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AS soon as I entred in∣to the Arch-Dukes Countrey (which begins after Lillow) pre∣sently I beheld works of a Province, and those; of a Pro∣vince distressed with War; the people heartlesse, and rather repining against their Gover∣nors, then revengfull against the Enemies, the bravery of that Gentry which was left,
and the Industry of the Mer∣chant quite decayed; the Husbandman labouring one∣ly to live, without desire to be rich to another's use; the Towns (whatsoever concern∣ed not the strength of them) ruinous: And to conclude, the people here growing poor with lesse Taxes, then they flourish with, on the States side.
This War hath kept the King of Spain busie ever since it began; and spending all the Mony that the Indies, and all the Men that Spain and Italie could afford, hath with∣drawn him from perseve∣ring
in any other Enter∣prize: Neither could hee give over this, without for∣going the means to under∣take any thing hereafter upon France or England, and conse∣quently, the hope of the Westerne Monarchie. For, without that handle, the Mines of Peru had done little hurt in these parts, in com∣parison of what they have. The cause of the expenceful∣nesse of it, is the remocenesse of those Provinces from Spain; by reason of which, every souldier of Spain or Italy, before hee can arrive there, costs the King an hundred
Crowns, and not above one of ten that arrives, proves good: besides, by reason of the distance, a great part of the Money is drunk up be∣twixt the Officers that convey it and pay it. The cause of the continuance of it, is, not onely the strength of the E∣my, but partly by reason that the Commanders themselves are content the Warre shall last, so to maintain and ren∣der themselves necessaries; and partly, because the people of those Countries are not so eager to have the other re∣duced, as willing to be in the like state themselves.
The usuall Revenue of those Provinces which the Arch-Duke hath, a∣mounts to 1200000 Crowns a year; besides which, there come from Spain every Month to maintain the War, 150000 Crowns. It was at the first, 300000 Crowns a month, but it fell by fifties to this, at the time when the Treaty began: Flanders payes more towards the warr then all the rest, as Holland doth with the States. There is no▪ Spaniard of the Councell of State, nor Governour of any Province, but of the Councell of Warre, which
is only active; There they only are, and have in their hands all the strong Towns and Castles of those Provin∣ces, of which the Governors have but only the Title.
The Nations of which their Army consists, are chief∣ly Spaniards and Italians, e∣mulous one of another there; as on the other side, the French and English; and of the Countrey, chiefly Burgundi∣ans and Wallons. The Popes Letters, and Spinola's in∣clination kept the Itali∣ans there, almost in equality of Command with the Spani∣ard himself.
The Governours for the King of Spain there successive∣ly have been the Duke of Alva, Don Lewis de Requie∣sens, Don John d' Austria, the Prince of Parma, the Arch-Duke Ernestus, the Cardinall Andrew of Austrich, and the Cardinall Albert, till hee married the Infanta.
Where the Dominion of the Arch-Duke and the States part, there also changeth the nature of the Countrey, that is, about Antwerp: For all be∣low being flat, and betwixt Medow and Marsh, thence it begins to rise and become Champion, and consequent∣ly,
the people are more quick and spiritfull, as the Braban∣ter, Flemming, and Wallon.
The most remarkable place in that side is Antwerp (which rose upon the fall or Bruges) equally strong and beautiful, remaining yet so upon the strength of its former great∣ness; twice spoyled by the Spaniard, and the like attemp∣ted by the French. The Cittadel was built there by the Duke of Alva, but renewed by the Prince of Parma after his 18 months besieging it; the Town accepting a Castle ra∣ther then a Garrison, to min∣gle among them. There are
yet in the Town of Citizens 30000 fighting men, 600 of which kept Watch nightly, but they allowed neither Ca∣non upon the Rampier, nor Magazins of powder. In the Castle are 200 peeces of Ordnance, and commonly se∣ven or eight hundred Souldi∣ers. Flanders is the best of the seventeen Provinces, but the Havens therof are naught.