Exceeding Joyfull Newes from Holland

Exceeding Joyfull Newes
FROM
HOLLAND

BEING
A True Relation of two great Battels
fought betweene the Governour of Flanders
Don Francisco de Melos and the
Hollanders, upon the 20. and 21. dayes
of Aprill, 1642.

WITH
The Names of the places and Sconces
which he assaulted, but was overthrowne by
the Hollanders, and many thousands of his
men slaine.

 

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LONDON,
Printed for Iohn Raymond, 1642.

A
Relation of two daies
fight, upon the 20. and 21. of
Aprill last, between the Governor
of Flanders Don Francisco de Melos
and the Hollanders, 1642.

pon the tenth day of Aprill the Govenrour of Flanders entred the Field with 20000 Souldiers and 5000 horse intending to besiege Iseldike and the two Sconces upon the River and divided his Army into some foure parts, whereof 8000 Foot and 1000 horse he committed to the command of Don Isaacke, Governour of Antwerpe and charged him to plant his Ordnance before the West part of the Towne that thereby if occasion served he might have the suddener helpe from tHe rest of the Army, and foure thousand more before VVats Sconce under the command of Minehære de Boys governour of Castile.

A third part which was foure thousand more before Gravell Sconce, under the command of Minehære de Thairen, a high Dutchman, and the fourth part of his Army, with foure thousand Horse, he reserved for the safeguard of his owne Person, and lying in Trenches a League from the rest of his Army, the Burgers of Husden, with a thousand of Soldiers, came out of the Towne, and in the Night very fiercely compassed his Excellencies Companies, and slew neere 200. of them, and forced the rest to leave their Trenches, and upon their flight retreating backe, the Hollanders pursued them, and Fought two houres where 500. of both sides were slaine, insomuch that his Excellency was constrayned to flye for the safeguard of his owne person.

Vpon which retreate of his Excellencie, the the Governour of Antwerpe withdrew his Forces from Iseldike, and marched towards Gravell Sconce, to assist Minehære de Thairen, and immediately upon his coming towards Gravell Sconce, the Governour of Antwerpe, and Minehære de Thairen, with divers Engines and Fireballs, scaled the Walls of the Sconce, and slew most part therein, but having not men sufficient to manage the said Sconce, and being likewise Battered to the ground, his Excellencie and his Army was constrayned to leave it as a desolate Place, Then his Excellency and the Governovour of Antwerpe marched towards VVats Sconce, not doubting but that they should have the like successe as at Gravell Sconce, but the Hollander had Fortified it too strong with Ordnance, and after one houres Fight, the Sconce forced his Excellency and the Governour of Antwerpe to leave their intended enterprize, and afterwards the whole Body meeting, they marched towards Breda. The Governor of Breda having intelligence of his Excellencies comming towards the Towne, forthwith commanded the Drummes to beate up, thereby proclayming and charging the Burgers and Souldiers that were in the Towne, to be in a readinesse against his Excellencies comming, which was neere upon Five thousand Burgers and Souldiers, besides Five hundred of Horse.

Then his Excellencies Army marching neere Breda was intercepted, and his passage stop't, and almost a whole day kept them in fight with Musketiers, onely at length there was a fresh supply of the Hollanders neere upon ten thousand more which came from the Busse, and they placed themselves in the reare of his Excellencies Army between Macklin and Bridges, and the Breda Burgers and Souldiers in the Front, where on the morning as soone as the day appeared, they had a great skirmish, and tooke divers great Persons prisoners, whereof the Governour of Castile was one, and slew neere upon six thousand of Horse and Foote, and forced the rest to flye, and for their more nimblenesse of body they throwed downe their Armes, and the Hollanders following them so close, that they drived his Excellency and his Army most within shot of Macklin City; In all which fight there was not above sixe or seaven hundred of the Hollanders slaine, besides the spoyle the Governour Antwerpe and Mine hære de Chairen made before the Gravell-Sconce.

The Irish who have beene ever true to the King of Spaine in these parts of Flanders and Ortoy's, have most part of them runne from their Colours, and it is supposed they are fled for Ireland.

There hath beene in these Countries ever since the Earle of Tyrone his flight out of Ireland in Queene Elizabeths time, neere upon ten thousand of Irish Souldiers, and now in all Flanders and Artoy's there cannot be mustered one thousand, which yet hath beene a great weakening to the Country.

It is supposed his Excellencie hath left with the Hollander, for this Sommer, and intendeth to draw most part of his Forces towards Arras,
⁠Cambray,
⁠Doway,
⁠Betoone,
⁠Aires,
⁠St. Thomas Newport,
⁠Castile,
⁠Graveling,
⁠Ostend,
⁠and Dunkirke.

And unto many other petty Dorpes in Ortoys, amongst the Walloones, in all these Towns his Excellency hath displaced his Governors, being great Lords, & Walloones in the Country, and put in their Roomes Spaniards to be Governours thereof, for it is supposed all the Walloons in Ortoys had rather be under the subiection of the French King, then the Spaniard, in regard of the heavie taxes he imposes upon the Country towards the maintenance of his Army.

 

FINIS.