Dorset refused to exceed his commission, but the presence of his army at Passages was admitted by the Spaniards to be "quite providential,"[110] as it prevented the French from assisting Navarre.

English indignation was loud and deep; men and officers vowed that, but for Henry's displeasure, they would have called to account the perfidious King.
Condemned to inactivity, the troops almost mutinied; they found it impossible to live on their wages of sixpence a day (equivalent now to at least six shillings), drank Spanish wine as if it were English (p.

058) beer, and died of dysentery like flies in the autumn.

Discipline relaxed; drill was neglected.

Still Ferdinand tarried, and in October, seeing no hope of an attempt on Guienne that year, the army took matters into its own hands and embarked for England.[111] [Footnote 107: _L.