MAURITIUS AUR. PRINC. COM. NASS. MURS. etc. MARC VERAE ET uliss CONF. BELG. PROV. GUB. portrait of Count Maurice of Nassau Mauritz Prince van Orangien Grave, van Nassau, Meurs etc Gouverneur generael van Geunieede Nederlanden. Ridder der Co van fartiere. THE BATTLE FOUGHT BETWEEN Count Maurice of Nassaw, and Albertus' Archduke of Austria, near Newport in Flaunders, the xxij. of june 1600, With the names of such men of account as have been either slain, hurt, or taken prisoners by either part. Written by a Gentleman employed in the said service. P S ET VSQVE AD NUBES VERITAS TVA printer's device consisting of an open book surrounded by a sunburst and containing a motto; beneath are the initials "P S", indicating that the device originally belonged to the printer Peter Short (1589-1603) but was probably passed on to Andrew Wise (1589-1603) at some point Printed at London for Andrew Wise, 1600. ¶ The Battle fought between Count Maurice of Nassaw, and Albertus' Archduke of Austria. HIS excellency's purpose was to hold, Oudenborough, Brendike, Snaskirke, and the new sconce upon the downs near unto Ostend called Albertus, well garrisoned, the better to assure himself of those passages whiles he laid siege to Newport. The second day of the siege being Saterdaie the one and twentieth of june, intelligence came that the enemy was come to Oudenborough, which his excellency supposed to be john de Rivas with the forces of Flaunders: but shortly after advertisement came, that the Archduke was there in person and had taken in Oudenborough by composition, whereupon his excellency bethought himself, how he might best hinder his nearer approach: And because he feared least in the pursuit, the enemy might take in the sconce Albertus, and so cut off the passage between Newport and Ostend, he sent the Regiment of the Scots on the sunday morning, and the Regiment of the Almains under the command of Count Ernestus to hinder the passage by a bridge, which was made by us in a drowned land between Oudenborough and the sconce Albertus, and so he should put them to march three days about, before they came unto him, and then also it was in his choice, either to fight or leave them, and return to Ostend. But the enemy had passed the Bridge before the Scots could come to make good the place: and so they all fell under the execution of the vanguard of the enemy, being all Spaniards, and the choicest men of the Army: and were chased to the walls of Ostend. His excellency understanding that the enemy was come to the bridge, but not knowing of the execution which he had made of the Scots, caused the English and the Friezes to be drawn at a low water, from the other side of the Haven of Newport, where they were quartered before the Town, and so brought all his forces to an head: at what time it was disputed, whether they should send forth the troops as they passed over the water, to second the Scots; or keep themselves together, till further advertisement, which was the safer course; and by good hap resolved upon. Presently upon this resolution, part of the enemy's Horse, being about seven hundred, began to be discovered upon the sands as they came on marching forward, and their foot Troops following after. Count Lodowick being general of the Horse, at his excellencies command, gave over the whole direction thereof, to Sir Francis Vere, who first commanded six pieces of Artillery, which were planted upon the enemy, to be discharged upon the enemy's Horse, and then charged them himself with three troops of Horse, and beat them into the Downs: the Infantry of the enemy making a stand upon the sands. The enemy's Horse being thus driven into the Downs, the commanders entered into dispute, whether it were best to advance forward and charge upon their foot troops, as they stood upon the sands; or to keep ourselves in the Downs, where we stood imbattailed, and there attend the enemy: wherein sir Francis Vere opposed himself against the whole counsel of war, grounding himself upon these reasons: that it was not safe to leave a place of advantage, to go seek an enemy upon equal terms, considering the enemy would be forced himself to seek battle, and come unto us: for it was unpossible in that hasty March, which passed all calculation of reason, that they should so come provided with necessaries, to continue any time, whereas our men were victuled for two days, and should in that time meet with some alteration. The resolution was directed by his opinion, and his excellency continued firm in the Downs to see what the enemy would do. It fell out according unto that, that Sir Francis Vere had before delivered: for after three hours expectation, the enemy came on to charge the English, which had the Vaungard of our Army. The English as I said, being the Vaungard, having joined battle within a short time, forced the enemy to retreat: Who flying to the tops of the Downs, as our English followed the pursuit, it happened (as necessarily it must through the unevenness of the place, which was uncaple of order, being nothing but hills and valleys of sand) that the enemy had the like advantage of our men, as ours had before upon them: so that our men sometime fell off from the enemy, and sometime the enemy fell off from them, as the advantage of the place assisted either party: which continued the space of three hours and an half. In which time, the English dealt with the vaungard, the battle and rearward of the enemy: at length the english were beaten back to our Artillery, where Sir Francis Vere brought them again to a stand, and being himself hurt, gave order for the charge the second time, and commanded the following thereof to his brother Sir Horatio Vere, who carried it so well, that concerning the fortune of the day, there is much attributed to his valour. For our Troops charging the enemy with a shout, and being seconded with two Troops of Horse, after the battle was well joined, the enemy disrowted and never made head again. It appeareth that all our English that were lost, were slain between our Canon and the Canon of the enemy, which were planted in the front of either Army. The Archduke had intelligence that the states were between seven or eight thousand strong on foot, and fourteen companies of Horse. The Archduke came with resolution to fight in what place soever he found the states forces, in regard he knew of what consequent it was, to suffer them to make themselves strong in Flaunders. Don Lewis de Valasco, general of the archdukes Artillery came from Gilders and Berk upon the Rhine with certain companies, being three thousand: all the rest of the commanders came from Brussels, and the Rendezvous was at Bruges. Isabella the Infanta was left at Gaunt, she came from Brussels with the Archduke. The Archduke came out of Brussels upon Thursday the nineteenth of june, Stilo nostro, being the same day that the Sconce called Albertus, distant from Ostend upon the Downs, an english mile, was taken in by his excellency, our Troops being all at Oudenborough. The Archduke made such haste to overtake our troops, that as Lewis de Villar confesseth, the commanders had no leisure to take notice what Gentlemen of state were in the Army: so that they came to Oudenborough upon Saturdaie the twenty one of june, and fought upon sunday the twenty two. Assoon as the Archduke had intelligence of the Army, arrived at Phillippine, he sent to Don Lewis de Valasco to bring the men from Berk, and disposed the rest of the troops to meet with the said Don Lewis at Bruges. The first squadron of the enemies were all Spaniards, consisting of 2500. men, and commanded by jasper Sapena, Don jeronimo de Morkoy, and Lewis de Villar. The second squadron were all Walloons, equal 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 general of the horse consisting of 1000 Sir William Stanley attended the Archduke without command, having signed his Regiment to his Nephew Bostocke. Our English had the Vanguard, the French the Battle. Captains of the English Slain. 1 Captain Yaxley, 2 Captain Honywood, 3 Captain Duxbery, 4 Captain Purton, 5 Captain Tirrell, 6 Captain Woodward. Lieutenants Slain. Pierce D. Vere, Lieu. Read: Morgan, Lieu. Mallery Tirrell, Lieu. Scot Honywood, Lieu. captains hurt. Hamond Holcroft Daniel Vere Vavysor Morgan Scotte Fearefax Petfield Metkerke Ancients Slain. Sherman, Yax Helves Garnets' More of ours Slain and missing, 560. Men hurt, 250. 〈…〉 Drury Rocester Gilbert Grey Vosie More Kendal Wray Leg Bethro flood Audlin Fitz Edmund's Dudley Kempe Cook 〈…〉 taken 110. Prisoners of theirs taken, viz. The Admirant of Arragon. Lewis de Villar, and jasper Sapena, With many other Captains and Gentlemen of sort. Our forces were 11000. horse and foot: That transported them 1128. sale besides men of war. FINIS.