ALthoughe all thynges (welbelo­ued and christian Rea­der) whiche by the grace of God, are come to passe w ^tin the renow­med Citie of Harlam in Holand, are worthye, not by peeces, but from the beginning vnto the end to bee rehearsed, and set before the eyes of all men: that the won­derful and worthy works of God therby may bee knowen, and his name for euer magnified & prai­sed. Notwithstandynge, (I thought it good) before the whole Discourse and rehearsall of all [Page] these thyngs (peraduenture) shal bee geuen vnto all Nations and people to bee red, heere shortly to noate (& that with trueth,) vnto all such as are louers of the same, a notable worke of God, and such a deede of the moste highest, that euen with out eyes, we maye see and perceiue that which he wor­thely hath brought to passe, the .xxv. Daye of Marche. 1573. by them of the same Citie.

For, when as that worthy and before named Cytie, had now ben besieged of the Spanish and Al­banisshe power more then three Monethes, and in great distresse: howbeit, the ennemyes hauynge their head twise mightely brused and their worthyest and stoutest oulde Souldyers, yea & manlyest Captaynes we are loste: so that their weakenesse and feare suf­fred [Page] them not any more to geue any assault: Besides that, shame and neede forced them styll to a­byde: For shame, they durste not go away, because that thus long they had alwayes prospered very well: and beynge nowe come to this Cytie, whiche was the sim­plest and weakest in all Holland, and at the firste, worste of all pro­uyded: eyther of Armour, Soul­dyers, or Vittayle, amongste the rest, that was to be founde: And therfore, not able (as it weare) to to doo any thyng. And for that cause, (as they supposed) should it be counted vnto them, an euer lastynge ignomynie and shame, with a perpetuall Dishonour.

And for neede, they durste not departe, (for feare) leaste by the waye, they should be mette with at home, meanynge therfore w ^t a [Page] contynual Siege, and priuie pra­ctises and treason: lyke as before they had recouered other Cyties again, ment in lyke case to catch this within their Clawes also. But at the last, when they of the Cyttie began to be greened ther­with, and were certain, that God dyd manifestly vnderstande their cause, and that he was the onely Defender of the same, (as hee is in deede, to all innocentes which wholly put their truste in him:) thei haue often and diuers times gone about with sūdrie assaultes and Skyrmyssbes, for to trappe (not onely theirs but also Gods Enemies,) in the same pittes, which for their Destructiō, theyr Enemies, had redye dygged and prouyded. And although, that they neuer haue attempted any thynge, but that they haue ther­by gotten both Honour & prayse: [Page] yet neuerthelesse, when God at their great pryde & intollerable Cirrannie and crueltie: and to be shorte, at all the wronges whiche thei had vsed day by day, begā at length to begreued, with the vn­godly behauiour of these Blood-hounds so that their Houreglasse at last is runne out and ended:

For then, the good and mercy­full Lorde hath delyuered them into the handes of his people, to be taken in y ^e same snares which they had prepared for the other.

For, they of the Cyttie aboute ten of the Clocke before Noone, with a smal company were gone out of the Cytie to skirmish with the .xvi. Ensignes of Dutchmen, and the .xv. Ensigns of Wallons, whiche did lye before in the wood at the South ende of the Cytie, from the whiche place, they had purposed from that tyme foorth [Page] to batter the Cyttie with shotte.

And thus, they beynge with­oute in the forenoone, brought speciallie nothynge to passe: but marchynge vp and downe a cer­tayne space, and when they saw their tyme to retyre, entred into the Cyttie agayne.

When the Ennemie sawe this, and supposynge it too bee good, and all daunger to bee paste, and all thynges ended for that daye: (after a whyle) gaue hym selfe to reste, and sette his heart on softe grounde. Then (in the meane tyme,) our men makynge them selues cheereful and couragious, and hauynge respecte vnto their tyme and purpose, (and chieflye) vnto their iust quarrell: So that of Wallones, Dutchmen, French men, & Englishmen: about .ix. or a x. hundreth men, aboute two of the Clocke in the afternoone, [Page] yssued oute of the Cyttie agayne, and without any stoppe or feare, and without any noyse makyng, ranne strayght vnto their Tren­ches. The Enemie, seynge that he was taken vnawares, and his Enemies vnlookte for, sodaynly fallen vppon hym, at the first de­fended hymselfe very lytle: And at laste seynge hym selfe inclosed and ouerrunne, by and by sought meanes, whiche waye best for to escape. Our men (to the con­trarye,) with burnynge and vn­speakeable boldenesse, fell vppon them, and so raysed them oute of their Nestes and chased them, that they ranne thorowe and thorowe the wood, hither and thyther: that of all the Dutch­men, whiche (in deede) best kept their standynge, but sewe esca­ped: And of the Wallones which first tooke the flight, there are [Page] some runne awaye, some: slayne with shotte, and some drowned: being al bereft of their Weapon: and as the moste parte say, about two thousand men were slayne. And it is sayd also, of one Mon­seur de Luckes, Generall of the Wallons, with other Captaynes should there be slaine also at that present. This beyng done, they haue ouertourned their Tentes and Trenches, and set them on fyre, pursuynge them to the laste man: And then returnyng with great Tryumph & Ioye, brought with them into the Cyttie, fyue Brasen Peeces, with other Mu­nytion: as Headpeeces, Harnesse, Pikes, Dagges, Swordes and Rapiers, with vittayle and Mo­ney, which was sent frō DALBA, to pay them: and also great store and much abūdance of Apparell. [Page] For at their retyryng to the Citie was heard .viii. of their Drōmes herefully soundyng, with tenne [...]nsignes displaying, bryngyng [...]ith them great spoyles of Mo­ [...]ey, Iewelles and Armour, and [...]ll kynde of thynges, wherwith [...]uery one being loden: with great Ioye, came all clustryng into the Cittie. When the Cytizyns, with all them y ^t feared the Lord, sawe [...]ow that they had obtayned the [...]ictorie, and had put their Foes [...] flight, with one consent gaue [...]artie thankes and praises vnto God, that so mercifullye of his goodnesse, had brought the same [...]o passe. This also, hath mo­ [...]d me and reioysed my hart and [...]aynde that I (euen of gladnesse) [...]oulde not leaue, but participate this vnto the gentle Reader and [...]o make manyfest and set before the eyes of all such as from their hartes doe hate the intollerable [Page] yoke of bondage and Spanysh t [...] rannie: and with body and goods seeke to withstande them. The Lorde open the eyes of them that are yet remaynīg, that they may acknowledge their vniuste dealyngs and return from their eui [...] and turne vnto the lyuyng God, against whom (euen as Giants) they haue waged Battel: tha [...] they with vs and all faithful [...] People maye liue in peace and vnitie from this time forthe for euermore: the whiche God, de­fende vs, and all sorowfull an [...] sighinge harts. Amen.

¶ Writen in haste to all the faithful [...] through loue. From Delft the 27 day of Marche. 1573.