THE excellent Prince and Lorde Morrice of Nassow, &c. hauing rescued Coeuerden, where the common Enemie with all his power on foote and on horsebacke, had lyne al the Win­ter, and strengthened himselfe with sundrie Trenches, against the insurrection of our people, hath not­withstanding not tarryed the comming of our Campe, but hath left the Castle of Coeuerden, with all her Trenches and Campes.

Which done, his Highnes came before Groning, the 20. of May, viewed the Cittie, and summoned it. Their aun­swere was, that they should first lye a yeere & a day before it, and then shoulde summon the same. There shoulde you haue séene many kindes of cariages, in very great quantitie, of rafters, postes, Deales, plancks and boords, where-with many Ships were laden. There was tenne Ships sent from Gorcum with boordes, besides many hundreds which came from Swoll and other places, and were bespoken.

There came to the Campe before Groning, frō my Lords the States, vnder the conduct of his Highnes, about one hun­dred and fortie Ensignes of footemen: as high Dutch, Eng­lishmen, Scots, Netherlanders, and Fréeslanders. The Freeslanders vnder the conduct of William Earle of Nassow. There was viij. Ensignes presently sent before the Forte at Aurikeizill, to take in the same: for they held out stoutly, and attended for fiue Ensignes, that came with bridges & Ladders for the assault.

And standing readie to employ all their might thereon, there came three other Ensignes from the other side, with bridges, many būdles of Bulrushes bound together in sacks, pitched and nayled vnder Tables made of Deale-bords, ouer which they ranne to the wall of the Fort. They which had [Page 4] no Ladders, did sticke their daggers in, and climed vp by them. The people séeing that they were ouer-fallen, cryed for grace, but it was too late: for they had spoken very ob­probrious words to the Dromster, wherefore they were all ouer-come, and of one hundred and thirty, there was not fiue left aliue. Which was no small feare to them of Groning▪ as also the driuing out of their folke out of the Trenche at Hogherbrug. So that they of Groning, were constrained to driue their Cattell vnder the Towne wall, where they could not all be kept, but some were fedde with Hay in the Cittie. There was about foure-score of those without, which were taken by our men.

After this, they issued forth of the Citty in sundry places vpon our men, with the helpe of fiue Ensignes of Souldiers, that lay in Shutendiepe, which place is strongly defended se­uerally from the Citty, lying vpon y ^e water called the Vaert▪) which the Coronell made at that time. With this their issu­ing out, they did our folkes very much harme. But after we had made our Trenches, digged our Lope-ditches, & streng­thened the same, their left they of their issuing out.

Great was the carefulnes of his Highnes and my Lords the States, in the fortifying and making sure of our Campe, towards all quarters, where any feare was of assaulting. And then employing all their force against the Citty, with dig­ing and placing of their Ordinance. Yea, in thrée places they came to their very wall, so that in two places, they digged and vndermined twenty and thirtie foote within their Wall. They within rested not, but defended themselues: insomuch that through their manifold shooting, there was founde a­boue two thousand pellets.

Heereby is to be coniectured, that they shotte foure thou­sand shotte at the least, with great Ordinaunce. For at the beginning they were prouided with foure hundred Barrells of powder, which were lessned to fiftie, and yet were not they of the best.

Vppon the Gate called the Herren Port, were eight great peeces placed, and wholie shot of. There were many houses [Page 5] shaken, and spoyled with the Ordinance, and somtimes with fire-works out of the Campe, and balles of wild-fire, which in sunder places did sette theyr houses on fire: where-vppon presently followed pellets of stone, and hayle-shot mingled with wild-fire. Whereby the hearts of the Cittizens began heere and there to faint, and were brought to such point, that they tooke pledges one of another.

The Rulers were brought to such extremety, and to ad­grauiate the matter, (not so much through the besieging, but by certaine Souldiers of Sluiten-deepe, which were let into the Citty,) that they were forced to hold their handes, which made a rumor in the Citty, insomuch that some lost theyr lyues by it. Thys being stilled and pacified, the Souldiours had afterwards no good rest or quietnes for want of sleepe, by reason of theyr continuall watching. The chiefe of them was occasion heereby to write to Don Verdugo, for a supply of Souldiours, munition, and money. One of the carryers of these Letters was slaine, and hanged vp against the Cit­tie: the other was pardoned, because hee bewrayed the se­crets of the Citty.

Vpon the Roundell (which was made long agoe, and in the time of Duke Daline, called The Castle,) were also eyght great péeces of Ordinance planted, one of the corners wher­of was wholy shotte downe, and so made vnfenceable. His Highnes through his diligence and endeuour going heere a­bout to see the manner, a shotte light vpon his Trench, that those which stoode harde by him, were thereby sprinckled in their faces.

One of the three mynes vnder the sayde Roundell, named Rauelin, was digged, which beeing perceiued by them of the Citty, was countermined, by which our men entred, placing of their powder, and alarme presently giuen. Whilst they of the Citty were setting of their watch at the saide Rauelin, the powder was by a traine suddainly set on fire, with such thun­dering noyse and dust, that for the space of three houres, one man coulde not sée another. The chiefest Lieutenant was also slayne.

The Reader may well thinke, howe armes, legges and and whole bodies of men, were blowne away in the ayre, for two of them fell into our Trenches, wherof one was yet aliue. Thys Bulwarke brake and fell downe, according as we wished, and hath made a braue bancke. Also the way fil­led vp betweene Rauelin and the Cittie, our men crept in, without losing of any one man: where they founde sixe pee­ces of Ordinance, and certaine men wrapped vp in the earth, which were yet aliue. The same day in the Euening in set­ting of our watch, we lost eyght Souldiours.

They in the Cittie seeing this, were at their wits end, as if the day of Iudgement had beene come. Straightwaies Iohn den Boer, or Iohn the Clowne, was sent out with a Taber and a pype, yet that day all was not ended. But the next day, they of the Cittie, vpon good assurance and promise of his Highnes, came forth in foure seuerall companies, that is to say, the Clergie, the Magistrates, the chiefest of the Souldiours, and the men of Occupations. One of thē would not trust another. Heerevpon his Highnes said vnto them, Looke what you agree to, is wholie giuen you through my liberalitie: for I count my selfe assured of the Citty. In the end, after many debatings, the xxij. day of Iulie, these Ar­ticles following were agreed vpon.

• 1. First, that his Highnesse for the first time, may displace the Magistrate, and place him again, and the sworne Communaltie, at his pleasure.
• 2. That the Gildes or Companies shall in that respect, be set a side, that they shall haue nothing to say in the policie of the Cittie. But the Counsell shall deale therein with the sworne Communaltie, such as the Counsell will vse therevnto.
• 3. That his Highnes may put Souldiours into the Cittie at his pleasure: but yet in such manner as is vsed in Freesland.
• [Page 7]4. That the Cittie shall renounce the King, and declare him their enemie. And also bee seased with Imposts or any others, as the Citties in Freese­lande.
• 5. That no other Religion be suffered, but onlie the true reformed Religion.
• 6. That during these warres, his Highnes shal yeerely choose out fiue of the sworne Communalty, which shall appoynt the Counsell.
• 7. That the Garrison of the Enemie shall passe ouer the Rhine, leauing their Ensignes behind thē. And swearing in thrée moneths not to serue on this side the same.

But his Highnes afterwards, at the intercession of cer­taine Gentlemen, bid the Ensignes to be giuen them at their departing.

Touching all other Articles, the same shall remaine at the disposition of the generall Estates. The Lord giue his Highnes long life, that thereby all they may be forced which exercise Spanish tyrannie, and oppresse the good.

Almightie GOD be thanked for his grace and fauour, and thys great victorie, for euer and euer. Amen.