By Pike and Dyke: a Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER XVII
A RESCUE
At twelve o'clock on the following day Ned went to the town hall,and on stating that he was the bearer of an order from the Council,was at once shown into the chamber in which three of the magistrateswere sitting.
"I am the bearer of an order from the Council for the delivery tome of the persons of the Countess Von Harp, her daughter, and thewoman arrested in company with them for conveyance to Brussels,there to answer the charges against them. This is the order ofthe Council with their seal, ordering all magistrates to renderassistance to me as one of their servants. This is the specialorder for the handing over to me of the prisoners named."
The magistrates took the first order, glanced at it and at the seal,and perfectly satisfied with this gave a casual glance at that forthe transferring of the prisoners.
"I think you were about a year since with Councillor Von Aert?" oneof the magistrates said. Ned bowed. "By the way, did I not hearthat you were missing, or that some misfortune had befallen yousome months since? I have a vague recollection of doing so."
"Yes. I was sorely maltreated by a band of robber peasants who leftme for dead, but as you see I am now completely recovered."
"I suppose you have some men with you to escort the prisoners?"one of the magistrates asked.
"Assuredly," Ned replied. "I have with me three men, behind whomthe women will ride."
The magistrates countersigned the order upon the governor of theprison to hand over the three prisoners, and gave it with the letterof the Council to Ned. He bowed and retired.
"I should not have remembered him again," the magistrate who hadbeen the chief speaker said after he had left the room, "had it notbeen for that villainous cast in his eyes. I remember noticing itwhen he was here last time, and wondered that Von Aert should liketo have a man whose eyes were so crossways about him; otherwise Ido not recall the face at all, which is not surprising seeing thatI only saw him for a minute or two, and noticed nothing but thatabominable squint of his."
Ned walked back to his inn, ordered his horse to be saddled at twoo'clock, and partook of a hearty meal. Then paying his reckoninghe went out and mounted his horse. As he did so three men in greendoublets and red hose rode up and took their places behind him.On arriving at the prison he dismounted, and handing his horse toone of his followers entered.
"I have an order from the Council, countersigned by the magistrateshere, for the delivery to me of three prisoners."
The warder showed him into a room.
"The governor is ill," he said, "and confined to his bed; but Iwill take the order to him."
Ned was pleased with the news, for he thought it likely that Genetmight have been there before on similar errands, and his person beknown to the governor. In ten minutes the warder returned.
"The prisoners are without," he said, "and ready to depart."
Pulling his bonnet well down over his eyes, Ned went out into thecourtyard.
"You are to accompany me to Brussels, countess," he said gruffly."Horses are waiting for you without."
The countess did not even glance at the official who had thus cometo convey her to what was in all probability death, but followedthrough the gate into the street. The men backed their horses upto the block of stone used for mounting. Ned assisted the femalesto the pillions, and when they were seated mounted his own horseand led the way down the street. Many of the people as they passedalong groaned or hooted, for the feeling in Maastricht was stronglyin favour of the patriot side, a feeling for which they were someyears later to be punished by almost total destruction of the city,and the slaughter of the greater portion of its inhabitants.
Ned paid no attention to these demonstrations, but quickening hishorse into a trot rode along the street and out of the gate of thecity. As the road was a frequented one, he maintained his placeat the head of the party until they had left the city nearly twomiles behind them. On arriving at a small crossroad one of themen said: "This is the way, sir; it is up this road that the cartis waiting." Ned now reined back his horse to the side of that onwhich the countess was riding.
"Countess," he said, "have you forgotten the English lad you aideda year ago in Brussels?"
The countess started.
"I recognize you now, sir," she said coldly; "and little did Ithink at that time that I should next see you as an officer of theCouncil of Blood."
Ned smiled.
"Your mistake is a natural one, countess; but in point of factI am still in the service of the Prince of Orange, and have onlyassumed this garb as a means of getting you and your daughter outof the hands of those murderers. I am happy to say that you are freeto go where you will; these good fellows are like myself disguised,and are at your service. In a few minutes we shall come to a cartwhich will take you wheresoever you like to go, and there aredisguises similar to those with which you once fitted me out inreadiness for you there."
The surprise of the countess for a moment kept her silent; butGertrude, who had overheard what was said, burst into exclamationsof delight.
"Pardon me for having doubted you," the countess exclaimed, muchaffected.
"No pardon is required, countess. Seeing that the prison authoritieshanded you over to me, you could not but have supposed that I wasas I seemed, in the service of the Council."
Just at this moment they came upon a cart drawn up by the roadside.Ned assisted the countess and her daughter to alight, and whilehe was rendering similar assistance to the old servant, mother anddaughter threw themselves into each other's arms, and wept withdelight at this unexpected delivery that had befallen them. It wassome time before they were sufficiently recovered to speak.
"But how do you come here?" the countess asked Ned, "and how haveyou effected this miracle?"
Ned briefly related how he had heard of their captivity, and themanner in which he had been enabled to effect their escape.
"And now, countess," he said, "the day is wearing on, and it isnecessary that you should at once decide upon your plans. Will youagain try to make to the German frontier or to the sea coast, orremain in hiding here?"
"We cannot make for Germany without again crossing the Maas," thecountess said, "and it is a long way to the sea coast. What sayyou, Magdalene?"
"I think," the old woman said, "that you had best carry out theadvice I gave before. It is a little more than twelve miles fromhere to the village where, as I told you, I have relations living.We can hire a house there, and there is no chance of your beingrecognized. I can send a boy thence to Brussels to fetch the jewelsand money you left in charge of your friend the Count Von Dortthere."
"That will certainly be the best way, Magdalene. We can wait thereuntil either there is some change in the state of affairs, or untilwe can find some safe way of escape. It is fortunate, indeed, thatI left my jewels in Brussels, instead of taking them with me as Ihad at first intended.
"It will hardly be necessary, will it," she asked Ned, "to put onthe disguises, for nothing in the world can be simpler than ourdresses at present?"
"You had certainly best put the peasant cloaks and caps on.Inquiries are sure to be made all through the country when theyfind at Maastricht how they have been tricked. Three peasant womenin a cart will attract no attention whatever, even in passing throughvillages; but, dressed as you are now, some one might notice youand recall it if inquiries were made."
The three men who had aided in the scheme had ridden off as soon asthe cart was reached, and Ned, being anxious that the party shouldbe upon their way, and desirous, too, of avoiding the expressionsof gratitude of the three women, hurried them into the cart. It wasnot necessary for them to change their garments, as the peasant'scloaks completely enveloped them, and the high headdresses quitechanged their appearance.
"Do not forget, countess, I hope some day to see you in England,"Ned said as they took their seats.
"I will not forget," the countess said; "and only wish that atpresent I was on my way thither."
Afte
"There has been some excitement here. A week since a messengerarrived from Brussels with orders that three female prisonersconfined here should be sent at once to Brussels; but curiouslyenough it was found that the three prisoners in question had beenhanded over upon the receipt of a previous order. This is nowpronounced to be a forgery, and it is evident that the authoritieshave been tricked. There has been much search and inquiry, but noclue whatever has been obtained as to the direction taken by thefugitives, or concerning those engaged in this impudent adventure."
Alva's reign of terror and cruelty was now drawing to an end. Hissuccessor was on his way out, and the last days of his administrationwere embittered by his failure of his plans, the retreat of hisarmy from before Alkmaar, and the naval defeat from the Zuider Zee.But he continued his cruelties to the end. Massacres on a grandscale were soon carried on, and a nobleman named Uitenhoove, whohad been taken prisoner, was condemned to be roasted to death beforea slow fire, and was accordingly fastened by a chain to a stake,around which a huge fire was kindled; he suffered in slow torturea long time until despatched by the executioner with a spear, apiece of humanity that greatly angered the duke.
Alva had contracted an enormous amount of debt, both public andprivate, in Amsterdam, and now caused a proclamation to be issuedthat all persons having demands upon him were to present theirclaims on a certain day. On the previous night he and his trainnoiselessly took their departure. The heavy debts remained unpaid,and many opulent families were reduced to beggary. Such was theresult of the confidence of the people of Amsterdam in the honourof their tyrant.
On the 17th of November Don Louis de Requesens, Grand Commander ofSt. Jago, Alva's successor, arrived in Brussels; and on the 18thof December the Duke of Alva left. He is said to have boasted, onhis way home, that he had caused 18,000 inhabitants of the provincesto be executed during the period of his government. This was,however, a mere nothing to the number who had perished in battle,siege, starvation, and massacre. After the departure of their tyrantthe people of the Netherlands breathed more freely, for they hopedthat under their new governor, there would be a remission in theterrible agony they had suffered; and for a time his proclamationswere of a conciliatory nature. But it was soon seen that there wasno change in policy. Peace was to be given only on the conditionof all Protestants recanting or leaving their country.
The first military effort of the new governor was to endeavourto relieve the city of Middleburg, the capital of the Island ofWalcheren, which had long been besieged by the Protestants. Mondragonthe governor was sorely pressed by famine, and could hold out butlittle longer, unless rescue came. The importance of the city wasfelt by both parties. Requesens himself went to Bergen op Zoom, whereseventy-five ships were collected under the command, nominally, ofAdmiral de Glines, but really under that of Julian Romero, whileanother fleet of thirty ships was assembled at Antwerp, under D'Avila,and moved down towards Flushing, there to await the arrival ofthat of Romero. Upon the other hand, the Prince of Orange collecteda powerful fleet under the command of Admiral Boisot, and himselfpaid a visit to the ships, and assembling the officers roused themto enthusiasm by a stirring address.
On the 20th of January the Good Venture again entered the port ofDelft; and hearing that a battle was expected in a few days, CaptainMartin determined to take part in it. As soon as he had unloadedhis cargo he called the crew together and informed them of hisdetermination, but said that as this was no quarrel of theirs, anywho chose could remain on shore until his return.
But Englishmen felt that the cause of Holland was their own, andnot a single man on board availed himself of this permission. Nedinformed the Prince of Orange of his father's intention, and askedleave to accompany him.
"Assuredly you may go if you please," the prince said; "but I fearthat, sooner or later, the fortune of war will deprive me of you,and I should miss you much. Moreover, almost every sailor in portis already in one or other of Boisot's ships; and I fear that,with your weak crew, you would have little chance if engaged withone of these Spanish ships full of men."
"We have enough to work our cannon, sir," Ned said; "besides,I think we may be able to beat up some volunteers. There are manyEnglish ships in port waiting for cargoes, which come in but slowly,and I doubt not that some of them will gladly strike a blow againstthe Spaniards."
Ned and Peters accordingly went round among the English vessels,and in the course of two hours had collected a hundred volunteers.In those days every Englishman regarded a Spaniard as a naturalenemy. Drake and Hawkins, and other valiant captains, were warringfiercely against them in the Indian seas, and officers and menin the ships in Delft were alike eager to join in the forthcomingstruggle against them.
The Good Venture had, flying the Dutch flag, joined Boisot's fleetat Romerswael, a few miles below Bergen, on the 27th of January; andwhen the Hollanders became aware of the nationality of the vesselwhich had just joined them, they welcomed them with tremendouscheers. Two days later the fleet of Romero were seen coming downthe river in three divisions. When the first of the Spanish shipscame near they delivered a broadside, which did considerable executionamong the Dutch fleet. There was no time for further cannonading.A few minutes later the fleets met in the narrow channel, and theships grappling with each other, a hand to hand struggle began.
The fighting was of the most desperate character; no quarter wasasked or given on either side, and men fought with fury hand tohand upon decks slippery with blood. But the combat did not lastlong. The Spaniards had little confidence in themselves on boardship. Their discipline was now of little advantage to them, and thesavage fury with which the Zeelanders fought shook their courage.Fifteen ships were speedily captured and 1200 Spaniards slain, andthe remainder of the fleet, which, on account of the narrownessof the passage had not been able to come into action, retreated toBergen.
Romero himself, whose ship had grounded, sprang out of a portholeand swam ashore, and landed at the very feet of the Grand Commander, whohad been standing all day upon the dyke in the midst of a pouringrain, only to be a witness of the total defeat of his fleet. Mondragonnow capitulated, receiving honourable conditions. The troops wereallowed to leave the place with their arms, ammunition, and personalproperty, and Mondragon engaged himself to procure the release ofSainte Aldegonde and four other prisoners of rank, or to returnand give himself up as a prisoner of war.
Requesens, however, neither granted the release of the prisoners,nor permitted Mondragon to return. It was well for these prisoners,that Bossu was in the hands of the prince. Had it not been for thisthey would have all been put to death.
With the fall of Middleburg the Dutch and Zeelanders remainedmasters of the entire line of sea coast, but on land the situationwas still perilous. Leyden was closely invested, and all communicationsby land between the various cities suspended. The sole hope thatremained was in the army raised by Count Louis.
He had raised 3000 cavalry and 6000 infantry, and, accompanied bythe prince's other two brothers, crossed the Rhine in a snowstormand marched towards Maastricht. The Prince of Orange had on hispart with the greatest difficulty raised 6000 infantry, and wroteto Count Louis to move to join him in the Isle of Bommel after hehad reduced Maastricht. But the expedition, like those before it,was destined to failure. A thousand men deserted, seven hundredmore were killed in a night surprise, and the rest were mutinousfor their pay. Fin
But the Spanish infantry were well disciplined and obedient, thoseof Louis were mercenaries and discontented; and although at firsthis cavalry gained an advantage, it was a short one, and after afierce action his army was entirely defeated. Count Louis, findingthat the day was lost, gathered a little band of troopers, andwith his brother, Count Henry, and Christopher, son of the ElectorPalatine, charged into the midst of the enemy. They were neverheard of more. The battle terminated in a horrible butchery. Atleast 4000 men were either killed in the field, suffocated in themarshes, drowned in the river, or burned in the farmhouses in whichthey had taken refuge. Count Louis, and his brother and friend,probably fell on the field, but stripped of their clothing,disfigured by wounds and the trampling of horses, their bodies werenever recognized.
The defeat of the army and the death of his two brave brothers wasa terrible blow to the Prince of Orange. He was indeed paying dearfor his devotion to his country. His splendid fortune had beenentirely spent, his life had been one of incessant toil and anxiety,his life had been several times threatened with assassination, hehad seen his every plan thwarted. Save on the sandy slip of coastby the ocean, the whole of the Netherlands was still prostratebeneath the foot of the Spaniard; and now he had lost two of hisbrothers. England and France had alternately encouraged and stoodaloof from him, and after all these efforts and sacrifices theprospects of ultimate success were gloomy in the extreme.
Fortunately the Spaniards were not able to take full advantage oftheir victory over the army of Count Louis. They differed from theGerman mercenaries inasmuch that while the latter mutinied beforethey fought, the Spaniards fought first and mutinied afterwards.Having won a great battle, they now proceeded to defy their generals.Three years' pay were due to them, and they took the steps thatthey always adopted upon these occasions. A commander called the"Eletto" was chosen by acclamation, a board of councillors wasappointed to assist and control him, while the councillors werenarrowly watched by the soldiers. They crossed the Maas and marchedto Antwerp.
The Grand Commander hastened there to meet them, and whenthey arrived in perfect military order he appeared before them onhorseback and made them an oration, promising that their demandsshould be satisfied. The soldiers simply replied, "We want money,not words." Requesens consulted the City Council and demanded 400,000crowns to satisfy the troops. The citizens hesitated at providingso enormous an amount, knowing by past experience that it wouldnever be repaid. The soldiers, however, employed their usualmethods. They quartered themselves upon the houses of the citizens,and insisted upon being supplied with rich food, wine, and luxuriesof all kinds; and in a week or two the burghers saw that they musteither pay or be ruined.
An offer was accordingly made of ten months' arrears in cash, fivemonths in silks and woolen cloths, and the rest in promises to befulfilled within a few days. The Eletto declared that he consideredthe terms satisfactory, whereupon the troops at once deposed himand elected another. Carousing and merry making went on at theexpense of the citizens, and after suffering for some weeks fromthe extortions and annoyance of the soldiers, the 400,000 crownsdemanded by Requesens were paid over, and the soldiers received alltheir pay due either in money or goods. A great banquet was heldby the whole mass of soldiery, and there was a scene of furiousrevelry. The soldiers arrayed themselves in costumes cut from thematerials they had just received. Broadcloths, silks, satins, andgold embroidered brocades were hung in fantastic drapery over theirragged garments, and when the banquet was finished gambling began.
But when they were in the midst of their revelry the sound of cannonwas heard. Boisot had sailed up the Scheldt to attack the fleetof D'Avila, which had hastened up to Antwerp for refuge after thedefeat of Romero. There was a short and sharp action, and fourteenof the Spanish ships were burnt or sunk. The soldiers swarmed downto the dyke and opened a fire of musketry upon the Dutch. Theywere, however, too far off to effect any damage, and Boisot, witha few parting broadsides, sailed triumphantly down the river, havingagain struck a heavy blow at the naval power of Spain.
The siege of Leyden had been raised when Count Louis crossed theRhine, the troops being called in from all parts to oppose hisprogress. The Prince of Orange urged upon the citizens to loseno time in preparing themselves for a second siege, to strengthentheir walls, and, above all, to lay in stores of provisions. But,as ever, the Dutch burghers, although ready to fight and to sufferwhen the pinch came, were slow and apathetic unless in the face ofnecessity; and in spite of the orders and entreaties of the prince,nothing whatever was done, and the Spaniards when they returnedbefore the city on the 26th of May, after two months' absence,found the town as unprepared for resistance as it had been at theirfirst coming, and that the citizens had not even taken the troubleto destroy the forts that they had raised round it.
Leyden stood in the midst of broad and fruitful pastures reclaimedfrom the sea; around were numerous villages, with blooming gardensand rich orchards. Innumerable canals cut up the country, and enteringthe city formed its streets. These canals were shaded with trees,crossed by a hundred and forty-five bridges. Upon an artificialelevation in the centre of the city rose a ruined tower of greatantiquity, assigned either to the Saxons before they crossed toEngland or with greater probability to the Romans.
The force which now appeared before the town consisted of8000 Walloons and Germans, commanded by Valdez. They lost no timein taking possession of the Hague, and all the villages and fortsround Leyden. Five hundred English volunteers under command ofColonel Chester abandoned the fort of Valkenberg which had beenintrusted to them and fled towards Leyden. Not as yet had theEnglish soldiers learnt to stand before the Spaniards, but the timewas ere long to come when, having acquired confidence in themselves,they were to prove themselves more than a match for the veteransof Spain. The people of Leyden refused to open their gates tothe fugitives, and they surrendered to Valdez. As at that momenta mission was on the point of starting from Requesens to QueenElizabeth, the lives of the prisoners were spared, and they weresent back to England.