The
copie
of
a
Letter
sent
from
a
Gentleman
to
his
worshipfull
friend
in
England
,
containing
a
true
report
of
the
Aslault
giuen
vpon
Bergen
op
Zoam
by
the
enemy
the
19.
of
September
last
past
,
in
the
night
.
1605.
WElbeloued
Sir
,
you
shal
vnderstand
by
these
my
letters
,
what
course
the
Enemie
tooke
very
lately
to
assault
our
Towne
of
Bergen
.
On
Monday
beeing
the
ninetene
day
of
September
last
,
about
2.
of
the
clocke
in
the
night
,
the
Enemie
came
before
the
Towne
,
and
settled
his
Forces
in
a
place
called
Denbeel
.
There
were
of
them
fiue
thousand
Footemen
My
Maisters
,
it
had
beene
better
for
you
to
haue
gone
on
pilgrimage
,
and
visited
our
Lady
,
Saint
Mary
Acuti-collis
,
for
here
the
Goodman
of
the
house
is
at
home
,
and
here
is
meate
inough
for
you
ready
dressed
:
here
is
a
little
sawce
for
you
,
but
it
is
very
sharpe
,
yet
if
you
lacke
Beere
,
we
haue
inough
laid
in
for
you
against
your
comming
:
those
knaues
those
theeues
,
your
leaders
and
commaunders
haue
brought
you
hither
to
the
slaughter
(
take
heed
all
your
throates
be
not
cut
,
before
you
depart
.
)
This
was
the
common
note
and
continuall
cries
that
we
sent
them
,
which
they
might
heare
very
easily
euery
word
.
Whiles
wee
thus
laboured
to
call
vnto
them
,
and
were
busied
in
discharging
our
Ordinace
vpon
them
,
the
enemy
had
set
a
Petarre
to
the
gate
which
was
next
to
the
towne
,
for
with
a
ladder
which
was
an
hundred
foote
longe
,
(
which
they
could
drawe
out
in
length
or
shorten
,
as
occasion
should
require
)
they
had
gotten
passage
ouer
the
Flood
gates
,
when
the
fire
brake
out
of
the
Petarre
,
it
came
with
such
a
force
,
that
all
the
barres
flowe
out
of
their
holds
,
the
gates
were
shaken
open
,
and
the
drawe
bridge
fell
downe
,
I
standing
aloft
,
thought
that
the
whole
gate
had
fallen
,
there
were
such
a
number
of
Tyles
and
stones
that
flewe
in
our
faces
.
Then
the
enemie
gaue
a
horrible
showte
,
to
encourage
one
another
that
they
might
haue
entred
the
Towne
at
one
pushe
:
but
wee
immediately
came
downe
from
the
wales
with
might
and
maine
and
forestalled
them
,
making
all
the
prouision
we
could
to
hinder
their
entry
;
so
little
did
we
desire
to
haue
their
company
.
There
is
another
gate
in
the
Towne
,
which
is
not
very
strong
,
wherefore
to
helpe
that
,
we
brought
and
laide
to
it
the
greatest
peeces
of
tymber
that
wee
could
gette
,
and
trees
,
and
wagons
,
and
whatsoeuer
came
first
to
hand
,
and
in
the
end
wee
digged
vp
the
stones
and
pauements
in
the
streete
,
and
heaped
them
together
to
hinder
their
entry
.
Our
men
that
tarried
yet
aboue
,
hurled
downe
stones
,
and
cast
fire
vpon
them
,
and
vsed
all
the
meanes
they
could
deuise
for
defence
,
as
the
present
occasion
and
vrgent
necessity
required
.
In
the
ende
,
about
a
quarter
of
an
howre
after
this
,
they
were
so
scarr'd
and
frighted
,
that
for
feare
they
began
to
retyre
;
but
they
that
had
next
place
vnto
the
Gate
and
came
first
thither
,
had
much
adoe
to
gette
out
,
for
they
that
came
after
kept
them
so
faste
in
that
they
could
not
easily
turne
backe
againe
.
In
the
ende
when
they
saw
our
resolution
,
that
they
were
thus
manfully
resisted
by
al
the
meanes
that
might
bee
deuised
,
they
were
enforced
with
their
great
dammage
,
and
losse
of
many
Souldiers
,
to
shift
for
their
liues
,
and
get
away
.
In
the
meane
time
wee
drew
vp
the
Bridge
againe
,
and
fortified
that
Gate
by
which
they
intended
to
haue
entred
with
their
Horsmen
.
When
they
sawe
this
,
that
they
had
spent
all
their
time
here
to
so
little
purpose
,
they
made
in
all
haste
toward
the
water
side
,
vnto
the
place
where
they
had
beene
before
:
so
did
they
also
to
the
Northwarde
,
and
manie
went
with
their
Bridges
and
other
prouision
to
the
Southwarde
.
But
when
they
sawe
such
good
prouision
vpon
the
sodaine
,
and
so
great
fortifications
,
both
in
the
Bulwarke
,
and
in
the
place
which
is
commonly
called
De
Polder
,
beyond
all
mens
expectation
,
they
left
their
bridge
behind
them
,
with
their
Dragges
and
other
warlike
prouision
,
togither
with
a
company
of
their
men
slaine
,
to
the
number
of
two
and
twentie
,
and
so
flew
away
.
The
Petarre
which
they
had
fastened
vpon
the
Gate
which
is
towarde
Sattenhimbuse
to
blowe
it
open
,
brake
not
,
but
they
had
laide
Bridges
there
,
by
which
some
of
them
had
gotten
passage
ouer
;
But
in
the
meane
space
,
we
were
so
sharpe
sette
,
and
came
vpon
them
with
such
violence
,
that
with
the
losse
of
ten
men
onely
,
wee
enforced
them
to
retire
,
in
more
haste
then
they
came
thither
,
and
then
wee
heard
it
strike
foure
of
the
clocke
,
but
before
the
hindmost
of
them
were
gone
,
it
was
almost
fiue
of
the
clocke
,
such
was
their
amazement
,
and
so
little
minde
they
had
to
tarrie
one
for
another
.
Thinke
with
your selfe
nowe
good
Sir
,
howe
wee
were
toiled
and
wearied
from
two
of
the
clocke
till
this
time
,
I
my selfe
was
so
moiled
and
wette
,
as
if
I
had
beene
but
newely
drawne
out
of
the
Riuer
.
But
God
bee
blessed
,
who
alwaies
defendeth
his
people
,
and
hath
thus
preserued
vs
from
the
handes
of
such
bloudie
and
mercilesse
people
,
and
gaue
such
boldnesse
and
courage
vnto
our
whole
Companie
,
as
I
would
neuer
haue
beleeued
it
,
if
that
I
had
not
seene
it
:
For
both
the
Citizens
and
the
Souldiers
were
so
valiant
in
fight
&
so
resolute
to
die
,
if
neede
had
beene
,
as
it
was
verie
strange
to
behold
.
In
this
exploit
the
women
also
plaied
their
parts
,
(
for
the
custome
of
that
sexe
)
for
they
brought
vs
great
abundance
of
strawe
,
which
we
presently
set
on
fire
,
and
caste
downe
ouer
the
wales
,
whereby
we
were
the
better
able
in
the
darkenes
of
the
night
to
discerne
the
enemie
at
the
wales
and
about
the
gate
.
Wee
were
much
holpen
also
by
the
Caltroppes
&
pitchbals
,
which
we
cast
abroad
&
scattered
here
and
there
.
And
this
also
was
a
worthy
sight
,
to
behold
how
the
women
and
the
children
little
and
great
,
young
and
olde
,
one
with
another
,
came
to
the
Wales
,
where
the
greatest
trouble
was
,
and
spake
most
cheerefully
to
vs
,
and
asked
vs
,
saying
,
well
done
my
heartes
:
what
,
doe
yee
lacke
any
thing
?
do
ye
want
any
powder
,
or
shorte
,
or
matches
?
or
any
thing
that
may
doe
you
,
and
our
Towne
good
?
and
they
brought
vs
also
a
great
number
of
Baskets
full
of
stones
;
that
euery
man
might
haue
somewhat
to
entertaine
them
withall
.
Many
also
brought
vs
the
strawe
that
was
for
the
horse
litters
,
when
they
sawe
what
vse
we
had
of
it
:
and
others
brought
vs
such
aboundance
of
Beere
,
that
we
were
not
able
to
drawe
it
all
out
,
and
drinke
it
.
This
kindnesse
and
liberalitie
pleased
the
Souldiers
very
well
,
who
couragiously
cried
out
continually
,
and
encouraged
the
Townesmen
,
saying
:
be
of
good
cheere
,
ye
honest
Citizens
;
bee
of
good
comfort
,
and
haue
a
good
heart
,
and
then
the
day
began
to
breake
,
and
we
had
some
light
;
which
we
were
very
glad
of
.
The
enemies
,
as
wee
were
giuen
to
vnderstand
afterward
,
had
not
an
end
of
their
troubles
thus
,
but
were
put
to
the
sword
,
and
spoiled
for
the
space
of
three
daies
after
.
Nowe
blessed
be
God
;
we
had
but
one
man
slaine
,
and
he
was
a
common
Souldier
:
sixe
only
were
wounded
,
and
the
most
hurt
that
was
done
,
was
done
by
Gunne
powder
.
There
were
of
the
Enemies
slaine
threescore
and
ten
,
whereof
many
were
of
their
best
and
chiefest
men
,
and
principall
officers
.
The
Enemy
,
as
we
vnderstood
by
the
husbandmen
of
the
countrie
,
and
the
intelligence
that
was
giuen
to
the
Gouernour
of
the
towne
,
carried
away
sixe
and
thirty
Wagons
loaden
with
dead
men
,
and
such
as
were
wounded
in
the
attempt
:
so
that
we
may
bee
certainly
assured
that
hee
lost
then
at
the
least
a
thousand
men
.
When
the
Souldiers
of
their
side
heard
that
they
were
determined
to
make
his
attempt
vpon
the
Towne
of
Bergen
,
they
had
much
a
do
to
drawe
them
to
the
Towne
,
they
were
so
loath
to
come
there
:
fearing
their
welcome
:
at
last
for
their
better
inducement
,
they
gaue
out
speeches
,
that
the
greatest
part
of
the
Towne
was
confederate
with
them
,
and
would
presently
ioyne
,
but
in
the
end
,
the
euent
fell
out
otherwise
.
We
doe
not
as
yet
certainely
knowe
how
manie
of
their
heades
and
chiefe
commaunders
of
the
enemy
are
slaine
:
they
haue
left
behinde
them
many
of
their
Ladders
,
Bridges
and
Wagons
couered
with
Leather
or
Canuasse
,
and
much
other
such
baggage
.
There
came
a
messenger
but
euen
now
vnto
the
towne
,
who
bringeth
newes
that
their
Generall
hath
both
his
legges
stroken
off
with
a
peece
of
Ordinance
;
and
that
many
of
their
principal
officers
are
either
slaine
or
wounded
.
Some
of
them
were
driuen
into
the
water
,
and
so
drowned
:
So
that
as
yet
wee
haue
no
certaine
intelligence
what
number
of
them
are
slaine
,
but
so
manie
as
wee
can
finde
in
seuerall
places
,
dispersed
,
amount
to
the
number
of
three
score
and
ten
.
The
Gouernour
of
the
Towne
gaue
comsword