and escaped in large numbers to their own homes.  It was but meagre and profitless campaigning on both sides during those wretched months of winter and early spring, although there was again an opportunity for Sir Roger Williams, at the head of two hundred musketeers and one hundred and fifty pikemen, to make one of his brilliant skirmishes under the eye of the Bearnese.  Surprised and without armour, he jumped, in doublet and hose, on horseback, and led his men merrily against five squadrons of Spanish and Italian horse, and six companies of Spanish infantry; singled out and unhorsed the leader of the Spanish troopers, and nearly cut off the head, of the famous Albanian chief George Basti with one swinging blow of his sword.  Then, being reinforced by some other English companies, he succeeded in driving the whole body of Italians and Spaniards, with great loss, quite into their entrenchments.  “The king doth commend him very highly,” said Umton, “and doth more than wonder at the valour of our nation.  I never heard him give more honour to any service nor to any man than he doth to Sir Roger Williams and the rest, whom he held as lost men, and for which he has caused public thanks to be given to God.”

At last Villars, who had so peremptorily rejected assistance at the end of February, sent to say that if he were not relieved by the middle of April he should be obliged to surrender the city.  If the siege were not raised by the twentieth of the month he informed Parma, to his profound astonishment, that Rouen would be in Henry’s hands.

In effecting this result the strict blockade maintained by the Dutch squadron at the mouth of the river, and the resolute manner in which those cruisers dashed at every vessel attempting to bring relief to Rouen, were mainly instrumental.  As usual with the stern Hollanders and Zeelanders when engaged at sea with the Spaniards, it was war to the knife.  Early in April twelve large vessels, well armed and manned, attempted to break the blockade.  A combat ensued, at the end of which eight of the Spanish ships were captured, two were sunk, and two were set on fire in token of victory, every man on board of all being killed and thrown into the sea.  Queen Elizabeth herself gave the first news of this achievement to the Dutch envoy in London.  “And in truth,” said he, “her Majesty expressed herself, in communicating these tidings, with such affection and extravagant joy to the glory and honour of our nation and men-of-war’s-men, that it wonderfully delighted me, and did me good into my very heart to hear it from her.”

Instantly Farnese set himself to the work which, had he followed his own judgment, would already have been accomplished.  Henry with his cavalry had established himself at Dieppe and Arques, within a distance of five or six leagues from the infantry engaged in the siege of Rouen.  Alexander saw the profit to be derived from the separation between the different portions of the enemy’s forces, and marched straight upon the enemy’s entrenchments.  He knew the disadvantage of assailing a strongly fortified camp, but believed that by a well-concerted, simultaneous assault by Villars from within and the Leaguers from without, the king’s forces would be compelled to raise the siege or be cut up in their trenches.