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