History of the United Netherlands, 1587c | Page 2

of
foreign wines in the Netherlands.
While the eternal disputes between Leicester and the States were going
on both in Holland and in England, while the secret negotiations
between Alexander Farnese and Queen slowly proceeding at Brussels
and Greenwich, the Duke, notwithstanding the destitute condition of
his troops, and the famine which prevailed throughout the obedient
Provinces, had succeeded in bringing a little army of five thousand foot,
and something less than one thousand horse, into the field. A portion of
this force he placed under the command of the veteran La Motte. That
distinguished campaigner had assured the commander-in-chief that the
reduction of the city would be an easy achievement. Alexander soon
declared that the enterprise was the most difficult one that he had ever
undertaken. Yet, two years before, he had carried to its triumphant
conclusion the famous siege of Antwerp. He stationed his own division
upon the isle of Kadzand, and strengthened his camp by additionally
fortifying those shadowy bulwarks, by which the island, since the age
of Dante, had entrenched itself against the assaults of ocean.
On the other hand, La Motte, by the orders of his chief, had succeeded,
after a sharp struggle, in carrying the fort of St. Anne. A still more
important step was the surprising of Blankenburg, a small fortified
place on the coast, about midway between Ostend and Sluys, by which
the sea- communications with the former city for the relief of the
beleaguered town were interrupted.
Parma's demonstrations against Sluys had commenced in the early days
of June. The commandant of the place was Arnold de Groenevelt, a
Dutch noble of ancient lineage and approved valour. His force was,
however, very meagre, hardly numbering more than eight hundred, all
Netherlanders, but counting among its officers several most
distinguished personages- Nicholas de Maulde, Adolphus de Meetkerke
and his younger brother, Captain Heraugiere, and other well-known
partisans.
On the threatening of danger the commandant had made application to
Sir William Russell, the worthy successor of Sir Philip Sidney in the
government of Flushing. He had received from him, in consequence, a
reinforcement of eight hundred English soldiers, under several eminent
chieftains, foremost among whom were the famous Welshman Roger

Williams, Captain Huntley, Baskerville, Sir Francis Vere, Ferdinando
Gorges, and Captain Hart. This combined force, however, was but a
slender one; there being but sixteen hundred men to protect two miles
and a half of rampart, besides the forts and ravelins.
But, such as it was, no time was lost in vain regrets. The sorties against
the besiegers were incessant and brilliant. On one occasion Sir Francis
Vere--conspicuous in the throng, in his red mantilla, and supported
only by one hundred Englishmen and Dutchmen, under Captain
Baskerville--held at bay eight companies of the famous Spanish legion
called the Terzo Veijo, at push of pike, took many prisoners, and forced
the Spaniards from the position in which they were entrenching
themselves. On the other hand, Farnese declared that he had never in
his life witnessed anything so unflinching as the courage of his troops;
employed as they were in digging trenches where the soil was neither
land nor water, exposed to inundation by the suddenly-opened sluices,
to a plunging fire from the forts, and to perpetual hand-to-hand combats
with an active and fearless foe, and yet pumping away in the
coffer-dams-which they had invented by way of obtaining a
standing-ground for their operations--as steadily and sedately as if
engaged in purely pacific employments. The besieged here inspired by
a courage equally remarkable. The regular garrison was small enough,
but the burghers were courageous, and even the women organized
themselves into a band of pioneers. This corps of Amazons, led by two
female captains, rejoicing in the names of 'May in the Heart' and
'Catherine the Rose,' actually constructed an important redoubt between
the citadel and the rampart, which received, in compliment to its
builders, the appellation of 'Fort Venus.'
The demands of the beleaguered garrison, however, upon the States and
upon Leicester were most pressing. Captain Hart swam thrice out of the
city with letters to the States, to the governor-general, and to Queen
Elizabeth; and the same perilous feat was performed several times by a
Netherland officer. The besieged meant to sell their lives dearly, but it
was obviously impossible for them, with so slender a force, to resist a
very long time.
"Our ground is great and our men not so many," wrote Roger Williams
to his sovereign, "but we trust in God and our valour to defend
it . . . . . . . We mean, with God's help, to make their downs red and

black, and to let out every acre of our ground for a thousand of their
lives, besides our own."
The Welshman was no braggart, and had proved