wrought. Nor was Spinola wanting, in being, as it were, in all places at all times, and in exposing himself, as well as any of the rest, to all labor and danger; encouraging some, rewarding others, and behaving himself so, that his imitating, without any manner of respect unto himself, the most hazardous works of others, made the rest the more ready to imitate his.

"When all the nations had passed the channel, each of them began, with like emulation, to force the ravelins and half-moons, which sheltered the counterscarp. And the Walloons and Burgonians, by reason of their quarter, were the first that did it, but with much effusion of blood, even of the noblest amongst them; for, amongst the rest, Catris, a Walloon camp-master, was lost, a valiant and greatly experienced soldier, whom Spinola highly esteemed, both for his deeds and counsel. With the like progress, and no less loss of blood, did the other nations advance. So that the enemies, at last, lost all the fortifications which they had, without their principal line; about which, ran a great ditch, but not so hard to pass, as was the channnel which fenced the counterscarp. The easier doing of it made the Catholics hope better in the effecting thereof; wherefore, full of fresh courage, they prepared to continue their labors, more heartily than ever, that they might the sooner end the siege; but the Winter, being already come, much hindered their works, and the sea did then more destroy them by her tempests. The enemy, likewise, made very fierce opposition; they set up batteries within, against the batteries without; mines opposed countermines; they repaired themselves, on all sides; and, as fast as one rampart was lost, they set up another. So that the Catholics had to advance, as it were, by inches; and yet they did so advance, that, by the Spring, they had got well forward into the ditch.

"These progressions of Marquis Spinola, together with his daily proceedings, made the United Provinces shrewdly afraid, that they should at last lose Ostend. A consultation was therefore held, by their chief commanders, how the town might be best preserved,-which might be done by two ways; either by some important diver

sion, or by raising the siege by main force. The second way brought with it such difficulties, that the first was chosen. Wherefore, they resolved to besiege Sluys; a town which likewise stood upon the sea, and was of so great consequence, that it did rather exceed than come shor of Ostend, in importance.

Sluys was accordingly besieged and taken.

It afforded great satisfaction to the Flemish, that, in three months' time, and with the loss of so little blood, they had made a greater acquisition than that of Ostend, which would cost above three years' expense of time, and an infinity of Spanish gold and blood, if it could hold out no longer. But, though Spinola made an unsuccessful attempt to relieve Sluys, he could not be prevailed on to break up the siege of Ostend, and his troops were inflamed the more, by a desire of counterbalancing that loss. So that, at last, after much slaughter, they won the ditch, and the first line of fortifications; but, meanwhile, a new one had been raised, by those within.

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Sluys was just then lost; and it was feared that Count Maurice would come to the relief of Ostend. The Catholics being, therefore, so much the more moved, and Spinola being again returned, it is not to be expressed with what fervor they fell to their works, on all sides. The greatest progress was made towards the old town of Ostend; because, when they should have won that, they might easily hinder the entrance into the channel, by the mouth whereof succor was brought from the sea; and, as the new town was much commanded by the old, therefore Spinola did the more re-enforce his batteries, assaults, mines, and all his other most efficacious works, on that side, than on any other; nor was it long, ere the Catholics had almost wholly taken it.

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They likewise advanced, after the same manner, against the new fortifications, so that the besieged had no place, whither to retreat; wherefore, wanting ground to defend, when they most abounded in all things for defence, they were at last forced to surrender the town; which was done about the middle of September, upon the most honorable conditions that they could desire.

Count Maurice was often minded to attempt the succor by main force; but, considering that he was to enter into an enemy's country, amongst strong and well-guarded towns, and that he should meet with men that were very ready to fight, he thought it not proper, after his prosperous success at Sluys, to hazard falling into some misfortune, as, upon such an occasion, he might peradventure do, and therefore he forebore to do it. It was a remarkable thing, to see so many soldiers march out of a town; for there were above four thousand of them, all strong and healthful, they having enjoyed great plenty of all things in Ostend, by reason of their continual succors. So that,

besides great store of artillery, there was found in the town such abundance of victuals, ammunition, and of whatsoever else may be imagined, for the defence of a royal town, that the like was never known to be in any other place.

"Thus ended the siege of Ostend; very memorable, doubtless, in itself, but much more, in consideration of the great expense of moneys and time, which the winning and losing of it cost. The siege continued above three years; in which time, the prevailing opinion was, that there died, by the sword and by sickness, above a hundred thousand men, between the one and the other side; whereby it may be conceived, what proportionable moneys and other things were therein spent. The town having been yielded up, the Archduke and Infanta had the curiosity to go and see it, and went from Gaunt thither, where they found nothing but a misshapen chaos of earth, which hardly retained any show of the first Ostend. Ditches filled up; curtains beaten down; bulwarks torn in pieces; half-moons, flanks, and redoubts, so confused one with another, that they could not be distinguished; nor could it be known on which side the attack, or on which the defence, was; yet they would know all, and receive the whole relation, from Spinola's own mouth. He represented, in full, the last posture of the siege; he showed the Spaniards' quarters, and those of the Italians, as also those of each other nation. He related, how stoutly they contended, who should outvie one another in

pains-taking; on which part, the greatest resistance was made, within; where the dispute was most difficult, without; where they wanted ground to retreat unto; where the enemy used their utmost power; and where, at last, the town was surrendered. The Archduke saw the great platform, the great dike, and whatsoever else, fit to excite curiosity, might be suggested by the unusual character of that siege; but not without the Infanta's great compassion, and even tears, by looking upon the horror of those parts where the sword, fire, sea, and earth, may be said to have conspired together, in making so long and so miserable a destruction of Christians. They both did very much commend Spinola, and also thanked the rest of the commanders, who had deserved well in that enterprise. Nor did they less congratulate the inferior officers and soldiers, who had exposed themselves, most, to those dangers."

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE INVINCIBLE ARMADA, IN 1588.

ses.

BY JOHN STOWE.

THE Contest between the Protestants and Roman Catholics had divided all Europe into two great hostile masAn active counter-reformation, as it has been called by a distinguished historian, had begun, on the part of the Roman Catholics. Many eminent men, and whole corporate societies, within the Roman Catholic Church, were actively engaged in reforming abuses, and bringing back to its folds those who had been separated by the Reformation; while several princes strove to accomplish the same object, by forcible and violent measures. The most prominent among these was Philip the Second, King of Spain, a morose bigot, both in religion and politics; cruel, and without faith, whenever he conceived it to be necessary, and apparently shut out, by cold selfishness, from any friendly fellow-feeling for his kind. The Netherlands, dependent upon his crown, had risen against him. It was partly his wanton tyranny, and partly the Protestant spirit which was fast spreading in those countries, and his denial of any liberty of conscience, which had brought about this memorable and great event, of vast importance in the history of civilized man. Elizabeth of England, a princess of great wisdom, and who rested her power, in a great measure, upon Protestantism, had aided the Protestant insurgents of the Low Countries. This circumstance, as well as the fact that England was the most powerful of the united Protestant states, and therefore the greatest political prop of the Protestant religion, or that it might easily become such, made her an object of peculiar attention to Philip and the Pope. They considered, indeed, that nothing would be more conducive to the general reestablishment of the Roman Catholic religion, than the reduction of that Queen to a state of dependence, or her dethronement, which, probably, was no less passionately desired, on account of the severe laws against Roman Catholics, in England. Elizabeth, on her part, feared