Southwest hee craued their aduice by what meanes all these places might bee defended from the enemies assaults demaunding whither the Captaines thought it not fit to race and abandon those workes which were alreadie forsaken vnknown to the Captaines together with the falce-bray or lesser Sand hill where they had alreadie planted one canon and a demy and caried fiue barrels of powder thither the same day All of them thought it fit to race the South Quadrant which was least hurtfull to the towne and to send the men to more needfull places and yet this was not effected because fiue companies came from Zealand on the fiue and twentieth of December The falce-bray which should haue beene abandoned was neuerthelesse by consent of certaine Captaines and in presence of Captaine Saint Clare the Scot vnknowne to the Generall mand with sixe musketâ—ers of Saint Clares companie two other companies beeing appointed to second them if the enemie should giue an assault The next day at nine of the clocke in the morning the Generall sent againe for the French Scottish and Dutch Captaines to his lodging where in presence of Colonell Loone hee made his Apologie in French declaring to what intent hee entred into communication with the enemie the Reader may see the excuses hee alledged in a letter hereafter ensuing which hee wrot to the States The same day and in the same assemblie it was concluded to demaund hostages and commissioners from the enemie for assurance of those which had beene sent from the towne whereupon two Captaines Iohn le Rijck and Charls Cassart with Captaine Saint Clare the Scot were sent to receiue the two aboue mentioned hostages and Commissioners viz. Serrano Gouernor of the Sluce and captaine Ottaigno the Sergeant Major who craued to hasten the businesse being sent into Ostend for none other purpose They were answered that in regard it was verie late and diuers Captaines alreadie vpon the gard they must haue patience till the next day The same night the fiue aboue mentioned companies from Zeland arriued and because it was Christmas day the Archduke sent a Spanish Captaine with a trumpet and a letter to his Commissioners wherein hee willed them to hasten the matter by all possible meanes Captaine Rijcks fetcht the letter and gaue it to Serrano who thereupon was verie earnest for dispatch hee was entreated to stay till eleuen of the clocke and then hee should receiue all content this answere he presently sent to the Archduke In the meane time the fiue companies which came from Zelland entred the towne viz. that of Captaine Iohn Pottey the companie of the Lord Iustine of Nassau those of the Lord Vandernoot Captaine Iohn Piron the younger and Captaine la Corde These fiue companies beeing come into the towne Generall Vere about noone gaue this aunswere to Serrano and Ottaigno how he could not denie but that being ouertaken by want of wind faire weather and other accidents hee had beene enforced to inuent meanes to helpe himselfe and men and through want enforced to come to some agreement But perceiuing that the States of the vnited Prouinces had so well reliued and furnished him with all necessarie prouisions hee could not as then proceed any farther in this treatie with his Highnesse and therefore had no more to say vnlesse some new necessitie should vnluckily surprize him and enforce him againe to craue parley hoping that his Highnesse as a vertuous Prince would not take this deniall to proceed any farther in the treat in bad part for beeing a souldier hee could doe no otherwise for maintenance of his owne honour and that this sleight was commonly vsed among souldiers Thereupon the Spanish commissiioners went their way The Archduke was much displeased with this warlike policie and grew exceeding angrie with some of his owne seruants who had counselled him thereunto By this sleight a rumor was bruted abroad how that Ostend capitulated and it was so confidently beliued as in the Courts of France England that of the States of Holland and Zealand nothing was knowne to the contrarie till such times as they receiued letters from Generall Vere The Burgers of Gant Bruges Dunkerke and Newport came with their wiues and children to the campe thinking that the towne would yeeld but they were all deceiued This did so incense the enemies as they resolued more by passion than reason to giue a generall assault The States of the vnited Prouinces were amased at this treatie and neuer thought that the English souldiers would haue so slipt away through the carelesenesse of their Captaines who gaue them passeport so as fortie fiftie sixtie and more at a time returned into England who were lustie and in health whereupon men and other necessarie prouisions were sent thither which did encourage the besieged The Archduke tired with lying so long before Ostend and deceiued in his vaine hope was persuaded by his Councell to giue a generall assault ere greater forces entred the towne and to this end hee did satisfie and pay manie of his mutiners and vnwilling souldiers making great preparation for an assault hoping to surprise the Sand hill there to entrench himselfe and become master of the old towne appointing the seuenth of Ianuarie 1602 in the afternoone at a low water the time for execution Colonell Gambiotta the Campe master was to assault the new towne and Count Ferneste with Captaine Ottaigno the Sand hill and falce-bray The gouernour of Dixmuide the Porcuspine an other the West and South Quadrants and the North Rauelin and Count Bucquoy with two thousand men was to assault on euerie side Count Triuulcio Alonzo d'Avalos and other troops were readie to helpe and second those that should stand in need the cauallier likewise hauing an eye euerie where The Archdukes felfe stood behinde the batterie of the key and the Infanta was in Isabellas fort This thus appointed a certaine Italian whose lot was to bee one of the first that should giue the assault fearing the daunger swam ouer the hauen by night with his sword in his mouth and declared to generall Vere the enemies resolution concerning the assault whereunto he gaue the more credit because the precedent day and night their ordnance had without intermission plaid vpon the towne so as he gaue order for defence fortifying all places transporting the ordnance and planting seuen great morters at the entrance of the hauen charged with stones and musket shot commaunding his men carefully to doe their
beeing discouered no harme ensued thereof Captaine Cordua was accused for yeelding vp the fort so slightly but hee had fauour shewen him Captaine Ioost de Brucxsaulx was made gouernor there but within a while after the fort being found to be vnnecessarie was raced All these townes and forts thus surrendred his Excellencie encamped before Sluce hee caused the hauen to bee taken in and fortified and enclosed his campe with trenches and bridges ioyning the quarters to one an other In the hauen 〈◊〉 before the the towne they found no ships but onely one French man laden with wines which was spoiled by the ordnance Those of Sluce did twice receiue certain numbers of men first some seuen hundred next eight hundred they likewise tooke in certaine wagons laden with meale ere the towne could be wholy enclosed Prince Maurice encamped on the West side of the hauen The Lord Vander Noot on the South side the countrie and drowned lands were furâ—â—shed with boats and shalops strongly mand to shut vp all passages His Excellencie on the one and twentieth of May caused a proclamation to bee made by sound of drum that wednesday ouer the whole campe should be kept as a day of fasting and prayer which is a rare matter in an armie prohibiting all victualers on paine of forfeiting their goods and banishment from the campe from selling any victuals that day that they might bee the apter to pray vnto God to giue them good successe The thirtieth of May those of Sluce attempted againe to take victuals and powder into the towne and in the night sent forth one thousand gallie slaues ouer the drowned land whom they constrained to this peece of seruice in regard they could not vse their gallies and with these slaues a conuoy of fiue hundred souldiers to expect that which was to come from Dam for Count Barlaymont with 4 thousand foot and manie wagons laden with meale was come for this purpose as far as the drowned lands His Excellencie hauing intelligence hereof went with two thousand foot and store of horse to Stampers point where hee found foure hundred men which Barlaymont had left to gard that passsage these did the Prince defeate and put to rout and vnderstanding by them that Barlaymont was alreadie past hee caused him to bee pursued but hee hauing notice thereof went an other way by which most of them escaped leauing certaine wagons laden with corne behind them which his Excellencie tooke Those of the towne perceiuing that the Conuoy came not returned home many slaues excepted who hid themselues and came and yeelded to Prince Maurice His Excellencies troopes in pursuing Barlaymont did in the night by mischance take a contrarie way and the next day returned to the Campe with many prisoners and among them two Captaines the one an Italian and the other a German By these his Excellencie vnderstood that the towne was well manned but badly victualed and therefore sought to enclose it on euery side causing his Campe to bee strongly fenced and entrenched both by land and water sending his Cauallerie farre vp into the Countrie to bring in contribution The Campe being thus enclosed the deputies of the Generall States and Councell of State tooke their leaue on the 29 of May and returned to the Hague This siege continuing for a time Prince Maurice in the meane space made ready boats and preparatiues to assault the towne athwart the Hauen and to this end caused a strange bridge to bee made couered ouer in the middest and of musket proofe but vnderstanding daily by those that came to our side that the Towne was mightily opprest with hunger he wholy resolued to famish it and thereby gaue the Marquis Spinola an occasion to quite Ostend and come to releeue Sluce and his Gallies Famin did dayly so encrease in the towne as they could no longer feed the slaues but enforced them to run vp down the broken country to seeke an herbe called Soutenell which growes there in abundance wherewith for a long time they nourished themselues so as many of them a long while ere the towne was yeelded knew not what bread meant Famine encreasing and Ostend still holding out those of Sluce manifested their want by fires in the night which beeing known to the Archduke hee commaunded Generall Spinola to releeue Sluce who to this purpose toward the later end of Iulie leuied forces from all parts and now perceiued their error in suffering his Excellencie to passe ouer so easily Generall Spinola together with Count Trivulcio departed from before Ostend with a sufficient Armie leauing the Campe well prouided of all things yet hee went verie vnwillingly and with small hope to doe any good as appeared by his letters which were intercepted And so came and encamped neere to Lapschuer on a cawsey meaning with his ordnance to enforce his Excellencie to dislodge who caused counterbatteries to bee made so as in one night the canon slew many Spinola on the sixt of August with three thousand men and certaine horse assailed Count William of Nassaus quarter thinking to surprise it in the night carying with him diuers necessary preparations for that purpose but all was in vaine for he was so roughly entertained as with great losse he was enforced to retire leauing his preparations behind him carying certaine wagoners horse away with him which were feeding in the pastures Spinola doing no good there departed speedily on the sixteenth of August in view of Ardenbourgh to the forts of S. Catherin and S. Philip which hee easily tooke by force because they were weakely manned From thence hee went on a cawsey to Captaine Imbyse his quarter where hee made a false alarme that hee might in the meane time passe his troopes ouer the riuer of Oostbourgh But his Excellencie had kept store of men in Cadsand vnder conduct of Count William of Nassau who did presently set forward to make head against the enemie hee likewise sent the Lord of Simton thither with store of warlike munition and himselfe remained at the passage of Cadsand till the troopes of Frizland the English French and others were arriued with which he marched on to encounter the enemie The Marquis making hast with his forces had caused his Excellencies men to quit the halfe moone neere the water betwixt Cadsand and Oostbourg and made them giue backe as far as the cawsey neere to the two skonces where hee was fiercely repulsed first by the gard and next by Count William who was come thither but at a low water hee striued most of all to passe ouer so as Count William could hardly stop him till such time as Colonell Dorth came to second him who brauely defended himselfe with a two-hand sword beating backe the enemie for a pretie while till himselfe was wounded in two places Spinola in the meane time spared not his men and was readie to haue entred Cadsand had not Prince Maurice come to his reskew with certaine Frizland companies vnder conduct of Iulius
secretly in the night depart from the sort of Ter-Neuse towards the towne of Axel in Flanders a mile and halfe distant from Hulst and foure miles from Gaunt It is a small towne and not altogether encompassed with walls which by passing secretly oner a wall they tooke without any great slaughter there were foure companies of souldiers in it Within a few dayes after they tooke all the forts round about it and for the safer keeping of the sayd towne they broke downe the causies so as the whole towne was enuironed with water The taking of Axel did somewhat trouble them of Flanders and Brabant fearing some greater mischiefe would ensue so as they forthwith wrot to the Prince of Parma lying before Nuys entreating him to come from thence to ayd them sending him vvord That it vvas more honourable and necessarie to preserue their own countrey than to besiege and vvin an Imperiall citie forth of the jurisdiction and limits of the Low Countries The Prince notwithstanding would not quit the siege but sent la Motte Gouernour of Graueling to besiege and recouer the sayd towne of Axel but his labour was lost the towne being as hath beene said all enuironed with water The Earle of Leycester leaues the Low Countries and goes into England Maurice of Nassau is made Gouernour Generall AFter that Robert Dudley Earle of Leycester in the later end of the yere 1587 was gone into England leauing the Netherlands in great troubles and dissention and that Sir William Stanley had on the nine and twentieth of Ianuarie deliuered vp the towne of Deuenter to Taxis and Rowland Yorke the fort of Zutphen the generall States were much perplexed fearing that the English which lay in other townes and forts would doe the like following the example of the French in Brabant in the Duke of Anjous time did in an assembly at the Hague on the sixt of Februarie establish and declare by prouiso by vertue and according to the Soueraigntie belonging vnto them Prince Maurice besides his Admiraltie in generall and place of Gouernour of Holland Zeland and Frizeland Gouernour generall in the sayd Earle of Leycesters absence with charge and instruction of the preheminences rights and priuiledges for the profit and conseruation of the countries townes and inhabitants to maintaine and defend the exercise of the reformed Religion to administer justice by aduice of the Counsellors and Presidents with authoritie to change Magistrats to chuse Burgomasters and Sherifes according to the auncient custome in a word to doe whatsoeuer a Gouernour Generall might doe and all this by prouiso c. joyning with him because of his youth Count Hohenlo as his Lieutenant Hitherto we haue briefely set downe how and when his Excellencie attained the gouernment of these Prouinces wee will now come to the description of the victories which it hath pleased God to grant him The towne of Medenblicke is enforced to submit it selfe to his Excellencie and to my Lords the States ALthough the Earle of Leycester had resigned and deposed himselfe from the gouernement of these vnited Prouinces according to an Act granted at London on the 17 of December 1587 to my Lords the generall States yet they likewise caused it to bee published and proclaimed in forme following The Estates generall of the vnited Prouinces of the Low Countries to all those to whom these presents shall come greeting As it hath pleased her Maiestie of England to conferre with the Commissioners and Embassadors of the said Prouinces and in the end to make a certaine Treatie bearing date the tenth of August 1585 Whereby on either side it was concluded That during the warre against the enemies of the said countries as strangers malecontents and their adherents her Maiestie will at her owne cost entertaine beside the garrisons of the townes and forts promised to her Maiestie for assurance of repaiment of such summes of money as she shall disburse to releeue and succour the sayd Prouinces and maintaine them in the true christian religion their franchises priuiledges laws the number of six thousand foot and one thousand horse conducted by a Gouernour Generall being a Lord of name and qualitie and of the reformed Religion together with other good Captaines on condition that the sayd Prouinces generally and euerie of them in particular shall be bound and obliged to repay vnto her Maiestie the sayd summes by a certaine limited time after the warre and for assurance of the said perfect and entire paiment the townes forts of Briell Flessingue the castle of Rammekens should be consigned to her sayd Maiestie the which by her or her successors the said payment once made should without any difficultie or claime to them be restored to the aboue mentioned States and Prouinces without deliuering them to the King of Spain or other enemies of the said countries or to any other Prince or Lord but should in the meane time be kept for her Maiesties assurance and profit of the States of the said countries The which Gouernour with two other men of note sent from her Maiestie and being her subiects should haue place in the Councell of State of the vnited Prouinces together with it to manage the affaires concerning the common defence vnion of the said countries According to this Treatie the foresayd towns forts being consigned to her Maiestie it hath pleased her to send hither with Commission of Gouernor Generall of her troupes the illustrious and mightie Lord Robert Earle of Leycester Baron of Denbigh c. And we haue besides thought good to require accept and make him Gouernour and Captaine Generall ouer all the vnited Prouinces townes and associated members thereof which place his aboue named Excellency hauing accepted with reseruation of his homage and fealtie due vnto her Maiestie all Gouernours of Prouinces townes and members thereof likewise all Officers Iustices and Souldiers were by oath bound vnto his Excellencie as Gouernour and Captaine Generall of the Low Countries both in generall and particular But as it hath pleased her Maiestie to call home his said Excellencie to imploy him for other seruices in her owne kingdome so as vpon this occasion he being no longer able to gouerne these countries or accomplish the tenor of his Commission according as the present necessitie of these countries doe require hath discharged and vnburthened himselfe of the said office of Gouernour and Captaine Generall of these vnited Prouinces and from the Commission which we gaue him and deliuered it vp againe to vs as appeares by an Act signed and sealed with his owne hand made in the citie of London and dated the seuenteenth of December 1587. That it hath likewise pleased her Maiestie by Commission dated the foure and twentieth of the said month to appoint Peregrin Lord Willoughbie c. Gouernor Generall of her troupes in these countries And considering that in the present state and necessitie of these countries they cannot but be greatly endangered wanting a Gouernour Generall
lord Willoughby General of the English came to Berghen and had made Sir William Drury knight gouernor of the towne The next day they mustered had in all 12 ensignes of foot 9 of which lay in the towne the other 3 in the forts besides 4 cornets of horse The Dutch captaines were Paul Marcelis Bacx brethren the English were commaunded by captain Parker captain Pooly who was cornet to my lord Willoughby From Holland they receiued a certaine quantitie of powder The Forts whereof we now spake are vpon the hauen which being too farre off from the townes defence sundrie Forts were made to secure it For the hauens mouth lieth 532 foot from the towne from S. Iames his gate it extends 535 foot towards the North and from thence falleth into the Scheld In this turning stands the first which is called the little Fort because it is lesser than any of the rest The other Fort lieth 3320 foot from the head and is called Valkenbourg by the first Captaines name that kept it from thence ye goe to the North Fort distant from the Houdt-port two thousand nine hundred and sixtie foot In Southland nere to Valkenbourg stands the new Fort diuided onely from Valkenbourg by the Dike and this Fort lies open behind By a conduit they can emptie the water of the Dike into the hauen or keepe it in at their pleasure From the new Fort they haue made a new dike as farre as the towne which is commonly called the new hauen Right ouer against the lesser Fort the sluces of the hauen of Northland were opened to keepe the enemie from accesse to the North for t The Lord Willoughby went into Holland to my Lords the States to take order for al necessarie prouisions for the town But before his departure he conferred with the Magistrat and appointed the towne to be diuided into eight quarters and euerie quarter to be commanded by a sherife to ouersee the Burghers and to looke that they laboured in the fortifying of those parts of the towne that were weakest The Burgomasters for that yeare were Frauncis Manteau and Peter Suidlants the Sherifes were William Frauncis the old Burgomaster Cornelius Iohn Cornelius Denis Marke Martin Adrian Iohn Iohn Clarke and Cornelius of Heusden The receiuers were Marin Nicholas the old Burgomaster Nicholas de Ranst When the sherifs vpon important businesse could not ouersee the workmen then some of the chiefe Burghers of euerie quarter supplied their places Foure dayes after the Lord Willoughbies departure the Burghers began at S. Iames his gate as ye go from the head to the new worke making first a trench vpon the bank or causey which leads from the same gate to the new hauen All along the hedge which is planted from the powder tower to the woodden gate fortifications were likewise made in manner of trenches they did also labor verie diligently in other places On the high way from Wouwe some of the enemies horse were descried wherupon the sentinel on the watch tower rang the alarm bell Sir William Drury the gouernour made a sallie and caused the enemie to retire All the horse troopes in the towne followed the gouernour who with those forces that sailled with him pursued the enemie euen to Wouwe part of the horse and foot made a stand at the entring of the heath of Wouwe and the Downes of Berghen In the meane time the gouernour returned hauing lost one of his horsemen and two horse for he went as farre as the Churchyard of Wouwe where he skirmished with many of the enemies Diuers condemned this his attempt saying that he had greatly endaungered himselfe and the towne by his too greedie desire of fight For the enemie was superiour to him in strength and he had too farre engaged himselfe to returne with safetie to the towne if the enemie should haue assailed him Returning from this sallie he caused the bridge at the Bulwarke of Helstede to be broken down for they that had vndertaken the works had made a bridge ouer the dike to fetch earth from the hill of Varij-Bogaert to make an end of their worke Cornelius Iohn the cities sherife sent messengers from the comminaltie of the towne into Zeland to aduertize my Lords the States that the enemie threatned to besiege the towne of Berghen and to that end lay with his campe at Wouwe and that the towne was badly prouided of necessaries for maintenance of a siege and that therefore the magistrats of Berghen besought them of aid and assistance in their necessitie as their neighbours and confederats that the cause was common for if Berghen should bee lost the Islands of Zeland would bee mightily endaungered The next day which was the 14 a boat came from Zeland loden with plankes and other necessaries And because the States of Holland Zeland those of the town of Dort did during the siege carefully send prouision of all necessaries to the towne In that regard I will truly say that it was wel prouided of corne butter cheese salt herring salt fish hay straw oates powder plankes nayles lead bullets match pike oziertwigs to make gabions c. The Zelanders sent fiue Culuerins of Portugal each of them carrying a bullet of 26 pound weight they were of those which Peter Vander Does Vice-Admirall of Holland found in the Gallion of D. Diego Pimentell which he tooke nere to Blankenberg and brought to Flushing The enemies horse shewing themselues againe on the high way of Wouwe were soone put to flight by our men because their number was not great About the same time diuers fires were seene betwixt Rosendael Calmthout made by such as went from Calmthout towards Steenberghen to assemble all their forces to go and inuade the land of Tertholen as it afterwards appeared For the night before the 17 of September great numbers of the enemie vnder the conduct of the Lord of Montigni went along the bank called Matreben to a place called Eendrecht meaning to surprise the Island All the causey of Tertholen especially where the water is so low as the riuer may be crossed is fortified with a trench and forts well mand with soldiers are made in many needfull places The Count of Solms was gouernour of the Island There where the enemie thought to passe is a large extent of ground where on Tertholens side are 3 forts the one Southward towards Tholen called the Botshoost that in the middest is called Papen-mutse or priests cap because it is square and the third stretching Northward is stiled the new Weer or passage The water being low certaine ensignes attempted to passe ouer to the Fort of Papen-mutse But the water was not so shallow as they imagined and the current was verie strong so that diuers of them were drowned and slaine by our mens shot some of them notwithstanding passed ouer and being protected by the banke made signes to their fellowes to come ouer But all this beeing to no purpose because the rest
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
seuen thousand one hundred and thirtie foot The Drossart Burgomasters and the two preachers namely Iacob Baselis the elder and Iacob Baselis the yonger did so farre preuaile with the Burghers by remembring them of their duetie due to their country as they voluntarily offered their labor for ending of the work euerie man promising to be readie at the sound of the drumme The afternoone Sermon ended for it was vpon Sunday the drumme began to sound The Burgomaster Sudland with certain of the Magistrats Iacob Baselis the younger with the elders of the Church euerie man a shouel in his hand did in the euening meet at the place where the fort was to be built and were in a maner followed by all the Burghers A cornet of horse was sent forth to defend them from the enemie if he should haue come downe from Burghvliet But because the plot of the worke was not yet made and those which should haue made it different in opinion nothing was done that night The Italians that lay in campe nere to S. Geertrudes seeing so many men assembled vpon the Southland causie right ouer against them went forth to see what it meaned they set Sentinels euerie where and were all of them vp in armes The next day being the â—7 of October they diligently began the worke The eighteenth of October our men made an other sallie on Steenberghens side but the enemie kept himselfe within his trenches and would not come forth whereupon they returned to the towne On the twentieth of October at night the enemie cunningly thought to haue surprized the North Fort the manner whereof I will set downe at large We haue heretofore mentioned how that our horsemen some two or three dayes before the siege had taken two Spaniards prisoners These were committed to the keeping of an English victualler called Redhead of whom Grimston ensigne to Baskervile bought his prouision by this meanes both of them fell acquainted with the prisoners who did at last earnestly solicit them to doe some notable seruice to the king of Spaine This did they discouer to the Lord Willoughby and craued his aduice how they should proceed with the Spanish prisoners Willoughby injoyned them to treat with them about yeelding vp the North Fort to the Duke of Parma After sundrie conferences and consultations with the prisoners they did in the end agree to deliuer vp the Fort which was an easie matter for the ensigne to do who was oftentimes captaine of the watch of the Fort when Baskerviles companie had the gard of it This thus concluded the ensigne and victualler feigned themselues fugitiues and caried the prisoners letters to the Duke of Parma vnto whom they had many times written about that businesse On the 20 of October when it was darke they went to the duke who to this end did the same night lodge at the low Northgeest telling him that all things were in readinesse for the surrender of the Fort It is reported that he stood in some doubt of them and that therefore he made sundrie demands concerning the fort as who commaunded in it how many souldiers it had and by what meanes they would deliuer it vnto him That he did beside take their oath that they should deale faithfully with him therein causing them to receiue the Sacrament of the Altar as the Papists terme it Being assured of their loyaltie he gaue to each of them a chaine of gold promising them a good summe of money the deed being once done Then hee made choyce of a certaine number of his best souldiers to goe and receiue the Fort in his name and caused Grimstons and the victuallers hands to be bound behind them with match and gaue two ponyards to two souldiers commaunding them to kill them if they perceiued the least suspition by the way The Lord Willoughby in the meane time manned the Fort with valiant soldiers and on each side of the causies placed certain numbers of musketiers in the gate whereat the enemie was to enter he caused an yron port-cullis to be hung vp by roopes which cut the port-cullis would fall downe and stop the passage All these things being in readinesse Willoughby with great deuotion attends the enemies comming At last they came forward passing at a low water the drowned North-land and found the gate open according to promise There stood one likewise at the gate who in the Spanish tongue welcomed them When some fiftie of the chiefe were entred the Lord Willoughby with his owne hand did cut the cords and so stopt vp the passage that no more could enter Those within the Fort charged the enemies most of whom were slaine and the rest taken prisoners Grimston and the victualler perceiuing hosetâ— at kept them to be amazed escaped Those abroad finding themselues thus deluded did by force plucke vp the pallizadoes and gaue a fierce assault but all in vaine for they could not reach the highest pallizado those within the sort saluted them with harquebuze shot The enemie being thus beguiled threw away their armes fled those that were in ambush on the causie did with great noice break forth charged the flying enemie making great slaughter among them In the meane time the tide came in so as diuers of the enemies thinking to escape fell into the dikes of Northland and were drowned Three hundred of them were slayne and as many wounded as was afterwards knowne by certaine prisoners The chiefe prisoners were D. Iuan de Mendoza a man of good yeares who afterwards died in the Hospitall of his wounds and another D. Iuan de Mendoza a yong man Gregorio Vites Christofero de Porres Godefredo Gordone Tristano Lignicable and Alonzo Idiaques all Dons as the Spanyard termes them and men of noble houses The next day no ensignes were seen wauing in both the camps which was a signe that the enemie lamented the losse of his men the two Spanish prisoners by sentence of the Councell of war were hanged for that being prisoners they had sollicited the ensigne victualler to commit treason Much good ensued to vs hereby For by this meanes we were wholly freed froÌ„ feare of treacherie because the enemie being thus deceiued wold neuer giue credit to any other though they meant neuer so faithfully and yet Grimston and the victualler were condemned by all men for renouncing their Religion and for perjurie so as their owne Nation did greatly tax them And it is credibly reported that a certaine great man of England did in this maner recommended them to her Majestie vnto whom they went to craue recompence for their seruice Madame quoth he there are diuers forcible reasons why these men should be honourably rewarded for if those who onely expose their bodies doe deserue what doe they which haue aduentured both bodie and soule Those of the towne had true intelligence that the remainder of the Spanish fleet perished on the Scottish and Irish coast so as verie few of
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
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
take the Towne of Hulst in the view of Mondragon and those of Antuerpe And now in winter Nimmeguen the chiefe Towne of Guelderland making the Waell her frontier He had another enterprise vpon Geertrudenberg in December and departing secretly from the Hague with one thousand sixe hundred men they mounted the wall by Scalado but they were repulsed with losse of two Captaines A certain place called Alpen was likewise surprized by the garrison of Nimmeguen the same yere 1591. My Lords the States made gold siluer and brasse coyne in perpetuall memorie of these victories and taking of Zutphen Deuenter Hulst Nimmeguen and other Forts attributing the whole honour and glorie vnto God The towne of Steenwijck is besieged and taken in anno 1592. HIs Excellencie of Nassau hauing woon the towne and fort of Nimmeguen reducing them vnder the States obedience after that he had rested all winter did again march into the field departed from the Hague on the 10 of May 1592 accompanied with the Earles Hohenlo and Solms his Councell of war were the Lord of Barchon as Marshall of the campe Count Philip of Nassau Generall of the horse the Lord of Famas master of the ordnance Captaine Craiessonier Serjeant Major with other commanders and Colonels as Sir Frauncis Veer Floris of Brederode Morney Dorp Groenevelt and other Captains of great experience The Lord of Gryse was Prouidator generall There were beside certaine counsellors of State and commissiones of the prouinces whether the armie was to march all seruing for direction and ordering of al necessaries belonging to the ordnance ammunition treasure and victuals with their dependants The armie consisted of 6000 foot and 2000 horse with which his Excellencie departed towards Steenwijck with all his prouisions where he encamped on the 28 of May. Steenwijck is a towne in the prouince of Ouer-Yssell standing vpon a small riuer called Blockziell which nere to Meppell a mile from Steenwijck emptieth it selfe into Zuidersea it is a passage into Frizeland seruing for defence to a great extent of ground being verie strong in rampiers it was verie well manned for there were 16 ensignes of foot certaine troopes of horse in it The gouernour was a braue and well experienced Captaine his name was Antonio de Quocquelle there were diuers other Lords and Earles in it as Count Lodwick yonger brother to Count Berguen the Lord of Waterdijke with omen of note The towne was well prouided and wanted nothing but powder whereof a great quantitie was sent forth of Germanie which passing through the Countrie of Munster was seazed on by the inhabitants in recompence of a certaine bootie which the Duke of Parmas souldiers had taked from them Before we come to the siege of Steenwijck we will speake of a certaine enterprise which was intended vnder colour of this siege The Spaniards and those of Steenwijck thought to haue surprized the towne of Enchuysen by meanes of a certain mariner that dwelt there who was lately come from Spaine where he had spoken with the king and had receiued a good summe of money both of his Majestie and Duke of Parma as well for his owne seruice which he was to doe as to win other Captaines and souldiers to embrace the enterprise But this Burgher bewrayed all to my Lords the States and to his Excellencie of whom he receiued such instructions as he persuaded the Spaniards that the best way was to attempt the Hauen and to that end they should send a thousand men from Steenwijck which was not farre off which should be shipt in a night in the beginning of May whom he without any suspition would conduct hauing alreadie woon the captaines and chiefe of the towne who wrote v pon their credits all things were sure And the better to colour it and to blind those of Steenwijck this Burgher offered to remaine as hostage among them and to vndergoe all manner of punishment if he should deale otherwise than faithfully with them or if matters succeeded not well according to his direction And in the meane space Prince Maurice should be at the same time in Enchuysen to surprise the surprisers which might easily be done because that the Hauen is drie at low water and hauing taken them all prisoners he should presently send his armie before Steenwijck to besiege it and threaten them that vnlesse they would presently deliuer this Burgher he would hang vp all his prisoners but somewhat croft this businesse so as the enterprise went not forward yet Prince Maurice went on with his armie to besiege Steenwijck From the thirteenth of May till the ninth of Iune his Excellencie was busied in making of trenches and finding out solid and fast ground whereon to plant his canon he made a Cauallier of 19 foot high on which he layd three pieces wherewith to beat down their defences and lay them open fortie fiue pieces being planted on the thirteenth of Iune the towne was battered yet at that time they did no great matter for they could hardly batter the curtains notwithstanding they discarged many thousand shot They shot wild fire into the towne which at first did terrifie them but it was soone quenched His Excellencie perceiuing that the canon was to smal purpose and that those in the towne did not greatly regard it resolued to shoot no more but made two mynes towards the Counter-scarp which likewise did no great matter they digged till they came vnder the Counter-scarp which he woon from them and in a certain place at the foot of the pallisado discouered how they within laboured in the dikes so as to giue an assault wold be but lost labor vnesse those within were beaten from thence and therefore they brought certain pieces into sundrie places in the dike to beat down the fortification at the foot of the pallizado being protected by their canon they came into the dike where they shadowed themselues so well as the townesmen could not hurt them so as by that means they possest the foot of the rampier of the principal Bulwark on the East side where they digged 23 foot vnder the ground ere they came to make any chambers they spent to daies in this work du ring which time the besieged made 2 sallies in the first they tooke an ensigne defeated certaine Englishmen in the 2 they slew captaine Olthof who in the former siege had bin in the towne defēded it with certain others of note part of those which had the gard in that place Our mē cold neuer take any of the besieged prisoners On the 23 of Iune the besigers batered one of the towns rauelins when those within perceiued the battery they forsooke it From the 24 till the 27 of Iune our men were busied in making a woodden tower on wheeles which in Dutch is called Lijmstang in English discouer Pot it was inuented by captain Iohn Corput of Breda This Tower was square and made of Mastes fastened together by yron vices there were nine
the Captaine and his two sonnes were burnt and blowne vp Expecting the tide the two Admerals sent for six great vessels each of them manned with foure hundred musketiers to boord the Spanish gallions being not willing to hazard the Queenes ships Six ships of Lubeck and Dansk were sent from the fleet but they fell foule of the others and peraduenture willingly so as the earle of Essex about noone did set saile the like did the Lord Admerall but the Earles ship drawing too much water he went aboord sir Robert Dudleis who was base sonne to the earle of Leycester All the commaunders being aboord the generall they resolued to assaile the gallions commaunding the Lord Howard and sir Walter Raleigh to begin and they would follow So soone as these began to hoist saile the Spaniards fled towards the shore and sands on Puerto Reals side where their ships ran on ground and themselues leaped into small boats the better to get on shore and those which could not get into the boats aduentured to swimme and beeing many in number most of them perished The S. Mathew and S. Andrew were saued from running on ground and were carried away each of them were of one thousand tunne The two Easterlings ran on shore and were burnt As Raleigh thought to haue boorded the great gallion S. Philip a Negro gaue fire to the powder and escaped by swimming It gaue so great a cracke as the mast was blowne vp into the aire as if it had beene an arrow a Pinnace that lay neere it was likewise burnt but the men escaped in boats The other Gallion called S. Thomas was likewise blowne vp but did no harme to the English The Gallies fled towards the bridge of the Isle del Suazzo The Indian fleet lay about two leagues higher vp in the Riuer neere to Medina This fleet thus broken burnt and scattered the Generall began to land his men and to assault the towne of Cales The Hollanders and Zelanders tooke the Fort of Puntall by force and in it presently displaied and erected the Lord of Warmonts ensigne this discouraged those of Cales and encouraged the rest which landed neere the Fort who began to put themselues in order The earle of Essex led the vantguard the Lord Admerall commanded the battell and sir Iohn Winckfield led the rereward Vpon news of the Englishmens approach the gallants and nobilitie neere to Cales who are called Los Cauallieros de Xeres had armed themselues and were for the most part better furnished with braue horse than valour These with 600 foot drawne from Cales did presently offer skirmish Count Lodwick of Nassau whom the earle of Essex had honoured with the conduct of the voluntarie gentlemen went forward to encounter them and neere to him Melchior Leben one of Prince Maurice his Gentlemen and with them the General and sir Francis Veer with some foure hundred armed pikes and a braue companie of musketiers which stood behind a sand hil these men did put the Cauallieros to rout killing many of them some of whom for sooke their horse and fled towards the towne which was shut against them others fled to a bulwarke without the towne but perceiuing that Count Lodwick began to assaile and mount it they presently fled through the Dikes into the Towne at a place which was scarce made vp leading their enemies the way who presently pursued them and slid downe by their pikes into the towne running to open the gates for the Generall The earle of Sussex his companie was the first that entred who verie valiantly behaued himselfe the like did captaine Sauadge Bagnall Euants and others Captaine Nicholas Metkerck was hurt there and died within a while after yet before he died the General knighted him he was a braue and well experienced gentleman The English being thus within the town two companies of soldiers that lay there in garrison with many of the townesmen fled to the castle others with stones defended themselues in their houses But the Market place and town-house once taken euerie man yeelded without any great effusion of bloud Sir Iohn Winckfield who in former time had beene Gouernor of Geertrudenberg when it was sold and betrayed to the Duke of Parma being wounded rode vp and downe the Market place with his sword in hand being disarmed who not regarding the Marshal Veers good counsell that wished him either to arme himself or else to returne was shot into the head The Generals being busied in taking of the town forgat to pursue the Indian fleet Sir Edward Conway sir Christopher Blunt and sir Thomas Gerard offered with their souldiers in small boats to assaile and take it but Raleigh would not haue that honour taken from the Sea-men notwithstanding that the Earle of Essex and the Lord Admerall wold haue had it so and whilest they contested about it time passed away and they thought themselues sure enough of the fleet yet therein they were deceiued The towne taken and night being come the two Generals entreated sir Walter Raleigh to returne to the fleet to his ship fearing least the Galleis should the same night at a low water set fire on the ships promising to keepe his share of the bootie and to giue him a good quarter in the towne He craued leaue to goe and take the Indian fleet desiring no more than his owneship and twelue merchant men of London but the Generals entreated him to giue them time to consider of it till the next morning at which time sir Walter sent his brother in law Throgmorton Henrie Leonard and Iohn Gilbert knights to know their resolution but the Generals sent him word to come a shore to the towne In the meane time the committee of the contractation house with the purueior Pedro Herrera the Corrigidor other the kings officers in the town offered 2 millions of ducats or 600000 pound sterling for ransome of the fleet this did Raleigh oppugne saying that they ought first to be masters of the fleet and then ransome it afterwards for if alreadie they offered two millions they would giuefoure when it was taken whilest the English spent time in consultation the Spaniards day and night vnloded all the richest wares because that the Duke of Medina gouernour of S Lucars and those parts for the king had commaunded to burn the ships which was done vpon the third day before the ransome could be agreed vpon the men saued themselues and escaped so as the contractors that were onward on their way to negociat for the ransome perceiued the ships to be all on fire this was a sharpe and rigorous resolution for which the Duke was greatly contemned by those that had a share in this losse but he knew the king his Masters mind Three and thirtie great ships laden for the Indies were burnt beside fiue ships which came from S. Lucars three of which ran on ground it was the greatest and welthiest fleet that euer went to the Indies The most
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
much hurt done to the enemie forces as also because during this siege they haue wonne from the Archduke the townes of Rhynberck Graue and Sluce each of which is as much worth and as commodious for these countries as Ostend euer was or could haue beene On the other side seeing this siege was so notable as wee neuer read of the like and that the honour of our gallant Captaines and souldiers in defending it together with their braue exploits do manifestly therein appeare we should do them wrong to paste them ouer in silence Before we come to the description thereof we will first briefely speake of the situation of the towne and the duke of Parmas sundrie attemps vpon it and lastly what moued the Archduke to besiege it for it would be ouer tedious to set downe euerie daies actions there we will only touch the principall occurrences and whosoeuer is desirous to know more wee refer him to a Iournall that hath beene Printed thereof Ostend not long since was a small contemptible towne fortified at first against the enemies incursions with woodden gates and Pallisadoes sixe yeares after videlicet in an 1572 the States of the vnited Prouinces hauing wel considered the scituation and commodiousnesse thereof caused it to be so strongly fortified as the duke of Parma by reason of alteration in the gouernement hauing woon the townes of Dunkerke and Niewport comming before Ostend could not take it for considering with himselfe that he should lose much and winne little by tarrying there after some 5 dayes lying before it he departed thence in anno 1583. Since that time Ostend continuing vnder the States gouernement they haue omitted nothing necessarie for the fortifying and assurance thereof and in anno 1600 it was so well fenced not onely within by renewing and heighthening the bulwarkes and rampiers but likewise without by new dikes and counterscarpes as we may rightly number it among the most impregnable places of Europe for the rampiers within were verie high and diuided by a deepe ditch from the counterscarpes without which tooke all hope from the enemie of being able to force or hold them Beside it seemeth that Nature by this Towne was willing to shew the world some raritie for within these few yeares the Sea hath made it more impregnable than before by a new rupture on the East-side of the towne which they terme the gullet it is in breadth aboue one hundred foot and within the land the depth of two pikes euen at low water and in the Sea where it takes it originall it is not halfe fathom deepe It cannot be denied but it hath euer had a Hauen but the old is not comparable to the new for the old Hauen euerie six houres at an ebbe leaues to that which encloseth the Towne a free accesse and meanes to fill it vp so as no boats can that way enter without great danger The generall States for the better defence of the towne hauing caused the sand hils on the East-side which are neere the Gullet whose height command it to be leuelled the sea at euery Tide doth so fill the leuelled place as the seemeth vnto mans judgement that no meanes can be found to take that Hauen from the towne for commonly at euerie Tide the Sea riseth so high as it extendes it selfe 1200 paces beyond the Towne and at full sea a league into the countrie so as the whole land round about is filled with water together with many dikes and ruptures so that without great daunger a man can hardly passe In a word whatsoeuer might serue for the strengthning and assurance of a towne hath not beene omitted or spared for any cost whatsoeuer for Ostend stands so as it can keepe a great part of Flaunders euerie way vnder contribution whereupon the Flemings haue still gone about to make it theirs and since that the Prince of Parma was enforced to giue ouer his seige before it they haue by all meanes sought to surprise it on the sodaine or otherwise and among others La Motte gouernour of Flaunders in anno 1585 hauing along the sea shore surprised the old towne which was onely fortified with a Raueling and Pallisadoes attempted to fortifie and intrench himsefe there but hee was driuen thence with great losse of men among whom fortie of his Captaines were slaine Againe in anno 1596 after Archduke Albert had taken Calais the States of Flaunders did earnestly solicite him to imploy his forces in besieging Ostend and to that end promised to giue him beside the ordinarie allowance of three moneths three hundred thousand florins to which motion his Highnesse in part seemed to encline taking certaine summes of mony before hand yet hee onely shewed himselfe before the towne and hauing viewed it presently went thence This attempt beeing vaine and perceiuing that stratagems and sodaine surprisals made the souldiers of Ostend more vigilant they watched a time till the Archdukes armie enuaded the fontiers of Holland amusing the States of the vnited Prouinces thereby to diuert their forces from Flaunders and Brabant and then they built seuenteene or eighteene forts about the towne therein following the direction of a reuolted corporall who had a long time serued in Ostend knew what would most annoy them this they did to stop the incursions of those of Ostend and to cut off the contributions which they raised in the countrie But time and experience taught them that the intertainment of the Garrisons which they were to keepe in the said forts amounted to more than the contribution which the townesmen raised vpon the countrie and besides that the roades of them which lay in Gartison in the forts were more hurtfull than the contributions so as at last they were so earnest with the Archduke shewing him the necessitie of the matter and how hee ought to lay hold on that occasion his Excellencie lying then before Berck with diuers other reasons which they alledged as his highnesse was moued to enterprise and beginne this siege and to this end on the fift of Iuly 1â—01 hee sent Count Frederick Vanden Bergh thither as marshall of the Camp with foure regiments of souldiers who encamped on the downes Eastward from the towne and the next day plaied with foure canon vpon it to giue them notice of his arriuall and the same day after noone D. Augustino de Mexia gouernour of the castle of Antuerpe came thither with 5 regiments making vp the number of 8000 men and foure Cornets of horse who encamped on the West side of the town that hee might lie betwixt the forts of Isabella and Albert but those of the towne shot so at him as with losse he was enforced to retire to the downes from whence by little and little hee made his approches with entrenchments and so planted his canon In the towne were one and twentie camps of souldiers of sundry regiments and one companie of Burgers it was well stored with ordnance munition victuals and all necessaries the Lord
duties and not bee too hastie in shooting but to do it opportunely ¶ A Description of the fierce and bloudie assault made vpon the old towne of Ostend and other forts on the seuenth of Ianuarie 1602. AFter that the Archduke on the seuenth of Ianuarie had with his ordnance all the day long plaied vpon the Sand hill and places neere to Helmont the Porcuspine and others from his two batteries namely that beneath the downes vpon the cauallier and the other to the Southward with eighteene great Canon carying bullets of fortie and fiftie pound weight beside his battery on the East side about 6 of the clock in the euening when it was low water hee enforced his foot men to giue a furious assault causing his cauallery to push them forward First with great noyce they assailed the old towne whereinto they came along by the Western hauen beginning at the Sand hill and so going on with many light ladders and bridges for assault which they carried with them to skale the towne for the pallizadoes which were wont to bee there were all burnt This assault was so fierce and made by so many troops in sundrie places at once as it seemed they would haue taken the towne and made passage through a wall of steele But Generall Vere who had an eye to euerie place together with his brother Horatio who was neere him with a gallant troope of choice souldiers to second and relieue where need should bee marched ouer the mines to the falce-bray where with great cries he assailed the Archdukes troopes whom hee thrice repulsed for as often as they came on with fresh men so often did hee beat them off their shot and pikes doing them small good against the English who at euery time made hauock among them with their short swords It cannot be denied but that the Archdukes souldiers did verie valiantly behaue themselues assailing their enemies on euerie side without feare but their comming beeing knowne and expected they receiued such entertainment as they had soone their bellies full for they in the towne had their cates readie which so soone as the enemies tasted many of them could neuer digest all places were so well fortified as their condition here would haue resembled that of their fellowes in the halfe moon on the further side of the Gullet if they had become masters of the place The assault on the East side was giuen very neere 2 houres too late so as the tide began to rise which did not a little terrifie them perceiuing that if they staid there any longer they could not be relieued whereupon they retired in their retreat a great slaughter was made for our men with great and small shot which could not misse thundred among them The Archduks soldiers gaue the like assault to the Bulwarks of Helmont the Porcuspine and all other trenches belonging to the English wherein few men were which the Generall had done of purpose so as they were easily taken but within a while after forces beeing sent from the towne namely from the Polder and Southren bulwarks with their Rauelins and the enemie perceiuing they could not that way gaine any accesse into the towne forsooke those forts againe setting fire on the corps de gard Generall Vere had caused two double canon to bee planted on the flanquers of the West gate beside the seuen which were there alreadie the which with others scoured the Sand hill and West Rauelin where the assault was giuen being charged with chaine shot nailes and bags full of musket bullets which could not misse the enemieâ— on whom they fell as thicke as haile and made a terrible slaughter the crie beeing so great among those that were hurt as the liuing and dead fell in heapes one vpon an other In the hottest of the assault as the tide was risen Generall Vere vnstopt the Sluces the more to terrifie the enemies who saw pale death on euerie side before their eyes which hee considering would not omit that occasion but with his troops so furiously assailed them as hee did wholy put them to rout taking all the enemies ladders bridges of assault and other warlike engines leauing all places neere to the Sand hill as farre as the old Church and round about the Porcuspine the Westren Rauelin and the English trenches filled with dead bodies the number of those that were slaine by the Canon and smal shot was very great and no lesse was that of those that were drowned in the Sea for many of them were taken vp beyond Callais in France and in Zealand where they were stript the booty was verie great both in monie garments and faire armor and among other a Spanish woman was found in mans apparrell who had been at the assault as appeared by hir wounds shee lay at the foot of the Sand hill vnder hir garments shee had a chaine of gold inriched with pretious stones beside other iewels and monie The Archduke during the assault was in person behind his batteries vpon the Caualliers Those which assaulted the towne had brought victuals with them for two or three daies though in vaine and made all manner of prouisions for intrenchment if their attempt had prospered they had likewise brought sixe barrels of powder to the Rauelin of the Porcuspine to vndermine the towne but they were soone enforced to abandon all for the besieged had of set purpose dismounted the ordnance on the falce-bray and porcuspine because the enemie should not vse them to the townes detriment The assault beginning on euerie side the Archdukes men were gotten on the West side beyond the Gullet hauing many bridges on which to passe ouer at their pleasure and to assault the old towne likewise on that side There was great likelihoode that thiâ— assault would haue had good successe considering the great number of those that might haue seconded whom the besieged could not haue well resisted had it not beene preuented by one that went and yeelded to the enemie and likewise by the rising of the tide this reuolted fellowe ranne forth of the halfe moone and told them that there were but fortie men in it offering to conduct them thither and to giue them entrance which hee did so as they easily tooke it not considering that their aduerse party had done it of purpose to diuide their enemies forces the better to bee able to defend the most dangerous places where the assault should bee gâ—uen being well assured that they could with more ease recouer the said place than the enemy take it The said halfe moone being taken and many men placed in it they presently began to intrench themselues with spades and mattocks which they had brought with them for that purpose but all their labour and diligence was in vaine For the ordnance and small shot from the South side and Spanish bulwarke fel so thick vpon them as heads armes and leggs flew euerie where and perceiuing that the Sea might inclose them they grew fearefull which the
receiued nine peece of ordnance hee plaied six houres long vpon the said fort and on Trivulcio his troops more to shew he had ordnance than for any hope hee had to winne the fort because the enemie grew wilfull and obstinate making shew of defence And therefore dispairing to doe any good there hee comaunded his Gunners to shoot till the euening and then to remoue the ordnance and carie it backe againe to Cadâ—and By the way one of the canons by chaunce sanke into a bogge whereupon the mariners and those that had charge of it did with great noice and stir their best to recouer it vnwilling to receiue such a disgrace as to loose a piece of ordnance Those of S. Catherines fort were amazed thinking that they went about to plant their ordnance some where else and likewise the horse finding no fitter way to returne than vnder the forts trenches made those within it to beleeue that his Excellencie had receiued more men with them to intercept their way to Philips skonce whereupon Trivulcio with his troopes and those Keurlingen or Boores who were many did all of them in amazement retire to Philips skonce and from thence to Isendike abandoning S. Catherines fort and by the way left some sixtie souldiers in Philips fort who the next day perceiuing the approach of his Excellencies troopes yeelded it vp on the second of May. From thence his Excellencie went to Isendike which he presently inclosed whereinto the enemie on the fourth of May thought to haue put forces but certaine troopes of horse and foot beeing sent to stop their passage they fled to the s' Tas whereby the said place was the better fortified The 6 of May those of Sluce came with forces from the camp before Ostend and made a sallie with two thousand men with certain shallops and Gallies where with to enter into the Countrie of Cadsand where they landed six hundred men ere those that garded the Island perceiued it who presently gaue an alarme and with two Scottish companies that lay in gard there fel vpon them and draue them in disorder to their boats some of which being ouer-loden sunke diuers of them were slaine and fortie were taken prisoners and eight shallops were taken from them If this enterprise of theirs had prospered Prince Maurice had in an instant lost all his boats and munition and his attempt would haue beene to no purpose His Excellencie in the meane time caused the fort of Isendike to bee summoned which is a verie commodious place and well seated but they within it answered that they would not yeeld because they expected supplies whereupon his Excellencie caused it to bee battered knowing well enough that they wanted all prouisions especially drinke and fresh water The ninth of May Prince Maurice sent his Trumpet to summon them the second time who was shot into the head by some in the fort this did so incense his Excellencie as hee did his best to reuenge himselfe on those that had shewed so bad an example whereupon they were so daunted as they presently craued parlie which his Excellencie would not grant till an Italian souldier that had slaine his Trumpet was deliuered vnto him which done those of the fort capitulated that the Gouernour and souldiers should depart with their armes but without found of Drum or displaied Ensignes to the s'Tas with boats to carrie their baggage on condition not to serue in Flaunders against his Excellencie for the space of foure moneths and so on the tenth of May sixe hundred of them went thence most of whom were Italians The Gouernour was afterwards called in question for deliuering it vp but did with honour acquit himselfe and Captaine Rolle was made Gouernour of the fort After the taking of Isendike they resolued to passe on towards Ardenbourg and on the 12 of May his Excellencie went thither by land and water In the towne were sixe companies of Almans who might easily haue defended it if they could haue made neuer so little resistance but being amazed they fled thence so as his Excellencie without any stroke at all tooke it this towne was verie desolate but excellently well seated to bridle the Sluce Of the goodly Church that was in it in former time nothing was to bee seene but the walls certaine Marble Pillars and two Towers His Excellencie did forthwith put Count Ernest and his men into the towne and commaunded one rauelin to be made before euerie gate and then caused the armie to march to another open ruinous town called Middelbourg in Flaunders where there is a Castle from whence those that keepe it fled because it was not tenable His Excellencie on the foureteenth sent his Cauallerie to make a road towards Eclo to defeat a foot regiment which was going from Gaunt to Bruges but they came a little too late The sixteenth of May his Excellencie sent certaine horse and foot from Ardenbourg towards the Soute and Soete which are two channels the one of salt water the other of fresh comming from Dam and Bruges and meet together neere Sluce they are both nauigaâ—le There they found D. Lewis de Velasco who had fortified himselfe neere to a little Sluce vpon the riuer which comes downe from Moerkerck and Lapschueâ—â— neere Stampers point where with aduauntage he waited it being a narrow passage for horsemen whereupon Velasco his Cauallerie did on a sodaine charge the Captaines Gent and Bacx and presently ouerthrew many horse diuers were taken prisoners and Bacx was hurt in the legge but they were rescued by the Fanterie who comming on and charging in great the Spaniards were beaten and fiue hundred of them lay dead on the place and three hundred prisoners were taken among whom were eleuen Captains and in their companie one of Spinolas kinsmen The seuenteenth of May his Excellencies souldiers went towards the Soute where the Spaniards lay with thirteene or foureteene ensignes betwixt that place and the Soete where they were intrâ—nched his Excellencie caused the canon to be planted making shew as if he meant to passe there but hauing espied another place somewhat lower the eighteenth before day he passed ouer his horse and foot at a low water and tooke some of their trenches whereupon the Spaniards forsaking their aduantage fled towards Dam fearing to bee inclosed so as Prince Maurice made an other bridge ouer the Soete and sent his horse on the West side of the hauen of Sluce where the Spaniards forsooke all their forts that of S. George except seated at the mouth of the Hauen commaunded by a Captaine called Cordua of Burges his Excellencie presently enuironed it and so soone as they within it saw the canon they yeelded and went thence on the three and twentieth of May beeing in all one hundred and thirtie men The fort was well prouided and had in it nine peece of ordnance and ten barrels of powder to which they had tied a burning match which after their departure would haue fired it but this