BY the wise gouernment of the Lords States in gene­rall of the vntied Prouin­ces in Netherland, and his Princelike Excellencie Maurice of Nassaw, there were staied and taken vp al about in the foresaid vnt­ted Prouinces, a very great number of ships: and so furnished with all maner of warlike mu­nition, to set forward towards the Enemies countrey; and hauing shipped all their horse and foote, they came the 13. of Aprill 1604. before Zeland.

The 14. his Excellencie and the Lords States came before the Castle of Ramekins, where the foresaid Nauie gathered them­selues together: Yet none of the Lordes States, nor his Excellencie, nor any other Lord, or principall man landed there, but re­mained all a shipboord; onely certaine Souldi­ers went a shore to Middleborrow, and other [Page] places in the Island to bay such things as they had néed of: which had warning in the euening towards eight of the clocke by the sound of the drumme, that all Souldiers vpon paine of death, should come a shipboord, and for that purpose were two of the gates of the said citie all night left open to let them passe out. As the Souldiers were come aboord, you might heare about twelue of the clocke at night, thrée great péeces of Ordinances to be shot of, when the ships set saile together, with faire weather, and a southeast winde, so that the foresaid shippes and Souldiers came by breake of day before Swarte-gate and Kerken-gate, in the Island of Casant, and there landed their men the 15. of the moneth aforesaid without the losse of anie one man.

They that laie about and in the Sconce cal­led Swarte-gate, with other little holdes there­abouts, ran al away: whereupon his Excellen­cie marched forward toward the forte of Hofsteede, the which he also tooke in, and went forward to the Sconce Lippenen, so named of the Captaine that held the same, whom his Ex­cellencie commanded to deliuer vp the saide Sconce; whose ansu ere was, that first he must sée his Canon: whereupon his Excellencie sent him word, that if he should but shoote one shot thereat, he would take none of them to mercy, and foorthwith he placed two péeces, whereup­on they within presently deliuered it vp, going [Page] out thereof with their weapons.

The enemie hearing of his Excellencies ap­proch, drew out foorthwith some part of their armie that lay before Ostend, and came the 15. day of the saide April on the west side of Sluis hauen.

The 16. day the Enemy there began to en­trench himselfe with a halfe-moone, to stop the comming ouer of his Excellencie, who the 17. and the 18. of the same moneth stirred not, till he had fortified himselfe in the Iland of Casant, as the Enemy did on the West side thereof: yet notwithstanding his Excellencie brought one of his Batteries vnder the Castle of Sluis, where he caused certaine shot to be made on the Gal­lies there, whereupon the Enemy caused them presently to be brought vp higher to the Towne of Sluis.

They of Sluis shot but little: His Excellen­cie would loose no time, but thought good to finde out another way to make his entrance in­to the maine-land of Flanders, and is therefore in the night, the 18. of Aprill aforesaid, gone by land, but the next day returned to his Quarter.

The night following, his Excellencie with a greater power goes forward, and takes in the Sconce of Coxie, and remained there the 20. day. Then his horse and foote make towards S. Catherines, and S. Phillip, where his Excel­lencie brought all his power, and vpon their May day, stilo nouo (being Philip and Iacobs day) [Page] made more than an hundred great shot at the Sconce of S. Philip and S. Catherine, before eight of the clocke in the Euening, and the whole Leaguer the whole night so bestirred themselues, that they within fearing some ge­nerall storme, ran all away, and so his Excel­lencie tooke in both the Sconces, to his great ioy and all his companie.

Hauing now set firme footing in Flanders, he goes presently to the Sconce of Isendijcke, a­bout which he entrencheth himselfe, & lodgeth his Armie so about it, shutting them so vp, that no man might either come foorth or goe in vnto them.

The Enemie lyeth on the West side of Sluis hauen, and causeth great stoore of Shallops from Bridges and Sluis to be brought, with two thousand men in them, meaning to take in Ca­sant againe. Our men suffered the Enemie to land to the number of some thousand, and so fell on them, and draue them to flight, which were the greatest part of them Spaniards and Italians, crying out, A la barea, A la barca. Fiue of their shallops runne a ground and were drowned, with the men in them, the rest slaine, ex­cept seuentéene that were taken, whereof thrée were brought to his Excellencie. Besides, our men got eight of the enemies Shallops.

His Excellencie goes forward with Isendijke, and in the night tooke one that salied out of the Sconce, who being examined, gaue to vnder­stand, [Page] That there was want of all things, except shot and fresh water.

His Exceliencie the 29. of Aprill, sent his Trumpet called Hans, to summon them to yéeld vp the Sconce; who at the second sound of the Trumpet, was shot in the head, of which he falles dead in the place. His, Excellencie hereat being very angry, sent forthwith a drum to demand him that had shot his Trumpet, to be deliuered out vnto him, otherwise he would receiue none of them to mercy: wherupon they sent out two Captaines, making excuse that they by no meanes could learne who had done the same: yet notwithstanding his Excellencie instantly demands that hee be deliuered before he will giue them any hearing, whereupon they returned to their Sconce; and in the Euening came to his Excellencie to parle about the deli­uery vp of the said Scance, which giueth them no hearing. At last they come againe bringing with them him that had shot his Trumpetter, (which was an Italian) Then his Excellencie giues them the hearing, and are agréed on such conditions as follow.