TRUE NEWS From one of Sir Frances Vere's Company.  
Concerning Delftes-Isle, and sundry other towns in the Low Countries, yielded to the General since May last.  
Of the great army, now coming out of Germany for the aid of the French King, and their hope for the speedy winning of Antwerp.  
With the bloody persecution and martyrdom which sundry chief persons of account did lately suffer in Spain for the profession of Christ jesus.  
Translated out of Dutch.  
Seen and allowed.  
Imprinted at London for Thomas Nelson, and are to be sold at his shop, over against the great South door of Paul's. 1591.   

The copy of a Letter written by a Gentleman of account, sent to a Lady in England, concerning the present state of the Low Countries.  
RIght Honourable Lady to whom I am in all duty bound: the dispatch of my last letter sent away with such great speed concerning the yielding up of the Sconce and town of Zutphen, made me overslip to acquaint your Ladyship with one piece of service done at that instant by a stranger in our Camp, a thing worthy to be remembered, which was as followeth. After we had obtained the Sconce of Zutphen, we set forward towards the town, against which having placed our ordinance, with full resolution by force to enter it: there issued forth of the said town of Zutphen an Italian having so stern a countenance, and being so mighty a man of person, that he seemed more like a monster than a man: this Italian carrying a countenance as it had been a young Giant, vaunted himself, and made a proud challenge before our General the Grave van Maurice, offering to combat hand to hand with any Gentleman he had in all his army, for the estate of the whole town. But the General made slight account of his challenge, and was very unwilling that any one should fight with him, the rather for that he seemed to be so mighty a man at arms.  
Hereupon a young youth (borne in the Low Countries) stepped before the General being scarce 19 years of age having no hair on his face, and upon his knee besought the General that he might be permitted to Combat and fight with this mighty Champion, whereunto the General would hardly condecend by reason of the youngness of his years, nevertheless at the importunate suit of the young man whose name was Rihoven, the General gave his consent, commanding him to be mounted upon a great horse who being well armed and provided for that purpose, set upon this challenger, they being both singled forth in the plain field, began to assault and run at each other with their Lances, which being broken, Rihoven suddenly began to draw forth his Cutlace wherewith he intending to have smitten the Italian (from whom he also looked to receive the like courtesy) suddenly espied this challenger to have a dag charged which he was discharging at Rihoven, whereupon Riechoven fiercely struck a him and at the first blow cut of his right arm, so that the arm, dag and all fell to the ground. Whereupon Riehoven took him prisoner and brought him before the General, who not only commended him but bountifully rewarded him for his honourable service.  
Thus much I thought good to certify unto your good Ladyship the thing being truth, & beside here withal to signify unto you, our good success and affairs happened since that time. May it therefore please your Ladyship to understand, that so soon as we had obtained Zutphen, we marched with our forces to Deventer, where having planted our ordinance before the weakest part of the town, we played upon it with the Cannon, so that on the first night, our Soldiers were lodged under the walls thereof.  
On the next morning early, the enemy perceiving our great preparation and hot assault, and that we were resolved to enter the town by force, craved a parley being no way able to withstand us, whereupon the Lord of Fama being General of the ordinance with some of the chief commanders of our army, asked them if their demand were in good earnest or not, which they affirmed by a great oath to be done in earnest.  
Whereupon we presently appointed two captains the one called Vandernots, and the other Lennits, these two we appointed to go into the City accompanied with some few soldiers. On the Enemy's side, two of their Captains came into our camp as pledges the one being a Spaniard, the other a Wallonne, with whom when his excellency had conferred, he granted unto them after a ripe deliberation with his council at war, the same conditions that he had granted before unto the town of Zutphen, the copy whereof was as followeth.  

The agreement of his excellency with those of Deventer.  
MAurice Prince of Orange, Earl of Nassawe Catzelenboghen, Vianden, dieth etc. Governor and Captain General of the dukedom of Gelderland and the counties of Holland, Zealand, West-frieseland, Zutphen, Virich and Ouerrisell, Admiral General, etc. Promise by these presents and upon our honour to the governor, Captains, officers and soldiers, as also to the Citizens and inhabitants of the City of Deventer, of what quality or condition soever, that they may with their wives, Children, movables, furniture, and withal other appurtenances, freely depart out of the said city either to Nimweghen, or any other place wheresoever it shall please them.  
And if it happen that some of the said Captains, Officers, and soldiers spiritual or temporal or any of the citizens be not able to dispatch their affairs so soon, we then grant unto them moreover the space of three days free, wherein to dispatch all their business: and that it shall be lawful for them to departed when so ever they please. And those that shall be willing to remain where they are, whether they are spiritual or temporal shall be used as the other inhabitants of the united provinces.  
And to the end that they may be the more assured hereof, we grant unto them a certain Convoy and six horses, upon condition notwithstanding: that their Lieutenant Colonel shall promise and bind himself to see them safely delivered again in Deventer, so soon as they shall be arrived at the place appointed.  
These conditions being ratified and confirmed, under the hand and seal of his excellency, on the tenth day of june, the said town was immediately yielded up unto the said Lord General to the use of the States.  
After we had thus obtained the town of Deventer, we gave some small assault against the town of Nimmingham where we made no tarriance. Then we passed toward Grunningen, and in our way we assaulted a town of great strength called Delits Isle: being eight English mile from Giunningen, which town was strongly fortified and entrenched: nevertheless we had not lain before it above two days, but the town was constrained by force to yield unto us, for we entered the Sconce, where we had a fierce battle: but in the end we put many of the Enemies to the sword, without the loss of any store of men.  
THe town of Delftes Isle, (after we had obtained it,) we fortified it and sent our army immediately towards Stenwick, before which town we now wlie, having daily some small skirmishes: In this town it is supposed that the Prince of Parma abideth, whose strongest power at this present is not above three thousand. We received certain news from Cullen that the Lord Uiconte of Turyn, accompanied with some of the nobility of Germany, is coming down into the Low Countries with thirty thousand footmen, and ten thousand horsemen, these purpose to have passage into France for thereleefe & aid of the french King, and our general meeteth them the twentieth of this month to welcome them into the country: they are very valiant soldiers and wonderfully well provided both for horse and foot, I trust very shortly to advertise you of some attempt to be performed against Antwerp: which forthwith we mean to put in practice, for having gotten the Castle of Tuernout which we now enjoy, we may plainly come to the walls of the City: We here good news God be thanked out of all parts especially out of Britain, where a Gentleman of Captain Solomon Wolves company writeth that he is in good hope, very shortly to send word of one of the most bravest and commendablest battles that ever was fought this hundredth year, well God and S. George for England, God bless them and our General with S. Francis Vere under whose commandment I still abide, our General deserveth great honour for his skill and curradge, and so doth S. Francis who is in good health, he showeth that he is descended of an honourable house: yea his very name is feared in all the emies forces. The thundering shot of the Cannon calleth me to my place, and therefore am constrained to cut short, leaving your good Ladyship to the consideration of all herein expressed which is no more but what I myself have seen and know for truth.  
The town of Groninghen is somewhat distressed, by reason the passage is hindered through the taking of Delftes Isle.  
The town of Huelft in the land of waist is lately yielded.  
And the greatest part of Artois is now in yielding.    

The bloody persecution and martyrdom which sundry chief persons of account, did lately suffer in Spain, for the profession of Christ jesus.  
THe Inquisitors of Spain having practised a long time to entrap and overthrow all the secret professors of Christ jesus which might be found in that Land, procured their officers and ministers to attach and apprehend such as did any way deal contrary to the laws of their holy house, or vary in religion from the ordinances and detestable decrees of the Church of Rome: For we are to note and may easily conjecture that although the people of Spain, are for the most part given to embrace Idolatry and superstition, yea and to be adversaries and sworn enemies to gods truth and to the favourers thereof: yet may we be assured that among so many, there is doubtless some that are of the contrary opinion, such as not only feareth God, but also are secret embracers of his truth, yea and such as shuneth not to teach and instruct otherssecretly, in the principles of Christian religion. Among whom one Doctor Cacalla a very learned man, who sometime had been chaplain unto the Emperor Charles he fift, being hereof greatly suspected, was suddenly attached and openly accused to be a Lutheran, Heretic, and thereby an utter enemy to the Church of Rome: whereupon he with sundry others his favourers were sent to prison who remained there a long space while in the meantime, the whole house, stock and lineage of Madam de bivero, were all also attached and sent to prison for the said cause, who would not shun in prison openly to say and offer to prove with the loss of their lives, That the religion of Spain was false, abominable, full of superstition and idolatry, and that God blessed England for professing of his truth. The names of which persons, the Pope's ministers there never ceased till they had given over unto the Inquisitors who soon after being openly denounced for Heretics, were brought to Veledolid, the place where for the most part the King of Spain commonly kept his Court, there was the sentences published against those Godly professors, where according to the tenor thereof the prissoners were to be executed for example to others, with many circumstances and ceremonies hereafter ensuing.  
Whereupon as well for the proceeding to judgement, as also for the due execution of their sharp and bitter laws continually put in execution in those causes, there was erected a large Scaffold in the midst of the great market place of the said City of Valedoled, between S. Francis Church and the holy house. Whereupon was placed a chair of six steps high, for every man to behold, right against the face of the town house, under which was seats very broad and so large steps that many people might thereupon sit and be placed.  
At the one side of the scaffold there was made a gallery leading from the town house, aswell to avoid the press of people, as also for the chief states & Princes of the blood, to have free recourse too and fro, in which Gallery was placed a rich seat towards the market place, only appointed for the Princes and kings sister and Regent of Spain, the king's bastard son, and for divers other Princes and courtiers, to here the sentence and to see the law efectually prosecuted.  
The appointed day being come, there was such a multitude of people assembled to here the sentence and so see the execution of the prisoners, (because the prisoners were of great account,) that not only all windows and houses were full of beholders, but also all the market place & streets there about were stored with such great press, that hardly might the train have passage to the place scaffold.  
Whereupon about ten of the clock of the same day, there arrived the prince's Lady jane sister to King Philip, being first Regent of the Kingdom of Spain being accompanied with the kings great steward and sundry other Lords and nobles and attended on with a company of knights, the guard, the Archers, bowmen and Halberdiers, issuing forth of the king's Palace, who marched on horseback directly to the town house, with four Heralds of Arms going before her and the Earl of Beudia carried the naked sword.  
When these Princes and nobles were come to the place and set in degrees one next unto an other, upon the aforesaid scaffold: presently the Archbishop of Civil, the chief judges of the spiritual court, and the counsel of the Inquisitors together with the Bishop of Valencia rid through the town unto a scaffold for them appointed, but the whole train of the rest of the spiritual court and those of the holy house went all upon an other scaffold thorough the gallery.  
The prissoners being in number thirty, were brought forth and led, as it had been in a triumph, one carrying in the middle of them the picture of a deceased gentlewoman: These prisoners did all severally wear the Sambenito as the Spaniards call it, which is a yellow coat made like a fools coat full of red crosses before and behind with ugly faces painted upon the coats, all carrying in their hands waxed lights, or wax candles.  
Now the chiefest malefactors as they termed them, namely those that before were secretly appointed to be burned, had on their heads Mitres or crowns of paper, called in Spanish Crocas, upon the which was also painted devils and ugly faces, before them was carried a cross covered over with black lining, in token of mourning, & after them issued a abundance of people, crying out, and reviling them in most clamorous & foolish manner.  
Immediately after that, the judges and chief Inquisitors were placed upon the Scaffold, the prisoners were placed also in order, being brought in every one led between two false brothers, Officers to the Inquisition, called Familiars, such as to a man's face will speak him fair, and seek to cut his throat behind his back. Now were the prisoners set upon the six steps before the Chair, and as a principal party, Doctor Cacalla aforesaid, was set upon the first step, and so every one in order, according to the quality of his offence. Then was there a Friar of S. Dominicks order called Melchior Canon, this Friar made a sermon to the company and prisoners, which continued the space of an hour, which being ended the L. chief justice, went from his first place to another Chair, purposely made ready for him. The Archbishop of Civil went also from his Scaffold, unto that Scaffold where the Princes sat, and advised them to swear, (having their fingers laid upon a cross, which stood pictured in a Mass-book) namely, that they should upon their honours, support, maintain, favour and defend the holy Inquisition, and thereunto to show daily their good affection towards it, never to hinder their intentions, but to give them full power hereafter, to burn all those, that (departing from the Romish Church) should follow the doctrine of the Lutheran Heretics, without exception of person, of what age, state, quality or calling so ever. Secondly, that they should force and command their subjects, to submit themselves to the Romish Church, and to observe their Laws without force or any violence. The Princes took this oath, and thereupon the Archbishop gave them with his forefingers his benediction or blessing, saying, God send long life to your Highnesses. Which being dove, the several sentences and judgements of the prisoners, were them read before them, and afterward publicly pronounced by the Official, who called unto him Doctor Augustine Cacalla, priest in Valedolid, who being come from his seat, was set upon another by the said Official, to hear the sentence of Condemnation, namely, for that it was known unto them, that the said Cacalla, was the chiefest preacher of that new sect & eronious doctrine, (as they termed it) to those that were of that Conventicle, that therefore he was first to be disgraduated, & after to be burned, and his goods confiscated to the benefit of the justice.  
After his sentence was read & pronounced, Francis de bivero, Priest of Valedolid, and brother to the above named Cacalla, received like judgement, and to the end he should speak nothing against the horrible abuses of the Spanish Inquisition, and their detestable doctrine, as he had before very constantly done, as well without as within the prison, the said Francis bivero (being very well beloved of the Common people) had his mouth gagged, by means whereof he could not speak one word. The next was Mistress Blanch de bivero, called & condemned as her brother was before. The fourth was john de bivero, brother to the rest, and he was condemned to perpetual imprisonment, and there to wear the Sambenito or fools coat as is aforesaid, all the days of his life. The next was Madam Constance de bivero, sister to the aforesaid Gentleman, being the widow of Ferdinando Ortis, dwelling before in Valedolid, she followed the rest in like judgement, and was condemned to be burned. The sixth sentence was denounced against Madam Leonore de bivero, mother to those persons, aforesaid, who being dead and buried long since in Valedolid, yet forasmuch as in her life time she had greatly favoured all true professors of the Gospel of jesus Christ, & had suffered many godly assemblies and Sermons to be made in her house, as appeared by the confessions of sundry, examined to that purpose, her bones were commanded to be digged forth of the grave, and being brought thither in a Coffin, were condemned to be burnt, for that (as they said) they were the relics of a Lutheran Heretic, and that all her goods should be confiscated to the benefit of the Magistrate: and finally, that the house wherein she dwelled in her life time, should be razed down to the ground and left vacant. And that the occasion of racing the said house, might be commonly known to all persons, it was ordained at that present, that a pillar of stone should be erected in the same place, and the occasion thereof to be engraven in the said pillar: which thing was presently put in execution and performed forthwith▪ so that the stone pillar standeth still in memory hereof. The next was, Alphous Peers, Priest of Valentia, he was condemned, first to be disgraduated, and afterward to be burned, and his goods confiscated.  
After these 7. had received their sentence of condemnation, the Bishop of Valencia put on his episcopal ornaments, and clothed Doctor Cacalla, Francis his brother, and Alphonse Pierze, with the vestments appertaining to Priests, each of them holding a chalice in their hands, but he presently unclothed them again. When they were now disgraduated, & that all the holy Oil was clean scraped off from the crowns of their heads & their finger's ends, than was the Sambenitoes, namely the coats of shame and dishonour cast again over their shoulders, and their Mitres of paper in scorning manner set again upon their heads. This done Cacalla, opened his mouth, desiring the Princes and other Nobles there present, to give him audience, but he might not obtain that favour. Nevertheless, he openly protested before the whole assembly, that his faith, for which he was so rigorously handled, was not false, but true, agreeing with the word of God, for the which he was ready to die as a true Christian, and not as a seminary Heretic, as they reputed him to be.  
The eight man condemned, was Don Piero Sarmenta Knight, of the order of Alcantera, son to the marquess of Poza, who after he was declared to be an Heretic, was condemned to were the coat of dishonour all the days of his life, and so to remain prisoner, beside, to be displaced of his estate of knighthood, and forbidden for ever, to wear any gold, silver, pearl or precious stones whatsoever. Next to him his own Lady was declared to be an Heretic, and therefore condemned with her husband, and in the like sort adjudged to sustain imprisonment. Next after them was called Don Lowys de Royas, heir to the marquess De Poza, who being declared an heretic, was condemned to wear the Sambenito perpetually, yet at the importunate suit of his friends and Allies, he wore the coat but from the Scaffold to the townhouse, nevertheless, he had all his goods confiscated, and so was released.  
After him was called the Lady Anne Hentiques, dwelling in Toro, daughter to the marquess Dalcavizes, and mother to the aforesaid marquess De Poza, she also was condemned to were the Sambenito to the townhouse, and had her goods confiscated. Next after was called Christofell del Campo, Citizen of Zamora, he was condemned to be burned, and his goods confiscated. Christophell Padilla received the same sentence. Alphonso de Hueswelo dwelling in Toro and being a bachelor, was declared to be an heretic, wherefore his goods was confiscated and he condemned to be burned. And forasmuch as he did speak his conscience to the Nobility, and offered to speak a few words to the people, he had an iron violently thrust through his lips, only to hinder his speech. Katherine Roma was next called and condemned to be burned, & her goods confiscated. After whom Isabel de strado, and jane Valasques, received the like sentence. There was also a Smith condemned to be burned, for keeping watch for the Congregation while they were at prayer. And a Turk condemned to the fire for revolting to his Turkish opinions, after he had been christened.  
To conclude, the wife of john de Bivera was also condemned to perpetual imprisonment. Leonora de Lisneros, Martin de Saranedra, and Daniel Quadra, were all condemned to perpetual prison in like sort. The Lady Mary de Royas, sister to the marquess of Royas, because she had been in a Monastery, & come of great kindred, she was favoured by wearing the coat from the stage to the townhouse, & awarded to do penance all the days of her life. At the same time there was Anthony Dominick a Skots' man, and Anthony Base an Englishman, both condemned together, the Skots man had three years imprisonment, and in that space to wear the coat of dishonour, but the Englishman was conveyed into a Monastery, to be instructed in the Romish Religion. Then Trumpets sounded, and the Princes with the judges departed, but the prisoners immediately were laid hands on by the executioners who forthwith did set them upon Ass' backs, guarded by many Soldiers, who did beat and misuse them grievously in the way to the place of execution, which was about a quarter of a mile without he said City, where 14. wooden stakes were set up, of equal distance one from another, every one having a seat with three steps, to go up and down to them all, having on the tops of those stakes a piece crossing overthwart, whereunto they bond the arms of the prisoners. Some of them they strangled for courtesy, and burned them afterwards. Making a very soft fire under some of them, especially to those whose mouths were pinned up, who continued in great pain many hours.  
Thus these true Christians suffered death, for professing of the Gospel, betrayed and innocently slain, even as sheep led to the slaughter, yet comforted one another, while the beholders and standers by, marveled greatly at their invincible constancy and steadfastness.  
FINIS.