And yet the disorder and lack of foresight in the Walloons did great[ly] help to augment the Spanish glory and boast.
To conclude. The Count d'Oberstein was drowned in the New Town. The Marquis d'Havré and [Sieur de] Champagney escaped out of the said New Town, and recovered the Prince of Orange's ships.
Only the young Count [Philip] of Egmont was taken, fighting by St Michael's. Monsieur de Capres and Monsieur de Gogines were also taken. But I heard of none that fought stoutly, saving only the said Count of Egmont; whom the Colonel Verdugo, a Spaniard of an honourable compassion and good mind, did save: with great danger to himself in defending the Count.
In this conflict there were slain 600 Spaniards, or thereabouts. And on the Thursday next following [8th November 1576], a view of the dead bodies in the town being taken, it was esteemed at 17,000 men, women, and children. [This would be apart from those drowned in the Scheldt.] A pitiful massacre, though GOD gave victory to the Spaniards.
And surely, as their valiance was to be much commended; so yet I can much discommend their barbarous cruelty in many respects. For methinks that as when GOD giveth abundance of wealth, the owner ought yet to have regard on whom he bestow it: even so, when GOD giveth a great and miraculous victory, the conquerors ought to have great regard unto their execution. And though some, which favour the Spanish faction, will alledge sundry reasons to the contrary: yet, when the blood is cold and the fury over, methinks that a true Christian heart should stand content with victory; and refrain to provoke GOD's wrath by [the] shedding of innocent blood.
These things I rehearse the rather, because they neither spared Age nor Sex, Time nor Place, Person nor Country, Profession nor Religion, Young nor Old, Rich nor Poor, Strong nor Feeble: but, without any mercy, did tyrannously triumph, when there was neither man nor means to resist them.
For Age and Sex, Young and Old; they slew great numbers of young children; but many more women more than four score years of age.
For Time and Place; their fury was as great ten days after the victory, as at the time of their entry; and as great respect they had to the Church and Churchyard, for all their hypocritical boasting of the Catholic Religion, as the butcher had to his shambles or slaughter house.