How that all Conquests and Ouerthrowes consists in expert souldiers, & euer did since the world began vnto this houre.

SOme thinks Commissions & authoritie is sufficient to conduct an Armie, and that Conquests and Ouer­throwes consist in multitude: let the Commission be e­uer so large, the authoritie euer so great, the multitude euer so many; the Warres consists altogether in good Chiefes, and experimented Souldiers, and euer did since the world began to this houre. What caused Alexander to ouerthrow Darius with few men, considering his number? but his valorous person, with the experience of his Captaines and Souldiers. What caused Caesar to ouerthrow Pompey, Romane to Romane, with far lesser number? because hee had olde trained Legions, against more than halfe new leuied rawe men.

Our famous Kings Henrie the fift & Edward the third, gaue their ouerthrowes with few in respect of their E­nimies.

Also Charles the fift with a few experimented Soul­diers, considering the number of the Germaines.

How often few or one is the occasion of the winning or loosing of a Battaile.

IN our time did not the Prince of Conde giue battell to the French King at the gates of Paris, to the Kings losse, to the honor of the smal Troupe, being not halfe a quarter so manie; where Stewart a Scottish Gentleman with a dozen Horsmen was one of the principallest oc­casions, by killing the Constable being their Generall.

At the Battaile of Mocberhay, where the worthie Count Lodowick of Nassau was ouerthrowne and killed; the [Page 5] Troupes of Spaniards being fearefull to fight, seeing the number of Lodowickes Horsemen, were onely encoura­ged to charge resolutelie, by the oration of Sentia de vela.

The shameful Ouerthrow at Iubeleo, where lesse than 600. Horsmen of Don Iohn de Austria, ouerthrew 15000. against reason, onlie for want of Chiefes to keepe order. The occasion of this charge came through a Captaine of Horsmen, which discouered their disorder of March, and procured the rest to followe, desiring leaue of Octauia Gonzaga his Generall, to charge.

At Northorne in Freezeland, two or three cowardlie captaines were the cause of the ouerthrow of our Bat­taile with discouraging words, the Enemies Horsmen and vangard being broken.

The mutenous Gauntoys and Iper, did they not giue battaile in our fathers daies vnto a French King, & their Earle of Flanders: and did not this Prince of Parma with lesse than 8000. men conquer them like slaues? onelie because they were void of Chiefes, vnexpert for warres, their braue warlike minds changed vnto mechanickes.

Also the proud Towne of Antwerpe, which was left in good guard and Discipline by the late famous Prince of Orange hauing in it better than 16000. as well armed and in as good order as any Garrison in Europe, furnished plentifullie with artillerie, munition, and all necessaries for warres; for want of Chiefes to direct thē, this prince of Parma made them slaues, with lesse than 8000. men.

The difference betwixt raw men, and expert Souldiers.

WHat is a multitude without Chiefes, but bo­dies without heads. Nations must not flatter themselues what they haue bin, but what they [Page 6] are. The Grecians, and the Macedonians had the Monar­chie, so had the Romaines, with others; what are they now? The people wanting their Chiefes, and their accu­stomed braue minds. All these actions with the rest that haue been aforetime or in our daies, were executed by the lesser numbers, and the praise of euerie seuerall acti­on, belonging vnto lesse than a dozen Chiefes. It is an errour to think that experimented Souldiers are sodein­lie made like glasses, in blowing them with a puffe out of an yron instrumēt. There can be no Leaders of good conduct, vnles they haue beene in foughten Battailes, as­seiged and defended Townes of warre; the longer ex­perted, the more perfected. The Duke of Alua was wont to say; In leesing of 100000. in 10. yeares action, their prooues not 20. famous Leaders. To conclude; a multitude without experimented Leaders, that haue to warre with expert Captaines, are to be compared vnto a Nauie in a Tempest, without Masters or Pilots.

One noble opinion of Mounsieur de La Nowe.

THE famous Mounsieur de La Nowe was wont to say, It was necessary for the greatest commanders, to giue eare often vnto all their vnder Officers, I meane their simplest Captaines, to heare their opinions, concerning their Discipline in open audience. His mea­ning was noble without ambition: for in all Armies, there are a number of Captaines better Souldiers, than many higher Officers; which can neuer bee knowne without place to execute their art: which must bee in action and audience before famous Superiours. These liberties and curtesies make a number employ their wits and valours daily to aduance their credites. It hinders no great Officers, vnlesse they meane the warres should end [Page 7] with themselues; it aduaunceth the Warres, and Acti­ons: when they are gone, other experted knowne men are placed in their roomes. This order must maintaine good Discipline, otherwise ignorance happens often in­to the high places, vnknowne, vntill actions bee ouer­throwne. Those will say, wee are expert and as vali­ant as the others; let them say and bee what they list, vn­les they be knowne to be expert of action, it is not ne­cessarie for a State to hazard their action in trying their experience, and vnknowne fortunes. What corrupted the discipline of the Netherlanders? chieflie placing their ignorant cousins & fauorites to command. Who could haue won Gaunt, Antwerp, Bridges, Iper, with an 100 other townes, that wanted no necessaries for warres if there had been expert Commaunders in them. These strong places were lost shamefullie without blowes, with twentie ouerthrowes in the field, with the like dis­orders. Therfore this noble La Nowe would say alwaies, Checune a son mety; as much to say, Euerie man ought to haue place according to his art. The martial Byron would say also, These Coronells of three dayes, marres all the Armies of the world. Notwithstanding, it must be con­fest, that some quick spirites proue to bee expert with small actions: but so rarelie found, that it is dangerous to giue them charge before they be well knowne.

What makes the Spaniards discipline to be so famous as it is? Their good order: otherwise it is wel knowne, the Nation is the basest and cowardlie sort of people of most others; so base, that I perswade my selfe, ten thousand of our Nation, would beate thirtie of theirs out of the field, let them bee chosen where they list; sa­uing some 3. thousand which is in the Lowe countries. And those, for all they bee conducted by ancient expert [Page 8] Captaines accompanied with other Nations, nothing inferiour to those Spaniards, both for valour and con­duct; notwithstanding, the trained Troupes of our Nation did beate them always number to number, both in Generall Norris his time, & sithence. In their Coun­tries the world dooth know fiue thousand of our Nati­on made guardes at the gates of Lisborne foure dayes, al­though there were in the Town fiue thousand Spani­ards, 4000. Portugeses carrying armes; besides they were assured of all the Burgesses, for they had sent into Spaine, and kept in the Cytadell, their wiues, children, & chiefest goods. Also by reason of our Armie staying in Galitia, where 6000. of ours ouerthrewe 16000. of theirs. Before we arriued at Lisborne, they had 20. daies respit to arme and put themselues in order; but had our Armie not touched at the Groine, and sailed strait to Lis­borne, as the Earle of Essex did, neither Soldier nor Cap­taine can deny, but the towne had been ours; for it was vnmanned, without any good order: & when wee arri­ued, had our Nauie entred, wee would haue entred the Towne, or the world should haue witnessed, so manie Englishmen had bin buried in that place. But let all the Captaines of Europe iudge rightlie of our proceedings from the first to the last, considering our small means & great crosses, they cannot denie, but both our valour and gouernment, deserued 100. times more praise, than the attempt of Duke Medina and his, on England: notwith­standing they wanted neither men, victualls, munition, nor money. Also the worlde knowes, wee were not set out with our Soueraignes royall Forces; notwithstan­ding we gaue them the law 30 daies in their Countries. When sicknes with other wants forced vs to imbarke, being followed with their Armie, we returned towards [Page 9] them with lesse than 4000. Where the Earle of Essex sent his Trumpet, to dare their Generall the Countie of Fuentes, to finde himselfe in the head of his troupes, to change the blows of the pikes, giuing him signall of his attire and feathers: so did Generall Norris command the Trumpet to tell them our small number, & to dare their whole Forces to battaile: but the cowardlie besonions perceiuing our resolution, before we could arriue with­in 3. miles of thē, al their footmen ran away to Lisborne, being 3. for one. Fuentes with Don Gabriel de Ninis kno­wing wee had vnder fiftie horsemen, staid where they were incamped, hauing with thē at the least 600. horse­men: notwithstanding, the alrrme being giuen vs, the Earle, and General Norris with the most of the Chiefes, giuing order to our Squadrons to keep in that order we marched, and to march with al speed to recouer the top of a hil, a fine place to giue battell, assigned vnto them by the trumpet, within halfe a league of their quarter. The Earle, Generall, and Chiefs with the horsemen, aduaun­ced with speed to the top of the hil, both to discouer the Enemies order, and to choose a commodious place to fight. At their sight, wee perswaded our selues by their fashion to receiue battaile, our ensignes being displayed on the top of the hill, and our squadrons possessing the ground that we thought most fit: after resting a while, & perceiuing their cowardly resolution, aduāced our bat­taile towards their quarter, vnknowne to vs but that all their forces had bin in that village. At our approch, they ran away in such sort, that our horsmē (being but 50. in al, amōgst whom were diuers of our Chiefs, besides the Earle and his brother) made 200. of them run away that they kept in the Reregard. This proofe with diuers o­thers, had we on them in our Portingall voyage.

[Page 10] But to speake troth, no Armie that euer I saw, passes that of Duke de Parma for discipline & good order: the which & it pleased others to follow, it were not amisse. And to that ende I thought good to show some parte of the discipline and orders amongst them. None comes to be high Officers, vnles they be knowne to be expert and tried Souldiers of action, of long continuance; or for courtesie to grace their Armies with young Princes, or Nobilitie, or at the least Gentlemen of good qualitie; neither must these contemne the basest Master of their Campe. For all their birth, they must bee knowne vali­ant, and of good discretion. These Noble men are pla­ced Generalls of horsmen, or commaund a Cornet; but they will be sure to looke, that their vnder Officers shall bee expert and knowne men; they shall not choose their owne fauorites and followers: which maketh them to maintaine the like discipline, when they come to be ex­pert themselues: for without doubt, none can command so well, as those which haue been commanded.

Their State is gouerned with two sorts of people, Captaine and Clergie. As the Captaines ambition per­swades the king to encrease his Warres, to maintaine their estate in wealth and greatnes, so dooth the Clergie perswade him also to warres, to maintaine their State, against thē of Religion. By this means the State of Spaine during this gouernement can neuer be without warres, and continuall warres must make expert Souldiers.

The long continuance of their Armie.

THis Armie of the Prince of Parma hath been in acti­on vnbroken, since Charles the fift his troubles a­gainst the Germaines. They haue continued in the Low Countreyes three and twentie yeares. When the Duke [Page 11] D' alua, brought them thether, he found them readie dis­ciplined in Regiments, vnder Ensignes and Cornets, al­though the Gouernors, Captaines and Souldiers, were changed with casualties of Warres: notwithstanding the Armie was continuallie maintained with one purse & discipline from the first houre vnto this, which must be about 50. yeres. For that time, we must confesse, none had the schoole of warres continuallie, but themselues. Their actions shewes their discipline, which were not amisse for others to followe. Their order is, where the warres are present, to supplie their Regiments being in Action, with the Garrisons out of all his Dominions & Prouinces: before they dislodge, besonios supply their pla­ces, raw men, as wee tearme them. By these meanes hee traines his besonios, & furnisheth his Armie with trained souldiers: yet though these Garrison men be wel trained Souldiers, God knowes they are but raw men for a long time, in respect of the men of Action: then iudge you, what difference there is betwixt expert Soldiers & raw. In my poore iudgement, (as I shewed before) all their discipline consists in the Spanish. They maintaine also certaine companies of ordinances, chiefly to content the Nobilitie, as I will shew hereafter; they keepe in good order their Caualeri, Italians, Burgonians and Albanetes, for their great numbers I meane, to supplie their Ar­mies, as occasion presents. They make most account of the Wallons, Burgonians and Italians: for the Almaines they care not, but will hire them onelie to serue their turne, when their Enemies leauie Germaines against them. They haue great reason; for as long as any Prince or Estate keepes continuallie 7000. expert footemen, & 3000. horsmen, though his leuied Armie be 50000. the ten thousand will both discipline them, and keepe thē in [Page 12] order: for out of the 10000. he may draw cōtinualy 100 or two experimented Soldiers to make officers, to train the others. Besides he places diuers great Officers out of his assured 10000. amongst his mercenaries; in the which he shews great discipline; for there can be no dā ­gerous muteny in any Army, vnles some of the Chiefes be priuie vnto it; and easily preuented if it be discouered; and can not be but discouered by reason of this good order.

How they diuide their Armies.

THey diuide their Armies into Regiments. All the Spanish Colonells are tearmed, Masters of the Campe. Although al their Armie be diuided into Regiments, be they neuer so many Colonels, there are none termed M. del Campo, but the Spanish. Although there are but foure Tertias Spanish, which are called de la Lyge, de Lombardy, de Naples, and de Flandrie; to grace the Spanish, they giue often the name of M. del Campo vnto others, but neuer aboue sixe at a time, the which must be famous. Mondragon being Colonell of the Wal­lons afore Serexe, for his famous seruice was called M. del Campo, so was Ionas Oria, hauing no Regiment, for his famous seruice at Malta and in other places.

These foure Tertias, when they are most, are scarce 6000. strong, they make vp their 10000. I named before with Burgonians, Italians & Wallons. One of these Tertias when the Duke of Alua came downe, was called Tertia de Sardinia. For their disorder, the Duke executed their Captaines in Amsterdam, in Holland, cassid the Tertia, entertaining the Souldiers a new. To keepe the honour of the braue Souldiers, they termed this Tertia, Tertia Veche, to giue example vnto others. It is necessarie to re­member [Page 13] this Discipline, with other, executed by the Duke of Alua. This Tertia of Sardinia had to their Co­lonell a valiant Captaine, named Don Gonsalo de Drake­mont, being commanded to Frizeland, against Lodowicke the worthie Count of Nassaw, brother to the famous Prince of Orange: to stop his course, Duke d' Alua sent Sir Iohn de Lamy Count de Aranberge Chief, with other troupes of horse and foote. Besides this Tertia being ap­proched Count Lodowicke vnderstanding his strength, Aranberge would haue staied where he was, vntill the arriuall of the Count de Megem, the which would haue ioyned with him that night with more forces. The am­bition of this Colonel and Captains was such, they for­ced Count Aranberge with vrging words touching his reputation and credit, both to approch and charge some of Lodowicks troups, the which brought them into an ambush where Lodowicke was: who defeated them in route, leauing Count de Aranberge dead in the place, with diuers other Chiefes. At their returne, Duke d' Al­ua rewarded them, as I shewed you before.

Another time a great Regiment of Almaine muti­ned for wāt of pay: in their outrage they spoiled Count Laderne, their owne Colonel. Duke d' Alua called them into a field, both to be mustred and to receiue their pays, Into this place he commanded also al his Caualery with other footmen to come. The mutinous Regiment be­ing viewed with commissaries, he placed the horsemen in Squadrons round about them, commanding them to charge them like enemies, vnles they would deliuer the mutiners into his hands. The poore Almains seing thē ­selues deceiued, fearing the furie of the horsmen, deliue­red vnto him all that he demaunded. To reuenge their mutinie, and to maintaine Discipline, hee executed of [Page 14] them 200. Since that time we cannot learne that the Al­maines mutined in the Spanish Armie.

Their great Officers in order as they commaund.

IN the absence of the Captaine Generall, the hie Mar­shall or master of the Campe general commandeth al. After him, the Generall of the horsemen: after him, the Generall of the Artillerie: after him, the eldest ma­ster of the Campe: next vnto the Masters del Campo, the Lieftenant general of the horsemen: after him, the Lief­tenant of the Artillerie. These Officers direct the field: for the rest of the Colonells and Officers, none meddle further than his owne particular charge, vnles they be authorized. Although the Threasurer at wars be an ho­norable place commanded by no bodie, but by the Cap­taine generall, he nor none of the others meddle with the Martiall Discipline; I meane the Auditores, Com­missaries, Muster masters, & such. Touching the charge and duties of the Captaine Generall, and the other great Captaines, I refer it vnto the famous warriours which wrote it often before.

What other Officers ought to second their great Officers.

THe office of the Marshal, is painful & great, for he medleth with the whole affaires of the warres; he hath to serue and to help him, the Serieant maior, Quarter masters, Prouosts, and Captaine of the Spions.

The Generall of the horsemen hath to serue him, his Lieftenants, Colonells, Captaines, and Scoutmasters.

The Generall of the Artillerie, his Lieftenant, Com­missaries of munitions, Gentlemen of the Artillery, Co­lonel of Pioners, Trench-masters, & Carriage-masters.

[Page 15] The Treasurer is chiefe of al the others: he, the Audi­tor, Muster-masters, Commissaries aswell for musters, as for victuals, deliuer their accounts only vnto the cap­tain general, or to his deputy authorised by him for the vse of the King. There is also one Secretarie authori­zed by the King, who lookes into all their dealings, and knows all the secret onlie that passeth betwixt the King and the Captaine generall.

This Secretarie hath always diuers blanks signed by the King. With those blāks they haue redressed soden­ly many disorders which could not haue bin done, if they had bin forced to stay to know the Kings pleasure.

The greatnes of their Generall, and Obeysance vnto his King.

ALthough the General hath his commission abso­lute from the King, to alter, to redresse, place, & to displace whom he lists, as occasion presents: Not­withstanding he doth nothing, without the aduise and consent of his counsaile of warre, if he should he is sure to be dispised and contemned, not only by his counsel of war, but by his whole Armie in generall; who will not faile to appeale vnto the King, & Estate of Spaine, which redresseth presētly any disorders. For sodain dispatches, the King hath his counsell of war seuerally for euery of his kingdoms and prouinces, where he hath occasion to vse Viceroyes or Captaine Generalls. All these Coun­sailes of wars both in Spaine and abroad, are expert and principall Captaines, sauing a few Diuines and Ciuili­lians ioyned with them, to aduise and redresse their high mindes and ambition; the which is done easier and better by wise perswasions, than by extreame iustice: [Page 16] for if iustice were executed to the vttermost, fewe great Captaines should liue. The most great captaines cannot denie, but their profession ouer-reacheth themselues, more than anie other; because all their speaches, deeds, and minds consists in ambition for honour, seeking to ouerthrow all estates, to aduance their owne, weighing no perill in respect of fame.

I speake this for Captaines in generall: but there are honest, vertuous, and iust, yet so few that the number must bee imbraced, els the multitude of the enemies would bee too to manie for the fewe friends. If a Cap­taine be a good counsellor in Warre, a good executio­ner, or a good engioner, he ought to be imbraced, and as noble Sir Philip Sidney said, borne withall, vnlesse his faults are too intollerable.

How they diuide their Horsmen.

THey diuide their Caualerie into an 100. vnder a Cornet. Vnles it be their two Generalls, the most of the aduantagers and aduenturers march vnder the high Generall, so doo all his domestiques. When he is in person in the field, his Cornet is alwaies foure or fiue hundred; they giue seuerall commissions vnto Launtiers, & to the Hergulutiers, to fiue hundred Laun­tiers they ioyne a hundred Hergulutiers, they keep that rate from the lesser number vnto the greatest. These Launtiers are called light Horsmen, notwithstanding they are aswell mounted as the men at armes, for one horse a peece, and aswell armed, sauing the barbd for their greeues and maces: the most carrie one Pistoll, but all carrie a curtilace, I meane a good broad sworde. Their Hergulutiers are also well mounted for 1. horse a [Page 17] peece, more than halfe curaces of the proofe, with an o­pen burgonet, or Millaine murrions; many haue pistolls besides their peeces, but all haue good curtilaces. Both Launtiers and Hargulatiers haue al cassocks, euery com­pany seuerall colours to be knowne.

The diuisions of their foote bands.

THeir Commissions for foote Bands are like vnto ours, some Ensigns 300. some 200. the most of an 150. Euery hundred hath forty armed men, of which there must be 30. pikes, the tenne others, are hal­berds & targets of the proof; al their Gentlemen & van­tagers are armed men, the most carry the pike, hauing plasterons of the proofe, I meane the fore part of the ar­mour, the 60. others are shot. In the later dayes of Duke D'alua 25. of euery 100. were commaunded to be Mus­ketters. With their armed pikes and musketters, they execute most of their seruices. They found such seruice in the musket, that this Prince of Parma hath the most of his shot musketters.

The order of their marching.

VVHen the Armie marcheth, one commaundes the vangard, another the battell, the third the rereward. None of these, nor of the Officers appoynted with them, whatsoeuer occasion presenteth, although their fellowes were in fight, dares breake out of his place to offer to fight, without commaundement from the Principall. If the Generall be in person, hee is knowne by a signall, like vnto a Cornet, which is carri­ed hard by him. As hee sends often to know the State of his Armie in all the quarters, so doo they send others [Page 18] vnto him, as occasion presents, both to acquaint him of their Estate, & to know his direction. To giue equall honor vnto al their troups, they alter their marches eue­ry seuerall march. He that had the vangard to day, to morrow is to haue the rereward, the third the battaile. When occasion presents to diuide their Army into se­ueral parts to do some exploits in surprising some town, Castle, Fortresse, or other to giue camisadoes, or rein­counter troupes, eyther at their lodgings, or in their march, they send two of qualitie, according to the num­ber of the troups that go, the one commaunds the hors­men, the other the footmen; but one is obeyed chiefe, in as ample authority, as the Captaine Generall himselfe, vntil they returne into their Army. They haue great reason; for it is impossible for two Chiefs to agree, ha­uing equall authority.

The order of thier Sieges.

VVHen they assiege any place, they incampe at the first out of the danger of the enemies ar­tillerie: before they make any approches, they do what they can to make sure either with Fortes or Trenches all the passages, I meane the comming in as well to their Campe, as to the Towne or place assie­ged. If there be any riuer or passage by water, they will be sure to stop it with Forts, Artillery, Stockathos, Pal­lisathos. If they can make a bridge to passe ouer horse and foote, with all necessaries from one side vnto the o­ther: if they can they wil not faile to make ways round about the place assieged to march with horse & foote. If there be any passages strong by nature, straits through woods, hills, or with waters, although it be a dozen miles from their Campe, they will build strong Forts, [Page 19] sufficient with a small guard to abide the furie of an ar­my without battery. At one of these places will they giue battaile, rather than leaue their siege, if the party be to their aduantage: by this meanes they will be sure to haue fortie houres liberty to resolue, whether they will fight or retire; as they did at Muncier, at Cambria, and at other places. Count Lodowicke being in Mounce, well accompanied, especially with good Chiefes; for he had with him the famous Captains Monsieur de la Nowe, Monsieur de Poiet, Monsieur de Roueres: Notwithstand­ing, Duke d' Alua intrenched his Army before it so strongly, that he was able to send out halfe his men to doo exploits where it pleased him. When the Prince of Orange incamped hard by him with equall forces, he neuer stirred his Army, by reason of his trained Souldi­ers, vndid him with a Camisado, forced him to retire. So did hee also send Chappine Vitelly out of his Armie, with sufficient forces into the strait towardes Valentia, who defeated Monsieur Iohn de Lise, which marched to the succours of Mounce with seauen thousand French­men. Also at Cambria this Prince of Parma abode the Army of Monsieur d' Alanson to come in sight, although he resolued to retire, sending his Artillerie, munition and baggage out of daunger: hee stayed to see the or­der of his march, seeing the party vnequall who mar­ched in good order, he retired orderly without ingage­ing any fight. If they thinke the place assieged too wel manned, or the seate such by nature, that batterie can doo no good, they will blocke it vp with Fortes in such sort, that halfe their Armie will be sufficient to assiege it, they will be sure to place the rest in the best quarters for victualls and forrage, although it be three dayes iourney from the place assieged: as they did at [Page 20] Antwerpe, Gaunt, Iper, Berke, and other places. By these meanes they relieue their wearied troupes with fresh at their pleasures. If there be troups making head to leauie their siege, they will ioyne closer together, as occasions present: if they batter, they approch carefully with tren­ches a farre off, spare neither Pioners nor cost to saue their Souldiers. Before they place their Batterie, they mount Culuerings, and other peeces to beate the flanks and defences: if there be not high grounds aduantagi­ous to do it, they will be sure whatsoeuer it cost, to raise mounts for the purpose. If the Bulwarkes be such that the flanks cannot be taken away with their peeces, they will lay batterie at once both to Bulwarke and Curten; for the Soldiers may lawfully refuse to assault, vntill the flankes be taken away; neither will the Chiefes offer it; for some of them must leade them.

The order of their assaults.

BEing ready to assault, to giue equall honour vnto all the troups, the Regiments hurle the Dice, who shal haue the point, the first charge we call it: lightly the Chiefe that commaunded that quarter will aske it as his right, because his troupes are most spoyled by reason of their neere guardes and approches. Most often hee hath it: beeing giuen him, he diuides his troupes to se­cond one the other, according to the widenesse of the breach, they respect the honour of the poynt, that the Captaines will not giue place one vnto the other more than their Colonells, but by fortune of the Dice. They neede not be so earnest for the matter, because the grea­test warriours account the first troupe that entreth a breach in more daunger, than the first troupe that must [Page 21] charge in their seuerall battailes. They haue reason; for I knowe it by good experience, whether they enter or retire the most of them are killed, if the defenders be ho­nest men, I meane any thing valiant. They may haue two or three breaches, but at euerie one they keepe one order. Before the armed men aduance to the as­sault, they place their Musketiers as nere to the breach as they can, lightlie they make mounts higher than the defendants: in those and in trenches before the Artille­rie they place all their small shot. Before they giue an as­sault, they send sundrie Officers and Souldiers armed of Musket proofe and good iudgement to discouer the breaches: when they giue the assaults, if they bee not pell mell with the defendants, their Canoniers, flankes the breach ouer their heads, both from the batterie, and with their flanking peeces: they line their armed men that haue the first poynt with Musketiers armed of the proofe. At these assaults both sides lightlie shoote all the vilest shot they can inuent, both to pierce Armes and to cut off Pikes, chained bullets, Dice of steele couered withlead: lightlie they giue their assaults generall at once, I meane at all their breaches and mines, if the ground serue to mine. To discourage the defendants, they haue messengers of credite one horseback, if they can passe, which runne from breach to breach crying, courage the Tertia de la Leige is entered: So at the other breaches the like, that Tertias of Lumbardy or Naples, or others are entred, when there is no such matter. When those that giue the first charge begin to retire or waxe colde, the great Officers command their seconds to the assaults; finding fault with the rest, telling them, it is you fellowes must doo it: with these stratagems and words, they make the poore souldiers break their necks [Page 22] at their pleasure. But to speake troth, the Spanish disci­pline is verie gratefull vnto the men of warre; for want of present places to aduance their valiant men of vertue according vnto their deserts, they giue them aduantages of payes, with encouraging words and assured promi­ses of the first places that fall voide. If a Colonell, Cap­taine, or any other officer vnder them, leeseth his whole Regiment or Companie in Battaile, Assault, Skirmish, or in any other seruice commanded vnto by their supe­riours; although the troupe bee defeated, those that re­turne, are sure to remaine in pay, and the Colonell or Captaine haue present Crownes to recomfort his troupe. If the Regiment or Companie bee cashed, all the Officers are surelie enrouled in their owne payes they had before. A cashed Colonell, Captaine, or Offi­cer, will neuer take baser charge than they had before, but will serue priuatelie, vntill occasion presents to ad­uance them vnto the places they had before. As they are bound to followe the warres, where they receiue their reliefes; so haue they libertie to followe whome they list, vnles they be commanded to the contrarie: the greatest part will followe the Cornet royall, some the Generall of Horsemen, others the high Marshall, others the Master of the Campe, as they bee affected and min­ded. Likewise the cashed Souldiers are placed in their former payes, vnder other Colonells None of these ca­shed Officers are bound vnto anie duetie, sauing fight­ing; I meane to guard or watch▪ but the most part will doo it orderlie, better than the bound men, to shewe ex­ample vnto others: perswading themselues hee that ex­cels his fellows, is soonest aduanced. Their vsage hath been such, that I meruaile all professions in Spaine de­sires not to bee Souldiers. Charles the fift being before [Page 23] Metz in Loraine, his Armie beeing in miserie and ex­treame sicknesse, his Souldiers would openlie raile on him, especiallie his Spanish would call him the sonne of the mad woman, with all the vile words they could de­uise, yet he would not heare them, but threw Crownes amongst them, saying to his nobilitie; hearken these knaues, yet let me call the worst by his name, hee will not refuse to doo any thing for mee, though it cost him his life. Also the Duke of Alua, when the Burghma­sters of Holland presented a petition vnto him of the dis­order of the Spaniards; amongst other foolish articles, they shewed him how they would haue their napkins changed twice at a meale. He answered, you must think, all those which came with mee were not brought vp a­mongst Burghers. To say troth, God helpe that man of warre, that hath al his deeds and words construed to the worst, considering what casualties there are in warres a­boue all other places. Often choler altreth honest minds, to day rich, to morrowe poore; now happie a­none vnhappie. Although their discipline in martiall actions be most famous, and worthy to bee followed of al others; notwithstanding their gouernement is so vile and tyrannous, that no people is able to abide it, vnles they be too base minded. For example, the Castilian of Gaunt, hauing occasion to execute 3. or 4. offenders: to terrifie the multitude, hee did it openlie in the market place; by chaunce a scaffold fel down, at the which there grew a great noise and rumor: sodainlie without more adoo, the Castilian drew his sworde, crying Alerto to his souldiers; The souldiers most sauagely discharged a salue of hargubusaides on the poore people; with shot & sword they killed and hurt aboue an 100. Complaint being made vnto the Duke D' alua their Gouernour; [Page 24] his answere was, he was sorie the fault was done with­out desert, notwistanding he punished no bodie: think­ing it a good meanes to terrifie a mutinous popular (as he termed thē). Another time, the Master of the campes companie, Iulian Romero, being in garrison in the towne of Macklen, his Alfere being in loue with a gentlewo­man, could not obtaine her loue; on a May day, he and his companie armed, came vnto her fathers house vnder the coulour of Maying, tooke her away by force: her friends and kinsmen making what stirre they could to saue hir, with the disorder of the Alfere and Souldiers, diuers were killed and hurt. Complaint being made, no man was executed, but perswasions vnto the parties to take patience, shewing them what an offence it was, to stir against a flying Ensigne of the King their Lord. The Alfere was banished for a few daies; notwithstanding he inioyed his loue, & his fauour with his Gouernor in a short time. Another time, a Serieant of Sentia Dauilla Castilian of Antwerp, rode vp and down Antwerp on a footecloth of veluet, mandilion and hose imbrodered with gold letters, the contents of the words in Spanish, Gasador de los Flaminges; as much as to say in English, A Scourge for the Flemings: a number cōplained, but none had redres. Such is their gouernment in al places where they command with citadels, garrisons, fortresses or for­ces; the least Serieant of a Band, being a natural Spaniard, will seeme to command the greatest man of qualitie of any other Nation, vnles hee command forces himselfe. Let the forces bee euer so great, although it bee 40. or 50000. and of them, but two. or 1000. Spaniards, it must be called the Spanish armie. Whē they come first out of Spaine, either to Italie, Flanders, or anie other places, they be the simplest besonios (as they terme them) that can bee [Page 25] found of any other Nation; the most are apparelled by the Gouernors, before they enter the Countries, to saue the honor of the Nation. Let them continue any time in pay, the simplest will compare in pride with any cap­taine of other Nations, and diuers rascalls must be cal­led, Signor of such a place, meaning the next Towne or Village that he was borne vnto, hauing neither lande nor house of his owne. Besides the tyrannous Inquisiti­on is maintained by that Nation, principallie in Spaine to bridle Princes and Nobilitie; which otherwise haue so great libertie by their auncient customes, that diuers of them owe but small subiection vnto their King: for abroad as well as in Spaine, they make whome they list slaues and prisoners at their pleasures, without tri­all of Iustice: neither shall the parties know, who accu­sed them, nor what is laid to their charge, more than it is the will of the holy Inquisition. With their diuelish Inquisition, they take mens goods at their pleasure. With their Buls and other paltrie deuises, poysoning, murther, breaking othes & promises, may be pardoned by the Pope. Their religion is such, where they subdue kingdoms or coūtries, either by right, policy, or armes, if they finde any of great qualitie that carries a voge, to command popular or men of war; let their seruice and deserts be neuer so great, vnles they be sure of them, in such sort to obey al those, that carry their commissions & directions, be they neuer so basely or vilely directed, they will be sure to make them away with poyson or murther, for Iustice can take no place, I meane touch­ing all strangers, sauing their owne Nation.

For exāple, the Marquis of Marin̄an, after they gaue him aduancement, Charles the 5. wrote letters to execute him, which were discouered by the Marquis. Likewise [Page 26] the Duke of Bourbon hauing won the battaile of [...] fearing his greatnes, Charles caused his Army to mutine against him, with other disgraces vnderhand to vndoo him; if the Duke had not taken resolution to sack Rome, to content the men of warre. Also the braue Count Eg­mont with others of his Nation, for al their seruice were executed most cruelly by Duke D'alua, and the Marquis of Berges with Mountenie poysoned in Spaine, onely to bring to passe their determination against the Nether­landers. Also Marke Anthonie Colono, whose house and himselfe, folowed always the house of Austria, beeing Vice-Roy of Naples, reputed and feared for the greatest Captain in Italie, was sent for into Spaine; and before he could speake with the king, he was poisoned in his way to the Court. The last day, two or three noble men Por­teguises, taking armes, made to the Sea coast, hauing dis­couered sir Francis Drakes fleete; the Spanish perceiuing their greatnes, executed one Count, and poisoned the o­ther; although some of them were the men that sought to bring them into the countrie, and most assured them. Looke also to their proceedings with Naples & Millain, the wrongs to Francis Fortza, Ferdinando of Aragon, with diuers other the like actions. T'his discipline & go­uernment do I know by good experience, for I serued vnder the Ensignes of the M. del Campo, Iulian Remero 22 moneths, and Mondragon 18 moneths, with the dome­stiques of the braue Don Iohn de Austria eight months, always in action. As I saide before their discipline must be good, for good Chiefes makes good Souldiers.

The least of thirty commanders they had alwayes a­mongst them, were sufficient to command 10000. Sol­diers. A campe continually maintained in action, is like an Vniuersity continually in exercises, when famous [Page 27] Schollers die, as good or better step in their places: Es­pecially in armies, where there be euery day new inuen­tions, stratagems of wars, change of weapons, munition, & all sort of engins newly inuented, & corrected dayly.

Some may aske me as I did Philip de Comines in rea­ding his booke, where he speaks much to the praise of Lewis the xj. but nothing how he quited his Duke of Bourgondie: true it is, at the defeate of Harlam; Colonell Morgan and his Regiment were discharged from the Prince of Oranges seruice, my selfe being one arriuing in England, the saide Colonell with a number of others, were imployed into Ireland. At that instant the Prince of Condie was newly escaped out of France into Germa­nie. I hauing nothing to doo, hearing the saide Prince meant to return into France with an armie, my self & 4. other companions, resolued to imploy our seruice with that Prince: being in Germanie with smal purses, finding the Prince not able to martch in six moneths, hauing no meanes to liue, we returned for England; passing throgh Lier in Brabant, we were brought before the Master of the campe Iulian Romero, who entertained me with such curtesie, that I remained with him. Thus did I enter in­to the Spaniards wars, and do thinke it no disgrace for a poore Gentleman that liues by wars, to serue any Estate that is in league with his owne.

To proue Lantiers more seruiceable than men at arms, considering the numbers that do duties.

THe difference betwixt the men at Armes, compa­nies of Ordinances, as they tearme them, and the Launtiers, called by the strangers Light Horse­men, by vs Demilances. I must confesse a companie of men at Armes, to be the most honorablest priuat charge that a man may haue in the warres, principally because [Page 28] these charges are giuen vnto Princes, Nobilitie, or men of great qualities in the wars. To euery seuerall compa­ny belongeth one Ensigne, one Guydon, and one Cor­net; the Ensigne ouer the men at Armes, the Guydon o­uer the Archers, the Cornet ouer the light horsemen: Considering the number of hands to come to fight, & to do duty, I persuade my selfe the greatest warriors think the Lantiers more profitable and more seruiceable: my reasons are these; a man at Armes ought to haue 5. hor­ses, for euery horse he receiues as much pay as a Laun­tier: commonly the men of Armes makes no conuoyes that belongs vnto an Army, the most of them are men of quality (as we tearme men of warre) eyther gentle or cashed Officers, wherefore they are fauoured for their skouts, guards and watches. If they be commaunded to any of these duties, out of their fiue horses, it is much if they send three, commonly one and two: halfe of them keepes but foure horses, the most three, the rest is loden with baggage, perhaps lame iades, sufficient with curtesie to passe the Musters, being trimmed vp with help of their witnesses, how they wer hurt in seruice, & deuises. Lightly they are not commanded to march, vn­les the Army dislodges: if they do, Cornets of Launtiers and Hargulatiers are commanded with them. The men of Armes neuer breake their soft paces, vnlesse they charge or retire, the others often are commaunded to great marches, to do exploits, Caualgade, (as the straun­gers terme it) beside they must skout, discouer, with all duties that belongs vnto an Army, either in lodging or march, and fights often, when the men of Armes see no enemy▪ when they doo fight, lightly, it is a battaile, then the Launtiers receiue and giue the first blowes. The first charge being well conducted, and directed, tryes [Page 29] the most of the fortune of a daies seruice, 100. men at Armes are as chargeable as 500. Launtiers, and doo not the duetie, neither in fights nor guards as halfe so manie. Touching the barbd, (I meane the arming of the horses) I thinke it to little purpose, seeing all squadrons of pikes be lined with Musketiers or Caliuers; the lesser of both pearceth any arming that horses vse to carrie. In stead of Maces, the Launtiers may carrie one Pistoll, the which is lighter and farre more terrible, than thrice the force we haue in these daies. True it is, it is necessarie, for the shocke of a horse to weare a little Cuisset to co­uer the knee, so ought al the Launtiers to be. We know it by experience; let a horseman be armed, the forepart of his curaces of a light pistoll proofe, his head peece the like, two lames of his pouldrons the like, two or three lames of his tasses of the like proofe, the rest I meane his tasses, cuisses, pouldrons, vambraces, and gauntlets, bee also so light as you can deuise. With one pistoll these kinde of arming shal be found heauie for the most men, to carrie all day long, and too heauie for the most hor­ses to carie ten hours together, and to do any seruice: As I said before, the Launtiers are as well mounted for one horse a peece, if hee haue not two, vnles he be too base minded, and the warres verie bare. Besides, all Laun­tiers receiue euerie man his own pay, and haue nothing to doo with Master, nor anie bodie, sauing his Officers, that commaunds him to doo his duetie in the warre. Wherefore I perswade my selfe, they maintaine these Ordinances, as they tearme them, chieflie (as I said be­fore) to keepe the ancient customes, fearing in breaking that order, diuers of their great men would grudge: by reason, all or the most part of these companies belong vnto them. For example our Band of horsemen Penti­oners [Page 30] did account them the fairest Band of ordinance in Europe for the number, because all the men at armes are Gentlemen of qualitie: wherefore I doo value this Band better, than twice as manie of any other, let them bee of what Nation soeuer. I may speake it by good experi­ence, out of this Band there may be pickt 15. or 20. suf­ficient to answere so many at all deedes of armes, let it be chosen out of any Armie, be it neuer so great: conside­ring their charges in payes, expences in victuals muniti­on, and their liberties for dueties; I meane to conuoy, guard, and to watch, so many priuate Launtiers, as this faire Band musters in all of horses, vnder their Ensign, or Guydon, would excell them; my reason is, as I said be­fore, because euery Launtier is a master, and receiues his owne pay.

To prooue Hargulatiers more seruiceable than Speare men, tearmed by vs, light Horsemen.

THE difference betwixt our Northerne Speares, Light Horsemen we tearme them; and the Light Horsemen tearmed by the strangers Hargulatiers, as much to say Hargabushes or Petronels on horseback. Touching the mounting and arming of these hargula­tiers, I shewed you before, the seruice of all Light horse­men, consists chiefly in marching of great marches, (Ca­ualgades the strangers terme it) I meane, to surprise Cō ­panies a farre off in their lodgings, or marches; likewise to defeat conuoyes, & to conduct conuoyes, as much to say, direct it to spoyle necessaries that come to furnish their enemies, and to conduct necessaries to furnish their own campe or seruice. Also to scout and discouer, to spare the armed men, I meane the Launtiers, & the o­ther horsemen; likewise both to conduct & spoile forra­gers, [Page 31] with the like seruices. They be neuer commanded to do any exploits on men of Warre, without being ac­companied with Launtiers, or armed Pistolers, I meane Curaces on horseback. Diuers march with swords without Pistoll or Launce, especiallie the Frenchmen. For these seruices it is necessarie to haue in armies or troupes, for euerie 500. Launtiers or armed Curaces, 100. of these kinde of light horse: from that rate to the greatest numbers. If horsemen bee directed to assaile troupes at their lodgings, either in villages, streights, or fields, where it requires too great a march for footemen to keepe companie with the horsemen, without doubt these hargulatiers are farre better then the spearemen; my reasons are these; when the horsemen approach the enemie, if it bee in a village, lightly they must passe through barriers and narow streights, bard with wag­gons, both of victualls, & of their men of warre, where commonlie the Enemie keepes guardes & watch. If the passage bee such, either in entring a village or straight, that horsmen cannot finde place to enter and to charge, these hargulatiers light on foot, & do no lesse dutie than foote hargabushiers. If the enimie be lodged either too strongly or to manie, for the assailants to doo any good on their quarter, as ye must think, a 1000 stronglie lod­ged in a village or streight, with good guard and order, are worth 2000. without, let them be of one valure and conduct) then the assailant will addresse an ambush per­haps, in a passage or narrow streight short of the Enemies quarter, where he will also cause all or the most of those Hargulatiers to light, then place and hide them in such sort, that 100. shot wil spoyle and defend ten times more than themselues, vnles the enimies bring shot to displace them; if they doo, the Ambush may dislodge, if hee [Page 32] thinkes the partie vnequal; the which he could not, were his Hargulatiers Hargabushers without horses, beeing ingaged to fight. I confesse also the Hargulatiers farre better than the spearemen for this seruice; if troupes of armed curaces, launtiers, or others, chance to meete by fortune with the like enemies in a champion, the Har­gulatiers vnarmed march on both sides of their squa­dron, like wings of shot about a squadron of pikes; vntil the launtiers or curaces charge, diuers of their Hargula­tiers march skirmishing before the squadrons, like fore­lorne men after the Almaine phrase; when the squa­drons charge, they flye on both sides to their fellowes They place their armed Hargulatiers behinde the squa­drons, they execute more than the Launtiers, after the Launtiers, break into the enemies squadrons: for the ar­med hargulatiers ought to be as well mounted, and ar­med for curace and caske, sauing their beauers, as the launtiers; the most of them, as I shewed you before car­rieth a pistoll, besides his caliuer or petronell. Let it bee for what seruice Captaines can deuise, these hargulatiers are better than our sort of speare men that wee tearme Light Horsmen. I perswade my selfe, that all the warri­ers in Europe, sauing our selues and the Scots will bee found to be of my minde. I am sure the Earle of Essex, Generall Norris, the Lord Willoughbie, Sir William Russell, Sir Richard Bingham, with the most of all that serued a­gainst the great Captaines, I meane the Prince of Parma and his followers, will say and confesse as I doo. For ex­ample, the famous Mounsier de la Nowe, commanding chiefe of the warres vnder the Prince of Orange and the States in Flaunders, had 5. Cornets of these spearemen, all Scotts: he finding little seruice with these kinde of ar­ming and mounting, changed them vnto Launtiers and [Page 33] Hargulatiers; the which afterwards prooued to be ser­uiceable, & as braue bāds as any other vnder his charge: especially the company of Seaton. True it is, braue men wil shew themselues valiant with any kind of weapons, al maner of ways: but the best sort of arming and moun­ting is the more profitable, & the more seruiceable. Al­though our two nations (I meane English and Scottish) may compare, & in my opinion do excell all the rest of the world in value and strength: notwithstanding, ney­ther of both our Nations can compare with the Stran­gers for the mounting and arming, vnlesse we resolue to be Launtiers, Pistolers and Hargulatiers, as I shewed be­fore.

Our discipline is to haue 1000. Spearmen, and some 200. Launtiers, from that rate to the greatest numbers, which ought to be 1000. Lantiers and 200. Spearemen. Likewise, from that rate to the greatest, and those 200. ought to be Hargulatiers. I know no reason but 2000. Lantiers, 2000. Pistolers, 1000. Hargulatiers, should not Master 20000. Spearemen on horsebacke. Likewise from that rate to the lesser numbers; you must think the reason was that our kings of England & Scotland fought always or the most part on foote, because their whole trust was on the footmen, and that all strangers mastred them with horsemen: Assure our selues let vs keep their discipline with horsmen, none shal master vs number to number, although they were more.

Let vs not erre in our ancient customes, although our famous Kings Hen. 5. Edw. 3. and Hen. 8. were the most worthiest warriers that our nation euer had: notwith­standing you may be assured, had they knowne the ter­ror of Muskets, Caliuers and Pistolls, they would haue used the lesse Bowes, Speares and Bills; as the actions of [Page 34] these famous kings shews their Captains to be the most expert. Likewise, we must confesse Alexander, Caesar, Scipio and Hanniball, to be the worthiest and famoust warriers that euer were; notwithstanding, assure your selfe, had they knowne Artillerie, they woulde neuer haue battered Towns with Rammes, nor haue conque­red countries so easily, had they bin fortified as Germa­nie, France and the Low countries, with others, haue bin since their days. Although the ground of ancient Disci­pline is the most worthiest and the most famous; not­withstanding, by reason of fortifications, stratagems, in­gins, arming, with Munition, the discipline is greatly al­tered; the which we must follow and be directed as it is now: otherwise we shall repent it too late.

The difference betwixt Launtiers and Pistolers,

TRue it is, as Monsieur de la Nowe saith, a squadron of Rutters (meaning Pistolers) ought to beate a squadron of Launtiers. It were a great follie of me, either to deny his reasons or deeds; the little experi­ence I got was from him, and from such others as him­selfe. Touching Monsieur de la Nowe, he is knowne to be one of the worthiest and famous warriers, that Europe bred in his days. I do perswade my selfe, a squadron of Pistolers ought to encounter so many Launtiers; if they should enter into the squadrons of Lantiers, as Monsieur de la Nowe saieth. Without doubt the Pistol discharged hard by, wel charged with iudgement, murthers more than the Launce: out of a hundred Pistolers, 20. nor scarce 10. at the most do neither charge pistoll, nor enter a squadron as they shoulde, but commonly and lightly always they discharge their Pistols eight and fiue score off, and so wheele about; at which turnes the Launtiers [Page 35] charge them in the sides, be they wel conducted, if they should enter as Monsieur de la Nowe speaks, the Launti­ers haue or ought to haue one Pistoll at the least: touch­ing their arming and mounting, they ought to be rather better than worse. The captains or captaine that charges either with troups or troupe, cares not much whether the cōpanies breake their launces or not, but desires thē to enter resolutely, and to keep close together. If they be wel conducted, their leaders command more than half of thē to carie their swords or pistols in the bridle hand, rather than faile to vse the sword & pistoll, & quit their Lances; but they wil be sure to place the best of the Lan­tiers in the forefront. Lightly of euery hundred, 15. or 20. know how to breake: being wel broken, with care of the goodnesse of the staffe and head, the blowe of the Launce is little lesse in valor vnto the pistoll: the charge of the Lantiers is terrible and resolute, being in carier to breake, the enemies perceiues their resolution is to en­ter, and not to wheele about like vnto the pistolers; sel­dome or neuer at al shal you find pistolers charge or en­ter a squadron, either horse or foot on the spurs like vn­to the Launtiers; but softlie on a trot or soft pace, persua­ding themselues, as it is true, their Pistolls giue as great blowes, without the force of the horses. Considering the resolute charge done with the might of their hor­ses, the Launtiers are more terrible and make a farre fai­rer shew, either in Muster of Battaile: for example, the Almaines, during the time they carried Launces, caried a farre greater reputation than they doo now being pi­stolers named Rutters. The most Chiefes or Souldiers of account are armed at the proofe of the Pistoll. If the Leaders commaund their troupes to spoyle horses, the Launces are more sure, for diuers Pistolls faile to goe [Page 36] off, if they doo, they must be charged with discreti­on; being ouercharged, it shakes in a mans hand, so, that often it toucheth neyther man nor horse. If the charge be too little, it pierceth nothing to speake of. True it is, being pickt and chosen, the Pistolers murther more, would they doo as Monsieur de la Nowe directes them? But it hath beene seldome or neuer heard that Launtiers gaue place vnto Rutters; but I was often in their companie when they ranne away, three from one Launtier both in great troupes and small. True it is, the great Captaine the Admirall Chatillion, chose often to fight, and would haue diuers or the most of his horse­men to bee armed, wyth one Pistoll and a good Cur­tilace: hee had great reason, for the most of his follo­wers on horsebacke were Gentlemen of qualitie, or resolute Souldiours that fought for the Religion. Di­uers of the Gentlemen were in quarrells for their hou­ses, or for their particular reputation, but all in gene­rall, were resolute valiant faithfull men of warre, that fought either for religion or reputation, to maintaine their wordes after the olde Romane fashion. Being such men, no weapons comes amisse: for constancie and true valor, ouerthrows al pollicie, being in Armes, readie to fight without delayes. Besides, the nature of the Frenchmen is such, that they will grudge to carrie any Armes, but such as please themselues: vnto the which their Leaders were faine to agree, partly against their wills, fearing otherwise to offend their humours, knowing it lay in them to followe whome they lifted, especiallie their Realme beeing diuided into factions; being al vnited, their kings were faine to hire Switzers and Almaines for their battailes on foot, I meane armed Pikes, which is the bodie of all battailes.

To prooue Musketiers the best small shot that euer were inuented.

THe difference betwixt the Muskets and any other peeces that are vsed. If it be in a battaile, howsoe­uer the ground or place falles out in Trenches, ei­ther assailing or defending Townes, Forts, or Fortresses, or in defending or assailing streights, or passages, whe­ther it be by night or day, in my iudgement fiue hun­dred Muskets are better than 1000. Caliuers, or any o­ther such shot, and are to bee valued from that rate vnto the greatest numbers. My reasons are thus, the Musket spoyles horse or man thirtie score off, if the powder bee anie thing good, and the bearer of any iudgement. If armed men giue the charge, few or any carrie Armes of the proofe of the Musket, being deliuered within ten or twelue score. If any great troupes of horse or foote, offers to force them with multitude of smaller shot, they may discharge foure, fiue or sixe small bullets being de­liuered in volley, the which pearceth al they strike, vn­lesse the enimie bee heauely armed, the which are not vnlesse it be some 100. of a 1000. at the most of either horse or foote. By that reckoning 100. Muskets are to be valued vnto 200. Caliuers or more: the Caliuers may say they will discharge two shot for one, but cannot de­nie; but one Musket shot doth more hurt than two Ca­liuers shot, farre or nere and better cheape: although the Musket spend a pound of powder in 8. or 12. shot, and the other smaller shootes twentie and thirtie of a pound. Considering the wages and expence of two to one, the Musket is better cheape and far more seruiceable. Some thinke the Musket cannot march far in a day, or night, or cōtinue long without rest, by reason of their weight nor skirmish so nimblie nor so often, by reason of their [Page 38] length, weight, and sore recoyling. Armed men are hea­uier loaden than the Musketiers, and more combersome in carriage: lightlie no great troupe matches ten miles without resting, although it be but a little at euerie stand and nere the enemie: the Musketiers are suffered to quit their weight, leauing their Muskets in their rests: the ar­med men will not be suffered to disarme themselues in their march, let thē stand neuer so often, if they be with­in fiue houres march of an Enemie any thing equall of either horse or foote: by that reason they haue a little aduantage. Fewe Captaines will force any great troupe of footemen to march aboue 15. miles, without resting: if the Enemie be equall and in hazard to fight, although it be 20. miles, both armed men and Musketiers wil not stick to march, if their Leaders haue any credite with them, and discretion to furnish their troupes with victu­alls and necessaries that belongs vnto such a march.

Touching their often discharging, nimblenes & pro­fit, I answered before. For recoyling there is no hurt, if they bee streight stocked after the Spanish manner. For their weight and sure shooting, the Muskets haue ad­uantage on all the other small shot, by reason they shoote in their rests: true it is, were they stocked crooked after the French manner to be discharged on the breast, fewe or none could abide their recoyling, by reason of their great charges of powder: but being discharged from the shoulder after the Spanish manner, with the thumbe be­twixt the stocke and the face, there is neither danger nor hurt, if the shooter haue any discretion; especiallie not to ouerload their pecces, and take heede that the bullets ioyne close to the powder. Few seruices of importance are executed in the field without armed men; and where armed men wil march, the Musketiers are il conducted, [Page 39] vnlesse they doo the like, let it bee neuer so farre. The o­uerthrowes of all Battailes and great fights are giuen within two miles, the most in halfe a mile: for that space, were it further, the Musketiers march as their lea­ders needs to wish them.

Touching light skirmishes, vnles it bee to some pur­pose, none vseth them, vnles it bee rawe men or light headed, that delights to heare the peeces crack: as I saide before, the most seruice consists either to defend or as­saile passages by water, or by straits, or to assaile townes, forts, fortresses, or whatsoeuer seruice you can inuent if it be done on great troupes, the musketiers are the terri­blest shot & most profitable that euer was deuised. The Spaniards do vse them most, & findes their seruie & ter­rour such, that I perswade my self shortlie, al or the most of their small shot will be Musketiers. True it is, I doo thinke it necessarie to haue of 1000. shot, 200. Caliuers from that rate to the greater number, and such shot for this purpose, when occasiō presents to make great mar­ches (Caualgades the strangers calls it) to giue Camisa­does on troupes that are lodged a farre off, to surprise Townes, Fortresses or passages that are simply mand, and negligentlie guarded, or to lye in Ambush a farre off, to cut off conuoyes, passengers, and such services. These lighter shot are necessarie to march great marches with horsemen for these purposes, the which are often taken behind the horsemen for expedition of great marches, to doo executions vnlooked for.

To proue the Pike the most honorable weapon carried by Footemen.

THe Pike is the most honorable weapon that is car­ried by footmen; the Pike is the strength of al bat­tailes. [Page 40] I know no reason but two thousand Pikes, 1000. Musketiers, shuld not retire ten miles, although it were all champion grounds, from 3000. horsemen mounted & armed, as Captaines can deuise. The Pike is the chie­fest weapon to defend, and to enter a breach, although diuers guards nere a place assieged are furnished onelie with shot & short weapons, as armed Holberts, Targets, and such weapons, by reason their Trenches are narrow and deepe to couer them from the defendants shot, in which trenches the Pikes haue no conuenient place to fight: notwithstanding, about their batteries, and in di­uers places nere vnto these guards, they make large Cor­digards, where they place their Ensignes in some and in all strong guards of Pikes; meaning thereby to put their strength and rest chieflie on that weapon: wherefore the experimented Spaniards commands all their chiefe men on foote to carrie the Pike.

What number of short weapons there ought to bee amongst one thousand armed men, from that rate to the greater nūber.

I Perswade my selfe there ought to bee amongst one 1000. Pikes, 200. short weapons, as Holberts or Bills; but the Bills must be of good stuffe, not like our com­mon browne Bills, which are lightlie for the most part all yron, with a little steele or none at all; but they ought to be made of good yron and steele, with long strong pikes at the least of 12. inches long, armed with yron to the midds of the staffe, like the Holberts: for example. like vnto those which the Earle of Leicester, and Sir Wil­liam Pelham had in the Low Countries for their guards: being made thus, no doubt but it is a necessarie weapon to guard Ensignes in the field, trenches or townes, and a good weapon to execute, but no better thā the halberd. [Page 41] Because the Frenchmen make their halberds with long neckt pikes, and of naughtie stuffe like our common browne bills, diuers of our Nation condemnes the Halberdes: but let the Halberds bee of good stuffe and stronglie made after the Millaine fashion, with large heads to cut, and broad strong pikes both to cut and to thrust, then no doubt the Halberd is nothing behinde the bill for all manner of seruice, and armes a souldier fairer than the bill. Both Bills and Halberds ought to haue corslets, with light Millain murrians; the foreparts ought to be of reasonable proofe, I meane of the proofe of the Caliuer, discharged ten or twelue score off: so ought the pikes also to haue the foreparts of the corslets of the like proofe, fifteene or twenty of euery hundred, from that rate vnto the greatest numbers. I knowe no reason, that a thousand armed men ought to aske aboue two hundred targetters of the proof: those weapons are very combersome, they are best to arme men to disco­uer breaches; or for the defendants to discouer tren­ches, or the enemies workes; and for to couer shot that skirmishes in streights; their weights are such, that few men will endure to carie thē (if they be of good proofe) one houre, I perswade my selfe, the best arming of tar­getters, is to haue the corslets of reasonable proofe, and the targets light; so the bearers may the better and nim­bler assaile, and fight the longer in defending.

To prooue Bow men the worst shot vsed in these days.

TOuching Bow men, I persuade my selfe fiue hun­dred musketers are more seruiceable than fifteene hundred bow-men; from that rate to the greater numbers in all manner of seruices: my reasons are thus, [Page 42] among 5000. Bowmen, you shall not finde 1000 good Archers, I meane to shoot strong shoots; let them be in the field 3. or 4. months, hardly find of 5000. scarce 500. able to make any strong shootes. In defending or assay­ling any trenches, lightly they must discouer themselues to make faire shoots; where the others shot spoile them, by reason they discouer nothing of themselues vnlesse it be a litle through small holes. Few or none do any great hurt 12. or 14. score off; they are not to be compared vn­to the other shoots to line battels, or to march, either in the wings of any battailes, or before, as we terme them from the Almaine phrase forlorne hope. Diuers wil say, they are good to spoile the horsmen; I do confesse it, if the horsemen come within their shootes, and can not charge them by reason of their trenches or guards of pikes. Lightly when the horsemen approach within twelue score, the trumpets sound the charge; if it be on shot, that lies where they cannot charge, they are ill con­ducted that leade any great troup of horsmen to charge trenches. Commonly the Cornets or Guydons charge one an other if there be any of both sides: if not, few horsemen well conducted, will charge either trenches, or battailes of footmen, vnlesse they see a faire entrie, or the footmen begin to shake, as good Captains wil soone perceiue. If they do charge, they will be sure to be well accompanied with small shot, which soone terrifieth bowmen, especially the musketters: besides the horse­men are all well armed, in such sort that Bowmen can­not hurt the men; let them say what they list, when the men are sure the arrowes will not pierce them, they wil be the valianter: although the horses be killed, and the Masters seruice lost for that day, notwithstanding they thinke it better to be taken prisoner sixe times, than kil­led [Page 43] once, beside the munition that belongs vnto Bow­men, are not so commonly found in al places, especially arrowes: as powder is vnto the other shot. Also time and ill weather weakneth the bowes as well as the men. In our ancient wars, our enemies vsed Crossebows, and such shoots; few, or any at all had the vse of long bowes as we had; wherefore none could compare with vs for shot: but GOD forbid we should trie our bowes with their Muskets and Caliuers, without the like shot to an­swere them. I do not doubt but al, honorable and others, which haue serued in the Low Countries will say as I doo: notwithstanding some will contrarie it, although they neuer sawe the true triall of any of those weapons belonging eyther to horse or foote, alledging antiquitie without other reasons, saying, we carried armes before they were borne. Little do they think how Caesar ended all his great actions in lesse than twelue yeeres, by their reckoning none could prooue great Captaines that fol­lowed him, which began and ended in that time, as Duke D'alua said, the longer experted, the more perfect. T'rue it is, long experience requires age, age without ex­perience requires small Discipline. Therfore we are de­ceiued, to iudge men expert because they carried armes fortie yeeres, and neuer in action three yeeres, during their liues counting all together.

Some wil say, what discipline could there be seen in the actions of the Netherlanders and France, counting them ciuil wars: touching the Netherlanders, the worlde doth know their warres dured 23. yeeres, without anie peace, putting all together not 15. months. The wars of France dured 30. yeres: true it is they had often peace, & a long time together: wherefore it cannot be compared vnto the other; notwithstanding, in these actions were [Page 44] imployed all the brauest Nations of Europe, their grea­test Captaines, enginers, and counsellors for warre.

What Fortifications are best to withstand a royall batterie and to prooue a wet ditch better than a drie.

SOme will condemne me for my strange names of Fortifications, they ought to pardon mee: for my part, I know no other names than are giuen by the strangers, because there are few or none at all in our lan­guage. If a man shuld call a Casamate a slaughter house, the multitude would thinke I speake of a place to kill biefes, & such matters; if I should call a Cauilere a moūt, diuers would aske, what to do? to place windmills or ar­tillery; if I should call a rampire a wall, they would think I lied, vnlesse it were made of lime and stone: therefore as the most languages calls London and Bristow as we do, so is it best for vs to call their inuentions as they do: tou­ching Muskets, Caliuers and Hargubuziers, with other things, wee agree with their names. The best dry ditch, is to haue the ditch 100. paces broad, & 50. foote deep, 4. Casamats on euery side of the Bulwarkes, the lowest to flanke the bottome of the ditch from the one side vnto the other; the second like wise within ten foote, with broad Casamats, that the Artillery may be raised hie be­hind, to beat a long the ditches, as nigh to the botome as can be deuised; the third and fourth Casamats likewise within ten foot one of another, to flanke the ditch in e­uery part as lowe as may be deuised; also the fourth Ca­samate must flanke the Counterskarfe: in euery part the Counterskarfe ought to bee three score broad, ri­sing from the foote to the head; the head ought to co­uer the ditch and rampire as high as the fourth Casa­mate: you can not bestow too much cost on the Coun­terskarfe, Counterskarffe, [Page 45] for before the enemie possesse the Counterskarffe, hee cannot batter to take away any of the flankes: wherefore it ought to bee made with all the arte that can bee deuised with lime and stone, from the foote to the head, especiallie for fortie paces nere vnto the head. It were not amis, although it hath been neuer seene before to haue mines like vautes, ouerthwart to the midds of the Counterskarsse; which mines ought to be flanked with two lowe Casamats out of the head of the Bulwarks, likewise from Bulwarke to Bulwarke in that sort: my reason is, when the assailant lodgeth in the Counterskarffe, they must bee couered with Tren­ches, the which will bee hardlie done by reason of these mines. The mines cannot bee hurtfull; let the Enemie finde them, they cannot lodge in them, we knowe it by good experience: he that possesseth a mine, first hauing an entrie that cannot bee cut off, hath treble aduantage, though the mine were sodainely made, much more be­ing made artificially with time and care, hauing a Casa­mat to flanke it. The Counterskarffe ought to haue parapets cut in them foure foote deepe, euerie trench to flanke one another, from the head to the foote of the Counterskarffe, I meane place to lodge what troupes pleaseth the defendants to guard it, with diuerse places to sallie both horse and foote at their pleasures. Euerie Bulwarke ought to haue two sallies, one for Horse and foote, the other a little secret sallie: the Bulwarkes ought to flanke one another within tenne score; eue­rie Curten ought to haue two Caualeres to command the field within their shootes, aswell as the Counter­scarffes: let all this bee finished as Captaines and Ingi­ners can deuise. Notwithstanding, no drie ditch can be compared for strength vnto a wet ditch: my reason [Page 46] is thus, where water may bee drawne vnto the ditch of the Rampier, likelie it may be drawne vnto the Coun­terskarffe ditch: halfe or the best part of the Fortificati­ons is lost, when the Counterscarffe is possest, being possest, the assailants with their Trenches on wheeles, pusht on with strong poales with the force of men, the which may be made of the proofe of a field piece; with those and with wooll sacks, gabions, sand bags, faggots, and such deuises, as they had before Sluce, they will soone place their batterie: after dismounting the Caua­leres and highest Casamates. Also they will deface the Counterscarfe, enter the ditch with mines in diuers pla­ces, in time make all the Counterscaffe an easie entrie in the ditch, and keepe their guards in the sides where the flankes can not annoy them: that being done, they will soone lay batterie to the other Casamates before they batter: hauing an easie entrie into the ditch, the defen­dants dare not sally, by reason the Assailaunts Artillerie beates all their high flankes & parpets; in such sort, that none dares shew themselues. Let the defendants enter the ditch, the Assailants will enter also; beeing pell mell, the Casamates kils their owne as well as their enemies. Being thus, no doubt in short time the assailāts wil lodge in the rampier let it be neuer so thick, what trēches with in the Captaines and Engioners can deuise, vnlesse they haue newe fortifications, like vnto those I named be­fore: in time the Assailant will lodge his batterie on the rampiers, as they did at Mastricht, and in short time fight with equal hands with the defendants to their vndoing. Therefore a drie ditch cannot be compared vnto a wet. If there can be made a wet deepe broad ditch at the foot of the counterscarfe, where the water may not be taken away, I knowe no reason why the defendants should [Page 47] loose their Counterscarfe, being well manned. If the water may be drawen out of both the ditches of Ram­pier and counterscarfe, yet is the wet ditches better than the drie. Few good Enginers giues counsaile to make a wet ditch artificiallie, without Casamates vnder wa­ter, as lowe as reason perswades them the water may be taken from them: being let out, there remaines in some trenches, water that cannot be voided, beeing cleane ta­ken away, the Casamates flankes all one.

As I said before, flankes cannot be taken away, with­out possessing the Counterscarfe, neither can a broade ditch be fild, without great murders against reson, with out dismounting the flanks. Some wil say, the dry ditch is better, alledging that any armie may the better succor the place asseiged, and that the defendants may the bet­ter sally out. Touching the succouring of the Asseiged, it is well knowen al Armies are victualled from hand to mouth; he that leades an Armie to leauie a siege, & can­not finde a place to lodge his armie within three houres march of the others, where hee shall be assured to force his enemies to fight within ten daies, leauie his siege, or famish, conducts his troupes verie ill. None besiegeth a­nie place, but intrencheth himselfe and troupes in such sort, that 5000. will defend trenches, against thrice their number: wherefore the succours are ill conducted to force trenches, and may fight better cheape. Touching the sallies of the besieged, if the fortification be such, as I named before, it ought to haue in it for euery bulwark a ponton, I meane a bridge ioyned close together with yron engins, like vnto those of the citadell of Antwerpe. Those pontons are iust the bredth of the ditch, hatched fast with yron hookes vnto the Counterscafe, made so broad & so strong, that Artillerie may passe beside horse [Page 48] and foote. These pontons serue a wet ditch for salying, aswell as any salies that belongs vnto a drie ditch: both wet and drie, when the Counterscarffe is possest, leeseth their salying, if the Seigers be good Captaines. All Bat­teries ought to be guarded with strong trenches, and all quarters ought to bee stronglie entrenched, as I saide before; especially, the assailants hauing intelligence of succors, that being furnisht, the salying of the assieged is their owne confusion. It is dangerous to haue Bastiles from the rampier like vnto Mastricht, Vtricht, and other places. Some counts these bastiles bulwarkes, I thinke al Bulwarkes ought to bee gardall round about: others counts them spurres or rauelins; whether they be spurs, bastiles, rauelins or bulwarks, they be dangerous vnlesse they ioyne vnto the rampier, or to bee furnisht during a siedge with strong guards. Commonlie they are not guarded, vnlesse the Enemie lodgeth against them, be­cause the defendants perswade themselues, the Enemie dares not lodge in them, by reason they bee open vnto the curteine & cauileres like the Counterscarfes. These Bastiles haue much earth. Let the Enemie enter one of them, within two hours, he couers himself in the earth; nothing made with hands that can bee battered, but will be made assaultable. Is there a breadth in one of them, & the enimie can beate the entry, I meane the bridge, be­twixt the curten and it, their succours is cut off. Besides the defendants shall not finde much ground within thē, to retrench themselues against the cannon; & where the cannon plaies no defendant dare shew himself: some wil say, these bastiles may haue counterscarfes as I named before; I doo confesse it, but they are so farre from the rampier, that neither the rampier, his counterscarfe, nor scarce caualere can flanke; wherefore without doubt [Page 49] these bastiles that are not ioined vnto the rampier, are very dangerous, and not to bee compared vnto the others ioy­ning. True it is, men, victuals and munition ought to de­fend Trenches against an Armie, I doo confesse it, a little Armie against a great, I meane halfe so manie. But no For­tifications made with mens hands, can be kept continual­lie against a royall Armie, without succours, if it can bee battered; nor against a small Armie, without men, victualls & munition: wanting one of the three, the best Fortresse is lost, you must thinke the assailants hauing the field, and meanes to reenforce their troupes as they list, the losse of one hundred vnto the defendants is more, than two thou­sand vnto the assailants. But let the defendants or assai­lants do their dueties to the vttermost in any kind of ser­uices, vnlesse it pleaseth their masters or superiours to grace their deedes, their well dooing will bee turned to nought; and their vertues, vices. Wherefore all men of warre ought to pray to hazard their liues in the sight of their Princes or Estates, then likelie they will confesse no traffique so deare as liues, especiallie being in action with equall enemies. It is hard to please the most masters, & vn­possible to content the rude multitude: the least worme will mooue, hauing anie life being troden vpon: for my owne part I doo confesse to bee one of the least in respect of thousands, not so base but euer I carried a mind rather to be buried dead, than aliue.

I speake this for the wrongs done vnto my selfe and companions for the defence of the towne of Sluce: true it is, those that serues many, serues no bodie; I meane, they shall find none that will confesse to be their masters, espe­ciallie when they should be rewarded for their seruice, but the multitude will bee readie to disgrace their seruants, thinking by such meanes to pay them their debts, or at the least sufficient rewards to bee reconciled vnto them and pardoned for their misconstred thoughts. Wherefore I would wish all men of warre, and they can, to bee in all strange Princes or estates debts, rather than they in yours: if your masters bee giuen to any machiuell humours, the [Page 50] debts that should pay you, will hire them diuers others: are you in their debts, you are sure not to bee wronged, thinking your seruice to come paied for. Although our masters the States bee for the most part honest and vertu­ous personages, notwithstanding looke into their actions, you shall finde a number of Captaines wronged besides our selues: they are partlie to bee borne withall. Some­times great Captaines are so ambitions, that they will de­face their inferiours deedes: therefore there can been no great fault in the States, nor any such, when we wrong one another: otherwise time and fortune might make infe­riours Competitors with the great ones. Sometimes for­tune frownes on the greatest Captaines, in such sort, that they can not or will not performe that the world lookes they should do, then likelie had they rather burie their in­struments and inferiours, rather than bee touched them­selues with the least disgrace. Therefore you cannot blame the poore Souldier to desire the eye of his master, when he hazardeth his life. Subiects are vassalls vnto Princes and States, and not vnto the most Generals: although I neuer knewe any, notwithstanding, it is well knowne ambitious Generals wronged often their masters: being in those hu­mors, they will bee sure to wrong their inferiours, vnlesse they serue their turnes. Touching our wrongs, I impute it to no bodie but vnto our owne fortunes, as the Spaniards said vnto Charles the 5. Adeunda salta la diecha, non apreuie­cha la diligencia. Touching Sluce, I do protest by the faith of a Souldier, what I write is troth. As nigh as I can remem­ber, we kept the Towne about 60. daies: diuers thinkes it no time, because Harlam, Mastricht, and others, were kept longer: little doo they thinke how those places were fur­nisht with all necessaries, especiallie, the lesser of both had in them at the least 6000. hands to fight and to worke. Let vs be rightlie iudged, I will prooue that Bouennene was the furioust siege that was in the Lowe Countries, since Duke D'aluas arriuall vntill this houre; the which began and en­ded in lesse than twentie daies: notwithstanding, there was more Captaines and Souldiers spoyled by sword and [Page 51] bullet at that siege, than at Harlam, which dured ten mo­neths. Experimented Captaines will confesse, the furie of all breaches are tried in fewe houres, and the furie of ar­tillerie preuented without sodaine attempts. Wee were not in S [...]uce 1600. fighting, workmen, and all: wee had to keepe (counting the two Forts) aboue two miles and a halfe. It is well knowne, before we entred, the Towne lost one Fort. If wee shewed anie valour in our entrie, let Sir Henrie Palmer, & his Seamen, with them of Zealand iudge; the danger was not so little, but of the vessels that carried vs in, fiue were taken the next tide in comming out. The third tide, Sir Charles Blunt offered fiftie pounds (besides the commandement his Masters and Mariners receiued at his imbarking) to carrie vs our necessaries from Sir William Russell, then Lord Gouernour of Vlishing, who in­deed was the occasion of our entrie, resolution, and quick dispatch; who sent with vs a good quantitie of victuals and munition: and to say troth, without his earnest dispatches wee had not entred: then the world knowes the Towne had been lost without blowes, as a number of others were in those Countries farre better than Sluce: The best sort doth knowe, had I and my companions marchanted our liues, as traffickers doth their ware, wee had no neede to haue entred Sluce, for our direction was but to Ostend: we were battered with thirtie Cannons and eight Culuerings on S. Iacobs eeue: from three of the clock in the morning vntill fiue in the afternoone, they shot aboue foure thou­sand Cannon shot. By the Dukes owne confession he ne­uer sawe so furious a batterie in one day: wee were made saultable aboue 200. & 50. paces, betwixt fiue of the clock and seauen: wee were aboue fiue times at the push of the pike for our breach, where wee spoyled the enemies in great numbers; who perceiuing our Trenches within O­uerthwart the breach, quieted their furies: afterwards we kept the Towne eighteene daies, the enemie being lodged in our port, rampier, and breach, aboue three hundred paces, in the which time the Enemie passed through the port sixe paces to beate our Trenches within: wee kept [Page 52] our Fort vntill wee were made saultable more than our Troupes could guard, vnles wee would quite the Towne: being mined, wee countermined them, in the which wee fought hourelie for the space of nine daies with Sword, Target and Pistols: at our breach, port, and rampiet of the Towne wee fought daylie with pikes, short weapons and stones, besides our shot for the said space of eighteene daies. Touching our sallies, let the Enemie testifie. The Duke of Parma being entred, asked me which was Busker­uilde, standing before him; I shewed him: who imbraced him, turning towards his Nobilitie, he said: there serues no Prince in Europe a brauer man. Most true it is, at one sallie he had the point with an hundred corslets of the best sort, who charged and made to runne, eight Spanish En­signes of the Tertia Vecho, and hurt their master del Campo. True it is, he was seconded with a number of others; but himselfe principallie knowne by prisoners, and his great plume of feathers. Also Sir Francis Vere marked for his red Mandilion, who stood alwaies in the head of the armed men at the assaults of the Fort and Towne, beeing twise hurt, I and other his friends requested him to retire: he answered, he had rather be kild ten times at a breach, than once in a house.

Captaine Hart most valiantlie swamme in and out to shewe our Generall and States our wants and daungers: the world doth know what picks there was betwixt them at that instant, such that none can denie but a full resolu­tion was taken not to enter in by water. The world doth knowe our Armie by land retired at midnight from Blanc­kenborough to Ostend: let enuie and malice speake what they list, troath may be blamed but neuer shamed: we were lost men but for our owne wits and resolution: our pow­der was all spent so farre, that wee had not to maintaine halfe a daies fight: the Enemies had gotten into our ram­pier so farre, that their shot flanked vs into our trenches, for eighteene nights we lay alwaies Officers and all at our breach, where we eate our meate continuallie: we had not left vnbroken of twentie field peeces with their Artillerie, [Page 53] foure: wee endured in Towne and Fort, seuenteene thou­sand foure hundred and aboue of Cannon shot. Where malicious tongues speake of our assaults, I protest we en­dured one assault in the Fort at breaches and mine, from nine of the clocke in the morning, vntill two in the after­noone, where the braue Marquis of Renti was hurt, the great Captaine Mounsieur de la Mote lost his right arme, Mounsieur de Strippeny, Colonell of the Burgonians slaine, with diuers Captaines and Officers: besides, by their own report at that assault they had slaine, aboue seuen hun­dred and as many hurt: we had hurt and slaine at that as­sault aboue one hundred and fiftie; where Colonell Hunt­ley, Sir Edmond Vdall, Sir Iohn Scot, Captaine Ferdinando Gorge, Master Selinger, Captaine Nicholas Baskeruilde, with diuers other Gentlemen and Officers shewed themselues most valiantlie, both at that assault and at all other serui­ces, during the said Siedge. Captaine Francis Alene swam in with Captaine Hart after the breach was made; during his time, none shewed greater valour. Truelie, all the Wal­lons with their souldiers shewed themselues constant, reso­lute and valiant, especiallie the braue Captaines, Messures de Medkerke and Erogier. We were but foure English bands neere two hundred strong a peece, by reason wee diuided amongst them some two hundred and fiftie Muskettiers, who through the meanes of the Gouernour of Vlishing, came with vs from his Garrison, from Berghen, & Ostend. There were many Lieftenants, Ensignes and Sergeants, aduenturers, beside those souldiers, the better halfe of our men were slaine▪ for of 1600. English, Wallons, and Fle­mings, we carried not out 700.

In respect of our losses, our Captaines asked pay for the whole numbers; wherefore our masters the States and o­thers, would not confesse our losses to bee so great, from the first houre of our entrie, vntill our comming out, none came to vs but those which swamme. The Duke of Parma himselfe asked me before a great number, what were our losses? I answered him with the troth as neere as I could: himselfe, and diuers other assured vs, that he lost before [Page 54] Sluce fiue and fortie Captaines besides other Chiefes, and more Souldiers than he lost at Nuse, Berke, Graue, and Ven­dello. What words I spake vnto the Englishmen that fol­lowed him, my companions can witnesse. Some others (besides the Duke and my selfe) knowes, if I listed, and promise kept, I might haue had a farre greater number of Pistolls, than euer I had of Angells. True it is, some Prin­ces loue treason, but neuer like the traitors: did they loue them, they should neuer loue me, for the least thought of such matters. Where it pleased some to speake of two Irish Greyhounds, which the Duke requested me to send vnto him; returning to Middleborow, where I found the Earle our General, he gaue me two faire Greihounds, comman­ding me not to faile to send them vnto the Duke: and fin­ding Master Steeuens, sometime seruant vnto the most no­ble Sir Philip Sidney, returning vnto the Duke, on my re­quest he presented the doggs; for the which it pleased the Duke to send me a faire Spanish horse with a rich saddle. The saying is true: It is better for some to steale a horse than others to looke on: notwithstanding, that I gaue no­thing nor receiued nothing without the consent of my Generall, it was enuied without more occasion. A faire horse with rich furniture is easilie discouered by day light, where bagges or rich bribes can hardlie bee seene, if the parties hath wit to couer it, the which the Spaniard pre­sents often to many, vnknown to their masters or estates, els their credites had not troubled Europe as it doth, nor the proceedings against them so slowlie as it is in some places.

Some said also; if they had bin in such dangers in Sluce, wherefore gaue the Duke of Parma such large composi­tion vnto them? I know no reason but this, sixe daies be­fore we gaue ouer the Towne, all the Captaines and Of­ficers met in counsell: Hauing seene our daungers, and some perceiuing the heate of our succours, wee assigned our Articles of composition, swore all to haue them gran­ted vnto vs or to dye, and to burne the Towne and Castle, so escape that could through the drowned land: The co­pie [Page 55] of those Articles with other letters wee sent vnto the Earle our Generall and Estates, the which came into the Enemies hands, by reason the messenger was slaine in swimming by their boates and pallisade on the riuer. This is well knowne vnto all our companions, for the Marquis of Renti out of his Trench tolde it me openlie before all our guards at the breach, and that Owen a Welsh Gentle­man had much adoo to put my foule hand in Italian to the Duke. Also wee made a sallie, where we lost two Offi­cers, who shewed them our resolution, the which we main­tained being face to face with the Duke in our parlie, and returned once from him into the Towne, thinking he would not agree vnto some of the articles: but his prudēce or his counsell perswaded him to send for vs againe, and to signe them all. But I protest on the faith of a Christian, I thinke so wil the rest of my companions protest the like, for my part I knowe not how wee might haue kept the Towne twelue houres with the losse of our liues, had wee been al desperate, if it had pleased the Enemies to attempt vs: but most true it is, rather than take any base condi­tions, some and many would haue ended our liues in that place. I protest to all manner of qualities, I write not this with a meaning to condemne any particular nor generall that should haue succoured vs, nor to robbe the least de­fendant of his right; for I confesse my selfe the simplest Captaine of halfe a dozen that was within the Towne, three or foure of them, were they knowne and rightlie iudged, are sufficient to conduct double that Garrison in anie Armie in the world, and to conduct a greater troupe, hauing authoritie.

Some may blame me because I tooke no care in writing this action of Sluce more larger, and in better order; I will doo it at large in my discourse of the Netherlanders ac­tions, perhaps both that and a number of other matters, in better order, than some perswaded great Personages, I could doo.

True it is, some are to write, some to speake, others to [Page 56] execute. What I want in anie of those vertues, my bloud shall witnes in others, the zeal of [...] towards my sa­cred Soueraigne and deare Count [...], if occasion pre­sents it. In the meane time, and alwaies, I pray most heartilie to the Almightie to preserue her sacred health and royall estate to the honour of God, and con­fusion of her Enemies.