The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

OF A WAR WITH SPAIN. 211
patience of the Spaniards; who, though we stayed Ireland, which was in September that year, a
upon the place divers days, yet never offered us man may guess how long time a Spaniard will
anlly play then, nor never put us in suit by any live in Irish ground; which is a matter of a
action of revenge or reparation at any time after. quarter of a year, or four months at most. For
In the year 1600 was the battle of Newport in they had all the advantages in the world; and no
the Low Countries, where the armies of the arch- man would have thought, considering the small
duke, and the States, tried it out by a just battle. forces employed against them, that they could
This was the only battle that was fought in those have been driven out so soon. They obtained,
countries these many years. For battles in the without resistance, in the end of September, the
French wars have been frequent, but in the wars town of Kinsale; a small garrison of one hundred
of Flanders rare, as the nature of a defensive re- and fifty English leaving the town upon the
quireth. The forces of both armies were not Spaniards' approach, and the townsmen receiving
much unequal: that of the States exceeded some- the foreigners as friends. The number of
what in number, but that again was recompensed Spaniards that put themselves into Kinsale, was
in the quality of the soldiers; for those of the two thousand men, soldiers of old bands, under
Spanish part were of the flower of all their forces. the command of Don John d'Aquila, a man of
The archduke was the assailant, and the preventer, good valour. The town was strong of itself;
and had the fruit of his diligence and celerity. neither wanted there any industry to fortify it on
For he had charged certain companies of Scottish all parts, and make it tenable, according to the
men, to the number of eight hundred, sent to make skill and discipline of Spanish fortification. At
good a passage, and thereby severed from the body that time the rebels were proud, being encouraged
of the army, and cut them all in pieces: for they, upon former successes; for though the then delike a brave infantry, when they could make no puty, the Lord Mountjoy, and Sir George Carew,
honourable retreat, and would take no disho- President of Munster, had performed divers good
nourable flight, made good the place with their services to their prejudice; yet the defeat they
lives. This entrance of the battle did whet the had given the English at Blackwater, not long
courage of the Spaniards, though it dulled their before, and their treaty, too much to their
swords: so as they came proudly on, confident to honour, with the Earl of Essex, was yet fresh
defeat the whole army. The encounter of the main in their memory. The deputy lost no time, but
battle which followed, was a just encounter, not made haste to have recovered the town before
hastening to a sudden rout, nor the fortune of the new succours came, and sat down before it in
day resting upon a few former ranks, but fought October, and laid siege to it by the space of three
out to the proof by several squadrons, and not winter months or more: during which time
without variety of success; "Stat pedi pes den- sallies were made by the Spaniard, but they were
susque viro vir." There fell out an error in the beaten in with loss. In January came fiesh
Dutch army, by the overhasty medley of some of succours from Spain, to the number of two
their men with the enemies, which hindered the thousand more, under the conduct of Alonzo
playingof their great ordnance. But the end was d'Ocampo. Upon the comforts of these succours,
that the Spaniards were utterly defeated, and near Tyrone and Odonnell drew up their forces tofive thousand of their men in the fight, and in the gether, to the number of seven thousand, besides
execution, slain and taken; amongst whom were the Spanish regiments, and took the field, resolved
many of the principal persons of their army. The to rescue the town, and to give the English
honour of the day was, both by the enemy and battle. So here was the case: an army of
the Dutch themselves, ascribed unto the English; English, of some six thousand, wasted, and tired
of whom Sir Francis Vere, in a private commen- with a long winter's siege, engaged in the midst,
tary which he wrote of that service, leaveth testi- between an army of a greater number than themfled, that of fifteen hundred in number, for they selves, fresh and in vigour, on the one side; and
were no more, eight hundred were slain in the a town strong in fortification, and strong in men,
field: and, which is almost incredible in a day on the other. But what was the event? This,
of victory, of the remaining seven hundred two in few words: that after the Irish and Spanish
men only came off unhurt. Amongst the rest forces had come on, and showed themselves in
Sir Francis Vere himself had the principal honour some bravery, they were content to give thu
of the service, unto whom the Prince of Orange, English the honour as to charge them first; and
as is said, did transmit the direction of the army when it came to the charge, there appeared no
for that day; and in the next place Sir Horace other difference between the valour of the Irish
Vere, his brother, that now liveth, who was the rebels and the Spaniards, but that the one ran
principal in the active part. The service also of away before they were charged, and the other
Sir Edward Cecil, Sir John Ogle, and divers straight after. And, again, the Spaniards that
other brave gentlemen, was eminent. were in the town had so good memories of their
In the year 1601, followed the battle of Kin- losses in their former sallies, as the confidence of
sale, in Ireland. By this SDanist invasion of an army, which came for their deliverance, could