History of Protestantism in the Netherlands - James Aitken Wylie

opened her harbours to Flemish pirates, and
permitted the goods stolen by them from Spanish
subjects to be sold in her dominions, and so
violated the treaties subsisting between the Spanish
and English crowns. Elizabeth, though secretly
friendly to the Flemish exiles, was yet unwilling to
come to an open rupture with Philip, and
accordingly she ordered their ships to quit her
ports,[4] and forbade her subjects to supply
provisions to their crews. The Sea Beggars
instantly weighed anchor, and shot across the
German Sea. Half famished they arrived off the
mouth of the Meuse, and sailed up its broad
channel to Brill. The fleet was under the command
of Admiral de la Marck, who held a commission
from William of Orange. Coming to anchor
opposite Brill, De la Marck sent a herald to
summon the town to surrender. "The people," says
Strada, "supposed them at first to be merchantmen
cast upon their coast by storm, but before they
were aware they brought war, not merchandise."[5]
Brill, though a small place, was strongly
fortified, but the summons of the Beggars of the
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