A couple of troopers from Ostend came spurring full gallop along the strand, and almost breathless with dismay, announced that it was the whole army of the archduke advancing in line of battle.  They were instantly sent to the rear, without being allowed to speak further, in order that they might deliver their message in private to the commander-in-chief.  And most terrible were the tidings to which Maurice now listened in very secret audience.  Ernest was utterly defeated, his command cut to pieces, the triumphant foe advancing rapidly, and already in full sight.  The stadholder heard the tale without flinching, and having quietly ordered the messengers upon their lives not to open their lips on the subject to living soul, sent them securely guarded in a boat on board one of the war-ships in the offing.  With perfect cheerfulness he then continued his preparations, consulting with Vere, on whom he mainly relied for the marshalling of the army in the coming conflict.  Undecided as he had sometimes shown himself, he was resolute now.  He called no council of war, for he knew not how much might be known or suspected of the disaster already sustained, and he had fully made up his mind as to the course to be pursued.  He had indeed taken a supreme resolution.  Entirely out of his own breast, without advising with any man, he calmly gave directions that every war-ship, transport, barge, or wherry should put to sea at once.  As the tide had now been long on the flood, the few vessels that had been aground—­within the harbour were got afloat, and the whole vast, almost innumerable armada, was soon standing out to sea.  No more heroic decision was ever taken by fighting man.

Sir Francis gave advice that entrenchments should be thrown up on the north-east, and that instead of advancing towards the enemy they should await his coming, and refuse the battle that day if possible.  The Englishman, not aware of the catastrophe at Leffingen, which Maurice had locked up in his own breast, was now informed by the stadholder that there were to be no entrenchments that day but those of pike and arquebus.  It was not the fault of Maurice that the fate of the commonwealth had been suspended on a silken thread that morning, but he knew that but one of two issues was possible.  They must fight their way through the enemy back to Ostend, or perish, every man of them.  The possibility of surrender did not enter his mind, and he felt that it was better to hasten the action before the news of Ernest’s disaster should arrive to chill the ardour of the troops.

Meantime Lewis Gunther and his cavalry had been sitting motionless upon their horses on the beach.  The enemy was already in full view, and the young general, most desirous to engage in a preliminary skirmish, sent repeated messages to the stadholder for permission to advance.  Presently Sir Francis Vere rode to the front, to whom he eagerly urged his request that the infantry of the vanguard might be, brought