HIS excellencies purpose was to hould , Oudenborough , Brendike , Snaskirke , and the new sconse vpon the downes nere vnto Ostend called Albertus , well garrisoned , the better to assure himselfe of those passages whiles hee laide siege to Newport .

The second daie of the siege being Saterdaie the one and twentieth of Iune , intelligence came that the enemie was come to Oudenborough , which his excellency supposed to be Iohn de Riuas with the forces of Flaunders : but shortly after aduertisement came , that the Archduke was there in person and had taken in Oudenborough by composition , wherevpon his excellencie bethought himselfe , howe he might best hinder his nearer approach : And because he feared least in the pursuite , the enemie might take in the sconse Albertus , and so cut off the passage betwéene Newport and Ostend , he sent the Regiment of the Scots on the sundaie morning , and the Regiment of the Almains vnder the command of Count Ernestus to hinder the passage by a bridge , which was made by vs in a dround land betwéene Oudenborough and the sconse Albertus , and so he shoulde put them to march thrée daies about , before they came vnto him , and then also it was in his choise , either to fight or leaue them , and returne to Ostend .

But the enemie had passed the Bridge before the Scots could come to make good the place : and so they all fell vnder the execution of the vangard of the enemie , being all Spaniards , and the choisest men of the Armie : and were chased to the wals of Ostend .

His excellencie vnderstanding that the enemie was come to the bridge , but not knowing of the execution which he had made of the Scots , caused the English and the Freeses to be drawne at a low water , from the other side of the Hauen of Newport , where they were quartered before the Towne , and so brought all his forces to an head : at what time it was disputed , whether they shoulde sende forth the troupes as they passed ouer the water , to second the Scots ; or kéepe themselues together , till further aduertisement , which was the safer course ; and by good happe resolued vppon .

Presentlie vppon this resolution , part of the enemies Horse , being about seauen hundred , began to be discouered vpon the sands as they came on marching forward , and their foote Troupes following after .

Count Lodwick beeing generall of the Horse , at his excellencies commaunde , gaue ouer the whole direction thereof , to Sir Francis Vere , who first commanded six péeces of Artillerie , which were planted vpon the enemie , to be discharged vpon the enemies Horse , and then charged them himselfe with thrée troupes of Horse , and beate them into the Downes : the Infanterie of the enemie making a stand vpon the sands .

The enemies Horse beeing thus driuen into the Downes , the commanders entred into dispute , whether it were best to aduaunce forwarde and charge vppon their foote troupes , as they stood vppon the sandes ; or to kéepe our selues in the Downes , where we stoode imbattailed , and there attend the enemie : wherein sir Francis Vere apposed himselfe against the whole counsell of warre , grounding himselfe vpon these reasons : that it was not safe to leaue a place of aduantage , to goe seeke an enemie vpon equall tearmes , considering the enemie would bee forced himselfe to séeke battell , and come vnto vs : for it was vnpossible in that hastie March , which passed all calculation of reason , that they should so come prouided with necessaries , to continue anie time , whereas our men were victuled for two daies , and shoulde in that time méete with some alteration .

The resolution was directed by his opinion , and his excellencie continued firme in the Downes to see what the enimie would doe .

It fell out according vnto that , that Syr Francis Vere had before deliuered : for after thrée houres expectation , the enemie came on to charge the English , which had the Vaungard of our Armie .

The English as I saide , being the Vaungard , hauing ioined battell within a short time , forced the enemie to retreat : Who flying to the toppes of the Downes , as our English followed the pursuit , it happened ( as necessarilie it must thorough the vneuennesse of the place , which was vncaple of order , being nothing but hilles and valleies of sand ) that the enemie had the like aduantage of our men , as ours had before vpon them : so that our men sometime fell off from the enemie , and sometime the enemie fell off from them , as the aduantage of the place assisted either partie : which continued the space of thrée houres and an halfe . In which time , the English dealt with the vaungard , the battell and rereward of the enimy : at length the english were beaten backe to our Artillerie , where Sir Francis Vere brought them againe to a stande , and beeing himselfe hurt , gaue order for the charge the seconde time , and commanded the following thereof to his brother Syr Horatio Vere , who carried it so well , that concerning the fortune of the daie , there is much attributed to his valour . For our Troupes charging the enemie with a shout , and being seconded with two Troupes of Horse , after the battell was well ioyned , the enemie disrowted and neuer made head againe .

It appeareth that all our English that were lost , were slaine betweene our Canon and the Canon of the enemie , which were planted in the front of either Armie .

The Arch-duke had intelligence that the states were betweene seauen or eight thousand strong on foote , and fouretéene companies of Horse .

The Arch-duke came with resolution to fight in what place soeuer he found the states forces , in regard he knew of what consequent it was , to suffer them to make themselues strong in Flaunders .

Don Lewis de Valasco , generall of the Arch-dukes Artillerie came from Gilders and Berk vpon the Rheine with certaine companies , being three thousande : all the rest of the commanders came from Bruxels , and the Rendeuous was at Bruges .

Isabella the Infanta was left at Gaunt , shee came from Bruxels with the Arch-duke .

The Arch-duke came out of Bruxels vpon Thursday the nineteenth of Iune , Stilo nostro , being the same day that the Sconse called Albertus , distant from Ostend vpon the Downes , an english myle , was taken in by his excellencie , our Troupes being all at Oudenborough .

The Arch-duke made such hast to ouertake our troupes , that as Lewis de Villar confesseth , the commaunders had no leisure to take notice what Gentlemen of state were in the Armie : so that they came to Oudenborough vppon Saturdaie the twentie one of Iune , and fought vpon sunday the twentie two .

Assoone as the Arch-duke had intelligence of the Army , arriued at Phillippine , hee sent to Don Lewis de Valasco to bring the men from Berk , and disposed the rest of the troups to méete with the said Don Lewis at Bruges .

The first squadron of the enemies were all Spaniards , consisting of 2500. men , and commanded by Iasper Sapena , Don Ieronimo de Morkoy , and Lewis de Villar .

The second squadron were all Wallons , equall in number to the first , and commanded by La Berlot , Don Alphonso de Auolos , & Bostock the nephew of Sir Will , Stanley .

The third squadron were all of Flaunders and of like number with the first , commanded by Le Count de Bonckoper .

The Admyrant of Arragon was generall of the horse consisting of 1000.

Sir William Stanley attended the Arch-duke without command , hauing signed his Regiment to his Nephew Bostocke .

Our English had the Vauntgard , the French the Battaile .