BELGIAES TROVBLES, AND TRIVMPHS. WHEREIN ARE TRVLY and Historically related all the most famous Occurrences, which haue happened betweene the Spaniards, and Hollanders in these last foure yeares Warres of the Netherlands, with other Accidents, which haue had relation vnto them, as the Battels of Fleurie, and Statloo, the losse of Gulicke and Breda, the Sieges of Sluce and Bergen, the Conquest of St. Saluador in Brasilia, and the taking of Goffe by Charles Lambert, &c.
Written by WILLIAM CROSSE, master of Arts of St. Mary Hall in Oxford, and sometimes Chaplaine vnto Colonell Ogle in the Netherlands.
LONDON, Printed by AVGVSTINE MATHEVVES, and IOHN NORTON, 1625.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, AND TRVELY noble Lords, the Earle of ESSEX, and my Lord MOVNTIOY, William Crosse wisheth the increase of Temporal, and the fulnesse of Spirituall happinesse.
MOst Illustrious Lords, amongst all the List of our Time-VVorthies, I could find none to whom I might consecrate this First part of Belgiaes Troubles and Triumphs, sooner then to your Honoured selues, as being the Sonnes of two so Noble, and high-deseruing Fathers, the Mirrours of these latter Ages; whose Examples concurring with the inbred vertue of your owne Dispositions, inuite you to the Patronage of Arts, to the Profession and Exercise of Armes: the former you haue manifested by your Munificence; the latter, by the free aduenture of your owne Persons: as you my Lord of Essex, at your first ascent into the Palatinate, for your Ingagements in the Seruice of the Netherlands, your and last attending with much Constancy and Valour, in the troublesome Leaguers of Meede, and [Page] Rosendale. And you my Lord Montioy, for your worth and Noblenesse, exemplified at the Siege of Bergen op Zoom, for the rescuing of Monsieur Breoutees Bodie from the Spaniards at Meede Leaguer neere Breda, and for the continuall perseuerance in your Noble Resolutions, and heroycall Indeauours: The Authour doubts that malicious Criticisme may haunt and ghost this impartiall Poeme, which glorifies our English Nation, according to their condigne merits, a thing omitted by the Dutch and French VVriters, who giue ynough vnto themselues, but vnto vs too little attributes of Honour. For these causes he seeks to shelter this Fraught vnder the Lee of your Protections, which if hee obtaines, by meanes of your Noble Graunts, hee shall for euer rest
The deuoted Seruant of your Lordships William Crosse
BELGIA'S TROVBLES AND TRIVMPHS.
The first Booke.
THE ARGVMENT.
IN this part continued from the beginning of the yeare of our Lord God, 1621, vnto the Ascension of our Sauiour, in the yeare 1622, are contained the expiration of the last Truce, with a Proposition of a new Treatie; which the States reiect, because the Spaniards would not acknowledge them for free States in this Treatie. The preparations of both sides for warre. The meeting of our Troups at Skenckesconce. Their cruell March from thence to Dornicke. The terrible Sicknes which raigned in our Army. The imbattailing of our Foot-Companies on the North side of Dornicke. Graue Henricks fortunate escape from foure Cornets of the enemies Horse. The burning of his Lodgings and Stables by a casuall fire. Spinolaes opposition against the Prince of Oranges forces. Vanderbercks taking of Gulicke, and Inigoes repulse at Sluce: together with the burning of 50 Dorps in little Brabant by the States Armie, and the taking of the Gouernour of Angola Prisoner by the Flushingers.
AFter the calmes of sweet-contenting Peace
Well passed were, and that luxurious ease
Had griped on those Armes, which fighting were,
Imbru'd with blood, with danger, death & feare;
Bellona storming with a fatall rage,
Out of th'Infernall Cells calls forth a Page,
Fell Discord hight, with whom shee thus doth treat:
Doe not thy trembling vaines deare Discord sweat
Whole stormes of wrath? for that neglected warre
Crest-fallen mournes in peace; and that, that barre
Of milk-sop Treaties stoppes our raging Armes,
Stain'd with the blood of Belgiaes former harmes.
Behold that swelling State; obserue and looke,
How proudly shee hauing the chaines off shooke
Of Castiles thraldome, liues in pleas [...]g rest,
And roaues from Holland to the farthest West,
Spreading her tayle vnto
The West Indies were first discouered by Columbus.
that Indian Maine,Found by Columbus for Gold-thirsting Spaine.
I long to drinke her blood, and to intombe
Her goared carkeise in my gaping wombe:
Rather let heapes of men, let millions die,
Then my blood-thirstie soule should want supply.
Think'st thou that Turnholts field where
These three places in the Netherlands were famous for those fights which haue been made in them.
thousands fell,Of slaughtred bodies could my longing quell?
Or famous Ostend, which for three yeares space
Maintain'd that siege, which did the world amaze?
Or that same blood, which fertiliz'd the sand,
That Mountaine like doth rise on Newports Strand?
These were but drops vnto my dropsie soule,
Which drinking still doth thirst; goe fill my bowle
Brim full with vengeance, which I meane to powre
In stormes of blood on Belgiaes fruitfull shore.
There's liquor yet within the sacred vaines
Of great heroicke Spirits, that remaines
An obiect for my lust: there are the
My Lord of Oxford, Sir Horace, and Sir Edward Vere.
Veares,Three thunder-bolts of warre, whose courage dares
T'affront whole Squadrons; there is Cecill braue,
These would I haue to make the fielde their graue.
With these time-honour'd
The Ogles of Lincolneshire came from the Ogles of Northumberland.
Ogle let mee place,A Branch sprung from Northumbrian Ogles race,
And valiant Mountioy, who to Blunts great house
Fresh glory giues; with these then ioyne and rouse
Saintleger, Conway, Burrowes, and the rest,
Whose daring valour fitly may contest
With Romes old Minions; let their whetted Armes
Vpon thy summons take on fresh Alarmes.
And since for richer streames of Princes blood,
My soule doth long to drinke a crimson flood,
A Horslee [...] or Bloodsu [...]
Hirudo-like, faine would I sucke the vaines
Of great Nassaw, which with their mouing straines
Giue life vnto the members of that State,
Who with their power the Spanish pride doe mate.
With this fierce Discord moou'd, breaks all the barres
Of sleeping Peace, and sets discordant Iarres,
Doubtfull suspitions, iealous lurking feares,
Fresh boyling in the breasts of
Belgia sig [...] fies the N [...] therlands.
Belgiaes Peeres.Nor doth shee rest, but to increase the fire,
Addes fuell to the flames, ioynes pride with ire,
Malice with false, but yet pretended wrong,
With which shee makes the Spaniard to prolong
Treaties in shew; but yet inflames his sprite,
With force to tame th'vnited Cantons might.
The cause grew thus, there were of colder blood,
Who aym'd at Peace, and at the publike good,
Vnwilling that the Christians ciuill Iarres,
Should breed domesticke, and intestine warres.
These men perswade a parle, both condiscend,
But dissonant, remou'd from concords end.
For Philip deeming that the twelue yeares truce,
The King [...] Spaine.
Did but the lustre of his Right abuse,
And that the webbe of Barneuelts designe,
Prou'd Fortunes scorne, an vnsprung fruitlesse Mine:
Besides, being vrg'don by the firme Decree
Of his owne Counsell, and the Roman See,
And by their Engines taught, th' Ignatian crue,
The Iesui [...]
That 'twere more honour Belgia to subdue,
Then for to conquer from the Midland-Sea
The vast extent of Sun-burnt Barbarie,
Vnto those sandie Deserts, that
Leuant sig [...] fies East, o [...] [...] ny place E [...] ward.
Leuant,Whereas in troupes th'Alarbian Rouers haunt:
Then to display their Ensignes on the Towers
Of proud Bizantiums Sultanized bowers
Or subiugate all Greciaes fruitfull land,
From Hemus top to Hellespontus Strand.
These causes ioyned with his Titles prize,
Faire seeming to some rash beholders eyes,
By which hee claimes from Burgundies descent,
Power absolute, and supereminent,
Like fatall motiues, did still animate,
The Spanish King, and Austriaes Potentate,
To seeke out warres in peace, and Treaties faine,
By which they might time and occasion gaine.
True Spanish wiles, of Gondamars owne draught,
By which they haue French, Dutch, and English caught,
And wonne so many Scepters, so much ground,
By their forg'd Parlees, false deluding sound,
Preuailing more with the Volponees case,
Read Guich. lib. 26.
Then e're they could winne with the Lyons face.Thus did they wrest forth of the Frenchmens hands,
Siciliaes crested Hilles, Calabriaes lands,
Sweet Piemounts Vallies, and those fruitfull plaines,
Which Thesin waters with his Christall vaines;
All those faire Regions, which extended lye
From th' Alpine Mountaines vnto Tuscanie.
With this old Spanish tricke they gaue the foyle
Fredericke the Prince Palatine.
To Princely Fredericke, and with Beamelands spoyleLoading their hungry Troupes, inforc't the Rhine
To quit his Tribute to the Palatine.
With the faire semblance of this glorious gloze,
They thought th' intangled Hollanders to close,
A Nation learn'd in their Castillian drifts,
Their policies and Spaniolized shifts.
The Archduke Albertus.
For Albert doth propound Conditions faire,But Iudgement-weigh'd politique verball ayre.
Hee'l seeme t' acknowledge these free men for free,
Yet manumiz'd by force to libertie.
Hee'l treat with them, as treating with free States,
They being not so, but this disanimates
Nullum simile est idem.
Them from all parle; for nothing likes the same,Quoth they, and then shall we leaue freedomes name.
Shall wee bee seeming slaues, and lose that good,
Which wee haue purchast with our dearest blood?
Shall wee to Spanish thraldome chaine our necks,
And basely stoope to those Imperiall becks
Of Austriaes House? whose vaste ambitions fire,
To th' Europeian Empire doth aspire,
And seekes to giue the Law to all those Nations,
Which in this Climate hold their habitations.
Why should not wee be dealt with as the Swisse,
Three free Commonwealths, and so acknowledged.
Whose fredome sure and vndependant is?
Or as the rugged Grison, who doth plough
The cragged Valtolinaes bending browe?
Or that Venetian Sea-commanding State,
To ballance Austriaes power ordain'd by Fate?
Wee are as free as Grison, Swisse, or Shee,
That o're the Seas claimes wedded Soueraigntie.
Our Forces are as potent on both Maines
In Shipping, men, and th' vnexhausted vaines
Of our
Exchequers, [...] Treasuries.
Cantoors, the Sinewes by which warreSupported is, and Kingdomes strengthned are.
Our Carbins mounted on their Frieseland Steeds
Are matchlesse prest at all assayes and needes.
Our Foot are braue well disciplin'd to fight,
Equall to th' ancient Greekish Phalangite.
Our Magazins are filled with Munition,
Stuffed with store, and swelling with prouision,
Besides our Ships now Dockt within the Ports,
Our moouing Bulwarkes, and our flying Forts,
Like to the Persian Fleet obscure the skie,
Shadow the earth, and with their wings can flye,
Forth from those Seas, that beat on Amsterdam,
Vnto the farthest Straights of Magellan,
To the Moluccoes, Ginee, and that shore,
From whence Castile transports her golden Oare,
With which shee buyes false hearts, and doth vnlocke
The strongest gates without Bellonaes shocke.
Then like to braue Tuiscoes sonnes let's arme,
Tuisco the father of Duchmen.
And chuse the lesse, to shun the greater harme.
With this both parties leaue their parling words,
Both Arme, and fall to right deciding Swords,
By which as by their Peeres they meane to trie
Which side should haue the lawfull victorie.
The Spanish Galeouns which vnrigg'd had lyed
Euer since our farre-fam'd Eliza dyed.
Those great
Ships of warre
Armadaes which for England stoodIn Eightie eight, and like some Sea-borne wood,
Coasted from Plimmouth to that narrow Sound,
Where Neptunes surge from Dunkirke doth rebound;
When Howard, Crosse, and Hawkins did repell
That Westerne storme, which on our Regions fell,
Commanded are to take the curled Maine
Of foamy Neptune, and to entertaine
The Hollanders with their broad-sided Tyres,
Like Aetna, spuing forth infernall fires.
The
Tertio in Spanish signifies a Regiment.
Tertioes old, which Garison'd did lyeIn Naples, Sicill, and in Lumbardie,
In the Maiorcan, and Sardinian Ile,
Once
Read Liuie, lib. 23 about the end.
famous for the Carthaginians foyle,Receiue strict orders, and most strong commands
To passe th' Alpes, and towards the Netherlands,
With running Marches for to bend their course,
Albertus Armie there to reinforce.
Nor doe the Dutch like Lethargists secure,
Sleepe being prickt, but doe their minds inure
To all preuentions, policies, and care,
By which they may Castiles attempts out-dare,
And giue the checke to all their proud designes,
Their fearefull plots, and dang'rous new-sprung Mines;
And since vpon defence that people stands,
Which dwells within the watry Netherlands,
Committees chosen are to view the Ports,
Their Sconces, Townes, and all their frontier Forts,
From Rayse, and Embricke, and those Easterne Verges,
Where Rhine doth meet with Issells billowing surges,
Vnto the Rammekins, Flushing, and Briels head,
Seated vpon the Westerne Oceans bed.
The like they doe to Groningue on the North,
And all that bending Frontier, which runnes forth,
From cold East-Friseland, and
The riuer of Ems diuideth East and West Friseland.
Ems frozen face,Southwards to Waal, and Brabant bordring Mase.
Those full-mouthd Canons, which at Newports field
Inforc't th' Albertine Regiments to yeeld,
And with their
Cases of Tin filled full of Musket bullets
Tarlin shot discharged sure,Made the Sand-hills a common sepulture
For those hote bloods, which neuer could agree,
Nor simpathize in congruous qualitie,
New mounted are, and ready for to make
Vpon their foes a second Flanders Slate.
Their high-proofe Armours for their temper equall
To
At Millan and Siras are exceeding good Armors made,
Millans making, and to Siras mettall,Their Corslets strong, in which their armed Pike
Immured stands prepar'd to saue or strike,
Swords, Carbins, Muskets, Instruments of fire
New furbisht are, to wreake their thundring ire.
Their winged Ships, the glory of their Armes,
From whom th' Iberians haue receiu'd such harmes,
Famous for their Sea-fights made neere the Kay
Of rich Saint Lukars, and t' Hanannaes Bay,
New calked are within their ouzie Dockes,
T' incounter Castiles, and fierce Neptunes shockes.
And since that those Laconian walls of bones,
More stronger are then Rampierd Earth or Stones.
And since that all defensiue meanes are fraile,
If Maniples of armed Souldiers faile,
They send for reinforcements and supplies
From England, Scotland, France, and their Allies,
Swisserland.
T' Heluetian Cantons, and those German Peeres,Whom Austriaes greatnesse fills with iealous feares.
Thus Belgia being arm'd, and thus prepar'd,
For selfe-defence against Inuasions made;
Orders were giuen to their trayned Bands
Of Horse and Foot their choycest
Vetera [...]e signifies an old Souldier.
Veteranes,When as that dreadfull storme began to fall,
Which menaced the vnited Belgians thrall,
To take the Mase, and swallow swifter Rhine,
In their Samroses forc't with horse and winde
Against the current of that purling flood,
Which neere
Brisach, a smal town in Swisserland.
Brisach leaues Danowes neighbourhood,And runnes along from out his Mountaine source,
Vnto the Ocean with a Westerne course.
The Randeuow's appointed neere the Bankes
Of Wahal, beating on the Southerne flankes
The Rhine.
Of Skenks-Sconce, where this prince of German torrentsDiuides it selfe into two seu'rall currents,
And angry roaring runnes into the Sea,
Because the Land parts Wahals company;
Which to reuenge, when Winter once doth frowne,
He yearely doth the
A part of Guelderland, lying neere the Rhine.
Betowes Surface drowne.The time when as our braue Battalions met,
Was when the Sunne in Virgoes lap doth set,
When mortalls Ceres inne to make them bread,
And presse downe Bacchus fruits with clusters redd;
Twas Augusts moneth, ere the Nassauians marcht
To Grauenweert, or Spaniards counter, marcht
From Flanders, and from
The Wall [...]un Countries.
Walchland, where are spunneThe finest Cambricks by the Belgian Nunne.
Then after three dayes in that Station spent,
Wherein we lookt for Friselands Regiment,
And th' Amber-tressed Frisons being come
From Franekaa; and from their Northren home,
Through Issels Channell to that necke of land,
Where all our Ships, and all our Troupes did stand.
Our Drummes doe sound a March, our Ensignes flie,
And with their Serean colours beate the skie,
Our men dismarch, and passe Rhines slimie ridge
Vpon their
Made of Punts.
Punted-new-compacted Bridge.Thence leauing Eltam on the left hand file,
After the passage of a German mile,
Wee doubled Embricks Turrets mounted high,
Which opposite to famous Cleeue doe lie.
From thence we came to
Dornicke, a small village in Cleueland.
Dornicks Champion fields,Which store of Corne, and Pulse abundance yeelds,
Where we dislodg'd West-Cleauelands sturdie Boores
From house and home, and fed vpon their stores.
That day th' Heauens powr'd cataracts of showers
Forth of Aquarius Tempest-breeding bowers
Vpon those Sands, whereon with tyred pace,
Our bodies did the storme it selfe out-face.
So that not onely out
Fresh water Souldiers.
Besonioes faintWith this disgust, which did our Squadrons taint
With following Feuers, Agues, and Catarrhes,
With Leaguer Murraines, forced from the Iarres
Of angrie Nature; but th' old Phalangites,
The best Muskettiers, and the brauest Pikes,
Whom neuer showers of bullets could affright
At Newport, Ostend, nor ar Turnholts fight;
Amazed with this Tempest, make a stand,
Vpon the Surface of the tyring sand,
And leane vpon their bended knees and armes,
Disconsolate for selfes, and others harmes.
So that if euer Conons warlike hoast,
Pursued at large from th' Aquileian coast,
Concerning these two long Retreats, read Sir Walter Rauleighs History of the World.
By Theodosius Reuenge breathing rage,
Whō floods of blood, nor slaughtred heaps could swage,
Being led by that bold Brittans sure command,
Through rich Italiaes tract, and Galliaes Land,
To that sweet shoare, which opposite doth lie
Vnto the Cliffes of Charles blest Brittanie,
Had euer day, wherein the storming skie
Distill'd his anger on mortalitie.
If euer that time-honour'd Bhalanx had
A day tempestuous, ominous and sad,
When they retyr'd aboue two thousand miles,
Maugre the Persians force-supported wiles;
From that high land which lies beyond the Verges
Of pearld Euphrates Arrow-swifter surges,
Vnto the bankes of Euxin, and that flood
Of Phasis, where free Trapizond then stood.
If e're (I say) they suffered Heauens frowne,
In cataracts of stormie showres powr'd downe,
Our men did then indure as much or more,
Then euer Greeke or Britton did before.
In that dayes March, wherein their eyes might see
Griefe striue with paines, paines with varietie,
Contending which should haue the leading place,
Amongst our bands that hardly now could pace.
For there you might behold the Curacier,
Who neuer did the flaming Pistoll feare.
Heere you might view the
Carbins, taken figuratiuely for them who carry this weapon. A stand.
Carbins belching fire,The Pike-men stout, and Musketiers to tyre;
And like some Ship stockt in the Lybian sands,
To halt it oft, and often to make stands.
There you might marke the French and Lukar walls,
Two warlike Nations prest at Mars his calls,
Who better can indure the scorching heat,
Then dropping showres, and sense-benumming wet,
From the Vangard vnto the Reare cast backe,
Their marching pase, and
A Galliard found out by Pyrrhus, resembling the order of marching.
Pirrhicke-Galliard slacke.Heere you might see a Voluntier lacke breath,
Whom Honour had inforc't to seeke out Death
In forraine Climates, whose sad destin'd lot
The Aire did cause, yet seem'd to weepe thereat.
Nor was the sowre tempestuous frowning night
More cheerefull to vs, then this first dayes light:
But being Twinnes, and brethren of one birth,
They both alike inflict the groaning earth,
Both light and darknesse ioyne their seuer'd hands,
To powre reuenge vpon our weakened bands.
For after that our Squadrons quartered were,
Thirst was their drinke, sharpe hunger was their fare
Their Helmets were the pillowes for their heads,
Their glistring Corslets were their Iron beds,
In which like Basans King, they sleepe, and dreame
Of nothing else but their afflictions Theame.
Your shaggie straw more precious was then downe
Then softest plumes; for which men robbe the ground,
Despoyle the Floods, and search the Christall skie
For these light Emblems of their vanitie,
That so they might lodge in that various shell,
Wherein the plants and featherd fowles did dwell.
Our Gallants then wisht for their Mistresse Chamber,
Perfum'd with vnctious Nard, with Muske and Amber,
Who crosse the Germane Sea to drinke a
Fanne is foure Cannes.
Fanne,And learne the Postures of a Leaguer Canne,
Who for their Honors march vpon their Steed,
When brauer men vpon their feet must speed,
Clad all in Roabes of that new Scarlet Die,
Which to the Tyrian is but mockery.
But when we must some wall or Rampier open,
Or some strong Port by Petards to bee broken,
When fights are to bee made, and men releeu'd,
In Trench or Sconce, their courage then is steeu'd:
Their pendant Valour falls into their heele,
Before they doe the Sword or bullet feele.
Yet these mock-Souldier Gallants hauing spent
Three or foure months with feare and languishment
In some old Captaines Hutt, who knowes to drill
Them of their Coyne, and his owne purse to fill,
Returne to London, where in euery street
You may these plum'd and Cassockt Souldats meet;
Where, aske what newes they'l tell you they haue seene
The bloody Leaguer, and the deaths of men:
They'l sweare th'aue been at Bergen, and that fight,
Which Mansfield made
At Flewrie, neere to Namurs.
in fenced Namurs sight,And talke of nought but Orders, Postures, Motions,
Whereof themselues haue scarce the verball notions.
Thrasonian braues compar'd with Souldiers braue,
Who make the field their house, their bed their graue,
And scorne to speake of what themselues haue done,
That so they may the Braggarts Stigma shunne.
Nor were these glorious puffes the men alone,
Which curs'd the warres, and wisht themselues at home,
But other Capuan Souldiers, Carpet Knights,
Who with their Crownes had bought out merits rights,
And in the time of that long twelue yeares peace,
VVherein like Iades they liu'd in pomperd ease.
Procured had some Office of command,
By bribing gifts, and iuggling vnder hand:
These men whom meanes, not merit had erected,
With this disastrous night were much deiected,
And their crest-fallen courage did sinke downe
Lower then th'Earth on which they lodg'd vpon,
Cursing the day, wherein their fathers crownes
Had made them vassalls to Bellonaes frownes.
But after that
The Moone.
the siluer horned Planet,Which hid her head like some declining Comet
In that fell Tempest, had vnloosd her Carre
In Latmos Mount, and that the Sunne from farre,
Mounting his Steeds in our Horizons poynt,
Inlightned had the darksome firmament.
Our men like to the Solar opening Flower,
Fresh courage tooke, fresh comfort in that howre,
Wherein bright Phoebus with his cheerefull face,
Began to runne the Zodiacks Westerne race.
Aduenue, signifies a passage.
Our Guards were then vpon th' Aduenues set,Fires kindled were, and forrage store was set,
Prouisions by Direction were sent downe
From Skenks strong Sconce, & Embricks rampard towne,
Besides the ships wherein the baggage went,
Were to the durtie Dornicks quarters sent,
Wherein the Souldiers did receiue supplie
In this first ingresse to necessitie,
Of those sad wants, which Custome knowne became
Another Nature, to their Vertues fame.
Heere our Battalions did some three months lie,
Prest with the terrours of Mortalitie,
With Lice, with Hunger, and vncessant Raine,
Which filld the Rhine, with all the bordring plaine.
Our men were shopt vp in those Barnes and Cells,
Wherein the Milke-sop Cleuiaes Peasant dwels,
Where like some fleecie fold with hurdles pent,
We past our time in pining languishment:
And in that
Signifies a standing [...]ampe.
Leaguer was our patience knowne,More then our actiue Valour e're was showne:
For hauing spent the reliques of that store,
Which was prouided by th' vplandish Boore;
And after that rich Embricks fertill plaine
Dismanteld was of trees, of corne and graine
By our Forragiers, who did better know
To cut, then plant; to reape, then till or sowe.
Our Conuoyes then did for their forrage poast
Beyond the Riuer to that Southerne coast,
Where stately Cleeue vpon a Mountaine stands,
Which all the Frontier thereabouts commands.
We marcht neere Goffe and Zantams new built walls
For straw and fewell at our Drums sad calls,
Where the proud
Spinola, a Genouese by discent.
Genoan Marquesse then did lieWith his best Horse, and choyce Infanterie,
To stop our passage, and th'attempts to breake
Of the Nassauian Squadrons, now growing weake
With a disease, which in their Troups did raigne,
With franticke fits, with sense-confounding paine:
Which fierce contagion did not onely touch
The French, or Scots, our English, or the Dutch,
But spread it selfe, like to some broken ball
Of sulphrous wild-fire through our Quarters all,
From Eltam where Cleeues Votaries did wunne,
Southwards to Greets, and towards the rising Sunne,
Where Raise being iealous of the bordring foe,
Her horned Workes, and Rampiers new doth show.
Neuer that Simois-neere intrenched troupe
With pestilence did more infected droupe,
When Phoebus moou'd for
Concerning this plague, read Homer the first of th [...] Iliads.
fayre Chriscis Rape,Whom Atreus sonne to's lust did captiuate,
Darted his wrath vpon those Grecian Bands,
Which would not yeeld to Chriseus faire demands.
Neuer the Plague wrought a more direfull bane
In Salems Citie, when Vespasian
Read Ioseph [...] Bello Iud lib.
With his Pretorian Cohorts did surround
Mount Sions walls, and that more sacred ground
Whereon the Temple stood, proud Asiaes wonder,
Whose spired crest Osiris vaile did sunder,
Then our weake Troupes were with this murraine prest,
Whose furie did our Cohorts all infest,
And like some sad Mephitis pierst their vaines,
Procuring death with fierce tormenting paines.
Some Regiments which could two thousand shew,
When wee first marcht vnto the Randeuow,
Could scarce fiue hundred of that number tell,
Excepting those, who by this sicknesse fell.
Some Companies whose Squadrons were compleat
Full sixescore strong, when we at Skencks-Sconce met,
Could not a Tertian of that List produce,
Fit for the Seruice, and Imployments vse;
Those that did liue could scarce intombe the dead,
Nor giue due rights to them that perished:
Those that were sound could not attendance giue
Vnto the feeble, nor the sicke relieue.
In eu'ry place was nought but desolation,
Skie-piercing cries, and fearefull lamentation:
Vollies of Shot a fatall Dirge did sing,
Which ecchoing from th'adiacent Rhine did ring,
Whose Golgoth'd banks became one vaulted tombe,
Inclosing heapes within their spacious wombe,
Amongst which
Signifies the slaughter, or mortalitie of men.
Carnage grim-fac'd death did stalke,And on these Trophees did triumphing walke,
Wishing her hand with one all-killing blow,
Might all our Legions to th'Infernall throw.
Some for this cause did blame the blamelesse Lawes
Of potent Nature, and condemn'd that cause,
Which by some iealous
A law amōgst the Athenians, by which they banished great men.
O estrocisme might banishThese Spirits from this world, and cause to vanish,
Those Seats of valour, that stupendious frame
Vnto those Elements from whence they came.
Others againe did curse false Galens Art,
And our Campestrian Leaches, who doe part
The quintessentiall Spirits of trees and plants,
Of Stones and Mettalls: and supply the wants
Of feeble Nature with their Fomentations,
With their Elixars, Iulips, and Purgations,
Who giue their patients some Aesonian pill,
As they pretend, by which their bags they fill
With Perues Gold, and with Arabiaes wealth,
Themselues being impotent, deuoyd of health,
Troubled with Coughs, with Agues, and Catarrhs,
With Dropsies, Gowts, with those intestine Iarres,
Which from distemperd humours doe proceed,
When they deficient are, or doe exceed.
But all in vaine; for 'twas the firme decree
Of that all-changing, vnchang'd Deitie,
VVhose purpose through defects doth neuer alter,
All potent, because impotent to falter,
VVhose power is such, that in a twinckling eye,
It can consume large-spread mortalitie,
Not being tyed to Fortune, Fate, or Chance,
Gods onely knowne through mans meere ignorance;
'Twas hee that strucke with his all-powerfull hand,
Which checks the roaring Sea, which rules the land,
Our suffring Troupes, whose Valour oft had scapt
The Canons shot, and murdring Muskets fate.
'Twas hee that made those fields a common graue
For th'English, Dutch, and all those Nations braue,
Who scorning peace, themselues to warres did wedde,
And chusing those deceas'd in Honours bedde.
But ere that this contagion was full spread,
Or that his force had got a
Hidraes head.
Lerncan head,About Saint Michaels day, th' Archangels feast,
Fame bruited had, that from the bordring East,
Liguriaes glory, and proud Genoaes pride,
Great Spinola, for's Fortune Deifide
By the Saint-making Conclaue, was falne downe
From Weezels walls, to Goffe and Zantoms Towne,
And that his Troupes with more then Spanish hast,
Vpon their Punts the pearled Rhine had past,
Threatning to powre forth their long cankred ire,
In dreadfull stormes of Bullets, Sword, and fire.
This rumour first was grounded on the voyce
Of Fames
Are those properly so called, who speak out of their bellies.
Engastromists, the vulgar noyse,Who trumpet out for loud resounding Fame,
Things not done for things done, and make the same
Which but appearing was, apparant true
To the deceiued worlds deceiuing view:
Who taking it, this Marchandise doth sell
To those Retaylors, whose broad eares doe dwell
In Tauernes, Barbers shops, and publike Marts,
Where lyes are sold to hollow Spungeous hearts,
For Beere, for Wine, and that curst Indian weed,
Whereon these puffes of noueltie still feed.
But this report high mounted on the wing,
In our Dornician Tents did forthwith ring,
And came to Nassawes honourable Count,
Whose Counsell doth Spaines policies surmount;
Who like to Argus with his hundred eyes,
Attends the designes of their Mercuries,
Of their Proteian Enginees of State,
Whose subtiltie doth seeke to master Fate:
Hee straight growes iealous, that this great Brauado
Might turne at length to some nights Camisado;
Or that the daring foes might courage take,
And our Disasters might them animate
T'incounter in Campania with our Bands,
Which now began to languish of all hands.
For these respects hee fortifies at Greets
Close to the Riuer, which the
The Curtin is that part of the wall, which runs in length from one Angle to another.
Curtin beats;Then opposite to Embricke builds a Fort
Commanding all the South and Westerne Port:
Besides, he Reinforcements sends to Raise,
And sets strong Guards vpon the neighb'ring wayes,
Whose wide Meanders giue a passage free
Vnto th'incursions of that enemy,
Whose malice hath long sought by Romes aduice,
Ouer these Cantons free to Monarchise.
Nor so the Prince doth rest, but takes th'Alarme,
Giues order to the Squadrons all to arme,
And drawes them into Battaile on that plaine,
Which from the Campe respects
This field lay to the Northward of the Leaguer.
Bootee waine.This Phalanx first did stand vpon a line
Whose depth was one aboue the perfit nine.
His steeled front which fac'd the rising Sun
From pointe to point three thousand yards did run,
Wherein each troupe, with all the diffrent nations
Imbattail'd stoode, and ranged in their stations.
The Vanguard our victorious English had.
With their red crossed Ensignes, Cecill ladde
Those Regiments, whom Gulicke once did see,
Chiefe in commande are th'English Infantrie.
When England, France and Holland did combine
For Brandenburge, and did their forces ioyne
T'impeach the Spaniarde, and to breake that plot
By which he Cleeue with Iuliers after got.
Neere him with equall distance
Sir Edward Veare Lieutenant Colonell to Sir Horati [...] ▪
Veare doth stand,Who in Horatioes absence did commaunde
Those hardie Cohorts, which had often tried
The Iberians force, and all their Braues defied.
Next Ogle rangd his bands, that Martiall Knight,
Famous for Ostends siege, and Newports fight,
Where he preuaild both with his sworde and parling,
And shewd himselfe both Mars and Hermes darling.
Close vnto these vpon the left hand flanke
Great
My Lord Lisle.
Leisters son marcht in the formost ranke,VVhose courage longd to reuenge Sidneyes blood
Spilt neere to Zutphen for our Ʋnions good.
The battell by that nation was tooke vp.
The Scots and French had the middle battell.
VVho Nesses streames, and Fyndornes water sup;
VVith these were ioynd their antient fast Alies
VVhose natiue soile twixt Some and Garroun lies.
The French commaunded were by Chatillion.
By Hotteriue and Curtimeers braue baron.
The Scots were Brogues and Hindersons sole chardge,
VVhose honour death at Bergen did inlarge,
VVhere he being shot gaue vp his glorious soule
Into his hands, who Armies doth controule.
The reare consisted
The Suitzers and the Dutch had the Reare.
of those warlike bands,VVhich dwell in Bearnes, and Basils Cantond lands,
Of the long tressed Prisons, and the Dutch
VVhom Countries loue and libertie doth touch
VVith an inflamed Patriots burning zeale,
Whose thoughts tende all vnto the publike weale.
Besides this list there were of Voluntiers
Braue numbers, and of brauer martiall Peeres,
Who for religions cause, for honours sake
Had left their deerest deares, to vndertake,
The wargods seruice: here Essex his Counte
Appeares as Leader in the formost frounte:
With him marcht he, that Holla [...]ds title beares
Amongst the liste of our illustrious Peeres,
And Hopton too, whom let me not forget,
Borne in the fields of flowerie Sumerset)
My friend and fellow both in Armes and Arts:
With the sweete tune of which harmonious parts,
Thou dost inforce my selfe, my muse, my loue
T'admire their worths inspired from aboue.
Thee vast Herciniaes woods, and Isters bedde
Swift Albis current, and the Neckars heade,
Know and resound their Panegiricke layes.
Which blazon forth thy fame deseruing praise.
Brunswicke the scourge of that Monasticke frie,
Here likewise marcht with our Infantery,
Mountgomrie, Chatillon, and diuerse more,
From Almaine, France and cold
Scotland
Albaniaes shoare,Whose boiling bloods did long to trie their might
Against the Marques in plaine open fight.
But long they might, for that
Marques Spinola.
Ligurian Foxe,Meant not to trie Bellonaes bloody knocks,
Nor to decide with dinte of trenchaunt blade,
The titles right, which Spaines grand Monarch made
Read the history of the Netherlands pag. 119.
Vnto these Lands, o're which as Charles heireNeere Nauncy slaine he claimes to domineere.
For though some numbers of the Spanish hoast,
Had past the Riuer from the farther coast
T'infest our men with inroades and Alarmes,
Resolued still t'affroant all hostile harmes;
Yet still the Marques with his standing Campe
Neere vnto Zantum did himselfe in camp,
Whose Parties oft with our forragiers meete,
Which sometimes beaten were, and sometimes beate.
Amongst the rest Graue Henricke passing Greets
With Brunswicks Duke, and his own Guidon meets
With foure braue
The colours which horsemen beare.
Cornets of Albertus side,Whom our men saw of them being vndescried.
For that same morne the wind blowing South and west,
Sent forth a vapr'ous fogge, and friendlie mist
From th' Aeolian closets, which obscurd the skie
So that things neere you could not well descry:
Which either vnseene to the vision were,
Or els their shapes selfe bigger did appeare,
The vapour darkening that transparent light
Whereby the Species conuoyed is to sight.
Besides the couert of a rising ground
Did so the prospect of these Troupers bounde,
That till the Prince was from their danger free,
They did not once his glistring Cornet see.
Which had they seene, not all fat Hollands store
Growne rich with Perues wealth and Indiaes oare,
Not Ginees gold, nor all those precious graines
Which Orenoque laues from Guianaes vaines
Could haue redeemd his life, nor set him free
From certaine death, or sure Captiuitie.
Their odds was great, yet Brunswicke cryes to charge,
And bids our Pistols and Carbins dischardge
Their murdring shot against the
Dutch horse men.
Reisters frountWhich foure to one our numbers did surmount.
But the Nassauian Graue aduising flight
To be far safer then vnequall fight,
Strait giues the checke to
The Duke of Brunswicke is also Bishop of Halberstat.
Halberstats desireAnd makes his armed Curaciers retire:
Since no dishonour tis our backs to show
Where opposition needes must ouerthrow.
But in this space some
Those who conducted the Conuoy.
Conuoyers of our side,VVho stragling neere the Counts ingagement spied,
Ran pricking on the spurre, and voic'd it out
In the Mauritian quarters round about.
That either he and Brunswicke both were slaine,
Or else that both were prisoners made to Spaine.
This rumour posting swifter then the winde,
VVith winged speede doth pierce the Princes minde,
VVho like some Paphian consecrated Doue,
VVhich mournes the losse or absence of her loue,
Suspecting this report, lamenting shares
His brothers chaunce with griefe and feeling cares:
VVith whom each Chiefe, each Souldier doth partake
And their selfe-griefes the Generals do make,
As when some dang'rous Rheume begotten Ache,
The royall seate of reason doth attach
That part being troubled, where the life doth rest
The members all inferiour are opprest.
His steeled
A Legion is here taken for a Regiment: a squadron is a third part of a companie.
Legions weepe, hisA Legion is here taken for a Regiment: a squadron is a third part of a companie.
squadrons mourneTheir hearts, though danger proofe, for griefe do yearne,
VVhom neither feares nor terrours could surprise
The dreadfull bugs of staggring cowardise,
These loose their mirth, and that soule gladding light
VVhose cheerefull rayes do clarifie the sprite:
But yet not so they giue the raines to griefe,
That in this while their labour slackes releefe;
For forth they send their Curriers all in poast,
To search the Champions Rhine diuided coast
Mounted vpon their well breathd Coursers backs
VVhose Pegasean swiftnesse scorneth trackes.
Those Cornets braue, whose garrisons did lie
Next to the frountiers of their Enemie,
And therefore best acquainted with their fights,
VVith all their
Stratagem is a feare of warre.
stratagems, and martiall sleights,Are forthwith orderd to repasse the Rhine,
And towards the rescue to dismarch in time
Their bands of Ordinance, whose high proofe frounts,
Safeguard the persons of Nassaiaus Counts,
Commaunded are as seconds to the horse
VVith their best powers their power to reinforce,
But if ingagd to farre, then to retire
And like the
The Prrthians when they retired did vse to shoote backwards, See Plut in vita Antonii.
Parthians backwards to giue fire.But marke th' euent: he skowring o're the waste
Of that large Champion with preuenting haste
Meetes with those bands, which to the Rescue came
Vpon the summons of his dangers fame
Close vnto Greets, where all arriuing safe,
Like some wracke scpaing mariners they laugh
At the remembrance of the danger past
Which not fore stald, was like to proue their last.
But although fortune fauour'd his retraite,
And saud the Counte, in that angustious straite:
Making this action happy by th'euent,
Yet no man can approue the president,
It being against the maximes of all warre,
For those who chiefetaines in commaunding are,
Without some waighty cause their liues t'expose
Vnto t'hazard of th' incountring foes.
For thus enuirond with a Punicke traine,
Marcellus Romes great Generall was slaine,
Reade Liuie lib. 27. about the midst.
VVho retchles went that hillocke to suruaye,
VVhere ambushed the Carthaginian lay.
Thus Bucquoie famous for our vnions foile,
For Pragues rich conquest, and Bohemias spolie,
See the Imperiall historie pag. 806.
After the chance of sundrie battels past,
By Gabors troupes was vanquished at last,
By those Cossackes which warrelike Poland breeds
And t'Hussars fierce still mounted on their steedes,
VVhere he being pistoll'd by the barb'rous foe
Resignd the trophees of Pragues ouerthrow.
But though the purling dewe, the vapr'ous Aire
Did our ambiguous hopes refresh, repaire,
And Henricke saue: yet the mallignant fire
Strait blighs this fruite of satisfied desire.
VVhose flames being kindled through th' Aires secret quills
His lodgings seazeth, and with terrour fils
The quarters next where Ogles Cohorts lay,
Making the night looke like another day.
The spoyle was great, for when the raging flame
Vnto those Inner Roomes with's furie came,
Precious nor priceles things were left vnspard
But both alike the common danger shard.
His Turkie Carpets of vnualued price,
Made of the Median silkewormes finest fleece,
His Arras cloaths wrought by the Belgicke Dame
The portraitures of true reported fame,
See the Lowe Country history pag 456.
Where storied out you might suruay at largeD'Aluaes intrenchment and the Reisters chardge,
Romeroes onslate, and the foule retreate
Made by these Almaines after their defeate.
Pag 863.
Graue Williams life saud by a watchfull CurreTh' Alarum taking from the Spaniards sturre,
Who by that Wallouns hand was after slaine
Whom Rome had made an Assassine for Spaine.
On th'other side characterd you might see
In liuelie formes of wrought Imagerie,
Pag. 457. of the same historie.
Counte Egmonds death, and Hornes vnworthy fateOstends long siege and Flaunders bloody slate,
The Barneueltine false Arminian plot,
Fast bound with Castiles subtle Gordian knot.
These mooueables with all his curious plate
Fitting the greatnesse of rich Nassawes state,
VVherein t'Hollandish Ganimed did skinke
That Rhenish Nectar which the Gods might drinke:
All these were spoyld by that consuming fire
VVhich on the Prince powrd forth his wreakfull Ire;
Nor so this burning Element doth rest
But spreddes it selfe, and farther doth infest
The stables, where his warrelike horses stood
Of Europes race, and Africks choicest broode.
The nimble Gennets comming from the maine
Of rich Granado, and the southerne Spaine,
From
Alias Guadalquibir a great Riuer in South Spaine.
Baetis banks, and from that fertill shoareWhere Siuill doth vnlade that Idold oare,
Which from her wealthy mines rich India sends
To Asiaes bounds, and Europes farthest ends.
His Turkie steedes bredde neere the slimie slowes
Of Strimon, which the rugged Thracian plowes,
Neere Haemus mounte, and those high crested fills;
Whose melting dewe Peneius channell fills;
Those stately coursers which Barbaria yeelds
From Fezzes pastures, and Marocchoes fields,
A great Riuer in Barbarie.
From parcht Numidia, and Zanhagaes bed
Which South from Atlas showes his rising heade
Were burned quite, or halfe dead, halfe aliue,
Twixt life and death did in this conflict striue
Till life being vanquisht by all conqu'ring death,
They lost at once their torments and their breath,
Nor in this time the Spanish fire doth rest,
But malice fuell'd striues for interest
In Iuliers, Cleaueland and the Flemish coast
Flaming reuenge with their most powerfull hoast:
For these desiegnes great Spinola doth lie
In Cleuiaes fields, and keepes a still-fixt eye
Vpon our Legions, which began to breake
Their Summer station, with the pest-grown weake
And westward fell vnto that higher land
Which lyes twixt Eltam and Rhines checkerd strande;
Twixt Embricke, and that Sconce which Skenke did frame
That so he might the doubtfull Cleuener tame,
In Geldriaes farthest confines, where the Waal
From Rhines current to Mases streame doth fall.
Another armie by stout Borges ledde
For's seruice great and linage honoured,
By which he claymes an equall ranke with them
Who shew M [...]udozaes or Toledoes stemme,
Two of the greatest families in Spaine.
And Grandoed are for their Donnized birth
Liuing like gods vpon the Spanish earth,
Beleaguers Sluce, and doth inuade Cazaunte
Which Yperle seuers from the Continent;
Where opposite to Zealands watrie land
And Flushings seate this fortresse strong doth stand:
Famous for that far famed nauall fight
Which our third Edward made in Sluces fight,
When Phillip sent his sea Commaunding fleete
With our well rigged Argozies to meete.
Who grapling with our force their force withstood,
And bath'd their prowes in French and Flemish blood
Which issuing from the wounds of thousands slaine,
With's colour did th' Yperlian current staine.
This towne a Cocke pitt was for Mars his game
Both parties striuing to possesse the same
VVith bloody successe of continuall warre,
VVhere those that conquer'd were, now conqu'rours are.
For when these States themselues did first vnite
To resist Philips force and D'Aluaes spite,
And sought th' oppressed Netherlands to free
From the hard yoake of Castiles tirannie,
Ere Anious Duke rich Antwerpe did Inuade,
Or stroue himselfe Lord Paramont to make
Of wealthy Brabant, Isendike and Sluce,
Subiected were vnto the Vnions vse.
And so remaind till Parmaes duke possest
VVith generall power, his warrelike troupes addrest
Vnto the conquest of this towne and Ile,
Which
Sir Roger Williams and Sir Thomas Baskeruile, Reade the Netherlands historie pag 966.
Williams kept and famous Baskeruile,Who for a season brauely did maintaine
This place besiegd, against the strength of Spaine,
Till by surrender they the same did yeeld
To the Castilians masters o're the fielde.
They kept this same vntill Serrano lost
It to th' Orangians, whose laborious cost
Regaind the towne, whilst that besiegd Ostend,
Pag. 1616.
For thrice twelue months her bulwarks did defend.By which aduantage that commanding fort,
Which so much did all Zealands good import,
Recouerd was, which now with might and maine
Inigo striues for Isabel to gaine.
For this proiect he drawes with speeding poste
From Antwerpe, Gaunte, from Bruges and Alost,
From all those neighbour garrisons which bide
In fruitfull Flaunders, and in Brabants side.
An Armie strong, which reck'ned by the List
Of thirteene thousand Souldiers did consist.
These vnder their Burgonian Ensignes marcht
Vnto the Leaguer, neere to Augusts last;
Where being come, like vndermining Moales,
Which make their way through th'earths anfractuous holes,
They draw their rowling Trenches tow'rds the mouth
Of the Towne Harbour, which from West to South
Giues a free passage to the Cities Key,
For Ships of burthen from the German Sea.
These with
Crooked turnes.
Meanders winding being cast,And brought within fit distance at the last;
They raise their Platformes, Caualiers and Mounts,
A high worke of earth vpon which they plant Ordinance.
A wall made of earth.
Whose height the Bulwarks breast by farre surmounts,
Then plant their Cannon, whose Promethean fire,
Vpon the Rampier powres his thundring Ire,
A high worke of earth vpon which they plant Ordinance.
A wall made of earth.
Which with vncessant peales they still doe plie,
That so our men might not re-fortifie
The broken breaches, through whose ruin'd vault
They thought with ease the Bulwarke to assault.
Heere Bullets glancing from the batter'd wall,
Amongst a Squadron of Defendants fall,
Whose mangled limbes, like men-shap't Meteors flie
Through th'horrid paths of the smoake-darkened skie.
Some other mounting o're the Souldiers head,
Meets with two Louers sporting in their bed,
Whose soules are hastned to th' Elisian shade,
Through that swift passage which the bullet made.
Here fiery balls from murdring
Great pieces of Ordinance.
Bombards shot,And to their highest leuell being got,
Make the Louanian Students thinke from farre,
That Phaeton is new mounted in his Carre.
Nor doth our side their Shot and Powder spare,
But with thicke vollies beats the trembling ayre,
Which lighting on the Iberians workes much harme,
And with their blood the colder earth doth warme.
The Townes chiefe command Vander Noet did wield,
His honour'd sonne, whom Newport once beheld,
To guard the Orangian Standart in that fight,
When warlike Maurice conquer'd Alberts might.
He like himselfe, and like his Fathers sonne,
Leaues nothing vnattempted, nought vndone
By which he might th'ingaged place maintaine
Gainst all th'attempts of right-pretending Spaine.
To farther this, the Pioners are bid
To raise new Platformes with the swiftest speed,
Our
Great baskets of earth.
Gabions planted are, behind whose bulkeThe smoaking Gunners with their Lintstockes lurke:
Our Ordinance new mounted is to batter,
VVhich Babels walls, or Ecbatanes would shatter.
The Companies are quartred in the Towne,
Or else without vpon the Sandie Downe,
Whose valour doth their Mettall stiffe oppose,
To th'vtmost perill of the brauing Foes.
But although our side iealous of the good
And publike safetie, to their tackling stood
With matchlesse valour; yet Inigoes force
Their courage, skill, and labour did inforce,
To purchase that Yperlian peerelesse Gemme
Raught by the States from Flaunders Diadem;
Although that
The Northeast wind.
winde, which from Tartaria blowes▪From Rugeland, and Moscouiaes plashy slowes
Congealed had the Yperle, and the Lieue,
And made their liquid armes and branches stiffe;
Yet still the Spaniards heated with the fire
Of Honour and Reu [...]nge, did still aspire:
So that the Winters stormes, nor Natures threats,
Whose violence their hardie Legions beats,
Could once diuert their valour prest to die,
Or Spaniolize this Towne by victorie.
Sometimes a
A Gentleman of a Company, who is to lye vpon his dutie.
Perdieu lodg'd vpon the faceOf Frost-bound Tellus, in that very place
VVhere hee was set, is by the Sergeant found
Frozen to death, and fastned to the ground.
Sometimes a Sentrie to his Posture standing,
And from the Rounders Quiuala demanding,
Ere the last Round Colossus-like doth stand,
With's ashie Pike congealed to his hand:
Yet these disgusts of Nature ioyn'd with those,
Which reuenge bandied from their Slusian foes,
Could not enforce Inigoes Troupes to rise,
Proiecting still to gaine Sluce by surprise.
But when the Sunne with his All-cheerefull beames,
Had thawed the pauement of the Flemish streames,
And that his Phlegon swich'd by speeding time
Began t'approch that Heauen-diuiding line,
Whose Zenith perpendicular doth stand
Ouer the Sun-burnt Aethiopian land.
Eighteene braue Cohorts were from Zealand sent,
With danger-daring Resolution bent,
To cut the Dike, and that lowe Champion drench,
VVhereon th'Iberians did themselues intrench.
Then might you see that massie bounding frame
(VVhose Rampier did the Riuers fury tame)
Pierst through and through, and giue a free accesse
Vnto the Floods, which made their swift addresse
To this inlarged rupture: then the Moales
Abandon'd quite their hollow vaulted holes;
Conies their Burrowes, Hares their Formes forsooke,
And their swift legges new postures vndertooke,
Swimming along with men-deuouring Sharkes,
With Musicke-louing Dolphins, scaly Carpes,
With bearded Barbels, and that ruddy Fish,
Whose Chines are seru'd vp for a daintie dish
Vnto the Burgers, when their drunken
Is a Faire, or Reuell.
KirmishInuites their braines with Rhenish wine to skirmish.
This Deluge made the Borgian Bands retyre,
Crost in the proiect of their proud desire;
Because they fayl'd both of Cazaunt, and Sluce,
Which they so long'd to gaine for Philips vse.
But although Borges braue Designe was croft
By wauering Fortune, and his honour lost,
Together with his Armies, pierst the heart
Of Isabella with repining smart.
Yet Vanderbercke, who Gulicke did besiege
With's Legions rais'd from Naples, Spaine, and Liege,
Brought comfort to the Court, whose furrowed face
Lookt frowning sad for Sluces late disgrace.
Hee, whilst that Maurice with his feeble Troupes
Incamp'd at Dornicke, and his Army droupes,
Being prest with sicknesse, marcht vnto the Towne,
And there entrencht vpon the bordring ground.
Pethan commanded for the Belgicke Peeres
As
Chiefe Gouernour.
Archprefect, who for some fore-past yeares,The Cities Helme, and Dutchies both had steer'd
For's loyall care, for's gouernment vnfear'd.
But now suspition mounted on the wing
Of iust pretence, bred iealousies within
Amongst our Captaines, whose well trained Bands
VVere subiect to Pithans austere commands.
Hence sprung this cause, the wealthy Iuliers Boore
Had hoorded vp in his well furnisht store
Larger prouisions, which might well supply
The pinching wants of our necessities:
Whose foreseene pressure did begin to threat
A Saguntine penuriousnesse of meat,
The tainted store prouisions being sold,
By State-Commission, which the Towne controld.
Besides those Pastures where the
Roar, a great Riuer in the Dutchie of Iuliars.
Roar fillsHis slimie channell from the purling hills,
Did swarme with Heards of that large German breed,
Whose vse might full releeue the Cities need.
For this respect the Gulikans aduise
Wauering Pithan prouisions to surprise
From out the Champion, ere th'approaching foes
Should stop the passage, and th' Aduenues close.
Good was the Counsell, but like verball winde,
It tooke no root within th'vnsetled minde
Of Gulickes Gouernour, whose wanting care
From all defence our warlike Troupes doth bare.
For what out-daring death, selfe-lauish Sprite
Can striue with hunger, or with famine fight?
Then thus suppose you see surrounded round
Faire Gulicks walls, and that their Trenches bound
Close to the
An vtter work commonly raised beyond all other Fortifications.
Rauelin, and those vtter workes,Behind whose masse the stout Defendant lurkes.
Suppose you heare the dreadfull Cannon play
From their high-crested Platformes, and display
Strange characters of Death, whose sad aspect
Might terrour on Deaths second selfe reflect
Lifes lauishnesse, whose Adamantine heart
Meane terrours doe not mooue, nor cause to smart.
Close to these brazen Trunks, the worlds last wonder,
True counterfeits of Ioues amazing thunder,
Deaths p [...]ologue acts his part, the Musket sounds
Lowd summons vnto death, to blood and wounds.
Nor is this all wee suffer, famine raignes,
Cleannesse of teeth in euery street complaines;
Things horrid are deuour'd, Dogs, Mice, and Rats,
Lowd croaking Toadpoles, hunger-starued Cats:
The Flemish Courser, and the Frison Steed,
High pamperd for the Saddle now must feed
The Riders Colon, whose vnsatiate maw
Both against Reason, Nature, Customes Law,
Feeds on that flesh, whose liuing backe did beare
Himselfe through horrors mouth, through dangers feare.
Those high-fed palats, which not long since far'd
On Friselands fattest Fowle, Westphaliaes Lard,
Zealandish Salmon, and the wilde Boares haunch,
VVith which the richer Dutch doth cram his paunch
On solemne Feast-dayes; these for want of meat,
Things vilifide and dunghil'd now must eat.
To redresse this our men their Spirits rally,
And resolute appoint a valiant sally,
By whose aduenture they might either die,
Or manumize themselues from penurie:
Since better 'tis for Valour once to bleed,
Then still to feele affliction vnder need.
In this conflict
Captaine Iohn Haydon.
young Haydon doth appeareMore then himselfe, out-facing Fate and Feare,
And with his Pistoll arm'd, dischargeth sure
With euery shot a certaine Sepulture
To some blacke-visag'd Spaniard, who doth fall
Neuer to rise, before the last dayes call.
Amongst the rest, one of the proudest foes,
As Challenger himselfe in Combate shewes,
Aduanc'd before the rest, and there defies
Goliath-like his brauer Enemies.
This Spur-gall'd Haydon, who accepts the fight,
And though vnarm'd, yet kills him in the sight
Of both Battalions, then recharg'd falls backe,
To answere him too with his Pistols cracke.
But the Retreat now sounded, parts the fray,
And our men disappoynted, cut their way
With their well tempred Fauchius, to that gate
From whence they made excursions but of late.
This Salley past, wherein with doubtfull chance
Bellona shew'd her grimme fac'd countenance,
And all reliefe
Debard, or shut vp.
portculliz'd from the Towne,By Vanderbercks Intrenchments, who sits downe
Resolu'd to winne and weare, then courage droopes,
And mourning valour vnto famine stoopes,
Whose Bilboe-steeled poynt was farre more keene,
Then Spaniards wrath, or Vanderbercks fierce spleene.
These motiues vrg'd a parle, both condiscend
To this condition, and Committees send
As Delegates in trust, whose sound aduice
The present difference might full compremise.
Both parties being agreed, Count Henrie takes
Reconquerd Gulicke, which Pithan forsakes,
Who now dismarching through the Coleine port,
Surrenders vp this hunger-conqu'red Fort.
To reaffront this losse, when first the Spring,
To Winter-tyred mortalls ioy doth bring:
When May first opens those selfe-named Flowers,
Which Aprill blossomes with his pearled showers:
Nassauian
Henry of Nassaw.
Henricke with selected BandsOf Horse and Foot, in fruitfull Brabant lands
Neere to Breda, from whence his dreadfull Armes
Transported worke strange characters of harmes
In little Brabant; Famine, Sword, and Fire
Glutting Reuenge fresh boyling with desire.
Some fiftie Dorpes were in a moment burn'd,
And their faire-fronted Edifices turn'd,
By the consumption of the raging flame
To that first Chaos, from whence first they came.
In midst of these Combustions Henry falls
Before well fenced, well mann'd Herentals,
Where seeking by Petarre to force the place,
Our wanting
The Vanguard.
Van shew'd not that wonted faceOf ancient resolution, whose default
Debars the rest from
A Towne in little Brabant.
Herentals assault.Yet after this repulse, our Foot surprise,
Partly by force, partly by Compremise,
Two
Little Forts much vsed by the Dutch. An Incursion of Horse.
Sconces from the foes, whose trembling handsMake good the Ports for Nassaws sure commands.
Besides our Horse a
Little Forts much vsed by the Dutch. An Incursion of Horse.
Caualgado makeClose vnto Brussels, whose burnt Suburbs take
Impressions of our wrath; th' Archdutchesse sees
The frowning face of these sad miseries,
Yet cannot shee redresse them: for mans will
Proiected resolutions cannot fill,
Without iust meanes of power, which Heauen sends
As Instruments t'accomplish humane ends.
Thus this incursion past, our men retire
Thorough the smoaking flames of Brabants fire
Vnto Breda, rewarded for their paines
With honours Crowne, and conquerd Spanish gaines.
Nor thus alone the Land with slaughter bleeds,
But vnto Neptunes Maine Bellona speeds
With Engines of destruction, where shee staines
With streames of blood the Sea-gods watry plaines.
Those vast Armadaes, which commanded lay
Neere to Baioun, and Saint Sebastians Bay,
Their Galeouns houering neere to Lisbones walls,
Where Tagus into Thetis bosome falls;
Their nimble Gallies slicing with their Oares
Those billowing waues, which beat on Affrickes shores,
Sometimes on th'Oceans Maine incountring meet
With Amsterdams, or Flushings warlike Fleet,
Which homewards bound from Venice, or Ligorne,
From Scanderoun, or Aegypt rich in Corne,
Doe proudly plow the Mediterran Maine,
Swelling with profit, and full fraught with gaine.
Sometimes againe Moy Lambert, or L' Hermite,
Willeks, or fierce Hugen this losse requite;
Who trauersing those Seas, whose rougher Tide
From Magellanus Streights doth Northwest glide,
Neere to th'Honduras Gulfe, Domingoes Ile,
Or the Terceraes, famous for the foyle
Of valiant Strossy, meet some Spanish Hulke,
Or some swift Caruell, whose full fraughted bulke
Is loaden with that rich
At Petosi in Peru are most rich Mines of Gold.
Potosian Oare,Which Lima sends from Perues wealthy shoare.
Sometimes againe neere the Balsoran Sound,
Or Teneriffaes pike, where Amber's found
Of th'highest price, some of their armed Ships
Incounter with some Carracke, whose strong ribs
Are ballast with those drugs, which Chinaes plaines
Send from their fruitfull Aromatique vaines;
Or with those Spices, which for barter'd Gold
Are by the
The Inhabitants of Iaua, and the Moluccoes. A place in Africke, subiect to the Portugals.
Iauans, and Moluccoies sold.Amongst the rest great Angolaes Viceroy
For Andaluzia bound, with smiling ioy
Th' Atlantique Ocean cuts, and proudly sailes
Thorough the Maine, till some Dutch Sea-man hailes,
And bids him strike: then as th' Hircanian beast,
Whom the pursuing Hunter doth inuest
With's knottie Toyles, first seekes to scape the danger;
But that being vaine, he turnes his feare to anger,
And fiercely coaping with th'incountring foe,
Doth th'vtmost deuoir of his courage show.
The Portugueze vnequall to sustaine
The Flushingers incounter, plies amaine
Both Helme and Yard, and forwards led by feare
Swifter then any wind, doth nimbly steere
Ouer the ridge of those high-breaking waues,
Whose beating surge Terceraes foreland lanes.
But this being labour lost, he turnes his head
Vnto the combate with a side-wind sped:
Then their Canoniers with the
An Engine which Gūners vse to charge Ordinance.
Carteridge plyTheir great and lesser siz'd Artillery,
Larboord and Starboord readie for the charge,
Their Langrell, and their Crosse-barre shot discharge:
Great shot vsed at Sea,
The Muskettiers standing vpon a Range,
Behind the Wast-cloaths doe their bullets change,
Granado balls, from th'hand, or Bombard sent,
With vaprous smoake obscure the Firmament:
So that suruaying water, land, or ayre,
Death, dread, and danger swarmed eu'ry where.
The Sea-nimphs were afraid, and Neptune hid
His forked Mase with feare astonished.
The trembling Mermayds did for horrour quake,
As when th'inclosed winds the waters shake,
Thinking Prometheus hauing broke those bands,
Which manacled his Vultur-griped hands,
And manumiz'd from his tormenting paine,
Did imitate Ioues Thunderbolts againe.
But when that both sides to their close fights came,
And tryed the last chance of this martiall Game,
From out the Scuttle-holes spouted streames of blood,
Which clotted on the curled Ocean stood,
The Murderers from out their higher Tires,
Discharged dreadfull flakes of sulphrous fires,
Whose strong emissiue power with Tarlin kill'd
Whole hundreds, and with slaughtred carnage fill'd
Their vpper Decks, which straight blowne vp did flye
Through the vast extent of th'inameld skie.
But at the length the Portugalls pursued
With danger of all hands, for Quarter sued
Vnto the Dutch, who from the farthest South
Th'Angolians brought to
The Riuer of Flushing.
Scheldis watrie mouth,Inriched for their hazard with that Gold,
Which heaped lay within that Galeouns hold.
BELGIAES TROVBLES, AND TRIVMPHS.
The Second Booke.
WHEREIN ARE RELAted all the most famous Occurrences which haue happened in the Netherlands, from the Ascension of our Sauiour, 1622. vnto this present time, 1625.
LONDON, Printed by Augustine Matthewes, and Iohn Norton. 1625.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, EDVVARD, LORD CONVVAY, Baron of Raggely, and one of his Maiesties principall Secretaries of State, And Sir HORACE VEARE, Col. Generall of the English in the Netherlands, WILLIAM CROSSE wisheth that happinesse which they themselues desire.
RIght Honourable, your knowne loues to the Vnited Prouinces of the Netherlands, and their Cause, sealed by your Honours with the free expence of your dearest blood, and the frequent hazard of your liues, haue besides those other motiues of your knowledge, iudgement, and experience in Subiects of this nature, inuited mee to this Dedication. The first Part of Belgiaes Troubles and Triumphs, belongs to the Earle of Essex, and my Lord Montioy; the second part is consecrated to your Honored selues: Both these are rather a Discourse, then a Poeme, as truely and Historically relating the most remarkable and time-neerer Exployts, which haue passed betweene the Dutch and the Spaniards, in these last foure yeeres Warres of the Netherlands. In this List, [Page 38] the Siege of Bergen, and that of Breda, the Battels of Flewry and Statloo, with the taking of Saint Saluadour in Brasilia, challenge aboue the rest the chiefest place and prerogatiue. The rest are minor gests, and deeds of lesse consequence, yet worthy for their worths to bee kept in the closet of Remembrance. In all th [...]se as in a representing Glasse, you may see the mercie of God extended from time to time to this Estate, first erected from the Inforcements of the Spanish tyrannie, since supported by the Auxiliary meanes of the English, French, and Scots, and maintained at this present in that greatnesse, which the world sees and admires, by Policie, Power, and Religion. If publike censure bee as impartiall as is the Poeme, the Authour shall thinke his endeuours fortunate: As for your Noble selues, he doth presume vpon the candour and integritie of your Estimations, vndoubtedly knowing, that you accept a mite as respectiuely as a talent, and esteeme the freedome of the Giuer, more then the value of the gift. Vpon this assurance hee doth rest, and so doth for euer rest
Your Honours most deuoted Seruant, William Crosse.
BELGIA'S TROVBLES AND TRIVMPHS.
The second Booke.
THE ARGVMENT.
IN this second part continued from the Ascension of our Souiour, anno 1622, vnto this present time, anno 1624, are contained a Description of our first Leaguer at Rees, with the killing of an Jtalian Captaine by Beaumont a Frenchman hand to hand. His Excellencies ascent to Gravenweert, and a Relation of a Camisado, giuen by foureteene Troupes of the enemies Horse vpon our quarters. Our march to the Busse, and our retreat from thence. The siege of Bergen, and that famous Battell fought neere Fleury, betweene Count Maunsfield, and Gonsaluo de Corduba. The co [...]spiracie of Barnevelts two sonnes, and other Arminians against the Prince of Orange. The Battell of Statloo, fought betweene Tilley and Bru [...]swicke. The taking of S. Saluadour. The Siege of Breda, with the surprisall of Goffe by Charles Lambert.
AFter our Troups had breath'd, and that the date
Of that same Feast, which Mor [...]als consecrate
To Christs Ascension, had proclaim'd the Field
Tour Belgicke Troups, with strength and courage steeld,
Orders of Command.
Potents were sent forth, full sixe thousand poast,Vpon their Summons from that nether coast▪
Of fertill Holland, to that higher land,
Where Rees ore-lookes the billowing Rhenus Strand.
There safe ariuing, with the deluing Spade
New horned Workes, Intrenchments new were made;
Behind whose breast they might themselues defend
From Ʋanderbercke, whose Argian eyes attend
Vpon our motions all, on each designe,
Which he still thwarting, seekes to countermine.
Amongst the rest, with some Italian Horse,
He seekes to gaine the
A Turnepike is a gate which giues entrance into the Camp
Turnepike, and to forceOur Horse-guard led by Beaumont, who doth frount
The dreadfull shocke of this Italian brunt.
Him their Ligurian Leader hauing spied
By's wauing Plume, and Armour rich descried:
Come on, come on, quoth hee, let vs two trie
The doubtfull fortune of this Victorie;
Those Armes, that Plume shall be the Conquerors spoyle,
And honour'd marks of vanquisht Beaumonts foyle.
With this his spurr'd Calabrian Courser flies
Swifter then winde, and curuetting doth rise
Beyond the bristled
Haspels are Engines made to throw down before the Turnepike, which point euery way with pikes about an ell long.
Haspels, where they ioyneForce vnto force this Combate to define.
Not Almaine-like they wheele about at large,
But Poldron vnto Poldron, make the charge
With their death-belching Pistols, both which strike
With equall force, but fortune much vnlike.
For Beaumont slightly's wounded in the thigh,
T'other is slaine, and falls downe presently,
Whose carkeise after many mortall blowes
Recouer'd is, recarried by the foes
Vnto the Campe, where they this chance lament,
This Italian was Spinolaes kinsman.
Seal'd with the losse of one so eminent;As alyed to the Marquesse, and for's Spirit,
Not dignified so much by Blood, as Merit.
After some month in this first Station spent,
Eight thousand more were by Prince Maurice sent
Towards Skenkes-Sconce; who doubling Arnhams walls,
Arriues at
Otherwise, Skenkes Sconce
Grauenweert, and from thence fallsOuer the Wahal to those Southerne bankes,
Which Skenks-Sconce with his thundring Cannon flanks.
There being come, their Pioneers do raise
Strong
Little forts which the Dutch raise suddenly for their defences.
Redoubts on the passage of those wayes,Whose winding turnes runne from the Cleuian hill
To those Intrenchments which our footebands fill.
Our horse without, and vnintrenched lay
With watchfull care safeguarding night and day,
Those small Batauian
Villages.
Dorps, whose verge extendsFrom Nimegham to Geldriaes Easterne ends.
This seeming shewd aduantage doth incite
Proud Vanderbercke the Reezian foile to quite,
Camisade a [...] assaulte in their own lodginge.
With some fresh Camisade: for this designe
Some foureteene troups passe o're that Apennine
Where Cleuia stands, who couered by the night
And a still march, about the dawning light
Approch our vtter Sentries, and surprise
Them and the
Those that walke the Round.
Rounders, whose sleepe sealed eyesBetray the rest; hence trauersing that way
Neere vnto which our Scotish horseguard lay,
These proud Burgonian Reisters forthwith finde
Balfour surprisd in ods, but not in minde;
Sir William Balfour that day commanded the horse guarde.
Who thus ingagd receiues the dreadfull shocke
Of these swarte Rutters, rendring knocke for knocke:
Till at the length dismounted he doth yeeld
Vnto the stronger, who thence scourd the field
After his Cornet, which retiring flies
Couerd with fire, opprest with Enemies,
And on the station of our Footeguards fell
Whose Muskettiers these Carbins straight repell.
For now from eu'ry side th'Alarum takes,
And each man to the battell Champion makes,
Where nought was seene vpon the bloudy plaine
But batterd armes, and carkeisses new slaine.
The losse was like, for our men did surprise
The
A Wallone who came the day before into our campe being disguis'd.
chiefe conductor of this enterpriseWith a Burgonian Captaine; of our side
Balfour was tae'n, and Weimars Duke lyes by't,
Vntill some better fortune should decree,
Th' vncertaine scope of his Captiuitie.
To requite this affrount this proud surprise
P [...]ince Maurice with six thousand foote doth rise
From Grauenweert, and floating downe wards fals,
Without the ratling Drums, or trumpets cals
Beyond fat Bommelweert, where he doth land
His Phalangiers, who passing by commaunde
Waft o're the Mosas Willow bordred banks
Whose waues do wash well fenced Huisdens flanks.
Ma [...]ching from thence our vauntcurrors descrye
Commonly called the Busse.
Shertokenbusse, whose maiden ports defieAll onslats, all attempts, and proudly stands
Vpon defence with s [...]u'nteene chosen bands
Of VVallons, and Brabansons readie prest
[...]ich life, and limme to keepe the seathred nest
Of th [...]se free booters, who by
Derricke was Captaine of two hundred free booters who lay in the Busse.
Derricke ledThemselues to rapine, murder, pillage wedde,
And feeding on the contribution Boore,
Greas [...] palmes, and paunch with his consumed store.
There hauing viewed that well defenced towne,
We made a stand vpon the bordring downe
About the time, that glistring Phaebus laues
His bright Carroch in Thet is westerne waues.
Then orders were giu'n out, the casd
Petarrs Engins made to blow vp gates.
PetarresStrange Engins found out in our moderne wars,
Whose sulphr'ous power the brazen gates would shatter
Of Ecbatane, and that strong portall batter
The Iron gates which Alexander made vpon the streights of mount Cancasus.
Whereas the steepe Caucasean mountaines rockesAre chaynd as pris'ners with his Iron lockes:)
These Corbett did commaund, the first aduenture
Was Tibals chardge, who formost was to enter
With that selected crue, that chosen band
Which he as Ʋeares Lieutenaunt did commaund.
Thus all things being disposed for the fight
We rose from thence, and marching all that night
Past thorough sandy, rough, Maeanderd wayes
Where errour led our small battalion strayes.
So that we came not to the Bussian gate
Before the dawning light, a time to late
The strong portcullizd Turnepike to surprise
VVhich
Grobbend [...]ncke was as then gouernour of the towne.
Grobbendoncke with's hundred watchfull eyesSafeguarded sure, who takes a close Alar'me
VVith all his bands, commaunding all to arme.
This caus'd vs to retire, and homewards bend
VVith out th' effect of that proiected ende,
VVhose hopes had brought vs to those Champion plaines
VVhich Mase enricheth with his flowing vaines,
The Spoiles of Brabant, and the conquer'd Busse
Being the proiect of each wanting purse.
In this retraite our troups were hunger prest
Tired with trauaile, and with thirst opprest:
So that vntill we toucht vpon the Mase
Towards whose streames our Maniples did pace,
We far'd like some Alarbian hungrie theefe
Who trauersing the desert for releefe
Followes the tracke of some knowne Carauan,
Which to fulfill their Heath'nish Alcoran,
Visits that prophane Mahometan shrine
Plac'd by the Caliphs
A [...] [...]echa in Arabia.
neere th' Arabian Sine.Those stinking pooles, Cocitus like aspected
Which the Marashes vapours had infected,
Those puddle lakes wherein the water Toade
The Frogge and Horsleech keepe their safe aboade,
Were sought, and searcht out to alay the fire
Of appetite fresh burning with desire.
Whose liquour was more pretious to the mouth
Then all those wines transported from the South
Which the Canarian Ilander doth sup
On sollemne feasts in's Nectar crowned Cup,
Then that the Cretan neere Cerathus drinks,
Or Bachrach sends from Rhenus sandy brinks.
Yet after those disgusts surmounted all,
Which like some storme vpon our troups did fall,
And those freebooters all repulsed backe,
Which followd our Nassauians by the tracke;
We past vnto the
A towne in Gelderland belonging to the states.
Graue, where each man feedesIn plenties Magazin, and all our needes
Receiud supplies from those fat Geldrian fields,
Whose swarming stoare, Bread, Beefe and Mutton yeelds
In greater measure, then that Easterne land,
The lands of Assiria and Hungarie are very fruitefull.
VVhich borders on the roaring Tigris strande,Or those Pannonian pastures, where the grasse
For's sudden growth comparison doth passe.
Thus hauing well refresht our hungry bands
VVe doubled those high crested heathy lands,
VVhich forth extended from the billowing Mase,
Do ouerlooke the Betowes various face.
From thence our tired legions speeding came
Vnto the ports of
Nimegham stands high vpon the hanging of a hill.
high built Nimegham,There resting one whole night we made descent
Vnto the plaines of that lowe Continent,
VVhere neere to our Intrenchments Waal doth slide
From out the Rhines inameld diaprie side,
VVhose weeping waues seemd to condole with vs,
Because we mist th' vnconquerd maiden Busse.
But in this space that warre like Genouese
Th' Infantaes Generall scorning pampred ease,
VVith these alarums rowsd doth angry fare
Like some Muscouian winter pined Beare,
VVho when the Sun begins to melt the Snow,
VVhich pargetteth that Northerne Climats brow
Forsakes his denne, and roauing runs for praye
VVith all his Cubs their hunger to alay.
To quench this bloodie thirst he sends commands
Through Flaunders, Heinault and those VVallon lands,
VVhose Frontier from the British Ocean bends
To Limburge, and Burgundiaes westerne ends:
Inioyning all their Garrisons to arme
Vpon the summons of this first Alarme,
And at a day prefixt themselues to show
Neere Antwerpe their determin'd Randeuowe.
These Regiments, with those which Borges ledde,
Who neere to Sluce were winter-billetted,
Vpon this order to Steu'n Bergen past
In warrelike manner neere to Iulies last.
That towne being wonne, they lingerd not an houre
But straight-waies marcht with their victorious power
To Bergen, where their men the
A Terrier in properly any thing that puts it selfe into the earth.
Terriers playBehind that Mount, which opposite then lay
Vnto the port of VVowe, from whence their workes,
Behind whose couert all their Armie lurkes,
Extended ran vnto the Kickepotte forte,
Which ouerlookes the Cities Southerne porte.
Vpon their first approch some Squadrons prest
Did Sallie forth, and sallying did Inuest
That hillocke, where the Vauzian English stoode,
The English of my Lord Vauxes regiment.
In Castiles cause selfelauish of their blood.
Harde was the fight, for nation against nation
English 'gainst English fought with emulation;
But still the Marques sending fresh supplies,
With number more then valour wonne the prise
From the besieged, who with ods surchardg'd
Retired, and retiring still dischardg'd
Their murdring Muskets on the Spanish files,
Which six to one surpast our
A Maniple is a diuision of files.
Maniples.After the passage of this first affrounte,
The foes incouragd did their Cannon mount
Vpon new
A place to mount Ordinance on.
platformes rais'd, whose thundring reachHauing inforcd an assaultable breach,
They scald the ruines, and began the fight
Vaild with the Curtin of a Mooneshine night
About the second Round: with various chaunce
In this conflict Mars shewed his countenance
Vnto both parties, for the Martiall foe
Sometimes was beate; sometimes did ouerthrow:
Thrice being repulsd, they thrice did reassaile
And though opprest, their courage ne're did faile:
For knowing valour to be actions Spirit,
Which Crownes our proiects with successefull merit,
They rallied still, till Phaebus lift his head
From pearld Auroraes saffron coulered bedde:
Then being subiect to the pointeblancke ayme
Of eu'ry markeman, they forsooke the game
Vnequall of their parts, and backewards plied
Vnto their Trenches from the bulwarkes side.
The losse was great, twelue hundred Spaniards kild
The bending Circle of our
A Fortification made in forme or manner of a horne.
Horn [...]worke fild,Two hundred of our side did likewise dye
Leauing their fames pawnes to Eternitie:
Amongst the rest Purfry my noble friend
In honours bedde seald vp his glorious ende,
The like was
Sir Michael Eueret and Captaine Loueles.
Eueretts chance, and Louelesse lot,Both which with poysned bullets being shot,
When Aesculapius skill could not appease,
Nor Surgerie the venoms rancour ease,
Exchaungd their liuing flesh to liuelesse dust
Till heau'n thronizd immortall rise they must.
Inhuman warre thou horseleech of mankinde,
Which pleasure in displeasure stil dost finde,
Whose mansions are deaths hollowe charnelld caues
Large fields of slaughter, where thy furie raues
Vnlimitted, and boundeles in that lust,
Which nought but bloud and murder content must.
Were not the Roman
The darte which the Romans
pile, the Parthian shaft,The Graecian
The pike which the Macedonians vsd.
Sarisse, and Moriscan dart,T'heluetian halberd, and our British bill
Potent inough thy greedinesse to fill
With slaughtred bodies? but that Organs new
Must terriblize themselues to mortals Ʋiewe,
Which thou hast found out in this latter age,
To Cocker vp thy blood still thirsting rage.
Now must that
Great ordinance.
Brazen fire outbelching trunkeFounde out by that accursed German Munke,
Whole myriads kill, and raise of bodies slaine
Pyramide Mounttaines on the sanguind plaine.
To furnish this deuice, those stinking cels
Wherein the louing Paphian Pigeon dwells,
Those Cellars, where our English skenker fils
That ruddie Claret sent from Gascoines hils,
Must now be searcht for
Saltpeter.
Nitre: Swethlands brasseGuipuscan Iron, and that heauie masse
Of palefac'd leade, sent from the Northerne
From the Peake in Darbishire comes great store of Leade.
PeakeMust now with streames from mangled bodies reake,
Clay must be fetcht from Padoaes fertill plaines,
Sulphur from Sicills fire out belching vaines,
Rozin from Rugeland, and that Borill coaste,
Where Riga stands, now to the Swethner lost:
To make those fierie balls, Granadin Squibs
These are ingredients with which Granadoes and wilde fire bals are made.
See Machiael in the addition to his booke of warre pag. 45 45.
Aspected like crinited Comets glibs,
Which burning breake, and breaking peecemeale rent
All thats opposd to this fell instrument.
But as though all these Engins were but weake
Thy bloud Hydropicke thirstines to breake,
The fatall bullet must impois'ned be,
To wreake thy malice on mortalitie.
So that a wounded arme, a skarred thigh,
A pierced hand shall as for certaine die,
As if that hollow bloud conducting vaine
Some mortall hurt or dammage did sustaine,
Or those same cordiall strings, which knit the life
Were sundred quite by some Rauilliacks knife:
Were not O Rome thy
All these were notabletraitors
Gerrards, Lopes, Squires,Thy Assassines, and fulminations fires,
Thy poysnie simples fetcht from Concritan,
From Nubia, Tombut, and from Terminan,
From hot Cyrene, and that
Ponlus.
Easterne coaste,Whereon the roaring Ponticke seas are tost,
Sufficient meanes to furnish with supplie
The yawning gulfe of thy new Purgat'ry?
But that thy darling, and thy minion Spaine,
Thy ape of mischiefe, must her honour staine
Acquired by the fortune of faire Armes,
And blemish it with poyson-contriud harmes.
But whilst that my digressiue muse thus fals
To this Inuectiue fit, the Cannon cals
Her wandring thoughts to Bergen whose loude sound
From eu'rie platforme ecchoing doth rebounde
With greater noise, then when the
Two most furious batteries, see the Turkish historie pag 418. and pag. 584.
Scodran towersWere batterd by the Barbr'ous Turkish powers,
Or When the Rhodian bulwarkes were defac'd
By Soliman, and all their glorie rac'd
Left nothing to the crossed Christian Knight,
But the sad aspecte of this dismall sight.
Our ordinance dispos'd by Gibsons care,
Whose merit claimes an honourable share
In Bergens safeguard, did the Spaniards plie
With frequent Peales of their Artillerie,
Whose leuelld shot vnto the foemen sent,
Did Peecemeale Gabions, men and Rampiers rent;
And whilst their bodies mounted, sent their soules
To griesly Plutoes darke Infernall hoales.
Some nine dayes after when the Christall gate
Of that same day, which mortals consecrate
To mightie Ioue, with shadie night was clos'd,
Companies of foote.
The Iberian Cohorts for the fight dispos'dBy their Campemasters, to the combat past,
Fast in their orders, in their marching fast:
Then hauing got the batterd Curtins base
They sought to mount vpon that horneworks face,
Where
Colonell Hinderson a braue Scots man
Hinderson with his, and our owne nationAranged stood in point of his owne station.
The fight was cruell, doubtfull, full of blood,
Wherein Bellonaes Bridegroome wauering stood,
Vncertaine to which side the palme should flie
To this of right, or that of Tyrannie.
For though the Spaniards chardgd, ours still resisted
And though rechardgd, yet resolute persisted
In their defence, vntill th' assaulting foe
His backe vnto th' Orangian troupes did show.
But marke how fortune with her powerfull becke
As stepdame vnto valour giues the checke;
For although Hinderson like
Scaeua a valiaunt Roman.
Scaeua stood.Gainst oppositions face, and still made good
Th' ingaged place, yet one foule random shot
The conquest from this braue Commaunder got;
Which banefull pellet rob'd him of his breath,
Worthy to suruiue eu'n in the spight of death.
After this losse Prince Maurice sends releefe
From Grauenweert, commaunded all in chiefe
By
Sir Charles Morgan Colonell of a foote regiment vnder the States.
Morgan, who with winged measures speedesVnto the towne, that now for succour bleedes.
He wafting o're the diaprie-purled Waal,
From thence vnto swift Mosaes streame doth fall,
And sailing through that narrowe Midland sea
Whose channell giues accesse to Bergens Kaye
Arriued at his chardge, and there proposd
Great Nassawes orders, which being wel dispos'd
By
Rihoue vvas gouernour of Bergen, and Fama was Colonell of a regiment of Wallons.
Rihoues counsell, and by Famaes careFrom all aduauntage did th' assailants bare.
He skorning like some Frozen Flemish hulke
To lye shopt vp within the Rampiers bulke,
Giues life to action, through the posterns Sallies
And though repulst againe his squadrons rallies,
Vntill the vanquisht foes of hope bereft
The deade halfe Moone vnto our Legions left.
Then reassaulting they forsooke th' assault,
Through our mens valour and their owne default;
For Morgan still repells them with thick hailes
Of Musket shot, with bristled Iron flailes,
With smoaking wildefire balls, and blowne vp mines
Whose hollow vaults filld full with Serpentine,
An instrument made like a flaile to throw ouer the Rampier or parapet vnto the Enemies.
Pouder that is vsd in mines or great ordinance.
The Wallons of the Bishoppricke of Leoge.
And taking fire by some sulphureous traine
T'heauens with smoake, the land with bloud doth staine.
On th' other side the Dutchmen taking heate
From our examples beames did brauely beate
The Spanish squadrons, which in successe faild
As oft as they our horned wo kes assaild.
The like the Frenchmen did, and that stout nation
Which in rich Lukeland holds their habitation,
But then being subiect to Famaes commands
Imployed their seruice for the Netherlands.
In these conflicts braue Mountioy, Morgan, Gibson,
Rich, Courtney, Conway, Halsewell, Hinderson,
Cooke, Tibals, Pollard, Clarke and Killegree,
Knolles, Bacon, Turney, Kenniet horpe and Carey,
Shewed matchles valour, and deserue to be
For this the children of Eternitie,
Being all selfe lauish of their dearest bloud
For Bergens defence, and our vnions good.
Amongst the list of the Philippicke bandes
Blunt
Sergeant Maior Blunt.
of his foes eu'n admired standsHaples in this, that home-spunne discontents
Made him to follow Spaines ambitious bents.
In this meane time Count Mansfield hauing left
The disunited vnion, and bereft
All the high Palatinate.
Of all those vpper Countries, where the Rhine.With Neckars streame his pearled streames doth ioyne,
And all that fruitfull large-extended tract,
Which borders on the riuer, being sackt
By both their Armies, and the pillagd Boore
Despoiled quite of all his former store;
Which cluster-crowned Bacchus did affoord,
Or Ceres yeeld from her all plenteous hoord.
The chardge of Manhein being giuen to Veare,
And Heidelberge designd to Herberts care,
Frankn'dale to Burrowes, and those Almaine bands
Which still stood firme to Fredericks commaunds,
The Palatinate.
His Excellence the Paltzian soile forsakesIn famous for our losses, and betakes
Himselfe to that retraite, which crownd his name
With the triumphant wreaths of glorious fame.
Vnparralleld for conduct, and th' euent
Except by Conons worthie president:
Or that
Of these two retraites is mention made before. Z [...]nophon.
Athenians, who from Elams hilsRetired to those fields, which Phasis fils,
When Actaxerxes troupes his Armie chast
And for two thousand miles his Legions fac'd,
For although Tilley reinforc'd with ayd
This relation I had from Sir Iames Ramesey who was present in all this seruice.
From all th'Imperiall circles, had forelaydThose passages, which giue a free accesse
From Almaine to the Frountring Lorraneffe.
Yet the Mansfieldians hauing past the Sar
And Bliesses streames, (whose Christall source from far
Extracted, for diurnall tribute yeelds
His glassie purles to Lotharingiaes fields:)
Arriud at Sauerne, where
The Count Palatin.
the Paltzian PrinceGiues the farewell to Mansfields Excellence,
And safe conuoyd through friendly Galliaes land
Imbarks himselfe on the Calisian strande.
There hence our squadrons marcht into Lorraine,
From whence the Guisians claime their Origen;
And passing by that Frountiers Southerne side
Neere vnto which
A great riuer in Lorraine.
Voloies current doth glide,They doubled Mortaignes woods, Volgesus Mountaine,
Fat Vaignies vallies, and the Mosells fountaine.
Lottaringia or Lorraine tooke his name from one Lotharicus See Mercator in his description of it.
Then leauing that Frauncelouing towenfull soile
Which Lotharicke did with his name enstile,
They bending Northwards, did their ensignes spreade
In Lutzenburge beyonde swift Semois heade
And came through many perils to Sedan,
The Ducall seate of Princely Bullion:
Where hauing well refresht their pinching needes
And rested some fewe dayes, their Armie speedes
With running marches o'r the winding turnes
Of
Riuers which run through Namures.
Houle and Mase, and that high mountains hornesWhere Charlemont by Phillips Souldiers ma [...]nd
In view of Heinault and Namurs doth stand.
Then hauing through that territorie past▪
They layd the faire Namurcan Burrowes wast
With fire, and sword, and all those hostile ills
Which hell with soules, the land with slaughter fills.
Gonsaluo
Gonsaluo de Corduba Generall of the Spanish armed
mooued with these affrounting harmesAnd iealous of his honour, forth with armes
With all those Walloun bands, and Spanish legions,
Which quarterd lay within that Frountiers regions:
And taking the
The Champion.
Campaina, straight forelayesThe crooked passage of those broaken wayes,
Extended forth from Mosa to those sloughes,
Which the rich Femming and Brabanson Plowes,
At Flourie neere Namurs he pitcht his Tents
With all the flower of his olde Regiments,
Whose Maniples computed by the list,
Of s [...]u'nteene thousand Souldiers did consist,
Peazaunts of the Country.
And twentie thousand Boores well armd with glaiues,VVith Firelockes, and Herculean clublike staues.
About the time, that bright Apollo steepes
His golden tresses in th' Iberian deepes,
Counte Mansfield doth approach, and hauing spied
Their vaunt currours, vnto that hillocke hied,
Behinde whose couert all their Cohorts laye
To stop our march, and our battalions stay.
There ran a little brooke betweene Man [...]field and Corduba.
Then wading through the flagge oreshaded brookesMeander wise retorted turning nookes,
Vpon the farther side he makes a stand
And to Gonsaluo tenders this demaund.
Whether his valour were resolud to fight
Vpon th' appearaunce of the morning light.
Or that his patience would giue parting leaue,
And so the webbe of both their safeties weaue.
The Corduban thus summond, thus replies:
Thinkes the Bohemian
Mansfield was Marshall of Bohemia before he was Generall.
Marshall to surpriseMy wisdome with his words? and curbe my sprite
Lauish in this to doe my soueraigne right?
Can he conceiue his Legions shall depart?
Who thus haue torne th' Imperiall Eagles heart,
Despoild our vestall Nuns, ransackt our Friers,
And crammd themselues with pillagd Ments and Triers;
He must account for all Bohemiaes spoile.
At Hagenawe & Heseldorffe the Count ouerthrew th'Imperialls.
For t' Hagenawne, and Heseldorffian foile,Before he can our safeconduct obtaine,
And free aduenue into Brabant gaine.
Bohemiaes Gen'rall warmd with this replie;
Doth all the bent of his deuoirs applie
To crosse their proiects, and with Linxean eyes
Vnto the depth of each aduauntage pries,
By which he might his Phalangiers defend,
And great Gonsaluos
Regiment is a number of foote consisting of more or lesse companies.
Regiments offend.He straight commaunds his Cohorts all to lye
Armd and vnarmd, horse and Infanterie
That night in battell ray, behind that hill
Whose Southerne brow our Maniples did fill,
Vpon the morne when Sols irradiant light
Had rent the vaile of Sable coulered night,
He marshalls his diuisions, viewes their ranckes,
Suruaies all parts, both Vangard, Reare and flanks,
Giues motiues to their mettall, and doth cheare
Their wauering minds against the bugs of feare.
These are, quoth he, those feeble beaten bands,
So often foild by your victorious hands,
The reliques of the Leopoldian hoaste,
And of those Tertioes, which their honour lost
At Heseldorffe, when our men did defeate
Bauariaes Gen'rall and their Armie beate.
The rest are Peazaunts rude,
Landesdayes are dayes of solemne meeting.
vplandish BooresAcquainted better with their Landesdayes sturres
With taphouse quarrels, alefomented broiles,
Then with Bellonaes Hazardes or her toyles.
We are those men, who haue Bohemia sackt,
Conquerd
Three strong townes in Bohemia.
Prachadis, Pilsen and PisackeHaue stroue with natures threats, with dangers dread,
And through their sence afflicting terrours sped
Vnto this bedde of fame, where we must fight
Or else our honourd liues abandon quite.
Behind vs lies
A high mountaine in Lorraine.
Ʋolgesus crested ridge,Sambre before vnpassable by bridge,
Vpon the right hand runs the roaring Mase,
Vpon the left, great Corduba doth face
Our armd battalions, so that we must die.
Or gaine our selues by glorious victorie.
All like this, but two thousand mutineers,
Who making pay the shadow of their feares,
Dislike their Gen'ralls motion and refuse
T'ingage themselues for his imploiments vse.
The valiant Count on point of seruice set
With this refusall mou'd doth storming fret:
As when a retriud Partridge mounts the skie
Some Fauckener lets a cast of Marlins flie
Whereof that makes it home, but this doth faile
And Castrell-like doth poorely turne her taile.
The Fawkner marking from some loftie tree,
The sadde disaster of this sport doth see▪
And with sterne words thats cowardise doth rate,
But cheeres the mettall of her soaring mate,
He chides them first, then seekes to mooue their hearts,
With melting flakes of his persuasiue arts;
He tells them, what dishonour tweare, what shame
Vnto the luster of the German name,
Thus to forsake themselues, their friends, their chiefe,
And sequestrate the meanes of their releefe.
He shewes that these were not their solemne vowes
At Manheim made, when they did there espouse
Their lifes to's seruice, and obligd by oath
Against the Spaniards and Imperialls both,
Did freelie promise neuer to forsake
His Princely colours, but to vndertake
The share of all aduentures, till the date
The free state of the Netherlands.
Expired were, for which the Cantond stateOf Holland had their Legions entertaind,
Neuer before with disobedience staind.
But all these words like fuell did encrease
The raging fire of their stiffe stubbornes,
Wherefore he leaues this plot, and doth intreate
That if they would not fight, they would retreate
Or els aduaunce themselues, and make a stand
Vpon that place, where he should giue commaund.
This last being graunted, he doth straight inlarge
The Frount of his battalions, and doth chardge;
As when some raine-engendred Torrents shocke
Both beate vpon an adamantine rocke.
Or when some sulphrous fulminations fire
Lights on the crest of some piramide Spire
The Bombards first did with their Torlin play,
And hundreds slaine vpon the Champion lay,
The bullet furrowed fielde with shot sowen
And all the plaine with batterd Corslets strowen.
Then their
Loose wings which begin the fight.
Forlorne death destined hopeWith our loose wings of Muskettiers doth coope,
The lighthorse failing fowle on both the flankes
Do chardge, and wheele, and wheeling change their rankes
The Muskettiers from either side do poure
Of palefac'd bullets a death storming shower
The Pikemen push, and pushing with their Pike
Through maild habergeons, helmes and Corslets strike.
Foote stickes to foote, and hand doth gripe with hand
Each Frounter with his Frounter next doth bande:
With streames of bloud the bloudie greene doth smoake,
Whose vapour tooke foment with eu'rie stroake.
Our Curaciers by valiaunt
Otherwise calld the Bishop of Halbershat
Brunswicke ledThe last of all vnto this combat sped
Whose footesteps dread and danger did attend,
Whersoeuer they did with their Cornets wend.
Heere a braue Souldier wounded with a bruise
Through th' orifice his fleeting soule out spues,
Heere a sure Gunner shot off by the knees
Liues vpward, whilst the nether fragment steeues.
Heere a man-woman Amazonian dame
A Ʋotaresse to Mars, and Venus game
Shot neere her friend in his imbracements dies,
And liuing dying thus doth simpathize.
But in the midst of this tumultuous broile
Brunswicke though shot out braueth feare and toile,
Both chardge and rechardge, fals on Frount and flancke,
Sometimes by file sometimes giuing in by rancke.
From morne till noone this dreadfull fight did last,
But when
It was a little after mid day.
the sunne had the Meridian pastSome thirtie minutes, all things being confusd,
The Spainsh vanguard broake, their Chiefe amusd
With our mens courage; Mansfield then appeares
More then himselfe, and thus inflaming cheeres.
His last reserue: come on, keene vp your spite
Against these Barbr'ous Demimoores despite;
Breake through the Frount of that halfe broaken troupe
And make their stiffnes to your valour stoope,
With your well pointed blades hew out your way
Through their battalions which your course forelay.
No sooner sayd but done, for forth they rush,
And like some winter storme do downe right push
All that's opposd, and rowting file by file
Rancke after rancke they passe that iron toyle
Vnto the station of our mutineers,
VVhose wauering fills both sides with iealous feares.
For Corduba surmising that they lay
For a reserue, his last pursuite to stay,
Durst not ingage his ouertired bande,
But on the place of battaile kept his stand.
The losse was not vnlike; foure thousand slaine
Of either side the Champions browe did staine
VVith Purple streames of their vermilion bloud
VVhose Rubie congeald on th' Earths surface stood.
Amongst this honourd list stout Weimars Duke,
And Rougiere their fatall deaths wound tooke
Mengesheim was ta'en, and Brunswickes arme was shot
VVho lost his hand whilst he the lawrell got.
This conflict being past, the Count doth march
(Mounted vpon a rich triumphant Arche)
Ouer the
A riuer which runneth into the Mase. The Prince of Orange.
Sambre, vanquisheth the Boores,Passeth through Brabant, ioyneth there his powers
Neere Rosendale with the
A riuer which runneth into the Mase. The Prince of Orange.
Nassauian Graue,Both being resolud thin'gaged towne to saue
From the Castilians, who with might and maine
Applied the siege Bergen-opzom to gaine.
Fame bruiting this with her shrill Sounding winde
VVith iealous feares fils the Marquesses minde;
VVho doubting that both Armies might Surprise,
His passage vnto Antwerpe, straight doth rise
With all his
Regiments.
Tertioes, and to Ʋulcan turnesHis strawe built station, which inflamed burnes
The large extent of that well fenced frame,
Ere our Bergheneers to the pillage came.
But what Toledoes wiles,
The Prince of Parma.
Farnezes might,Gonsaluoes power, nor Spinolaes despite
Could not effect; for nine times seuen yeares
Against the fortune of the Belgian Peeres;
Home-spunne Sedition, if not crost by Fate,
Was like to worke against our Vnions State.
This faction first was leauen'd by the sower
Of call'd Arminianisme, whose clowdie shower
Seem'd to deface the cleare irradiant Sunne
Of reform'd Truth, which on these Regions shone.
New Sectaries these Rudiments did varnish
With fresh additions, and did fairely garnish
The Frontispice of that halfe rotten house,
Whose Architecture did the soules amuse
Of sundry Belgians, which for shelter came
To this faire-seeming scarce substantiall frame.
This diffrence in Religion caus'd another
Diffrence in Faction, which th' Arminians smother
For selfe-behoouing reasons, till the State
Was manag'd by t' Hollandish Aduocate,
Great Barneuelt, a Paragon for wit,
For faction, greatnesse, which entirely knit,
And linkt to's fortunes, were the golden bayts
That caught Plebeian minds with fond deceits:
He vassal'd as the rumour saith, to Spaine,
Enuious to Nassaw, couetous to gaine,
And spheare within his reaches that command,
Which Maurice held with his victorious hand;
Appalls the multitude with iealous feares,
With tickling rumours fills the glowing eares
Of his Associates, tells them that t'indure
The proud Nassauians yoake, and their grandeur,
Were to proiect their freedomes, and themselues
Against the ridge of those Monarchicke shelues,
Which mightie
Philip the 2. King of Spaine
Philip raised at the first,To quench his vast ambitions Dropsie thirst.
Besides it were against the sacred Lawes
Of God and Nature, to forsake the Cause
Of their Religion, which b' Arminius spred,
And replanted in Hollands fruitfull bed,
By his Disciples, now despis'd, abiect,
VVas eu'n supprest by the Caluinian Sect.
Thus Policie ioynd with Religion shrowdes
The Barneueltine plots, and like those cloudes,
Where a Parelion sits, deceiues the sight
Of rash beholders with their specious light.
But O diuine Religion, why shouldst thou
To mens designes; nay, palliations bow?
O why shouldst thou, whose radiant tresses chaine
God vnto man, and man to God againe?
Why should thy Name ineffable, diuine,
Zeales Cabinet, and pure Deuotions shrine,
Bee made a stale to all the blacke intents
Of humane proiects? and the bloody bents
Of their pretences, who pretending right,
Like Nimrods proud against thy Scepter fight.
So that there liues not that damn'd
A damned Murtherer.
Assassine,Nor that vnloyall loyalliz'd Ignatian;
Not that Rauilliac, whose death poynted knife
Despoyl'd the braue
Henry the 4. Gerard, who kild the prince of Orange.
Nauarrois of his life;Not that
Henry the 4. Gerard, who kild the prince of Orange.
Burgundian Murderer, that Squire,Nor that Lopes, but drawes the twisted wire
Of his ranke Treasons from the faire pretence
Of gloz'd Religion, though his senselesse sense,
Right
Those that haue the Apoplexie, are insensible.
Apoplecticke-like ne're feeles the motionOf pietie, nor zealous true deuotion.
But Barneuelt supprest, his faction quell'd,
His popular Collossicke props downe fell'd,
The Lernean Head of that rebellious rout
Being sundred quite, whose falsehood went about
To subiugate the Netherlands againe
Vnto the rule of rule-desiring Spaine.
Some few yeares after, this seditious crue
Makes head againe, and freshly doth pursue
Their ancient quarrell, whose proiected bent
Fuell'd with malice, fedde with discontent,
Intends the wracke of the Nassauian race.
But in their weales weale-publike to deface.
There want not Catilines;
The names of these 4. were Cor. Gerritzon Her. Hermanson, Iohn Nicolas, Theodorick Leonardson.
rich Harlem sendsFrom cold North-Hollands Frost congealed ends,
Foure Climate differing Sprites, inflam'd with fire
Of light Ambition, Soueraignties desire,
With Enuie, and Reuenge, whose fuming terrours
Distract their soules into a maze of errours.
But Barneuelts two sonnes, winde vp the clue
Of all their doubts, and to their faction skrew
Other Associates, in which damned List
Daniel Slatius an Arminian Preacher.
Slatius hath not the meanest Interest,With Cornewinder, and Adrian van Deicks,
Whom blinde fold zeale to false rebellion pricks.
Thus was the plot; foure Assassines designd
For this blacke deed, were solemnly combind
By mutuall vowes, and interchanged oathes,
Which blushing Sol, and palefac'd Cinthia loathes)
To Pistoll Maurice, Henricke, and the rest
Of the Nassauian stocke; this being confest
By two Conspirators, the Prince straight hies
From Ris [...]wicke to the Hague,
Riswicke, [...] Dorpe neere to the Hague.
and there descriesIn an Arminian house foure of this crue,
Whose malice did great Nassaws death pursue.
All these were seiz'd by the
The Prince of Oranges guard
Pretorian band,Imprison'd, arraign'd, and by the powerfull hand
Of right-diuiding Iustice put to death,
As men vnworthie to vsurpe that breath,
Whose rancour had conspir'd their Countries sacke,
State-alteration, and religions wracke.
Such was the doome of Slatius, such the lot
Of young Barneuelt,
A smal harbor within a mile of the Hague.
who to Scheueling gotLaruates his visage, doth his name exchange,
And in a Skippers habite seekes to range
From Holland to the rich Hamburgers Seat,
Against whose walls the billowing Elbe doth beat.
But found at Scheueling by the curious eyes
Of publike search, hee for this Treason dies,
For what reward can Treason else expect,
But punishment, and rigours worst effect?
But t'other of the sonnes comes fairer off,
Who passing by the Geldrians vnto
Goffe, a towne Cleeueland, as then vnder the king of Spaine.
Goffe,There saues himselfe, and pentioneerd to Spaine,
New proiects of reuenge doth entertaine,
Hoping his Sires and Brothers death to quite,
Wrought as he sayes by the Nassauians spite.
The Winter past in tortures, Aprill smiles
To see the labour'd preparations toyles,
Which both sides take, t'enrich the colder earth
With streames of blood, whose forc't abortiue birth
With Ruby-colourd Roses decks the fields
Of rich Westphalia, which that
The Bishop of Colen, who is also Bishop of Munster and Leege.
Bishop weelds,Whose triple-Mitred power, whose dreadfull awe
To all th' inferiour Circles giues the Lawe,
Supported by the Popes, and Caesars grace,
By Bauier, and potent Austriaes race.
Hee proud of these supports, and of that ayd
Which Leege and Munster sends, had strongly stayd
The current of our Vnion; and deuoted
Vnto the See of Rome, had Clerke-like quoted
The Machiuillian Index, for the shifts
Of policies, and false evasiue drifts.
Brunswicke inflam'd with this proud Prelats wrongs,
To reuenge which his boyling spirit longs;
Abandoneth his former wintring place,
Repasseth Ems, and cleare Visurgis face.
Then ransacking the cramm'd Westphalian
Two great riuers in Westphalia.
Dorps,With their releefe he feeds the Souldiers corps.
Strong was his Armie, numerous and faire,
Which breathed nought but hop'd Victoriaes ayre:
For now besides his old well-trained Bands,
Which wintred in the Paterbornian lands;
New reinforcements warlike Hassia sends
From flaggie
Fulde and Eder, two riuers of Hessen.
Fuldes, and Eders rouling bends.The like the Saxon doth from those cold hills,
Whose Snow-bred torrent Albis channell fills.
Thus did the Rhinegraue; thus did Louestein,
Altenburg, Weimer, Schlic, and Vitgeinstein,
All Collonels of those farre-feared Legions,
Which Brunswicke raised in these vpper Regions.
Th' Imperials were not for their number equall,
But passing our Besonian Bands in mettall,
Consisting of those Cohorts which Mortaigne,
Which Truchses led, and Dane alyed Holsteine,
Of the Croatian Horse which Anhalt brought,
Of late vnto the Spanish faction wrought,
Of the Calabrian Bands, and of that force
VVhich
Paulus the Pope sent succours to the Emperour in these warres.
Paulus sent from Tibers sandy source.About the time that Munsters wealthy Boore,
VVith Ceres fruits renewd his former store,
VVhen Maurice lay within faire Arnhams walls,
And Mansfield lodg'd neere to swift Emses falls:
The Duke to Statloo came, and on the bankes
Of
Honnor is a riuer in Westphalia, which runs neere to Statloo, the place where the battell was fought. Are Croatian Horsmen.
Honner quarterd false Criphausens rankes,To make that passage good against the foe,
VVhich neere to Vulten did their Ensignes show.
But hee being hooked by the golden bayt
Of Tilleys promises, forsaketh straight
The place of his Command, which Tilley taketh
VVith his
Honnor is a riuer in Westphalia, which runs neere to Statloo, the place where the battell was fought. Are Croatian Horsmen.
Crabats, and from that Station makethTo the Brunswican Vanguard, which being charg'd,
At first acquitted well, and well discharg'd
Their Martiall duties; but at length being prest
By the Croatian Rutters, which addrest
Themselues to their encounter, they forsooke
The bloody Combate, and themselues betooke
To a dishonour'd flight, which Brunswicke seekes
To stop with blowes and words, but still he meets
Those fearefull buggs, which cowards soules affright,
VVho rather chose to die, then liue to fight.
Are these, quoth hee, the solemne Ale [...]bench braues,
Made by these lumpes of clay, these sodden slaues?
VVho when they were but tickled with the heat
Of sulphrous Rhenish, would whole Armies beat,
Would quarter Gen'rall Tilley, lard his heart
With points of steeled Pikes, t'auenge the smart
Done to my cousin Fredericke, and his Queene,
By Ferdinands, and Philips mortall spleene.
But now being set vpon their Fortunes trialls,
They proue but hollow caskes, but emptie vials,
Big speaking puffers, glorious of their words,
But Iades and dastards, weaklings with their swords.
Fie, fie for shame, leaue off to runne and rout,
Rally
Rally, is to reorder, or bring in order againe.
your selues, and face it once about,Then shall you see the God of Battels smile,
And vanquishers th' Imperiall Eagles foyle.
But maugre all these words▪ they rout and runne,
As when some horned heard the hounds doth shunne.
A small towne vnder the States, which lay two leagues off.
They flie towards Breafort, whom the fierce CrabatsPursue, and strike downe with the thundring claps
Of their Carbins, so that for two leagues space,
You could see nought vpon the Champions face
But carnage of mankind, but Corslets strowen,
But poynts of Pikes, of Swords, and Halberts sowen.
Two hundred foes were kill'd, two thousand slaine
Of the Brunswicans, and fiue thousand ra'en
With spoyles, and Honour crowned Tilleys hoast;
But that which did inlarge their glory hoast;
Was their compassion, and their mercie knowne
Vnto the captiue Halberstadians showne.
After the fortune of this battell past,
By Treason, and our Souldiers rawnesse lost,
Brunswicke retires with his halfe-broken Band
Vnto the Confines of fat Gelderland;
Where entertaining, all the chosen best
For the State-Seruice, he cashieres the rest
Of that defeated selfe-betraying rabble,
Whom cowardise, or sicknesse made vnable
To follow his designes, whose Verge still bends
To crosse the Spanish and Imperiall ends.
Foure times from this had Cinthia clos'd her hornes,
And foure times runne compleat her menstruall turnes,
When neere Decembers last, t'Hollandish Fleet
Bound for Brasill, commanded were to meet,
If tempest scatterd, neere that necke of land,
Where Sugar rich Saint Saluador doth stand.
They from the
The Hauen of Amsterdam.
Texell loosing, plow'd those waues,Whose curled surge great Brittaines Foreland laues.
Then passing by rich Lisbornes foamie Bay,
And the Terceraes, they thence made away
To Teneriffaes Pike, and that deepe sound,
Where Neptunes tumbling billowes doe rebound
From Gambra, Melli, and that Sunburnt shore,
Countries i [...] Affricke.
Whence Ginee sends her Idolized Oare.
Then sayling West Southwest they past the mouth
Of
Maragnon is a Riuer, which boundeth Brasilia to the Northward,
Maragnon, and bending further South,They coasted all along that beachie Strand,
Whose checker borders faire Brasiliaes Land.
Heere from th' Aeolian wind out-belching cell
The God of stormes sent forth a tempest fell
Vpon the Dutch, which did their Galeouns beat,
And sep'rated their Sea-commanding Fleet.
So that e're Willecks came, mine
Maragnon is a Riuer, which boundeth Brasilia to the Northward,
Here van Dort,Arriued in Los Sanctos spacious Port,
Who thundring with his Cannon, giues th' Alarme,
And makes the
Willecks was Admirall, and my Lo. of Dort commanded fo [...] the land. Negroes.
Blackes, and Spaniards all to arme.Then backe he falls into the watrie Maine,
To seeke out Hollands Admirall againe.
Three times the Sunne had dipt his Phlegons feet,
And cool'd his Pasterns in the westerne deepe;
When that farre famed Tiphis of aduenture
Great Willeks, doth with all his Squadron enter
The foamie mouth of the Brasilian Bay,
And within distance of their Platformes lay:
Whose Canoniers our moared Galeouns plie
With roaring peales of their Artillery;
These answere them from t'high and lower Tires,
With
With vollies of shot returnd againe.
reuolets of their Promethean fires.This salutation past, he straight resolues
To land his Troupes, and seriously resolues
Each aduantageous course, no forme, no shape
Of what exp [...]dient was, could once escape
His pondrous thoughts, for knowing words to be
The solacers of feares infirmitie;
He thus inflames, thus comforts, thus exhorts
His Hollanders: Come on my braue Consorts,
Heere's honour, riches, profit, and what not
VVithin Saluador to bee lost, or got;
Heere are those Ingots rich, those precious graines,
Which
Reall, a Riuer which bordereth Brasill to the Southward
Reall washeth from the mountaines vaines;Heere is that Oare, for which the Negro slaues
Vnlocke the closets of th'Infernall caues,
Kept by these meagre Guardians, verball puffes,
Bigge lookers in their high Castillian ruffes,
But meere
Vaine glorious Braggarts
Quixotes, Rodomantading braues,Faire frontispic'd like to their Grandoes graues,
But full of emptinesse, and those defects,
VVhich valour in selfe-bragging still detects.
So that the spoyle is facill, if that wee
Can beat this
Hotch potch is any thing that is mingled; a Dutch-English word.
Hotch-potch of mortalitle;These Spaniards, Portugals, Saluages, Moores,
VVho keepe not, but are kept within the Towers
Of Saint Saluador: Nor is priuate gaine,
Nor priuate fame the sole proiected ayme
Of this dayes seruice, but the publike good,
VVhich bleeding
Since the losse of Iuliers.
since our Iuliacke losses stood,Must be the scope of eu'rie Souldiers bent,
To which if wee giue iust accomplishment;
Then th' Andian Mountaines which diuide the skies,
Shall ope their vaines to our new Colonies;
Then those Brasilian woods,
The Andes diuide Peru and Brasill to the Westward. These Trees are so big, that whol families dwell in them. A great Lake in this Countrey.
whose massie TreesSaluages hiue, like swarmes of Russian Bees,
With all those verdant Plaines, which Oregliana,
VVhich Reall watereth, and curl'd
The Andes diuide Peru and Brasill to the Westward. These Trees are so big, that whol families dwell in them. A great Lake in this Countrey.
Eupana,Shall bee the guerdons of our glorious toyle,
And honour'd Embleames of th'Iberians foyle.
This speech being past, stout Willeks doth imbarke
VVithin the
Long-Boates.
Skiffes, which from their Galeouns warpe,Two thousand chosen men, whose ready sprite
Straight vndertakes the danger of this fight.
Then the lowd Cannon roares, the Souldiers scale,
The Mariners with Boat-hookes downe doe hale
The
Are pales set vp vpon the top or bottome of a Rampier. Parapet is a Worke made brest high vpō the top of a wall or Rampire.
Palisadoes: but the Fort well mann'dAt first to their defence did brauely stand,
And powr'd downe from the
Are pales set vp vpon the top or bottome of a Rampier. Parapet is a Worke made brest high vpō the top of a wall or Rampire.
Parapetted wallsPitch-burning hoopes, Granadoes, wild-fire balls,
Tarlin and Musket shot; but at the leng [...]h
These Spanish Hotespurres loose their former strength,
Being stiffely charg'd, and to the towne recoyle,
Outwearied with this dang'rous combates toyle,
Leauing behind their euer honour'd Chiefe
Forlorne of all, deuoyd of all reliefe,
Who fights it out eu'n at the Rapiers poynt,
Vntill surcharg'd with odds, and vigour spent,
He sheathed vp his Bilboe-tempred blade,
And to the Conqu'rours this submission made:
I yeeld my selfe, this Castle, and this Fort,
Saluadors Towne, and faire Los Sanctos Port,
To you my noble Dutch for all shall be
Now vassaliz'd to your new Seigneury:
Onely my Soule vncaptiued remaines
Free from th'aspersion of those baser staines,
Which brand these fugitiues, who had they been
But Souldiers true, but hardie valiant men;
Sooner should
Rio grande, a Riuer which runs from the lake of Eupan [...] into Marag [...].
Rio grande haue chang'd his course,And retrograde reuisited his source;
Sooner should th' Andian Alps haue washt their head
In foamie Neptunes peeble-checkred bed,
Then any parcell of Brasiliaes land
Should once haue stoopt to Oranges command.
The Gouernour thus seaz'd, the Castle wonne,
The Fort surpris'd, and Saint Saluadors Towne
Being quitted by the foes; the Dutch Cohorts
Doe forthwith enter those portculliz'd Ports,
Whose bending passage giues an open way
To this large Citie from Los Sanctos Bay.
Great was the spoyle, for Iewels, golde, and plate
Inricht the publicke, and the priuate state
VVith pillage store; Potosies golden barres,
The supporters of these Philippicke warres,
Peruvian
Wedges of Peruuian gold
Ingots, redde Brasilian wood,Rich Cochineale, and Sugar perfect good,
Became the guerdons of the Dutchmens paines,
And new additions to their ancient gaines.
The rumour of this losse no sooner came,
Out trumpetted by truth-reporting Fame
Vnto the Court of Spaine, but reuenge wrought
Within their Councels breast, whose rancour sought
To finde some proiect out, by which they might
Los Sanctos losse, and Saint Saluadors quite.
Plots diffrent were propos'd; but at the last,
This suffraged in Common counsell past
That Spinola by conqu'red Bredaes gaine,
Must Spaines eclipsed Honour remaintaine.
For this designe the fierce
Spinola.
Ligurian takesThe field at Ballart, and from Ballart makes
Towards Hoochstraten, and renownd Turnhout,
At Turnhout the Spaniards were defeated especially by the valour of the English.
For our mens valour, and th'Iberians rout:
Then passing by small Gilsen, Baerle, and Cham,
About mid-August all their Legions came
To Ginneken, and neere the Merkaes bankes
(Whose channell their intrenched Leaguer flankes)
They drew their Quarters out; th' Italian Bands,
Which Baglioni the Lumbard proud commands
Were lodg'd at Terheiden, their Almaines led
By Iohn of Nassaw, were all billetted
Within Terhague; the Marquesse with the men
Of his Diuisions, lay at Ginneken,
Resolued all to winne that glorious prise,
Which Maurice got by Lamberts Turfe-deuice.
The Citizens on the defensiue stand,
With new Supplies, and Reinforcements mann'd,
Which
These were Colonels of the English, French, and Dutch.
Hauterine, which Gris, and Morgan leddFrom glassie Seines, and Tamse's fruitfull bedd,
Which Lockeren brought from the Christall Mase,
From sandie Rhines, and Issells watrie face,
Commanded all by Justin of Nassaw,
Who to the Towne, and Souldiers gaue the Law.
Besides, the
The Prince of Orange.
Prince reinforced with supplies,Sent from his English friends, and fast Alies,
Which braue Southampton led, which valiant Writhsly,
Which Essex, Oxford, Veare and Willoughby
Commanded for the States, had past his Bands
From Holland through the rich Brabanson lands,
To
Two villages in Brabant, where they first quarterd.
Meed and Stiuesand, where his care attendsTo succour his Breda-beleagred friends,
With all those stratagems, which force or wit
Could yeeld, to farther, or to finish it.
The rumour of this siege, with th'expectation
Brought Voluntiers from eu'ry Christian Nation
Vnto both Leaguers, in which honour'd list
Poloniaes Prince claimes chiefest interest:
The Prince of Poland.
Who comming from the cold Sarmatian plaines,
From Rugeland, and high Almaine rich in vaines
Of sundry Mineralls, arriu'd at last
(After the chance of many fortunes past)
At Austrian Isabels renowned Court,
Where entertain'd with that Maiesticke port,
Which did befit his Greatnesse he retires
Vnto the Campe from Bruxels stately Spires,
Desiring more to see the Leaguers face,
The Spanish Stations, and their Souldiers grace,
Then all that pompe, which Bruxels did affoord,
To entertaine this young Polonian Lord.
Vpon his first approach the Spanish foe
New postures of their ancient boasting show;
They bragge and braue it, that this braue Polaque,
Should take our strongest works, and Breda sacke,
Should lay the Rampiers leuell with the plaine,
And Merks current with our Vermillion staine.
But his designes were safer, for the Prince
Knew that Experience should finde difference
Betwixt our Troupes, and those Cossackes which haunt
Meotis Fennes, and Tartaries Leuant:
He knew that here were no Tartarian Drouers,
No Turkish Prickers, nor Ʋalachian Rouers,
No Muskouitish, nor Hungarian Bands,
VVhose fight on number, more then valour stands.
But heere were French and English nations bold
Within the Curtin of this Rampierd hold,
And these not led by
These were Bassaes slaine and defeated by the Prince of Poland.
Alis-beg, nor Nahan,Nor by Cirkas; but by Lock'ren, and Morgan,
By Gris and Hauteriue men of that merit,
That death nor danger could not sinke their Spirit.
Moreouer twas not the Castilians bent,
To take this place by forcible attempt,
By battering, Petarring, or Scalado,
By sapping, mining, or by Camisado,
They knew t'were labour lost, t'were worke in vaine
To seeke by force this Fortresse strong to gaine.
But famine was the plot, the Fabian course
By which they meant the Souldiers hearts to force,
And skrew to their conditions: for what strength
So Adamantine is? but yeelds at length
Vnto the force of famine; there's no law
Can giue prescription to a suffring mawe:
For Caesars selfe must yeeld, and Pompey vaile,
If victuals with their hungry Colon faile.
T'accomplish this great Castiles armie blockes
The friendly Mercke, and with their Cannon stoppes
The Land
Aduenue signifies a passage
aduenues, fiue well fenced FortsDo barre the mouth of our porcullizd ports
From all accesse: no Skoutes, no Spies could passe,
The Circling Rampiers large extended masse
But their obiected sight must straight wayes be
The pointeblancke ayme of Spaines Artillerie.
Those mightie workes, which with your wandring eyes
On
The plaines in Wiltshire
Wiltshires battell plaines you may descry;Those monuments left by the conqu'ring Danes,
And the Saxons to eternize their names,
Were counterfeits, and workes of little fame
Compard with this Giganticke massie frame.
To pierce them through, t'were to diuide the breast
Of Greekish Isthmos, or to cut the crest
Of Athos and Olimpus; twere to draine
That ebbing flowing Mediterran maine,
Which runs betweene the sweet
The Ile of Dorts.
Dordrecian IleAnd bleeding Brabants Rubie coul'red soile.
His Excellence knew this, and for this cause
Without all dallying demurres all delayes
He leaues his Meedan quarters, and doth fall
From thence vnto sweete-seated Rosendale,
Where he refortifies his winter station,
Vseth th' assurance of his former caution,
Seekes to cut off great Spinolaes Conuoyes,
And fill his Campe with Myriads of annoyes.
His brother Henericke at Longstratten lay
Vpon the passage of the
Vpon the way of the Busse.
Boshian way,To cut of those Supplies, which Brabant sent,
Which Namurs, Heinault, and Burgundia lent,
Which the Limburgers brought in ratling Carres,
As contributours to these Belgian warres.
Both Armies lying thus, excursions past
And frequent sallies, where the various cast
Of wauering Fortune gaue the glorious prise
With doubtfull reuolution; in such wise
That now the Dutchmen vanquish, now the foe
The Netherlandish Souldiers doth o'rethrow.
Amongst the rest courageous Breoutee
Left heere this life t'acquire Eternitie;
Whose body Mountioyes daring rescue gaue
The sollemne rights of an obsequious graue.
Thus died the Captaine of th' Orangian guard,
Who sallying forth the like disaster shar'd,
With diuerse others, which in honours bed
Deceasing liue, intomb'd, vnburied,
Worthy for worth euen to suruiue that death,
Which spoild them of their hor our breathing breath.
But where the sworde one pettie squadron slew,
The Pestilence to Plutoes mansion drew
Thousands of soules, whose numerous Cohorts
Crowded the passage of the Stigian ports.
So that no stragling soule could portage gaine,
From th'vpper world vnto th'Infernall maine.
But O thou scourge of Armies, why shouldst thou
To Mars his steelie traine destruction vowe?
Why should Bellonaes votaries indure
Thy bloodie fluxe, thy madding Callenture?
Why should the swelling botch, the watrie blaine
That seate of valour with contagion staine,
And tainte that purer consecrated bloud
Which vow'd it selfe for Belgiaes publicke good.
Was't not inough to powre thy malice forth,
Vpon, the colder
All those Northerene Countries were this last yeere much annoyed with the Plague.
Regions of the North?To plague the warrelike Danes, the sturdie Swecians,
The Rugians, Lappians, and the slow Norwegians?
Was't not inough for thy death miniond selfe,
To Golgothize the streetes of stately Delfe,
And, make faire Leidens trembling students flie
From learnings once, now deaths Academie?
Was't not enough to lay west Frieseland waste
And waste
Vtrocht.
Traiectum? but with winged hastThou must inuade the Princes warrelike Campe,
And thousands kill with that obnoxious dampe,
Which first infects the Subtle poared Aire,
And from thence doth our vitall strength impaire,
By tainting those vermillion flowing vaines,
Those life-conducts with thy contagious staines.
And could not heere plebeian bloud asswage
The boundles bounds of thy Luxuriant rage?
But must South-hamptons Earle, must Oxfords selfe
Dye by the darts of this accursed Else?
Must
My Lord Wriothesly eldest sonne to th' Earle of Southampton.
Wriothsley, VVindham, Chester, Halswell dye,Slaine by the shafts of dire mortalitie?
But deade they are, whether that angrie nature
Enuied to earth their moore diuiner feature;
Or being malignant both to Armes, and Arts,
Skornd this Sublunar should possesse those parts,
Those seates of wonder, which with such a measure
Were powred forth of great Pandoraes treasure.
Yet these being gone,
Sir Iohn Ratcliffe [...]pulsed Pompeio and Branch [...]s [...], as they thought to passe ouer the Waal, vnder the conduct of Bucquoy.
Ratcliffe reputed dead,For Pompeyes repulse Fame-eternized,
Liues, and suruiues, new Honours to attaine
From the defeated Colonels of Spaine.
And since that they are dead, O that my Verse
Could giue but life to their thrice-honour'd Herse;
Then sooner should the Northerne Coachman steepe,
His falling Teeme within the Russian deepe;
Sooner should Thames forsake his Easterne course,
And sliding backe runne Westward to his sourse,
Then that their Lawrell-consecrated praise
Should want the Crowne of such suruiuing Layes,
VVhich might giue life in death, and make that last
Beyond Times power, and cankred Enuies blast.
And as for thee, sweet Breda, which dost stand
Vpon the Merkaes peeble bordred strand,
Since thou beleagred art with sundry Legions,
Which came from those
From Spaine.
sun-scorched western Regions;So that no store of victualls, no supply
Can bring reliefe to thy necessitie.
And if the Spaniard still so strongly lies,
That neither Nassaws force, nor slie deuice
Can raise the siege; if those new leuied Bands,
Which Brunswicks Duke, and Cromwels selfe commands,
VVhich vnder Maunsfields conduct, Rich and Lincolne,
Which Burroughs leads, which Doncaster and Hopton
Cannot inforce th'Jberian Troupes to rise,
Nor gaine their way by Spinolaes surprise.
Then could I wish, that all that large extent,
VVhich lies within the Rauelins Continent,
VVere full of Indian
A strange kind of f [...]uit which growes in Peru.
Cocoes, which doe growVpon those Plaines where Perues streames doe flow,
Whose strong oppletiue power doth strangely fill,
And swallowed doth both thirst and hunger kill.
Then could I wish, that some Spring-forced tide
Would make Merks current retrograde to glide,
And when the forced riuer thus doth flow
Whole Cockly mountaines it might vpwards throw
When Rochell was besiegd, great store of shell fish were miraculously cast vp vpon the shoare for the releefe of the Citizens.
Vpon the strand; as when Aniou, and Guise,Thought Neptune flanked Rochell to Surprise:
It once befell vpon that sandy shoare,
Where th' Ocean doth against Coreilles roare.
And then perhaps might Bredaes siege be such
As was Ostends or Bergens; and as much
The dammagd foe might then, and there sustaine,
As they did in those former sieges gaine,
When Veare and Morgan brauely did repell
That Spanish storme, which on their Legions fell.
But whilst my muse thus Prayes, Fame from those cels
Where audience, rumour, and relation dwells,
Brings vs sad tidings, that strong-flankt Breda
Reconquerd is by warrelike Spinola;
Who after eight moneths siege regaind that place,
Which so much did his Gray haird actions grace.
For although Maurice by surprising Cleeue,
By Antwerpes cold attempt sought to releeue
Beleaguerd Breda; though that Morgan braue
Resolu'd to make th' ingaged place his Graue,
And stood on the defensiue with that troupe
Which swoard nor famine could not make to stoope.
Although without stout Ʋeare, and Oxfords Count
Most daringly the Spanish workes did mount,
And wone two Rodoubts, whereas Payton, Winne,
Tubbe, Dacres, Hawley, Stanhop got within
The Parapetted Rampier, brauely fought
And death amongst whole armed squadrons sought.
Yet famine still increasing, whose affrounte
No courage though death-daring) can surmount,
And eight dayes foode being onely left to feede
The greedie Souldiers and the Burgers neede;
The Spaniards grant a parle, our men agree
Inforc'd thereto by meere necessitie:
Conditions to depart were such, as we
Could hardly looke for from an Enemie:
With Seroan colours flying, matches light,
Bullets in mouth, our waggons Loaden weight
With bagge and baggage, and a safe conuoy
To safeguard our's from all hostile annoy.
Besides when as our Cohorts all dismarcht
From Breda'es ports, and through their quarters past
The curteous Genouese saluteth all,
But specially for Morgans selfe doth call,
Imbraceth him, and honouring a foe
So worthy doth himselfe thrice worthie show.
But though Breda be lost, reconquerd Goffe
By Lambarts valour hath the chaines shooke off
Of Castiles thraldome, and the taken towne
Mannd with a strong Orangian Garrison,
Makes all South Cleeue-lands Ceres-blessed shoare,
Where Rhine against strong Grauenweert doth roare,
Pay contribution eu'n to that same land,
Where Iuliers on the Roars bankes doth stand.
This was that Lambart who with Heraugiere,
From Holland did that famous Turfe-boat steere,
When they fiue thousand, ours but seu'ntie were,
Who this vnheard of enterprise did dare.
He waiting on the foes with Argian eyes,
Discouers by his subtle curious spies
That Goffes attempt was facill, for the moate
Was passable without the corked floate,
Without the Skiffe or Punt neere to that place,
VVhich did the VVesterne bulwarkes platforme face.
For this designe he drawes two thousand men,
From Arnham, Embricke, Rees, and Nimeghen,
VVho coue'red with a silent Mooneshine night,
Arriud two houres before the dawning light
At their knowne Randeuouz, and from thence marcht
To the Townedike, which being safely past,
They scaled all at once the Rampierd wall,
And from thence on the Spanish guards did fall.
The fight was bloudie, for the vanquisht foe
Fiue hundred of their Phalangiers could show,
Slaine on the place, but of the Dutehmens side
Scarce two full squadrons in this combate dyed.
But that which did the victours triumph crosse,
VVas val [...]ant Lambarts still deplored losse,
VVho ouerheated in this toilesome fight
Resign'd within eight dayes his honour'd sprite
To mightie Ioue: his Manes great Nassaw
Then whom this Ageno colder Fabius saw,
Pursued vnto those blest Elisian shades,
VVhose euerliuing pleasure neuer Fades,
VVhere all true Patriots, which for freedome fight
Receiue the Crowne of their deserued right,
FINIS.
To my industrious friend Master W. C.
VVHat sullen Prose in harshnes did rehearse,
Smiles through thy soule with a diffusiue light
Like the Promethean fire: for by thy verse
Are wakened from the Chaos of blacke night
The worthies of our time, that by thy pen
Rise from obliuions graue to life agen.
And for their sakes Mars with a steely Traine
Of his vndaunted Sons presents thy brow,
The guerdon of thy sweet Poeticke vaine
A Lawrell of Mineruaes choicest bow:
Proceede in thy designes, and let thy praise
Out liue the crooked carping age of dayes.
Iohn Dowle Bristol.