The citadel was now lost.  It had been gallantly defended; and it was thenceforth necessary to hold the town itself, in the very teeth of an overwhelming force.  “We were forced to quit the fort,” said-Sir Roger, “leaving nothing behind us but bare earth.  But here we do remain resolutely to be buried, rather than to be dishonoured in the least point.”

It was still possible for the fleet to succour the city.  “I do assure you,” said-Williams, “that your captains and mariners do not their duty unless they enter with no great loss; but you must consider that no wars may be made without danger.  What you mean to do, we beseech you to do with expedition, and persuade yourself that we will die valiant, honest-men.  Your Excellency will do well to thank the old President de Meetkerk far the honesty and valour of his son.”

Count Maurice and his natural brother, the Admiral, now undertook the succour by sea; but, according to the Leicestrians, they continued dilatory and incompetent.  At any rate, it is certain that they did nothing.  At last, Parma had completed the bridge; whose construction, was so much dreaded:  The haven was now enclosed by a strong wooden structure, resting an boats, on a plan similar to that of the famous bridge with which he had two years before bridled the Scheldt, and Sluys was thus completely shut in from the sea.  Fire-ships were now constructed, by order of Leicester—­feeble imitations:  of the floating volcanoes of Gianihelli—­and it was agreed that they should be sent against the bridge with the first flood-tide.  The propitious moment never seemed to arrive, however, and, meantime, the citizens of Flushing, of their own accord, declared that they would themselves equip and conduct a fleet into the harbour of Sluys.  But the Nassaus are said to have expressed great disgust that low-born burghers should presume to meddle with so important an enterprise, which of right belonged to their family.  Thus, in the midst of these altercations and contradictory schemes; the month of July wore away, and the city was reduced to its last gasp.

For the cannonading had thoroughly done its work.  Eighteen days long the burghers and what remained of the garrison had lived upon the ramparts, never leaving their posts, but eating, sleeping, and fighting day and night.  Of the sixteen hundred Dutch and English but seven hundred remained.  At last a swimming messenger was sent out by the besieged with despatches for the States, to the purport that the city could hold out no longer.  A breach in the wall had been effected wide enough to admit a hundred men abreast.  Sluys had, in truth, already fallen, and it was hopeless any longer to conceal the fact.  If not relieved within a day or two, the garrison would be obliged to surrender; but they distinctly stated, that they had all pledged themselves, soldiers and burghers, men, women, and all, unless the most honourable terms were granted, to set fire to the city in a hundred places, and then sally, in mass, from the gates, determined to fight their way through, or be slain in the attempt.  The messenger who carried these despatches was drowned, but the letters were saved, and fell into Parma’s hands.