History of the United Netherlands, 1588a | Page 5

the defences would attract his attention, and that a sudden
attack by Farnese might be the result. Sir John was not aware however,
of the minute and scientific observations then making at the very
moment when Mr. Garnier was entertaining the commissioners with his
witty and instructive conversation--by the unobtrusive menial who had
accompanied the Secretary to Ostend. In order that those observations
might be as thorough as possible, rather than with any view to
ostensible business, the envoy of Parma now declared that--on account
of the unfavourable state of the tide--he had resolved to pass another
night at Ostend. "We could have spared his company," said Cecil, "but
their Lordships considered it convenient that he should be used well."
So Mr. Comptroller Croft gave the affable Secretary a dinner-invitation
for the following day.
Here certainly was a masterly commencement on the part of the
Spanish diplomatists. There was not one stroke of business during the
visit of the Secretary. He had been sent simply to convey a formal
greeting, and to take the names of the English commissioners--a matter
which could have been done in an hour as well as in a week. But it
must be remembered, that, at that very moment, the Duke was daily
expecting intelligence of the sailing of the Armada, and that Philip, on
his part, supposed the Duke already in England, at the head of his army.
Under these circumstances, therefore--when the whole object of the
negotiation, so far as Parma and his master were, concerned, was to
amuse and to gain time--it was already ingenious in Garnier to have
consumed several days in doing nothing; and to have obtained plans
and descriptions of Ostend into the bargain.
Garnier--when his departure could no longer, on any pretext, be
deferred --took his leave, once more warmly urging Robert Cecil to
make a little tour in the obedient Netherlands, and to satisfy himself, by
personal observation, of their miserable condition. As Dr. Dale
purposed making a preliminary visit to the Duke of Parma at Ghent, it

was determined accordingly that he should be accompanied by Cecil.
That young gentleman had already been much impressed by the forlorn
aspect of the country about Ostend--for, although the town was itself in
possession of the English, it was in the midst of the enemy's territory.
Since the fall of Sluys the Spaniards were masters of all Flanders, save
this one much-coveted point. And although the Queen had been
disposed to abandon that city, and to suffer the ocean to overwhelm it,
rather than that she should be at charges to defend it, yet its possession
was of vital consequence to the English-Dutch cause, as time was
ultimately to show. Meanwhile the position was already a very
important one, for-- according to the predatory system of warfare of the
day--it was an excellent starting-point for those marauding expeditions
against persons and property, in which neither the Dutch nor English
were less skilled than the Flemings or Spaniards. "The land all about
here," said Cecil, "is so devastated, that where the open country was
wont to be covered with kine and sheep, it is now fuller of wild boars
and wolves; whereof many come so nigh the town that the
sentinels--three of whom watch every night upon a sand-hill outside the
gates--have had them in a dark night upon them ere they were aware."
But the garrison of Ostend was quite as dangerous to the peasants and
the country squires of Flanders, as were the wolves or wild boars; and
many a pacific individual of retired habits, and with a remnant of
property worth a ransom, was doomed to see himself whisked from his
seclusion by Conway's troopers, and made a compulsory guest at the
city. Prisoners were brought in from a distance of sixty miles; and there
was one old gentlemen, "well-languaged," who "confessed merrily to
Cecil, that when the soldiers fetched him out of his own mansion-house,
sitting safe in his study, he was as little in fear of the garrison of Ostend
as he was of the Turk or the devil."
[And Doctor Rogers held very similar language: "The most dolorous
and heavy sights in this voyage to Ghent, by me weighed," he said;
"seeing the countries which, heretofore; by traffic of merchants, as
much as any other I have seen flourish, now partly drowned, and,
except certain great cities, wholly burned, ruined, and desolate,
possessed I say, with wolves, wild boars, and foxes--a great, testimony
of the wrath of God," &c. &c. Dr. Rogers to the Queen,- April, 1588.
(S. P. Office MS.)]

Three days after the departure of Garnier, Dr. Dale and his attendants
started upon their expedition from Ostend to Ghent--an hour's journey
or so in these modern times.--The English envoys, in the sixteenth
century, found