an enemy.  The Hollanders and Zeelanders, with one hundred and forty cruisers, had shut him up in all directions.  He could neither get out from Antwerp nor from Sluys.  There were large English ships, too, cruising in the channel, and they were getting ready in the Netherlands and in England “most furiously.”  The delays had been so great, that their secret had been poorly kept, and the enemy was on his guard.  If Santa Cruz had come, Alexander declared that he should have already been in England.  When he did come he should still be prepared to make the passage; but to talk of such an attempt without the Armada was senseless, and he denounced the madness of that proposition to his Majesty in vehement and unmeasured terms.  His army, by sickness and other causes, had been reduced to one-half the number considered necessary for the invasion, and the rebels had established regular squadrons in the Scheldt, in the very teeth of the forts, at Lillo, Liefkenshoek, Saftingen, and other points close to Antwerp.  There were so many of these war-vessels, and all in such excellent order, that they were a most notable embarrassment to him, he observed, and his own flotilla would run great risk of being utterly destroyed.  Alexander had been personally superintending matters at Sluys, Ghent, and Antwerp, and had strengthened with artillery the canal which he had constructed between Sas and Sluys.  Meantime his fresh troops had been slowly arriving, but much sickness prevailed among them.  The Italians were dying fast, almost all the Spaniards were in hospital, and the others were so crippled and worn out that it was most pitiable to behold them; yet it was absolutely necessary that those who were in health should accompany him to England, since otherwise his Spanish force would be altogether too weak to do the service expected.  He had got together a good number of transports.  Not counting his Antwerp fleet—­which could not stir from port, as he bitterly complained, nor be of any use, on account of the rebel blockade—­he had between Dunkerk and Newport seventy-four vessels of various kinds fit for sea-service, one hundred and fifty flat-bottoms (pleytas), and seventy riverhoys, all which were to be assembled at Sluys, whence they would—­so soon as Santa Cruz should make his appearance—­set forth for England.  This force of transports he pronounced sufficient, when properly protected by the Spanish Armada, to carry himself and his troops across the channel.  If, therefore, the matter did not become publicly known, and if the weather proved favourable, it was probable that his Majesty’s desire would soon be fulfilled according to the plan proposed.  The companies of light horse and of arquebusmen, with which he meant to make his entrance into London, had been clothed, armed, and mounted, he said, in a manner delightful to contemplate, and those soldiers at least might be trusted—­if they could only effect their passage—­to do good service, and make matters quite secure.