you shal vnderstand by these my letters, what course the Enemie tooke ve­ry lately to assault our Towne of Bergen.

On Monday beeing the ninetene day of September last, about 2. of the clocke in the night, the Enemie came before the Towne, and settled his Forces in a place called Den­beel.

There were of them fiue thousand Foote­men [Page] My Maisters, it had beene better for you to haue gone on pilgrimage, and visited our La­dy, Saint Mary Acuti-collis, for here the Goodman of the house is at home, and here is meate inough for you ready dressed: here is a little sawce for you, but it is very sharpe, yet if you lacke Beere, we haue inough laid in for you against your comming: those knaues those theeues, your leaders and commaunders haue brought you hither to the slaughter (take heed all your throates be not cut, before you depart.) This was the common note and con­tinuall cries that we sent them, which they might heare very easily euery word.

Whiles wee thus laboured to call vnto them, and were busied in discharging our Or­dinace vpon them, the enemy had set a Pe­tarre to the gate which was next to the towne, for with a ladder which was an hundred foote longe, (which they could drawe out in length or shorten, as occasion should require) they had gotten passage ouer the Flood gates, when the fire brake out of the Petarre, it came with such a force, that all the barres flowe out of their holds, the gates were shaken open, and the drawe bridge fell downe, I standing aloft, thought that the whole gate had fallen, there [Page] were such a number of Tyles and stones that flewe in our faces. Then the enemie gaue a horrible showte, to encourage one another that they might haue entred the Towne at one pushe: but wee immediately came downe from the wales with might and maine and forestalled them, making all the prouision we could to hinder their entry; so little did we desire to haue their company.

There is another gate in the Towne, which is not very strong, wherefore to helpe that, we brought and laide to it the greatest peeces of tymber that wee could gette, and trees, and wagons, and whatsoeuer came first to hand, and in the end wee digged vp the stones and pauements in the streete, and heaped them together to hinder their entry.

Our men that tarried yet aboue, hurled downe stones, and cast fire vpon them, and v­sed all the meanes they could deuise for de­fence, as the present occasion and vrgent ne­cessity required.

In the ende, about a quarter of an howre after this, they were so scarr'd and frighted, that for feare they began to retyre; but they that had next place vnto the Gate and came first thither, had much adoe to gette out, for they that came after kept them so faste in that [Page] they could not easily turne backe againe.

In the ende when they saw our resolution, that they were thus manfully resisted by al the meanes that might bee deuised, they were en­forced with their great dammage, and losse of many Souldiers, to shift for their liues, and get away.

In the meane time wee drew vp the Bridge againe, and fortified that Gate by which they intended to haue entred with their Hors­men.

When they sawe this, that they had spent all their time here to so little purpose, they made in all haste toward the water side, vnto the place where they had beene before: so did they also to the Northwarde, and manie went with their Bridges and other prouision to the Southwarde.

But when they sawe such good prouision vpon the sodaine, and so great fortifications, both in the Bulwarke, and in the place which is commonly called De Polder, beyond all mens expectation, they left their bridge behind them, with their Dragges and other warlike prouision, togither with a company of their men slaine, to the number of two and twentie, and so flew away.

[Page] The Petarre which they had fastened vp­on the Gate which is towarde Sattenhimbuse to blowe it open, brake not, but they had laide Bridges there, by which some of them had gotten passage ouer; But in the meane space, we were so sharpe sette, and came vpon them with such violence, that with the losse of ten men onely, wee enforced them to retire, in more haste then they came thither, and then wee heard it strike foure of the clocke, but before the hindmost of them were gone, it was almost fiue of the clocke, such was their amazement, and so little minde they had to tarrie one for another.

Thinke with your selfe nowe good Sir, howe wee were toiled and wearied from two of the clocke till this time, I my selfe was so moiled and wette, as if I had beene but newely drawne out of the Riuer.

But God bee blessed, who alwaies de­fendeth his people, and hath thus pre­serued vs from the handes of such blou­die and mercilesse people, and gaue such boldnesse and courage vnto our whole Companie, as I would neuer haue be­leeued it, if that I had not seene it: [Page] For both the Citizens and the Souldiers were so valiant in fight & so resolute to die, if neede had beene, as it was verie strange to behold.

In this exploit the women also plaied their parts, (for the custome of that sexe) for they brought vs great abundance of strawe, which we presently set on fire, and caste downe ouer the wales, whereby we were the better able in the darkenes of the night to discerne the ene­mie at the wales and about the gate.

Wee were much holpen also by the Cal­troppes & pitchbals, which we cast abroad & scattered here and there. And this also was a worthy sight, to behold how the women and the children little and great, young and olde, one with another, came to the Wales, where the greatest trouble was, and spake most cheerefully to vs, and asked vs, saying, well done my heartes: what, doe yee lacke any thing? do ye want any powder, or shorte, or matches? or any thing that may doe you, and our Towne good? and they brought vs also a great number of Baskets full of stones; that euery man might haue somewhat to enter­taine them withall.

Many also brought vs the strawe that was for the horse litters, when they sawe what vse we had of it: and others brought vs such a­boundance [Page] of Beere, that we were not able to drawe it all out, and drinke it. This kindnesse and liberalitie pleased the Souldiers very well, who couragiously cried out continually, and encouraged the Townesmen, saying: be of good cheere, ye honest Citizens; bee of good comfort, and haue a good heart, and then the day began to breake, and we had some light; which we were very glad of.

The enemies, as wee were giuen to vnder­stand afterward, had not an end of their trou­bles thus, but were put to the sword, and spoi­led for the space of three daies after.

Nowe blessed be God; we had but one man slaine, and he was a common Souldier: sixe only were wounded, and the most hurt that was done, was done by Gunne powder.

There were of the Enemies slaine three­score and ten, whereof many were of their best and chiefest men, and principall officers.

The Enemy, as we vnderstood by the hus­bandmen of the countrie, and the intelligence that was giuen to the Gouernour of the towne, carried away sixe and thirty Wagons loaden with dead men, and such as were wounded in the attempt: so that we may bee certainly assured that hee lost then at the least a thou­sand men.

[Page] When the Souldiers of their side heard that they were determined to make his attempt vpon the Towne of Bergen, they had much a do to drawe them to the Towne, they were so loath to come there: fearing their welcome: at last for their better inducement, they gaue out speeches, that the greatest part of the Towne was confederate with them, and would pre­sently ioyne, but in the end, the euent fell out otherwise.

We doe not as yet certainely knowe how manie of their heades and chiefe commaun­ders of the enemy are slaine: they haue left be­hinde them many of their Ladders, Bridges and Wagons couered with Leather or Can­uasse, and much other such baggage.

There came a messenger but euen now vnto the towne, who bringeth newes that their Ge­nerall hath both his legges stroken off with a peece of Ordinance; and that many of their principal officers are either slaine or woūded.

Some of them were driuen into the water, and so drowned: So that as yet wee haue no certaine intelligence what number of thē are slaine, but so manie as wee can finde in seue­rall places, dispersed, amount to the number of three score and ten.

The Gouernour of the Towne gaue com­sword [...]