AFTER it had pleased the Quéenes most excellent Maiestie, with the consent of her graue and honorable counsaile to send succour to the poore afflicted and distres­sed people of the lowe Countries, where­by they might be defended from the op­pression and crueltie of their bloudie eni­mies, which hath so many yeares endu­red the miserie of deadly warres, and onely for their auncient li­bertie, and the cause of their consciences, which hath against right bene holden from them by the meanes of the King of Spaine: whereby the countrie hath bene consumed, the inhabitaunc [...] spoyled, and all things brought almost into dessolution: in so much the poore people remained suckerlesse, till it pleased her graciou [...] Maiestie to yeelde them reliefe. Since which time her Noble Ar­mie haue not spent their time in vaine, but to the honour of their countrie, and the ioy of all her Maiesties faithfull subiectes, haue so valiantly behaued themselues, that by the helpe of the moste mightie God (who hath wonderfully prospered their procéedings) they haue giuen their enimies the repulce from diuers places, and gained sundrie Tounes and Cities vnto the Quéenes Ma­iesties vse. If then the magnanimitie of noble mindes may bee iudged by outward workes, and zealous hartes towardes God and Prince, may be measured and made apparant by manfull ex­ploites and cruell conflictes tending to no lesse then the losse of liues, and confusion of common weales, what may wee saye of these late victorious conquestes, gained by Gods prouidence, and their aduentures, who haue put themselues in the hazard of so many enimies-hands, whose insatiable panche [...] haue bene glut­ted with the bloud of so many good and faithful professours, whose bullets rebounding from the breasts of our valiant defenders, hath recoyled into their owne bosomes, as in Flaunders hath of late bene seene acchiued, by those worthy men the only instruments appointed by Gods grace and her Maiesties prouidence, to re­presse the tyrannie of those proude, insolent and presumptuous Spaniardes, whose f [...]rce the most part of these people haue felt, to their great griefe, and our immortall glorie: by [...]ose paine­full prowesse, and dexteritie in marciall affaires, the frontiue [Page] townes of Holland and Zealand be alreadie giuen vp to her Ma­ [...]stie [...] [...] in them [...] at Bull, and in Fl [...]ng, b [...]sides [...] and Burga [...]on, the very en­trie [...] into Fl [...]ders and Br [...]ba [...]t: Likewise [...], [...]e, Williamstut, and the land of [...]agon. All which [...] her Maiesties gouernment besides that valiant and hard cap­taine M. Norris is now in G [...]derland, whereby [...] and [...]e he hath made such an [...] that many multit [...]s Spani­ardes can hardly repute it againe, so many bulwarkes hath hee beaten downe: and so many mightie walles hath hee cast vnder­foote. Also by force of Armes and the helpe of God he hath taken the Sconce of Arn [...], which was erected hard by a riuer side: wherein M. Norris for the better successe in the enterprise, placed fiue ships, and two dayes, which sped very [...] for that they were [...]g [...]d, and in the enimies reach, knowing no way to escape the [...]ent daunger: Which captaine Hunnings perceiuing, and seeking to escape the enimies handes, being already sore hurt, thought to leape out of a ship into a boate: but by reason of his Armour which he had on that time, he lighted short, and by that meanes, was vnfortunately drowned Notwithstanding M. Nor­ris still continued his skermish on land (in a sconce which he had butted against them) so manfully, that hauing sore discomfited them by meanes of his force and hote assalte: and the day draw­ing neere to an ende they rested.

On the morrow, [...] Norris both in respect of his owne valour, and his countries credit, continued his determination and purpo­sed to bid them Battle. But the enimie knowing their want of a­bilitie to withstand his force, and being without hope of helpe, voluntarily appealed to the law of Armes, that they might de­part with bag and baggage: and surrendring the towne into his hands. M. Norris with no small credit so his countrie, and honor of his name, with humble and hartie thankes vnto God for [...] clemencie, with great glorie he entred the sconce of Ar [...] [...] which he placed such a garrison as was cōuenient for the keping thereof. M [...]reouer, this worthy and valiant minded [...] deter­mi [...] [...]o leaue nothing vnato [...]ed t [...] [...]ight any way im­p [...] the enimies arrogancy, [...] and countrie, with a minde inconquerable [...] the Citie of Nim­gant

[Page] [Page] wh [...]re [...], and knightly, chiualrie, subdu­ing another of the [...] [...]ed the riuer Rhin from their possessions, by which deede (worthy, immortall commenda­tions) he hath opened the passage from Cu [...]sin and all the highe countries, which is a most profitable and readie helpe to the vni­uersall English Ca [...]e. This done, secretly in one night by seri­ous paines and industrie (as a wise and pollitique captaine let­ting slip no occasion that might be profitable for his purpose) hée raised a mount before the Citie and that of such a hight and strength, that thereon he planted his ordinance, for that the scitu­ation of the Towne was such that otherwise he could haue done it small hurt, but by meanes of this now raised mounte: on the morrow he shot manfully into the market place, greatly terrify­ing their enimies and inhabitance of the citie. The Prince of Parma hearing what had happened, presently martched towarde the succour of the Citie, purposing fully to haue giuen M. Nor­ris the repulce, who for the better and more easie accomplishmēt thereof, their pretense was to trauell secretly in the night, thin­king thereby to take the Englishmen vnprouided for their com­ming, as indeede they had done, had not the commendable and di­ligent care of our spies preuented that inconuenience, by fore­warning the Campe of their comming, who at that instant were not farre of: at length, the enimies approching, hauing for their guide and gouernor the Prince of [...], (a man of greate [...] and de [...]teritie in feates of warres,) and maister, Norri [...] man, of no lesse cou [...]ge then courtesie, with a moste cheerefull heart en­couraged his men to the battaile hidden by the enemie, wherein he him selfe for the incouragement of the rest to the worthie ex­ample of all that followed gaue the firste stroke in the face of his for, and that so terrible to the enemie that turning their backes they fled away as m [...] amased [...] [...]le to sustaine the force of his handes which our Englishmen perceiuing moste [...]oriously followed in pursute of their fainting foes, with such earnestnes of minde and courage, that with the [...] [...]lowes they gaue, the Spaniards were layd leuell with the g [...] in which conflict was slaine of the enemie, to the number of a thou­sand, at what time there was taken from them in the fielde, [...]. Ensignes, which was no small griefe to the hartes of our eni­mies [Page] what greatly bewailed their vnfortunate successe. which was done with very small losse of our Englishmen, whose death was doubled with hundreds of y^e foes: which battaile was fought on monday the 15. of Neuember, 1585, for which victorious cō ­quests, let all faithfull and true hearts (tendering the aduance­ment of Gods glorie, and the prosperous estate of our gratious soueraigne,) yeelde hartie thankes vnto the Lorde of hostes: who is the onely giuer of victories, by whose grace and fauour, the enemies af his truth are troden vnder foote, which haue set themselues, and bent their force, against the true professors of his glorious name, but with the blast of his mouth they shall be ouer­throwen, and with his power consumed to nothing. But retur­ning to our matter, After this M. Norris marched to the Towne, of Briell, of which towne he is made chiefe Generall vnder her Royal Maiestie, where he was honorably receiued by al y^e states, Burgises, and Citizens, with great triumph, and in euery corner of the citie great bonsiers were made, all the Bells were rong, & many a peale of great ordināce was shot of for ioy of his entrance into the Citie, and all the people with loud voyces, God saue good Quéene Elizabeth, God saue the good Quéene of England.

Thus haue you heard the true reporte of these last exploytes in Flaunders, which God increase for the glorie of his name, and prosper all their Counsailes, and affaires, in this their godly and rightfull cause to the comfort of the poore afflcted people of that troublesome countrey, and the honour of her royall Maiestie by whose mercifull and bountefull hand the opressed are defended & relieued. For whose happie and continuall raigne all faithfull subiectes may hartely pray that many yeares she may raigne o­uer vs.

• Captaine Bowrowes.
• Captaine Wotton,
• Captaine Knowles.
• Captaine Blunt.
• Captaine Vaursor.
• Captaine Wilson.