THE Overthrow of the most part of the Prince of Parma his forces, both horse and foot.  
Performed on the twelfth and fifteenth of july last, by the Grave Maurice his Excellency, General of the Armies in the Low Countries.  
With the breaking of the huge bridge leading to the Value, near Arnham.  
Seen and allowed.  
Printed by T.S. and are to be sold over against the South door of Paul's.  
1591.   

A Letter written in Arnham by a Gentleman of account on the sixteenth of july, concerning the great overthrow which the Prince of Parma lately sustained.  
THe honourable services, assaults and battles, lately made by his excellency upon sundry Towns in the Low Countries, together with the good success which he hath had therein, hath of late given a great fear & terror to all the Towns near thereabout, who although some of them do still stubbornly resist & withstand his forces, hazarding their lives in the defence of the most capital enemy unto all true professors of Christian religion: yet the unexpected victories which it hath pleased God to give him of late, hath so daunted the most part of those, who-doe still wilfully resist him, as they did his excellency's Father, namely, the wise and valiant Prince of Orange, that the chiefest of them know not well what to do, nor which way to turn them.  
Wonderful hath been his success since he took the cause of his country in hand, yea he hath daunted the enemy more within the space of one year, than was done by any other in seven years before. How many Towns hath he lately obtained, wherein the enemy hath not made trial of his valour Nay, what Town or City in all the Low Countries that doth forcibly resist the states, which with an undaunted courage he doth not attempt to conquer? Surely there is none that he can easily come at, but he seeketh means to compass and countermand the same, either by the Cannon or Cutlasse.  
For proof whereof look into his politic attempt lately made at Bredau, a thing most worthy of memory, where under the colour of bringing in Turfs to serve the Town with some kind of fuel (whereof then they were in great want) he brought into the harbour hoys laden with Turfs on the top, and armed men underneath, who in the dead time of the night, came forth and surprised the Town.  
Call to mind his forwardness at Grave sconce Zurphen, Deventer, Delftes I'll, and sundry other Towns, whole honourable service, prows, and valour performed at the same, maketh truth to spread forth his rare renown into all Christian nations, in so much as every one saith, his deeds deserve to be chronicled, and his invincible courage to be registered in letters of gold.  
The Lord of hosts hath assisted him, yea hath preserved him, as the apple of his eye, even as he did defend David from the hands of the mighty Captain of the Philistines: And although his excellency's power at the first was but very weak, and then the enemy's army very strong, yet hath almighty God now greatly increased his power, and in most wonderful sort pulled down and weakened the forces of the said Capital enemy, yea, and that in such sort, as the same may seem most wonderful and strange to those that enter into the due consideration thereof.  
This Capital enemy of whom I make recital, is the Prince of Parma, who, although he were (not long since) sortie thousand strong, he is now greatly weakened, and his forces not above eight thousand sighting men in the field. The reason is, because some of his chiefest Towns are revolted, and his greatest strength of horses and horsemen lately by God's providence scattered, slain, and taken prisoners, besides sundry of his footmen maimed, discomfited, & put to the sword, as appeareth by this history particularly ensuing.  
The Prince of Parma for truth, lying at Huffen, a Townescituate between Nimweghen and Arnham, after that he perceived his strength was impaired, by reason of the Towns of Deventer and Zutphen, which have lately yielded by constraint, mustered up his men, having in all about ten thobsand soldiers, namely, two thousand horse, and eight thousand foot, of which power, the greater part came and lay before Knotsenburgh sconce, a fort builded very strong, and holden by the Grave Maurice his excellency. This his army hath made two several assaults upon the said fort or sconce, nevertheless he hath been repulsed to his great hindrance & loss, for in the first assault the said Prince of Parma hath lost about six hundred men, & twenty several Captains, the principal whereof was the County Octavio de Manfuelt, with Lamberlot his Lieutenant, and an Italian Prince. Besides those aforesaid which were slain, there was also about the number of four hundred more, who being sore hurt, wcre carried into Nimweghen. This was upon Monday being the 12 day of july last passed after our English computation: in which fight they seemed on both sides very hardy and courageous.  
And whereas the Prince of Parma had compacted a great and mighty bridge made of Lighters, sir poles, and great planks, which reached over the River of Rhine, into an Island called Value, the same beeiug chained together, was of such breadth and strength, that the Princcs armies, and troops of armed men did easily march and pass over it, when & so often as they pleased. The like bridge he had also made from the wall by Nimweghen, over to the other wall or land side, leading toward Arnham, both which bridges are fortified with sconces at the end, so that there was no easy way to come unto them: between which lieth that Town of Hussen, where the Prince of Parma remained, thinking himself there in greatest safety. But the Grave Maurice perceiving that the bridge leading into the Value was a great hindrance to his purpose, for passing up the river before Nimweghen, polititikely and secretly set forth a great many vessels together called Drummedaries, which being well manned, came early in the morning forcibly with Sea and Tide, and beat upon the bridge with great labour, for the space of four hours together, in which time they had broken, cut, and sawed the same in sunder: this done, the force of the sea tore the rest of the bridge in pieces: by means whereof the Grave Maurice hath now free passage with his forces to pass up to Nimweghen by the river, so that the Prince of Parma finding his hold weakened, was constrained to fly to Nimweghen, where since his coming he hath taken from them all their armour, and weapons of defence and delivered the same into the custody of his own soldiers, who are joined in equality with the principal surveyors and governors of that City. The Prince's army and the Grave Maurices, do now lie within three English miles one of an other, and it is supposed that their armies have met and fought together before this time, whereof you shall have certain intelligence by the next Post.  
After that his excellency had received this good success over his enemies, he with his forces gave thanks unto Almighty God, which done, they refreshed themselves, and rested without doing any thing until the Thursday morning following.  
Upon which day, his excellencies forces having intelligence by some scouts appertaining to their army, that the Prince of Parma's ten Coronets of horsemen were at hand, yet secretly ambushed, until some troops of footmen should have come up to them, prepared themselves to fight, setting themselves in battle ray, and so marched forwards.  
The Prince of Parma, by reason he saw the Grave Maurice his company grow & increase still in greater multitude, was resolved to bid his excellency battle, thinking that if he should not do it, his power would in short space grow mightier than his, yet not meaning to advertise him thereof, but what he did should be on the sudden, to the end he might take the greater advantage of his excellency, and to that end he prepared these Cornets of horsemen, who being placed in an ambush, was commanded to keep silence, and not beseen until the footmen were come unto them, which were preparing with all speed, at what time these horsemen should suddenly have come upon the forces of the Grave Maurice, and in a moment to have wrought the spoil & overthrow of them all. But of this politic pretence he was merely defeated, for his excellency having perfect knowledge of their strength, and place of abode, did forth with set upon them in most courageous sort, which was at Betue, and there like venturous and most hardy soldiers, within four hours space did obtain a most happy and famous victory over them. Of which ten Coronets of horsemen, seven companies were slain and taken prisoners forthwith.  
The first company of these horsemen so taken & slain, was Don Pedro Francisco de Nicello, Captain of the Guard to the Prince of Parma, he was chief General over all these companies of horsemen, in the absence of the Marquis del Guasto: also his Coronet, and Sir Tarquinio Geapido, being a Gentleman of a great house, was taken.  
In the second company or Coronet of horsemen was Conto de Fio de Mantere, Lieutenant of Captain jeronimo Caraffa.  
In the third company or Cornet, was Captain Paradilla, being grievously hurt with three wounds, whereof he died the next day, yet offered for his ransom before his death, fifteen thousand crowns.  
In the fourth company or Coronet was taken done de Aualos Altiveso, brother to the Marquis del Guasto, who offereth for his ransom thirty thousand ducats: his Coronet was also taken.  
In the fift company was taken Don Antonio le jaio with sundry Gentlemen of account.  
In the sixth company or Coronet was taken Biagio Cappizucca with sundry other Gentlemen.  
In the seventh Coronet was no men of name, they were all common Rutters, yet all taken prisoners.  
Of these aforesaid companies or Coronets of horsemen, there was four hundred and odd horses taken alive, who were all by his excellencies forces conducted and brought into the town of Arnham, on the day aforesaid, who were all taken at Betue.  
Besides the taking of all these Captains, Coronets, and horsemen, the enemies bloody ancient was taken, which remaineth in the said Town of Arnham.  
Grave Maurice his excellency, in all these two assaults, hath not lost above twenty men, being common soldier, and no one man of name or account among them.  
His excellencies forces is at this present fifteen hundred horse, and ten thousand footmen. He lieth in the field ready to give the enemy battle every hour. As for the Prince of Parma he cometh not into the field, but keepeth himself close for fear of danger that might thereby ensue unto his person.  
It was a great encouragement and comfort unto all the common soldiers, to see his excellency continually in the field all the time of the battle, who promised unto them all, that they should not go one foot further than he would hazard his own person.  
Besides those seven Coronets of horsemen before recited, there was four Coronets all Rutters more, which they followed in chase, of whose success I have not as yet received the particulars, but it is likely that they are taken, for that the passages were laid round about.  
Thus I cease to write any more of his excellency till further occasion, whom I beseech God to prosper with all his Army, and to grant him victory, that he may overthrow the enemies of God's truth, and build up the decayed Temple in the land of Israel, which he grant for his mercy sake. Amen.  
FINIS.