A Short report of the honourable journey into Brabant, by his Excellency Grave Mauris, Governor and Lord General of the united Netherlandish Provinces: From the 26. day of june, to the 19 day of july, 1602.  
Together with the taking of Helmont, and of his marching to the strong Town of Grave.  
Translated out of the Dutch Copy Printed at Vtricht.  
LONDON Printed by T. C. for Thomas Pavier, and are to be sold at his shop in Cornhill near the Exchange, at the Sign of the Cat and Parrots. 1602.   

A SHORT REport of the Honourable journey into Brabant, by his Excellency Grave Mauris, Governor and Lord General of the united Netherlandish Provinces. From the 26. day of june, to the 19 day of july. 1602.  
AFter that his Princely Excellency, with the honourable Lords the States, had in the fear of God concluded by the most commodious and fittest means to succour and prevent the necessity and tedious siege of ostend, with intent once wholly to free the Netherlandish Provinces from the bloody yoke of the Tyrannical Spaniards and hypocritical murderous jesuits, which daily practise to trouble, not only the welfare of the Netherlandish Provinces, generally, (but also to suppress and murder all good, godly, blessed, and peaceable Kings, Princes, and Potentates) that so in time they might with more ease incorporate the said Netherlandish Provinces. To the end therefore that the said Honourable Lords the States with his princely Excellency, might once wholly shake off those common enemies from the neck of those Provinces generally, and establish a firm and an assured peace, they have thought it convenient to raise and bring into the fields a strong and honourable Camp, as well for the relief of Ostend, as also to deliver the rest of the Netherlandish Provinces from the yoke of the tyrannous Spaniards & bloody Edicts, to which end hath been assembled many outlandish soldiers, both horsemen & footmen, with great numbers of wagons, as well out of Brabant & Vtricht, as from Holland and other places, whereof many were covered, and some curiously painted with the Arms of nobles and gentlemen for their ease & rest in the night, which had their rendezvous near the toll-house beyond Nimmeghen.  
Now when the greatest number were assembled at the said place, they attended his Excellencies coming, who departed from the Graven-baeghe the eight day of june in the morning, to take muster of his Royal Camp, which he accomplished upon the Eltenberge heath, and (finding the same to be between 5. and 6. thousand horsemen, 28. thousand footmen, and near about 4. thousand wagons, well, and in good order mounted and furnished) he with the honourable Lords the States, passed through the whole army, demanding as well of the Cavalry, as of the Infantry, if there were any one amongst them that found himself aggrieved with the pay of the States, and if any such were, they should speak: but none having cause to complain, they demanded farther, if they were resolved to hazard their lives with them in this most honourable action, to the glory of God, and welfare of their father Land, whereunto the soldiers generally applauded, desiring nothing more than that they might be brought to the sight of their enemies, against whom they might with their weapons, rather than with words, show how greatly they were affected to manifest their courages, and once again to drive those common enemies of Christendom out of the fields, and to make them run before them as sheep.  
Hereupon his Excellency caused certain bridges to be laid over the Maze, and the 26. day of june began to set forward in so good order, that it seemed no less wonderful, then pleasant and glorious to behold so rare an army of the honourable Lords the States, marching in most warlike order, and divided into three troops or companies, every one flanked with wagons for their defence as they marched, with many field pieces, and other necessaries thereunto belonging: The first troop or company was led by his Excellency: The second by Grave William, and the third by Grave Erust or Ernestus, in very good order: Notwithstanding the misdemeanour of some self-willed soldiers, as in the beginning appeared by one, who forced a woman, and was therefore presently hanged. After that two Scottish soldiers fell together by the ears, the one (having wounded the other to the death) were forthwith by Martial discipline harquebushed.  
Thus keeping their course along by the side of the Maze, on the left hand of the said River by Venlo, Ruremonde, and other places near about Mastricke, they lay still five days, furnishing themselves with Beer, Bread, and other victuals, for they had brought with them many Ovens to bake their Bread. After sufficient provision made, they marched forward towards Tongherens, and so upwards to Truyen, within some half league of Lew, forcing all the Villages thereabouts to bring in their contributions, which amounted to an incredible sum of money.  
As they lay quietly at this place, it happened that some of our soldiers ranged a little too far, and were by the Moors entrapped and slain. In revenge whereof certain Horsemen were sent out, who not forgetting their arrant, slew divers Moors, and Horsemen, and brought with them to the Camp, eighteen Horsemen prisoners, and two grey Friars.  
After that his Princely Excellency had remained at this place a few days, and put his people into Battle order, he sent a Trumpeter unto the Admiral of Arragon, General for the Archduke (who had entrenched himself very strongly near unto the Town of Tien) signifying unto him, that he was now ready to give him Battle, and that therefore he should now perform his proud words heretofore uttered when he was prisoner if he had the courage. But he answered he had no Commission from the Archduke to fight, and so preserved his honour and reputation as he thought.  
After this, his Excellency as a valiant Prince marched towards the enemy with certain horse and foot, even to his Trenches, but the enemy kept himself close. His Excellency perceiving that the Admiral durst not show himself in the field notwithstanding that he was come so far to seek him, he suddenly turned back, and coming near unto Helmont, summoned the same, but after refusal made, his Excellency planted six pieces of ordinance against the walls, and after some shot made, at the last upon the 18. day of this month of july they yielded the Town, and then his Excellency marched to the Town of Grave, environed and besieged the same, and took the Castle of Batenborgh, which standeth on the other side of the Maze. Our people do fortify Helmont and Eyndoven, serving as Bulwarks or Forts unto our Campe.  
The everliving, Almighty, and potential God, vouchsafe to bless and keep his Excellency, and to further all his godly proceedings: and grant happy & prosperous effect to his attempts, for the general peace and quietness of all the Low Countries. Amen.  
As touching Ostend, the Town is (God be praised) in very good terms, although many of late have died by sickness, which lately is ceased, and the enemy continueth his siege, though more coldly than heretofore, and his Forces without the Town is not above 3000. men, and the same so vexed with sickness and the plague, that many die daily. They have no want in the Town, for although the enemy practiseth daily whatsoever means man's brain is able to invent, to restrain the coming in of ships, with men, munition, and other provisions necessary, yet God and the seas do so frustrate their designs, that the enemy without all doubt remaineth void of all hope by any force to win the same: But if any demand the reason why he then so obstinately continueth his siege, the reason is the haughtiness of his mind, ashamed that it should be published to the world, that the States should be able to defend so baggage a Town against all his forces, and to make good the defence thereof against so many his policies, practices, and devices, thinking the same in time to come, might redound to his perpetual disgrace, and contrariwise encourage and animate the States his enemies, as well as other Princes to despise his Forces, and conteme the valour of his Italians and Spaniards, on whose virtue & manhood, the Archduke so much standeth (as his predecessors, and other Spanish Governors have done before him) that he thinketh no Nation comparable unto them, nor able to compare with them in martial affairs, not calling to remembrance how often they have been foiled, and put to the worst, since these wars first began, both by Sea and Land, not only by the native people of the Low Countries, but also by foreign Soldiers of sundry Nations. It is not then greatly to be marveled at, that the Archduke continueth his siege before ostend, (though more coldly and sparingly then at the first, as is before said) seeing he léedeth himself with two vain expectations, for (saith he) Omne tempus habet, supposing that the States weary of so infinite a charge, may in time forget to supply she wants of the Town, or else that it may so fall out, that with Spanish Pistolets, he may corrupt some such in the Town, that he may at last attain to his wished desire: for without all doubt, he neither hath, nor can have any other hope to obtain the Town, although he lie before it these seven years, for all such as come out of Brabant or Flaunders, confirm this to be most true, and to be the opinion of the Duke himself, and of all his Spaniards and Spanish affected.  
God grant they may never have better hope in any of their bloody attempts. But if any will here say that there remaineth yet an other hope to the Archduke, namely that the Sea may waste and eat up the town, so as the State's Forces may be forced to abandon the same, etc.  
I will not say, but if it so please God, both the Town and all the Country may be swallowed up with the sea, but if the old Town be in some danger, yet the new Town is not so: but if both should happen to be in danger, no doubt the States are so provident of their defence and maintenance of their Trade (which otherwise without all doubt would be greatly hindered, by Galleys and other shipping which might there have convenient harbour) that they would there build some convenient Fort, which should no less annoy the enemy than the Town of Ostend itself doth or hath done, for the keeping of that place doth most highly concern all Holland and Zealande, and all other Nations which are accustomed to traffic too and from those Countries.  
It is written from Rome, to be most certain, that upon Wednesday last being the 20. day of this month of july, the Marshal Byron was beheaded at Paris, not openly, but in the Tower there, called the Bastill, God grant all Traitors may receive the like reward. It is said that very many great personages are of his conspiracy, what will follow, time will show.   

The Copy of a Letter sent from Middlebrough by Mai. E. D. to his friend in London.  
WHerein is showed, that since the 19 day of july, 1602. his Excellency continuing his siege before the Town of Grave, took a Fort made over the River Mosa, and from thence battered the Town where it is weakest, he is in great hope and likelihood to win it shortly, being not easy to be rescued: But at the other side of the Mosa, which without some fight is not easily to be done. We hear the Admiral hath sent supply towards Flanders, fearing some attempt by an other way thereabout. And about Turnhout likewise the enemy made some assembly, and about Venlo. The Prince Mauris issued in great haste forth of his Camp, with some ten thousand footmen, and four thousand Horse, making towards them, what success will happen we shall shortly know. There are as it is reported, some two thousand men in Grave, the Prince's Horsemen range about Hertigenbosche, so that it is like half besieged lacking necessaries: And Brabant is clean eaten up as well of the Spanish as of our soldiers, but by means of the River Mosa our Camp lacketh nothing. Many other places be taken here and there of no great moment. We hear here little of the Archduke. The Counsel of States general are gone toward the Camp: Some negotiation underhand is imagined, which time will bring to light. There is good order and discipline kept all about.  
Of Ostend we hear nothing but good: For the great huge Faggots filled with stones, called Puddings or Sauciges to be rolled, cannot be stirred, and they have cut them in two, but it will not be of any moment, they must begin some other invention.  
FINIS.