15 minSummaryRead it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook editionPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
In a land rising against Spanish rule, love and liberty give danger a deeply personal edge.
The First of the English by Archibald Clavering Gunter takes you into the world of the Eighty Years' War. The Dutch provinces struggle to break from Spain, while soldiers, adventurers and volunteers from other lands, including England, enter the conflict. This is the ground for an old-fashioned adventure of espionage, romance and rebellion.
Against that struggle for self-rule, Gunter brings together the pleasures of swashbuckling fiction: daring heroes, secret work, swordplay and love. The stakes reach beyond the fighting itself. Romance gives the adventure a personal pull, while rebellion raises a larger question: what will people risk for liberty? Expect a tale driven by danger rather than a quiet account of the past.
What you’ll discover
- A country in revolt Enter a war-torn setting where the Dutch struggle against the power of Spain.
- The pull of espionage Discover the intrigue of secret work woven into a swashbuckling historical adventure.
- Love amid danger Follow a romantic thread that gives the tale stakes beyond duty or pay.
- The risks of liberty Consider what the fight for self-rule asks of those drawn into rebellion.
- Old-fashioned daring Enjoy the bold heroes, swordplay and fast action of a classic adventure.
Who will love it
Readers who enjoy sea chases, secret ciphers, sword fights, disguises and love across enemy lines will find a fast, cheerful companion here. It suits anyone curious about Elizabethan daring and the Dutch struggle for freedom.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A storm opens a secret war
- A false name leads to love
- An ally reveals two dangerous truths
- A public contest conceals private danger
- Love and duty travel together
- A hidden fortune draws Guy back
- Friendship pulls Guy toward the besieged
- Each deception deepens a true attachment
Who’s who
- Guy Stanhope ChesterA young English knight and sea captain, the First of the English, who serves Queen Elizabeth and risks his life to win the woman he loves.
- Hermoine de AlvaThe Duke's proud, clever and affectionate daughter, who trusts a stranger in Spanish disguise and wants a happy ending against her father's world.
- Antony OliverA painter and secret patriot inside Alva's household who decodes letters, helps Guy and longs to finish his altarpiece.
- Duke of AlvaThe stern Spanish viceroy who crushes the Netherlands, taxes it heavily and loves his daughter above everything.
- Niklaas Bodé VolckerA rich Antwerp merchant and former burgomaster, fussy about money and fearful for his daughter, who is pulled into Guy's schemes.
- Wilhelmina Bodé VolckerThe merchant's lively daughter, who loves Oliver and dreams of life among the nobility.
- Martin CorkerGuy's weathered boatswain, who sniffs out channels in the dark and follows his captain into any danger.
- José de BusacoA boastful young Spanish ensign who befriends the false Captain Guido and later owes Guy a debt.
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet, computer or Kindle, with the type as large as you like.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 15 minutes, to read today.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout. The eBook opens when the book texts go online.
How it works
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, 5 accounts for the price of one.
- We remind you first. Free for 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment. Then USD 0.14 a day in your first year on the yearly plan and USD 0.27 a day after, or USD 0.66 a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
Bought on its own? Every eBook and printed book you buy without the plan carries our 30-day money-back guarantee.
25 languages, side by side
The First of the English in 25 languages, side by side, paragraph by paragraph, once the book texts are online: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
The First of the English
by Archibald Clavering Gunter · 1895
A pirate knight in Spanish velvet rows into Alva's own citadel and falls for the Viceroy's daughter.
Medium level5–10 hours to read20 languages
Learn a language with medium classicsSpanishFrenchGermanItalianJapanesePortugueseEnglishHow we measure levels
Excellent
Free for 3 months · starts right away, on any device
Read free3 months free · cancel anytimeRenews every year · Cancel anytimeHow it works
- Read, large type too
- 25 languages, side by side
- Print and large print at cost
- 5 accounts for the price of one
“Even if you were the Queen of Spain, I’d tell you I loved you!”
In short
Picture a black night in the spring of 1572. A gale pushes the sea over the dikes of the Netherlands, and a small English warship races up the flooded Schelde with no buoys to guide her.
The First of the English at a glance
- Reading time
- About 6 h 25 min5 h 5 min fast, 7 h 40 min slow
- Length
- 91,800 words
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
- First published
- 1895by Archibald Clavering Gunter
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A gale and a sea chase begin everything
In the early spring of 1572 a northwest gale drives the sea over the dikes of the Netherlands. Captain Guy Stanhope Chester steers the Dover Lass up the Schelde in pitch darkness. The Spanish have torn out every buoy, so he trusts his lead line, his nose and his boatswain, Martin Corker.
Corker spots gun flashes in the dark. Guy sends boarders into two boats without a sound. One carries Dirk Duyvel and his Sea Beggars, rebels who live as half pirates under William of Orange. The other is a Spanish state barge with three frightened women and an Italian whom the Beggars have tied to a rope and towed behind in the water. Guy buys the whole capture from Dirk for three hundred crowns in silver.
Renews every year · Cancel anytime
You looked at
Which edition is right for me
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet or computer. Your place follows you, and you can make the type as big as you like.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 15 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1895
- Language
- English
- Level
- Medium level
Cite this edition
Gunter, Archibald Clavering. The First of the English. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-first-of-the-english.
Gunter, A. C. (2026). The first of the English. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-first-of-the-english (Original work published 1895)
Gunter, Archibald Clavering. The First of the English. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-first-of-the-english.
@book{gunter2026first,
author = {Gunter, Archibald Clavering},
title = {The First of the English},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-first-of-the-english},
note = {First published 1895}
}
Free gifts
USD 580 in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, 5 accounts for the price of one. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
USD 170FREE - Every eBookIn 25 languages, any device
USD 120FREE - 15-minute summariesRead in 25 languages
USD 60FREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
USD 60FREE - 5 accounts for the price of oneA shelf for everyone at home
USD 170FREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
Questions about The First of the English
Can I read it free?
Yes. The first key idea of the 15-minute summary is free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 3 months, with the eBook to keep, plus 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy the printed book?
Soon. The paperback, hardcover and large print editions are being prepared. Choose Paperback or Hardcover above, leave your email, and we tell you the day you can order it, printed at cost.
How many accounts do I get?
Five, for the price of one: you and 4 more people, each with their own login, shelf and their own place in every book.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. Nothing is charged in your first 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment.
What is The First of the English about?
It follows Sir Guy Chester, a secret agent of Queen Elizabeth during the Dutch revolt of 1572. He slips into Antwerp in disguise, uncovers a plot against his queen, falls in love with Alva's daughter and hunts the Spanish viceroy's hidden treasure.
Who is the First of the English?
It is the nickname the Dutch give to Guy Stanhope Chester. They hope he is only the first Englishman to help them and that others will follow. Alva has put a large price on his head.
Is The First of the English a true story?
No, it is a novel, but it uses real history. The Duke of Alva, the tenth penny tax, the Sea Beggars, Queen Elizabeth and the siege of Haarlem are real, while Guy, Hermoine and Oliver are the author's inventions.
The author
Archibald Clavering Gunter
1847–1907 · American novelist
Archibald Clavering Gunter (1847–1907) was an American novelist and playwright. He was born in Liverpool, England, grew up in San Francisco, and later lived in New York City, where he died. His novels included Mr. Barnes of New York (1887) and Mr. Potter of Texas (1888). He also worked as an engineer.
“Even if you were the Queen of Spain, I’d tell you I loved you!”
More like this
Our mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing
