Complex sentence: By 1624, the city was in an economic decline and in 1625 he had left Wesel and like others went to Holland, while Gertrude went first to stay with her relatives in Cleve.
Split into simpler sentences: By 1624, the city was in an economic decline and in 1625, he had left Wesel and like others, went to Holland. At first, Gertrude went to stay with her relatives in Cleve.