IF the euents of the affairs of the worlde did succeede according to the iudgementes and reason of men , it would fal out by an infallible maxime , of that which we call the order & reason of things , that the smallest shoulde bee surmounted of the greatest , the most simplest , poore and meekest , by the most craftiest , subtilest and richest , and the weakest by the strongest . But when wee see the contrary to happen , that the smallest or poorest , the moste simple and weakest to ouercome the greatest , the most subtill , richest , and most mightiest , it is an euident signe whereby the Atheists & contemners of the prouidence of God , may acknowledge the actions of men to be gouerned by a higher power , then their weake discourses can reach vnto : and likewise to Princes which professe themselues to bee Christians , an aduertisement not to grounde themselues vppon their owne greatnes and worldly wisedome , but narrowlie to examine themselues , whether the foundation of their warres be iust , holy , necessarie , and void of all tyrannical passions , not opposing themselues obstinately without yeelding to any thinge , vnder hope that their great extraordinary meanes will bringe vnder those , who by comparison haue not the hundreth part in respect of themselues . But that great God which doth sustain those whose causes are iust , how weake soeuer they be , knoweth well how to abase their hauty presumptions and enuie , in making their determinations vaine and to consume like smoke , whereof we might alledge infinite examples of times past , if one which is presented vnto vs in this age would not suffice . Wee see the Spanish Nation so puffed vp with ambition , and ouerwhelmed with desire of conquering almoste all the world , for the great treasures which yearlie hee draweth to himselfe , that not finding any thing impossible , he doth vndertake at once to conquer three or foure Realmes , by waie of armes , besides this heauy warre which he hath against the vnited prouinces of the Low countries . And albeit that these Spaniards in this pursute of conquest , haue vnprofitablie consumed in two of their principal enterprises , as much treasure , and receiued as muche dammage as euer did any prince that rained these thousand yeares in Christendome : yet notwithstanding as in despite of their mines of golde , they continue to force themselues againe to strike on the rockes which haue caused their shipwracke .

Is it to be founde in any historie whatsoeuer these thousand yeares , that one prince in one onlie exploite or enterprise , hath employed so many millions of golde as the king of Spaine hath doone in France a few yeares since , during those follies of the league , for to catch or rather dismember that goodly realme , one of the ornaments not of Europe but of the worlde ? In all the streetes of the legued townes , euery tenth man did scarse receaue wages of the Spaniard , and at euery receit thereof were two or three mutinies at the leaste . As for that proude and extraordinarie armie by Sea prepared the yeare eightie eight , and set foorth with so great charges , was there euer the like by any Christian prince these thousand yeares ? Notwithstanding al that , the king of Spaine as I say more obstinate then euer or rather entering into a reproued course of iudgement ) doth he not yet prepare another the like ? Wherof howbeit that he hath already lost almost the one halfe , yet doth he repaire it without any sparing of charges , for to ariue at a place where it shal be I assure my selfe better receiued then welcome . He doth leuie great & extraordinarie forces for this next summer , to the end to ouerthrow & destroy all Fraunce . Fraunce I say , which is at this present so defensible an estate , as it was at that time when as the Emperour Charles the fift his father imploying all his forces for to make a breach in it , and those of an host of the princes of Germany was constrained to returne as shamefullie as hee did enter couragiouslie , and with hope to swallow vp the goodlie estate of France I say againe , which is at this present commaunded by a king so braue , worthie , warlike and wise as euer it hath hadde , vnder colour that his armies beeing conducted the last summer past by his nephewe and brother in lawe the Cardinall of Austria haue hadde some fauourable successes by the taking of two Townes in France , and one on this side , the which notwithstanding hee hath bought deerely and with his iuste valour , and giuen money inoughe for either of them : and yet is the cardinal puffed vp with so high imaginations , and filled him with so great desseins , that esteeming the Frenchmen as people made of strawe or snowe , and as they say , not vnderstanding the affaires of estate , do cast as they thinke dust in their eies , by the meanes of trifling propositions of peace or truce , thinking this next summer , to enter far into their realme , and so to make a breach into the vnited Prouinces . But that God ( as I said at the beginning ) which can ouerthrow the paradoxes of their tyrannical and arrogant powers , hath alreadie made it appeere by a notable euent in this beginning of the yeare , that their determinations take not suche effect as they beare themselues in hand , for that his best regiments of men of armes haue bin cleane ouerthrowne and cut in peeces by the Prince Maurice of Nassau , which had atchiued such aduenturous deeds of war to the good successe of the Cardinall , and of the earle of Fueintes , and amongst others , those Rodomons soldats , Neapolitans of the regiment of the marques of Treuicques and of Borlot , which are said to tear armed men with their teeth . This victorie then , is as happy , honourable , and profitable for vs , as it befell vnto them shameful and domageable the 24. of this moneth of Ianuarie 1597. in the Prouince of Brabant at Turnhaut , in maner as followeth :

The Cardinall during the season of Winter , did thinke that he might being fauoured by the yce and frost , attempt some notable thing in the partes of Holland and Zeland , resolued with himselfe to sende vnto the said Turnhaut a good troope of his best foote and horsse , commanded by the earle of Varas , heretofore named the Baron of Balanchon , great maister of the K. of Spains ordinance , & brother to the marques of Waranbon , insomuch that beeing at Turnhout , he beheld those Iles on the right and left hand where his determination was , the which hee iudged of suche importance for their affaires , that in some of their townes they vsed great solemnitie in their churches , and very triumphant processions , to the end that it would please God speedily to send great frosts . But God did dispose otherwise of the matter : for the Prince Maurice ful of valour and industrie , and one likewise that letteth not passe anie opportunitie when it representeth it selfe , hauing intelligence of the assembly of these forces , and that it was to g●ue him a checke vpon the yce , resolued with himselfe to force them to defende themselues who furiouslye prepared to assaile him , and to this effect , he caused to come secretly with good order to a place named a rendez-vous , some thousand horse , and fiue thousand foot , with certaine peeces of Ordinance , to vse as occasion shoulde serue , and as hee had foreseen , and so marched towarde Turnehout in good order and resolution the 24. lodging himselfe at Rauels halfe a mile from the enimy , who wer greatly astonished , vnderstanding the prince to be vppon such a sodain come so neer them : being thus perplexed and vncertain , they resolued for the best , to make their retrait towards Herentals , the neerest walled town to them held by the Spaniard , beginning at four of the clocke in the morning to march forward with their baggage , and then with their menne of armes . His ex . at the very same instant , marched towards Turnhout to set vpon the enemy , and founde him remooued , but yet not far from thence , which made him to resolue to pursue the enimy , & to fighte with him in plaine field : and for to begin the order , two C. English Musquetiers did aduance themselues , to the end that they holding continuall skirmish with the enimy , he might not so easily proceede on his way , and in the meanewhile the rest of his company had opportunity to ioine with him , for comming out of the towne , the way was very bad and ful of water : then he aduanced his horssemen , which kept themselues stil coasting the enemye , whoe not long after was discried to approch toward the end of that great plaine and ready to enter into a strait both narrow and troblesome , where the horse loste their aduantage and the foot did win it : then was it resolued , that his Ex. should no longer delaie but to come to the matter : howbeit the greatest parte of the footmen were farre behinde . This thus resolued , the charge was giuen in this order .

The earle of Hoenloo his brother in law , a braue and resolute nobleman , accompanied with the earle of Solms , charged the enemy in the forefront , wher was a regiment of Almaines of xiii . companies making the vangard : sir Robert Sidney gouernour of Flushing , and sir Frances Vere Collonel of an english regiment , a knight both valiant and wise , whoe besides their intertaining of the enimy in skirmish ; set vpon the rereward where the Neapolitans were : other troopes were commanded to charge the flank , where were the regiments of the L. of Hachicourt , which wer hertofore those of Mounsieur de la Motre , compounded of olde souldiors , and those of the Collonel a Barlotte , and almost all at one instant . The cauallery of the enimy issued with fiue of their best cornets : to wit , three of Spaniards , of Don Iuan de Cordua , Don Iuan de Gouzman , & Don alonce de Mondragon , one Albanoice du S. Nicolas Baste , one of the oldest and sufficientest captaines , and the other of the Low countries of the L. of Grobendonc , seeing our men come to charge them , they beganne to flie without any other fight , forsaking their companions on foot , the which after very little resistance by the meanes of ours were broken and ouerthrowne : his Ex. being accompanied with the L. Admiral of Nassau and Collonel Moray were reserued to sustain the cauallerie if need had required . The true number of those that were slaine , were to the number of twoe thousand & two hundred , with their general the arle of Varas & other personages of quality . There were 38. Ensignes , one cornet of horse , & fiue hundred prisoners taken , & among them one of the earls of Mansfield , twelue cheefe captaines , and many other officers : many escaped , which had for their pasportes blowes on the heads with Coutelaces .

His Ex. according to his natural clemencie and curtesie , had discharged the prisoners except some few which he would haue retained for the perfourmance of the ransomes of the rest , had it not beene that some alledged , that the Cardinall commanded his people to breake the quarter : he retained them vntil he was resolued of his intent , to the end to order things the better hereafter .

Among the dead they did finde certaine reliques which did warrant men from the danger of warre , inchanted papers , coniurations of soules , and praiers which the preests doo vse to sel for money , so contrary to the forme of praying to God , & that which he doth require of man , that we may well say as did S. Barnard in his time , that the ministers of Christ did seruice to Antichrist , & that they did ouerthrowe the foundation of the church , transporting the Ecclesiastical dignities into an infamous gaine , and shewing themselues to be replenished with powre but not with iustice . It is here , where I woulde pray my maisters the Catholikes ( I mean the abused , not the abusers , the which knowe best howe to open their eies and vnderstandings ) laying aside al passion , to consider if there be in the holy scriptures any thing which doth approch to these praiers . We do see in the Psalmes of Dauid , that an infinite sort of the seruants of God went to the warres , but we cannot finde any like vnto these inchantments and praiers in Latin , which are translated at the ende of this discourse .

Behold the end of this iourney in steed of entring the Isles as they assured themselues : nay , soft and faire , such cats are not to be caught without muffles , and not so easily ouercome without danger of wel drinking , as did those which heretofore attempted to enter into the countrey of Yo●e , and the Spaniards which were conducted by the late erle Char. of Mansfield into Bommelweert , in time likewise of frost . These Rodomon souldiors thought the waters to be no more difficult then the land , where fortune sometime did smile on them : but the Spaniards ( as cats which haue once wet their feete ) are wiser , then to vndertake such thinges themselues , but send others . The Iesuites may preache their bellies ful before they can perswade them . So likewise , the Cardinall is not like so easilie to conquer these Isles as he thought : nay , he is rather busied to prepare to defend himselfe this summer , hauing somuch worke cut out , that of long time cannot bee made vp in those places where hee thought to triumph .

France as it is at this day , would not willinglie receiue the last lie , she wil not indure you so to carie away her faire fethers as you did the tempest of the ciuill wars beeing not yet paste : you deceiue your selues , if you thinke your stratagems of truce shall serue you to abuse the French : no , they will throw away their rackets the game beeing so faire : they know your disease and where to begin with you , and wil shew themselues not to be of so vile and bastard courage , as you think them to be . So likwise those of Orthois and Heinault , doe not looke for any other thing , then their own miserable ouerthrow and vtter vndooing , for hauing serued the insatiable ambition of the Spaniard . There are in those Prouinces men of courage and not yet degenerated , whoe finding their owne greefe , doe know the remedie , & that of necessitie they muste purge the offensiue humor for to saue the whole bodie : they I saie , seeing my lords the Estates of the vnited prouinces , to appeare vnto them so happily florishing in all sortes of blessings that God may send to men , and to gouern themselues with so many good pollicies and rules of discretion , causing so sweet and happy a quietnesse among the people , as in no countrey in the world soeuer , where menne in reason may find more occasion to content themselues then there . A thing not to be maruailed at , sith that we euidentlie know by so many euents past , that it is GOD which dooth guide and warrant them , as heeretofore he did his people against the Syrians , Egyptians , Assyrians , Medes and others : and it is not to be doubted but that he wil continue his fauour , seeing the foundation of their quarrel is his glory and the conseruation of natural liberty , which ought to be as deare vnto vs as our liues ; being void of all passions and reuenge in their conquest of townes , where speciallie it might seeme they should haue vsed the same to serue for examples to others , in respect of some which were reuolted , which is an euident shewe of their benignity and true christian gouernment , insteed of confusion and crueltie with the which their enimies would charge them . And as I haue saide , their foundation is so strong , as wee maye beleeue that the hammars which are prepared to breake this anuile , shal be battered , brused and broken , as they haue bin hitherto . Wee will rest our selues then vpon the promises which our great God hath made , to conserue those which doe seeke his honour , and glorie , and extermine al those who oppose themselues against the kingdome of his sonne Iesus .