Jan Wychgaerde a Walsingham : la situación en Sluis.

This is in brief, as two days ago I apprised your honour at large of all that was happening. I am sorry that I have not been able to come sooner, but in making the passage, the ship was taken by a man of war having the King of Navarre's commission, and which robbed me and all the rest, because I was crossing in a French ship. So we were all plundered and landed at Boulogne. I found besides, that one cannot come from Dixmude to Bruges save with a great convoy of soldiers. [Relates the attack on the convoy by those of Ostend, as in his letter of June 30, above.]

I have yet no tidings from Bruges that all is ready [for the assault on Sluys]. Four days ago the great guns were not all in position, but here it is said that within two or four days they will begin shooting, to storm it. News has come hither that the Spaniards resolved three days ago to scale the great fort, but that they only thrust their head in and were beaten off, a part, moreover being left behind. God grant this last may be so, and that every night there may be left many dead. More are killed by night than by day, because the Spaniards then expose themselves more, in order to make their approaches.

Furthermore, there arrived here yesterday tidings that Montigny, i.e. the Marquis de Renty and Admiral of the Sea, is wounded. Whether this is true cannot certainly be known. The said Montigny governed in the place of Lamotte, who was long ago shot and lies at Bruges to recover. These are the two chief lords of the camp next to the Prince, and governed on the dyke, where they dominated the town, for nowhere did they do so more than on the dyke that comes from Bruges to Dam[me], and at no place had they more ready access to it, so near as they now are.

A messenger or post has come hither, bringing for sure tidings that the troop of ordynansy ought to be speedily at the camp; he said it was not more than 400 strong, and the horses hastily collected. Those here say five or six hundred, but it is always the custom of the Spaniards to say they are more by half than they are ; just as they also say of the camp that it is ten or twelve thousand strong, and yet it is not more than five thousand. I have not yet learned whether the three or four thousand men, or three or four regiments who were to come into the camp, have arrived, but when I do, will apprise you thereof. If you wish me to go again to the camp, I will gladly do so. You might let me know your wishes by a good secret friend.

I think it would be very important to get into the town of Sluys. I expect I could do so very well at night by swimming across the water, provided those in the town did not shoot ; but the need should be great.

It is said here on all hands that my lord of Leicester, with my lord Admiral and yet another lord, have gone over by Zeeland to relieve Sluys. This must be done in very good order, for the Spaniards (so it is said) are preparing themselves to meet the emergency. There are two or three places at which they might arrive, for the camp is not very strong, especially if one relief should come by water or from the sea into the havens or river ; so they must have a great many small skiffs and boats, to hold twenty, thirty or forty men, and which, with the setting in of the tide, might row furiously against the two war boats and five galleys or smacks that lie in the channel, from where the counterscarp is to where the water becomes shallow.

These boats and galleys lie in the deep water, where there is no counterscarp, and so, with a furious attack, the ships might be mastered and ropes of the anchors cut, and so with the influx or rising of the tide, they might drift close to the town. On each of the two boats they have four pieces [of ordnance], and on each of the five galleys two pieces, to defend themselves, so that it is better to operate with many small boats than with great ships, for there would confront the ships on land, along the haven, eight or ten great and powerful pieces ; and these would not be so well able to shoot on small skiffs or rowing boats. For they should come scattered, and in such wise the ships might be mastered and driven towards the town. But the men would need to be very stout and well disciplined, for though there are not more than forty or fifty men on board, as soon as the Spaniards saw aught coming, they would send many more soldiers aboard them, and might also land parties at the same time at three or four places, for they are not so strong as formerly. Their greatest and chiefest strength is that they keep such good order, and all the Prince's best people are there, and on whom he most relies ; wherefore, if relief is to come, they must needs be very stout men.

As for the thirty bridges that are being made or are made, some say that they are for storming, others, in order to lay a bridge over the haven or river, upon ships or flat-bottomed boats, thereby to close the haven. In my opinion, they are for making a bridge, for they are being made, on both sides, shot-proof to the height of a man.

As I understand, the Spaniards are in great dread lest relief should come ; for they know all that happens in England, Holland, Zeeland and everywhere, from those whom the Prince has in all parts. From Ostend people come daily that say such [relief] is to come, whatever happens, and even some Englishmen give full warning, so that it is said here that the Prince knows every secret before it is put in practice. That is a great mistake. [Re-iterates the advantage of the relief boats coming by night.]

The Spaniards themselves praise those in the town as good soldiers, because they bear themselves so stoutly. Some of them also say that they believe those in Sluys are making a new fort or trench. This is probably because from without they have seen some high houses or chimneys thrown down. The Spaniards think they are making a countervest and so steps are being taken for placing the great artillery in order to fire upon the town. It is put beside the dyke which comes from Bruges, and they will fire between the great fort and the gate, on a place where the wall is low. Three days have passed and the firing has not yet begun, but they say here that it will begin in two or four days.

In my opinion, the delay will be longer, for I do not think they will storm or make an assault until they have more men in camp. At present, I have no better news to write than that there is great dearth and poverty in the camp. The man whom you appointed to remain here is now about to return, leaving his servant, in case there should be anything of urgency. [Apology for writing in Flemish, lamentations over the loss of his money and goods in the flyboat taken by Captain "Daerck's" ship, and humble prayers for his honour's aid in the matter.] For such matters as your honour shall command me, I shall adventure my life, and as I am a German born, though of a Hanse town, I hope you will be the more ready to help me to recover my losses. I have forgotten to tell you that the Spaniards have moved the beacons or signs in the river or haven of Sluys, and have caused them to be set up on the sandbanks, in order that ships coming in for the relief of Sluys may run on the sandbanks, and there be stranded. So that only such ships should come as have good and skilful pilots aboard, otherwise they would be misled and cause the ruin of all the ships. [On the advantage of using small boats, the need for very good order, and the Spaniard's strict discipline, as in previous letter.]

If the relief is ready, the sooner it comes the better, for the Spaniards lie so close to the town with their forts that one could from them throw a stone into it, and day and night they work very diligently to prepare to assault the town. But as amongst those within there is no treachery or discord, and they mean to hold together, they should not be taken for a month yet, or more. On divers occasions lately they have kindled a fire outside the castle. What this may mean I know not. [Supposed lack of powder, as before.] Even firing only firelocks and muskets, they despatch many men, so that hitherto they have defended themselves very stoutly, as the Spaniards themselves declare. 

Signed. Add. in Spanish. Flemish. [Flanders I. f. 293.]