History of the United Netherlands, 1587c | Page 6

despatches for the States, to the purport that the city
could hold out no longer. A breach in the wall had been effected wide
enough to admit a hundred men abreast. Sluys had, in truth, already
fallen, and it was hopeless any longer to conceal the fact. If not relieved
within a day or two, the garrison would be obliged to surrender; but
they distinctly stated, that they had all pledged themselves, soldiers and
burghers, men, women, and all, unless the most honourable terms were
granted, to set fire to the city in a hundred places, and then sally, in
mass, from the gates, determined to fight their way through, or be slain
in the attempt. The messenger who carried these despatches was

drowned, but the letters were saved, and fell into Parma's hands.
At the same moment, Leicester was making, at last, an effort to raise
the siege. He brought three or four thousand men from Flushing, and
landed them at Ostend; thence he marched to Blanckenburg. He
supposed that if he could secure that little port, and thus cut the Duke
completely off from the sea, he should force the Spanish commander to
raise (or at least suspend) the siege in order to give him battle.
Meantime, an opportunity would be afforded for Maurice and Hohenlo
to force an entrance into the harbour of Sluys, In this conjecture he was
quite correct; but unfortunately he did not thoroughly carry out his own
scheme. If the Earl had established himself at Blanckenburg, it would
have been necessary for Parma--as he himself subsequently declared-to
raise the siege. Leicester carried the outposts of the place successfully;
but, so soon as Farnese was aware of this demonstration, he detached a
few companies with orders to skirmish with the enemy until the
commander-in- chief, with as large a force as he could spare, should
come in person to his support. To the unexpected gratification of
Farnese, however, no sooner did the advancing Spaniards come in sight,
than the Earl, supposing himself invaded by the whole of the Duke's
army, under their famous general, and not feeling himself strong
enough for such an encounter, retired, with great precipitation, to his
boats, re-embarked his troops with the utmost celerity, and set sail for
Ostend.
The next night had been fixed for sending forth the fireships against the
bridge, and for the entrance of the fleet into the harbour. One fire- ship
floated a little way towards the bridge and exploded ingloriously.
Leicester rowed in his barge about the fleet, superintending the
soundings and markings of the channel, and hastening the preparations;
but, as the decisive moment approached, the pilots who had promised
to conduct the expedition came aboard his pinnace and positively
refused to have aught to do with the enterprise, which they now
declared an impossibility. The Earl was furious with the pilots, with
Maurice, with Hohenlo, with Admiral de Nassau, with the States, with
all the world. He stormed and raged and beat his breast, but all in vain.
His ferocity would have been more useful the day before, in face of the
Spaniards, than now, against the Zeeland mariners: but the invasion by
the fleet alone, unsupported by a successful land-operation, was

pronounced impracticable, and very soon tie relieving fleet was seen by
the distressed garrison sailing away from the neighbourhood, and it
soon disappeared beneath the horizon. Their fate was sealed. They
entered into treaty with Parma, who, secretly instructed, as has been
seen, of their desperate intentions, in case any but the most honourable
conditions were offered, granted those conditions. The garrison were
allowed to go out with colours displayed, lighted matches, bullet in
mouth, and with bag and baggage. Such burghers as chose to conform
to the government of Spain and the church of Rome; were permitted to
remain. Those who preferred to depart were allowed reasonable time to
make their necessary arrangements.
"We have hurt and slain very near eight hundred," said Sir Roger
Williams." We had not powder to fight two hours. There was a breach
of almost four hundred paces, another of three score, another of fifty,
saltable for horse and men. We had lain continually eighteen nights all
on the breaches. He gave us honourable composition. Had the state of
England lain on it, our lives could not defend the place, three hours, for
half the rampires were his, neither had we any pioneers but ourselves.
We were sold by their negligence who are now angry with us."
On the 5th August Parma entered the city. Roger Williams with his gilt
morion rather battered, and his great plume of feathers much
bedraggled- was a witness to the victor's entrance. Alexander saluted
respectfully an officer so well known to him by reputation, and with
some complimentary remarks urged