which for long had been shaky, to the ground, with a great crash. He could no longer raise money to pay his army. Mutiny ensued as an inevitable consequence, and the fine army commanded by Spinola dwindled away to nothing. Once more the mutineers seized the town of Hoogstradt, and began a guerilla warfare on their own account. "These miscreants," says Meteren, " were accustomed to go about with straw in their hats, to signify that they would immediately set fire to any place where they were refused contributions, and to send letters to the same effect, burnt at the corner and headed by a picture of a naked sword. Neither were they a whit less ready with the execution than the threat, in case their demands were not instantly complied with." Now was the time for Maurice to retrieve his fame, and win back the places lost to the States in the last two years. On October 24 he came before Lochem, which he speedily retook. He next besieged Groll. "But the rain," says Motley, "which during nearly the whole campaign had been his potent ally, had of late been playing him false. The swollen Yssel, during a brief period of dry weather, had sunk so low in certain shallows as not to be navigable for his transports, and after his trains of artillery and ammunitions had been dragged wearily overland as far as Groll, the deluge had returned in such force, that physical necessity, as well as considerations of humanity, compelled him to defer his intrenching operations until the weather should moderate."2 Delay, however necessary, is generally fatal when there is anything to be acquired, as Time works great changes, and makes things that appeared impossible yesterday quite possible to-day. Here is an instance. Spinola, who was thought to be incapable of giving further trouble that year, by reason of

1 Book xxviii. fol. 596

2 p. 247.

his army being broken up by open revolt, appeared suddenly before Groll with an army of 8,000 men, raised by superhuman efforts out of the wreck of his great army. Wearied with a long march, and in numbers less than half of the States' army, the Spaniards seemed to be an easy prey for Maurice's troops. Maurice had taken up a strong position on hearing of Spinola's advance, and his troops, despite the sickness in their camp, were eager for battle. To their horror and astonishment their commander-in-chief refused the combat, and, giving immediate orders for raising the siege, broke up his camp and withdrew his army! The troops were most indignant, and it is recorded that the French troops in Maurice's army loudly exclaimed that they must always seek for hiding places from the enemy, if they were to fly before him now when feeble and exhausted with cold, wet, and long marches."1

The same day that Maurice withdrew from before Groll, Spinola relieved that place. Groll was saved, and the war for that year, and for many years to come, was over.

Many reasons have been given by historians for Maurice's inexplicable conduct on this occasion. Whatever the reason was that made him refuse to fight, when all the odds were in his favour, we may be very sure it was not from cowardice. Had Maurice been fighting for a Crown, and had he been his own free agent, Spinola would not have relieved Groll so easily.

Early in January, 1607, the Archdukes, by means of commissioners sent to the Hague for the purpose, intimated to the States-General that they would be glad to receive proposals for an armistice. After many negotiations between the States-General and the Archdukes, in which the former upheld their national rights, their liberty, and their

1 Quoted by Davies, ii. p. 401.

readiness to continue the war, if Spain did not recognise the United Provinces as a free and independent nation, an armistice was concluded on April 24, by which the belligerents mutually agreed to a suspension of hostilities for eight months. It was also agreed that negotiations should go on between the two contracting parties to settle the terms of a truce for ten, fifteen, or twenty years, with the distinct understanding that the Archdukes recognised the independence of the United Provinces.

However welcome an eight months' truce, with a probability of peace to follow, might be to the citizens of the United Provinces, it was by no means palatable to Prince Maurice, who had been a soldier from his boyhood and to whom military glory was more dear than anything. "The Count Maurice is much troubled with this treaty and much feareth a peace," wrote Sir John Ogle to Salisbury, soon after the truce was made public.1

A long peace, of course, meant a great reduction in the States' army. Soldiers who lived by war would find the Netherlands a poor field for fame and fortune, and many would be thrown out of their employment by being reduced. This unsatisfactory look out naturally made the English officers serving in the States' army anxious about their future, and those who had friends at Court were not likely to neglect the opportunity of asking for their friends' help at this crisis in their lives. Colonel Edward Cecil's military ambition, and desire for advancement, prompted him at this time to ask his uncle for his interest in obtaining for him the high post of "President of Munster," then vacant.

1 Ogle to Salisbury, "from the Haghe, July 13, 1607."-S.P. Holland. See also a speech made by Prince Maurice in the Assembly of the States-General against granting a peace. Bentivoglio, p. 442.

SIR E. CECIL TO THE EARL OF SALISBURY.

"MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP,

"I have found my harte so resoulved allwaye to honore yo, that I should doe it much ronge in not hoping of y favore, espetially in a busines that concerneth my howle fortunes, booth in regarde of my reputation and my perticular contentment, considering that as I have taken paynes so many yeares out of my contrye, speante of my owne perticular estate (all to make my selfe able to serve his Mat.), having neclected meanes to inriche my purse, in regarde to y'. lo. continuale incoragemente to be advanced. Not fiending any thing to hinder my presant fortune, but as yr lo. hath towld mee, that I have not lived in the Contrye wheare I desier to command. It is very true that I never was in Ierland. Yet I have traveled in many Contryes, and sceanc [since] have commanded booth horse and foote, and as a Governer of a Towne,1 and good commands doe much resemble on a nother, and wth y' lo. favore and instructions, I can not confess my selfe uncapable of the presedent of Munster. But if y' lo. be curyous in regarde y° would not have mee preferred in a contrye wheare others have takene paynes, y' lo. will give mee leave to speake thus much for my selfe, that at my going in to the lowe Contryes, the Queene had noe Armye in Ierland. And that my eand [end] was that in going to the beast scoule, I might have the better prefermente; besides I howld it noe diferenc betwixt him that scearves the Kinge and those that venter as much to be able to serve him unless his quallety and command hath beeyne better. Yet I howld the Kings servis to be preferred before all other respects, and if y' lo. shall thincke mee worthy of the place I sue for, I can not be to earnest, hoping that as I have the honore to be y' nephue and that I doe not presume of it, so it shall be noe hinderance to mee. I can never hope for a better occation. Theare fore I sett up my reaste that if ever y' lo. thincke mee worthy of advansment, y° will thincke mee worthy of this; for that none can come to this plase wth out y' leading, nor

This is ambiguous, but seems to imply that Edward Cecil was, or had been, governor of a town?

none that is more suerly tyed to praye for y' lo. longe and happie

life as

"Yr lo. most diutefull and obedient servant

"as well as Nphue,

"ED. CECYLL.

"this present thursdaye."1

Add. "To the Righ honorable and his singular good lo. the Earle of Salcburye, lo. Scecritary of Eingland, &."

End."1607. Sir Edward Cecyll to my Lord."

This letter produced no results, and the Presidency of Munster was bestowed on Sir Henry Danvers, who had been created, in 1603, Baron Danvers of Dantsey, in the county Wilts, a distinguished soldier. Curious to say

Lord Danvers was first cousin to Edward Cecil on his mother's side.2

The twelve months' armistice was passed in active negotiations between the commissioners representing Philip III., King of Spain, and the Archduke, and the commissioners representing the United Provinces of the Netherlands. Conspicuous among the former were the Marquis Spinola, Don Juan de Mancicidor, private secretary to the King of Spain, and President Richardot. The chief man among the States' envoys, was John of Olden Barneveld-the heart and soul, life and strength, upholder and supporter of his country's rights. The Spanish commissioners had arrived at the Hague on the last of January, 1607-8, and were sumptuously lodged there. The negotiations between the rival envoys were stormy and perplexing, and it was long

Cecil Papers, Hatfield, 12/2.

2 Henry Lord Danvers was second son of Sir John Danvers of Dantsey, Co. Wilts, by Elizabeth his wife, youngest daughter and co-heir of John Nevill, last Lord Latimer. Lord Danvers served in the Low Country wars under Maurice of Nassau, and was knighted for his services in France. He was Lieut.-General of the horse, under the Earl of Essex, in Ireland, and was created Earl of Danby in 1626. He died s.p. 1643.