They were all slain at the cannon's
mouth, whither patriotism, not vainglory, had led them, and lay dead
around the battery, with their hammers and spikes in their hands. The
same spirit was daily manifested. As the spring advanced, the kine went
daily out of the gates to their peaceful pasture, notwithstanding all
the turmoil within and around; nor was it possible for the Spaniards
to capture a single one of these creatures, without paying at least
a dozen soldiers as its price. 'These citizens,' wrote Don Frederic,
'do as much as the best soldiers in the world could do.'"
The whole story is too dreadful to be told; but events proved the
implacable old soldier to be right. Month after month passed, assault
after assault was repulsed by the wretched but indomitable burghers;
but time was all on the side of the enemy. On July 12th, after the
frustration again and again of hopes of relief from the Prince of
Orange, whose plans were doomed to failure on every occasion, the city
surrendered on the promise of complete forgiveness by Don Frederic.
The Don, however, was only a subordinate; the Duke of Alva had other
views. He quickly arrived on the scene, and as quickly his presence
made itself felt. "The garrison, during the siege, had been reduced
from four thousand to eighteen hundred.
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