THe 9. 19. of this moneth we came with our Army before this City: about noone the besieged sallied forth with 100 hosemen, and entertained a small skirmish; From the 10. 20 to the 14. 24 of this moneth, the Boores which were press'd hereabout, laboured so strongly in the trenches, that the 15. 25 of this moneth we lay fully entrenched; This Campe is divided into 2 Head-quarters, on one side commandeth Monsieur de Lambert, and on th'other side Colo­nell Gassion: The besieged shoot fiercely with their Canons; the pri­soners relate, that they have about 50 peeces of Ordnances in the Ci­ty, and 9 companies of Souldiers for a garrison, and betweene 5 and 600 Peasants: The City is fortified with 6 good Bulwarkes with a halfe-Moone Conterscharpe, and a broad moate full of water, other fortifications it needs not, because on one side of it is nothing else but Quickmire, notwithstanding we have good hope to master it. The 14 24 and 15. 25 the Canons were brought upon the batteries: The be­sieged shoot fiercely with their Musquets; in the said City comman­deth the Count of Hanapes, betwixt him and an Italian Gentleman, who was sent thither by the Cardinall Infante, is great strife and con­troversie; the prisoners relate, that a great fault was committed here­in, that certaine dayes agoe they did send a good part of the garri­son towards St. Omaer.

At Newport is brought up Laurence Claes of Horn laden with salt, and here are brought up divers others, amongst which is a Hambo­rough [Page 346]ship of Gotterblock, laden with yron and Saltpeter, and ano­ther with Dealeboards, Item 2 Boyers with limber and Steele. This day are gone to Sea 9 particular Fregats carying from 16 to 32 pieces of Ordnances, and from 80. to 100 men. Marquis de Fuentes, who lies with the Spanish Army, betwixt this City and Borborck, is to go towards Hesdin to raise the siedge.

Last Tuesday about 8 of clock in the morning, the French begun to batter Hesdin with 9 peeces of Ordnances, which they continued all the next day af [...]er. Our Army is to march in two parts, one towards Boloigne, to burne the Country, and th'other part towards Tourane: Yesterday the Cardinall Infante went from hence towards Arien, with many Earles and Lords, with whom he hath kept two dayes to­gether Counsell of Warre.

Last Fryday the French Army consisting of 15000 men, under the command of Monsieur de Fequires, came before Thionville or Die­denhofen on the River of Mosel, 4 leagues below Metz, and in the surrounding of it, they skirmish'd certaine houres long with the Im­perialists, amongst which were 5 Companies of Crabats, and forced them to retire towards Tryer in a great disorder. The said Fort of Thionville is exceeding strong, but by all app [...]rance it is not well victuall'd, because at Collen lie yet 16 quarters of corne, which the Spaniards had bought for the said Fort, and at Tries lie 1300 quar­ters more, bought for the said Fort; this is bad newes for the whole River of Mosel and Rhyne. Marquis de Grana and Piccolomini lye yet about S. Vit, where they expect 12 peeces of Ordnances, and then they are resolved to encounter the French. Conte de Guebrian re­maines in the French-county to continue the war there, and hath ta­ken the Castle of Villano and other places; the Regiments of Colo­nell Rosa and Canofsky, which lead the Avantguard, had almost ta­ken prisoner the Duke of Loraine, who had brought 500 quarters of corne into Diedenhofen and was comming back again from thence: many are of opinion, that Duke Bernard of Weymar will likewise go that way, which causeth great feare here abouts.

Last Sunday and Munday about the euening, went out of this Ci­ty all our Horsemen and 300 foot with fire-locks, their designe was against the Village of Linter on the other [...]de of the River of Demer, our Horsemen lay on the River de Gete in waite for the Horsemen of [Page 347]Thienen, Leuven and Hanuyt, which are about 5 Companies strong, which came not once to light; our Souldiers burned down in the said Village all stables and houses, and brought along back with them 100 Cowes, and 134 Sheepe, the Boores had fled into the Church, this invasion will make the Villages contribute, whether they will or not, they labour here yet strongly in the new fortifications.

The Spanish forces in Italy have likewise taken the Castle of Asty and lye now before the Castle of Russignan in Montferat. The Car­dinall de la Valette was yet at Turino, and had secured Cazall with 400 Horsemen. The Duke of Longueville had received expresse or­der to march in all haste with his Army towards Savoy.

Duke Bernard of Weymar causeth at Bryslack many peeces of Ord­nances, and a great store of powder and shot to be embarked. Colo­nell Oheim hath taken by assault the City of S. Claude, and slaine 300 men in it; by which meanes the passage is now stop'd, that the Spa­niards can bring no troops into the French-county.

The Duke of Bavaria demaunds monethly of the City of Ulme 80000 Florens, during the space of 6 moneths. The said Duke hath given order to Generall Sergent Major Mercy, to march towards the Lake of Constance and to joyne with those troops which are to come out of Italy under the command of Don Francisco di Melo Vice Roy of Sicily, they write of 12000 men, they are to recover againe the French-county and Alsatia.

The Prince of Orange lies sick in the Sconce Tervoren, of the Goute and an Ague but doth now mend again, and hath sent abroad Commissions, that all his Horsemen shall come hither, in so much that we shall march forward within few dayes. Upon the River of Maase, Wael and Rhyne, all ships are arrested, as also at Dort, Zee­land, yea as far as Holland, the least of 16 tuns; all the Souldiers are embarked into small ships. The Lord Commissary Bockhoven hath received speedy order to make the division of the Tr [...]ine: the great ship brid [...]e lies at the Rhynberg, the Lord Controller de Mylen is gone to the Bosh to muster all the Wagons and Horses for the Train. Count William of Nassaw Field Marshall, and Count Henry Casi­mir are likewise here, our Horsemen lie in the little Country of ha­vestin, every one is charged to keepe himselfe in readinesse to march forward.

The 16.26 of May, [...] had [...] lay the [...]edge before Thi [...]ville or D [...], and all things went on well at the first, but the 7 of this moneth now stale, Piccolomini arri­ved with 12000 men, and fell upon him unawares, and being the French foot had received fresh pay, and the horsemen none, the hor­semen would not fight upon any termes, but betooke themselves pre­sently to flight, leaving the foot to the mercy of Piccolominies forces, and although the French foot fought most stoutly and had Piccolo­minies Artillery in possession for 4 houres together; Yet at last being Piccolominies horsemen came with great fury against them, they were totally routed and defeated; Monsieur de Fequieres was shot into the arme and taken prisoner; they misse of the foot forces about 3000 men, which were both slain & taken prisoners, but of the horse­men they mise not above 200. At Verdun lay yet a Regiments of horse & 6 of foot, which should have joyned with this Army, but they came to late: Marshall de Chastillion is now marching with 12000. men towards the River of Mosel, with whom are to joyne the said 8 Regiments, & the remainder of the defeated Army to lie in waite for Piccolominies comming back. Before Hesdin the French have got­ten in 3 places over the moate, and undermine it now in 3 severall places together, to morrow or the next day after the mines shall be blown up, and then an assault shall be given in 3 severall places toge­ther; the French King & the Cardinall Richelieu will be there in per­son, the besieged defend themselves stoutly & make great opposition.

From Dunkerck, Gant & other places they write for certaine, that the Prince of Orange hath landed with al his forces about Philippina Sconce & the Fort of S. Anna, it is thought, that he will besiege T'sas of Gant, which will make a great diversion in those parts.

The 8 of this moneth 9 Dunkerck Fregats tooke 13 Zeeland Pincks and Boyers, which went from Gravesend for Vlisinghen, in which Pincks were about 200 passengers, the Convoy or Man of war being overmatched by the Dunkerckers, was forced to shift for himselfe as well as he could, and to save himselfe by flight.