superior.  A wild, sanguinary, licentious noble, wearing his hair and beard unshorn, according to ancient Batavian custom, until the death of his relative, Egmont, should have been expiated, a worthy descendant of the Wild Boar of Ardennes, this hirsute and savage corsair seemed an embodiment of vengeance.  He had sworn to wreak upon Alva and upon popery the deep revenge owed to them by the Netherland nobility, and in the cruelties afterwards practised by him upon monks and priests, the Blood Council learned that their example had made at least one ripe scholar among the rebels.  He was lying, at this epoch, with his fleet on the southern coast of England, from which advantageous position he was now to be ejected in a summary manner.

The negotiations between the Duke of Alva and Queen Elizabeth had already assumed an amicable tone, and were fast ripening to an adjustment.  It lay by no means in that sovereign’s disposition to involve herself at this juncture in a war with Philip, and it was urged upon her government by Alva’s commissioners, that the continued countenance afforded by the English people to the Netherland cruisers must inevitably lead to that result.  In the latter days of March, therefore, a sentence of virtual excommunication was pronounced against De la Marck and his rovers.  A peremptory order of Elizabeth forbade any of her subjects to supply them with meat, bread, or beer.  The command being strictly complied with, their farther stay was rendered impossible.  Twenty-four vessels accordingly, of various sizes, commanded by De la Marck, Treslong, Adam van Harem, Brand, and Other distinguished seamen, set sail from Dover in the very last days of March.  Being almost in a state of starvation, these adventurers were naturally anxious to supply themselves with food.  They determined to make a sudden foray upon the coasts of North Holland, and accordingly steered for Enkbuizen, both because it was a rich sea-port and because it contained many secret partisans of the Prince.  On Palm Sunday they captured two Spanish merchantmen.  Soon afterwards, however, the wind becoming contrary, they were unable to double the Helder or the Texel, and on Tuesday, the 1st of April, having abandoned their original intention, they dropped down towards Zealand, and entered the broad mouth of the river Meuse.  Between the town of Brill, upon the southern lip of this estuary, and Naaslandsluis, about half a league distant, upon the opposite aide, the squadron suddenly appeared at about two o’clock of an April afternoon, to the great astonishment of the inhabitants of both places.  It seemed too large a fleet to be a mere collection of trading vessels, nor did they appear to be Spanish ships.  Peter Koppelstok, a sagacious ferryman, informed the passengers whom he happened to be conveying across the river, that the strangers were evidently the water beggars.  The dreaded name filled his hearers with consternation, and they became eager to escape from so perilous a vicinity.  Having duly landed his customers, however, who hastened to spread the news of the impending invasion, and to prepare for defence or flight, the stout ferryman, who was secretly favorable to the cause of liberty, rowed boldly out to inquire the destination and purposes of the fleet.