In times past , it was but an open village , yet reasonable great , and well peopled . First , after the comming of Don Iohn d Austria , in the beginning of the nowe warres , for the sitte and commodious scituation thereof , it was made a Towne , and enuironed with strong walles : And afterwardes , this Towne only , and none others among all the rest of the sea townes of Flaunders remayned , and at this present doth remayne in the possession or amitie of the vnited prouinces of Holland and Zeland , howbeit , it lieth in the middle ( as it were ) of the ennemies Countrie , and farre from her friendes . And yet maugre all the forces , and power of her enuironing foes , hath many times beene valiantly defended against sundry besiegings and attempts .

For in the yéere 1583. although the duke of Parma , with his victorious hoste ( after he had taken Dunkerk , and Newport , the next adioyning sea Townes westward ) didde in most furious maner besiege it , vsing all warlike meanes hée coulde possible to conquer it , was forced to giue place , and after that he had continued his siege fiue dayes , sawe how bootelesse it was for him to spend any longer time about it , and therefore departed , not effecting any thing agréeable to his wished attempts .

Afterwardes , in the yéere 1585. although Monsieur la Motte Gouernour of Graueling , did , with great force and difficultie winne the olde Towne by the Strand or sea side , which at that time was onely defended with a simple wall , or Raueling and Pallisados , with purpose there presently to intrench and defend himselfe , was againe with all his forces , like shéepe driuen out of the same , leauing behind him fortie of his principallest Captaynes and Commaunders with all their furniture and prouision .

This Towne , without all question , is a place of great aduantage , and importaunce , yea of such moment , that it serueth as a bulwarke and strong defence , for the whole prouince of Zeland , and so contrariwise , if it shoulde fall into the enemies hands ( as God forbid ) he should thereby commaund a more fitte and commodious hauen for shipping , than any other sea Towne nowe in his possession can yeelde him . Yea our intollerable losses , not to be recouered doe teach vs , and as it were , with a finger poynt vnto vs , what inestimable domage might redound vnto the vnited Prouinces , if the enemy should commaund in this Town .

Further , it is to be noted , that the Country of Flaunders , beeing in peace , in all taxations of the seauentéene Prouinces did leuy the third peny : whereunto they haue béene forced by this Towne , not only during the time of these wars , but also , the greatest part of the maine land hath béene constrained many yéeres , to pay toll and contribution , and to be vnder our deuotion .

For which causes , this Towne hath with great care and mighty charges of the vnited Prouinces bin daily fortified , and continually strengthned , and especially in the yéere last past 1600. as also in the fore parte of this present summer : many workes , I say , haue béene deuised to withstand , and preuent the cruell attempts of the bloody ennemy , as bulwarkes , counterpoynts , and Rauelings to the landward , neither hath that part lying to the Sea béene forgotten , but hath béene made also very defencible with heades , bankes , and ditches , and especially on the east side of the Towne where ( by meanes of the weakenesse of the bankes ) the sea , with great force is mightily broken into the land , where it hath skowred , and pierced a great depth ; so that the chanel of the new hauen ( when the water is lowest ) is neere twoo , pikes déepe : and doth daily waxe déeper and déeper , without all doubt , the determinate worke of God , for the great strengthning and playne defence of the Towne .

They of Flaunders generally finding what annoyaunce and great discommoditie this Towne threatned daily vnto them , haue solicited and by all meanes possible importuned their Gouernours , to besiege , and conquer this Towne of Ostend , their daily eie-sore : as of late yéeres ( yet fresh in memorie ) in the yeare 1596. after that the Archduke Albertus had taken the Towne of Callice , in Fraunce , they required him then to take in hand this péece of worke , promising to giue him twelue hundred thousand gilderns within three moneths time ( which in sterling money is one hundred and twenty thousand poundes ) wherevnto , after his Highnesse had made shew to yéelde , and promised to fulfil their desire , he gote some parte of the summe aforesayde into his handes . But doubting the euent of the attempt , or knowing howe hard a matter it was , to take it by force of armes , or how difficult it woulde be to constraine the souldiers thereof by hunger , or otherwise , thought it sufficient to shew himselfe before the Towne with his forces , and so quietly to departe .

They of Flaunders herewith nothing at all pleased , and gréeued with the continuall vexations and incursions of the ranging souldiers , and payment of contributions , to preuent the same , in the yéere of our Lord 1599. while our forces were imployed in the defence of Bommel , had good leysure to make sundry sorts and bulwarkes , for the strengthening , & defence of the wayes and passages about the towne of Ostend , thereby ( as it were with a small kinde of siege ) continually to trouble the Towne , and to hinder the incursions of the garison : which deuice was put into their heads , and the plotte layde downe by a certaine Corporall of the Towne called Noel , who hauing before long serued in the towne , and hauing good experience of the secrets thereof , vppon some discontentment receiued , forsooke the Towne , and ran to the seruice of the enemy .

But as the experience of the last yeare giueth sufficient proofe , that all the strength of these Fortes is not able to hinder , or defend the entrance of an Hoste , so also it is most manifest that by the continuall charge of the Garrisons of these Fortes , the Country hath receiued more domage and discommoditie , then before it did by the contribution to their enemies , and Towne of Ostend ; wherefore they haue béen forced to renewe their Importunate sute vnto his Highnes , and to sollicit him againe to the besieging of Ostend , and especially at this instant , knowing our forces to be remoued farre from them , and to be sent into Dutchland lying at the siege of Berck , where they should ( as they imagined ) haue long worke : And for the better perswading , and more easily drawing of the Archduke to harken to this their sute , haue promised to pay him extraordinarily , thrée hundreth thousand gilderns Monthly ( which is 30 thousand pounds starling ) during the time of the siege , and after the taking of the towne to pay him farther ( for the space of two years ) ninety thousand gilderns euery month ( which is 9000. l starling .

Hereupon th Archduke gathred together al his souldiers : yea such as were about the riuer of Ryne & the Mase , for the succor of Berck were sent for , to make their repaire into Flaunders and to serue vnder the commaund of the Duke of Ossuna , who not long since was to that end sent for out of Spaine , by reason that the Archdukes campe ( thorow the long imprisonment of the Admirant of Arragon , and the last ouerthrowe in Flaunders ) was wholy left destitute and vnprouided of a sufficient Commaunder , and experient Leaders , and for that the naturall Lordes of the land , are in no wise respected nor trusted .

VPon the fift day of Iune ( after the new stile ) the enemie came before Ostend , about noone , with eight regiments of footmen , which were eight thousand men strong , besides the horsemen ( notwithstanding the Spaniards generally disliked of this enterprise , and counselled the contrary , who ( as is reported ) do wholly dislike of this siege : and among the rest , twoo common souldiers that hadde béene the last yeare prisoners in Ostend , obstinately maintaining the inuincible strength of this Towne , were presently taken and hanged : for the extreame want of the thrée hundred thousand gilderns , to be payed monthly , as before is saide , comming very fitly for the payment of the mutined souldiers , and also the hope to drawe our forces from the siege of Bercke , into Flanders , for the better furnishing of him selfe , & preuenting of such wants as might happen to Ostend : and perhaps thinking sodainly , and with al his force to ouercharge the towne before it should be succored , haue bin the resons to bring th Archdukes forces now before Ostend .

The Duke of Ossuna presently sought to pacifie the garrison of Issabella , which had before mutined for their pay : and the next day folowing , being the sixt day of Iuly , mounted six péeces of ordonance against the east side of the towne vpon the Downes , and with the same beganne fiercely to play vpon the Towne .

There were then in the towne in garrison one and twenty Ancients of sundry Regiments , and one company of Burgers , or Townesmen , all vnder the direction and commaund of Captayne Vander Noote . These presently prepared themselues to their defence , making harmelesse , and displacing some of the enemies artillerie : And labouring hard , to make a new way or hauen , betwéene the heads , to the end the passage of boates and shipping might be fréeed from the ordonaunce of the ennemy .

And the ninth day of Iuly , after that they had sent away the most parte of their wiues and children , they receiued into the towne ( out of Zeland ) 28. companies of souldiers , with great abundance of victuals , and all other prouision of war .

The tenth day sir Frances Vere , with eight companies of Englishmen entred into the Towne also , who presently issued out of the Towne with his people , entrenching himselfe on the drie plottes of ground next vnto the walles , on the west side , from whence the enemy might haue endomaged the towne , and battered the walles .

The thirtéenth day of Iuly , the sayde sir Frances Vere , with great force and resolution sallied vpon the enemy with eight hundred men , on the west parte of the towne , and set vpon the Campe , which lay farre off diuided from each other , with waters and marish grounds , and can not easily , or in short time come to ayde each other . In which sally , the ennemy lost ( as was certified by Letters from Antwerpe ) aboue eight hundred men , and among the same , one cornet of horsemen : and , if the whole force of the ennemies horsemen , had not the sooner come to their ayde , it was most apparant to all mens iudgements , that sir Frances had drouen the footemen to great confusion , and taken from them their Ordonance .

The fiue and twentieth day sir Frances Vere did agayne issue out of the Towne with fifteene hundred men , and beganne to intrench betwéene Issabella and Grootendorst , on a high ground , which in times past was an old Churchyard , where they of Issabella and Grootendorst were accustomed to bury their dead , and is a very fitte and apt place , to seperate and cutte off these two Fortes from each others helpe , and to open a faire way to those of Ostend , to the flatte and plaine land . To which place of buriall , the next day , béeing the sixe and twentieth day of Iuly , the ennemy came with thrée thousand men , and after hee had béene thrice repulsed , and put to the woorst , tooke the place , but was presently with great force and dexteritie driuen from it agayne .

The same day tenne companies of souldiers arriued at Ostend , and were receiued into the Towne , which were sent thither by her Maiestie from London , so that now the Towne was furnished ( within the walles and without ) with sixtie and seauen companies , which made vp neere the number of seuen thousand men : these tenne companies aforesayde , were presently employed against the enemy , who shewed themselues very valorous , and did , both then , and since , passing good seruice , although many men were of opinion , that they would prooue vnfitte for any seruice , by reason they were rawe , and had not beene trayned .

On the other side , the Archduke daily strengtheneth and encreaseth his Campe , as well with souldiers , as with ordonance , playing continually on the westside with 26. peeces , and on the east side with nine péeces of ordonance , but most of his shotte liteth vppon the houses , whereof many are defaced and beaten downe : For , this sixe and twentieth day of Iuly , and before , there had beene discharged vppon the Towne sixtéene hundred shot , and against the ennemie from the Towne had béene counterchanged six thousand .

Moreouer , there were also receiued into the Campe some parte of the new souldiers which came out of Italie , and had béene appoynted for the succour of Berke , for first there arriued eight hundred men of those companies , and afterwards fiue and twenty hundred more were sent for , part Italians , and part Spaniards : and besides these , xx . men more out of all the other Ancients vnder the gouernment of the Erle of Barlamont and Bucquoy , who , for this cause , were forced to discharge their wagons , and other prouisions , before by them taken vp , and meant to be vsed in raising the siege before Bercke .

There are eightéene companies appoynted euery night out of the Towne , to garde sir Frances Veres trenches on the southwest parte of the Towne , who daily falleth out vppon the ennemy , with other souldiers of the Towne , and haue oftentimes slayne many of the ennemies , & wounded more , which haue béene sent to Bruges from the Campe , so that their Ho●pitalles are full of wounded souldiers , and many Captaines , and men of great accompt , aswell Spaniardes , Italians , and others , haue béene slaine in these conflictes , and amongest the rest , a Colonell of the Spaniardes was brought to Dunkerke , and there first buryed in his armour , and afterwardes taken vp againe , and put into the earth in a Friars wéede , with great solempnitie .

On Sonday , being the sixe and twentieth day of Iuly last past , was a great skirmish with the ennemy , which continued very long , and was with great furie , valour , and resolution maintained on both sides , the ennemy supplying his souldiers with fresh companies , bringing thrée , foure , and fiue companies at a time , and they of the Towne seconding their parte continually with newe supplies , and with like numbers , so that in the end , it séemed rather a little battell , than a skirmish , sometime our people being ouermatched with the fresh companies of their ennemies , were forced to giue ground : but presently againe , with their new supplies from the Towne , couragiously pressed into the thickest of the enmies , making them likewise to retire into their trenches : and thus it continued long , sometimes the one parte , and sometimes the other giuing ground , vntill the ennemies horsemen came in , to succour their footemen , wherevppon our men returned into their trenches , and into the Towne , after they had slaine and spoiled many of their enemies both horse and foote . But if our men had béene furnished with horsemen , the ennemy had lost many more men than hee did , both in this skirmish , and all others before : but héerein , the enemy hath had the vantage of vs during this siege , notwithstanding it hath béene written from Callice , that after this fight , there were carried out of the Campe to Bruges three score and ten wagons laden with wounded men , and in euery wagon was tenne men at the least : but when they were brought to Bruges , they of the Towne woulde not receiue them , saying that they had their Hospitalles alreadie full , and coulde receiue no more , and therefore required that they might be conueyed to some other townes . It was afterwardes reported , that the ennemy lost in this skirmish 450. men , besides those that were wounded : neyther was this attempt accomplished , without losse on our side .

Saterday , being the first day of this present moneth of August , they of the Towne issued againe vpon the ennemy , and with great furie ( after they had continued skirmish som halfe houre ) forced them to retire to their trenches , slaying some 80. of their enemies , as neere as could be iudged : but the horsemen of the enemy comming in vpon our souldiers , they returned into the Towne , with small losse on our part .

It is reported by some that came very lately from Callice , that on wednesday last , being the fift day of this present moneth of August , there was a great Skirmish begunne by those of the Towne , to hinder the enemies approach vnto the walles , which was with fierce resolution long continued on both sides , and that they of the towne ( with great slaughter of their enemies ) had taken thrée or fiue péeces of ordonance , and brought the same into the Towne , but how certaine this is ( being but a reporte ) I cannot write , the trueth thereof will be hereafter better knowne .

Sir Frances Vere without the Towne doth daily fortify his trenches : and the Gouernour within the Towne , with ●arth raiseth the walles , thereby to auoyde the daunger of the enemies shot , which his Highnesse spareth not , but bestoweth so liberally vpon the Towne , as if he found shot and powder aboundauntly in the Downes , or sand-hilles : and withall , laboreth to raise a new Cauallirie , with hauen and earth , thereon to plant more ordonaunce , and to shoote into the Towne , on the south southwest side . Thus they are earnestly busied on all sides , the one , nor the other sparing any cost or labor to annoy their enemy , and to defend themselues , and that thing which to day is not thought vpon , is the next day put in practise , with new deuises and warlike stratagems , the one raising vp , the other with his ordonance beating downe his ennemies works , that the same may not be finished , or brought to perfection .

It is also written from Antwerpe , that the Infanta is in person come into the Campe , and that the Archduke is in Oudenburgh , to the end he may himselfe in person giue order in these affaires : time will teach vs to knowe what profite hée shal reape by these his trauels & inestimable charges .