moreover, If they did not intend to defend their country, because they made such small preparations for the defence thereof? That the ashes ought to be stirred, and the fire extinguished, before the flame grew too big.

I confess, that, at that time, I little regarded this saying; because, according to my duty, I censured favourably, and expected nothing but good and faithfulness from our governors; but I have, by the sorrowful event, found that I might not, without a good argument, have condescended to the forementioned officer's opinion. For who knows not that the first care of a governor, for the defence of his country, ought to consist,

In erecting suflicient magazines, fortifying of towns and castles? Furnishing the sanre towns, and fortresses, with valiant and faithful governors and commanders, sufficient garisons, trenches, and ammunition for war, and especially, to deprive the enemy of as much ammunition, and men, as possible. But let us examine whether any of all these things were done with vigour, and we shall, to our sorrow, and irreparable loss and disgrace, rather find the contrary to have been acted by the wicked and strange directions of those corrupt governors: For notwithstanding it was well known, that, at the beginning of the King of France's preparati ons for war, there scarce was any salt-petre in Europe, but what was in the hands of the Netherland East-India company; and, notwithstanding it was proffered the state by the said company, yet they refused the same, and rather desired that it should be sent to France, and so serve as a knife to cut the throat of the Netherlands at once; which was not sufficient, for, besides that (instead of publishing edicts to prevent the transporting of ammunition to the enemy, which ought to have been their chief care) they encou raged and maintained the sending of all necessaries for war to the enemy: Of the truth whereof every one may be assured, since it may be heard from the mouth of the Lord Jucchen, Governor of Wesel, yet living in the Hague, that his excellency, about four or five months ago, being advised, in a letter by a loyal subject, that four ships, laden with powder and shot, and other ammunition for war, were coming up the Rhine, to pass by Wesel; adding, moreover, the merchants names, that had sold and bought it, where it was laden, what powder-mill the powder came from, and from whom the other stores, &c. and that the master of the ship had a pass-port from Cologne; nay, that it was to be carried to Nuys, into the French magazine; advising him also, that, by vertue of a certain order (sent to his excellency some years ago, that, if the Bishop of Munster should make any invasion) he would please to stop the said ships; whereupon, going himself to the Rhine, he asked, Whether any persons had seen such ships pass by, as were mentioned in his letter of advice? (Because this is a very remarkable business, I think, it will not seem amiss to give an account of the circumstances thereof.) When one of the standers-by, answering, said, that two such-like ships were past by, and gone up higher; that they were laden with powder, shot, and other ammu

nition, which, instead of being unladen at Cologne, according to the pass-port, were carried, and put into the French magazine at Nuys: That he had this account from one of the masters of the vessels that were returned from thence, very much discontented that he had been forced to unlade contrary to his pass-port.

The governor, hereupon, sending for the forementioned master of the vessel, and having understood the truth, according to the forementioned relation from his own mouth; moreover, that, there was a third vessel laden with the same sort of goods yet below Wesel, and coming up the Rhine. Whereupon, staying till the evening, and not seeing the said ship, the governor, fearing that she might pass by in the night, sent some musqueteers thither, strictly commanding them to enter and stay in the vessel till it should come up to the city, and be searched by his excellency: Who, on the following day, examining the said ship, found the same to be laden as before; when, taking the pass-port from the master, he immediately caused it to be exactly copied; and, keeping the original, sent the copy with the post, who went away that day, or else an express had been sent to the state, or council of state, whom he informed, in a letter, all what had happened; and therefore desired speedy orders how he should govern himself in this affair.

There was, at that time, but little powder and shot in Wesel; so that the governor was not a little rejoiced, hoping, that, by this opportunity, the city would be well provided at a small charge to the country.

But, instead that the said ship should unlade there, the governor received an order, signed by the secretary, that he should not only free the vessel which he had stopped, but also permit all ships, that had such pass-ports, to pass freely, and unmolested, on their way; which his excellency immediately condescended to.

Two days after past by another ship, that had twice as much am. munition a-board her as one of the former, and from time to time several others of the same nature steering the same course.

Whilst the governor, from that time forward, sollicited the council, that the city Wesel, being so considerable a town, and of such great consequence to the state, ought to have six-thousand men in garison, and sufficient trenches and ammunition; all which the governor oftentimes requested in his letters to the council of state; who, at last, gave orders for the making of trenches about the said city, and furnishing the same with all manner of neces

saries.

But, instead of putting a garison of six-thousand men into the same, they drew immediately thirteen troops of horse, and twelve companies of foot, all stout and able men, out of it, and put a few companies, consisting, the greatest part, of unexperienced youths in their stead; of which the governor hath often complained; and, to secure this considerable city the more to the enemy, they (under pretence that the Governor Jucchen should come and give their High mightinesses an account in person at the Hague) put in another governor; and, how honourably he hath carried himself in

the defence of that city, appears by the event, Exitus acta probant. The like pretence they had to turn other governors, as ap pears chiefly by Colonel d'Ossery, an Irishman, and a Roman Catholick, whose villainies, and traiterous actions, have been ma nifested formerly in his services under other princes, and one, whose correspondence with the enemy, and notorious treasons concerning the business of Rynberk, are at large related, in a certain paper delivered by the Captains Vytenbogaert and Clark, to his highness the Prince of Orange, and the council of the state; and also in a certain apology of the Governor of Bassem, and a comment on the letter from Tondlemonde, all extant in print, to which I refer you; wherein also you have an account, how that the garisons of the city of Rynberk, (notwithstanding it was so considerable a fortress to this state) were not sufficient to defend half the countersharps; and therefore might casily (by the trea chery of D'Ossery, and the falseness of the governor Bassem) be conquered by the enemies. And indeed, this D'Ossery following, forsooth, the examples of the honourable lords and overseers of this forementioned work, in their counterfeit fatherly care, beha ved himself no doubt so honourably in the defence of this city, that he well deserved a triumphant gallows of a considerable height, not only for his own falseness, but because so many loyal officers, which undoubtedly were in garison there, were deluded, by his base designs and treacheries, to their utter ruin.

And, for the better carrying on of these traiterous courses, three regiments more were sent to Maestricht, after it was suffici ently provided, so that in all probability the enemy (finding that place so fortified) should pass by there, and come first to Ryaberk and Wesel. At the same time when the news came to an assembly of a province, now in the enemy's possession, that there were three regiments more put into Maestricht, it was said, that his highness, the Prince of Orange, had writ in a letter, that he did much wonder, that such an extraordinary care was taken for that city only, whenas it would be more necessary to look after other towns, which were of as great consequence to the state. This I was informed by a person, whose fortune it was to be present at that assembly.

I also heard, at that time, that a certain governor, being exceed ingly troubled, said, What doth all this tend to? I do not like the carriage of affairs, for we are like to lose our country for want of men, having twenty-five thousand short of what is absolutely necessary.'

And what was the reason?'

They made a great shew of raising men, but they acted all things contrary.

For notwithstanding the first levies were made with great trou ble out of the country, and we were assured, that by the many men that were likewise raised there by others, the governors of those places had taken an occasion strictly to forbid the same, insomuch that we knew, there was not one place, nay not one foot

of land out of our own dominions left, where we were permitted to levy any forces. Yet, nevertheless, under a pretence for the good of the country, it was strictly forbid by an edict, not to raise any men within our dominions, but in such places where, we knew before, there was not a man to be had.

Nay, these officers, (which, for the most part were Roman Catholicks) knowing the unwillingness of men to stay with them, were forced to raise two or three times the men that otherwise would have served, to the great exhausting of the publick treasures, and their own estates: And yet they could not keep so many of them together, as to make half a company at their place of rendezvous. Whereupon the captains making a complaint to the governors, that it was a common practice of the soldiers, to take their money, and afterwards to desert their colours; and desiring that these things might be remedied; they shrunk up their shoulders, saying, it was not in their power to help it. These disorders thereupon of beating of drums within the country was left off, and the discourse amongst the officers being, that Holland had money enough, and consequently might have men at all times.

The other great levics and treaties with the Foreign princes, viz. Brandenburgh, Lunenburgh, and others, were appointed to be, against that time, when they hoped and judged that all things would be lost: Notwithstanding it might have been sooner accomplished, and more effectually, the princes themselves having proffered their assistance.

The ratification of the treaty, being also kept close till the last hour, deprived our ambassadors from making a conclusion.

We may be informed from the ambassadors, that were sent to Brandenburgh, and now residing in the Hague, that they received the ratification at Hamborough, not before the beginning of July, new stile.

The same Lords ambassadors declare to the whole world, that the states themselves may justly be blamed for the so late coming down of the auxiliary troops. That at first his Highness the Duke of Brandenburgh was treated withal, as if they would have bought a dish of fish of him. That afterwards his highness, instead of being pressed on, advised our ambassador to stir up his lords and masters, about the furthering of affairs; saying, moreover, my lord, you have traitors in your country, matters are very ill managed there. I am also assured, and it may likewise be heard, from the forementioned ambassadors, that the treaty with the princes of Lunenburgh and Brunswick was broke off only upon a dif. ference of five-thousand rix-dollars.

But note, they would rather want the favour of those princes, and the eight-thousand and seven men which they would have sent this state.

What do you think (said one of the same ambassadors to me not long since) if all the auxiliary troops had come down in May, would the Frenchmen have gotten into our country with so much ease as they have done? But, what shall we say! it was designed

so; ambassadors were sent to all princes and potentates, when we were assured that the army, by the unhandsome proceedings of some, which shall be nameless, were all blocked up; and, how our ambassadors managed their affairs in England, I shall omit to men tion. De Groot would also have made no better end of his am bassy in France, had he not been seconded by his brother-in-law, that honest patriot, Momba. One man was not sufficient, therefore we must have a second. In short, affairs were well ordered, our magazines exhausted, and the enemy's filled.

Levies were ordered to be raised in such places, where we knew it was forbidden and impossible to be performed; and where auxiliaries were proffered, and might be had with ease, those were slighted, and put off till such time, as we supposed, they would be needles and too late.

Most of the garisons, and eminent places, were either very badly, or not at all fortified. Others, which shame forced them to strengthen, wanted one thing or other, to make them insufficient for defence; for those that had men enough were unprovided of trenches and ammunition, and those, which were stored with pow der, shot, and other necessaries, wanted men. And those places, which we knew the enemy would not meddle withal, were cronded with more men than were needful. What shall we judge of the eracination of the strong city and fortress de Graffe, and the contrivance, that the whole garison marching thither, according to order, were surprised by the enemy, who undoubtedly had notice thereof, and twenty-six of their colours taken from them? Nay, we may justly stand amazed, to imagine, how it is possible, that whole provinces, as Overyssel and Utrecht, should be delivered up in one day. And whercon depends that riddle, that the old expe rienced soldiers, which were kept prisoners in the churches of the conquered towns, should not be taken notice of, and yet beat the drums daily for new men; seeming rather willing to give twenty, nay, thirty gilders for new and unexperienced men, than for the old ten or twelve, for which they might be ransomed.

Who thought ever to have lived to see these times in our provinces, that we must go begging from door to door for the horsemen, and permit them to go away for want of money, as hath happened in this conjuncture in Groningen; from whence I had advice thereof from a person, who was an eye-witness thereto. When God intends to punish a country, he deprives loyal governors of their wisdom, and permits the wicked to use the same to the des truction thereof.

A certain member of the states of Holland, not long before the march of the enemy, discoursing to one of his fraternity, about the condition wherein the magazines were, said, That the magazine of Holland was so well furnished, that, though the wars continued two years, it was sufficient of itself, without any more supplies; and now, when too late, great complaints were made, that there was no place provided, every one calling for powder, shot, and other ammunition for war; and they were directed to magazines,