AN HEROIC DEFENCE
The plan Roger Browne suggested was carried out. Geoffrey was
first lowered to his place by the side of the window, and bracing
himself against its side with a foot on the sill he managed to
stand upright, leaning against the rope that Job Tredgold held from
above. Job had instructions when Geoffrey lifted his arm to ease
the rope a few inches so as to enable the lad to lean forward. After
two or three attempts Geoffrey got the rope to the exact length
which would enable him to look round the corner and to strike a blow
with his right hand, in which he held a stout club. Roger Browne
then descended by the aid of the other rope, and fastening it round
his body lay down astride of the roof of the window with his head
and shoulders over the end, and his pistol held in readiness.
It seemed an age to Geoffrey before he heard the sound of a footstep
in the loft beside him. He grasped his cudgel firmly and leaned
slightly forward. For ten minutes there was quiet within, and Geoffrey
guessed that the traitor was writing the missive he was about to
send to the enemy; then the footstep approached the window, and a
moment later a crossbow was thrust out. A glance at it sufficed to
show that the bolt was enveloped in a piece of paper wound round it
and secured with a string. Steadying himself as well as he could
Geoffrey struck with all his force down upon the crossbow. The
weapon, loosely held, went clattering down the tiles. There was
an exclamation of surprise and fury from within the window, and at
the same moment Job Tredgold, seeing that Geoffrey's attempt had
been successful, hauled away at the rope and began to drag him
backward up the tiles.
The lad saw a man lean out of the window and look up at him, then
a pistol was levelled; but the report came from above the window,
and not from the threatening weapon. A sharp cry of pain was heard,
as the pistol fell from the man's hand and followed the crossbow
down the roof. A few seconds later Geoffrey was hauled up to the
ridge, where he was at once joined by Roger Browne. Shifting the
ropes they moved along till above the window from which they had
issued. Geoffrey was first lowered down. As soon as he had got
in at the window he undid the rope and Job Tredgold followed him,
while Roger Browne slid down by the rope attached to the grapnel;
then they ran downstairs.
As soon as they sallied out below they saw that Lionel and the
men with him had captured a prisoner; and just as they joined the
party the guard came round from the other side of the warehouse,
bringing with them the crossbow, its bolt, and the pistol. The
prisoner, whose shoulder was broken by Roger Browne's shot, was
at once taken to Captain Vere's quarters. That officer had just
arrived from the walls, knowing the time at which the capture would
probably be made.
"So you have succeeded," he said. "Well done, lads; you have earned
the thanks of all. We will take this man at once to the governor,
who is at present at the town hall."
By the time they issued out quite a crowd had assembled, for the
news that William Von Arnig had been brought a prisoner and wounded
to Captain Vere's quarters had spread rapidly. The crowd increased
as they went along, and Captain Vere and his party had difficulty
in making their way to the town hall, many of the people exclaiming
loudly against this treatment of one of the leading citizens. The
governor was, when they entered, holding council with the English
leader, Sir Roger Williams.
"Why, what is this, Captain Vere?" he asked in surprise as that
officer, accompanied by the two boys and followed by Roger Browne
and Job Tredgold guarding the prisoner, entered.
"I have to accuse this man of treacherously communicating with the
enemy," Francis Vere said.
"What?" Arnold de Groenvelt exclaimed in surprise. "Why, this is
Mynheer Von Arnig, one of our most worshipful citizens! Surely,
Captain Vere, there must be some error here?"
"I will place my evidence before you," Captain Vere said; "and it
will be for you to decide upon it. Master Geoffrey Vickars, please
to inform the governor what you know about this matter."
Geoffrey then stated how he and his brother, being at the upper
window of the warehouse, had on two days in succession seen a
crossbow discharged from a neighbouring window, and had noticed a
Spanish soldier come out of a battery and pick up something which
they believed to be the bolt, and how he and his brother had reported
the circumstances to Captain Vere. That officer then took up the
story, and stated that seeing the evidence was not conclusive, and
it was probable that if an attempt was made to arrest the person,
whomsoever he might be, who had used the crossbow, any evidence
of treasonable design might be destroyed before he was seized, he
had accepted the offer of Master Vickars to climb the roof, lower
himself to the window from which the bolt would be shot, and, if
possible, strike it from the man's hands, so that it would fall
down the roof to the courtyard below, where men were placed to
seize it.
Geoffrey then related how he, with the two soldiers guarding the
prisoner, had scaled the roof and taken a position by the window;
how he had seen the crossbow thrust out, and had struck it from
the hands of the man holding it; how the latter had leaned out,
and would have shot him had not Roger Browne from his post above
the window shot him in the shoulder.
"Here are the crossbow and pistol," Captain Vere said; "and this
is the bolt as it was picked up by my men. You see, sir, there is
a paper fastened round it. I know not its contents, for I judged it
best to leave it as it was found until I placed it in your hands."
The governor cut the string, unrolled the paper and examined it.
It contained a statement as to the state of the wall, with remarks
where it was yielding, and where the enemy had best shoot against
it. It said that the defenders had in the night begun to form a half
moon behind it, and contained a sketch showing the exact position
of the new work.
"Gentlemen, what think you of this?" the governor asked the English
officers.
"There can be no doubt that it is a foul act of treachery," Williams
said, "and the traitor merits death."
"We will not decide upon it ourselves," the governor said. "I will
summon six of the leading citizens, who shall sit as a jury with
us. This is a grave matter, and touches the honour of the citizens
as well as the safety of the town."
In a few minutes the six citizens summoned arrived. The evidence
was again given, and then the prisoner was asked what he had to
say in his defence.
"It is useless for me to deny it," he replied. "I am caught in the
act, and must suffer for it. I have done my duty to the King of
Spain, my sovereign; and I warn you he will take vengeance for my
blood."
"That we must risk," the governor said. "Now, gentlemen, you citizens
of this town now attacked by the Spaniards, and you, sir, who are
in command of the soldiers of the queen of England, have heard the
evidence and the answer the prisoner has made. What is your opinion
thereon? Do you, Sir Roger Williams, being highest in rank and
authority, first give your opinion."
"I find that he is guilty of an act of gross treason and treachery.
For such there is but one punishment--death." And the six citizens
all gave the same decision.
"You are found guilty of this foul crime," the governor said, "and
are sentenced to death. In half an hour you will be hung in the
marketplace, as a punishment to yourself and a warning to other
traitors, if such there be in this town of Sluys. As to you, young
sirs, you have rendered a great service to the town, and have
shown a discernment beyond your years. I thank you in the name of
the city and of its garrison, and also in that of the States, whose
servant I am."
A guard of armed citizens were now called in, the prisoner was handed
to them, and orders given to their officer to carry the sentence
into effect. A statement of the crime of the prisoner, with the
names of those who had acted as his judges, and the sentence, was
then drawn out, signed by the governor, and, ordered by him to be
affixed to the door of the town hall. The two lads, finding that
they were no longer required, hastened back to their quarters,
having no wish to be present at the execution of the unhappy wretch
whose crime they had been the means of detecting.
A few days later considerable portions of the battered wall fell,
and shortly afterwards a breach of two hundred and fifty paces
long was effected, and a bridge of large boats constructed by the
enemy from the dyke to the foot of the rampart.
This was not effected without terrible loss. Hundreds of the bravest
Spanish soldiers and sailors were killed, and three officers who
succeeded each other in command of the attack were badly wounded.
The Spanish had laboured under great difficulties owing to the lack
of earth to push their trenches forward to the edge of the moat,
arising from the surrounding country being flooded. They only
succeeded at last by building wooden machines of bullet proof planks
on wheels, behind each of which four men could work. When all was
prepared the Spaniards advanced to the attack, rushing up the breach
with splendid valour, headed by three of their bravest leaders; but
they were met by the English and Dutch, and again and again hurled
back.
Day and night the fighting continued, the Spaniards occasionally
retiring to allow their artillery to open fire again upon the
shattered ruins. But stoutly as the defenders fought, step by step
the Spaniards won their way forward until they had captured the
breach and the west gate adjoining it, there being nothing now beyond
the hastily constructed inner work between them and the town. The
finest regiment of the whole of the Spanish infantry now advanced
to the assault, but they were met by the defenders--already sadly
diminished in numbers, but firm and undaunted as ever,--and their
pikes and their axes well supplied the place of the fallen walls.
Assault after assault was met and repulsed, Sir Roger Williams,
Thomas Baskerville, and Francis Vere being always in the thick of
the fight. Baskerville was distinguished by the white plumes of
his helmet, Vere by his crimson mantle; and the valour of these
leaders attracted the admiration of the Duke of Parma himself,
who watched the fight from the summit of the tower of the western
gate. Francis Vere was twice wounded, but not disabled. Sir Roger
Williams urged him to retire, but he replied that he would rather
be killed ten times in a breach than once in a house.
Day by day the terrible struggle continued. The Spaniards were
able constantly to bring up fresh troops, but the defenders had
no relief. They were reduced in numbers from 1600 to 700 men, and
yet for eighteen days they maintained the struggle, never once
leaving the breach.
The pages brought their food to them, and when the attacks were
fiercest joined in the defence, fighting as boldly and manfully as
the soldiers themselves. Geoffrey and Lionel kept in close attendance
upon Francis Vere, only leaving him to run back to their quarters
and bring up the meals cooked for him and his two officers by Frau
Menyn and her handmaids. Both kept close to him during the fighting.
They knew that they were no match in strength for the Spanish
pikemen; but they had obtained pistols from the armoury, and with
these they did good service, several times freeing him from some
of his assailants when he was sorely pressed. On one occasion when
Francis Vere was smitten down by a blow from an axe, the boys rushed
forward and kept back his assailants until some of the men of the
company came to his aid.
"You have done me brave service indeed," Captain Vere said to them
when he recovered; for his helmet had defended him from serious
injury, though the force of the blow had felled him. "It was a
happy thought of mine when I decided to bring you with me. This is
not the first time that you have rendered me good service, and I
am sure you will turn out brave and valiant soldiers of the queen."
When each assault ceased the weary soldiers threw themselves down
behind the earthen embankment, and obtained such sleep as they
could before the Spaniards mustered for fresh attack. When, after
eighteen days' terrible fighting, the Duke of Parma saw that even
his best troops were unable to break through the wall of steel, he
desisted from the assault and began the slower process of mining.
The garrison from their lookout beheld the soldiers crossing the
bridge with picks and shovels, and prepared to meet them in this
new style of warfare. Captain Uvedale was appointed to command the
men told off for this duty, and galleries were run from several of
the cellars to meet those of the enemy.
As every man was employed either on the rampart or in mining, many
of the pages were told off to act as watchers in the cellars, and
to listen for the faint sounds that told of the approach of the
enemy's miners. As the young Vickars were in attendance on the
officers, they were exempted from this work; but they frequently
went down into the cellars, both to watch the process of mining by
their own men and to listen to the faint sounds made by the enemy's
workmen. One day they were sitting on two wine kegs, watching four
soldiers at work at the end of a short gallery that had been driven
towards the Spaniards. Suddenly there was an explosion, the miners
were blown backwards, the end of the gallery disappeared, and a
crowd of Walloon soldiers almost immediately afterwards rushed in.
The boys sprang to their feet and were about to fly, when an idea
occurred to Geoffrey. He seized a torch, and, standing by the
side of a barrel placed on end by a large tier, shouted in Dutch,
"Another step forward and I fire the magazine!"
The men in front paused. Through the fumes of smoke they saw dimly
the pile of barrels and a figure standing with a lighted torch
close to one of them. A panic seized them, and believing they had
made their way into a powder magazine, and that in another instant
there would be a terrible explosion, they turned with shouts of "A
magazine! a magazine! Fly, or we are all dead men!"
"Run, Lionel, and get help," Geoffrey said, and in two or three
minutes a number of soldiers ran down into the cellar. The Walloons
were not long before they recovered from their panic. Their officers
knew that the wine cellars of the city were in front of them, and
reassured them as to the character of the barrels they had seen.
They were, however, too late, and a furious conflict took place at
the entrance into the cellar, but the enemy, able only to advance
two or three abreast, failed to force their way in.
Captain Uvedale and Francis Vere were soon on the spot, and when at
last the enemy, unable to force an entrance, fell back, the former
said, "This is just as I feared. You see, the Spaniards drove this
gallery, and ceased to work immediately they heard us approaching
them. We had no idea that they were in front of us, and so they
only had to put a barrel of powder there and fire it as soon as
there was but a foot or two of earth between us and them."
"But how was it," Francis Vere asked, "that when they fired it they
did not at once rush forward? They could have captured the whole
building before we knew what had happened."
"That I cannot tell," Captain Uvedale replied. "The four men at
work must have been either killed or knocked senseless. We shall
know better another time, and will have a strong guard in each
cellar from which our mines are being driven."
"If it please you, Captain Uvedale," Lionel said, "it was my brother
Geoffrey who prevented them from advancing; for indeed several of
them had already entered the cellar, and the gallery behind was
full of them."
"But how did he do that?" Captain Uvedale asked in surprise.
Lionel related the ruse by which Geoffrey had created a panic in
the minds of the Spaniards.
"That was well thought of indeed, and promptly carried out!"
Captain Uvedale exclaimed. "Francis, these pages of yours are truly
promising young fellows. They detected that rascally Dutchman who
was betraying us. I noticed them several times in the thick of
the fray at the breach; and now they have saved the city by their
quickness and presence of mind; for had these Spaniards once got
possession of this warehouse they would have speedily broken a way
along through the whole tier, and could then have poured in upon
us with all their strength."
"That is so, indeed," Francis Vere agreed. "They have assuredly
saved the town, and there is the greatest credit due to them. I
shall be glad, Uvedale, if you will report the matter to our leader.
You are in command of the mining works, and it will come better
from you than from me who is their captain."
Captain Uvedale made his report, and both Sir Roger Williams and
the governor thanked the boys, and especially Geoffrey, for the
great service they had rendered.
Very shortly the galleries were broken into in several other places,
and the battle became now as fierce and continuous down in the
cellars as it had before been on the breach. By the light of torches,
in an atmosphere heavy with the fumes of gunpowder, surrounded by
piled up barrels of wine, the defenders and assailants maintained
a terrible conflict, men staggering up exhausted by their exertion
and by the stifling atmosphere while others took their places below,
and so, night and day, the desperate struggle continued.
All these weeks no serious effort had been made for the relief of
the beleaguered town. Captains Hall and Allen had several times
swum down at night through the bridge of boats with letters from
the governor entreating a speedy succour. The States had sent a
fleet which sailed some distance up the Zwin, but returned without
making the slightest effort to break through the bridge of boats.
The Earl of Leicester had advanced with a considerable force from
Ostend against the fortress of Blankenburg, but had retreated
hastily as soon as Parma despatched a portion of his army against
him; and so the town was left to its fate.
The last letter that the governor despatched said that longer
resistance was impossible. The garrison were reduced to a mere
remnant, and these utterly worn out by constant fighting and the
want of rest. He should ask for fair and honourable terms, but if
these were refused the garrison and the whole male inhabitants in
the city, putting the women and children in the centre, would sally
out and cut their way through, or die fighting in the midst of the
Spaniards. The swimmer who took the letter was drowned, but his
body was washed ashore and the letter taken to the Duke of Parma.
Three days afterwards a fresh force of the enemy embarked in forty
large boats, and were about to land on an unprotected wharf by
the riverside when Arnold de Groenvelt hung out the white flag.
His powder was exhausted and his guns disabled, and the garrison
so reduced that the greater portion of the walls were left wholly
undefended. The Duke of Parma, who was full of admiration at the
extraordinary gallantry of the defenders, and was doubtless also
influenced by the resolution expressed in his letter by the governor,
granted them most honourable terms. The garrison were to march out
with all their baggage and arms, with matches lighted and colours
displayed. They were to proceed to Breskans, and there to embark
for Flushing. The life and property of the inhabitants were to be
respected, and all who did not choose to embrace the Catholic faith
were to be allowed to leave the town peaceably, taking with them
their belongings, and to go wheresoever they pleased.
When the gates were opened the garrison sallied out. The Duke of
Parma had an interview with several of the leaders, and expressed
his high admiration of the valour with which they had fought, and
said that the siege of Sluys had cost him more men than he had lost
in the four principal sieges he had undertaken in the Low Country
put together. On the 4th of August the duke entered Sluys in triumph,
and at once began to make preparations to take part in the great
invasion of England for which Spain was preparing.
After their arrival at Flushing Captains Vere, Uvedale, and others,
who had brought their companies from Bergen op Zoom to aid in the
defence of Sluys, returned to that town.
The Earl of Leicester shortly afterwards resigned his appointment
as general of the army. He had got on but badly with the States
General, and there was from the first no cordial cooperation between
the two armies. The force at his disposal was never strong enough
to do anything against the vastly superior armies of the Duke
of Parma, who was one of the most brilliant generals of his age,
while he was hampered and thwarted by the intrigues and duplicity
of Elizabeth, who was constantly engaged in half hearted negotiations
now with France and now with Spain, and whose capricious temper
was continually overthrowing the best laid plans of her councillors
and paralysing the actions of her commanders. It was not until
she saw her kingdom threatened by invasion that she placed herself
fairly at the head of the national movement, and inspired her
subjects with her energy and determination.
Geoffrey Vickars had been somewhat severely wounded upon the last
day of the struggle in the cellar, a Spanish officer having beaten
down his guard and cleft through his morion. Lionel was unwounded,
but the fatigue and excitement had told upon him greatly, and soon
after they arrived at Bergen Captain Vere advised both of them to
return home for a few months.
"There is nothing likely to be doing here until the spring. Parma
has a more serious matter in hand. They talk, you know, of invading
England, and after his experience at Sluys I do not think he will
be wasting his force by knocking their head against stone walls.
I should be glad if I could return too, but I have my company to
look after and must remain where I am ordered; but as you are but
volunteers and giving your service at your pleasure, and are not
regularly upon the list of the pages of the company, I can undertake
to grant you leave, and indeed I can see that you both greatly need
rest. You have begun well and have both done good service, and have
been twice thanked by the governor of Sluys and Sir Roger Williams.
"You will do yourselves no good by being shut up through the winter
in this dull town, and as there is a vessel lying by the quay which
is to set sail tomorrow, I think you cannot do better than go in
her. I will give you letters to my cousin and your father saying
how well you have borne yourselves, and how mightily Sir Roger
Williams was pleased with you. In the spring you can rejoin, unless
indeed the Spaniards should land in England, which Heaven forfend,
in which case you will probably prefer to ride under my cousin's
banner at home."
The boys gladly accepted Francis Vere's proposal. It was but three
months since they had set foot in Holland, but they had gone through
a tremendous experience, and the thought of being shut up for eight
or nine months at Bergen op Zoom was by no means a pleasant one.
Both felt worn out and exhausted, and longed for the fresh keen air
of the eastern coast. Therefore the next morning they embarked on
board ship. Captain Vere presented them each with a handsome brace
of pistols in token of his regard, and Captains Uvedale, Baskerville,
and other officers who were intimate friends of Vere's, and had met
them at his quarters, gave them handsome presents in recognition
of the services they had rendered at Sluys.
The ship was bound for Harwich, which was the nearest English port.
Landing there, they took passage by boat to Manningtree and thence
by horse home, where they astounded their father and mother by
their sudden appearance.
"And this is what comes of your soldiering," Mrs. Vickars said
when the first greeting was over. "Here is Geoffrey with plasters
all over the side of his head, and you, Lionel, looking as pale and
thin as if you had gone through a long illness. I told your father
when we heard of your going that you ought to be brought back
and whipped; but the earl talked him over into writing to Captain
Francis to tell him that he approved of this mad brained business,
and a nice affair it has turned out."
"You will not have to complain of our looks, mother, at the end
of a week or two," Geoffrey said. "My wound is healing fast, and
Lionel only needs an extra amount of sleep for a time. You see, for
nearly a month we were never in bed, but just lay down to sleep by
the side of Captain Vere on the top of the ramparts, where we had
been fighting all day.
"It was a gallant defence," Mr. Vickars said, "and all England
is talking of it. It was wonderful that 800 English and as many
Dutchmen should hold a weak place for two months against full twelve
times their number of Spaniards, led by the Duke of Parma himself,
and there is great honour for all who took part in the defence.
The governor and Sir Roger Williams especially mentioned Francis
Vere as among the bravest and best of their captains, and although
you as pages can have had nought to do with the fighting, you will
have credit as serving under his banner."
"I think, father," Geoffrey said, touching the plasters on his
head, "this looks somewhat as if we had had something to do with
the fighting, and here is a letter for you from Captain Vere which
will give you some information about it."
Mr. Vickars adjusted his horn spectacles on his face and opened
the letter. It began: "My dear Master and Friend,--I have had
no means of writing to you since your letter came to me, having
had other matters in mind, and being cut off from all communication
with England. I was glad to find that you did not take amiss my
carrying off of your sons. Indeed that action has turned out more
happily than might have been expected, for I own that they were
but young for such rough service.
"However, they have proved themselves valiant young gentlemen.
They fought stoutly by my side during our long tussle with the
Spaniards, and more than once saved my life by ridding me of foes
who would have taken me at a disadvantage. Once, indeed, when I
was down from a blow on the pate from a Spanish axe, they rushed
forward and kept my assailants at bay until rescue came. They
discovered a plot between a traitor in the town and the Spaniards,
and succeeded in defeating his plans and bringing him to justice.
"They were also the means of preventing the Spaniards from breaking
into the great wine cellars and capturing the warehouses, and for
each of these services they received the thanks of the Dutch governor
and of Sir Roger Williams, our leader. Thus, you see, although
so young they have distinguished themselves mightily, and should
aught befall me, there are many among my friends who will gladly
take them under their protection and push them forward. I have
sent them home for a time to have quiet and rest, which they need
after their exertions, and have done this the more willingly since
there is no chance of fighting for many months to come. I hope that
before the Spaniards again advance against us I may have them by
my side."
"Well, well, this is wonderful," Mrs. Vickars said when her husband
had finished reading the letter. "If they had told me themselves I
should not have believed them, although they have never been given
to the sin of lying; but since it is writ in Master Vere's own hand
it cannot be doubted. And now tell us all about it, boys."
"We will tell you when we have had dinner, mother. This brisk Essex
air has given us both an appetite, and until that is satisfied you
must excuse us telling a long story. Is the earl at the castle,
father? because we have two letters to him from Captain Francis--one,
I believe, touching our affairs, and the other on private
matters. We have also letters from him to his mother and his brother
John, and these we had better send off at once by a messenger, as
also the private letters to the earl."
"That I will take myself," Mr. Vickars said. "I was just going up
to him to speak about my parish affairs when you arrived."
"You had better have your dinner first," Mrs. Vickars said decidedly.
"When you once get with the earl and begin talking you lose all
account of the time, and only last week kept dinner waiting for two
hours. It is half past eleven now, and I will hurry it on so that
it will be ready a few minutes before noon."
"Very well, my dear; but I will go out into the village at once and
find a messenger to despatch to Crepping Hall with the letters to
Dame Elizabeth and John Vere."
The boys' story was not told until after supper, for as soon as
dinner was over Mr. Vickars went up to the castle with the letters
for the earl. The latter, after reading them, told him that his
cousin spoke most highly of his two sons, and said they had been
of great service, even as far as the saving of his life. The earl
told Mr. Vickars to bring the boys up next day to see him in order
that he might learn a full account of the fighting at Sluys, and
that he hoped they would very often come in, and would, while they
were at home, practise daily with his master of arms at the castle.
"I know, Mr. Vickars, that you had hoped that one of them would
enter the church; but you see that their tastes lie not in that
direction, and it is evident that, as in the case of my cousin
Francis, they are cut out for soldiers."
"I am afraid so," Mr. Vickars said; "and must let them have their
own way, for I hold, that none should be forced to follow the
ministry save those whose natural bent lies that way."
"I don't think they have chosen badly," the earl said. "My cousin
Francis bids fair to make a great soldier, and as they start in
life as his pages they will have every chance of getting on, and
I warrant me that Francis will push their fortunes. Perhaps I may
be able to aid them somewhat myself. If aught comes of this vapouring
of the Spaniards, before the boys return to Holland, they shall
ride with me. I am already arming all the tenantry and having them
practised in warlike exercises, and in the spring I shall fit out
two ships at Harwich to join the fleet that will put to sea should
the Spaniards carry out their threats of invading us."