This was certainly not in accordance with the interests nor the benevolent professions of the English ministers.

These supplies were not to be regularly depended upon however.  They were likewise not to be had without paying a heavy price for them, and the Prince had no money in his coffer.  He lived from hand to mouth, and was obliged to borrow from every private individual who had anything to lend.  Merchants, nobles, official personages, were all obliged to assist in eking out the scanty pittance allowed by the sovereign.

“The million is all gone,” wrote Parma to his master; “some to Verdugo in Friesland; some to repay the advances of Marquis Richebourg and other gentlemen.  There is not a farthing for the garrisons.  I can’t go on a month longer, and, if not supplied, I shall be obliged to abandon the work.  I have not money enough to pay my sailors, joiners, carpenters, and other mechanics, from week to week, and they will all leave me in the lurch, if I leave them unpaid.  I have no resource but to rely on your Majesty.  Otherwise the enterprise must wholly fail.”

In case it did fail, the Prince wiped his hands of the responsibility.  He certainly had the right to do so.

One of the main sources of supply was the city of Hertogenbosch, or Bois-le-Duc.  It was one of the four chief cities of Brabant, and still held for the King, although many towns in its immediate neighbourhood had espoused the cause of the republic.  The States had long been anxious to effect a diversion for the relief of Antwerp, by making an attack on Bois-le-Duc.  Could they carry the place, Parma would be almost inevitably compelled to abandon the siege in which he was at present engaged, and he could moreover spare no troops for its defence.  Bois-le-Duc was a populous, wealthy, thriving town, situate on the Deeze, two leagues above its confluence with the Meuse, and about twelve leagues from Antwerp.  It derived its name of `Duke’s Wood’ from a magnificent park and forest, once the favourite resort and residence of the old Dukes of Brabant, of which some beautiful vestiges still remained.  It was a handsome well-built city, with two thousand houses of the better class, besides more humble tenements.  Its citizens were celebrated for their courage and belligerent skill, both on foot and on horseback.  They were said to retain more of the antique Belgic ferocity which Caesar had celebrated than that which had descended to most of their kinsmen.  The place was, moreover, the seat of many prosperous manufactures.  Its clothiers sent the products of their looms over all Christendom, and its linen and cutlery were equally renowned.

It would be a most fortunate blow in the cause of freedom to secure so, thriving and conspicuous a town, situated thus in the heart of what seemed the natural territory of the United States; and, by so doing, to render nugatory the mighty preparations of Parma against Antwerp.  Moreover, it was known that there was no Spanish or other garrison within its walls, so that there was no opposition to be feared, except from the warlike nature of the citizens.