inopportune a moment for that princess to listen to the voice of him who
was charming her so wisely, while he was at the same moment battering
the place, which was to be the basis of his operations against her
realm. Her delay in sending forth Leicester, with at least a moderate
contingent, to the rescue, was most pernicious. The States--ignorant
of the Queen's exact relations with Spain, and exaggerating her
disingenuousness into absolute perfidy became on their own part
exceedingly to blame. There is no doubt whatever that both Hollanders
and English men were playing into the hands of Parma as adroitly as if
he had actually directed their movements. Deep were the denunciations
of Leicester and his partisans by the States' party, and incessant the
complaints of the English and Dutch troops shut up in Sluys against the
inactivity or treachery of Maurice and Hohenlo.

"If Count Maurice and his base brother, the Admiral (Justinus de Nassau),
be too young to govern, must Holland and Zeeland lose their countries and
towns to make them expert men of war?" asked Roger Williams.' A pregnant
question certainly, but the answer was, that by suspicion and jealousy,
rather than by youth and inexperience, the arms were paralyzed which
should have saved the garrison. "If these base fellows (the States) will
make Count Hollock their instrument," continued the Welshman; "to cover
and maintain their folly and lewd dealing, is it necessary for her royal
Majesty to suffer it? These are too great matters to be rehearsed by me;
but because I am in the town, and do resolve to, sign with my blood my
duty in serving my sovereign and country, I trust her Majesty will pardon
me." Certainly the gallant adventurer on whom devolved at least half the
work of directing the defence of the city, had a right to express his
opinions. Had he known the whole truth, however, those opinions would
have been modified. And he wrote amid the smoke and turmoil of daily and
nightly battle.