AFter that his Princely Excellencie , with the honourable Lordes the States , had in the feare of God concluded by the most commodious and fittest meanes to succor and preuent the necessitie and tedious siege of Ostende , with intent once wholy to frée the Netherlandish Prouinces from the bloudie yoke of the Tyrannical Spaniards and hipocriticall murtherous Iesuites , which daily practise to trouble , not only the welfare of the Netherlandish Prouinces , generally , ( but also to suppresse and murther all good , godly , blessed , and peaceable Kings , Princes , and Potentates ) that so in time they might with more ease incorporate the said Netherlandish Prouinces . To the end therefore that the said Honourable Lords the States with his princely Excellency , might once wholy shake off those common enemies from the neck of those Prouinces generally , and establish a firme and an assured peace , they haue thought it conuenient to raise and bring into the fields a strong and honourable Campe , as well for the reliefe of Ostend , as also to deliuer the rest of the Netherlandish Prouinces from the yoke of the tyrannous Spanyards & bloudie Edicts , to which end hath bene assembled many outlandish souldiers , both horsmen & footemen , with great numbers of wagons , as well out of Brabant & Vtricht , as from Holland and other places , wherof many were couered , and some curiously painted with the Armes of nobles and gentlemen for their ease & rest in the night , which had their rendes-vous neare the toll-house beyond Nimmeghen .

Now when the greatest number were assembled at the said place , they attended his Excellencies comming , who departed from the Grauen-baeghe the eight day of Iune in the morning , to take muster of his Royal Camp , which he accomplished vpon the Eltenberge heath , and ( finding the same to be betwéene 5. and 6. thousand horsmen , 28. thousand footemen , and neare about 4. thousand wagons , well , and in good order mounted and furnished ) he with the honourable Lords the States , passed through the whole army , demanding as well of the Cauallery , as of the Infantery , if there were any one amongst them that found himselfe agréeued with the pay of the States , and if any such were , they should speake : but none hauing cause to complaine , they demaunded farther , if they were resolued to hazard their liues with them in this most honourable action , to the glorie of God , and welfare of their father Land , wherevnto the souldiers generally applauded , desiring nothing more then that they might be brought to the sight of their enemies , against whom they might with their weapons , rather then with words , shew how greatly they were affected to manifest their courages , and once again to driue those common enemies of Christendome out of the fields , and to make them run before them as shéepe .

Herevpon his Excellency caused certaine bridges to be laid ouer the Maze , and the 26. day of Iune began to set forward in so good order , that it séemed no lesse wonderfull , then pleasant and glorious to behold so rare an army of the honorable Lords the States , marching in most warlike order , and diuided into thrée troupes or companies , euery one flancked with wagons for their defence as they marched , with many field péeces , and other necessaries therevnto belonging : The first troupe or company was ledde by his Excellencie : The second by Graue William , and the third by Graue Erust or Ernestus , in very good order : Notwithstanding the misdemeanour of some selfe-willed souldiers , as in the beginning appeared by one , who forced a woman , and was therefore presently hanged . After that two Scottish souldiers fel together by the eares , the one ( hauing wounded the other to the death ) were forthwith by Martiall discipline harquebushed .

Thus kéeping their course along by the side of the Maze , on the left hande of the saide Riuer by Venlo , Ruremonde , and other places neare about Mastricke , they lay still fiue dayes , furnishing themselues with Béere , Bread , and other victualls , for they had brought with them many Ouens to bake their Bread . After sufficient prouision made , they marched forward towards Tongheren , and so vpwards to Truyen , within some halfe league of Lew , forcing all the Villages thereabouts to bring in their contributions , which amounted to an incredible summe of money .

As they lay quietly at this place , it happened that some of our souldiers raunged a little too farre , and were by the Moores entrapped and slaine . In reuenge whereof certaine Horsemen were sent out , who not forgetting their arrant , slew diuers Moores , and Horsemen , and brought with them to the Campe , eightéene Horsemen prisoners , and two gray Friars .

After that his Princely Excellency had remayned at this place a fewe dayes , and put his people into Battaile order , hée sent a Trumpetter vnto the Admirall of Arragon , Generall for the Archduke ( who had intrenched himselfe verie strongly neare vnto the Towne of Tien ) signifying vnto him , that he was now readie to giue him Battaile , and that therefore hée should now performe his proud words héeretofore vttered when he was prisoner if he had the courage . But he answered he had no Commission from the Archduke to fight , and so preserued his honour and reputation as he thought .

After this , his Excellencie as a valiant Prince marched towards the enemy with certaine horse and foote , euen to his Trenches , but the enemy kept himselfe close . His Excellencie perceiuing that the Admirall durst not shewe himselfe in the field notwithstanding that he was come so farre to séeke him , he suddainly turned backe , and comming neare vnto Helmont , summoned the same , but after refusall made , his Excellencie planted sixe péeces of Ordenance against the walles , and after some shot made , at the last vpon the 18. day of this Moneth of Iuly they yéelded the Towne , and then his Excellencie marched to the Towne of Graue , enuironed and besieged the same , and tooke the Castle of Batenborgh , which standeth on the other side of the Maze . Our people doo fortifie Helmont and Eyndouen , seruing as Bulwarkes or Forts vnto our Campe .

The euerliuing , Almightie , and potentiall God , vouchsafe to blesse and kéepe his Excellencie , and to further all his godly procéedings : and graunt happie & prosperous effect to his attempts , for the general peace and quietnes of all the Lowe Countries . Amen .

As touching Ostend , the Towne is ( God be praised ) in very good tearmes , although many of late haue died by sicknes , which lately is ceased , and the enemy continueth his siege , though more coldly then heretofore , and his Forces without the Town is not aboue 3000. men , and the same so vexed with sicknesse and the plague , that many die daily . They haue no want in the Towne , for although the enemy practiseth daily whatsoeuer meanes mans braine is able to inuent , to restraine the comming in of shippes , with men , munition , and other prouisions necessary , yet God and the seas doo so frustrate their dessignes , that the enemie without all doubt remaineth void of all hope by any force to winne the same : But if any demaund the reason why he then so obstinately continueth his siege , the reason is the haughtinesse of his mind , ashamed that it should be published to the worlde , that the States should be able to defend so baggage a Towne against all his forces , and to make good the defence thereof against so many his policies , practises , and deuises , thinking the same in time to come , might redound to his perpetuall disgrace , and contrariwise incourage and animate the States his enemies , as well as other Princes to despise his Forces , and conteme the valour of his Italians and Spaniards , on whose vertue & manhood , the Archduke so much standeth ( as his predecessors , and other Spanish Gouernors haue done before him ) that he thinketh no Nation comparable vnto them , nor able to compare with them in martiall affaires , not calling to remembrance how often they haue bene foyled , and put to the worst , since these warres first beganne , both by Sea and Lande , not onely by the natiue people of the Lowe Countries , but also by forraine Souldiers of sundrie Nations . It is not then greatly to bee maruelled at , that the Archduke continueth his siege before Ostende , ( though more coldly and sparingly then at the first , as is before saide ) séeing he léedeth himselfe with two vaine expectations , for ( saith hée ) Omne tempus habet , supposing that the States wearie of so infinite a charge , may in time forget to supply she wants of the Towne , or else that it may so fall out , that with Spanish Pistolets , hée may corrupt some such in the Towne , that he may at last attaine to his wished desire : for without all doubt , he neither hath , nor can haue any other hope to obtaine the Towne , although he lie before it these seuen yeares , for all such as come out of Brabant or Flaunders , confirme this to be most true , and to be the opinion of the Duke himselfe , and of all his Spaniards and Spanish affected .