a standing joke. Why, therefore,
these Dunkirk sea-rovers should not on the same principle be allowed to
rush forth from their very convenient den to plunder friend and foe, burn
ships, and butcher the sailors at pleasure, seems difficult to
understand. To expect from the inhabitants of this robbers' cave--this
"church on the downs"--a code of maritime law so much purer and sterner
than the system adopted by the English, the Spaniards, and the Dutch, was
hardly reasonable. Certainly the Dunkirkers, who were mainly
Netherlanders--rebels to the republic and partisans of the Spanish
crown--did their best to destroy the herring fishery and to cut the
throats of the fishermen, but perhaps they received the halter more often
than other mariners who had quite as thoroughly deserved it. And this at
last appeared the prevailing opinion in Rotterdam.

ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

Abstinence from unproductive consumption
Defeated garrison ever deserved more respect from friend or foe
His own past triumphs seemed now his greatest enemies
Hundred thousand men had laid down their lives by her decree
John Castel, who had stabbed Henry IV.
Looking down upon her struggle with benevolent indifference
No retrenchments in his pleasures of women, dogs, and buildings
Sick soldiers captured on the water should be hanged
The small children diminished rapidly in numbers
When all was gone, they began to eat each other

HISTORY OF THE UNITED NETHERLANDS

From the Death of William the Silent to the Twelve Year's Truce--1609

By John Lothrop Motley

History United Netherlands, Volume 78, 1605-1607

CHAPTER XLV.

Preparations for the campaign of 1606--Diminution of Maurice's
popularity--Quarrel between the pope and the Venetian republic--
Surprise of Sluys by Du Terrail--Dilatoriness of the republic's
operations--Movements of Spinola--Influence of the weather on the
military transactions of the year--Endeavours of Spinola to obtain
possession of the Waal and Yssel--Surrender of Lochem to Spinola--
Siege of Groll--Siege and loss of Rheinberg--Mutiny in the Catholic
army--Recovery of Lochem by Maurice--Attempted recovery of Groll--
Sudden appearance of the enemy--Withdrawal of the besieging army
Close of the campaign--End of the war of independence--Motives of
the Prince in his actions before Groll--Cruise of Admiral Haultain
to the coast of