SInce my condition & lot fell in these parts of the world which for a long time haue beene Sedes belli : I haue not bin altogether negligent in taking up such observations as might either draw mee to a more serious consideration of Gods prouidence , dispensing it selfe into many particulars , some more secret , & some open to euery eye : or such as might by their presentment unto mee of the worlds vanity & turnings , make mee see the glassie brittlenesse & shiftlesnesse of the creature , & so perswade to a stronger dependance uppon the creator , a Being that hath happinesse in it selfe . Not hath it bin the least of my care to cast an especiall eye uppon the seuerall victories , & vnparaleld deliuerances ( if wee take up all circumstances ) which this state hath bin honored with . In the compasse of three yeares or there about , I haue seene strange turnings & returnings of prouidence , ebbs of State that left vs ( at least the wise-hearted ) hopelesse of a flood : and then agayne high waters , that haue left many thoughtesse yea carelesse , of an ebb : heere haue I seene an enemy slighted at a great distance , & too much feared neerer hand , many mountainous designes which haue prooued mole hills in execution , heere haue wee seene men looking one way & the Lord bringing the thing about another , sometimes God destraining for his glory where men would not giue it him other wayes : In a word heere hath bin imploiments for all kinds of spirits , all kinds of men , heere the sad heart hath had matter to feed those black vapors that cherish melancholy , & heere the freer spirit might haue a time to lauish it selfe out in warrantble ioyes & refreshments , heere the magistrate hath had worke enough to aduise , & the people to bring in their assistances , the souldier hath had enough how to deuise & how to execute to his greater advantage , and those that waite vppon the tabernacle haue had no reason to bee idle , where dayes of attonement , as well as the dayly sacrifice were to bee attended on : sometime wee haue bin slipping with Dauid beside our selves and our comforts , while wee fretted at the foolish , and saw the prosperity of the wicked , sometimes with the same good-man wee were as those that dreamed , to see the downe-fall of the vngodly , & what chaff they were before the wind . Truly ( Srs ) wee haue seene much of Gods faythfulnesse & sufficiency , & wee ar to bee blamed if wee have not also seene our owne inability & nothingnesse .

But whiles I haue let my meditations travel from one place to another they haue lodged longer in these two , viz: first in the consideration of our selues 2ᵒ of the enemy : in the former whereof wee may take up matter of wonder , that the Lord continues vs instruments of his glory , & the subiect of his goodnesse & bounty , who may iustly take shame to our selues that wee ar no more sanctified in our drawing neare unto him , or doe sanctifie him soe little : alas ( Srs ) strangers that looke uppon us may thinke that wee are his onely iewell , since wee are kept so safely : but the truth is our beauty is but blacknesse , our deformities are the speech of neighbor nations , & by the openesse of our folly wee make the daughters of the Philistims reioyce . Nor haue wee lesse worke in the contemplation of the enimy , being the center to which subtilty , cruelty , dilligence in euell , with many other the like , as so many lines haue their confluxe . What great cost haue they byn at in the not yet subduing a handfull of people nay ( which is admirable ) that which hath bin the con mon breake-back to other states & countryes , hath bin the supplying of their treasures heere , & filling of their Magazins , I meane their Army . They haue had heere many plowers plowing uppon their back , & yet there remaines noe signe of a furrow , I wish wee saw noe steps of their sin . I will not heere discusse in what coyne the Lord hath bin paid for his kindnesse , nor what proc●ede they haue returned of their talents concredited to them . I haue inioyed this common ayre with them , and haue had my share in their particular merties , I cannot bee silent . What a hand wee saw out of heauen by the surprize of Wesel , and the Bosch following that , as if the former mertie had not bin enough for them ? Heere I will not treate , I haue formerly advertisd about them : what mertie the Lord hath sent them from the sea , & what siluer trophees from the enimy hath bin brought , is not now my purpose to speake : But since the Lord by an especiall hand led me to looke vppon the beginning & end of this late deliuerance , I shall aduertise therein according to truth , in which I may not seeme ( it may bee ) soe particular as some may expect , because I dare not call Opinion , Fayth : nor so exact in tearmes , because a stranger to the Language though a freind to Souldiery : but this I shall doe , I will labor to shew truth in her nakednesse , or at least in her owne apparell ; and the order I shall propose will bee this ; First I shall present the bare history 2ly , some obseruations from it , 3ly I shall add some vses wee may make of it : and first for the history .

Whilst the Illustrious Prince of Orange after a triple victory , viz: Groll , Wesell , and the Bosch , had sate downe the last summer to refresh him-selfe euen la den with honnor ; Sanballat and Tobiah , I meane they of Spayne and Flaunders rose early , & went to bed late , eating the bread of carefulnesse , in cōplottiug the raising their honnor out of the dust , where Hee had buried it , as an instrument in Gods hand the yeares before : and surely if strength had answered their reuengefull spirits , the mischeife had had wings , before wee should haue knowne it was hatchd ; For heerein they far outstrip their enimies , that their waters run deepely and silently . Now that you may vnderstand what they had in their eye , that should exhaust so much of their treasure this yeare , and perswade with their cleargie like the neighboring channels soe freely to emptie themselues into the common sea ; I shall acquaint you with Marques Spinolaes last will and testament left in the hands of the Infanta at his departur out of these wars . Two things hee aduised out of his long experience & best observations , that might infest the States , whereof the first was , that the current of their commerce with forreine parts might be stoppd , or at least lessened , & therfore would that from Dunkerk , Osten , & other parts ships should bee set forth for the intercepting them in the narrow seas , which counsaile the world obserues hath bin taken , & that with noe ordinary successe : that to this day Dunkerk a meane Dunghill hauen , dare write her selfe a Mrs. The 2ᵒ was this , that they should not spend themselues thus yeare after yeare , in the beseiging , beleaguring , & taking in of any one towne , which did spend them much treasure , & could not much disaduantage the enimy ▪ but that they should ( though with double cost ) attempt the diuiding of the Provinces , especially Holland & Zeeland , which hee demonstrated to bee feasable . And for the better understanding the way , may it please you to take notice that about two or three houres sailing from Dort , there lies a village calld the Plate , with a conuenient hauen able to receiue many smal vessels : this village with the whole Iland uppon which it stands is all together vnfortified , & soe are all places about it : this hauen lookes right against Princeland a place of the same strenght with the Plate , betwixt these two passe all our shipps to Zeland , Bergen , Ter Goose , Tertoll , Zeerikze● : ect .

This yeare about the time of this attempt their army entred Princeland ▪ no-thing remained but that they might make themselves Mr of the Plate , & soe 〈◊〉 once cut of the passage to Zeland , & the parts aboue said , & soone put Dort & Roterdam the Hart of the land in feare , from whence likewise they might haue an easie way to Dunkerk , & they recourse to them agayne . This with the consequences being vnderstood I shall labor to show yow what faythfull ouerseers the Marquese had to his wil , and how tender they are on the other side to follow the mind of the dead . After the Prince of Orange had retreated out of fflaunders , & ( whether through the foreslowing of time , or too many loope holes made in their counsails or unfaithfulnesse in men betrusted , or correspondence by any false heart with the enimy ) he had lost his designe , & inquartered himselfe at Drunen , neare Huisden , little other tidings came to vs , but the constant and extraordinary prouisions of the enimy by land & water , especially concerning certaine sloopes , & flat bottomed boates , & an engeneering Preist , who should haue spent much oyle & candle in the advancing of a strange designe . The tidings whereof comming thicker , & the child being neere the birth the towne of Bergen petition the ayde , who with that part of his army that lay at Drunen , being about 12 or 14000. foot beside horse , set forward for Bergen the 25. of August , and within 3. or 4 , dayes was inquartered on the North-side of the towne , Sargeant Maior Cary being sent before with diuers companies for a safegard to those parts by which these shalloopes might passe , as also 15. or 17. men of war , that vsually waite uppon the In-land waters .

Vppon the 11. of Septem: being thursday at 4. or 5 ' of the clock at night wee heard shooting from Falconesse , and the Doel , and there-abous , and saw shipping , but did generally conceiue that the enemy had made an attempt to come forth and was beaten back by our men , when as it appeared otherwise the next day for the next morning being friday wee discerned vppon the wals of Bergen a fleete of 80. sayle or more comming towards the towne , and farther off some greater shipps in an other fleete : It is strange to see & heare how hardly men were drawne to beleeve that the enemy was so neare , nor was there much credit giuen to it till they were before the very towne of Bergen : where my-selfe being a spectator amongst the rest , could tell above 80. sayle , who as it seemes came the day before from Antwerpe , & soe past by our shipping ( as wee saw over night ) & onely changd a few shot without farther Danger , Sargeant Maior Cary carefully attending vppon the chardge committed to him , they bent their course toward Tertoll land , & about 8. or 9. in morning 22. saile of their Reregard comming on ground , the rest stayed for them betwixt Rommers-wali & Tertoll , till the returning of the next tide , which was at 3. in the afternoone : and thus they lay this whole day in the sight not onely , of Berghen , but of the Princes whole army : mee thought this time was alotted us from heaven , as if a voice had cried and bid vs yet try what prayer will doe : and if I should bee playner with you , & open you a window into my owne heart , mee thought this stopp was the time wherein Iustice & Mercy compeered before the great God of heaven & earth ( as indeed it was a time for our saddest thoughts ) Take Vengeance cries Iustice Oh spare sayes Mercy : Kill cries the one , Saue the other : There are no sins like theirs , cries Iustice : No God like theirs sayes Mercy : Give successe to this designe cries the One , Lord they are Thy enemies sayes the Other : Holland is proud & secure sayes Iustice , But they may amend by this diliuerance : They haue not improoued former kindnesses , But they may bee tried by one more : Reuenge thy Sabbaths & let them haue noe rest that neglect this day of rest , heere Mercye paused , at lentgh charging their teachers with this & excusing the poore people that knew noe better . You shall see what followed , and which preuayled

The Prince perceiuing that it was now no time to aske , what shall we doe , ●ut to bee doing , vnder command of Generall Morgan sent 3. Regements 〈…〉 oll , to guard those parts from the incursion , & landing of the enemy , who went to their worke with no ordinary resolution , & came close by those partes where the enemy lay , & onely gave them notice by some shot that they there attended them , with which troopes the Prince went in person : In the meane time Count Ernest advised for the cutting off the Reregard , that lay on ground , & to that purpose commanded such warlike shipping as lay at Bergen to be made ready , & 12 ▪ musketteres out of every companie of the army , to bee imployed in the designe , which came to 1200 or there abouts , the commander in cheife of our nation , was the noble & valiant Earle of Oxford Lieutenant Collonel to my Lord Generall Vere , to whome were added Sergeant Maior Hollis . Captaine . Dudly , Captaine Skippon , Sr Thomas Colpeper , Captaine Iackson , with some other officers : and this I must say , my hart wittnesseth I flatter not I never saw men hugg an enterprise so , the common souldier even beseeching their captaines with teares that they might bee preferred to it ▪ nor were they without the company of diuers Noble volunteers amongst whom that Noble Gentle-man my Lord Crauen , ( who hath much honored his nation abroad ) must not be forgotten , who with the first presented him-felfe with his musket , ready to share in the common condition , whether good or bad . But as great bodyes mooue slowely , so these , tfor they set not forth till the enemie floated , who with the comming of the tide were soone at worke , & as before hauing a small boate with them , sounding the way ouer the many sands they were to passe , made toward Zerickzea hauing gotten their whole fleete together ; about 4. of the clock ours followd them , & had the Princes owneship to leade them the way , about 4 , came some of our fleet that lay by Falconesse , & followed them & made in all about 25. saile , they passed betweene Tertol & Tergoose , on the one side whereof a godly minister before General Morgan came had wi●h much & earnest persuasions drawne this neighbors into a reasonable order for their owne defence , on the other side not only 20 , companies of the Princes awaited them , but also the Boores or country people were in great readinesse being generally men of very good abilities in point of souldierie ;

But it seemes that was not the white they shot at , wherefore they past on beyoud Zereikzea , before our ships could come neere shot of them : about 9 ' of the clock at might the friday aforesaid , the Princes ship shot by a village calld Ould Kerke , & in short time brought her peeces to beare vppon them , in so much as wee haue it by credible testtimony , that with one broade side shee killd 23. men , other ships of ours came vp with them like wise , & gaue & received such rough intertainement as passeth among men at such times : a ship of Zeland had by one shot from the enimy 4 ▪ men slayne , & 4. hurt : our musketeres came not up to doe much seruice , for these reasons , 1 in such a hurry of businesse , & uppon the water command could not so easily passe , & besides that command they had , was to seconde the ships that were prouided to fight at length , & moreouer the worke continued not so loug as to make vse of all our men : The Princes ship receiued shot : 2. in the sayles & 1 , in the midship , & quitted herselfe well , some 5. or 6. more did the like : but it playnely appeared the enimy seemed not much to regarde fighting , rather longing & striuing to bee Mr of his designe , & therfore continually steered of their course , till towards morning the whole night being exceeding fayre for one houres space & noe more the Lord east a mist uppon them , by which ( they themselues confessing it ) they were much distracted , lost their way , diuers of them came on ground , and the most of them at Muschle-creeke not far from Steenbergen , the vangard being at this time , within one houres time , or two at the most , of the place they aimed at : diuers of them blame Fortune and their pilots , but in truth ( as some of them accknowledgd to myselfe ) the blow was from heauen . and to proceede , this confusion taught vs who was their Generall , viz: Count Iohn of Nassau , who would rather venture the Infantaes displeasure , then pay soe deare for his entertainment heere againe , as hee had lately done at Wesell : Insomuch that hee with Prince Brabenson and some other cheifes left the fleete , and heere I must remember a complement was put vppon Count Iohn at his departure from Antwerp , and embarquing , after many benedictions from the Infanta , and ( questionlesse ) much water sprinckled uppon him and his company , to praeserue him from the displesure of Sr Neptune etc. The Liuetenant Generall of the horse had a cringe with him to this purpose , St ( quoth hee ) the designe you are ingaged in , is weightie , the cost hath bin great for the aduancing of it , and it will require a whole man , but I must tell you I conceiue not Count Iohn to bee That Man , and so they parted . And since wee haue spoken of Muschle-creeke , I must tell you of a passage that concernes the said Generall of theirs , where by I may put you in mind how fooles oracles may prooue wise-mens truths : not long before this attempt Count Iohn sending a Trumpet to our army , wished him if the Prince should aske what became of their shallopes , to answer that they meant shortly to come eate some Muscles : hee came to y place indead , but I suppose hee had not time to fill his belly , or if hee tasted them I thinke hee hath not yet disgested them , that he cannot much reioyse at his banquet . Some other sloopes followed their Generall to Prince-land , and fired them at landing , so that betwene Willemstadt and Musclecreeke I saw diuers of the hulls of them lying by the shore ; the rest quirred their boates with what speede they could , feare giuing them wings , and confusion and distraction taking away their wits : the reason they giue for making this great haste to the land is , because on these in-land waters they could expect noe quarter , and euery worme will reade us a lecture of the sweetenesse of life , 1400. seing a horse-man vppon a dike gaue themselues to him : a great conquest for one man ! Divers in landing were drowned , many stript them selves to swim and so came naked to our army , most of their ships by the morning light were found in new Fosse-mere where they lay that day with our ships by them . Wee shall not neede to write what they returned the Preists for their benedictions , but certainely many Tuns of diuels , and especially to the Preist who had the cheife hand in the plot , and did boaste great of carriing shipps under water and promising to bring their souldiers into Berghen , which hee did truly performe : You must conceiue what a suddayne change heere was , when our men came to take possession of their vessels , & they scrambled away in the mud , which mynds me of a merry answere of the Prince to one that told him the Preist would bring their men vnder the water , hee sayd he then must send to Zeland for some fishermen to prick them vp vpon their Eel-speares . By 8. in the morning newes came to the Prince of their forfaking their boates , whereupon he commanded diuers companies to march towards Steen-berghen to enconter them supposing they might make head , but before our men were vpon their march , tidings came that most of them had giuen them selues prisoners ; & by 11. of the clock the first sight of them wee saw was 4 , or 5. Captaynes with 2 ▪ Capuchins presented to the Prince , with whome hee enterayned neere an houres talke , who all blamed Count Iohn for his starting at a pinch : The Capucians were presently begd by the Duke of vensdome , into whose tuition and fauor they were soone returned : the next sight that was presented to vs was a fat trumpetter of Count Iohns in a carr there followed him the Captaine of the Princes ship on horsebacke behinde a Gentleman , with the colours of the Admirall of their fleete , being a Burgoignian crosse which hee presented to the Prince ; after him followed in two diuifions the prisoners , garded by a troope of the Duke of Bullen , which were betweene 2. and 3000. before the last diuision was a wagon laden with their Officers ; and this was obseruable , that among all these , and 900. more wich lay at Steen-bergen there was no English at all , but they were all Dutch , and Wallons ; these were sent to such places , as the towne of Berghen had to entertaine them in , especially an old peice of a Church receiued most . Thus the saterday was cheerefully spent in veiwing these liuely tokens of Gods fauor , on the day following command was giuen that publike thanksgiuing should bee rendred both in the towne and army in which ( I blesse God ) I had a share : and on Munday-night ( with 3. volleyes after the manner heere ) it was made knowne very cleerely to Antwerpe , and the enemies army ( some of our cannon hauing very wide mouthes ) vppon the sabbath was brought in Dulken the once Gouernour of Grol , & a Iesuite with him & so dayly diuers prisoners who had come on shore on diuers parts . Nor did wee at this time thinke our labor ill bestowed to ride from place to place to looke on either their Punts & sloopes , or our men bringing in the spoyle , som telling their freinds how hardly they had escaped , and shewing their chayne & gnawne bullets , som with rapiers , som scarfes , one with Count Iohns leading stasse , another with a buffcoate , & most laden with Antwerpes beere : Amongst diuers other things there came to my hande a knife of the keur lings who are som of their company about Bridges , that nether giue nor take quarter , vpon which was engraven in Dutch Rithme .

vnder which was pictured the towne of Bridges , & the Prince running from it on horse-back , - Surely as the deliuerance was great , so the purchase especially of amunition was not a little , as wee shall shew by the particulars following : And now mee thinkes by this time I saw the mother of Sisera looking out of a window , & crying through the lattesse , why stay his chariot-wheeles so long ? Iudg: 5. 28. etc. surely shee is much deceiued if she thinke they are deuiding the spoyle : Thus the Lord ouerthrew Pharow & his host in the red sea , for his mercy indureth for ever . The weeke following the Prince commanded most of the prisoners to bee set vppon ships without fayle or rudder , by the head at Berghen , till order should bee taken for ransome : the poore women at Antwerpe who had their husbands in the Service , with their heauy complaynts at Bergen gates made vs know how welcome those tidings were at Antwerpe : the last weeke the Drossart of Breda treated for their deliuery , and so they are departing home , you may iudge with what ioy they shall bee intertained ; and presently vppon the miscarriage of the enterprise their army marcheth both from Prince-land , and Rosendale , whereof 32. companies of foote are gone for Breda , and 10. of horse .

Vpon Thurs-day wee had generall thanksgiuing in our churches & expressing our ioy by fires , guns etc.

Thesumoftheofficerstakenbyvs. Colonels , Lieuten : Col: Sargeant Maiors , & men of great note . — 19. Captaines . — 26. Lieutenants . — 10. Ensignes . — 28. Sargeants . — 23. Officers about the Canon . — 6. Som other officers , & Church men . — 11. Land souldiers . — 3151.

Seamen. Captaines . — 12. Lieutenants . — 15. Quarter Masters . — 7. Shippers . — 1. Sailors . — 820. Coming out of Antwerpe in all they were mustered aboue . — 6000.

Thenumberoftheshippingcometoourhands. Shalloopes whose provision generally was 6. brasse Peeces , 8. Murtherers , 4. Dunder busses , besides Lether Peeces . — 36. Punts with one halfe Canon and two three quarter Canon . — 10. Pleyts whose lading was Lope-staues , Nayls , Ice-spurs . 10 Horses , Hardles , Beesbridges etc. — ❧ — ❧ — 9. Other Amunition ships whose lading was Powder , Beere , Deales — 7.

That which I offer by way of observation cannot bee much : Time wyll not afford it : Yet these things briefly take notice of .

1 That Reuenge is no Sluggard , Malice is vnwearyed : For wee vnderstand this worke & practise haue bin vnder hand these 6 yeares .

2. Reuolters from Religion prooue her sharpest enemyes : witnes ( besides Iulian ) Count Iohn , who will bee the Ring-leader in any designe that may make nothing of what hee formerly profest .

3 To expect better then Stratagems tending to ruine from a popish enemy , doth argue either ignorance of their courses , or groundles Confidence ,

4 Security ( hauing lost the vse of reason ) will deny the Conclusion , rather then beleeue the danger . As wee saw when our people could hardly beleeue the enemy to be the enemy , though he lay before the Ports .

5. High men are Vanity , & Low men are a Lye : which was playne when wee saw neither the great Commander , nor the comon souldier could helpe vs , the enemy out-brauing vs the whole day .

6. The Creature cannot bee sufficient for our succor , for he is not allwayes a present helpe in trouble : wee could neither command wind nor tide , where as either of them might haue done vs much good .

7. The Lord often layes the reine on the neck of his enemyes , they goe long vncontrold : these went all day in the face of our Army vntouched .

8. Sudden Prosperity is no signe of lasting Happynesse : These Spiders had no sooner framed their web , but it was swept downe .

9. The Lord brings his greatest workes about by Accident , the tide not servng , which wee longd for , our ships could not come vp with them by day , & so escapt a scowring . Their Admirall putting out a light when he was on ground , brought the rest into the same net : they seeking a neerer way by the Fosse-mere , lost their way . with many such like .

10. A poore creature is many times made the Lords great host , as Pharaohs Lice agaynst him , and a hand full of mist throwne amongst these .

11. Feare vnfits a man to know what hee should doe , & disinables him to doe what hee knowes ▪ otherwise they might haue made head vpon the water or the shore , & gotten good quarter , for ought wee perceiue .

12. Cruell men haue often their punishments giuen them out in proportion they devising new boates , they shall perish in their boates , they will bring haltars for others which may serue them selues , the gallowes set up for Mordecay serues Haman .

13. The Lord answers his servants some times in the very thing they aske , in our fast before the Prince went into the field wee made vse of that text & that petition of Dauids Psal: 83. 15. So persecute them with they tempest & make them afrayd with thy storme : & behold wee haue our answere .

14. Outward strength & humane policyes are no sufficient Bul warks agaynst Battryes from heauen : it was easily seene here was no want of skill in this designe the preparations were not ordinary , but what are Tifney-walls to a Canon-shot ? or their plots to Gods mist ?

15. Feare is an ill guide though a quick post , many hundreds of them leauing their owne strength & betaking them selves to the mercy of an enemy .

16. God like an Indulgent Father striues to reforme by shewing a rod : Dauid had the same measure when hee Confesseth , Lord thou hast shewn me affliction . we saw what might haue bin our portion ; wee felt not what the enemy intended , & wee deserued .

17. Diuine Providence ( which fooles call Foutune ) will serve it selfe vpon Let vs sleepe & the enemy wake , let them attempt , & let vs study to prevent , let them bee strong & many , wee weake & few , let them goe on , & wee looke on , let them deuide the spoyle to euery one a damosell , an office before they come where they are ; yet Prouidence will serue it selfe vpon all this .

18. It is remarkable that the Lord doth sadly make the servants of Idolls to know that ther Maisters or Gods are nothing . In this attempt they will set forth vpon Saint Crosses day ( it being by their Almanack the eleuation of the holy Crosse ) their Generall of all their Army being called by that name , and Count Iohn the Leader of the Nauall troopes being free of that Company , Such Crosses let the enemyes of God euer carry with them . hee had one he wore on his brest before , he hath now another for his back : I wish i may doe him good at his hart ,

19 , The Lord doth not bind himsele to any particular meanes that wee many times vse & to often trust vnto , either for our deliuerance , or the confusion of our enemies : wee iudged of one meane , he vsed another in this great work , as was playne to be seene .

20. It is admirable to see what a man or people may receiue in poynt of Honor & doe like wise in matter of Action , if the Lord goe out with them ; as this is notable , this Prince of Orange neuer yet ( since hee had the command ) went out , but hee returued triumphing . the Lord euer make him triumphing & victorious in his cause .