DIGITUS DEI. OR GOOD NEWS FROM HOLLAND. Sent to the worship JOHN TREFFRY. AND JOHN TREFUSIS. ESQVIRES: As also to all that have shot arrows against Babel's Brats, and wish well to Zion wheresover. printer's or publisher's device NON NOBIS DOMINE Printed By Abraham Neringh, Printer in Rotterdam, by the old Head. ANNO. 1631. SRS SInce my condition & lot fell in these parts of the world which for a long time have been Sedes belli: I have not been altogether negligent in taking up such observations as might either draw me to a more serious consideration of God's providence, dispensing itself into many particulars, some more secret, & some open to every eye: or such as might by their presentment unto me of the world's vanity & turnings, make me see the glassy brittleness & shiftlesnesse of the creature, & so persuade to a stronger dependence upon the creator, a Being that hath happiness in itself. Not hath it been the least of my care to cast an especial eye upon the several victories, & unparaleld deliverances (if we take up all circumstances) which this state hath been honoured with. In the compass of three years or there about, I have seen strange turnings & returnings of providence, ebbs of State that left us (at least the wise-hearted) hopeless of a flood: and then again high waters, that have left many thoughtesse yea careless, of an ebb: here have I seen an enemy slighted at a great distance, & too much feared nearer hand, many mountainous designs which have proved mole hills in execution, here have we seen men looking one way & the Lord bringing the thing about another, sometimes God destraining for his glory where men would not give it him other ways: In a word here hath been employments for all kinds of spirits, all kinds of men, here the sad heart hath had matter to feed those black vapours that cherish melancholy, & here the freer spirit might have a time to lavish itself out in warrantable joys & refreshments, here the magistrate hath had work enough to advise, & the people to bring in their assistances, the soldier hath had enough how to devose & how to execute to his greater advantage, and those that wait upon the tabernacle have had no reason to be idle, where days of atonement, as well as the daily sacrifice were to be attended on: sometime we have been slipping with David beside ourselves and our comforts, while we fretted at the foolish, and saw the prosperity of the wicked, sometimes with the same goodman we were as those that dreamt, to see the downfall of the ungodly, & what chaff they were before the wind. Truly (Srs) we have seen much of God's faithfulness & sufficiency, & we are to be blamed if we have not also seen our own inability & nothingness. But whiles I have let my meditations travel from one place to another they have lodged longer in these two, viz: first in the consideration of ourselves 2ᵒ of the enemy: in the former whereof we may take up matter of wonder, that the Lord continues us instruments of his glory, & the subject of his goodness & bounty, who may justly take shame to ourselves that we are no more sanctified in our drawing near unto him, or do sanctify him so little: alas (Srs) strangers that look upon us may think that we are his only jewel, since we are kept so safely: but the truth is our beauty is but blackness, our deformities are the speech of neighbour nations, & by the openness of our folly we make the daughters of the Philistines rejoice. Nor have we less work in the contemplation of the enemy, being the centre to which subtlety, cruelty, diligence in evil, with many other the like, as so many lines have their confluxe. What great cost have they been at in the not yet subduing a handful of people nay (which is admirable) that which hath been the con mon breake-back to other states & countries, hath been the supplying of their treasures here, & filling of their Magazines, I mean their Army. They have had here many plowers ploughing upon their back, & yet there remains no sign of a furrow, I wish we saw no steps of their sin. I will not here discuss in what coin the Lord hath been paid for his kindness, nor what proc●ede they have returned of their talents concredited to them. I have enjoyed this common air with them, and have had my share in their particular merties, I cannot be silent. What a hand we saw out of heaven by the surprise of Wesel, and the Bosch following that, as if the former merit had not been enough for them? here I will not treat, I have formerly advertisd about them: what merit the Lord hath sent them from the sea, & what silver trophies from the enemy hath been brought, is not now my purpose to speak: But since the Lord by an especial hand led me to look upon the beginning & end of this late deliverance, I shall advertise therein according to truth, in which I may not seem (it may be) so particular as some may expect, because I dare not call Opinion, faith: nor so exact in terms, because a stranger to the Language though a friend to Soldiery: but this I shall do, I will labour to show truth in her nakedness, or at least in her own apparel; and the order I shall propose will be this; First I shall present the bare history 2ly, some observations from it, 3ly I shall add some uses we may make of it: and first for the history. Whilst the Illustrious Prince of Orange after a triple victory, viz: Groll, Wesell, and the Bosch, had sat down the last summer to refresh himself even la den with honour; Sanballat and Tobiah, I mean they of Spain and Flaunders rose early, & went to bed late, eating the bread of carefulness, in complottiug the raising their honour out of the dust, where He had buried it, as an instrument in God's hand the years before: and surely if strength had answered their revengeful spirits, the mischief had had wings, before we should have known it was hatched; For herein they far outstrip their enemies, that their waters run deeply and silently. Now that you may understand what they had in their eye, that should exhaust so much of their treasure this year, and persuade with their clergy like the neighbouring channels so freely to empty themselves into the common sea; I shall acquaint you with Marquis Spinolaes' last will and testament left in the hands of the Infanta at his departur out of these wars. Two things he advised out of his long experience & best observations, that might infest the States, whereof the first was, that the current of their commerce with foreign parts might be stoppd, or at least lessened, & therefore would that from Dunkirk, Osten, & other parts ships should be set forth for the intercepting them in the narrow seas, which counsel the world observes hath been taken, & that with no ordinary success: that to this day Dunkirk a mean Dunghill haven, dare write herself a Mrs. The 2ᵒ was this, that they should not spend themselves thus year after year, in the beseiging, beleaguring, & taking in of any one town, which did spend them much treasure, & could not much disadvantage the enemy▪ but that they should (though with double cost) attempt the dividing of the Provinces, especially Holland & Zeeland, which he demonstrated to be feasable. And for the better understanding the way, may it please you to take notice that about two or three hours sailing from Dort, there lies a village called the Plate, with a convenient haven able to receive many small vessels: this village with the whole Island upon which it stands is all together unfortified, & so are all places about it: this haven looks right against Princeland a place of the same strength with the Plate, betwixt these two pass all our ships to Zealand, Bergen, Ter Goose, Tertoll, Zeerikze●: ect. This year about the time of this attempt their army entered Princeland▪ no-thing remained but that they might make themselves Mr of the Plate, & so 〈◊〉 once cut of the passage to Zealand, & the parts above said, & soon put Dort & Rotterdam the Hart of the land in fear, from whence likewise they might have an easy way to Dunkirk, & they recourse to them again. This with the consequences being understood I shall labour to show you what faithful overseers the Marquese had to his will, and how tender they are on the other side to follow the mind of the dead. After the Prince of Orange had retreated out of fflaunders, & (whether through the foreslowing of time, or too many loop holes made in their counsels or unfaithfulness in men betrusted, or correspondence by any false heart with the enemy) he had lost his design, & inquartered himself at Drunen, near Huisden, little other tidings came to us, but the constant and extraordinary provisions of the enemy by land & water, especially concerning certain sloopes, & flat bottomed boats, & an engeneering Priest, who should have spent much oil & candle in the advancing of a strange design. The tidings whereof coming thicker, & the child being near the birth the town of Bergen petition the aid, who with that part of his army that lay at Drunen, being about 12 or 14000. foot beside horse, set forward for Bergen the 25. of August, and within 3. or 4, days was inquartered on the North-side of the town, Sargeant Maior Cary being sent before with diverse companies for a safeguard to those parts by which these shalloopes might pass, as also 15. or 17. men of war, that usually wait upon the Inland waters. Upon the 11. of Septem: being thursday at 4. or 5 ' of the clock at night we heard shooting from Falconesse, and the Doel, and there-abous, and saw shipping, but did generally conceive that the enemy had made an attempt to come forth and was beaten back by our men, when as it appeared otherwise the next day for the next morning being friday we discerned upon the walls of Bergen a fleet of 80. sail or more coming towards the town, and farther off some greater ships in an other fleet: It is strange to see & hear how hardly men were drawn to believe that the enemy was so near, nor was there much credit given to it till they were before the very town of Bergen: where myself being a spectator amongst the rest, could tell above 80. sail, who as it seems came the day before from Antwerp, & so past by our shipping (as we saw over night) & only changed a few shot without farther Danger, Sargeant Maior Cary carefully attending upon the charge committed to him, they bent their course toward Tertoll land, & about 8. or 9 in morning 22. sail of their Rearguard coming on ground, the rest stayed for them betwixt Rommers-wali & Tertoll, till the returning of the next tide, which was at 3. in the afternoon: and thus they lay this whole day in the sight not only, of Berghen, but of the Princes whole army: me thought this time was allotted us from heaven, as if a voice had cried and bid us yet try what prayer will do: and if I should be plainer with you, & open you a window into my own heart, me thought this stop was the time wherein justice & Mercy compeered before the great God of heaven & earth (as indeed it was a time for our saddest thoughts) Take Vengeance cries justice Oh spare says Mercy: Kill cries the one, Save the other: There are no sins like theirs, cries justice: No God like theirs says Mercy: Give success to this design cries the One, Lord they are Thy enemies says the Other: Holland is proud & secure says justice, But they may amend by this diliverance: They have not improved former kindnesses, But they may be tried by one more: Revenge thy Sabbaths & let them have no rest that neglect this day of rest, here Mercy paused, at lentgh charging their teachers with this & excusing the poor people that knew no better. You shall see what followed, and which prevailed The Prince perceiving that it was now no time to ask, what shall we do, ●ut to be doing, under command of General Morgan sent 3. Regiments 〈…〉 oll, to guard those parts from the incursion, & landing of the enemy, who went to their work with no ordinary resolution, & came close by those parts where the enemy lay, & only gave them notice by some shot that they there attended them, with which troops the Prince went in person: In the mean time Count Ernest advised for the cutting off the Rearguard, that lay on ground, & to that purpose commanded such warlike shipping as lay at Bergen to be made ready, & 12▪ musketteres out of every company of the army, to be employed in the design, which came to 1200 or there about, the commander in chief of our nation, was the noble & valiant Earl of Oxford Lieutenant Colonel to my Lord General Vere, to whom were added Sergeant Maior Hollis. Captain. Dudley, Captain Skippon, Sr Thomas Colpeper, Captain jackson, with some other officers: and this I must say, my hart wittnesseth I flatter not I never saw men hug an enterprise so, the common soldier even beseeching their captains with tears that they might be preferred to it▪ nor were they without the company of diverse Noble volunteers amongst whom that Noble Gentleman my Lord Craven, (who hath much honoured his nation abroad) must not be forgotten, who with the first presented himfelfe with his musket, ready to share in the common condition, whether good or bad. But as great bodies move slowly, so these, tfor they set not forth till the enemy floated, who with the coming of the tide were soon at work, & as before having a small boat with them, sounding the way over the many sands they were to pass, made toward Zerickzea having gotten their whole fleet together; about 4. of the clock ours followed them, & had the Prince's owneship to lead them the way, about 4, came some of our fleet that lay by Falconesse, & followed them & made in all about 25. sail, they passed between Tertol & Tergoose, on the one side whereof a godly minister before General Morgan came had wi●h much & earnest persuasions drawn this neighbours into a reasonable order for their own defence, on the other side not only 20, companies of the Princes awaited them, but also the Boors or country people were in great readiness being generally men of very good abilities in point of soldiery; But it seems that was not the white they shot at, wherefore they passed on beyoud Zereikzea, before our ships could come near shot of them: about 9 ' of the clock at might the friday aforesaid, the Prince's ship shot by a village called Old Kerke, & in short time brought her pieces to bear upon them, in so much as we have it by credible testtimony, that with one broad side she killed 23. men, other ships of ours came up with them like wise, & gave & received such rough entertainment as passeth among men at such times: a ship of Zealand had by one shot from the enemy 4▪ men slain, & 4. hurt: our musketeres came not up to do much service, for these reasons, 1 in such a hurry of business, & upon the water command could not so easily pass, & besides that command they had, was to seconde the ships that were provided to fight at length, & moreover the work continued not so loug as to make use of all our men: The Prince's ship received shot: 2. in the sails & 1, in the midship, & quitted herself well, some 5. or 6. more did the like: but it plainly appeared the enemy seemed not much to regard fight, rather longing & striving to be Mr of his design, & therefore continually steered of their course, till towards morning the whole night being exceeding fair for one hours' space & no more the Lord east a mist upon them, by which (they themselves confessing it) they were much distracted, lost their way, diverse of them came on ground, and the most of them at Muschle-creeke not far from Steenbergen, the vanguard being at this time, within one hours' time, or two at the most, of the place they aimed at: diverse of them blame Fortune and their pilots, but in truth (as some of them accknowledgd to myself) the blow was from heaven. and to proceed, this confusion taught us who was their General, viz: Count john of Nassau, who would rather venture the Infantaes displeasure, then pay so dear for his entertainment here again, as he had lately done at weasel: Insomuch that he with Prince Brabenson and some other cheifes left the fleet, and here I must remember a compliment was put upon Count john at his departure from Antwerp, and embarquing, after many benedictions from the Infanta, and (questionless) much water sprinkled upon him and his company, to preserve him from the displeasure of Sr Neptune etc. The Lieutenant General of the horse had a cringe with him to this purpose, St (quoth he) the design you are engaged in, is weighty, the cost hath been great for the advancing of it, and it will require a whole man, but I must tell you I conceive not Count john to be That Man, and so they parted. And since we have spoken of Muschle-creeke, I must tell you of a passage that concerns the said General of theirs, where by I may put you in mind how fools oracles may prove wisemen's truths: not long before this attempt Count john sending a Trumpet to our army, wished him if the Prince should ask what became of their shallopes, to answer that they meant shortly to come eat some Muscles: he came to y place indeed, but I suppose he had not time to fill his belly, or if he tasted them I think he hath not yet digested them, that he cannot much rejoice at his banquet. Some other sloopes followed their General to Princeland, and fired them at landing, so that between Willemstadt and Musclecreeke I saw diverse of the hulls of them lying by the shore; the rest quirred their boats with what speed they could, fear giving them wings, and confusion and distraction taking away their wits: the reason they give for making this great haste to the land is, because on these inland waters they could expect no quarter, and every worm will read us a lecture of the sweetness of life, 1400. seeing a horseman upon a dike gave themselves to him: a great conquest for one man! Divers in landing were drowned, many stripped themselves to swim and so came naked to our army, most of their ships by the morning light were found in new Fosse-mere where they lay that day with our ships by them. We shall not need to write what they returned the Priests for their benedictions, but certainly many Tuns of devils, and especially to the Priest who had the chief hand in the plot, and did boast great of carriing ships under water and promising to bring their soldiers into Berghen, which he did truly perform: You must conceive what a sudden change here was, when our men came to take possession of their vessels, & they scrambled away in the mud, which minds me of a merry answer of the Prince to one that told him the Priest would bring their men under the water, he said he then must send to Zealand for some fishermen to prick them up upon their Eel-speares. By 8. in the morning news came to the Prince of their forfaking their boats, whereupon he commanded diverse companies to march towards Steenberghen to enconter them supposing they might make head, but before our men were upon their march, tidings came that most of them had given themselves prisoners; & by 11. of the clock the first sight of them we saw was 4, or 5. Captains with 2▪ Capuchins presented to the Prince, with whom he enterayned near an hours talk, who all blamed Count john for his starting at a pinch: The Capucians were presently begged by the Duke of vensdome, into whose tuition and favour they were soon returned: the next sight that was presented to us was a fat trumpeter of Count john's in a carr there followed him the Captain of the Prince's ship on horseback behind a Gentleman, with the colours of the Admiral of their fleet, being a Burgoignian cross which he presented to the Prince; after him followed in two divifions the prisoners, guarded by a troop of the Duke of Bullen, which were between 2. and 3000. before the last division was a waggon laden with their Officers; and this was observable, that among all these, and 900. more which lay at Steen-bergen there was no English at all, but they were all Dutch, and Walloons; these were sent to such places, as the town of Berghen had to entertain them in, especially an old piece of a Church received most. Thus the saturday was cheerfully spent in viewing these lively tokens of God's favour, on the day following command was given that public thanksgiving should be rendered both in the town and army in which (I bless God) I had a share: and on Munday-night (with 3. volleys after the manner here) it was made known very clearly to Antwerp, and the enemy's army (some of our cannon having very wide mouths) upon the sabbath was brought in Dulken the once Governor of Grol, & a jesuit with him & so daily diverse prisoners who had come on shore on diverse parts. Nor did we at this time think our labour ill bestowed to ride from place to place to look on either their Punts & sloopes, or our men bringing in the spoil, some telling their friends how hardly they had escaped, and showing their chain & gnawn bullets, some with rapiers, some scarves, one with Count john's leading stasse, another with a buffcoate, & most laden with Antwerp's beer: Amongst diverse other things there came to my hand a knife of the keur ling who are some of their company about Bridges, that neither give nor take quarter, upon which was engraven in Dutch Rhythm. Make haste from Bridge's Prince of Aurania: Honour your Mr the king of Hispania: Let our flanders alone, come not here to pillage: For we have for you, nor city, nor village. under which was pictured the town of Bridges, & the Prince running from it on horseback,- Surely as the deliverance was great, so the purchase especially of ammunition was not a little, as we shall show by the particulars following: And now me thinks by this time I saw the mother of Sisera looking out of a window, & crying through the lattesse, why stay his chariot-wheels so long? judge 5. 28. etc. surely she is much deceived if she think they are dividing the spoil: Thus the Lord overthrew Pharow & his host in the red sea, for his mercy endureth for ever. The week following the Prince commanded most of the prisoners to be set upon ships without fail or rudder, by the head at Berghen, till order should be taken for ransom: the poor women at Antwerp who had their husbands in the Service, with their heavy complaints at Bergen gates made us know how welcome those tidings were at Antwerp: the last week the Drossart of Breda treated for their delivery, and so they are departing home, you may judge with what joy they shall be entertained; and presently upon the miscarriage of the enterprise their army marcheth both from Princeland, and Rosendale, whereof 32. companies of foot are gone for Breda, and 10. of horse. Upon Thursday we had general thanksgiving in our churches & expressing our joy by fires, guns etc. The sum of the officers taken by us. Colonels, Lieuten: Col: Sargeant Majors, & men of great note.— 19 Captains.— 26. Lieutenants.— 10. Ensigns.— 28. Sergeants.— 23. Officers about the Canon.— 6. Some other officers, & Church men.— 11. Land soldiers.— 3151. Sea men. Captains.— 12. Lieutenants.— 15. Quarter Masters.— 7. Shippers.— 1. Sailors.— 820. Coming out of Antwerp in all they were mustered above.— 6000. The number of the shipping come to our hands. Shalloopes whose provision generally was 6. brass Pieces, 8. Murderers, 4. Dunder busses, besides Leather Pieces.— 36. Punts with one half Canon and two three quarter Canon.— 10. Pleyts whose lading was Lopestaves, Nails, Ice-spurs. 10 Horses, Hardles, Beesbridges etc.— ❧— ❧— 9 Other Ammunition ships whose lading was Powder, Beer, Deals— 7. That which I offer by way of observation cannot be much: Time will not afford it: Yet these things briefly take notice of. 1 That Revenge is no Sluggard, Malice is unwearyed: For we understand this work & practice have been under hand these 6 years. 2. Revolters from Religion prove her sharpest enemies: witness (besides julian) Count john, who will be the Ringleader in any design that may make nothing of what he formerly professed. 3 To expect better than Stratagems tending to ruin from a popish enemy, doth argue either ignorance of their courses, or groundless Confidence, 4 Security (having lost the use of reason) will deny the Conclusion, rather than believe the danger. As we saw when our people could hardly believe the enemy to be the enemy, though he lay before the Ports. 5. High men are Vanity, & Low men are a Lie: which was plain when we saw neither the great Commander, nor the common soldier could help us, the enemy outbraving us the whole day. 6. The Creature cannot be sufficient for our succour, for he is not always a present help in trouble: we could neither command wind nor tide, where as either of them might have done us much good. 7. The Lord often lays the rain on the neck of his enemies, they go long uncontrolled: these went all day in the face of our Army untouched. 8. Sudden Prosperity is no sign of lasting Happiness: These Spiders had no sooner framed their web, but it was swept down. 9 The Lord brings his greatest works about by Accident, the tide not serung, which we longed for, our ships could not come up with them by day, & so escaped a scouring. Their Admiral putting out a light when he was on ground, brought the rest into the same net: they seeking a nearer way by the Fosse-mere, lost their way. with many such like. 10. A poor creature is many times made the Lords great host, as Pharaohs Lice against him, and a hand full of mist thrown amongst these. 11. Fear unfits a man to know what he should do, & disinables him to do what he knows▪ otherwise they might have made head upon the water or the shore, & gotten good quarter, for aught we perceive. 12. Cruel men have often their punishments given them out in proportion they devising new boats, they shall perish in their boats, they will bring halter's for others which may serve themselves, the gallows set up for Mordecay serves Haman. 13. The Lord answers his servants some times in the very thing they ask, in our fast before the Prince went into the field we made use of that text & that petition of David's Psal: 83. 15. So persecute them with they tempest & make them afraid with thy storm: & behold we have our answer. 14. Outward strength & humane policies are no sufficient Bul warks against Battryes from heaven: it was easily seen here was no want of skill in this design the preparations were not ordinary, but what are Tifney-walls to a Canon-shot? or their plots to God's mist? 15. Fear is an ill guide though a quick post, many hundreds of them leaving their own strength & betaking themselves to the mercy of an enemy. 16. God like an Indulgent Father strives to reform by showing a rod: David had the same measure when he Confesseth, Lord thou hast shown me affliction. we saw what might have been our portion; we felt not what the enemy intended, & we deserved. 17. Divine Providence (which fools call Foutune) will serve itself upon Let us sleep & the enemy wake, let them attempt, & let us study to prevent, let them be strong & many, we weak & few, let them go on, & we look on, let them divide the spoil to every one a damosel, an office before they come where they are; yet Providence will serve itself upon all this. 18. It is remarkable that the Lord doth sadly make the servants of Idols to know that their Masters or Gods are nothing. In this attempt they will set forth upon Saint Crosses day (it being by their Almanac the elevation of the holy Cross) their General of all their Army being called by that name, and Count john the Leader of the Naval troops being free of that Company, Such Crosses let the enemies of God ever carry with them. he had one he wore on his breast before, he hath now another for his back: I wish i may do him good at his hart, 19, The Lord doth not bind himself to any particular means that we many times use & to often trust unto, either for our deliverance, or the confusion of our enemies: we judged of one mean, he used another in this great work, as was plain to be seen. 20. It is admirable to see what a man or people may receive in point of Honour & do like wise in matter of Action, if the Lord go out with them; as this is notable, this Prince of Orange never yet (since he had the command) went out, but he returued triumphing. the Lord ever make him triumphing & victorious in his cause. The Uses we may make in a word are these 1. Let us ever hereafter learn to know the creature by their own names, & not to call a horse or a man a God, or a water or fort a Saviour: we may take up the words of the repenting church Hos 14. The more fatherless the more merry, or the less we Idolise upon ourselves the greater succour we may look for from heaven. 2. Since the Lord can rule & guide, dispatch & overcome works of this nature so well; since he hath thus graciously appeared in 31. as formerly in 88 let both England & Holland be willing to give him the helm into his own hands for ever. I wish his quarrel against us all be not that we have used him too much like a Comon-man. we see (though we had never received his word) that his place is at the stern, let not Religion lackquey to Policy: Kiss the son lest he be angry. Psal 2. 3. Give him (who hath done all, & deserveth all) all the glory: joseph may have any thing in Potiphars' house but his wife, & in Pharaohs but his throne: as tender is the Lord of his honour & glory as they of either. Shall we even grieve his good spirit more. shall we ever slight his sabbaths? can it be? 4. See that prosperity slay not our foolish hearts: the skill will be how to improve the mercy. Sisera is then undone when he his careless in jaels' tent, who was a Neutral: & such is outward prosperity, good & bad may share in it, the wisdom is how to use it; he need walk warily that goes on a glassy sea with iron shoes. But the wind is fair, the seamen call, the Dutch printer is weary he craves pardon for his faults, I must end before I am half way the main. This at least may save the writing many letters: You may trust the Intelligence for the Truth: & to the God of Truth I commend You. In whom I am your lo. kinsman. H. P.