THE TRVE COPIES OF TVVO ESPECIALL LETTERS VERBATIM SENT FROM THE PALATINATE BY SIR. F. N. Relating the dangerous incounter which hapened betwixt the Duke Christian of Brunswicke, and Monsieur Tillies passing ouer the bridge lying vpon the riuer Mayne about Ausbourge.
VVith the vniting of his forces with the King of Bohemias, as also the fearefull expectation of the great Turkes comming downe into Germanie.
With the late proceedings in the Low Countries, in their Proclamations set forth by the States of Holland, the first shewing the last appointed time, as well for forrayners as inhabitants of this Countrey to come into the West India Company of the Nether-lands: the second a letter of Marte, the last prohibiting the inhabitants not to assuer any goods of the Spaniards.
Printed this 21. of Iune.
LONDON Printed by William Iones for Nicholas Bourne and Thomas Archer, and are to be sold at the Royall Exchange, and in Popes-head Alley. 1622.
A COPIE OF THE FIRST LETTER.
I wrote to you at large on Sunday last and haue little to adde since, but am like to haue enough very shortly, I pray God it proue good. The Duke of Brunswick was foure dayes since at Nidda in the land of Hessen, about fiue leagues from Francfort. Mounsuor Tilly &c. are gone towards him, and if they be once on the same side of the Mayne, there will in all likely hood be blowes between them. Arch-Duke Leopold is not gone to the Grissons, but doth now assemble his forces againe, vvith desseigne as vve iudge to besiege [Page 4] Hagenaw againe, or else to fall downe to ioyne vvith his party, neither of vvhich must be suffered by the Count Mansfield, and he is likely therfore to go to the Archduke we hope to morrow, for as yet he lyeth betweene the two riuers by the towne, and is not himselfe well able to stand. This is all we haue here.
From Ʋienna we haue that the Diot of Hungarie goeth not on the Emperours mind, and that the Turk is like to giue'vs peace here, we haue small signes of one else, and that is a bad one. The King of Bohemia to obey his father, is minded against his mind to stay here or at Heydelberg, in expectation of the issue of the treatie at Brussels. Manheim the 6. of Iune.
A Copie of the second Letter.
IN my last Letter you know that Monsieur Tilly was then marching towards the Duke Christian of Brunswick then in the land of Hessen, not farre from Frankford. The Duke soone after tooke Hoest a towne and castle of the Elector of Ments, standing vpon the Mayne before Frankford, vvhere he had newes that Tilly and Gonsales ioyned and marched to him ouer the Mayne at Aschburg vvith an army of 40. m. as was giuen out, I thinke not much lesse then 30. m. yet he resolued to abide it rather then the hazard of a retrait. And they thereupon marched on furiously by Hanaw and Frankford. The Duke in the meane time prouided himselfe the best he could to receiue them, seeing on the aduantage of the ground, intrenching himselfe, and burning the villages by which the enemy vvere to march to him. This done, he sent hether to the Count of [Page 4] Mansfeld, to let him know in what poshire he stood, and that he would doe the best he could to hold himselfe so, till the Count might march to him, for whose passage, or his owne retreate if he were forced to it, prepared to make a Bridge ouer the Mayne, This newes came to the Counte Mansfield as Hee was Marching ouer the Rhyne, with desseigne to haue gone to breake the bridge at Oppenheim, or that fayling, to haue made some other diuersion on that side, thereby to haue eased the Duke of Brunswyck, by giuing Gonzales occasion to looke backward. But herevpon Hee the same instant commaunded sixtie troupes of horse to march ouer the Neccar towards the Duke intending to haue followed himselfe with the rest of his army this day. But we haue this morning newes, that the Duke was beaten yesterday. The maner and measure of it. is yet variously related, but I hope to adde it to this before I close it. In the meane to doe all I may, against the suddayne dispatch of the post, I heartely take leaue rest.
[Page 5] I must close this Letter and yet haue no more certaintie of the defeat of the Duke of Brunswick, but that hee never gaue Battle, but having beene extreamly molested by the Enemies Cannon, who had twelue peeces at least, whereas the Duke had but two: through some confusion among his men hee was forced to retire ouer the Bridge he had made over the Maine, by the breaking whereof, many of his foote were drowned, others cut off being hindred by carriages, they all are lost as well of baggage as munition, saving the Dukes owne wagons, wherein his money was, His Horse escaped well, some ouer the Bridge, other are forced ouer the deepe that they were put to Swimme, by which meanes some number of them also are lost, and among them the Count Lenestlin who married Mistresse Dudly, thought to bee one, the number can not yet be estimated, but divers came hither will not beleeue there were aboue one thousand men lost, yet I doubt more, The rest are retyring through the Bergstrate hither in great confusion, and I doubt [Page 6]most of the foote will haue cast away their Armes, which is a great vnreparable losse, whether the Enemie doe pursue them on this side the Mayne or no, is not yet knowne here, But to be sure the Count Mansfeild hath drawne out his whole Armie into the Bergestrate, who being fresh we may redeeme losse if the Enemie do follow, the Duke of Brunswicke is for himselfe safe for certaine, and extreamely discontented that he fought not.
Mainheim the 11. of Iune 1622.
A PROCLAMATION OF THE HIGH AND MIGHTY LORDS, THE STATES GENERALL of the vnited Provinces, whereby is prohibited vnto the Merchants, and Inhabitants of those Countries, not to make any assurances of goods, Merchandises, or ships belonging to any Subiects of the King of Spaine, or Enemies of these Lands.
THe States Generall of the vnited Provinces to all them that see or heare these read greeting. VVhereas Wee haue beene certainly informed, that divers. Merchants and inhabitants of these Countries, [Page 8](notwithstanding We after the expiration of the Truce, are compelled to incounter the King of Spaine, and his adherents, in all hostile manner) to assure the goods, Merchandises, and ships, belonging vnto the Subiects and Inhabitants of the King of Spaine, and other enemies of these Landes: Whereby it happens, that the sayd goods and ships being taken by Our men of Warre, or those that haue Commission of Vs to endammage the King of Spaine, or his Subiects, the sayd Assurances and Securities, claime and follow them as if they were their owne, to haue them released: And besides, the sayd being declared good Prises and forfeited, the dammage doth not light vpon the Enenemies aforesayd, but vpon the Inhabitantes of these Countries, by the meanes of the aforesayd assurance and securitie, who enioy but a small reward or profit for the same, In such manner that the Inhabitantes of these Countreys, and not Our Enemies heereby are impoverished, being the fame likewise [Page 9]very hurtfull to the equipations and setting foorth of Ships, which many Inhabitants of those Countries with more minde and zeale would make otherwise against Our Enemies, which now are kept backe in regard of the reclamations and pursuings of such assured goods.
Now to prevent the same and to order this conveniently, We haue directly forbidden and interdicted, forbid and interdict by these Presents, all Merchants, and other Inhabitants of these Provinces, neyther directly nor indirectly to assure any goods, Merchandises, or Ships, of whatsoever Fort or kinde the sayd may be appertaining to any Subjects of the King of Spaine, or his adherents, in any manner whatsoever: Declaring all and euery one of such Assurances made, or here after to be made for nought, and of no value.
Prohibiting likewise all Iustices, Courts, Commissioners of the Courts of Assurance, or other whom this may concerne, to giue iudgement of such Assurances: [Page 10]And here besides the Assurances, that shall be found to haue made such Assurances since this day, shall forfeit vpon euery summe small or bigge, that they shall haue signed, hundreth pounds Flemmish, one halfe to the Informer, and the other halfe to the officer to be payd that shall doe the execution.
And because none here after shall pretend ignorance, We require, and intreat the States, the Governours, the committed Counsells, and the States of the respectiue Provinces of Gelderland, Zutphen, Holland, and Westvriesland, Sealand, Vtrecht, Vriesland, Overyssell, the Cittie Groeringen, and the Lands about it, and all other Iustices and Officers, whom this may touch, that they Commannd this Our Order presently to bee Proclaimed and Published where it is vsuall, Proceeding and causing to bee proceeded against the Transgressors and offenders of the same, without any favour dissimulation or composition, seeing wee finde it convenient for the good of these Lands.
[Page 11] This concluded in the meeting of the High and mighty the Lords States Generall aforesayd, at the Hage the first of Aprill, Anno 1622. Was subscribed A Ploos. And lower was written, at the Order of High and Mighty Lords the States Generall, signed
VVARNING CONCERNING THE WEST INDIA Companie of the Netherlands.
THE Committees appointed to collect a stock for the West India Company, in Poland and Sealand, being authorized thereunto by the States of the said Countries, make knowne by these: That besides other aduantages, it is graunted vnto the said Company by the High and mighty Lords, the States Generall of the vnited Prouinces, to trafficke onely for Salt at Punto del Key. And that the last time prefixed for the Inhabitants of the vnited Prouinces, to come in the said Company, is the last of Iuly stile now, and for Forraigners the last of September following, both inclusiue, and according to the new stile. Wherefore if there bee any that will participate in the said Company, let them direct [Page 14]themselues vnto the Committees, appointed into the Cities, and deliuer there their Signatures and subscriptions of such summes, as they shall be desirous to participate in the said Companies, which are to be payed in three payments: viz. a third part at the expiration of the aforesaid time: and the other two third parts in three next following yeares, vnlesse afterwards at the generall meeting of the Assistants or Committees, it be thought fit to prolong the said Payments for any longer time, in which case the Participants shall be warned by bils affixed. And after the expiration of the time aforesaid, shall none be admitted into the said Company. Giuing notice besides, that according to the resolution of the Lords, the States of Holland, and West Freesland, the chiefe Participants of the Company, shall be qualified to be Assistants, in this manner, that those who in the Chamber of Amsterdam, shall for themselues bring in the summe of sixe thousand, and in the respectiue Chambers about the Mase, and in the Northerne parts foure thousand Karelies Gilders, shall haue power to nominate three, for to choose out of them (according to the Patent) the Assistants. Item that the Cities in Holland where are no Chambers, and shall be brought in vpon one name, an hundreth thousand Gilders, shall haue power to appoint an assistant after precedent denomination, and to put him in any of the other Chambers. And after [Page 15]the expiration of the aforesaid last of Iuly (agree. to the Patent) shall be presently proceeded to the election of the Assistants, to goe immediatly in hand with the equipation and octroyed Nauigation. This done, the tenth of Iune, in the yeare of our Lord, 1622.
A Letter of Mart, Graunted by the Lords States Generall, to them of the Vnited Prouinces.
BY these presents is Giuen notice, and made knowne vnto euery one out of the Name of the High and Mighty Lords, the States Generall of the Vnited Prouinces, That whosoeuer (to endamage the King of Spaine his Adherents and Subiects, aswell of Spaine, Portingall, Brabant, Flaunders, as also other places being in his Dominions) shall be desirous vpon a due and fit Commission to set any Ship or Ships at Sea to goe vpon free Booty, that they shall henceforth pay no more, except otherwise be ordered, then Eighteene in the Hundred, whereas they did pay heere before Thirty in hundred, which the Country and the Prince of Orange as Admirall of the Sea out of the Prizes were vsed to Inioy as their right, whereof Twelue shall bee for the Countrey, and Sixe for the Prince aboue mentioned. And because [Page 18]an equall order may be kept concerning the putting in of Security, euery one that shall be vnwilling to goe vpon Conditions aforesaid, shall bee bound to put in Security in the Court of the Admiralty of the place from whence they intend to depart, for Ten Thousand Gilders, which is 1000. pounds Sterling, and that aboue the Ship and what therein, with action shall serue onely to giue security that the Court prizes to be gotten by such a Ship shall be brought in to be censured in the Colledge of the Admiralty, where the security hath beene giuen, which being done, the Securities shall be Discharged, Prouided alwayes, that if the said Ship goes afterwards with like Commission, there must be put in new Securitie, And if any body shall pretend that hee is wrongfully Damnified, hee may enter his Action against the Captaine, and those that haue Indamaged him.