HIS excellencies pur­pose was to hould, Oudenborough, Brendike, Snaskirke, and the new sconse vpon the downes nere vnto Ostend called Albertus, well garri­soned, the better to assure himselfe of those passages whiles hee laide siege to Newport.

The second daie of the siege being Saterdaie the one and twentieth of Iune, intelligence came that the enemie was come to Oudenborough, which his excellency supposed to be Iohn de Riuas with the forces of Flaunders: but short­ly after aduertisement came, that the Archduke was there in person and had taken in Oudenborough by compositi­on, wherevpon his excellencie bethought himselfe, howe he might best hinder his nearer approach: And because he feared least in the pursuite, the enemie might take in the sconse Albertus, and so cut off the passage betwéene New­port and Ostend, he sent the Regiment of the Scots on the sundaie morning, and the Regiment of the Almains vnder the command of Count Ernestus to hinder the passage by a bridge, which was made by vs in a dround land betwéene [Page 2] Oudenborough and the sconse Albertus, and so he shoulde put them to march thrée daies about, before they came vn­to him, and then also it was in his choise, either to fight or leaue them, and returne to Ostend.

But the enemie had passed the Bridge before the Scots could come to make good the place: and so they all fell vn­der the execution of the vangard of the enemie, being all Spaniards, and the choisest men of the Armie: and were chased to the wals of Ostend.

His excellencie vnderstanding that the enemie was come to the bridge, but not knowing of the execution which he had made of the Scots, caused the English and the Free­ses to be drawne at a low water, from the other side of the Hauen of Newport, where they were quartered before the Towne, and so brought all his forces to an head: at what time it was disputed, whether they shoulde sende forth the troupes as they passed ouer the water, to second the Scots; or kéepe themselues together, till further aduertisement, which was the safer course; and by good happe resolued vppon.

Presentlie vppon this resolution, part of the enemies Horse, being about seauen hundred, began to be discoue­red vpon the sands as they came on marching forward, and their foote Troupes following after.

Count Lodwick beeing generall of the Horse, at his excellencies commaunde, gaue ouer the whole direction thereof, to Sir Francis Vere, who first commanded six pée­ces of Artillerie, which were planted vpon the enemie, to be discharged vpon the enemies Horse, and then charged them himselfe with thrée troupes of Horse, and beate them into the Downes: the Infanterie of the enemie ma­king a stand vpon the sands.

The enemies Horse beeing thus driuen into the Downes, the commanders entred into dispute, whether it were best to aduaunce forwarde and charge vppon their [Page 3]foote troupes, as they stood vppon the sandes; or to kéepe our selues in the Downes, where we stoode imbattailed, and there attend the enemie: wherein sir Francis Vere ap­posed himselfe against the whole counsell of warre, groun­ding himselfe vpon these reasons: that it was not safe to leaue a place of aduantage, to goe seeke an enemie vpon equall tearmes, considering the enemie would bee forced himselfe to séeke battell, and come vnto vs: for it was vnpossible in that hastie March, which passed all calculati­on of reason, that they should so come prouided with neces­saries, to continue anie time, whereas our men were vic­tuled for two daies, and shoulde in that time méete with some alteration.

The resolution was directed by his opinion, and his ex­cellencie continued firme in the Downes to see what the e­nimie would doe.

It fell out according vnto that, that Syr Francis Vere had before deliuered: for after thrée houres expectation, the enemie came on to charge the English, which had the Vaungard of our Armie.

The English as I saide, being the Vaungard, hauing ioined battell within a short time, forced the enemie to re­treat: Who flying to the toppes of the Downes, as our English followed the pursuit, it happened (as necessarilie it must thorough the vneuennesse of the place, which was vncaple of order, being nothing but hilles and valleies of sand) that the enemie had the like aduantage of our men, as ours had before vpon them: so that our men sometime fell off from the enemie, and sometime the enemie fell off from them, as the aduantage of the place assisted either partie: which continued the space of thrée houres and an halfe. In which time, the English dealt with the vaun­gard, the battell and rereward of the enimy: at length the english were beaten backe to our Artillerie, where Sir [Page 4] Francis Vere brought them againe to a stande, and beeing himselfe hurt, gaue order for the charge the seconde time, and commanded the following thereof to his brother Syr Horatio Vere, who carried it so well, that concerning the fortune of the daie, there is much attributed to his val­our. For our Troupes charging the enemie with a shout, and being seconded with two Troupes of Horse, after the battell was well ioyned, the enemie disrowted and neuer made head againe.

It appeareth that all our English that were lost, were slaine betweene our Canon and the Canon of the enemie, which were planted in the front of either Armie.

The Arch-duke had intelligence that the states were be­tweene seauen or eight thousand strong on foote, and foure­téene companies of Horse.

The Arch-duke came with resolution to fight in what place soeuer he found the states forces, in regard he knew of what consequent it was, to suffer them to make them­selues strong in Flaunders.

Don Lewis de Valasco, generall of the Arch-dukes Ar­tillerie came from Gilders and Berk vpon the Rheine with certaine companies, being three thousande: all the rest of the commanders came from Bruxels, and the Rendeuous was at Bruges.

Isabella the Infanta was left at Gaunt, shee came from Bruxels with the Arch-duke.

The Arch-duke came out of Bruxels vpon Thursday the nineteenth of Iune, Stilo nostro, being the same day that the Sconse called Albertus, distant from Ostend vpon the Downes, an english myle, was taken in by his excellen­cie, our Troupes being all at Oudenborough.

The Arch-duke made such hast to ouertake our troupes, that as Lewis de Villar confesseth, the commaunders had no leisure to take notice what Gentlemen of state were in the Armie: so that they came to Oudenborough vppon [Page 5]Saturdaie the twentie one of Iune, and fought vpon sun­day the twentie two.

Assoone as the Arch-duke had intelligence of the Army, arriued at Phillippine, hee sent to Don Lewis de Valasco to bring the men from Berk, and disposed the rest of the troups to méete with the said Don Lewis at Bruges.

The first squadron of the enemies were all Spaniards, consisting of 2500. men, and commanded by

• Iasper Sapena,
• Don Ieronimo de Morkoy, and
• Lewis de Villar.

The second squadron were all Wallons, equall in number to the first, and commanded by

• La Berlot,
• Don Alphonso de Auo­los, & Bostock the nephew of Sir Will, Stanley.

The third squadron were all of Flaunders and of like number with the first, commanded by Le Count de Bonckoper.

The Admyrant of Arragon was generall of the horse consisting of 1000.

Sir William Stanley attended the Arch-duke without command, hauing signed his Regiment to his Nephew Bostocke.

Our English had the Vauntgard, the French the Battaile.

• [Page]1 Captaine Yaxley,
• 2 Captaine Honywood,
• 3 Captaine Duxbery,
• 4 Captaine Purton,
• 5 Captaine Tirrell,
• 6 Captaine Woodward.

• Pierce D. Vere, Lieu.
• Read: Morgan, Lieu.
• Mallery Tirrell, Lieu.
• Scot. Honywood, Lieu.

• Hamond
• Holcroft
• Daniell Vere
• Vauysor
• Morgan
• Scotte
• Fearefax
• Petfield
• Metkerke

• Sherman, Yax
• Helues Garnets
• More of ours Slaine and missing, 560.
• Men hurt, 250.

• Drury
• Rocester
• Gilbert
• Grey
• Vosie
• More
• Kendall
• Wray
• Legge
• Bethro
• Fludde
• Audlin
• Fitz Edmunds
• Dudley
• Kempe
• Cooke

[...] taken 110.

• The Admirant of Ar­ragon.
• Lewis de Villar, and
• Iasper Sapena,

With many other Cap­taines and Gentlemen of sort.

Our forces were 11000. horse and foote: That transported them 1128. sale besides men of warre.