The courage of despair inflamed the French, the hope of a brilliant and conclusive victory excited the Spaniards and Flemings.

It was a wild, hand to hand conflict--general and soldier, cavalier and pikeman, lancer and musketeer, mingled together in one dark, confused, and struggling mass, foot to foot, breast to breast, horse to horse-a fierce, tumultuous battle on the sands, worthy the fitful pencil of the national painter, Wouvermans.

For a long time it was doubtful on which side victory was to incline, but at last ten English vessels unexpectedly appeared in the offing, and ranging up soon afterwards as close to the share as was possible, opened their fire upon the still unbroken lines of the French.

The ships were too distant, the danger of injuring friend as well as foe too imminent, to allow of their exerting any important influence upon the result.

The spirit of the enemy was broken, however, by this attack upon their seaward side, which they had thought impregnable.