AFter that his Princely Excellencie, with the honourable Lordes the States, had in the feare of God cōcluded by the most commodious and fittest meanes to succor and preuent the necessi­tie and tedious siege of Ostende, with intent once wholy to frée the Netherlādish Prouin­ces from the bloudie yoke of the Tyrannical Spaniards and hipocriticall murtherous Iesuites, which daily prac­tise to trouble, not only the welfare of the Netherlandish Prouinces, generally, (but also to suppresse and murther all good, godly, blessed, and peaceable Kings, Princes, and [Page 2] Potentates) that so in time they might with more ease incorporate the said Netherlandish Prouinces. To the end therefore that the said Honourable Lords the States with his princely Excellency, might once wholy shake off those common enemies from the neck of those Prouinces generally, and establish a firme and an assured peace, they haue thought it conuenient to raise and bring into the fields a strong and honourable Campe, as well for the re­liefe of Ostend, as also to deliuer the rest of the Nether­landish Prouinces from the yoke of the tyrannous Span­yards & bloudie Edicts, to which end hath bene assembled many outlandish souldiers, both horsmen & footemen, with great numbers of wagons, as well out of Brabant & V­tricht, as from Holland and other places, wherof many were couered, and some curiously painted with y^e Armes of nobles and gentlemen for their ease & rest in the night, which had their rendes-vous neare the toll-house beyond Nimmeghen.

Now when the greatest number were assembled at the said place, they attended his Excellencies comming, who departed from the Grauen-baeghe the eight day of Iune in the morning, to take muster of his Royal Camp, which he accomplished vpon the Eltenberge heath, and (finding the same to be betwéene 5. and 6. thousand hors­men, 28. thousand footemen, and neare about 4. thousand wagons, well, and in good order mounted and furnished) he with the honourable Lords the States, passed through the whole army, demanding as well of the Cauallery, as of the Infantery, if there were any one amongst them that found himselfe agréeued with the pay of the States, and if any such were, they should speake: but none hauing cause to complaine, they demaunded farther, if they were [Page 3] resolued to hazard their liues with them in this most ho­nourable action, to the glorie of God, and welfare of their father Land, wherevnto the souldiers generally applau­ded, desiring nothing more then y^t they might be brought to the sight of their enemies, against whom they might with their weapons, rather then with words, shew how greatly they were affected to manifest their courages, and once again to driue those common enemies of Chri­stendome out of the fields, and to make them run before them as shéepe.

Herevpon his Excellency caused certaine bridges to be laid ouer the Maze, and the 26. day of Iune began to set forward in so good order, that it séemed no lesse won­derfull, then pleasant and glorious to behold so rare an ar­my of the honorable Lords the States, marching in most warlike order, and diuided into thrée troupes or compa­nies, euery one flancked with wagons for their defence as they marched, with many field péeces, and other neces­saries therevnto belonging: The first troupe or compa­ny was ledde by his Excellencie: The second by Graue William, and the third by Graue Erust or Ernestus, in very good order: Notwithstanding the misdemeanour of some selfe-willed souldiers, as in the beginning appea­red by one, who forced a woman, and was therefore presently hanged. After that two Scottish souldiers fel together by the eares, the one (hauing wounded the other to the death) were forthwith by Martiall discipline har­quebushed.

Thus kéeping their course along by the side of the Maze, on the left hande of the saide Riuer by Venlo, Ruremonde, and other places neare about Mastricke, they lay still fiue dayes, furnishing themselues with [Page 4] Béere, Bread, and other victualls, for they had brought with them many Ouens to bake their Bread. After suf­ficient prouision made, they marched forward towards Tongheren, and so vpwards to Truyen, within some halfe league of Lew, forcing all the Villages thereabouts to bring in their contributions, which amounted to an incredible summe of money.

As they lay quietly at this place, it happened that some of our souldiers raunged a little too farre, and were by the Moores entrapped and slaine. In reuenge where­of certaine Horsemen were sent out, who not forgetting their arrant, slew diuers Moores, and Horsemen, and brought with them to the Campe, eightéene Horsemen prisoners, and two gray Friars.

After that his Princely Excellency had remayned at this place a fewe dayes, and put his people into Bat­taile order, hée sent a Trumpetter vnto the Admirall of Arragon, Generall for the Archduke (who had intren­ched himselfe verie strongly neare vnto the Towne of Tien) signifying vnto him, that he was now readie to giue him Battaile, and that therefore hée should now per­forme his proud words héeretofore vttered when he was prisoner if he had the courage. But he answered he had no Commission from the Archduke to fight, and so pre­serued his honour and reputation as he thought.

After this, his Excellencie as a valiant Prince mar­ched towards the enemy with certaine horse and foote, euen to his Trenches, but the enemy kept himselfe close. His Excellencie perceiuing that the Admirall durst not shewe himselfe in the field notwithstanding that he was come so farre to séeke him, he suddainly turned backe, and comming neare vnto Helmont, summoned the same, [Page 5] but after refusall made, his Excellencie planted sixe péeces of Ordenance against the walles, and after some shot made, at the last vpon the 18. day of this Moneth of Iu­ly they yéelded the Towne, and then his Excellencie marched to the Towne of Graue, enuironed and besie­ged the same, and tooke the Castle of Batenborgh, which standeth on the other side of the Maze. Our people doo fortifie Helmont and Eyndouen, seruing as Bul­warkes or Forts vnto our Campe.

The euerliuing, Almightie, and potentiall God, vouchsafe to blesse and kéepe his Excellencie, and to fur­ther all his godly procéedings: and graunt happie & pros­perous effect to his attempts, for the general peace and quietnes of all the Lowe Countries. Amen.

As touching Ostend, the Towne is (God be prai­sed) in very good tearmes, although many of late haue di­ed by sicknes, which lately is ceased, and the enemy con­tinueth his siege, though more coldly then heretofore, and his Forces without the Town is not aboue 3000. men, and the same so vexed with sicknesse and the plague, that many die daily. They haue no want in the Towne, for although the enemy practiseth daily whatsoeuer meanes mans braine is able to inuent, to restraine the comming in of shippes, with men, munition, and other prouisions necessary, yet God and the seas doo so frustrate their des­signes, that the enemie without all doubt remaineth void of all hope by any force to winne the same: But if any de­maund the reason why he then so obstinately continueth his siege, the reason is the haughtinesse of his mind, asha­med that it should be published to the worlde, that the [Page 6] States should be able to defend so baggage a Towne a­gainst all his forces, and to make good the defence thereof against so many his policies, practises, and deuises, thin­king the same in time to come, might redound to his per­petuall disgrace, and contrariwise incourage and animate the States his enemies, as well as other Princes to de­spise his Forces, and conteme the valour of his Italians and Spaniards, on whose vertue & manhood, the Arch­duke so much standeth (as his predecessors, and other Spanish Gouernors haue done before him) that he thin­keth no Nation comparable vnto them, nor able to com­pare with them in martiall affaires, not calling to re­membrance how often they haue bene foyled, and put to the worst, since these warres first beganne, both by Sea and Lande, not onely by the natiue people of the Lowe Countries, but also by forraine Souldiers of sundrie Nations. It is not then greatly to bee maruelled at, that the Archduke continueth his siege before Ostende, (though more coldly and sparingly then at the first, as is before saide) séeing he léedeth himselfe with two vaine expectations, for (saith hée) Omne tempus habet, suppo­sing that the States wearie of so infinite a charge, may in time forget to supply she wants of the Towne, or else that it may so fall out, that with Spanish Pistolets, hée may corrupt some such in the Towne, that he may at last attaine to his wished desire: for without all doubt, he nei­ther hath, nor can haue any other hope to obtaine the Towne, although he lie before it these seuen yeares, for all such as come out of Brabant or Flaunders, confirme this to be most true, and to be the opinion of the Duke himselfe, and of all his Spaniards and Spanish affec­ted.

[Page 7]God graunt they may neuer haue better hope in a­ny of their bloudie attempts. But if any will héere say that there remaineth yet an other hope to the Archduke, namely that the Sea may waste and eate vp the towne, so as the States Forces may be forced to abandon the same, &c.

I will not say, but if it so please God, both the Towne and all the Countrey may be swallowed vp with the sea, but if the olde Towne be in some daunger, yet the new Towne is not so: but if both should happen to be in dan­ger, no doubt the States are so prouident of their defence and maintenance of their Trade (which otherwise with­out all doubt woulde be greatly hindered, by Gallyes and other shipping which might there haue conuenient harbour) that they would there builde some conuenient Forte, which should no lesse annoy the enemie then the Towne of Ostend it selfe doeth or hath done, for the kéeping of that place dooth most highly concerne all Hollande and Zealande, and all other Nations which are accustomed to trafficque too and from those Coun­tries.

It is written from Rome, to be most certaine, that vpon Wednesday last being the 20. day of this Moneth of Iuly, the Marshall Byron was beheaded at Paris, not openly, but in the Tower there, called the Bastill, God graunt all Traytors may receiue the like reward. It is said that very many great personages are of his conspira­cie, what wil follow, time wil shewe.