Meantime, however, the royalists, finding that the fire-ships had come to so innocent an end, had rallied and emerged from their forts.

Haultain and his Zeelanders, by the time they had fairly mounted the dyke, found themselves in the iron embrace of several hundred Spaniards.

After a brief fierce struggle, face to face, and at push of pike, the patriots reeled backward down the bank, and took refuge in their boats.

Admiral Haultain slipped as he left the shore, missed a rope's end which was thrown to him, fell into the water, and, borne down by the weight of his armour, was drowned.

The enemy, pursuing them, sprang to the waist in the ooze on the edge of the dyke, and continued the contest.