MIDDLEBOROVV.
A briefe Rehersall of the accorde and agreement, that the Captaynes, Burgises, and Armie of MIDDLEBOROVV and ARMEVV: haue made, in yelding thēselues to the right high and excellent Prince, the Lorde William Prince of Orrange, Countie of Nassau. &c.
¶With a lamentable Discourse of the calamities, great hungre & extreame miseries, that they sustayned, before they yelded vp the said Townes.
* Translated out of the ducthe Coppy, printed at Dordrecht.
ANNO 1574.
¶Imprinted at London, by Richarde Ihones.
The Coppy of the agreement and accord, betweene the Prince of Orange, & them of Middelborrow and Armew as foloweth &c.
FOr as much as Sir Christopher Montdragon Knight, Lorde of Rembicourt, Captayne generall of the Wallowne Souldiers; being instante in the townes of Myddelborrow & Armew: vpon request made vnto him by the Captayne of Strenchamps, commyng agayne out of Prison) by his Letters dated the xvi. day of the same present Mourne, vnto the right highe & excellent Prince, y e Lorde William prince of Orrange county of Nassau &c. Beseeching his Maiestie to send his Cōmissioners vnto the Castell of Rammekens (named Seborrow) to parle with thē, concerning the yeeldynge vp of the afore named Townes and Cities.
¶ To the whiche requeste his Maiestye willingly graunted: and sent his Commissioners to propose certayne Articles and Conditions to the Commissioners of the Lorde Mondragon, by the which meanes, their aforsayd offer to yeeld vp the Townes might be accepted. In consideration whereof, the Commissioners mett together at the tyme appoynted, where betweene them the Conditions and Articles aforesayd were fully concluded and agréeed vpon on both sides, in maner and fourme followyng. &c.
[Page] FIrst, the Lord of Montdragon, shal yelde and geue ouer the townes of Middelborrow and Armew, without spoylynge of any Forte or demynishinge any strengthe thereof presently. And also al the Ordinance and munition of Warres, with all such Ships, Goodes and Marchandies as are therin. Yea, and he with al his Soldiers (such as wyl not sweare vnto his excellency) shal immediatly avoyd out of the Iland of Walcheren, takeyng with them their wepons and Ensignes, with bagge & bagadge to them be longing, simply and faithfully: not medlyng with any other Goods or parcelles, what soeuer to them not belongynge. And who that shall transgresse the saide Ordynaunce, carrynge away more then his owne, shall stande to the punishment of the saide Prince.
¶ Moreouer, if that the Lorde Montdragon do not deliuer in safetie, within the space of two Monethes into Hollande or Sealande, or some other place, vnder y e iurisdic [...]ion of y e said Prince, these persons hereafter named: That is to say: Phillip of Mariner Esquier, the Lord of Mownte S. Aidegonde, the Captaine Iacob Simoissen, a Captaine that was taken in the HAGHE whose surname is Citadelle, the Liutenant of the Captain, William of Angeren, and one more, whose surname is Pe in: then shall remaine in prison, three Captaynes, three Liutennauntes, three Ensigne bearers, three Seriants of the Band: & three [Page] Corporals, accordyng to the law of Armes vntyll such time as the Persons aforesayde be delyuered.
¶ Likewise it shall be lawfull to departe oute of the sayde Towne, all Victellers, Gonners, Commissioners, Shippers: Ian Coppes, Iaques Pardeuille, w t their Seruants, writings, Letters Bagge and bagage, what so euer it bee, as also the Priestes and Monks, and men of Religion, onely with their habites (yf they wyll.)
¶And his Maiestie shall set such good order in the premisses, that all those which departe oute of the Iland with their goodes, as is before expressed, shal be shipped ouer into the Coasts of Flaunders in good safetye, promisinge the subscribed Commissioners and Deputyes, by their faith and hon [...] to stablish and perfourme in ful and ample maner, this aforesayde agréement of the Prince of Orange, and the Lord Montdragon, respectiuely: & for y e more assurance wherof, Pledges on both sides shalbe deliuered.
¶ These foresayd Articles being agréed and concluded in the Fortresse of Rammekens, the xix. day of February. ANNO 1574.
Beneath were written the one after y e other: Duttem, Gillis de villain, Anthoni de Gerardt, Francoys de Bouchant, Iunius de longe, Arendt van Dorpe, Charles de Boisot. And a litle lower was written, We VVilliam of Nassou, on y e one side: & I Christopher [Page] Montdragon Knight, Lorde of Rembycourte, of Lus, Gussanuille on the other side: haue seene and perused the aforenamed agreement and accorde: which with our wyls and ful consent is concluded. For y e confirmation wherof we haue promised, & by these presents doo promise by our princely wordes and Honors, to performe and accomplish, and cause to be perfourmed and accomplyshed, the whole consents of the same in al poynts and Articles, without gaynsaying, or suffer to be gaynsayde, them, or any parte of them.
- Guillam de Nassou.
- Christopher de Montdragon.
The coppy of the Proclamation, set foorth by the Prince of Orrange.
WE William, by the grace of God, Prince of Orrang, County of Nassou &c. Gouernour of Holland, Seelād Freeslād, & Vtreght: vnderstandynge that the Burgemasters of the Towne of Middelborrow, [Page] haue simply declared & moste humbly haue caused to be shewed vnto vs, in the name of them selues, their Cittezins, & the Coronel Montdragon: their extreame muertes, hunger and calamities: haue therfore of meere compassion, earnestly mouinge vs to embrace Christian mercy, aboue rigor and crueltye, thought it good to declare vnto them by these presents these Articles followyng.
¶ First, the aforesayd Cittezns, such as wyl sweare to vs on the behalfe of the Kings Maiestie, shalbe vnder our obeysāce in his Maiesties behalfe as other Cities and Townes: and therby saue and retayne their bodies & goods without reproche, or rehearsall of any matters that ar past. For the assurance wherof, we shal cause a certaine nomber of our Burgises of y e townes of Sieri [...]zee Vlissyng: and Camphere to be placed in the same to keepe out our Souldiers & Mariners. Intendyng also by all meanes possible to suppresse & quench the hatred of other townes conceiued against them.
¶ And who so euer is not disposed to be sworne as afore is sayde, we wyll chuse of them ten men, which we shal keepe in the ile of Walcheren, to the end they shall cause to be delyuered (by what means so euer it be) the Burgemaster with other Cittezins of Harlam in lyke nomber.
¶The other good Cittizins that are there present, [Page] or heareafter shall come, shall hencefoorth occupy their trade of Marchandies: and vse and enioy their rightes & Priuelidges within theyr limmits, as they haue bin accustomed in times past, we (only) retayning to our selues the power to make prouision for them of Camphere, Vlissynge, and Armew, with other such lyke places, for al such necessaryes as we shal se good and expedient.
¶ Wee doo you to vnderstande also, that notwithstandyng the proposition of thrée hundreth thousand Gildens, being demaunded of vs: the Cittizens shall pay by generall consent, such a reasonable some of Mony to the mayntinance of the Army, and helpyng to driue away the Enemy of our natiue Land, and Country, according as we shall finde it meete to cease them after their abillytie, not comprehendinge heerein the Vplandysh men which haue sustayned and followed our aduersaryes, concerninge whom wee wyll heere after consider off, and set order for them.
¶ More ouer the Cittizens shalbe bownde to take dillygent heede that none of the Marchandize, or spirituall Goodes, or any other thinge be conuayed priuely, digged, or caryed away: but shall foorthwith, pres nt al such goods & Iuelles as they shal know to be buried, conuated away or geuen to any Body to keepe, or otherwise belōgyng to spyritual, or other persons, that keep [Page] themselues without the Ilande of Walcheren: and that vpon paine of bodily punishment.
¶ Further, concernynge the request of the Burgemasters aforesaid: (namely) that the Citizins, that ar fled before this time, might now come again to their goodes and possessions: wée shall hereafter consider therof, and dispose the same, as shalbe méete and conuenient in that behalfe.
And also, touching the foresaid request of the Burgemaisters, and Cōmissioners of Middleborrow: concerning priestes, spiritual persons, deuine seruice, Churchegoods: and debtes, made by occassion of this warre: with other poinctes giuen vp by them in writyng: the Priestes and spirituall persones, shall departe with their habittes vpon them: the rest, we shall dispose at tyme cōuenient, for the moste profit of the Citie and countrey, in such reasonable order, as hereafter shalbe thought méete.
* Geuen, in the Towne of Vlissing, vnder our hande and Seale: the .xix. daye of Februarie. Anno. 1574.
¶Hereafter foloweth a short rehersall of the calamities, great hunger and extreme myseries, that they sustayned in Middleborow and Armew, before they yelded vp the saide Townes.
WHen thei of Middleborow and Armew, saw that there was no more ayde: and that all their prouision, (aswell fuell, as meat and drinke) was cōsumed: And that their hunger- (whiche is a sharpe Sworde) encreased more & more: they imagyned, how to saue their wiues & children: which they could not do, because thei had admitted mo Souldiers, then they were able to gouerne.
Moreouer, (that is to be lamented) the Coronel & his Souldiers, by great violence, haue taken out of the poore Citezins Houses, all kind of vittailes wherwith they might haue sustayned the liues of their wyues and children, [Page] beatyng them, & handlyng them moste rigorously: yea, takyng the bread and vittayles, euen oute of the Childrens mouthes: and carried al the prouision of vittaylles, into their Campes and Trenches: not regarding the pittyful lamentations and complaints of the Cittezins. By these meanes, were the Citezins constrayned (with their wiues and children,) to suffer a moste miserable hungre, the space of seuen weekes longe: so that they were compelled to buy for their meate, Rattes, Cattes, Mice and Dogges: with the flesshe of other Beastes, that are not meete for man to eate, and to pay for the same full dearelye. For a pounde of Horse flesshe, was soulde for .xii.d. a quarter of a Dog, was soulde for two shyllynges .iiii. d. a Rat .viii. d. and a Mowce .ii. d.
When this kinde of sustenance was consumed and eaten: and that there was no more bread lefte: there weare [Page] fownde within the Townes certayne Garners, wherin was Hempseed, and Lynseede, wherof the Citizins made them dread: And for asmuche, as they coulde not eate it after it was bakte: they did knead it agayne with water, and bakte it (as Wafers) in an Iron.
But (alas,) by meanes therof, the Citizins be so rotted and spoiled in their gutts, that it is greatly to be doubted of their lyues and healthes.
And when I call to minde, how that (aswell) the Elders, as others, must shut vp their children frō their neighbours and fellow Citezins, I can not refraine me from weeping: As for Example: a woman of good credit, comming from Midleborrow, did most pitifullye complayne, that she was constrained to shutte vp her children three weekes long, least they were taken frō her to be killed and eaten. But all this whyle, the Coronel and his Souldiers liued of the breade and vittaylle [Page] that they had taken so longe ago, tyll they weare come to halfe a pounde of bread a day: after that to a quarter of a li. and at the laste, to halfe a quarter of a pownd. And finally, the Soldiers (for all their daintinesse,) haue beene constrayned to eate with the Citizins the oyllie Cakes. And the fat bellyed and wel fed Mōkes in the rich Abbey, died for hunger. Wherby may be considered, what great myserie and hungre, the cōmon Cittezins, with their wiues and children, moste lamētably haue sustained.
❧ To the Reader.
WE mean not here (good reader) to hide from thée: how fayre and fertill this coūtrey of Walcheren is: how profitable to all Coūtreies neare by, that without it, neither Holland, Sealand, Brabande, and Flaunders: yea, the whole Nauigation [Page] in no wise (can be maintayned.
And for asmuche: as, the poore chased Christians, haue now (the space of seuen yeares) ben driuen, from one Countrey to an other, & haue ben greatly tormented vnder the Crosse: not knowynge wheare they might haue a restynge place. Our God therfore, of his mercifull goodnesse, (as it is euident to euery mans sight) hath ordayned this lande of Walcheren, as a sure lodgyng and refuge, wherin the may maintayne themselues in the time of this Pilgremage. And thus, beséechyng your goodnesses, that we may all together giue hartie thankes to God: and to attribute this victorie all onely vnto him, not doubtyng, but he will so proséede with the other countreys that are yet vnder the Tirrannie of the ennemie: and so gratiously delyuer them: to the magnifieng of his holy name, and the saluation of their soules. Amen.
☞ THE CONCLVSION.
FOr the accomplisshement of that poinct afore rehearsed, makynge mencion of the Lorde St. Aldegonde and the other prisoners. The Coronell Montdragon, hath geuen his Letters of Obligation, that he shall delyuer [Page] them, and set them at libertie, within two Monethes, eyther in Hollande, Sealande, or any other place, that is vnder his Maiesties iurisdiction.
For defaute wherof, on his behalfe: the saide Coronell, shall yelde himselfe personally, within the foresaid space, into the handes of his excellent Maiestie.
ix. APRILIS.