A 17th-century manuscript poem praising Dutch naval hero Maarten Tromp

An anonymous and apparently unrecorded manuscript poem in rhyming verses celebrating Dutch naval hero Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp (1598–1653), likely composed shortly after his historic victory at the Battle of The Downs.

The poem highlights Tromp's triumph over the Spanish fleet, noting how he "forced them to England" (“die Spaensche galioens na Engelant can dwingen”). This clearly refers to the Battle of The Downs in October 1639, where Tromp decisively defeated a massive Spanish armada off the English coast.

This victory, regarded as the pinnacle of Tromp's career, was a pivotal moment in the Eighty Years’ War, compelling Spain to abandon its ambitions of maritime dominance over the Dutch. Tromp’s success made him a national icon, inspiring a wave of poetry and artwork in his honor.

In the verses, Tromp is compared to other prominent historical figures (mostly from Gelderland) sharing his first name: Martin Luther, Maarten van Rossum, Marten Schenck, and Martinus Goris, each celebrated for their courage and achievements. The poem concludes with a hopeful wish that Tromp’s victory will bring an end to the protracted war, signaling peace after decades of conflict:

Wilt nu de Trompe slaen, en laet de harpe clincken

Want Spaensche galioens verbranden en versincken.

Wilt nu het Nieuste jaer met voorspoet vangen aen

Godt geve dat den crijg darmede sij gedaen.

The manuscript was sent as a letter to Sebastiaan Damme (Antwerp, 1578 – Zutphen, 1640), a Dutch theologian and minister in the Dutch Reformed Church who had direct experience of the war with Spain. In 1634, Damme was captured by Spanish forces and imprisoned in the castle of "Gelder," providing him with a unique perspective on the struggles of the Eighty Years’ War.