The spoyle of Antwerpe. Faithfully reported, by a true Englishman, who was present at the same. Nouem. 1576. Seene and allowed

The spoyle of Antwerpe. Faithfully reported, by a true Englishman, who was present at the same. Nouem. 1576. Seene and allowed

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Title page

❧ Faultes escaped, to be considered of the Readers: and to be amended, as followeth.

To the Reader.

¶ THE SPOYLE of Antwerpe.

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The Spoyle of Antwerpe. Faithfully reported, by a true Englishman, who was present at the same. Nouem. 1576.

Seene and allowed.

Printed at London by Richard Iones.

❧ Faultes escaped, to be considered of the Readers: and to be amended, as followeth.

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In. A. the third leafe, the second syde, and last lyne for, Fuora villiauo: reade, Fuora villiacco.

In. A. 4. leafe. 2. syde, and. 7. lyne: for, take Caues: reade▪ take Armes.

In. A. 6. leafe, the first side, and 20. lyne: for, West or Southwest: reade, East or Southeast.

In. B. the first leafe, and first syde, the 22. lyne: for, west syde: reade, east syde. And in the same leafe, the. 2. side, and. 7. lyne: for, Southwest syde: reade, Southeast syde. And in the. 15. lyne: for, East syde: reade, West syde.

In. B. 4. leafe. 2. syde. 9. lyne. for aeste ville: reade, ceste ville. And in the. 13. lyne, for Trumpete: reade, Trumpetter. And in the. 17. lyne: for Cauaille: reade, Canaille.

In. C. 1. leafe. 2. syde. 1. lyne: for fléeing: reade, flaying.

To the Reader.

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I Shall earnestlye require thee (gentle Reader) to correct the errors passed and escaped in printing of this Pamphlet, according to this table. And furthermore, to vnderstande that this victorye was obteyned with losse but of fyue hundreth Spanierds, or sixe at the moste: of whome I hearde no man of name recoumpted, sauing onely, Dom Emanuell. Thus muche [Page] (for haste) I had forgotten in the treatye, and therefore thought meete to place it here in the beginning: and therewithall to aduertise thee, that these outrages and disordered cruelties done to our nation, proceeded but from the cōmon Souldiers: neither was there any of the twelue which entred the englishe house, a man of any charge or reputacion. So that I hope (these extremyties notwithstanding) the king, their Maister, will take [Page] such good order for redresse thereof, as our countrymen in the end, shall rest satisfyed with reason, and the amytye betweene our moste gracious Soueraigne and him, shal remain also firme & vnuiolate: the which I pray God speedely to graunt for the benefyt of this Realme.

Amen.

¶ Note in the Modell: that the trowpe of Almaynes by the ryuers side, should be footemen. And also that the trowpe next the windemyl should be horsemen.

¶ THE SPOYLE of Antwerpe.

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SInce my hap was to bee present at so pitteous a spectakle, as the sackyng and spoyle of Antwerpe, (a lamentable example whiche hath alredy filled all Europe with dreadfull newes of great calamitie) I haue thought good for the benefit of my countrie, to publish a true report thereof. The which may aswell serue for profitable example vnto all estates of sutche condicion as suffred in the same: as also, answer all honest expectations with a meane truthe, set downe beetween thextreme surmises of sundry doubt full mindes: And encreased by the manyfolde light tales whiche haue been engendred by feareful or affectionate rehersals. And therwithall, [Page] if the wickednesse vsed in the sayde towne, doo seeme vnto the well disposed Reader, a sufficient cause of Gods so iust a scorge and Plague: and yet the furie of the vanquishers doo also seeme more barbarous and cruell, then may become a good christian conquerour: let these my few woords become a forewarnynge on bothe handes: and let them stande as a Lanterne of light beetween two perillous Rockes: That bothe amendyng the one, and detestynge the other, wee may gather fyre out of the Flint, and Hunny out of the Thystle. To that ende, all stories and Chronicles are written: and to that ende I presume to publishe this Pamphlet: protestyng that neither mallice to the one syde, nor parciall affection to the other, shall make my pen to swarue any iote from truth of that which I will set town & saw executed: For if I were [Page] disposed to write maliciously agaynst the vanquishers: their former barbarous cruelty, insolences, Rapes, spoyles, Incests, and Sacriledges, committed in sundrie other places, might yeeld mee sufficiente matter without the lawful remembrance of this their late stratageme: or if I would vndertake to mooue a generall compassion, by blazynge abroade the miseries and callamities of the vanquished: theyr longe susteyned iniuries and yokes of vntollerable bondage: theyr continual broyles in warre: their doubtful dreades in peace: theyr accusations without cause: and condempnations without proofe: might enable a dome stone to talke of their troubles, and fetche brinysh teares out of the most craggy rocke: to lament and bewayle the burning houses of so neare neighbours. But as I sayd before, mine onely entent is to set downe a plaine truthe, for the satisfiynge of sutche as [Page] haue hetherto beene caried aboute with doubtfull reportes: and for a profitable example vnto all sutche as beeyng subiect to like imperfections, might fall thereby into the like calamities.

And to make the matter more perspicuous, I must deriue the beeginnyng of this discourse a litle beeyonde the beeginnynge of the massacre: That the cause beyng partly opened, the effect may bee the more playnly seene.

It is then to bee vnderstoode that the sackyng & spoyle of ANTWERPE hath been (by all lykelyhoode) longe pretended by the Spanyerds: And that they haue done nothing els but lien in wayte continually to fynde any least quarrell to put ye same in execution. For proofe whereof, their notable rebellion and mewtinye beegun in the same, when theyr watche woorde was Fuora viliauo, might sufficiently [Page] beewray theyr mallicious and cruell intente. And though it were then smoothly colloured ouer, and subtilly appeased, by ye craftie deuisers of the same, yet the coles of their choller beynge but raked vp in the Imbers of false semblance, haue now founde out the wicked windes of wilinesse & wrath: Whiche meetynge together haue kindled sutch a flame, as gaue open way to theyr detestable deuices. For thꝰ estates of al the low countries beeyng ouerweried with the intollerable burden of theyr tyrrannies: and hauynge taken armes to withstande their mallice and rebellyous Mewtinyes, the towne of Antwerpe (beeing left open and subiecte vnto the Cytadell) did yet remayne quiet, and entred not into any martiall action. Whereat the Spanyerdes beeinge mutch mooued, and hauinge not yet oportunity to woorke their will so colourably as they wisshed, beestowed [Page] certayne Canon shot out of the saide Castle, and slew certayne innocent soules, with some other small harme and dammage done to the edifices: Thinking thereby to harden ye harts of the poore flemynges, and to make them take [...]ues for theyr iust defence: whiles they therby might take occasion to execute theyr vniust pretence. And this was doone on the xix. or. xx. of October last.

Now to answere all obiections, I doubt not but it wilbee alledged, that the Castle beestowed the said Canon shot at ye Towne, because they of the Towne did not shote at the prince of Orenges Shippes, which lay within syght thereof: But alas it is easy to finde a staffe, when a man woulde beate a dogge.

For the truth is, that those Ships did no greater hurt, either to ye towne or Castle, then frendly to waft vp al manner of Grayne and victualles, for [Page] the sustenance of ye said towne: which euen then began to want sutch prouision, by reason that the sayde Spanyerds had builte a Forte on Flaunders syde vpon the same Riuer: And thereby stopped all sutch as brought Uictuall to the sayd Towne: burnynge and destroyinge the countrie neare adioynyng, and vsynge all terrour to the poore people, to the intent yt ANTWERPE might lack prouision.

And about the same time also the Spanierds cut of a Brydge, which was the open passage beetween Antwerpe and Machlen, at a village called Walem. A manifest proofe of their playne intent to distresse ye sayd town, and to shut vp the same from all the rest of Brabant. Since they were walled in with the Riuer on the one syde, and on that other the Spanish horse men occupied all the countrie, and so terrified ye poore people as they durst not bring theyr cōmodities to ye same. [Page] All this notwithstandynge, the chiefe rulers of the sayde Towne of Antwerpe, appeased the people and put vp these iniuries vntill they might bee better able to redresse them. Soone after the Spanierdes (assysted by the treason of certaine high Duches) entred the towne of Maestrecht vpon a sodeyne, and put the same to sacke: killynge, and destroying great numbers of innocēt people therin: a thing to be noted. For that Maestrecht had neuer reuolted, but stoode quiet vnder their garisons as faithfull subiectes to the kinge. And the one halfe therof perteyned also vnto ye bishop of Liege, who had yet medled nothing at all in these actions. The cheife rulers and people of Antwerpe perceiuing therby the cruell entent of the Spanyerds, and doubtinge their Dutche garyson which was of the Counte Euersteines regiment (as they were also which betrayed Maestricht,) beegan to abandon [Page] the towne, leauyng their houses & goods beehinde them: and sought to withdraw themselues into some place of safer abode. Whereat the estates veynge mooued with compassion, and doubtynge that the towne would shortly bee left desolate, leuied a power of three thousand footemen, and eight hundreth, or one thousand horsemen, and sent the same vnder the cōduct of the Marquise d'Haurey, the yonge Counte d'Egmont, Mounser de Capres, Moūs. de Bersel, Moūs. de Goōnie, and other nobles & gentlemen to succour & defend the towne of Antwerpe, agaynst the cruell pretence of the sayd Spanierdes: And they came beefore the gates therof on Friday the second of this instante: at a Porte on the west or southwest syde thereof called Kybdoerporte: Wherat the Spanierds beeynge enraged, discharged sundrie shotte of greate Artillerie from the Castle, but to small purpose. At last [Page] Mouns. de Champaigne, who was gouernour of the Towne: and the Counte d'Euersteine which was Colonel of the Garysone, demaunded of the States wherefore they approched the towne in sutch order: who answered yt they came to entre the same as freinds, & to entrenche & defend it from ye Spanyerds: protesting furder, yt they wold offer no manner of violent domage or iniury to the persons or goods of any sutch as inhabited the same.

Hereupon ye sayd Moūs. d'Champaigne and Counte d'Euersteine went out vnto them and conferred more priuately together by the space of one houre, and returned into the towne leauing the estates power at a village called Burgherhout.

On the morrow beeing the third of this instant, they were permitted to enter, and came into the towne .xxi. ensignes of footemen, and .vi. cornets of horsemen. Immediatly after their [Page] entrie, ye inhabitantes brought them sackes of wooll and other sutch prouision, wherwith thei aproched ye yeard or playne grounde which lieth beefore the Castle. And placing the same at thendes of fiue streets which lye opē vnto the sayd Castle yearde, entrenched vnder them with sutch expediciō that in lesse then fyue howers, those streetes endes, were all reasonably well fortified from the Castle for any sodaine. At this time and. xii. dayes beefore I was in the sayde towne of Antwerpe vpon certeine priuate affaires of myne owne: so that I was enforced to become an eyed witnes of their entry and all that they did. As also afterwards (for all ye gates were kept fast shut & I could not departe) to beeholde the pittifull stratageme which folowed. The Castle thondred with shot at the towne: but it was a very mysty day, so that they could neither finde their markes very wel, nor [Page] yet see how the streetes endes were entrenched. It was a straunge thing to se the willingnes of ye inhabitants, and how soone many hands had dispatched a very great peece of worke: for beefore midnight they had made the trenches as highe as the length of a pike: and had begun one trenche for a Counterskarfe between al those streets & the Castle yearde: the which they perfected vnto the halfe way frō S. Georges Churchyearde vnto the waters side by S. Michels, & there left from worke, meaning to haue perfected it the next day. That Counterskarfe had been to mutch purpose if it had been finished, as shall appeare by a Model of the whole place, which I haue annexed to thend of this treaty: by view wherof ye skilfull reader may playnly perceiue thexecution of euery perticularitie. These thinges thus begonne & set in forwardnes, it is to bee noted that the Spanyerds (hauing [Page] intelligence of the states power when it set forwards from Bruxelles: and per ceuing that it bent towards Antwerpe) had sent to Maestricht, Liere, and Aelst, to drawe all the power yt could be made vnto the Castle of Antwerpe.

So yt on Sunday, the fourth of this instant in the mornyng, they al met at ye sayd Castle. And theyr powers (as farre as I could gather) were these.

There came from Maestricht very neare to a thousand horsemen, led by Dom Alonso de Vergas, who is the generall of the horsemen: & fyue hundreth footemen or more, gouerned by the Campemaster Francesco de Valdes.

There came from LIERE, fiue hundreth footemen or more, gouerned by the Campemaster Iuliane de Romero.

There came from Aelst two thousād footemen, which were the same that rebelled for their pay & other vnresonable demaūds immediatly after the winning of Zierickzee. These had none [Page] other conductour then their Electo (after the maner of sutch as mewtine & rebel) but were of sundry companies: as Dom Emanuels & others. Neuerthelesse I haue ben so bould in ye Model as to set downe ye sayd Dom Emanuell for their leder: bothe because I think that (their mewtiny notwithstanding) he led them at ye exployte, and also because, he was slayn amongst them at their entrie. Thus the nwmbre of spanierds was. iiii. M. or there aboutes, besides some help that thei had of thē garison within ye castle: And besides a M. high Almaynes, or more, whiche came from Maestricht, Lyere, and those partes. And were of three sundry regiments: viz. Charles Fuckers, Poelderuills and Froemsberghs: but they were led all by charles Fucker. So yt the whole force of ye Spanierds & their cōplices, was fiue. M. and vpwards: the which assē bled & met at ye castle, on ye said fourth day about. x. of ye clocke before dinner.

[Page]And (as I haue hearde credibly reported) would neyther stay to refresh themselues (hauing marched all night and the day before) nor yet to conferre of any thing, but only of the order how they should issue and assaile, protesting and vowing neyther to eat nor drinke vntill they mighte eate and drinke at liberty and pleasure in ANTWERP: the which vowe they performed contrary to all mans reason and expectacion. Their order of entry into ye Castle yarde, and of their approch to the trenches, I did not see, for I could not get out of the town: neyther did I thinke it reasonable to be Hospes in aliena republica curiosus: Yet as I heard it rehearsed by sundry of them selues, I wil also here rehearre it for a truth. The Horsemen and footemen, which came frō Maestrecht and Lyere, came through a village on the east syde of the town called Burgerhout, about ten of the clock before noone, as before sayd: The Gouernour [Page] and estates being thereof aduertised, sente out presently parte of their Horsemen and Footemen to discouer and take knowledge of them: But before they could issue out of the gates, the Spanyardes were passed on the Sonth west syde of the towne dyche, and entred at a gate which stā deth on the Counterscarfe of the castle yeard, called the Windmil porte: there entred the Horsemen, and al the footemen, sauing the high Almaynes, who marched round about the Castle, by a village called Keele and trayling their pikes on the ground after them, came in at a small Posterne on the Brayes by the Riuer, and on the east side of the Castle.

Those which came from Aelst, came through the sayd vyllage called Keele, and so through the Castle: issued out of the same at the fore gate, which stā deth toward the towne. Being thus passed, and entred into the Castleyard [Page] about eleuen of the clock, they of Aelst and of the Castle, cast themselues into foure Squadrones: they of Maestricht and Lyere, into two Squadrones: and their Horsemen into a trowpe behind them: and the high Almayns into one Squadrone, or Batallyon, by the ryuers side. Being thus ordered, and appoyntment giuē where euery Squadrone should charge and indure, they cast of certayne loose shot, from euery Squadrone, and attacqued the scarmouch: the which continewed not one hower, before they drew their Squadrones so nere vnto the Counterscarfe and trenches, that they brake & charged pell mell. The Castle had all this while, played at the Towne and trenches, with thundring shot: But now vpon a signall geuen, ceased to shoote any more, for feare to hurt their owne men: wherin I noted their good order which wanted no direction, in their greatest furye. The Wallonnes, and [Page] Almaynes, which serued in the Trenches defēded al this while very stoutly. And the Spanyerds with their Almaynes, contynewed the charge with such valure, that in fyne they won the Counterscarf, and presently scaled the Trenches, with great fury. The Wallonnes and Almaines hauing long resysted without any fresh reliefe or supplye (many of them in this mene while being slayne and hurte) were not able any lōger to repulse the Spanyerds: so that they entred the trenches about twelue of the clock, and presently pursued their victory down euery streate. In their chase, as faste as they gained any crosse streate, they flāked the same with their Musquets, vntill they saw no longer resistance of any power: and then proceeded in chase, executing all such as they ouertooke. In this good order they charged and entred: in this good order they proceded: and in as good order their lackeyes and Pages [Page] followed with Firebrands, and wyldfyre, setting the houses on fyre, in euery place where their maysters had entred. The Wallonnes and Almaynes, which were to defend the town being growen into some security, by reason that their Trenches were so high, as seemed inuincible: and lacking sufficient Generals & directors, were found as far out of order, as the Spanyerds were to be honored for the good order and direction which they kepte. For those which came to supplye & relieue the trēches, came stragling and loose: some came from the furdest side of the towne: some that were nearer came very fearefully: and many out of their lodginges, from drinking and carousing: who would scarsely beleeue that any conflicte was begonne, when the Spanyerdes nowe mette them in the streates to put them out of doubt that they dallyed not. To conclude, their carelesnesse and lack of foresyght was [Page] such that they had neuer a Corps du gard to supply and relieue their trēches, but only one in ye market place of the town whiche was a good quarter of a myle from their fortifycations: and that also was of Almaynes, who (when they spied the Spanyerds) did gently kneele down letting their Pykes fall, and crying Oh lieue Spaniarden, lieue Spaniarden. Now I haue set downe the order of their entrye, approch, charge, and assaulte: together with their proceeding in victory: and that by credible report, both of the Spanyerdes them selues, and of others who serued in their company: let me also say a litle of that which I sawe executed. I was lodged in the Englishe house vt supra, and had not gone abroade that morning by reason of weighty businesse which I had in hand the same day. At dinner tyme the Marchauntemen of my Countrey whiche came out of the towne, and dined in my chamber, told [Page] me that a hote scarmouch was begon in the Castleyeard, and that the furye thereof stil increased. Aboute the middest of dinner, newes came that the shot was so thick, as neyther ground, houses, nor people could be discearned for the smoke thereof: and before dinner were fully ended, that the Spaniardes were like to win the trenches. Whereat I stept from the table, and went hastily vp into a high Tower of the sayd English house: from whence I might discouer fyre in fower or fiue places of the towne, towardes the Castleyeard: and thereby I was wel assured that the Spanyerds in deede were entred within the Trenches. So that I came down and tooke my cloake and sword, to see the certainty thereof, and as I passed toward the Bource, I met many, but I ouertoke none: And those which I mette were no Townsmen, but Souldyeres: neither walked they as men which vse [Page] traffique, but ran as men whiche are in feare: Wherat being somwhat greued, and seeing the townsemen stand euery man before his doore with such weapons as they had, I demaunded of one of them, what it mente? Who aunswered me in these wordes, Helas mounsieur, il ny a poynt de ordre, & voila la ruine de ceste ville. Aiez courage mon amy (quoth I,) and so went onwardes yet towards the Bowrce, meeting all the way more & more which mended their pace. At last, a Wallon Trompeter on horsback (who seemed to be but a Boy of yeres) drew his sworde, and layd about him crying, Ou est que vous eufuiez canaille? faisons teste pour le honeur de la patrie. Wherewith, fyfty or three score of them turned head, and wente backewardes towardes the Bource. The which encouraged mee (per companie) to proceede: But alas, this comforte indured but a while: For by that time I came on the farder syde of the [Page] Bource, I might see a great trowpe comming in greater haste, with their heads as close togeather, as a skoule of yong frye, or a flocke of Sheepe: Who met me on the farder side of the Bource, toward the market place: And hauing their leaders formost (for I knewe them by their Iauelines, Borespeares, and Staues) bare me ouer backwardes, and ran ouer my belly and my face, long time before I could recouer on foote. At last when I was vp, I looked on euery syde, and seeing them ronne so fast, began thus to bethinke me. What in Gods name doe I heare which haue no interest in this action? synce they who came to defend this town are content to leaue it at large, and shift for themselues: And whilest I stoode thus musing, another flocke of flyers came so fast that they bare me on my nose, and ran as many ouer my backe, as erst had marched ouer my guttes. In [Page] fine, I gotte vp like a tall fellow, and wente with them for company: but their haste was such, as I could neuer ouertake thē, vntil I came at a broad crosse streate which lyeth betweene the English house & the sayd Eource: there I ouertooke some of thē groueling on the ground, and groning for the last gaspe, and some other which turned backwards to auoyd the tickling of the spanishe Musquets: who had gotten the ends of the sayd broad crosse streate, and flanked it both wayes: And there I stayde a whyle till hearing the shot increase, and fearing to bee surprysed wyth suche as mighte follow in tayle of vs, I gaue aduenture to passe through the sayde crossestreate, and (without vaunte be it spoken) passed through fiue hundred shotte, before I could recouer the English house.

At my comming thether, I founde many of the March [...]untes standing [Page] before the gate: Whom I would not discomforte nor dismay, but sayd that the Spanyerdes had once entred the towne, and that I hoped they were gone backe agayne: Neuerthelesse I wente to the Gouernour, and priuily perswaded him to drawe in the company and to shut vp the gates: The which he consented vnto, and desyred me because I was somewhat better acquaynted with such matters then the Marchauntes, to take charge of the Key: I tooke it willingly, but before I coulde well shut and barre the gates, the Spanyardes were nowe come forewards into the same streat: And passing by ye doore, called to come in? bestowing fyue or sixe Musquette shotte at the grate where I aunswered them, whereof one came very neare my nose, and pearcing thorowe the gate, strake one of the Marchants on the head, without any greate or daungerous hurt: but the heate of the [Page] pursute was yet such, that they coulde not attend the spoyle, but passed on in chase to the new towne: where they slew infinite nombers of people: And by three of the clocke, or before retourned victors, hauing slayne or put to slight all their ennemies. And nowe to keepe promise, and to speake wythout parciality: I must needs confesse, that it was the greatest victory, and the roūdlyest executed, that hath bene seene, red, or heard of, in our age: and that it was a thing myraculous, to cō sider, how Trenches of such a height should be entred, passed ouer, and won both by Footemen, and Horsmen: For immediately after that the Footemen were gotten in, the Horsemen founde meanes to follow: and being many of them harquebuziers on horseback, did passe by their owne Footemen in the streates, and much hastened both the flight of the Wallones, and made the [Page] way opener vnto speedy execution.

But whosoeuer wil therein most extoll the Spanyardes for their vallure and order, must therewithall confesse that it was the very ordinance of god for a iust plague and scourge vnto the Towne: For otherwise it passeth all mens capacity, to conceiue howe it should be possible. And yet the disorder and lacke of foresight in the Wallons did great helpe to augment the Spanish glory and boast. To conclude, the County de Euersteine was drowned in the newe Towne: the Marquise de Haurcy and Champaigne escaped out of the sayd new Towne, and recouered the Prince of Orenges shippes: only the yong Counte de Egmont was taken fighting by S. Myghels. Mouns. de capres, & Mouns. de Goonie: were also takē: but I heard of none that fought stoutly, sauing onely ye said Counte de Egmōt, whom the Colonel Verdugo, a spanyard [Page] of an honorable compassion and good mind, did saue with great daunger to himself in defending the Counte. In this conflicte there were slayne sixe hundred Spanyerds or thereaboutes: And on the Thursday next folowing, a view of the dead bodies in the town being takē: it was esteemed at. 17000 men, women, and children. A pittifull massacre though God gaue victory to the Spanyerdes. And surely, as their vallyaunce was to be much commended, so yet I can much discommende their barbarous cruelty, in many respectes: For me thinkes, that as when God geueth abundaunce of welth, the owner oughte yet to haue regarde on whome he bestow it: euen so, when God geueth a great and myraculous victory, the cōquerours ought to haue great regard vnto their execution: and though some, which fauour the Spanish faction, will aleadge sundry reasons [Page] to the contrary: yet when the blood is cold, and the fury ouer, me thinkes that a true christian hearte should stand content with victory, and refrayne to prouoke Gods wrath by sheadding of innocente blood. These things I rehearce (the rather) because they neither spared age, nor sexe: time nor place: person nor countrey: profession nor religion: yong nor olde: rich nor poore: strong nor feeble: but without any mercy, did tyrannously tryumphe when there was neither man nor meane to resist them: For age and sex, yong and old, they slew great nnmbers of yong children, but many moe womē more then fowerscore yeares of age: For time and place, their furye was as great ten dayes after the victory, as at the tyme of their entry: and as great respect they had to the church and churchyeard, (for all their hipocriticall boasting of the catholique religion) [Page] as the Butcher hath to his shambles or slaughter house: For persō and Country, they spared neither friende nor foe: Portingal nor Turke: for profession and religion, the Iesuites must geue their ready coyne: and all other religious houses both c [...]yne and plate with all shorte endes that were good and portable. The ryche was spoyled because he had: & the poore were hanged because they had nothing: neither strength could preuayle to make resystaunce, nor weakenesse moue pitty to refrayne their horrible cruelty. And this was not onely done when the chase was hotte, but (as I earst sayd) when the blood was colde, and they now victors without resystaunce. I refrayne to rehearce the heapes of deade Carcases whiche laye at euery Trench where they entred: the thicknesse whereof, did in many places exceede the height of a man.

[Page]I forbeare also to recount the huge nombers, drowned in ye new Toune: where a man might behold as many sundry shapes and formes of mans motiō at time of death: as euer Mighel Angelo dyd portray in his tables of Doomes day. I list not to recken the infinite nombers of poore Almains, who lay burned in their armour: som thentrailes skorched out, & all the rest of the body free, some their head and shoulders burnt of: so that you might looke down into the bulk & brest and there take an Anatomy of the secrets of nature. Some standing vppon their waste, being burnte of by the thighes: & some no more but the very toppe of the brain taken of with fyre, whiles the rest of the body dyd abide vnspeakable tormentes. I set not downe the ougly & filthy polluting of euery streete with the gore and carcases of men and horses: neither doo I complaine, that the one lacked buryall, [Page] and the other fleing, vntyl the ayre (corrupted with theyr caryon) enfected all that yet remained alyue in the Towne: And why should I describe the particularitie of euery such anoiance, as commonly happen both in campes & Castels, where martiall feates are managed? But I may not passe ouer with sylence, the wylfull burning and destroying of the stately Towne house, & all the monuments and records of the Citie: neither can I refraine to tel their shamful rapes & outragious forces presented vnto sundry honest Dames & Uirgins. It is a thing too horrible to rehearse, that the Father and Mother were forced to fetche their yong daughter out of a cloyster (who had thether fled as vnto Sanctuary, to keepe her body vndefyled) & to bestowe her in bed betweene two Spaniards, to worke their wicked and detestable wil with her.

[Page]It is also a ruthfull remembrance, that a poore English marchant (who was but a seruaunt) hauing once redeemed his Masters goods for three hundreth crownes, was yet hanged vntyl he were halfe dead, because he had not two hundreth more to geue them: and ye halter being cut downe, and he commen to him selfe againe, besought them on knees with bytter teares, to geue him leaue to seeke & trye his creditte and friendes in the Towne, for the rest of theyr vnreasonable demaund. At his returne because he sped not (as indeede no money was then to bee had) they hong him again outright: and afterwards (of exceeding curtesie) procured the Friars Minors to burie him.

To conclude, of the seuentene thousande carcases, which were viewed on the Thursday, I thinke in conscience, that fiue thousand or fewe lesse, were massacred after their victorye, [Page] because they had not readye money, wherewith to raunsome theyr goods at such prices as they pleased to set on them: At least all the world wyll beare mee witnes, that ten (yea twenty dayes) after, whosoeuer were but poynted at, and named to bee a Wallon, was immediatlye massacred without furder audience or tryall. For mine owne part, it is wel known that I did oftē escape very narrowly, because I was taken for a Wallone. And on Sunday, the eleuenth of this instāt (which was the day before I gat out of the Towne) I saw three poore soules murdered in my presence, because they were poynted to be Wallons: and it was well proued immediatly that one of thē was a poore artyficer, who had dwelt in the Towne eight yeares before, & neuer managed armes, but truely folowed his occupatiō: Furthermore the seede of these and other barbarous factes [Page] brought forth this crop & fruite: that within three daies Antwarpe, which was one of the rychest Townes in Europe, had now no money nor treasure to be found therein, but onely in the hands of murderers and strompets: for euery Dom Diego must walk ietting vp & downe the streetes with his harlotte by him in her cheine and bracelettes of golde. And the notable Bowrce which was wont to be a safe assemblie for Marchaunts, and men of all honest trades, had nowe none other marchaundize therein, but as many dycing tables as might be placed round about it al the day long.

Men wyll boast of the Spanierds that they are the best & most orderlye Souldiours in the world: but sure, if this be their order, I had rather be coumpted a Besoigner, then a braue Souldiour in such a bande: neither must wee thinke (although it hath pleased God for some secreete cause [Page] only knowne to his diuine Maiestie, to yeelde Antwarpe and Maestrecht, thus into their handes) that he wyll spare to punish this theyr outragious crueltie, when his good wyl and pleasure shall be to doo the same: for sutely their boasting and bragging of iniquitie, is ouer great to escape long vnskorged.

I haue talked with sundry of them, and demaunded why they would cō maund that the Townehouse should be burned? And their aunswer was, because it was the place of assembly where all euyll counselles were contriued. As though it were iust that the stockes & stones should suffer for the offence of men. But such is their obstynate pride and arrogancie, that if they might haue their wyll, they woulde altogether raze & destroy the Townes, vntyll no one stone were left vppon another. Neither doeth their stubborne blindnes suffer them [Page] to perceiue yt in so doing they should much endomage the King their Master, whome they boast so faithfully to honour, serue and obey.

As for the iniuries done by them vnto our owne nation particularlie, I wyll thus set downe asmuch as I knowe. We were quiet in the house appointed for the mansion of English Marchaunts vnder safe conduct, protectiō and Placard of their King: hauing neither medled any waye in these actions, nor by any meanes assisted the estats of the countrey with money, munition, or any kinde of ayde. Yea the Gouernor and Marchauntes (foreseeing the daunger of the tyme) had often demaunded pasporte of the Kinges gouernours and officers to depart.

And all these with sundrie other allegations, wee propounded and protested vnto them before they entred the English house: desiring to be [Page] there protected according to our priuiledges and graunts from the King their Maister. And that they would suffer vs there to remaine free from all outrage, spoile or raunsome, vntill wee might make our estate knowne vnto the Castellane, and other head officers which serued there for ye sayd King. All which notwitstanding, they threatned to fyre the house, vnlesse we would open the doores: and being once suffred to enter, demaunded presently the raunsom of twelue thousande crownes of the Gouernor: Which summe, being not in deede in the house, neyther yet one third part of the same: they spared not with naked swordes and daggers to menace the sayde Gouernour, and violently to present him death because he had not wherwith to content theyr greedie mindes. I wyll not boast of any helpe afforded by me in that distresse: but I thanke the Lorde God, who [Page] made mee an instrument to appease their deuill [...]sh furies. And I thinke that the Gouernour and al the company wyll confesse that I vsed mine vttermost skyll and ayde for the safegarde of theyr lyues, aswell as mine owne.

But in the ende, all eloquence notwithstanding, the Gouernour being a comlie aged Man, and a personne, whose hoarie heaires might moue pittie, and procure reuerence in any good minde, (especiallye the vprightnesse of his dealing considered) they enforced him with great danger to bring forth all the money, plate, and iewelles, which was in the house: & to prepare the remnant of twelue thousand crownes, at such dayes, and tymes as they pleased to appoynt. And of the rest of our Nation, which had their goodes remaining in their seuerall packehouses, & lodgings elsewhere in the Towne. [Page] they tooke such pitty, that fowre they slewe, and diuerse other they most cruelly & daungerously hurt: spoyling and raunsoming them to the vttermost vallewe that might be made or esteemed of all their goodes. Yea, some one they enforced to raunsome his goodes twise, yea thrise: and all that notwithstanding, tooke the sayd goodes violentlye from them at the last.

And al these iniuries being opened vnto their chiefe Gouernors in time conuenient, & whyles yet the whole summe set for seuerall raunsomes of our countreymen and the Englishe house in generall, were not halfe paide: so that iustice and good order might partly haue quallified the former rygors proffered by the Souldiours, the sayde gouernours were as slowe and deafe, as the other were quicke and light of hearing to finde the bottome of euerie bagge in the [Page] Towne. So yt it seemeth they were fullye agreed in all thinges: or if any contention were, the same was but stryfe who or which of them might do greatest wrongs. Keeping the sayd Gouernor & Marchaunts there styl (without graunt of passeport or safeconducte) when there is scarcely any bittualles to bee had for any money in the Towne, nor yet the sayd marchaunts haue any money to buye it, where it is. And as for creditte, neither creditte nor pawne can nowe finde coyne in Antwarpe. In these distresses I lefte them the twelfth of this instant Nouember 1576. when I parted from them, not as one who was hastie to leaue and abandone them in such miserye, but to solycite their ruefull causes here: and to delyuer the same vnto her Maiestie and councell in such sort as I beheld it there.

And this is in effecte the whole [Page] trueth of the sacking and spoyle of so famous a Towne. Wherein is to be noated, that the Spanyerdes and their faction, being but syue thousande, the trenches made againste them of suche height as seemed inuincible: the power within ye Towne fifeteene or sixteene thousand able fighting men well armed, (I meane the Townesmen ready armed being coumpted:) it was charged, entred, & wonne in three howres. And before sixe howers passed ouer, euery house therein sacked or raunsomed at the vttermost vallew.

The which victory being miraculous and past mans capacitie, to cō prehend how it should be possible, I must needs attribute vnto Gods iust wrath powred vpon the inhabitants for their iniquitie, more then to the manhoode and force of the Spanyerdes: and yet I meane not to robbe them of their deserued glorie, but to [Page] confesse that both their order & vallure in charging and entring was famous: And had they kept halfe so good order, or shewed the tenth part of such manly corage, in vsing theyr victory, and parting of their spoyle: I must then needes haue sayde that Caesar him selfe had neuer any suche souldiours. And this must I needs say for them, that as theyr continual training in seruice doth make them expert in all warrelyke stratageme: so their daily trade in spoiling hath made them the cunningest ransackers of houses, and the best able to bring a spoyle vnto a quicke market, of any Souldiors, or Mastertheeues that euer I heard of.

But I leaue the skanning of theyr deedes vnto God, who wyll bryddle theyr insolencie, when hee thinketh good and conuenient: And let vs also learne out of this rewfull tragedie to detest & auoyde those synnes, and [Page] prowde enormyties, which caused the wrath of God to be so furiouslye kindled and bent against the Towne of Antwerpe: let vs also (if euer wee shoulde be driuen to lyke occasion,) (which God forbidde) learne to looke better about vs for good order & dyrection, the lacke whereof was theyr ouerthrow. For surely the inhabytantes lacked but good guides and leaders: for hauing none other order appointed, but to stande euerye man armed in readynes before his doore, they dyed there (many of them) fighting manfully, when the Walloners and high Duches fled beastly. Let vs also learne to detest the horrible cruelties of the executions in all executions of warlike stratagemes, least the dishonour of such beastly deedes, might bedymme the honour wherewith Englishe Souldiours haue alwayes bene endowed in theyr victories. And fynally let vs praye to God [Page] for grace to amend our lyues, and for power and foresyght to withstande the mallyce of our enemyes: that remayning and continewing in the peaceable protection of our most gratious Soueraigne, we maye geue him the glory, and all due and loyall obedience vnto her Maiestie, whome God nowe and euer prospere and preserue.

Amen.

¶ Wrytten the .xxv. daye of Nouember. 1576. by a true English man, who was present at this pytteous massacre. Vt supra.

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Information about this book

Title statement

The spoyle of Antwerpe. Faithfully reported, by a true Englishman, who was present at the same. Nouem. 1576. Seene and allowed

Gascoigne, George, 1542?-1577.

Edition statement

1576

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A01521

ID [STC]

STC 11644

ID [STC]

ESTC S117137

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99852352

ID [PROQUEST]

99852352

ID [VID]

17668

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A01521)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 17668)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 343:15)

Source

— The spoyle of Antwerpe. Faithfully reported, by a true Englishman, who was present at the same. Nouem. 1576. Seene and allowed, Gascoigne, George, 1542?-1577..

Extent

[52] p.

y [J. Charlewood for] Richard Iones,. Printed at London :: [1576?]. ("A true Englishman, who was present at the same" = George Gascoigne.) (Actual printer's name from and publication date conjectured by STC.) (Cropped at head, affecting running titles. Contains an extra bifolium, *² , with errata and preface, and at the end giving corrections for a 'Modell', presumably a folding woodcut, not present in Bodleian Library and British Library copies.--STC.) (Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library.) (Signatures: pi'*' A-C.)

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