HIS Excellencie arriuing at Vlis­shing toward the ende of Iune, bringing with him about 30. En­signes of newe leuied Englishe souldiers, found the Town of Sluce beseiged by the Duke of Parma: his chiefe forces remay­ning in the Ile of Cassand, where himselfe was for the most part in person: the rest in S^t Anns Land vnder the commaundement of La Mote, salue that his horse-men, with some bands of foote, were dispersed vpon the Coast, and vpon Straites, for gard of Dikes and passages in sundrie places.

These forces of the Duke of Parma, were lodged in such a sort, that there was no accesse vnto them, but v­pon narrowe banks: the which were in manie places retrenched and cut off in such sort, as (in respect of the aduantage of the scituation) they were wel able to haue answered, treble their forces that should by land haue inuaded them.

By sea they had also by Piles, Shippes and boates in shew crossed the hauen, and planted certaine platformes of Ordinance, to beat such ships as should attempt to en­ter to succour the Towne.

[Page 2] Neuerthelesse, in the iudgement of the best Militarie men, this was founde the onely waie to relieue the Towne, and to that end preparation made of shippes of war to enter, & one or two shipes especially of purpose framed with fire workes very artificially, to haue bro­ken any Bridge and opened a passage, although it had bene much more forcibly closed than indeed that was.

True it is that the Admirall Nassau and his sea cap­taines made the matter verie dangerous, and required that the forces by land might be also attempted at the same time: and at the first it was by his Excellencie ment that the Camp should haue bene assailed 3. waies. viz, from Isendick Sconce towards Coxey, on Cassand, & frō Ostend. But vpon more deliberate consideration of the scituation of these places: it was found, that after wee should haue surprized the Sconce of Isendick there was no possibility to martch towards Sluce, or towards the Enemies Camp, but vpon straight Dikes, with sun­drie abrupt passages by them fortified in such sort: that a verie fewe might haue made head on that side to anie great Armie, and not to be passed without great slaughter of our people: and long time before we could approche to anie blowes with the Enemie. On the o­therside of Cassand the coast so flat and farre out into the Sea, as there was no landing, but as men must wade a great distance in the water, subiect to all the shot of the Enemie that might lye couered vnder the marsh banks, and then no way to approch the Camp, but vp­on fortified straights as before. It was therefore con­cluded, that the onely way to approch the Campe by land, was, from Ostend, where his Excellencie might in safetie land his forces, & so march to seeke the Ene­mie on firme ground in militarie order not confusedly [Page 3] with so great disaduantage as on the other parts. In the meane time diuers Burgers of Vlisshing (that mistrusted the coldnesse of the Admiraltie and States) made offer to his Excellencie, that if they might haue shipping they would vndertake to enter the Hauen: and put into the Town both men and munition without attending any attempt to bee made vpon the Enemie by land, which they sawe to be a matter of great hazard & not possible in reason to take anie effect, the strong scituation of the Enemies Campe considered.

The reasons that mooued them to doubt the colde­nesse of the Admiraltie were these. They knew them to bee persons whollie at the deuotion of the States: howe small care the States tooke of Sluce, Ostend, or anie other Townes in Flaunders was they say apparant long before, when their souldiers by their Euill pay & prouisions, were manie times reduced to such extremi­ties, as it was greatlie doubted that necessitie shoulde constraine them to deliuer vp the townes to the Ene­mie. And the yeare 1586. when his Excellencie was mooued to haue imployed his forces into Flaunders, (where no doubt he might haue wonne immortall ho­nour, and reduced againe the most part of that Country to the vnited prouinces) the States generally euer disli­ked of anie Enterprize that way: and perswaded his Excellencie wholly to that other course of Ghelderland, OuerYsell. &c.

The reasons that mooued the States thereto, some suppose were these.

First, if Flaunders should bee regained, then a great number of wealthie men (that were nowe in Holland setled) would returne thither, and so impouerish great­lie the wealth of Holland; and the States of Holland car­rieng [Page 4] now the whole or chiefe swaye, would none of that.

Another reason was, that they found those garrisons of Sluce, Axell, Ostend, &c. to exhaust much of the Holland contributions, and not to yeelde any commo­ditie againe.

But the third and most forcible of all, was, that they had as it was thought conceaued a certain icalousie that Flaunders lying so neere England, her Maiestie might seaze to her owne vse all such Ports, Townes, and pla­ces of strength as should bee gayned there, and hauing conuenient Ports so neere her Realme for conuenient receipt and succour of her Shipping, should by that meanes be able to rule them, and not be ruled by them. These iealousies and conceipts are supposed to bee the causes that haue made the Estates so colde and back­ward in the relieuing this Towne of Sluce, albeit the These insolent speeches of the people were re­pressed by a sharp penall [...]dict of the States made and proclay­med at Mid­dleburgh, im­mediatly after the losse of Sluce. common people in many places, speake more broadly, and say plainely that the States from time to time haue victualled the enemie, making to them of Holland, thereby an infinite gayne, and that the enemie had good assurance from some of them before his Siedge of Sluce, that hee should not bee impeached by them.

Whereunto they ad many shrewde Presumptions: First, that the Enemie was continuallie victualled by their sufferance and Licences: Secondly, that euen a little before Sluce was besiedged, the States sent for certaine of the best bands out of the Towne, which the Gouer­nour would not consent vnto: Thirdly, that certaine Shippes were of purpose run a groūd before Sluce in such sort as the enemies horsemen might take them: without which it was not possible to haue made any shewe of stopping vp the channell. Last of all their [Page 5] strange backwardnesse in giuing aide anie way by men or munition, when Captaine Hart and others of Vlis­shing offered them to enter before his Excellencies arri­uall. So that if Sir William Russell Lord Gouernour of Vlisshing, had not verie prouidentlie & earnestly trauai­led to send in such prouisions as vpon the sodaine hee prouided: the Towne had beene much more destitute of all meanes to hold out than it was.

But albeit I am not carried so farre as to belecue all the people speake (though vox populi be manie times for truth termed vox Dei: especiallie when it is grounded vpon long triall and experience:) yet that by fruits the tree may be discerned, and so a right estimate made of these coniectures; I will report as neere as I can the cer­taine truth how matters haue passed, & what assistance his Excellencie hath receiued from the States for this im­portant enterprize for the [...]eleife of Sluce.

First his Excellencie vpon his arriuall, finding in his absence strange effects wrought by bad practizes of his Enemies, who (perhaps aspiring to aduaunce them­selues, or to blemish his Honour) did in the meane time foster the seedes of most seditious discord, tending to the Ruyne of these Prouinces, and great hinderance of hir Maiesties seruice here: His Excellencie (I say) found it verie conuenient, first to do all his best endeuours to reduce this infected bodie to health: And to effect the same, forgiuing all iniuries doone to himselfe, laboring nothing but the safetie of these Prouinces committed to his charge, immediatly vpon his lāding wrote for an assemblie of the States at Middleburgh: where after he had too long time (in respect of his vrgēt affaires) atten­ded them in vaine, he went in persō to Berghen vp zome, and after to Dort, to effect onely his first purpose: to re­cure all seditious wounds, and to drawe all in one line [Page 6] to the reliefe of this beseiged Towne: Not omitting in the meane time to bestowe in seuerall Garrisons his newe leuied vnarmed Souldiers, with order for their speedie arming; and in steede of them calling togeather from Garrisons farre and wide dispersed, foure thow­sand or there abouts of the old bandes in her Maiesties pay, and such as being armed & furnished were before the fifteenth of Iulie in case to be employed in seruice. In the meane time his Excellencie beeing desirous to knowe what assistance he might expect from the States of the Countrie Forces, a booke was del [...]uered to the L. Marshall, of twentie foure thowsand souldiers in their pay, besides two thowsand horse or thereabouts, and besides hir Maiesties aydes. Of all these their Forces for so important a seruice, if they would onlie haue de­liuerd foure thowsand souldiers, his Excellencie was de­termined with them and the rest of his English bands without regard of any perrill to haue assalted the Campe. But notwithstanding the importunate solici­tations of his Excellencie, & pressing also of his auctho­ritie (albeit Count Hollock had at that time as it is saide six thowsand men in Brabant in Armes) before the losse of the Towne, he was neuer able to get from them any one band of theirs: and with great difficultie could ob­taine to haue the English which were with him.

True it is, that the Burgers of Middlebrough and Vlis­shing did verie willingly offer their assistance; but they were but fewe: and that was doone vtterlie without aide or assistance of the States.

With these smale forces of thirtie English Ensignes, with foure Cornets of horse; his Excellencie sent Sir William Pelham the L. Marshall accompanied with the Lord Willoughby, Sir William Russell, and manie other persons of Honor and account, into Flaunders: hauing [Page 7] besides some few Companies of this Country, that he had raised vpon hir Maiesties charge; & that volūtarily from Middleburgh and Vlisshing, offered themselues for the guard of his person, part whereof were also left to accompanie Collo: Morgan, who was by his Excellencie appoynted to ioyne with the Admirall Nassau to enter the Hauen.

In the meane time, the L. Marshall thus accompanied the twenty of Iuly arriued at Ostend: and being readie the xxij. to haue marched; his Excellencie arriued there, and resting the xxiij which was Sonday, the foure and twentie day in the morning, we marched towards the This 23. day in Ostend his Excellencie was like to haue beene slaine with a bullet that strake into a Iawme of his windowe right before him, and the Lord Wentworth with the splin­ters thereof hurt in the face. Enemie; his Excellencie being the same night returned toward the Fleete, which lay in readines at the mouth of the Harbor, to take the aduantage of the spring tides; and to haue entred the Hauen: aswell [...]o haue deuided the Forces, wherewith they of Cassand should haue suc­cored them of Saint Anns Land when wee should charge them, as also to put in men and Munition into the Towne.

With this small Armie of 30. or 32. Ensignes of Foote, and foure Cornets of horse, we marched on the plaine sands of Flaunders, 10 or 12. miles towards Sluce Towne, and rested not till wee came to Blanken­burgh Sluce where wee found a strong Sconce made to stop vp the passage: guarded with fiue or sixe En­signes of Wallons. The Sconce reached from the Mar­shes down to the Sea, and closed vp the passage in such sort that without taking in of that Sconce; there was no passage for our Armie to set on their Campe, but on­ly at very dead lowe water, and that with many diffi­culties & extreame discommodities too long to be par­ticularly set downe. Neuerthelesse it was resolued by the Lord Marshall, and the Militarie councel that with­out [Page 8] farther delay an attempt should bee made to hewe downe the Pallizado and by scale to enter: and if that tooke not effect, then in the Euening at dead lowe wa­ter without sarder delay to march by it. And albeit the Armie came wearie to that place about noone, yet was it resolued the assault should bee giuen before foure of the clock. In the meane time the Fort was viewed round by sundrie persons of iudgement, and 30. or 40. s [...]ine and hurt in the approaches and view therof with the shot both great and small, that played continuallie out of the Fort among vs.

In the meane time the Duke of Parma, being aduer­tised how nere our Armie was come to his Camp, and our Resolution perceaued by our discoueries and nere approaches, the Prince rose as we were enformed after with a choice Regiment to stay vsthere, which in deed he might ful easelie haue done to an Armie fiue times as great as ours was, the scituation of the fort conside­red. But his Excellencie being in the meane time by con­trarietie of winde stayed, could not reach the Floate but lay before Blankenburgh Sl [...]ce, & beholding the strength of the place, and the impossibilitie for vs to passe or to get so strong a plat in any conuenient time to relieue the siedged Towne, sent Sir Harry Goodyere a land vn­to vs with cōmandement immediatlie without losse of time to returne to Ostend, there to Imbarque the Armie againe, and speedely to returne to the Floate before the best spring tides should passe to enter the Hauen, & also to land our Army there vpon them, with resolution to put it to any fortune, rather than to loose that Towne.

The 25. at night we imbarked againe at Ostend, and T [...]esday the D [...]ke of Par­ [...]seeing the returne of our Armie yeelded to any condition of honorable parting, that our besiedged could dem [...]nd. [...]che denying them a [...]ie delay, or libertie to aduertise the Earle of L [...]ycester, being this day with his Army within one League of their Camp before the H [...]uen [...]outh, [...]nd readie at the highest spring to enter. [Page 9] the 26. being Wednesday being arriued at the Float, we found his Excellencie in consultation with Count Mau­rice, the Admirall, and the rest of the Sea Captaines for entring the Hauen: who alledging many di [...]ficulties and perrils, deliuering many reasons (such as they were) why they entred not the Hauen according to a­greement: At that time his Excellencie plainelie and o­penly charged both Count Maurice and his brother Nassau, that when the Burgers of Vlisshing made him the offer long before to haue performed it: that they answered, they had the best Pilots, Captaines and ship­ping readie in their handes, and could and would per­forme it themselues, which they could not well denie: & yet would not plainly confesse, but that it was with certaine conditions, Crauing that his Excellencie would first appoynt some with thē to view the Hauen. In the The Enemie very politique­lie made the Commanders in Sluce, belecue our Armie was fled at mid­night from Blanken­burgh whereas wee marched a way in the day before sunne­set, in order of Battaile, and no charge or attempt made by any one horse or foote vpon our rere­ward, nor shot dis [...]harged af­ter vs, but one­lie out of the Sconce. meane time by these their former dalliances: the Town being before growne desperate of succour, the verie same day while these thinges were thus in debating, Sir Roger Williams (not knowing vpon what resolution we were called back from Blankenburgh, entred into Parley; and the Duke denying no demaunds they could set downe of Honorable parting) onelie denying them anie time of respite to aduertize his Excellencie, because he knewe they might and of likelihood feared they should haue bene succoured by sea before the best spring tides were past. The cōmaunders of the Towne being of like out of hope of anie ayde by sea,) aswell in respect of the small comfort, retourned from the States by Captaine Hart, as also by the strange newes and aduertisements they receaued continually as they say frō their Enemies, being greatlie distressed by their vnhappie losse of the west Dike. And seeing how hard a matter, it should be with far greater Forces than ours [Page 10] in any short time to defeat the Camp, being so strongly lodged, hauing most honorable conditions of Surren­drie yeelded vnto by the Duke of Parma, they conclu­ded, and the same day after our Armie arriued at the Floate, whilst his Excellencie was in consultation for entrie of the Hauen, (viz.) on the 26. day of Iulie. 1587 they sent away Master Sentliger to his Excellencie with This surrendry was made two or three dayes before the spring tides were past, and the day before the highest spring was come. notice of their surrendrie alreadie made: and this is the plaine and naked trueth of this action.

I may not omit, that, albeit his Excellencie was fur­nished out of England with Pouder, Munition, and Mo­ney: So as there was nothing then frō the States requi­red but for Money, to haue victualls and boates and Skiffes to land our Armie, and Carriages to conuey, Munition, Victuals, &c. For boates and Skiffes to land our men, on those flat Coasts we had not sufficient to disbarke our little Armie in one whole day. And for Waggons his Excellencie could not get inough to carrie two daies victualls with vs to Blankenburgh, and yet diuers chiefe persons and officers of our small Ar­mie for want of Carriage forced to leaue their Tents behinde them: So that for this Action I knowe not what the States could doe more to make the world be­leeue the common voyce of the people (for their cor­respondence with the Enemie; or smal care for the losse of any Towne in Flaunders) to bee to true: neither can I imagine what was possible for any Generall (either for trauell of his owne bodie both by Land and Sea, or for contempt of all perrill to his owne person, or by carefull Prouidence, and singular Patience being so in­gratefully & maliciouslie crossed, to do more than his Excellencie hath done: whatsoeuer common opinion (led onelie with bare euents) may conceaue of it.

HAuing both by reading, conference & experience found before I bare office in her Maiesties Armie commaunded by that right honorable Earle of Ley­cester in the Low Countreyes, how manie dangerous Inconueniences en­sue, where true militare Discipline is either contempned, neglected or vn­knowen, as I had more than 10. yeares since published this Militare Treatize concerning the duties & Offices of most degrees euen from the priuat souldier to the Gene­rall; so did I also during that my imployment, labour to my vt­most power to haue such good Lawes and Ordinances establish­ed, as might aduance the honour and seruice of God, our sacred Queene and Countrey. But as a bodie possessed with a pestilent feuer, dooth manie times abhorre not onely the curing medicine, but also the best and most wholsome meate, and affect the worst & most pernitious: so found I all these good Lawes and Ordinances then established, so odious & intollerable vnto some such men of warre as had been bred vp in those licentious ciuill Dissentions, that they not onely detested those good Ordinances, but also mor­tally or rather immortally hated such Officers, as (according to their dutie) tooke care to see them duely and indiffeiently put in execution; labouring also to make them odious euen to the com­mon souldiers and whole bodie of the Armie, (who were indeed [Page 12] their best friends and the onely meanes to relieue them in their wrongs and vniust oppressions. But because I knowe those Lawes and Ordinances then established by the Earle, to bee such as a­gree with all right Martiall Discipline and cannot be oppugned or disliked by anie, but such as deserue rather to be corrected for their faults, than tollerated in their insolent lawlesse presumpti­ons: I haue not doubted to commit them to publique iudgement, as matters worthie to remain for Precedents to posteritie. And because all warres are manadged and maigntaigned chiefly by Armes and Money, it is cleere that the good or bad choyce of chiefe Commaunders & other chiefe Officers for Militare Ac­compts, is the verie chiefest cause of the good or bad successe of anie warres: For as by the Good the Forces are maintaigned strong, well armed, trained, gouerned, conducted, paid and con­tented: so by the Bad demeanour of these Officers, the Princes Treasure (being the verie sinewes of the warres) may bee vn­duely wasted, the Bands neither compleate, well armed, nor trai­ned, the valiant souldiers for want of their due wages, discoura­ged, or starued, Honest creditors and alied friends for want of due paiments discontented, & the Princes most honourable pay slaundered and dishonoured. The consideration of these impor­tant causes (impressed deepely into my conceipt, not by super­ficiall Contemplations, but by actuall Experience) hath pro­uoked or rather enforced me (in discharge of my duetie to God almightie and her Maiestie my most gracious Soueraigne La­die and Mistresse, vpon the new Aedition of my Stratiati­cos) to enlarge it with these Additious: That all Comman­ders and sutch other Officers Militarie (seeing before their eyes proponed the Good & Bad, Light and Darcknes, Heauen and Hell, & knowing that thereby the world also cannot but see which course they holde) may resolue to leaue the l [...]crous, base, wicked, and dishonorable path, whose ende will bee confusion, shame, & endlesse torments in Hell, and to choose theright wai [...] of Vertue that leadeth vnto true honourable Fame, & finalli [...] shall be crowned with immortall ioyes in Heauen.

The one a man iust and ho­nest, content with his sti­pend: yealding both to the Prince and subiect their dewe.

The other vnduely exacting. & by deuice meaning to abuse (if it bee not preuented) may defraud both Prince, subiect, soldier, & allies of there due.

The one honest and Skilfull.

The other either corrupt or vnskil­full.

IT is a thing too wel knowen, that if al Captaines bills shuld be payd and defalked vpon the warrants for their bands, that both Souldi­ers many times should vtterly lose a great part of their wages dewe, & the honest Creditors also their debts, by reason of such practises as ensue.

Inprimis, if any Captaines take vp Silkes, Gold lace, Iewels, or other like matters for their owne vse amoun­ting to treble their owne entertainement: This being defalked on the warrant for the band, must needs vniust­ly take from the poore Souldier part of his pay.

If a Captaine borrowe Money of the Treasurer or a­ny other for his owne priuat expences, or giue his bill to the Treasurer to pay his losses in play, or charges in wast­full houses, the Bills must alwaies be made in one forme viz. Receaued of Master Treasurer so much for the vse of the Companie, &c. albeit the poore Companie may [Page 25] very well pleade not guiltie of any part therof. The same being defaulked by the Treasurer on the warrant for the band, the poore Souldier is defeated, how trewly so­euer her Maiestie paye.

Or when such multitude of bills signed with any Captaines hand shall be brought vnto the Treasurer, as the whole warrant, both Captaines pay, Officers pay, & Souldiers pay is not able to discharge, hee must needes choose some, and reiect others. In which choyse if the Treasurer be a man that regardes his owne benefit and the choyce left in him, he must needes reiect the honest Creditors, who vpon reasonable prizes and small gaine hauing serued the Companie, can offer little to haue their dew, and choose such as by their excessiue gaynes vndewly made, may offer most, and so the lewde onelie gaine, and the honest Creditors vtterlie defeated.

Againe if any Captaine haue once taken vp and gi­uen his bills for more than his own wages, and the war­rant of his whole Companie is able to paye, then to get notwithstanding some more Money to bee defalked on the same warrant, he may with gaine be content to giue 60 pro 100. or giue his bill of debt for 100. to the Treasurer, to be defaulked on his warrant to receaue 40, or lesse. And this bill must be made as formably as any other, viz. for Armes or apparrell for the vse of the Cō ­panie, and perhappes dated before any of the rest. And such a one being able with gaine to giue 30. or 40. in the 100. to be paid his bill, may bee as likely to speede as any of the honest Creditors, who perhappes are not able to giue 10. pro 100 without their losse, if the Treasurer bee a man that will bee moued with gaine and haue no Commissioners to guide him.

But seeing the fraudes and practizes are infinite, [Page 26] whereby the honest Creditors and poore Souldiers may be defeated vtterlie of their due: & her Maiesties pay slaū ­dred & exclaimed on, (how iustlie soeuer her Highnes pa [...]e) if great discretion and Iustice bee not vsed in the examination and allowance of suters bills, with due tri­all, which were in deede to the vse of the Companie, & which fraudulent, or to the Captaines or Treasurers pri­ [...]ate gaine. They ought to be persons of great sincerity and vprightnesse, that should make choyce which bills should be first allowed: and which reiected as the Cap­taines owne debt, and not defalcable on the Companie.

For, this cause I suppose in Ireland it hath beene ac­customed, that the Auditor onely (who hath no hand­ling of the Treasure) was the setter downe of all defal­cations, and the Treasurer onely to pay according to his Debentur.

For surelie when in one pay, a man (in fauoring of vniust bills) may gaine ten thowsand pounds or more, & by dealing iustlie can hardly gaine the twentieth part, it is a great temptatiō to misdrawe an indifferent honest mind: especiallie when the Raynes shall be left wholie in his owne hands. Or if the Treasurer were neuer so ho­nest a man, yet if his Officers vnder him be men that wil be temp [...]ed; he may easilie be seduced, euen to the Ru­yne of an Armie.

The only meane therefore to redresse so great Incō ­ueniences, & to rid both hit Maiestie of exclamations, hir Officers of slaunders; and do both Captaines and sol­diers right, is to appoynt some such choyce honest Cō ­missioners, as (hauing no fingring of the Treasure) may sit in some publique place, where openlie the Captaines and Creditors maie be heard; and also the complaints of the souldiers. And these Cōmissioners after they haue [Page 27] heard, & also the complaint of the Souldiers: And these Commissioners after they haue heard what is alleaged on all parts, to set downe a publique order: which Bills shal be defaulked on the warrant for the Companie, and which set on the Captaines owne head as debts of his owne.

But there may be also another greater mischiefe than al this, practized in the militarie accōptes of this time: whereby, albeit the best Auditors in England haue the examination of a Treasurers accompt: her Maiestie may be found still in the Treasurers debt, albeit he haue forty thowsand pounds of her Maiesties in his hands; & both Souldiers and Creditors defrauded, and her Maiesties pay slaundered by meanes of this course ensuing.

If the Treasurer (when hee accompteth with anie Captaine vpon his warrant) first sheweth him a note of all defaulcations, viz. Bills of imprest, Victuallers bills, Armorers bills, defaulcations certified by the States, & other his Creditors or Souldiers bills: his owne new found hundred peny, &c. All this being defaulked, hee setteth down the ouerplus as a debt due to the Captaine. For this cleare debt, the Treasurer giueth to the Cap­taine an Attestation, and for all the rest of the warrant ta­keth an Acquittance from the Captaine togeather with his warrant. If vpon these conditions (as perhaps on these and none other the Captaines must take their ac­compts) see then what is likelie to ensue.

In this course, lightlie if the warrant bee for 2 thow­sand pounds, the defalcations shall bee 1700. or more, and the cleare debt to the Captaine 300. or lesse. Nowe when the Treasurer shall bee called to his accompt, as is commonlie vsed before an Auditor of the presse in En­gland: he produceth his warrant for 2000 pounds, and [Page 28] this Quittance signed by the Captaine for 1700. pounds In this case, the precisest absent Auditor can allowe the Treasurer no lesse then the 1700. pounds vpon his Ac­compts, whereas commonly the greater part of all these defalcations are vnpaid. And in this manner in an Ac­compt of an hundred thousand poundes, the Trea­surer may haue thirtie or sortie thousand pounds in his owne hands, and yet the Auditor by Warrant and Quittance shall finde all payd, and perhappes some sur­plusage from the Queene to the Treasurer: So that this kinde of Accompt before a strange Auditor by Warrant and Quittance is friuolous, and no possibilitie for the best Auditor in the World in that sort to disco­uer Fraudes, or determine any certaintie, but both her Maiestie, the Souldierie, the Creditors, & all may be ex­tremely abused, and yet the Treasurer and his Associats goe clere away with an infinit gaine. And this kinde of Accompt before an absent Auditor per Warrantum & Acquittanciam without farther examination is in deede as ridiculous, and as impossible thereby to discouer the abuses of a Pagadores Accompt, & the wrongs done to Captaines, Souldiers, honest Creditors and chiefelie to the Prince, as particular Musters (taken in seuerall Gar­risons on seuerall daies) is able to discouer the Fraudes and deceipts vsually practized by Clarkes of Bandes or such Captaines as valew, lucour aboue Honour, or Honesty, & there­fore this course ensuing for exa­mination of Militarie Trea­surers Accompts fit to be established.

The onely meane therefore to vnrip and discouer fraudes in such accomptes of militarie Pagadores, and to doo both Captaines, Souldiers and Creditors right, and to maintaine the honer of her Maiesties pay, and to prouide that her Maiesties Treasure be not misconueied and vndewly wasted, is

FIrst not to suffer such Militarie Money Of­ficers to run on 1. 2. or 3. yeares without Ac­compt, but quarterly or euery halfe yeare at the farthest to deliuer vp to the Auditor at Warres his Accompts perfited, as he will stand to it vp­on his credit or discredit, to receaue triall, at his perrill.

Secondly, that for all such summes of Money as hee a­uerres payd, hee deliuer in together with the Captaines acquittance, a bill vnder his hand, particularly declaring how much was paide him in readie Money, and how much in defalcations for Armorers, Victuallers, or o­ther Creditors bills, expressing particularly, to whom, when, and for what the same was paid, that it be not af­ter cunningly double charged on her Maiestie.

Thirdly, that these Accompts of Treasurers may not ly so closed vp vnder locks, but that any mā (paying the Auditors Clarkes for their paines) may take coppies of any part: that if anie Souldier or Creditor finde him­selfe grieued, he may haue redresse by the Auditor, or a ground to complaine of his wrong.

Lastly, that if any Accompt haue run on, many quarters or yeares without such orderly setting downe of all De­falcations & publique notice vt supra: that it be the more [Page 30] diligentlie sifted by Officers of experience and skill, and that (after it is particularly set downe as the Treasurer will stand to it) it may bee open to all men to view as a­foresaid: and so to remaine as long time as the Accompt hath been differred, before the Treasurer at Warres haue his allowance or Quietus est.

By this means it wil come to passe that as he [...] Maiesties pay hath been euer the most honorable of any King or State in Christendome, and most honorable courses alrea­die taken, by her Maiestie and her honorable Councell for the redresse of manie abuses, whereby the poore Souldiers had receaued hard measure: So by such dew and orderly Examination of Accompts, all persons a­greeued shall receaue due satisfaction, or knowe where, and of whom to demannd their dueties, and neither ex­claime on Officers without iust cause, nor yet her Maie­sties most honorable pay slaundred and defamed, for that which perhappes may bee vndewly detaigned by such inferiour persons. And these Militarie Officers know­ing that by these Tutchstones their Actions shall plaine­lie appeare whether they be Golde or Brasse, will hap­pelie amend all that is amisse, and doo that hereafter shal most agree with their owne reputations, and the seruice of GOD, their Prince and Coun­trey. To which ende I haue publi­shed these briefe Collections.

The one honorablie trayned in Royall Warres, gouerned by right Martiall Discipline.

The other bred vp in disor­derly ciuil dissentiōs among Freebooters, guided by law­lesse indiscretion.

This briefe Conference of Good and Bad Officers and Commanders may serue as a Glasse or Toutchstone for men to beholde [Page] and trie one sort from another, and by the Fruits to Iudge aright of the Trees, especial­lie for chief Magistrates to discerne by sound reason aright, and not to be abused by vaine Fame and vncertaine Opinion in a matter of so great Consequence: And if anie guiltie Conscience wintch at this, it is not I but them­selues bewray their Galled Backes.