The survivors effected their retreat as they best could, leaving four of their ships behind them and three or four hundred men.
"Forty rebels lay dead on the dyke," said Parma, "and one hundred and fifty more, at least, were drowned.

The enemy confess a much larger loss than the number I state, but I am not a friend of giving details larger than my ascertained facts; nor do I know how many were killed in the boats." This enterprise was but a prelude, however, to the great undertaking which had now been thoroughly matured.

Upon the 26th May, another and most determined attack was to be made upon the Kowenstyn, by the Antwerpers and Hollanders acting in concert.

This time, it was to be hoped, there would be no misconception of signals.

"It was a determination," said Parma, "so daring and desperate that there was no substantial reason why we should believe they would carry it out; but they were at last solemnly resolved to die or to effect their purpose." Two hundred ships in all had been got ready, part of them under Hohenlo and Justinus de Nassau, to sail up from Zeeland; the others to advance from Antwerp under Sainte Aldegonde.