THE excellent Prince and Lorde Morrice of Nassow , &c. hauing rescued Coeuerden , where the common Enemie with all his power on foote and on horsebacke , had lyne al the Winter , and strengthened himselfe with sundrie Trenches , against the insurrection of our people , hath notwithstanding not tarryed the comming of our Campe , but hath left the Castle of Coeuerden , with all her Trenches and Campes .

Which done , his Highnes came before Groning , the 20. of May , viewed the Cittie , and summoned it . Their aunswere was , that they should first lye a yeere & a day before it , and then shoulde summon the same . There shoulde you haue séene many kindes of cariages , in very great quantitie , of rafters , postes , Deales , plancks and boords , where-with many Ships were laden . There was tenne Ships sent from Gorcum with boordes , besides many hundreds which came from Swoll and other places , and were bespoken .

There came to the Campe before Groning , from my Lords the States , vnder the conduct of his Highnes , about one hundred and fortie Ensignes of footemen : as high Dutch , Englishmen , Scots , Netherlanders , and Fréeslanders . The Freeslanders vnder the conduct of William Earle of Nassow . There was viij . Ensignes presently sent before the Forte at Aurikeizill , to take in the same : for they held out stoutly , and attended for fiue Ensignes , that came with bridges & Ladders for the assault .

And standing readie to employ all their might thereon , there came three other Ensignes from the other side , with bridges , many bundles of Bulrushes bound together in sacks , pitched and nayled vnder Tables made of Deale-bords , ouer which they ranne to the wall of the Fort. They which had no Ladders , did sticke their daggers in , and climed vp by them . The people séeing that they were ouer-fallen , cryed for grace , but it was too late : for they had spoken very obprobrious words to the Dromster , wherefore they were all ouer-come , and of one hundred and thirty , there was not fiue left aliue . Which was no small feare to them of Groning ▪ as also the driuing out of their folke out of the Trenche at Hogherbrug . So that they of Groning , were constrained to driue their Cattell vnder the Towne wall , where they could not all be kept , but some were fedde with Hay in the Cittie . There was about foure-score of those without , which were taken by our men .

After this , they issued forth of the Citty in sundry places vpon our men , with the helpe of fiue Ensignes of Souldiers , that lay in Shutendiepe , which place is strongly defended seuerally from the Citty , lying vpon the water called the Vaert ▪ ) which the Coronell made at that time . With this their issuing out , they did our folkes very much harme . But after we had made our Trenches , digged our Lope-ditches , & strengthened the same , their left they of their issuing out .

Great was the carefulnes of his Highnes and my Lords the States , in the fortifying and making sure of our Campe , towards all quarters , where any feare was of assaulting . And then employing all their force against the Citty , with diging and placing of their Ordinance . Yea , in thrée places they came to their very wall , so that in two places , they digged and vndermined twenty and thirtie foote within their Wall . They within rested not , but defended themselues : insomuch that through their manifold shooting , there was founde aboue two thousand pellets .

Heereby is to be coniectured , that they shotte foure thousand shotte at the least , with great Ordinaunce . For at the beginning they were prouided with foure hundred Barrells of powder , which were lessned to fiftie , and yet were not they of the best .

Vppon the Gate called the Herren Port , were eight great peeces placed , and wholie shot of . There were many houses shaken , and spoyled with the Ordinance , and somtimes with fire-works out of the Campe , and balles of wild-fire , which in sunder places did sette theyr houses on fire : where-vppon presently followed pellets of stone , and hayle-shot mingled with wild-fire . Whereby the hearts of the Cittizens began heere and there to faint , and were brought to such point , that they tooke pledges one of another .

The Rulers were brought to such extremety , and to adgrauiate the matter , ( not so much through the besieging , but by certaine Souldiers of Sluiten-deepe , which were let into the Citty , ) that they were forced to hold their handes , which made a rumor in the Citty , insomuch that some lost theyr lyues by it . Thys being stilled and pacified , the Souldiours had afterwards no good rest or quietnes for want of sleepe , by reason of theyr continuall watching . The chiefe of them was occasion heereby to write to Don Verdugo , for a supply of Souldiours , munition , and money . One of the carryers of these Letters was slaine , and hanged vp against the Cittie : the other was pardoned , because hee bewrayed the secrets of the Citty .

Vpon the Roundell ( which was made long agoe , and in the time of Duke Daline , called The Castle , ) were also eyght great péeces of Ordinance planted , one of the corners wherof was wholy shotte downe , and so made vnfenceable . His Highnes through his diligence and endeuour going heere about to see the manner , a shotte light vpon his Trench , that those which stoode harde by him , were thereby sprinckled in their faces .

One of the three mynes vnder the sayde Roundell , named Rauelin , was digged , which beeing perceiued by them of the Citty , was countermined , by which our men entred , placing of their powder , and alarme presently giuen . Whilst they of the Citty were setting of their watch at the saide Rauelin , the powder was by a traine suddainly set on fire , with such thundering noyse and dust , that for the space of three houres , one man coulde not sée another . The chiefest Lieutenant was also slayne .