History of the United Netherlands, 1604-05 | Page 6

which had once been
Ostend, seemed unthrifty enough. Moreover, they had not got Ostend,
while sure to lose Sluys. At least the cardinal could no longer afford to
dispense with the service of his beat corps of veterans who had
demanded their wages so insolently, and who had laughed at his offer
of excommunication by way of payment so heartily. Flinging away his
pride, he accordingly made a treaty with the mutinous "squadron" at
Grave, granting an entire pardon for all their offences, and promising
full payment of their arrears. Until funds should be collected sufficient
for this purpose, they were to receive twelve stivers a day each
foot-soldier, and twenty- four stivers each cavalryman, and were to
have the city of Roermond in pledge. The treaty was negotiated by
Guerrera, commandant of Ghent citadel, and by the Archbishop of
Roermond, while three distinguished hostages were placed in the
keeping of the mutineers until the contract should be faithfully
executed: Guerrera himself, Count Fontenoy, son of Marquis d'Havre,
and Avalos, commander of a Spanish legion. Thus, after making a
present of the services of these veterans for a twelvemonth to the
stadholder, and after employing a very important portion of his
remaining forces in a vain attempt to reduce their revolt, the archduke

had now been fain to purchase their submission by conceding all their
demands. It would have been better economy perhaps to come to this
conclusion at an earlier day.
It would likewise have been more judicious, according to the
lamentations of Justus Lipsius, had the necessity of saving Sluys been
thought of in time. Now that it was thoroughly enclosed, so that a
mouse could scarce creep through the lines, the archduke was feverish
to send in a thousand wagon loads of provisions. Spinola, although in
reality commander-in- chief of a Spanish army, and not strictly subject
to the orders of the Flemish sovereigns, obeyed the appeal of the
archduke, but he obeyed most reluctantly. Two-thirds of Ostend had
been effaced, and it was hard to turn even for a moment from the spot
until all should have been destroyed.
Leaving Rivas and Bucquoy to guard the entrenchments, and to keep
steadily to the work, Spinola took the field with a large force of all
arms, including the late mutineers and the troops of Count Trivulzio.
On the 8th August he appeared in the neighbourhood of the Salt and
Sweet streams, and exchanged a few cannon-shots with the republicans.
Next day he made a desperate assault with three thousand men and
some companies of cavalry, upon Lewis William's quarters, where he
had reason to believe the lines were weakest. He received from that
most vigilant commander a hearty welcome, however, and after a long
skirmish was obliged to withdraw, carrying off his dead and wounded,
together with a few cart- horses which had been found grazing outside
the trenches. Not satisfied with these trophies or such results, he
remained several days inactive, and then suddenly whirled around
Aardenburg with his whole army, directly southward of Sluys, seized
the forts of St. Catharine and St. Philip, which had been left with very
small garrisons, and then made a furious attempt to break the lines at
Oostburg, hoping to cross the fords at that place, and thus push his way
into the isle of Cadzand. The resistance to his progress was obstinate,
the result for a time doubtful. After severe fighting however he crossed
the waters of Oostburg in the face of the enemy. Maurice meantime had
collected all his strength at the vital position of Cadzand, hoping to deal,
or at least to parry, a mortal blow.
On the 17th, on Cadzand dyke, between two redoubts, Spinola again
met Lewis William, who had been transferred to that important position.

A severe struggle ensued. The Spaniards were in superior force, and
Lewis William, commanding the advance only of the States troops, was
hard pressed. Moving always in the thickest of the fight, he would
probably have that day laid down his life, as so many of his race had
done before in the cause of the republic, had not Colonel van Dorp
come to his rescue, and so laid about him with a great broad sword, that
the dyke was kept until Maurice arrived with Eytzinga's Frisian
regiment and other reserves. Van Dorp then fell covered with wounds.
Here was the decisive combat. The two commanders-in-chief met face
to face for the first time, and could Spinola have gained the position of
Cadzand the fate of Maurice must have been sealed. But all his efforts
were vain. The stadholder, by coolness and promptness, saved the day,
and inflicted a bloody repulse upon the Catholics. Spinola had
displayed excellent generalship, but it is not surprising that the young
volunteer should have failed