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By England's Aid

Or, the Freeing of the Netherlands, 1585-1604

BY

G. A. HENTY

[Illustration: GEOFFREY AND LIONEL SAVE FRANCIS VERE'S LIFE]

PREFACE.

In my preface to By Pike and Dyke I promised in a future story todeal with the closing events of the War of Independence in Holland. Theperiod over which that war extended was so long, and the incidents wereso numerous and varied, that it was impossible to include the wholewithin the limit of a single book. The former volume brought the storyof the struggle down to the death of the Prince of Orange and thecapture of Antwerp; the present gives the second phase of the war, whenEngland, who had long unofficially assisted Holland, threw herselfopenly into the struggle, and by her aid mainly contributed to thesuccessful issue of the war. In the first part of the struggle thescene lay wholly among the low lands and cities of Holland and Zeeland,and the war was strictly a defensive one, waged against overpoweringodds. After England threw herself into the strife it assumed far widerproportions, and the independence of the Netherlands was mainly securedby the defeat and destruction of the great Armada, by the capture ofCadiz and the fatal blow thereby struck at the mercantile prosperity ofSpain, and by the defeat of the Holy League by Henry of Navarre, aidedby English soldiers and English gold. For the facts connected with thedoings of Sir Francis Vere and the British contingent in Holland, Ihave depended much upon the excellent work by Mr. Clement Markhamentitled the Fighting Veres. In this full justice is done to thegreat English general and his followers, and it is conclusively shownthat some statements to the disparagement of Sir Francis Vere by Mr.Motley are founded upon a misconception of the facts. Sir Francis Verewas, in the general opinion of the time, one of the greatest commandersof the age, and more, perhaps, than any other man—with the exceptionof the Prince of Orange—contributed to the successful issue of thestruggle of Holland to throw off the yoke of Spain.

G. A. HENTY.

CONTENTS

CHAP.

I. AN EXCURSION II. A MEETING IN CHEPE III. IN THE LOW COUNTRY IV. THE SIEGE OP SLUYS V. AN HEROIC DEFENCE VI. THE LOSS OF THE "SUSAN" VII. A POPISH PLOT VIII. THE SPANISH ARMADA IX. THE ROUT OF THE ARMADA X. THE WAR IN HOLLAND XI. IN SPAIN XII. RECRUITING THEIR FUNDS XIII. THE FESTA AT SEVILLE XIV. THE SURPRISE OF BREDA XV. A SLAVE IN BARBARY XVI. THE ESCAPE XVII. A SPANISH MERCHANTXVIII. IVRY XIX. STEENWYK XX. CADIZ XXI. THE BATTLE OF NIEUPORT XXII. OLD FRIENDSXXIII. THE SIEGE OF OSTEND

ILLUSTRATIONS

  Geoffrey And Lionel Save Francis Vere's Life
  The Four Pages Carry Down The Wounded Soldier
  The Next Few Minutes It Was A Wild Struggle For Life
  Geoffrey Carried Overboard By The Falling Mast
  Geoffrey Gives Inez Her Lover's Note
  Geoffrey Falls Into The Hands Of The Corsairs
  Crossing The Bridge Of Boats Over The Haven
  Vere's Horse Shot Under Him At The Fight Before Ostend

* * * * *

Plan of Sluys and the Castle, to illustrate th

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