History of the United Netherlands, 1587c | Page 4

the expense of the war, it was an
imperative necessity that they should limit their operations to the
defence of their own soil. The suspicions as to the policy of the English
government were sapping the very foundations of the alliance, and
there was small disposition on the part of the Hollanders, therefore, to
protect what remained of Flanders, and thus to strengthen the hands of
her whom they were beginning to look upon as an enemy.
Maurice and Hohenlo made, however, a foray into Brabant, by way of
diversion to the siege of Sluys, and thus compelled Farnese to detach a
considerable force under Haultepenne into that country, and thereby to
weaken himself. The expedition of Maurice was not unsuccessful.
There was some sharp skirmishing between Hohenlo and Haultepenne,
in which the latter, one of the most valuable and distinguished generals
on the royal side, was defeated and slain; the fort of Engel, near
Bois-le-Duc, was taken, and that important city itself endangered; but,
on the other hand, the contingent on which Leicester relied from the
States to assist in relieving Sluys was not forthcoming.
For, meantime, the governor-general had at last been sent back by his
sovereign to the post which he had so long abandoned. Leaving
Leicester House on the 4th July (N. S.), he had come on board the fleet
two days afterwards at Margate. He was bringing with him to the
Netherlands three thousand fresh infantry, and thirty thousand pounds,
of which sum fifteen thousand pounds had been at last wrung from
Elizabeth as an extra loan, in place of the sixty thousand pounds which
the States had requested. As he sailed past Ostend and towards
Flushing, the Earl was witness to the constant cannonading between the
besieged city and the camp of Farnese, and saw that the work could
hardly be more serious; for in one short day more shots were fired than
had ever been known before in a single day in all Parma's experience.
Arriving at Flushing, the governor-general was well received by the
inhabitants; but the mischief, which had been set a-foot six months
before, had done its work. The political intrigues, disputes, and the
conflicting party-organizations, have already been set in great detail
before the reader, in order that their effect might now be thoroughly
understood without--explanation. The governor-general came to
Flushing at a most critical moment. The fate of all the Spanish
Netherlands, of Sluys, and with it the whole of Philip and Parma's great

project, were, in Farnese's own language, hanging by a thread.
It would have been possible--had the transactions of the past six
months, so far as regarded Holland and England, been the reverse of
what they had been--to save the city; and, by a cordial and united effort,
for the two countries to deal the Spanish power such a blow, that
summer, as would have paralyzed it for a long time to come, and have
placed both commonwealths in comparative security.
Instead of all this, general distrust and mutual jealousy prevailed.
Leicester had, previously to his departure from England, summoned the
States to meet him at Dort upon his arrival. Not a soul appeared. Such
of the state-councillors as were his creatures came to him, and Count
Maurice made a visit of ceremony. Discussions about a plan for
relieving the siege became mere scenes of bickering and confusion. The
officers within Sluys were desirous that a fleet should force its way into
the harbour, while, at the same time, the English army, strengthened by
the contingent which Leicester had demanded from the States, should
advance against the Duke of Parma by land. It was, in truth, the only
way to succour the place. The scheme was quite practicable. Leicester
recommended it, the Hollanders seemed to favour it, Commandant
Groenevelt and Roger Williams urged it.
"I do assure you," wrote the honest Welshman to Leicester, "if you will
come afore this town, with as many galliots and as many flat-bottomed
boats as can cause two men-of-war to enter, they cannot stop their
passage, if, your mariners will do a quarter of their duty, as I saw them
do divers times. Before, they make their entrance, we will come with
our boats, and fight with the greatest part, and show them there is no
such great danger. Were it not for my wounded arm, I would be, in
your first boat to enter. Notwithstanding, I and other Englishmen will
approach their boats in such sort, that we will force them to give their
saker of artillery upon us. If, your Excellency will give ear unto those
false lewd fellows (the Captain meant the States-General), you shall
lose great opportunity. Within ten or twelve days the enemy will make
his bridge from Kadzand unto St. Anne, and force you