He went, by the queen's permission, with his uncle Leicester to the Low Countries, then struggling, with Elizabeth's assistance, against Philip of Spain.

There he was made governor of Flushing--the key to the navigation of the North Seas--with the rank of general of horse.

In a skirmish near Zutphen (South Fen) he served as a volunteer; and, as he was going into action fully armed, seeing his old friend Sir William Pelham without cuishes upon his thighs, prompted by mistaken but chivalrous generosity, he took off his own, and had his thigh broken by a musket-ball.

This was on the 2d of October, 1586, N.S.He lingered for twenty days, and then died at Arnheim, mourned by all.

The story of his passing the untasted water to the wounded soldier, will never become trite: "This man's necessity is greater than mine," was an immortal speech which men like to quote.[25] SIDNEY'S WORKS .-- But it is as a literary character that we must consider Sidney; and it is worthy of special notice that his works could not have been produced in any other age.